The embarrassments under which your Excellency labors, by the States not complyinging [sic] with your requisitions are truly distressing. The importance of New York to the enemy and America fully justifies every step which you have taken in order to beseige it, and the circumstances with which you expected to effect [inserted: it] would have promised success. But at the present moment, the prospects are Dubious, owing to the [Enemy] having received a reinforcement from Pensacola [struck: and] the troops they expect to [receive] from Virginia which will probably arrive in a few days, and the capital deficiency of recruits [illegible] [illegible] - [Struck: Should we be so fortunate to Si] Should Comte de Grasse be so fortunate as to arrive during the absence of the british fleet & previous to the arrival of the English from Virginia we are of opinion that New York [struck: might] clearly ought to [become] [2] our object although our force is not upon a military calculation in any sufficient degree adequate to the attempt, but we conceive that in the case above described we should [strikeout] derive effectual succour from the zeal of the country [line struck] [struck: nearest being realized].