Soho Square
                                                            April 10 1803

My dear Sir

                                            We all Receivd [sic] infinite
Satisfaction on the Receipt of your Letters announcing
the Succeƒs of the first part of your undertaking & we
Gave you much Credit for the very Gallant &
succeƒsfull [sic] manner in which you have executed the
what I conceive to be the most dificult [sic] part of your
Task, the S. West part of the Land.
                              By what I can learn the French Captains
will not be formidable Rivals to you, they seem to have
been much afraid of the Land on all occasions, & to
have miƒsed a very many of the openings you have
Anchord [sic] in; I judge this from a slight Publication
made by the French of a letter from Riedle their
Gardiner [sic], who Complains heavyly [sic] of having been so
seldom brought into harbor or in ^ ^any way empowerd [sic]
to visit the Shore.

                              The Frequent opportunities you have
Given to the naturalists to investigate does you Great
Credit both as a navigator & as a considerate man,
Natural history is now a study so much in Repute
by the Public & in its self is so interesting, that the
Good word of the Naturalists when you come home will
not fail to interest a large number of People in
your Favor.

                              Your charts & journals which I do not
doubt you have dispatchd [sic] home have not yet been
Receivd [sic], this is a great misfortune to you & great
inconvenience to Public service, for a ship has been
fitted out for the Purpose of setting a new Colony in
Port Philip, without having your Plan of it; I do not mean
that any shadow of blame attaches itself to you but if
if [sic] I had poseƒsd [sic] only a few sectches [sic] of yours to
illustrate the Statements I have been making in your
Favor, I should have been able to make a much
firmer & more Lasting impreƒsion of the Services
you have done, than has been the Case, I do not
mean that you should have sent any thing directly
to me, but that for the Future you should as far as
you are able get duplicates of such Charts as you
mean to send home Copied in the Course of your

Voyage I conclude that in the Commencement you
had little aƒsistance & that in the progreƒs of your
Voyage your aƒsistance will increase

                              The Peace which has been made
with France has proved merely an armd [sic] Truce
& a very troublesome one France & England are still
Pitted & till the one has much more materialy [sic]
weakened the other there is yet the Case no solid Peace
can exist between us I think therefore I may
fairly give you hope (however little I may wish it)
that when you return we shall be at war & chance
of Employment in the Favorite Capacity of a Seaman
will be waiting for you.

                              Just at present we have a [illegible]
your friend Blith is looking out for a ship war is
not however yet decided upon & this time I have
hopes we shall escape

                              I beg my Compts [sic] & Good wishes to
my Countreyman [sic] M^r Fowler & to the several Gentlemen
on board your veƒsel whose pursuits are similar
to my own & I beg my dear Sir that you will
beleive [sic] me

[Ends here – Banks' signature cut away]