e, and if we shall not be troublesome to
you, we think of being with you on Wednesday in next week; but pray
let us know if you would wish us to delay our visit.

If the project holds respecting Holland, it is likely, I think,
that I shall not be much longer before I am called upon to begin my
preparations. I have as yet no answer from Tom, but I shall have
one to-day or to-morrow; for we know that the wind changed to the
eastward on the other side the water on Friday, and we have three
mails due.

Our first division of Russians, five thousand two hundred men, are
arrived, and are under sailing orders for the Texel. Popham left
the second division at Elsineur on Sunday last; and calculates that
both this and the rear division, amounting together to above eleven
thousand men, will be here by Tuesday or Wednesday next. Our own
transports were also beginning to arrive, so that we shall have to
send them in the course of a week or ten days a reinforcement of
twenty-six thousand men, besides cavalry. I have no doubt that this
is more than sufficient, with tolerable activity and enterprise, to
do our work completely, and in a very few weeks--I might almost say
days--for we have the command of the Zuyder Zee, by which we can
turn the enemy on their right, and of the North Sea, which equally
turns their left; and they have, I am confident, no means of
assembling an army of half the force of ours, to oppose it in
front. All this, however, is a question of time; for if that is
allowed them, one can answer for nothing.

We have not heard of Abercromby (nor indeed could we) since the
31st. He was then preparing to march forward to Alkmaar. Have you
got Wiebeking's map of Holland and Utrecht? If not, let anybody
write for it for you from Hamburgh. You will see, indeed, in any
map, a little promontory that runs forward opposite to Amsterdam,
on the north bank of the Y., between Buyksloot and Newdam. The
opinion of persons of the country is, that if we can make ourselves
masters of that point, Amsterdam is open to be bombarded, and must
capitulate on the first summons. All the other advantages of the
country we have to act in, upon our line of march, are obvious by
looking at the map. The disadvantages are, the facility of
retarding our march by defending