JOHN HANCOCK (1737-1793) American Revolutionary politician and first signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of the Continental Congress and two-time Governor of Massachusetts. His A.E., unsigned, a docket on a letter to him from English merchant HENRY CRUGER, an A.L.S. 3pp. folio, Bristol, March 18, 1771. A lengthy and detailed letter of introduction from the merchant seeking to establish a business relationship with Hancock, who was one of America's most prominent and successful merchants. Cruger writes in part: "...being a merchant, I have for some time past been desirous to have a connection with you in that character. At any Rate, I was ambitious of a Correspondence with you ... to put up one of my ships to take in good upon a General Freight for Boston...Mr. Palfrey inform'd me of your inclination to establish a Ship on the Trade betwixt Boston & Bristol - and paid me the compliment to say I was the first & only person in the place that he would wish to see you connected with... I think the more owners you have of your side of the water, the better on account of their orders for goods to promote her Freight. I am largely in the New York Trade - have the consignments of many vessels yearly...I submit the matter wholy [sic] to your discretion - I think if you were to build a good little ship of 150 to 160 tons, & have two or three owners of your side the water - I mean large importers of dry Goods - there is no doubt but the concern would get money by it. Engage your Friends who do business to this place to give your vessel the preference & my interest here can always command what freight is going...there are but few [articles sent] from your country to this...sixty or eighty tons of oil by a vessel goes off very well and so will 15 or 20 tons of pot ash. Dye wools of all sorts will sell in any quantity...lumber we abound in...NB spermacati oil is always L3 or L4 a ton lower in summer than winter... should be glad to have my ship returned to Bristol directly if you can procure a Freight... [we] are quite overstocked with that kind of American lumber & it is become exceedingly cheap and very difficult to dispose of...Hen: Cruger Jr. " British trade with the colonies was usually carried on American-built ships. When ships themselves were the commodity, they were generally built in New England, loaded at a southern port, and then sent to their final destination in England. The two biggest colonial ports before the Revolution were Boston and Philadelphia; each controlled an extended peripheral region. Commerce involved barter, specie transactions, and bills of exchange; credit, however, was the most used form of exchange. On the verso Hancock notes the author and means of transportation: "Henry Cruger Esq. from Bristol Rec'd May 9, 1771 By Capt. Gough. " Light soiling and foxing at expected folds, a few minor losses at top and bottom margins and at center horizontal fold affecting a few words, otherwise very bright and clean and in very good condition. $1,500-2,000