 He returned to Britain in 1780 at the suggestion of Middleton, by then Comptroller of the Navy, with the intention of helping his radical reform of the Navy Board and as his personal secretary.He was installed as Vicar of Teston and Vicar and Rector of Nettlestead, Kent, these valuable positions being in the gift of Middleton.During the following three years Ramsay worked on his most significant "An Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies", published in 1784.