Great  importance  should  be  attached  to  stopping  their  Levant
trade,  which  may  be  done  by  carefully  guarding  the  Straits  of
Gibraltar  against  ships  from  here,  whose  sailing  I  will  report  and
give  particulars  of  their  number,  in  order  that  a  sufficient  force  of
galleys  and  galleons  may  be  placed  in  the  Straits  to  stop  their
passage.  I  will  also  report  the  sailing  of  ships  for  Barbary,  in
order  that  an  efibrt  may  be  made  to  impede  that  trade  also ;  aud  I
can  assure  your  Lordship,  if  this  were  done  for  a  single  year  it
would  bring  them  perforce  to  surrender  on  any  terms  which  His
Majesty  might  please  to  dictate,  both  with  regard  to  tlie  fortresses
they  have  seized,  and  the  restitution  of  their  plunder,  and  above  all
would  prevent  them  from  preying  on  the  seas  in  future.  On
this  latter  point  I  will  also  give  my  opinion,  and  say  what  I
think  will  be  best  for  His  Majesty's  interests,  and  those  of  his
subjects.
