86 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



it runs Strong in my head that After these troubles [the Revohi- 

 tion] are Settled it will be found necessary to have a dockyard 

 on the Continent of America in a More Centrical place than 

 Halifax, in which case I think there is a Mill pond close to My 

 House on Statten Island which from My Notion of these Matters 

 Might be Made one of the finest dockyards in the World. As it 

 May very easily be made to contain a vast Number of Ships with 

 the greatest Safety, & take in a first rate Man of War — The 

 water may be raised to Any height you please, & at low water 

 there may be one or more dry docks As will be found necessary — 

 I form My Judgment from the Dock Yard at Helvoetsluys, of 

 which this has an exact resemblance in point of Situation — All 

 works of this kind is allways Attended with Expense, but I think 

 this could be finished with less than Any other place I can think 

 of, & in case Lord Howe entertains Any thoughts of this kind 

 & would think this A proper place, I think I Might be of infinite 

 Service in Making a purchase of the Land that Should be found 

 necessary to be bought for the Use Of the Yards. 



" In this or any thing of the kind that Should be thought of I 

 depend upon Your friendship, as I have a weak family to bring 

 on, who have Nothing else to depend upon than My honest En- 

 deavours." 



To Pedro de Mendonzo, Captain McDonald wrote, on Jan- 

 uary II, 1777: 



" Soon after your Departure from us on Statten Island I was 

 forced to leave my family Wife & Children at that Place & join 

 the Army at Boston under the Command of General Gage. This 

 I was forced to do rather than to turn Rebel & traytor to my 

 King & Country or run the risque of Suffering many cruel treat- 

 ments & Insults from a Merciless cruel ignorant & Misled 

 Rabble. However after an absence of Sixteen Months from my 

 family I joined them about the loth of August last, when I had 

 the pleasure of finding them alive & in good health Tho'e M^s. 

 McDonald had rec'd a vast many insults & abuses As far as 

 words and Language & Quartering the Villains in her house 



