[236]

my Intention to fill, as long as I can hold it with  Credit although I can now do very well without it -- Doctor Dancer'si appointment is merely nominal, a kind of appoint -ment  a pension in fact given to him by his friends --[.]
I hope I am not asking too much when I request from Kew Gardens a plant , or two of the Nutmeg and Clove: provided they can be spared; they would be a valuable acquisition to this Island[.]
I should have made my Collection of seeds more complete had not my Time of late been almost entirely taken up by military Duty, you will doubtless have heard Sir, of the serious alarm this Island has been thrown into by the successive arrival in the West Indies of the Rochfort, and Toulon & Cadiz Squadronsii[.]
I rejoice to hear my old Master Mr. Salisburyiii is well; may I request of you to make my respectful Compliments to him[.]
The King's Gardeniv at Kew contains, without doubt, the best, and most extensive Collection of Plants in the world, should I be fortunate en-oughv to add a few desirable Plants to this noble collection I shall feel extremely gratified[.]
I am Sir
with the greatest respect & attachment
your obliged, and faithful Servant
Signed James  Wiles vi -- -- -- -- -- -- --  [signature]
P.S[.] I believe Mr. Taylorvii intends sending you the Fruit[?] Plants and dried Specimens of the Akeeviii
i Dancer, Thomas, Mr. c 1750-1811 or 1755-1810, British physician and colonial botanist viaf 270543817. He came to Jamaica in 1773, and was curator of its botanic garden from 1787 to 1804. 
ii This was, as a part of the Napoleonic Wars, the attempts made by the French fleet to capture British colonies in the West Indies (wiki). The last threat to Jamaica came in 1805/6 when a French fleet was sent to blockade Jamaica and disrupt the shipping lanes of the Caribbean. (https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/jamaica.htm)
iii Salisbury, Richard Anthony, 1761-1829 viaf = 21287763
iv Kew Gardens was owned by the Crown until it passed to the government in 1840
v across two lines
vi James is written in the same hand as the rest of the  letter but Wiles is written in a different hand and is above the first three sections of the dashed line provided for the signature which I have shown here to the right of the signature. 
Wiles, James, Mr. (No viaf number) was a botanist and plantation owner in Jamaica. He had worked as a gardener for Salisbury, Richard Anthony,  through which he met Banks, Joseph, Sir. https://www.mylearning.org/stories/ordinary-people-of-leeds-who-owned-enslaved-peoples/1321

vii There were Taylors living at the time who were owners of coffee and sugar plantations in Jamaica, which used slave labour, including :-
Taylor,Simon - one of the wealthiest men on the Island and the world at the time.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/slavery-slaver-who-was-simon-taylor-british-empire-black-history/
Taylor,Thomas William, owned Auchenbeddie. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/estate/view/1848 
They may or may not have been relations of the Mr Taylor in the text.

viii Ackee (also spelt Akee) Blighia sapida  is the national fruit of Janaica. Used in the popular dish Ackee and Saltfish.It was brought to Jamaica before 1773 from West Africa. Its scientific name honours Bligh, William, Captain who brought it from Jamaica to Kew Gardens.(wiki)