No.30
p. 1-3
St. James, September 2nd 1774
Sir Robert Gunning
Sir,
In the Postscript of my last I acknowledged Your Dispatch No.59, No.58 & 60 have since been received and laid before The King.
The Treaty itself not having yet transpired, the Particulars transmitted by you of the peace are considered as more authentic than those received through other channels, and have given His Majesty very real pleasure; and though the Ministers of those foreign powers which are not cordially well disposed towards this country, show great alacrity in expressing their fears that our Levant Trade may be ruined by the Free Passage granted to the Russians through the Dardanelles, - our merchants are, so far as I have yet learnt, of a different opinion: I propose however to make a full enquiry into this point and shall be glad in the mean time to receive any information from You with regard to it. You will, on this occasion, recollect that it has long been intended to form a new Russian Tariffe at the end of the War, and will not, I am sure neglect to get two or three articles rectified and which are not quite conformable to our Treaty of Commerce, as also to inform yourself whether there are any other alterations which might contribute to the advantages of our trade, and might be expected without impropriety. Too much Discussion on this subject – immediately on the conclusion of the peace would certainly be exceptionable; but your discretion may be relied on either to take such measures as may be sufficient now, or being silent on the subject; at the present moment, to enter upon it at the most favorable time hereafter…..

I am etc.
Suffolk [namely, Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, 5th Earl of Berkshire]