Kens[ingto]n Gore Jany 23d 1812
My dear Sir
	My having been extremely engrossed by other Business, has alone prevented my addressing you ere now on a Subject which was first brought under my Notice by the Report of one Af[ric]a & ye East Missy Socy at ye Anniversary Meeting in June last— Let me refer you to the Report page 25 &c. You will there see Mr Marsden’s Suggestion of a Vessel to be statedly employed in sailing between New South Wales & the different Islands in ye South Seas &c. The Idea, on Reflection seemed to me a good one & I confess it was a great Recommendation of it to me that [f] it was Mr. Marsden’s— for I have seen a good deal of that Gent[lema]n & of his proceedings & I have formed a high Conception, both of his Talents for Business, his Unaffected Piety & Work— On my return {to] ye Neighbourhood of London therefore, the matter having been mentioned to me by some friends, more especially by Mr. Mortlock, whose Liberality I dare say you well know, & who intimated a disposition to assist in carrying the plan into Execution, I consulted a few Gentlemen whom I deemed likely to be useful auxiliaries in such an Undertaking— I have not time to enter into particulars but it may suffice to say, that it appear’d on Inquiry & after Consideration, that solid Objections might [f] bild against forming any Association in this Country for executing ye plan but that it would probably not be difficult to raise among the various divisions of ye Religious World, such a Sum as when added to what could be obtained in N.S. Wales itself would suffice for carrying the Scheme into Effect; those who should subscribe in this Country, being exempt from all responsibility & the Management being left entirely to Mr. Marsden & such Coadjutors as He should see fit to associate with himself for such a purpose— My excellent friend Mr. Hardcastle approves of this Mode of proceeding— He offers his good offices with ye great Missionary Society & hopes that it might be prevailed on provided ye object would really be effected, to [f] contribute to the Extent of £500, if our Society would subscribe to ye same Extent— I know not what is the State of our funds, but I am persuaded, we should be willing to strain a point for such an excellent purpose as this, where also the Expence is not of a recurring nature, but ye contrib[utio]n is to be made once for all. Mr Hardcastle seems to think that if 2000£ could be raisd in this Country. it might be sufficient in addition to ye £1500 which Mr M most liberally indulges the Hope of collecting in N.S.W. itself— Let me beg you my dear Sir to lay this Subject before ye Committee to which the Management of our affairs is intrusted & to request their most serious Consideration of ye plan I have taken the liberty [f] of proposing— They will excuse my Brevity & ye other defects which have arisen from my being circumscribed in point of time, & subjected to repeated Interruptions— I can truly assure you that I should have been far better pleasd [sic] to pursue a plan which had been suggested by some other person than to suggest one my self. But having waited in vain in ye Hope of ye Matters being taken up by some other person I have at last been led to propose a measure myself— As I shall wish to confer again with Mr Hardcastle, Mr Mortlock &c I will thank you, if you will consult ye Comm[itt]ee as soon as you can do it conveniently— I ought to have stated that Mr Mortlock is disposed to act in this [f] occasion with his usual liberality.
	I am begging you if you see fit, to suggest to me any alterations & modifications of ye plan before you lay it before ye Commee.
My dear Sir
With cordial Esteem & regard
Your faithful Sert
W. Wilberforce
Ps. Mr Hardcastle himself would be a Subscriber of £50.
The Revd Jos[ia]h Pratt Secretary to ye Society
For Missions to Africa & ye East