[Extract]
No 44/

My Lord, I received yesterday the honour of Your Lordship's Letter of the 15th Inst No. 19, and in consequence I did not fail to speak to M: de Vergennes on the affair of the Powder sent to Philadelphia from St. Domingo. He assured me, My Lord, that we must certainly have been misinformed, and I must do him the Justice to say that the whole tenor of his Language which was frank and positive upon this occasion, convinces me that there is no Succour given to the American rebels by this nation with the countenance of Government: I did not mention to him from whom we had received this Information.

In regard to the Opinion that the Rebels were assisted from hence, he observed, that it was impossible any military stores could be shipped from any of the Ports here without an order, as Powder and Ball were not considered as objects of Commerce, and as to the 30 Tuns of Gunpowder from St. Domingo, he assured me it must be a mistake; as the Governor of that Island, had to his knowledge refused the proposals which had been made to him on that Subject by some of our Colonies, ー that he, as well as the other Commandants in their different possessions in that part of the World, had received the most positive orders not to give any assistance whatever to the Rebels; but however that he would not fail to speak to M: de Sartine to have them renewed, and to make particular enquiries about this Envoy to Philadelphia, to which, he repeated, that for the reasons abovementioned he could give no sort of Credit.