Dear Sir

I receiv’d yours of the 5th Instant, acquainting us that the Ministers have at length agreed to an Exchange of Prisoners. We shall write to Capt Jones, for the List required,¹ which will be sent you as soon as receiv’d. I understand there are at least two hundred. We desire & expect that the Number of ours shall be taken from Forton and Plymouth in Proportion to that Number in each Place, and to consist of those who have been longest in Confinement. It being not only equitable that they should be first reliev’d; but this Method will prevent all Suspicion that you pick out the worst & weakest of our People to give in exchange for your good Ones. If you should think proper to clear your Prisons at once, and give us all our People, we will give you our Solemn Engagement, which we are sure will be punctually executed, to deliver to Lord Howe in America or his Order, a Number of your Sailors equal to the Surplus, as soon as the Agreement arrives there. There is one Thing more which we desire may be observ’d: We shall note in our List the Names & Number of those taken in the Service of the King, distinguishing them from those taken in the Merchant Service; that in the Exchange to be made, you may give equal adequate Numbers of each kind those taken in the Service of the States, & of our Merchants.—This will prevent any Uneasiness among both your Navy men and ours, if the Seamen of Merchant Ships were exchang’d before them.

As it will be very troublesome & expensive, as well as fatiguing to them, to march your People from Brest to Calais, we may endeavour to get leave for your Ship to come to the Road of Brest to receive them there; or else (if that not be) we must desire from your Admiralty a Passport for the Ship that is to convey them from Brest to Calais.

If you have any of our People still Prisoners on board your Ships of War, we request they may be put into the Prisons to take their Chance of Exchange with the rest.² I am [&c.]