No 29.

My Lord I cannot avoid making mention to Your Excellency of the Armament carrying on at the several Ports of France rather from the great Importance of the subject than from any thing new I can have to say thereupon. Your Excellency's Attention is directed to that Point and you will not fail to transmit to me every thing you can collect that may tend to explain the Intention of the french Court.

I transmit to Your Excellency herewith an Edict of His most Faithful Majesty with respect to any American Vessel that may put into the Harbours of Portugal.² It is unnecessary to apprize you that it would be very desirable that something similar should be done at the Court where you reside, but as in the present situation of Affairs it would not be expedient to receive a refusal to any application on that subject, I must wholly leave the matter to your Discretion, not doubting that you will use the most proper means to try the practicability of a Measure that would be important at the present crisis. I am &c.