[Extract]

Mons. ー Chauont, a very wealthy person, and intendant for providing clothes, etc. for the French army, has offered me a credit on account of the Colonies to the amount of one million of livres, which, I have accepted. I have in treaty another credit, which joined to this, will purchase the articles directed in my instructons; the credit will be until May next, before which I hope remittances will be made. I have purchased of said M. Chaumont a quantity of saltpeter at ten sous, or five and one-fourth per cent., in order that Captain Morgan might not return empty. As soon as I have given the orders for dispatching him and settled some other matters here I design for Dunkirk, to ship the Indian goods, which I hope may arrive in season for the winter supply, though I leave you to consider my situation, with only about six or seven thousand pounds to complete a contract of forty, and the bills for my private expenses being protested, obliged to support myself out of that capital, which I labor to do with all the economy in my power. Dr. Bancroft is returned to London, and by him I wrote to Monsieur Garnier, and agreed on a mode of correspondence. I think your remittances in armed vessels will be much the best method, and I have ordered Captain Morgan's sloop to be armed; and should she arrive safe, recommend him as one I am confident will serve the Colonies with great zeal and fidelity; and I have had some experience of the goodness of his temper and his abilities. Mr. Seymour, his mate, is also deserving of encouragement as a good seaman and of undaunted resolution I am not without hopes of obtaining liberty for the armed vessels of the United Colonies to dispose of their prizes in the ports of this kingdom, and also for arming and fitting out vessels of war directly from hence; but I will not venture on this until I see what effect my last memoir may have, the substance of which is to show the danger to France and Spain if they permit Great Britain to keep so enormous a force in America and to recover the dominion of the Colonies; also how fully it is in their power to prevent it, and by that means deprive Great Britain of the principal source of her wealth and force, even without hazarding a war of any consequence in point of danger.

This memoir, which takes several sheets, I am unable to send you a copy of, as I have no one to assist me, and must make out several copies for the persons to whom they are to be delivered. I was directed to apply for arms and clothes for twenty-five thousand men, and for one hundred field pieces, with ammunition and stores in proportion. This I wished to get of the ministry direct, but they evaded it, and I am now in treaty for procuring them, through the agency of Monsieur Chaumont and Monsieur Beaumarchais, on a credit of eight months from the time of their delivery. If I effect this, as I undoubtedly shall, I must rely on the remittances being made this fall and winter without fail, or the credit of the Colonies must suffer. If I can get the arms out of the magazines and the field pieces here I hope for a much longer credit; but if we send to Sweden for the brass cannon, the credit will not be lengthened beyond that. Some new improvements have lately been made, in this branch, consequently the cannon now manufactured will be preferable to those of former construction. Some engineers here assert that iron is preferable to brass ー that is, wrought iron ー out of which the pieces may be made lighter and to a better purpose. Considering the want of these pieces and the plenty of iron in America, the experiment might, I think, be made without delay. I am still in hopes of procuring an admission of the article of tobacco directly from America, but the Farmers General will not offer equivalent to the risk.

Without intelligence from April to this time leaves me quite uncertain and extremely anxious about the line of conduct now pursuing by Congress, and consequently, I cannot, without further intelligence and instructions, proceed in my negotiations either with safety or honor. The resolution of Congress of the 15th of May is not considered by the ministry as a declaration of independence, but only a previous step, and until this decisive step is taken I can do little more to any purpose. This taken, I dare pledge myself the United Colonies may obtain all the countenance and assistance they wish for in the most open and public manner and the most unlimited credit with the merchants of this kingdom. I must, therefore, urge this measure, if not already taken, and that the declaration be in the most full and explicit terms.

Merchants here would speculate deeply in the American trade could they be insured at any premium within bounds. I wish to know if offices are already open, and I would suggest that if the Congress would take the insurance under their own direction, it would give it such a proportionably greater credit, that supplies would most certainly be obtained in plenty. I shall be able to secure a private interview with the Spanish ambassador and shall present him my memorial, and am in a train which I think will carry it quite to the fountain head.

Thus I have in a minute, possibly a tedious, detail mentioned every thing material on my mind which has occurred since my arrival, and submit the whole to the wisdom and candor of the honorable Congress, observing that I have gone to the extent of my instructions, and though I have been successful beyond my expectations, yet I have but been laboring principally to set certain great wheels in motion, which still want something more decisive on my part, and I am confident of all that is wanting to set them so effectually moving as to roll the burden and calamities of war from our doors back with aggravated ruin on its authors, which, if I can be the means of effecting, the world may bestow the rest of its honors on whom it pleases; I shall be contented, the extent of my most ambitious hopes thus accomplshed.

... M. Dubourg has continued to render me every assistance in his power; to be particular would swell this letter beyond all bounds. His abilities and connections are of the first style in this kingdom, and his zeal for the cause of the United Colonies is to be described only by saying that at times it is in danger of urging him beyond both; in short, I am every way deeply indebted to him personally for bringing me acquainted with agreeable persons of rank and character, and on account of my honored constituents for assisting me to make such a favorable beginning and progress in my business. I know not how affluent he may be, but as he has really for some time devoted himself to assist in this negotiation, I am confident something honorable will be thought of for him. I have complimented him by asking of him his portrait to be sent to his and my friends in America in my private capacity, mentioning our mutual friend Dr. Franklin. This I found so agreeable, that I am confident some such distinction would be more acceptable than more lucrative rewards. Dr. B[ancroft] took pains to collect all the political publications of the last year for me and brought them with him; he was at considerable expense in his journey; I sent him from Bordeaux a bill of thirty pounds and paid his expenses in my lodgings here. At parting I desired him to keep an account, and when the money was expended to inform me. This gentleman is certainly capable of giving as good, if not the best, intelligence of any man in Great Britain, as he is closely connected with the most respectable of the minority in both houses, not particularly obnoxious to the majority, and for his abilities, they are too well known to Dr. Franklin to need any attempt to do them justice in a letter....