Memoire

In the Instructions given Mr Deane by the honorable Committee of Secrecy for the Congress of the United Colonies in North America he is among other Things charged to sollicit for a Credit for "Cloathing & Arms for Twenty five Thousand Men, with a suitable Quantity of Ammunition, and One hundred Field pieces" which Article closes, with saying ["]that the whole if granted or obtained, would make a Cargo that it might be well to secure by a Convoy of Two or Three Shipps of Warr."

These Articles are now engaged but, Great Brittain depending more on preventing supplies to the Colonies of the means of Defence, than on their formidable Armaments, have taken, and will pursue every measure, both of Negotiation, & Warr to deprive the United Colonies of necessary supplies of Cloathing, & Stores for Warr.

The safe Arrival of these stores, is of the last importance, & in some sense the Fate of the United Colonies depends upon it.

The Time for their Arrival, will be in November, or December, when the Campaign on the part of the Army of Great Brittain, unaccustomed to the Severities of that Climate, must be closed; And it is easy to forsee that it must be in one of the following Situations. if Victorious, and successful in every Attempt, they will be in possession of New York, Albany, and thence of the Water courses into Canada, of Long Island and some part of the Jersies, the late opening of the Campaign will not admit of more considering the Nature of the Country, should they meet with no defeats, & the season will call their Attention to such Winter Quarters, where they may be most secure from the Forces of the United Colonies, & best receive reinforcements from Europe.

On the other hand if the Army of the United Colonies are victorious that of Great Brittain must remain shut up in Staten Island under worse Circumstances than they were last Year in Boston, or return to Hallifax, or what in such Case is much the most probable winter in the West Indies.

In either case the Arrival of this Supply at this Time will be of the utmost importance to the Army of the United Colonies.

If unfortunate their Spirits will be newfired, and defying the inclemency of the Season to which they are habituated, they will rally and their Enemy having no Advantage of fortified Towns to shelter them they will with ease regain all they lost in the Summer, & pursuing the Blow wholly drive the British Forces from the Continent.

If fortunate, & the British Forces situated in one of the above places one of which on such an Event must be their Situation this supply will enable them to drive them off finally & prevent their Return. several other Considerations need not be particularized, they are seen at once by a supposition of those Stores being intercepted to prevent which the most prudent & effectual Measur[es] must be taken.

The Stores if Shipped in French Bottoms will be safe on the open Sea, at least they ought to be so, & the Vessels have a right of entering the Ports of North America to refit or repair, under cover of which they might be landed, many other ways may be taken to effect the same purpose without Violation of the Laws of Commerce, But, inter Arma silent Leges, & We have no hopes in this Case to be an exception to this general Rule, But after every other precaution, must be prepared to oppose Force to Force; in the doing which, the United Colonies would by no means pursue, or wish to have such Measures pursued, as might involve France in a Warr, solely on their Account.

But as the United Colonies, have declared themselves Free, and independant States, and have declared open Warr with Great Brittain, if this Commerce with the United Colonies, considered in Connection, with other important Objects, should be deem'd deserving Support, & protection, France has the same Right to support & protect it, as a Commerce with the United Colonies of holland, if at Warr with Great Brittain, and for Great Brittain to forbid such a Commerce at the risque of a Warr, is in one Word to Assume the right of prescribing Laws to France, which watever he[r] inclination prompts on this head her present Resources, & desperate Situation will never imbolden her to Attempt.

In considering this Subject, several Methods have been thought of, some of which may possibly meet with Approbation, & prove effectual, or some one different may be formed from these hints

1st It is humbly submitted, whether, at this Critical period it will not be judged the true policy of France, to have a Fleet of Observation, in the American seas, and should such a Fleet be sent out, whither these Stores might not be sent under its Convoy untill they arrived in those seas, & on that Coast.

2d Should this measure not be adopted, or should such Fleet Sail too late for this purpose whither permission might not be obtained for purchasing or hiring Three, or Four Frigates as a Convoy, to Sail as for the West Indies under French Colors, but if on entering any harbor in America they should be under the Necessity of Contending, it may be done under the Colors of the United Colonies.

3d Should this be thought unadviseable, Whither it would be permitted to hire Frigates of individuals for this purpose, observing strictly such Regulations as shall be prescribed for avoiding every Thing that might justify a rupture between the Two Nations.

The Loss of these Stores by Capture would be every way of bad Consequence though it would add but little, comparatively to the Strength of the Enemy, yet the Loss to the United Colonies must be doubly great heightned by so discouraging an Accident, at so critical a period of their Affairs.

These Thoughts are humbly Submitted only by adding, that many American Seamen may now be engaged in the Ports of Great Brittain, & Ireland, who are detained there from going direct for America, but would be permitted to ship themselves for Holland, or France, and who must otherways from Necessity, be soon reduced to enter the British Service.

Paris August 22d 1776 -