Displaying 21 - 40 of 44
I arrived last Evening in good Health with my Traveling companion, in spite of the bad roads and the hardships of passage. We began the Visit to the shipyards, and we shall immediately have a meeting with the best Builders in order to start the work; there is neither a lack of material nor of good labor; M B[aux] seems very satisfied with their way of working which he finds vastly Superior to...
Date: 27 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
tho' I Receiv'd no answer to the first letter I have had the honour of writing you this last month, give me leave to Send you this Second.
I was yesterday at !'orient where I have Seen the embarquations taken By one of your privetears: one of them is fit to be arm'd as a privetear, and if you please to trust me with the Commandement of it, I'll Sail in Company with the other, or else I'll go with...
Date: 3 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I am highly pleased to find that my Inclination to settle in France meets with your approbation, and I will do my best endeavours to preserve the good opinion you are pleased to .honour me with. This place seems to me the best calculated for carrying on the american Trade, especially in time of war. I understand that all vessells that come on this coast are obliged to make Belle isle, which being...
Date: 4 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Ld Dunmore Spent much time to Convince Me of this Week and Wicked American Rebelion this day ー and the Impudence of Captn Weeks to take the Swallow Sloop War the Kings Packet and to Sell the Kings Ship at Public. Sail in France is a thing he dont Like ー he tells the King "America will Very Soon be tired of Doct Franklings Conduct," as also that they now wish for Peace most heartily . . .
Date: 7 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We are informed here that a Canadian with a commission from the Congress has fitted out a privateer at Dunkirk, & after cruising some time in the Channel has taken a very large prize & carried her into Ostend;2 this News seems to occasion great eagerness in some people here to fitt out privateers in the same way, if proper commissions can be obtain'd, and the french Government will...
Date: 8 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have receivd an. answer from the Court, thro the Duke de Grimaldi to this effect. That the reasons for wishing me not to come to Madrid are insuperable, that the States may depend on the sincere desire of Spain to see their Liberties establ1shd & ~o assist them as far as her own situation will permit. For this purpose i had only to direct the House of Gardoqui to supply us by every...
Date: 16 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have not anything worth troubling the Deputies with by this post, the intention of this is only to inform you that Capt [Seth] Paddock has applied to me to know if he could get a passage in a french Ship to america & to be her pilot on the Coast. I have said nothing of the Count de Vergennes, but if the Deputies think proper it may be of Service to engage him as her pilot.
I hear today that...
Date: 29 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
At the request of Captain John Robarts of the Schooner Mary lately arrived from Charles Town South Carolina I beg leave to acquaint you that William Machmaster one of his Sailors, is now detained a Prisoner in this City, charged with having drowned one John Hoggins belonging to the same Vessell ー the real circumstances are as follows ー The said Machmaster & Hoggins took the Ship's boat with...
Date: 3 May 1777
Volume: Volume 8
a Ship from your Port with One Hundred & Eighteen Pipes of Wine is wreck[e]d to the Eastward,3 the Wine & Crew saved, she was bound into Boston. The Captain & Crew are prisoners, & will be here in a Day or Two, when they arrive, you shall know who were the Shippers of This Cargo. a Vessel bound from Boston to Nova Scotia with Dry Goods, is taken by Fisherman from...
Date: 7 November 1775
Volume: Volume 2
The Committee of Safety meet tomorrow Morning at 9 oClock And attend the Committee of Assembly at 10 ー On Wednesday Morning 9 oClock the Board meet and go into the Consider[ation] of the appointment of a Commodore, at which time the Mem[bers] are requested to meet punctually
Date: 13 November 1775
Volume: Volume 2
I sent Mr [Gibbs] Jones my 1st Lieutt to town in order to get a 2d Lieutt appointed by the Comittee of safety & he informs me that you woud not do it without my Approbation in writing these is to request you to appoint Mr. Robt Hume2 to that office if he shou'd meet with your Approbation & you'l Oblige Sir [&c.]
Date: 15 November 1775
Volume: Volume 2
For this Week past Fortune has Smiled upon Us from All Quarters, & last Night word was brought out of Boston by some Inhabitants who left it Yesterday, that a Vessel was Just arrived there from Quebeck. The Master of which Declared that Our Troops, Assisted by near 6000 Canadians, took Possession of that Capitol a day or Two After the Middle of November; that thereupon all the Ships belonging...
Date: 5 December 1775
Volume: Volume 2
The mention of Politics in these unhappy Times is almost sufficient to prevent a Letter from arriving safe in America, but there surely can be no harm in writing, what is ncit designed to be secret, & no Man can disapprove of Sentiments that tend to Peace & Reconciliation.
You will see by the Papers that a Bill is to be brought in to cut off all Intercourse with the Colonies, & to...
Date: 23 November 1775
Volume: Volume 3
I was born in the State of Massachusetts Bay and educated in the University at Cambridge, where I commenced in 1774 from which time I applyed myself to the Study of Physic & Surgery till January 1777, when I took Passage in the Ship Montgomery of Newbury Port bound to Bordeaux. But on the 14th of March Just as we were verging upon the Coast of Europe, we had the misfortune· to be chased ...
Date: 4 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I hope you'l Excuse my Presumtion In thus Addresing you as, It is not only In Order to Acquaint you of my Misfortune by being taken on the 1 Inst of May by the Foydrant [Foudroyant] Capt [John] Jervis, within a few Leagues of Nants River to which Place I was Bound In a Bermuda Built Sloop Cald the Alice Belonging to Messrs Thoms Savage, Blake, Russell, Grenwood & Compy Merchants In [illegible...
Date: 6 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I take the freedom to Petition your Excellency, in behalf of Myself and the General Cause of ameriqua.
I am my Lord a subject of Great Britain, born in Aberdeen, I have Long served on board of different Ships of his Majesty's, which has Ever marked my Conduct.
At this juncture I have under my Command an active saitie [settee]2, Genoa Built, well fitted for the purpose of a Privateer,...
Date: 7 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
We find ourselves honored with Your agreeable Letter of the 23d instant. There arrived in This City Mr Budd of Guernsey who by Virtue of a power of attorney for the owners of the Vessel and Cargo taken prize by the American Privateer, demanded the restitution thereof from the Members of the Admiralty, to which no Reply whatever was made. The Proceedings of Mr. Budd induced us to make an...
Date: 28 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
You can not forget, Gentlemen, that in the first Conversation I had with both of you, I assured you that you should enjoy in France for Your selves all the Security and Comforts which we showed to foreigners, and for your navigation and Commerce all the facilities that would be compatible with the exact observance of our Treaties with England, which the King's principles would induce him...
Date: 16 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am Capn of Vessells Born in Canada and has constantly Sailed on board of Some of the New England's Ship's and being intirly divoted to the most Illustrious american Congress having as also my Brother who serves actually on the Right honourable General Washington's army, I dare flatter myself to be intitled to Sail under the flag of the thirteen united provinces, & that you'l be so Kind as...
Date: 11 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
It is with the, Greatest, pleasure, I embrace this Conveyance, P Monsier Rochette who says, he has the Honour, of being, personally, Known, to You, and has promised, to deliver'd, my Letter, himself. The Thought, that, it was my duty, (to inform You of the Occurrences, of my Cruize,) must appologize, for my Freedom of troubling, a Gentlemen, of Your Character with a scrawl, and doubt, not, Your...
Date: 3 September 1777
Volume: Volume 9