(Copy)
Sir

I had the Honor to receive Your Excellencys Letter Dated the 19th Current, acquainting me of Your safe arrival at Your Government of Martinique; on which give me leave to Congratulate You; and to wish Yeur Excellency Health and Happiness therein; and also to hope, that a Mutual Confidence may exist between us; and that we may both use our best Endeavours to maintain perfect good Harmony and Friendship between our Respective Nations, and the Colonies in these Seas.

I take leave to assure Your Excellency that nothing on my part shall be wanting thereto; and I am sorry to perceive by Your Letter that You think the same has been disturbed, by some Acts of Violence committed by the English Ships of War; and some Non Commissioned Vessels calling themselves Privateers; who have unwarrantably taken some. French Vessels, 1on pretence of their being loaded with American Produce.

In respect to the former (who are under my Command and Orders) whenever I found on enquiry, that they had acted irregular, I at all times gave immediate Redress; Your Excellency may well perceive, by my Ordering immediate Restitution of the L'amitie, on the first application made to me concerning her; and I shall now make immediate enquiry into the Nancy said to be stopped by his Brittannic Majesty's Ship Beaver, and carried into Dominica; and should that appear as represented, will cause her also to be delivered up to the Owners. These are the only French Vessels named in Your List that were said to be stopped by any of the King's Ships under my Command As to those stopped by the Non Commissioned Vessels: I am sorry to Own: that I can not at present put a Stop to their Proceedings nor can I give any redress for their Depredations, tho' I think them altogether unlawful and unjustifiable: Your Excellency's Predecessor well knows on his first Complaint to me, that I did all in my Power to put a Stop to such Non Commissioned Vessels going to Sea as Cruizers; well foreseeing what would happen from them; my attempts hitherto has not had the Success I expected, and wished for; and I have myself been insulted by a Parcel of Lawyers on Account of the opposition I gave to their opinion, however so long ago as the beginning of March last, I represented to the Court of London in the strongest Terms the improper behaviour of these Gentry; and I doubt not but proper Satisfaction will be given to all the Parties Injured by these Self appointed Cruizers and they all punished with a proper Severity; I shall now renew my application to the King's Ministers, and send home Your Excellency's complaint against them.

Your Excellency must now give me leave to say that for some time past, I have had the greatest reason to complain of the unfriendly behaviour of the French, in Your respective Islands in these Seas, in the open and avowed protection and Encouragement given by them to the Americans (who I hope You will call Rebels as well as myself) Num[erous] of whose Vessels have been Cleaned, refitted and supplied with Ammunition, Men &ca at the French Islands; and thereby enabled to Act in an Hostile manner against their Lawful Sovereign, and to distress his Loyal Subjects, by taking their Ships and Vessels and carrying them into the French Ports where without any Lawful Process, or even form of Trial or Condemnation they and their Cargoes are openly sold: and I am told, (and fear the same is too true) that French Merchants are Concerned and Shares in these Acts of Piracy: I now ind[eed] flatter myself from Your Excellency's Letter, where You are pleased to inform me of the Orders You have issued by the Direction of Your Court, that the same will have the desired effect and an immediate Stop be put to the enormities before practiced; by which our mutual Confidence may be much increas'd, and. a Disagreeable Correspondence ended; at the same time I also hope and flatter myself We may both, receive the Approbation of our Royal Masters. I have the Honor to be Sir [&c.]

His Excellency The Marquis De Bouilly
Governor General &ca &ca &ca
Martinique

[Endorsed] Vice Admiral Young's Answer to the Marquis Bouilly. In the Admirals Letter No 2, dated 12 June 1777