Versailles, 20 April 1776
[Extract]
No. 12
During the Conference we had on the 16th, M: de Paul spoke to me of the adventure that befell the American ship bound for Nantes and taken to Bristol.2 Among the details you sent us and those found in the gazettes I see nothing that may incriminate us or even the French merchant to whom these expedition was destined. It appears that this was a mere commercial undertaking especially since the Capt. had been advised to bring back his cargo's worth in money if he could not obtain arms and powder. Without doubt, England could not fancy to require that we close our ports to the Americans and that we be deprived of the American goods we would like to have. The King has sent instructions to all ports in order to prevent the delivery of war ammunition to the Americans and that is all his friendship for the King of Great Britain will allow, because if arms and powder are an item of contraband with respect to the attitude of the English towards
America, they are merely a trade item as far as we are concerned. However positive the King's orders may be in this respect, I could not guarantee that war ammunition is not exported any more than the British Ministers could disclaim such traffic between England and the Colonies. The attitude of merchants is the same everwhere pressed by their determination to make a profit, they are not impressed by law and they are skilfull in finding ways to avoid them ...
M. de Paul claims that one of the two Frenchmen who appeared in Congress as the so-called deputies of our country is on his way back to France. I do not know who it is, probably some merchant's clerk who went and begged Congress for contracts, or some adventurer. We are not lacking men of his kind and we would not be sorry if they would go and live in some other country but France. I am curious to find out about the one whose returh has been announced, as well as the purpose of his trip. You can imagine that if he showed himself in Philadelphia.as an official representative, he will have no reason to be happy aboutthis deceit of his. 3
