[Extract]
Gentⁿ

Herewith I have the honor to hand you Copy of my last Respects¹ Since which I have had an opportunity of trying what Effect the new Arrangement mentioned in my last would have upon our Affairs, & am happy to inform you, that I find the General² equally well disposed to continue to us the same Services & Protection—Our Prizes have not only been publicly received, but Privateers have been armed in the Ports, & no Restrictions have been laid upon shipping Arms or Ammunition on Board any American Vessel

Altho this new Arrangement may have had the Appearance of being the Result of pusillanimous Councils, I am now convinced that the soundest Policy dictated it; for France only wanted Time to garrison her Islands, & put her Navy on a respectable Footing, & had recourse to this Expedient as a Coup de Politique, merely of a temporary Nature;—it was a sacrifice of Pride to Interest, intended to amuse her Enemy, & thereby answer the Purposes of the Day—

I have not only shipped Arms on board the American Vessels, but have procured a Frigate to convoy them clear of the British Cruizers amongst the Islands—Twelve Sail of Merchant Vessels destined for the Continent took the Benefit of this convoy;—They passed by Roseau the Capital of Dominica, & put the whole City in an Alarm & Consternation, as their conscious Weakness led them to fear an Attack from the American Privateers but as it was discovered to be a French Frigate convoying our Vessels, they were filled with Resentment, & exclaimed loudly against the Conduct of our General;—Indeed, every W India Gazette abounds in Abuse & Invective, which they liberally bestow on him & at the Same Time threaten him in the Severest Terms with the Vengeance of his Court—

There are a Number of Articles that are subjected to a Duty of 1 ⅌ % on the Importation into this Island, which forms a Part of the Revenues of the Crown—Hitherto the Prize Goods that have been introduced here have altogether escaped the Payment of it, but from a Hint that the Intendant threw out some Time ago, that he Saw no reason why they should be exempted, I immediately closed in with his Proposal of paying it & it has been received on Several Cargoes of Prize Goods that have lately been brought in;—Several political Advantages to be derived from this Arrangement induced me to acquiesce in it, at the Expence of a small Deduction on the Sales of our Prizes—as it will not only interest the Government in the free Admission of them in their Ports, by partaking a Share of the Spoils of the Enemy, but it will make our Prize Goods have the Appearance of a regular Entry in the Custom house, which when once known, will afford a happy Circumstance to quicken the Resentments of the English. . . . I have the honor of inclosing you the latest Gazettes that I could procure & to be [&c.]