[Extract]
Most Confidential

Beaumarchais has hired L'Hotel de la Tour du Pin Veille Rue du Temple to establish his Bureaux there for what is called le Commerce des Piastres. Those Bureaux are to be opened on New Years Day. Three Millions of Livres have been advanced him to carry on this Commevce. I mean, My Lord, that that is the Pretence, the Secret Reason is to enable him to execute His american Commissions He has actually agreed with a great Cloth Merchant at Paris for Cloth, Lining, Buttons &c for Ten thousand Men, and He is now in Treaty with a M. Gerard a rich armateur at L orient and Brother in Law to M. Vincent a Banker at Paris to freight Two Vessels for america loaded with twenty thousand Stand of arms, and a large Quantity of Warlike Stores This M Gerard refuses to undertake unless the whole Value is paid Him beforehand.

Beaumarchais intends soon to return to England, one of the objects of his Journey is to purchase for the Navy of France a large Forest in the Neighbourhood of Colchester that is exposed to public Sale. This his Intention being known I hope, My Lord, that it will be easy to find Means to def eat it. . . .