[Extract]

. . . I sent you in my last news of the departure of the Amphitrite on Saturday the 14th at midday. She might have left sooner if M. Du Coudray had not had many letters to write, which detained him from 10 o'clock at night when he went on board, and made her lose several hours' favourable wind. As nothing has been heard of her since, it is to be hoped that she has got out of the Channel. It is very lucky that she has left; for two days later she could not have done so, an order of the Court having arrived on Monday at 10 o'clock at night to detain her until further orders; but she was under weigh. The Romain is detained by the same order and if M. Beaumarchais does not have it revoked we may yet stay a long time here. I suppose that M. Monthieu will propose to you, in case these difficulties should continue, to charter here, for 8 or 10 louis, a bark to take to Nantes the officers who are waiting in order to embark them in the vessel which is there ready and which cannot be subject to the same countermand having no artillery on board, which could prevent its departure. If you order me to embark at Nantes, I will forward my baggage and will proceed thither post by way of Paris; but just as you please.

I was not able to impart to M. Du Coudray the unfavourable opinion which has been conveyed to you of the muskets, because he had left. But if it is well founded, as I fear it is, it should prove a monstrous rascality on the part of some one or perhaps of several persons. It is to be feared also that some of the carriages of the train of artillery are not worth the freight. M. Monthieu has agreed with me; or rather has avowed to me, that the shovels and other implements of that kind are not worth the freight. He says so perhaps because it was not he who supplied them, for I have not seen any of them. I only see much jealousy on all sides.