Paris, Jan'y 6th 1777 —
[Extract] Sir
I received yours of last Evening and should have waited on you this Morning but for a Violent cold attended with a slight Fever which confines Me to my Chamber. I had before the receipt of Yours the disagreeable Intelligence of the Return of the Amphitrite into L'Orient and of the orders from Court forbidding her or any other of the Vessels to proceed to America. Your Chagrin and vexation on this Event, cannot exceed mine. We must not however despair in a Cause the magnitude, as well as critical Situation of which calls for Our utmost Efforts, and will justify Us in running almost any risque to get out the Supplies now ready, & without which America must suffer extremely, if not be forced to submit. In answer to yours of this morning, I have to inform you the joint Commission (17th Deer) from Congress to my Colleagues & Me does not supercede or interfere in the least with my former Commission & Instructions to purchase &send out Stores and Merchandize to America; and my Colleagues will not intermeddle in the Engagements taken by Me previous to their Arrival. The whole therefore of this Affair remains in the state it was at first, and it lyes solely on Us to take the best Measures in Our power to get the Shipps to Sea with the Stores, as soon as possible. The Cargo of the Amphitrite alone would be a Capital Supply in the present destitute situation of Our Army in America. I still hope, that as soon as the Noise occasioned principally by some of the Officers returned in the Amphitrite shall have subsided, this Ship may again be got to Sea. . . .
1. Silas Deane Papers, ConnHS.