[Extract]
Sir

We recd yr Lettr of the 18th Janry last by the Ship Penet Capt Bartlet safely arrived in this Port the 7th of this Month.

We embrace this Opportunity Via Phila of the Ship Mary Elizabeth Capt Peter Young, of advising you of the Arrival of the Ship Penet, She is the first to our Address loaded with Tobaco on Account of the honbl Congress ー she sails tomorrow & being busy in dispatching her we cannot enlarge upon the different matters therein contained, but we shall do it by the Ship Penet ー We do not Expect that she will make any long stay here having many of the Articles you demand in Store ー (Viz) fusees, Gun powder, Lead, Steel files &c. We shall make an Assortment of these Articles to the Amount of about seventy or Eighty thousand Livres, which we will insure if possible; & advise you thereof by our first Opportunity

We are to Observe to you Sir that the Cargo of the Penet will fall very short in Loading her back again (which however shall not hinder her speedy Dispatch) neither will the Cargo of the Versailles Capt Chapman loaded with Mohageny &c produce a large Sum. never the-less we shall dispatch her with the same Expedition as the former & shall endeavour when this second Cargo is in our power to make the most of the Wood Either by selling it here or sending it safely to some other port in France, or Holland, or finaly in any other part where it will yield the most, & you may in the Mean time relye upon our Zeal for your Interest: as we shall spare neither Care or pains to give you intire Satisfaction.

Your southern Colonies produce Commodities more suitable to the french Markets, which find here aready & Advantageous Sale ー last year we recd two Cargoes of Rice & Indigo which we sold very high. The Ship Hope Capt [John] Hatter from South Carolina loaded with 50 thousand wt of Indigo & 300 thousand wt of Rice is just arrived to our address. these Articles will run off Easily & at avery high price We expect to dispose of the Rice at 30# p C & the copper coloured Indigo at above 7 # p lb the inferiour quality in proportion, Tobacco we are offered 13 sols & may go off at 12 a 13s pr lb free of all Charges. yellow wax sells currently at 40s/ p lb the best pelteries will also meet with aready Sale, ordinary do are also saleable ー these Sir are the best Articles from which you may promise yourself in this port very Advantageous Sales therefore we recommend you to speculate in them for the Vessels you may consign us in future.

As to the Trade in Masts which you propose to us it is Attended at present with many difficulties not easily got over these times. Ships proper for transporting Masts & Timber should be Dutch Flutes very long &of great Burthen, such Vessels are very heavy Sailors, & at this time we want ships that will sail well it is possible that the persons you speak of may employ such which would be a double Advantage to France & to the Continent, but at present we can say nothing possitive upon the Subject We will see whether there is any Means of undertaking this branch of Commerce with the Continent & by the first Opportunity we shall communicate the Discoveries we may have made