3rd Copy
Gentlemen/

It is now more than 4 Months since Mr Franklin's Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. vVe have had no Information of what passes in America but thro' England, & the Advises are for the most part such only as the Ministry chuse to publish. Our total Ignorance of the Truth or Falsehood of Facts, when Questions are asked of us concerning them, makes us appear small in the Eyes of People here and is prejudicial to our Negotiations.

In ours of Feby 6 of which a Copy is enclosed, we acquainted you that we were about purchasing some Cutters to be employ'd as Packet Boats. We have succeed'd in getting one from Dover, in which we purpose to send our present Dispatches. Mr [William] Hodge, who went to Dunkirk & Flushing, where he thought another might be easily found, has not yet acquainted us with his success.—We promised that when we had a Conveyance which by its Swiftness is more likely to carry Safely our Letters, we would be more explicit in Accounts of our Proceedings here, which promise we shall now fulfill, as follows.

In our first Conversation with the Minister, after the Arrival of Mr Franklin, it was evident that this Court, while it treated us privately with all Civility, was cautious of giving Umbrage to England, and was therefore desirous of avoiding an open Reception and Acknowledgment of us, or entering into any formal Negotiation with us, as Ministers from the Congress. To make us easy however we were told, that the Ports of France were open to our Ships, .as Friends; that our People might freely purchase & transport as Merchandize whatever our States had occasion for; vending at the same time our own Commodities; that in doing this, we should experience all the Facilities that a Government disposed to favour us, could, consistent with Treaties, afford to the Enemies of a Friend. But tho' it was at that time no Secret, that 200 Field Pieces of Brass & 30,000 Fusils with other Munitions of War in great abundance, had been taken out of the Kings Magazines for the purpose of Exportation to America, the Minister in our Presence affected to know nothing of that Operation, and claimed no Merit to this Court on that Account. But he intimated to us that it would be well taken if we communicated with no other person about the Court concerning our Affairs but himself, who would be ready at all convenient times to confer with us.

We soon after presented several Memorials representing the State of the Colonies, the Necessity of some Naval Aid, and the Utility to France that must result from our Success in establishing the Independance of America, with the Freedom of its Commerce. In Answer we received a positive Refusal of the Ships of the Line (which we had been instructed to ask) on this Principle, that if a War with England should take place, the whole Fleet of France would be necessary at home for her Defence; that if such a War did not take place, yet while England apprehended a War, it was equally serviceable to our States that the Fleet of France should remain entire in her Ports, since that must retain an equal Force of English at home, who might otherwise go to America, and who certainly would follow thither any french Squadron.

During these Conferences, every step was taken to .gratify England publickly, by attending to the Remonstrances of her Ambassador, forbidding the Departure of Ships which had Military Stores on Board ² recalling officers who had leave of Absence and were going to join us, and giving strict Orders that our Prizes should not be sold in French Ports; yet that we might not be discouraged, it was intimated to us by persons about the Court, that those Measures were necessary at present, France not being yet quite ready for a War; And that we might be assured of her good Will to us & to our Cause, Means were proposed of our obtaining a large Sum of Money for present Use by an Advance from the Farmers General to be repaid in Tobacco of which they wanted 20,000 Hhds. We entered accordingly into a Treaty with that Company, which meeting with Difficulty in settling the Terms, we were informed that a grant was made us of two Millions of Livres from the Crown of which 500,000 was ready to be paid us down, and an equal Sum should be paid the beginnings of April, July, and October; that such was the Kings Generosity, he exacted no Conditions or Promise of Repayment he only required that we should not speak to any one of our having received this Aid: we have accordingly observed strictly this injunction, deviating only in this Information to you, which we think necessary for your Satsfaction, but earnestly requesting that you would not suffer it to be made publick. This is the Money which in our former Letter we mentioned as rais'd for us by Subscription.

One of the ablest Sea Officers of France,³ skill'd in all the Arts relating to the Marine having offered his Service to our States with the Permission of the Minister, we (enabled by the above Grant) engag'd him to superintend the building two Ships of War of a particular Construction, which tho' not of half the Cost, shall be superior in force & utility to the Ships of 64 Guns. He has built one here for the King which we are told exceeds every thing in Swift sailing. He has furnished us with Drafts which we send you, that if the Congress thinks fit, others of the same Construction may be set up in America; in which Case we have given him Expectations of being their Commodore. We have seen his large & curious Collection of Memoirs containing every the minutest .Particular relating to the Construction & Management of a Fleet, with a variety of proposed Improvements; and we are persuaded that he will be found a valuable Acquisition to our Country.

[Letter continued April 9, 1777]