[Extract]

My Lord: We believe it our duty to inform your Excellency of an incident which seems to us to compromise the honor and safety of the French flag as well as the interest of national navigation. It is the seizure by an American privateer of the vessel Le Dillon, Captn Lefevre, from the port of St Vallery. This ship had loaded in London last month en route to Genoa and Leghorn. The privateer seized it and convoyed it to America on the allegation that its cargo belonged to the English.

Although it is not probable that the Americans will be able to confiscate this ship or be able to refuse to pay for it, it still seems to us of the greatest importance that our government should prevent the repetition of such an occurrence and that it should insure the complete freedom of our flag. So long as the English and Americans continue to disagree, it is of the greatest importance to French navigation that its flag be a refuge for the belligerent parties. It was because of such freedom tha:t the Dutch became the universal navigators for Europe during the recent wars. There are at this time in the Thames a great number of French ships which hope to enjoy the same advantage, in spite of the incident of which we have just informed you. . . .

The intentions of His Excellency in this respect will no doubt be respected by the Americans, as soon as they will have been made aware of them. . . .