[Extract]

. . . Mr Deane is very anctious to bring about a plan or Scheem which he has in agitation & which I think is impracticable, his intention is to ship American property from hence in French Bottoms, by the way of New Orleans, from thence to proceed to Fort Pitt in Order to supply the back Inhabitants & Indians on the Continent, this plan I believe wont take owing to the great distance of Land Carriage ー but at the same time its very political in the French to forward the Scheeme, as it will be the means of Inriching the French settlements on the Misisipi, at the expence of the poor deluded Americans, and throwing all the trade into that Channell this as I hinted before is only in agitation & it appears to me so blind, that I immagine 'twill be drop'd therefore shall say no mote on that head till hear further Conce[min]g same. I have great reason to believe something of Importance is going forward at Dunkirk, but what it is I have not been able to learn, & doubt if its possiable to discover the same, however if it can be done; I think I can do it as soon as any person, all I shall [say] on that head at present is, that behoves you to keep sharp look out at that place, as it lays very convenient to your Channel, and small Vessells may slip out and take what they please of your homeward bound Ships, as they immagine when they are of[f] Dover that they are perfectly safe, ー I am apprehensive Mr Deane has some such plan, and am confident another Cutter or Vessell has been or is buying up, but wether there or at Dover I know not, however they mean to make Dunkirk a very usefull place for their purposes, therefore beg a Constant watch may be kept at that Hole of a place, ー