Sir

We had the pleasure to receive your favour of the 22d April some days Since but could not reply sooner as it took some time to have the several french letters and papers rendered into English that they might be laid before Congress to obtain their orders for the disposition of the several Articles that compose the Amphitrites Cargo, and We are now authorized to direct that you comply with such Orders as the Board of War may think proper to give respecting the Military Stores intrenching Tools &c, and with the Orders of the Cloathier General respecting the Article of Cioathing &c appertaining to that department. Thus the entire Cargo will be disposed off between those two Branches It only remains that we direct what is to be done with the Ship. We observe by your letter of the 21 Ultimo that you had determined to load the Ship Mercury with Masts, Spars &c which is well, as we had not at that time Sufficient documents to know what was best to be done with her. Whatever Cargo you Send by that Ship Address the Same to Messrs Roderique Hortalez & Co by Bill of loading and Invoice, freight as Per Contract inclose the Invoice and bill of Loading in A letter directed to that House, and Send duplicates thereof inclosed to the Honorable Commissioners at the Court of France. Other Copies you will Send to us. The letter for Monsr Hortalez & Co must be indorsed to be delivered to the following houses at which ever of the Ports the Ship happens first to Arrive

The more valuable you make the Cargo with Suitable Articles the more Agreeable to us and the more Acceptable will it be on the other Side.

With respect to the Amphitrite we want A More valuable remittance to be made by her, and therefore have wrote Captain Fautrell, that he must proceed from Portsmouth to Charles Town in South Carolina to load with Rice and Indico and we request your Assistance to procure him dispatch from Portsmouth, for this purpose youl please to advance him such money and procure him such Stores, provisions and necessarys, as he may need to get the Ship away, you will take his receipts for the amount of all you Supply him with expressing it to be for the Ships use. let him Sign Several Copies and it may not be amiss to mention therein the Sterling amount at the Current Rate of Exchange to prevent disputes hereafter One of the Receipts you will transmit to Messrs Hortalez & Co by the Ship, and another by the Mercury if she remains after the Amphitrite, and the rest to us.

We have formed A plan for making this Ships guns of Some Service to us by opposing them to our enemies for this purpose John Paul Jones Esqr a Captain in our Navy is directed to proceed to Portsmouth where he will call on you. We have proposed to Monsr Fautrel that Captain Jones shall embark with him on board the Amphitrite taking his Commission in order that the Ship [may thereby] be Authorized to make prizes of British Ships during the re 1 mainder of her Voyage. We have proposed this to Mr Fautrel and expect he will gladly embrace the offer. His number of men we do not know, but suppose they will not be sufficient therefore we have wrote Captain Jones to examine the ship, her Guns &c and enlist or Ship as many Petty Officers & Men as he May think necessary to compleat this Ship for defence or to enable her to take any British Armed Trader. —

In this bussiness we beg you will Assist All in your power ー herein you have twelve Blank Warrants for Petty Officers and you May fill them up with the names of Such Suitable persons as agree to go with Jones in the Several Stations wanted taking care that none but Suitable Men are engaged Any Blanks that remain transmit them to the Honorable Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane & Arthur Lee Esqrs American Commissioners at the Court of Versailles, committing the packet to Captain Jones Care, with A Charge to Sink it if accident renders that precaution necessary.

It is possible Mr Fautrel may object to this Plan,² for we dont see by the Agreement that he is bound to comply with it, and in that case you'l send us back the Warrants and tell Captain Jones he must return to the command of the Ship he left, but this we don't expect will happen, On the Contrary we think Monsr Fautrel will gladly fall in with our view & that Jones will go the Voyage, in this case You will supply him with Provisions for himself and Officers and Men during the Voyage, advance what money may be needfull Agreeable to resolve of Congress and transmit Account thereof to the Marine Committee with Captain Jones Receipts You must charge that Committee with the Advances made Captain Jones and his men on this Occasion. The advances made Monsr Fautrel and the Captain of the Mercury must be charged to the Secret Committee. —

We doubt not your exertions to concur with our views and if any dificulties arise to remove them, and remain Sir [&c.]

PS Shou'd Capt Fautrell think the third of Prizes which we have offered him too small a share for the use of his Ship, You may agree to allow him half & let him & Capt Jones Sign in Writing to fix the bargain, but if he will accept a third, You'l say nothing of the half.