Gentn

I have bought the Due de Chartres for 70,000 L payable at 4, 5 & 6 months but I was obliged to Submit to a Conditional Sale that if before the day of my purchase she should be ready sold in Paris the bargain is Void but if Accts of Such a previous purchase do not Arrive by next Tuesday the bargain with me to be good & as the time betwen this & Tuesday does not admit of information to be given & an answer received I am moraly certain of not being Jockied & shall have the Ship unless she is realy previously sold which they assure me they do not think will be the Case I consented to these terms because every day is precious & betwen this and Tuesday I can make the Necessary arrangments for heaving her down which unavoidably will take two or three days as to the price I think you have not a bad bargain the Ship is in every Respect such a one I could wish for & I think will be an Acquisition to our Navy — As you were particular that every paper should be French from the Begining I have not appeard in the transaction & shall give my Bills to Mr Peltier who will remit them to Mr Montiu & so draw on him in return in the same manner as I did for the Dolphins Expences I have Chosen Mr Peltier for this operation as I think I can do it with a better cover than with any one else at present and as he has the Shipping of the Bales it would be employing two Houses for the same operation if I had employed any other I have agreed to allow him but half of a Commission upon fitting this Ship the french cover to our proceedings will therefore cost you only 1 PCt

Capt Nicholson is very desirous to take his own Crew on board this Ship & with 30 or 40 more which he thinks he could assemble to go out as an American I shall go on as I have began all French & you will detirmine as you think proper with regaurd to Capt Nicholsons proposals I shall not however engage any french Commander nor french Officers as it will not be necessary to have any till the ship is ready to take in the most disagreable part of employing french Officers is the Extraordinary Gratifications they require please to limit me in this or at least say how much you think reasonable all the Capts who have hitherto gone have had 6000 L I imagine they will now ask rather more than less & if it is to remain in the Country that is if she does not return french I suppose they will ask double —

I have Just received Letters from L'orient which informs me that a Prize is brought in there which was taken by the Genl Mifflin Capt William Day or Dey in the Irish Channel on the 10th Instt she has made 3 prizes in all which are forwarded to Different ports in France the Present one is a norway ship loaded with 403 doz Comon planks 74 others of different Sizes & about 30 barrells of Whale Oil I have a Letter from Capt Johnson at Morlaix which advises the safe arrival of this privateer at Brest where he says he meets with assistance even from the Kings Yard — The Commissary at L'Orient is extremly troublesome about the above prize on Acct of an order from the Minister ordering all prizes to leave the Port in 24 Hours Mr Gorlade has endeavour[ed] to make her appear not as a prize but as a Ship from Boston he however is forbid to unload he till new orders from the Minister —

I therefore mention these Circumstances thinking your previous Knowlige of the matter may tend to facilitate the procuring a favourable order — The Genl Mifflin is owned by Messrs Ph: Moore & Co She left Boston the 24th May in Consort of two frigates of Force who were bound on a Secret Cruise² I have the honor to be &c