[Extract]

. . .during my Stay at Nantes, I make myself very intimate with Williams, insomuch that he took me to all his Magazines and Shew me every bundle or Box of Goods which is to go out this Fall — Amongst the Number was the Eighty thousand Stands of Arms, Pistols, Swords, &c — likewise three hundred Bales of Woolens &c — he also Carried me to see Eighty thousand Suits of Uniform for the Rebel Soldiers, which is making at that place — all or the greatest part of which will go out in a Ship which they are building at that Place for Nicholson, tho' I believe unknown to the french or indeed to almost any person — She will be a very fine Ship — her Keel is One hundred and Eight long — 30 feet Beam — 550 Tons — She will Carry twenty Six twelve pounders on her Gun deck — twelve of which is Brass and which I have seen — exclusive of this She is to Carry out all the Cordage, duck — Sail Cloth &c for 7 — Seventy four Guns Ships which they are about building at Present in America — likewise fifty Tons of Brass Ordonnance which is to Come from the french Kings Arsenal, and which will be cleared out from that place as Copper & bound to Martinico — but which they mean to Proceed to America with immediately — he has already 70 English, Irish and American Seamen engaged to go with him & a house of Rendavous appointed for that purpose, but is not to go out alone — Weeks will be ordered round from St Malo — and Johnson from Morlax to Join them exclusive of which Hynson has a Ship at Havre which mounts 20 - Six pounders and who will also be loaded with a very Valuable Cargo — I say he is also ordered round to Join them at Nantes — I was not mistaken in my conjecture some time ago when I informed you that something of Consequence was going on at Rouen, there are the Goods which is to be Shipped by the way of Havre; — You will have time to send Orders to all your Ships of War Cruizing in the Bay before they leave their diffirent Ports, therefore would advice if I might be allowed the Liberty, that one of your Ships Should cruze of[f] each of the different Ports. If they Should be so fortunate as to meet at Nantes, their force will be Sufficent when they Sail to Cope with One of you[r] Ships, as many other Vessell will be ready about that time — Exclusive of this their is 14 Different Marchand men at Nantes, all which will Sail in the Course of the months of Sepr & October — the chief of them will go to Boston unless they Should hear of your fleet and army being at that place — in that Case they will make the best of their Way to South Carolina — Charles town in Preference to any other — Their is a Number of frenchmen at Nantes who have Joined and built Six Brigantine, Carrying from 14 to Eighteen each — three of which is in the Water and one ready to Sail. they are the best Calculated Vessell for the American Purpose I ever saw — their plan in building those Vessell is to Carry out a Cargo of Goods, to be Sold in the Continent, after which the Vessells will be offered to the Congress at first Cost, in Case this plan Succeeds they Propose sending out two monthly. I am Confident they will Sail very fast — as they are as Sharpe as a Wedge — They will be manned with frenchmen entirely, and will Clear out for some of the french West India Islands. . .I think 'twill not be improper to mention here, and which I can assure you from the best Authority, that the Ravanna is Open to all American Vessells — this if you recollect Sir was never granted to any Power on Earth before — possiably you may have know[n] it before but as I immagine its a matter of the Greatest Consequence, have noted it here — I also Conclude from the Above, that if one port is Open to these people no doubt very port in their Dominion is on the Same footing. . .

From Nantes Nicholson and myself set of[f] for St Malo at which place we Arrived in two days — 'Twas there I met with Captain Weeks Again, who related to me his being Chaced by an English Sixty four, and of his very narrow Escape, but this is not material to mention at Present I'll endeavour to answer you with the Same when I have more Leizure than at Present, — I Stay'd onbd his Ship three days with him, She now ready for Sea Again, and in better or[der] and better manned than ever. She was since he has been Capt She mounts Sixteen Six pounders — twenty Swivels, and has onboard One hundred and thirty Stout fellows as ever you Saw, the greater part English and Irish — with some Americans — 'twas from him that I have learned many matters of Consequence, which you may depend on as he is the Confidant both of Deane and Franklin, and not a little esteemed by either of the Above — He informed me that One Million of dollors had been obtained from the Spaniard, as he had been informed — but Concluded with saying that he was not purfectly convinced of it as he had it only from Second hand — this Weakes is very Sly, and was obliged to engratiate myself in his favour by making him Present of few things — Such as Sword — Pistols &c — & I found he bit immediately, By these means I say I got the blind side of him and discovered Just what I could have wished from a man of his turn & which was my reason for undertaking the Journey — After he had enquired about his friends at Paris, I endeavored to work him Round, and last found that the french at that Port — Merchants I mean — propose sending in the Course of the months of September and October to America — five forty Gun Ships and two Sixty fours - they will be cleared out for the East Indies, bu will Proceed to America — where their Cargoes will be landed — and I conclude they will be Offered to the Congress — the five mentioned above Lay at Port L 'Orient — & from what I have learned immagine they are India Ships — The other two I conclude is at Brest — the matter was not finally setled but from appearances and from what the house of De Segray, Beaugard Fil & Compy told me, I say from What those Gentlemen men­tioned, 'twill in all probibility take place — As they are Owners of said Vessell and doe all Deanes and Franklin business at that port, — besides which they mean to send out many Marchand Ships which lay there — but immagine the Goods will not be Shipped from that Port — Its impossiable to Conceive the respect that is Shewn Weakes and Nicholson at St Malo: nothing is too much that can be done for them, the Commanding Officer there has had his troops reviewed merely to let them See and at Same [time] Balls & Court parties Are proposed every day for their Amusement. . .