[Extract]

My Lord — I have seen Lieutenant Beazley [John Bazely] who is in very good spirits. I only encouraged him to expect your Lordship would certainly reward him for his gallant behaviour, but mentioned nothing particular, leaving that till your Lordship sees him. I have advised him to stay in town for that purpose. On conversing with him about the action and the qualities of the Alert, he told me that Johnson took him for a smuggling cutter and reckoned on taking him after the first or second fire, and intended only to take out a good sea store of brandy and tea and to give the rest and the vessel to the crew, for they do not reckon the smugglers their enemies. But after he found his mistake, he endeavoured to get off, and would have succeeded had not the cutter outsailed him, which she did with only half her sail; indeed, by Bazely's account, she sails exceeding well, though he had no other opportunity of trying her but one, which was with a large new schooner intended for the smugglers, just launched at Folkestone, which he beat he says every way very much.

The packets on board the Lexington were sunk, but some letters found on board shows that they were ordered out of the French ports, and en­joined not to return nor to make any captures on that coast. A letter from Franklin and Deane to Johnson tells him the proceedings are not intended to prejudice them ultimately, but the contrary. A letter from one Nicholson to Johnson tells him, about the middle of last month, that the Commissioners at Paris have appointed him to the command of a ship on the stocks at Nantes, to be launched in a fortnight, which is to carry twenty-four 12-pounders on one deck; he charges Johnson to keep this secret, that they are raising men for her secretly; the men themselves do not know on board what ship they are to serve. There was only seven Frenchmen found on board the Lexington, but Mr Bazely thinks there was some French officers killed, but they deny it. A letter was found from Franklin to Johnson, recommending the Marquis de —— for a passenger. There was not above fourteen Americans, the rest stout young Irish fellows, not one above 26 years of age.

Mr Bazely speaks highly of his master's behaviour, whom he wishes to have a lieutenant; and one of his midshipmen, who is very fit for and wishes to be master of the Alert. He has some anecdotes to tell your Lord­ship of the last, who is an American born, was exceeding ill treated there because he would not take up arms, is nephew to their General Schuyler &c. . . .