[Extract]
N^o 161
Most Secret
My Lord

With M de Vergennes whom I went to immediately from M de Maurepas’ I took a very firm and serious but quite dispassionate Tone. . . . M de Vergennes heard me Attentively and without Interruption till I came to speak of the ships building at Amsterdam: He then said, that he could answer no Questions on that subject, that we could not expect them to say what ships they were or were not building in foreign Ports that our inquiring into that was a sort of Inquisition; On this subject My Lord we had a good deal of Discussion, I told Him that we did not interfere with their building ships in foreign Ports for the service of the french Navy that that was not at all the point in Question, that my Information was precise, and I had stated it so to His Exc^y., that these were ships building in appearance for France, ordered and perhaps paid by Her, but designed really for the service of the Rebels. . . .

After a good deal of hesitation, He admitted that He knew of one ship building at Amsterdam pour le service du Roi, that it was a sort of Experiment, but that the ship was by no means as far advanced as my Information supposed. 

When I mentioned Monsieur le Comte de Vaux as concerned in fitting out ships for North America, He expressed great surprize, and asked what C^te. de Vaux I meant, as my Information did not enable me to answer that Question positively; I told Him that I supposed it was the one generally known here, but that I would not attempt to fix an Imputation upon a Gentleman of Rank and Fashion, without direct positive Proof; that if I had mentioned to his Excellency the Names of many of the Persons interested in this Enterprize, it was only to give Him every Light in my Power. I added which is true, that I had sometimes found my Intelligence erroneous as to Names, but right as to Facts, that Facts were what I attended to, that who fitted out these ships was immaterial, the essential Point was that they were fitting out in France, and going to carry ammunition and various Merchandize to the Rebels of great Britain. 

When I spoke of the ship l'heureux, and mentioned Baron Steuben, formerly aide de camp to the King of Prussia, I added that that Name was not unknown to his Excellency and looked Him full in the Face. He answered with great composure, and seeming frankness, that He knew of no such Person; He likewise assured me that He had never heard of Lieut^t. Lundi. To these positive assertions I could make no reply, without hazarding personal altercation which I wish to avoid. 

When I came to the Inteligence I had received from my Court, I told His Excellency that He would find it in two Papers, which I gave Him to read, and which were those marked B, and, C. He read them, and when He came to the Deposition relating to the Powder and Stores, being taken out of the two Privateers; He said that that was always done, when ships were repaired. I observed to Him that they had been deposited dans L'Arsenal du Roi, which was surely a mark of favour, and friendship and added, that the most exceptionable Part of all was the repairing the Ships, and repairing them in the Kings Dock; Notwithstanding all the Solemn Promises made us to the Contrary, He gave his usual frivolous Answer, that the ships were in Distress, and that the assistance granted them was only upon a Principle of common Humanity. . . .¹ I am [&c.]