Nantes Decemr 30. 1777.
(N° 109)
Honble Gentlemen.
Your Favour of the 27th Inst1 was handed to me last Evening by my good Friend Mr Carmichael. I am extreemly sorry to inform you that all the proposed measures will be useless, as the Ships in Question2 sailed at least 8 days ago under Convoy of a french & an english Frigate. I went however to Mr Montaudouin & from him immediately to the Lieut. General of the Admiralty; the Certainty of their Departure and the Impossibility of doing any Service in the affair were confirmed to me by the Latter. I therefore had only to express my thanks for their good Disposition & to lament that the Application was too late.—
I attempted yesterday to clear out the Lion but found that in the permission which I thought included all the Vessells this Ship was left out & she being under an arrest by name it could not be done. I must therefore hope that when the final orders come, this particular permission will come also. I must in the meantime inform you that finding it impossible to keep our men any Longer as they were, especialy as we have made an addition of about 20 to the number I have permitted them all to go on board the Ship, & order'd her immediately doun to St Nazare where she will wait the last Word.—
A Man arriving from Bell Isle yesterday with News that our Enemies were cruising near the Coast in great numbers and that Capt Smith3 who went out about a Week ago was taken it is thought not adviseable for Capt Young to sail. Inclosed is a Copy of the Declaration4 which is made & which I have had registered in the Admiralty, a Copy of which I have the authority of the Chief Judge to assure you, is this Day transmitted by him to the ministry: An authenticated Extract I could not obtain as in such Cases is forbid.—I have the honor to be [&c.]
Jona Williams J
PS my last desired a Credit with Mr Grand for 200.000 Livres more which I hope you have been pleased to grant.—
L, ViU, Lee Family Papers. Addressed: “The Honorable/The Commissioners of /The United States.” Docketed: “Decr: 30th 1777/J Williams Letter”; “Lion, Young, Credit desird for 200,000lt”; “No 109.”
1. Silas Deane to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 27 Dec. See note 2 to The American Commissioners in France to Comte de Vergennes, 26 Dec., above.
2. Clarendon and Hanover Planter.
3. Samuel Smith, Hancock and Adams.
4. “Acct. of the Voyage of the Chasse Marree," a statement in French by Capt. Dionie of the coasting vessel St. Jean Baptiste that on 26 Dec. there were at Belle Ile two vessels of 36 guns, two of 26, and an armed sloop, all English, and that pilots reported cruising near the island three warships as well as a boat armed with 12 guns, and a 24-gun schooner, both English. ViU, Lee Family Papers, 30 Dec. 1777.
