Gentlemen

Since I wrote you last I went on A Cruze and fell in With the Brig Gracieux M^r. Augustin Letournois from London Bound to Spain with A Cargoe of Dry Goods the most of the Bills of Lading Consignd to Order.¹ On my Asking the Cap^t If he new that his Cargoe was British property or not he made Answer, I seen where he Loaded and that I had A Good prize On this Answer I askd him if he was Willing to proceed to America he said his Vessell was not in condition but would Agree to Go to any port in the Bay I propos^d What port he said Nants I Object^d, he then Mention^d. Bilboa I agread he then demanded one hundred pounds his Vessell ensured and the ten p^r Cent primage this I agread too And Oblig^d. to Give him from Under my hand in Writing before he would proceed, When Going Away he Desired I should Assist him with Some hands as he Was only seven in Number And the Vessell Made much Watter that the sand had Got to the pumps and the[y] often got choalkd that if a Gale of Wind Should happen he would Lose his Vessell and we our Cargoe on this I let him heave five men with Orders to Obey the french man as he was still master of the Vessell And had Agread to Deliver the Cargoe to me in Bilboa, that it Can not be Said we Offerd any insult to the french flag that for A sufficient proof he Brought his Vessell to S^t. sebastian instead of Bilboa that he might as well have Gone to his first desird port,² the Cargoe is taken into the hands of the Admiralty What will be the Result I know not. I have Claimd the Cargoe that is Consing^d. to Order the rest is but little And Addresd to Spaniards I have not, Altho by A British Act of parliment All America produce Or any Nation trading with them Only On Suspicion if they can be brought into their ports the[y] are Condemned, Gentlemen I must beg of you to make strickt enquiry And find out Any foreign Vessell the english has took for havng Americane produce On board Or the[y] have took On Suspicion of Going or Coming from America or prizes that has been sold by the Americans to french or Spaniards And Afterwards taking by the english On Suspicion that they had been prizes, I do beg you will find Some of them or the most parellel Circumstance with Our Case And have it Drawn in form and sent imeadtly Under Cover to m^r. Leraldo³ in S^t. Sebastian's, Who is the Gentlemen M^r. Gardoqui Recommended me to And I find is Verry Deligent in business I am [&c.]