Most Confidential
My Lord,

It begins now to be pretty generally known that M. de La Motte Piquet has orders to sail immediately (if he is not actually sailed) either with five or Seven Ships of the Line. The accounts vary but as I have already told Your Lordship I am inclined to credit the larger Number. It is likewise known that He is to take several Merchant Men under his convoy according to the best Information I have been able to collect He will convoy all the Ships that are ready to sail for North America. They amount to Eighteen or Twenty, perhaps More and will join Him from Different Ports, from St Maloes, Nantz, L'orient, La Rochelle, &c. These Ships whatever Clearances they may take out are certainly bound ultimately for North America, and are laden with arms, ammunition, Regimentals and various Sorts of Merchandise for the use of the Rebels. Several of them have I believe, american as well as french Captains and will carry occasionally either French or american Colours.

This Measure which as Your Lordship well knows has been in agitation for some time and which is a direct Violation of all Friendship, all Good Faith, has, I am told, been pushed on by M de Sartine and M. de Vergennes who are now secretly connected and have of late taken the french Kings orders upon several Points, unknown to M. de Maurepas. I do not however, My Lord, mean to say that M. de Maurepas was a stranger to the whole of this Measure, on the contrary he certainly was privy to the original Project, but from that Irresolution which is habitual to Him, sometimes approvd it, sometimes dreaded the Consequences, and whilst he was in this State of Suspence, Mess^rs Sartine & Vergennes, as I have some Reason to believe, got the french King to authorize the giving the order to M. La Motte Piquet. Be this anecdote true or false, the order is certainly gone and has reached M. La Motte who will take the first opportunity of carrying it into Execution. My opinion is that he is actually sailed. however, My Lord, he will probably hover about the Coast of France for some days to give the different Ships that He is to convoy time to join Him.

Your Lordship sees that this Measure coincides exactly with the Rest of the insidious Policy of France, which as I have repeatedly said is to give the Rebels every secret assistance, and endeavour to avoid the odium of appearing the aggressor by forcing us to strike the first Blow. They have now carried their Mean and insidious Policy to its utmost Verge and have brought Things to a short decided Point by leaving us but one and that a very disagreeable alternative. If we attack La Mottes Squadron and seize the ships he convoys war is inevitable, if we suffer them to pass unmolested an almost open Trade will be carried on between France and america and the Rebels be fully supplied with Every thing they can possibly want. I am sensible, My Lord, that I am repeating in Effect what I have said more than once, but such Repetitions are I hope excusable upon a Point which I am free to own engrosses my whole Thoughts, and upon which so much depends.

I shall not, My Lord, seek an opportunity tomorrow of speaking upon the Subject either to M. de Maurepas or M. de Vergennes. It seems to me that by sending such orders which I have the best Reason to believe M. de Maurepas will not revoke, France has on her Part thrown the Die, all that I should get from the french Ministers would be a Round assertion that the Ships M La Motte is to convoy are french Merchantmen bound to some of the french West India Islands, and a trite observation perhaps that Every Nation has a Right to protect her Trade.

It appears to me My Lord that this is a Crisis in which few Words are to be used. The Tongue of an angel would not charm the Serpent, and cure France of her Perfidy. It remains then with Us to disclose that Perfidy and instantly avenge it, or dissemble and be silent till the Day of Retribution comes, if his Majestys Wisdom shall determine that the present is Not that Day.

M de Maurepas is throughly apprized of the Secret Connexion formed between M. de Sartines and M. de Vergennes, is highly displeased with the latter whom he considered as his Creature, and will probably be too strong for them both. He has already got the french King to forbid his Ministers taking any one Step without M. de Maurepas previous Knowledge and approbation.

I saw yesterday a Letter from Rouen which says that there is a total stagnation of Trade occasioned by a Sort of Embargo laid upon their shipping. It is not an Embargo properly so called but as No Sailors are granted to navigate Merchantmen they are all necessarily stopt for want of Hands. Most of the Sea Port Towns of France complain of the same Inconvenience Your Lordship knows that None of the Registerd Seamen can enter on board a Merchant Man without a positive Permission. I am [&c.]

PS. Tuesday Night feb 24

I was assured this day that M. la Motte Piquet is sailed with five Ships of the Line and three frigates, but that he is gone only upon a Cmize, and is not to convoy any ships whatever. I mention this Intelligence to your Lordship tho I consider it as of very doubtful authority.

The Duke of Chartres¹ who had promisd to return to Paris for Thursdays seennight² on which day the Duchess will give the Queen a Ball, remains at Brest. M. de Sartines has given orders to purchase all the Hemp that is to be found in any of the Sea Port Towns of France

S.