Sir

I am honourd with your favours of the 23^d Ult^o. and am much Obliged by the Intelligence it conveyd—with Regard to Cap^t Babson and those concernd I think they have reason to be fully Satisfied,¹ and I think the Generous and disinterested conduct of the Court of France in this but more Especially in the Treaty of Alliance will Unite every American to them by the Strongest bonds of Gratitude, when we have that allow’d us by Strangers which the Most dutyfull & Loyal Petitions could not procure from the Parent country a free Commerce. Permit me Sir to Congratulate you on the Part you have had in Obtaining this for us & may you Live many Years and Enjoy the applause of your Grateful Countrymen. 

Permit me one more Sir to Trouble you with my small Affairs. Capt. Hibbert in the Privateer Schooner Hawke which came to my address the last summer & made Several Prizes among others Capturd the Brigⁿ Britania John Wood Master and having met some difficulty in disposing of Prizes here when entred as Such ‘tho we were allow’d every Indulgence we could reasonably ask Cap^t. Hibbert gave Orders to his Prize master to go into S^t Sebastian & enter his Vessell as from New England but unfortunately at the same time he Entred, a Vessell from Newfoundland which saild from thence in Comp^y. with the Britania entred also and the Cap^t.2 Informd the General³ she was a Prize, in Consequence of which Cap^t. Allen and his Crew were taken out of the Vessell & Confind in Goal the Vessell & Cargo Condemnd by the Gen^l ⅓ to his own use ⅓ to the Use of his Secretary & the Other third to the Use of the King and accordingly all was Imediately disposed off, on the representations of M^r Hoare⁴ the Secretary, the King approvd of what had been done but ordered that Appeals should be admitted to the Council of Warr, I accordingly attempted an appeal in behalf of Cap^t. Hibbert & the Owners but was not allow’d nor could I obtain the honour of seeing the General in Person every thing there being Transacted by the Secretary as he pleases

I therefore gave Security thro’ my friend M^r. Larralde for Allen and the appeal went in his Name, and altho I have given Security to answer all demands on Allen, he and his Crew to the great damage of themselves their Owners & their Country remain Confind in Goal being Chargd with Piracy altho we have fully Proved the Legallity of the Capture by the Evidence of the Late Master the Spanish Coasting Poilot⁵ and by Cap^t Hibbert & his Officers thus stands the Affair at Present M^r. Watson who was Lieu^t. of the Hawke Wrote you once on the Subject⁶ & rec^d. an Answer from M^r. Lee, that he had forwarded his papers to the Court of Madrid & he might expect Imediate redress but unfortunately the redress is not yet arriv’d the People at this time would be of exceeding great Service if at Liberty, Suffer me therefore to beg your Interposition in their behalf and also that we may have our prize restored.

The Ship Portsmouth of 20 Guns bound from Bordeaux to Piscatuqua took a Small Brig⁷ Laden with Beef & Butter bound from Ireland to France and Sent her in here address’d to the House of Lynch Killikelly & Moroney She was entred as comeing from Piscatuqua but a House here famous for Nothing More than their enmity to America has Commenc’d a Lawsuit against M^r. Moroney and Claims the Vessell in behalf of the first Proprietors which may bring on a Long Train of Expence unless an Order from Court can be obtaind to Stop Such proceedings aney Service that can be rendred this Gentleman who is a very Honest man & a Warm friend to our Country will be esteemd an additional Obligation conferrd on him who is [&c]

P.S. Cap^t Hodge from Marblehead which place he left the 15^th. Feb^y. brings nothing new except the resolve of Congress that Gen^l. Burgoyne, & his Troops Embarkation be put off ‘till the ratification of the articles Signd at Saratoga arrive from the Court of Great Britain, & a Large reinforcement of near 10,000 men were on their March from Massachusetts Bay to Join Gen^l. Washington