Sir:

I have considered the letter you honored me with the 22d, and am of the opinion that your proposals for regulating the prices of goods and stores are just and equitable. The generous confidence you place in the virtue and justice of my constituents affords me the greatest pleasure, and gives me the most flattering prospect of success in the undertaking to their, as well as your, satisfaction, and permit me to assure you the United Colonies will take the most effectual measures to make you remittances, and to justify in every respect the sentiments you entertain of them; but at the same time, as the invoice for clothing only, and without the incident charges, amounts to about two and three millions of livres, and as the cannons, arms, and stores will raise the sum much higher, I cannot, considering the uncertainty of the arrival of vessels during the war, venture to assure you that remittances will be made for the whole within the time proposed; but in hat case, as I wrote you before, I hope that the interest on the balance will be satisfactory. With respect to cargoes sent from America either to France or the West Indies, designd as remittances for your advances, I think there can be no objection to their being sent to the address of a house in France, or to your agents where they may arrive.

I find that cannons, arms and other military stores are prohibited and can not be exported but in a private manner; this circumstance gives me many apprehensions, for, as I can not have those things shipped publicly, I can not have them purchased openly without giving alarms, perhaps fatal to our operations. In this case various deceptions and impositions must be practiced. You know that the ambassador of England is attentive to everything done by me, and that his spies watch every motion of mine, and will probably watch the motions of those with whom I am known to be connected. In this situation, and being a stranger in a great measure to your language, I foresee many embarrassments which I know not how to obviate, and such as I fear may greatly perplex even yourself, notwithstanding your superior knowledge and address. Two things, you will agree with me, are as essential as even the procuring of the cannon, arms, etc. First, that they are good and well laid in, and that they be embarked without being stopped and detained. The fate of my country depends, in a great measure, on the arrival of these supplies. I can not, therefore, be too anxious on the subject; nor is there any danger of expense so great but what must be hazarded, if necessary, to effect , so capital and important an object. I pray you to consider this subject, and to give meyour thoughts upon it. I called on you this morning, with Dr. Bancroft, to have conversed with you on this subject, but found that you was gone to Versailles, Permit me to urge your early attention to this subject, and to assure you that I have the honor to be with the highest respect Yours, sir, etc.,