Displaying 1 - 20 of 63
My Lord On Monday Night I received the Honour of yr Lordships Letters Nos 26 and 27.
As it is natural that this Court, tho' they may not desire the Independency of America, should wish, that the Reduction of it may cost us dear, and must therefore be disposed, to connive at least, at any assistance the Rebels can draw from hence, I keep that object constantly in view, and collect the best secret...
Date: 24 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
My Lord As great Latitude is left me, in the Execution of the order transmitted me, in Yr Lordships Letter No 29,2 and as the Business is of considerable Nicety, as well as Importance, I will venture to state to Your Lordship, ー What has occurred to me upon it, after turning it much in Thoughts, and weighing it with all the Attention I can. ー The objections to an unfavourable answer,...
Date: 31 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The very material Intelligence communicated to me by the Kings Command in Your Lordship's most confidential Letter of the 18th Inst agrees, as You will have observed, in several Respects with the imperfect accounts I have from time to time transmitted, particularly in my Letter No 53. in which I mentioned by Name Messrs chaumont & DuBourg. I am persuaded that the Person whom I there called...
Date: 21 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
... The Naval Preparations certainly continue, and as I am informed, a Resolution is taken, to send a Fleet into the french West Indies early in the Spring M. Dennery, who was upon the point of leaving St Domingo, when he received orders to remain there another Year, has consented to stay. Your Lordship knows, that he is a Man of Ability, and of an active, enterprizing Spirit, and much connected...
Date: 4 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have already observed to Your Lordship, that there now prevails here a pretty general opinion, that the public Tranquillity will not continue long, and that this unhappy Business will bring on a War in which Great Brittain and France will soon find themselves involved2
It begins to be whispered, that a large body of Troops has rece'd orders to march to the Coast of Britany, others...
Date: 18 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Mr Cyrus [Silas] Deane who in some Companies calls himself a Native of Bermudas but who is well known here to be a North American and a Secret agent for the Congress is certainly in constant intercourse with Beaumarchais who was lately not worth a shilling but has now Millions at his Command. He keeps a Table and entertains Deane and other Americans and friends to their cause. He is likewise, as...
Date: 25 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
... Not long ago Doctor [Benjamin] Franklin in a Letter to a french Gentleman with whom he corresponds from time to time upon Philosophical subjects, took occasion to say with that insidious subtlety of which he has given so many proofs, that as soon as the Independency of america was secured Her first object would be to open a great Trade with France and such as would be highly advantageous to...
Date: 3 October 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The almost universal Partiality of the French to the Rebels makes it as difficult for me to collect information of what relates to the american Agents as it is to get Intelligence in an Enemys Country. I have however learnt the following Particulars: viz Mr Deane and a Doctor [Edward] Bancroft who resides in London but is either come or coming hither for a short time at the Desire of Deane with...
Date: 9 October 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Beaumarchais has hired L'Hotel de la Tour du Pin Veille Rue du Temple to establish his Bureaux there for what is called le Commerce des Piastres. Those Bureaux are to be opened on New Years Day. Three Millions of Livres have been advanced him to carry on this Commevce. I mean, My Lord, that that is the Pretence, the Secret Reason is to enable him to execute His american Commissions He has...
Date: 6 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Beaumarchais Connexions with the Rebels begin now to be very generally suspected by all those who have any opportunities of secret Information. Since I wrote last to your Lordship I have had the following Intelligence which I think it My Duty to mention tho' I consider it as less authentic than what I have already sent you. The Intelligence is this: Beaumarchias has engaged to furnish the Rebels...
Date: 13 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
General Burgoyne, having made all his arrangements, should have embarked on the 2nd October with ten thousand men on Lake Champlain; Colonel [John] Johnson with a corps of light infantry and some Canadians is to enter the River Mohawk by Lake Ontario, in order to arrive in Albany at the same time as General Burgoyne, and take the rebels in the rear, unless a reconciliation prevents the danger...
Date: 13 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I am very secretly and, I am afraid, authentically informed that a Treaty or Convention is not only agreed upon by M. de Vergennes and Mr Deane, but is actually drawn out Article by Article . . .
In this State of Things with these Secret Treacherous Projects against Us Your Lordship sees how very improbable it is that any Thing I can say should prevent the sailing of M. du chaff aults Fleet;...
Date: 20 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
My Lord As my Yesterdays Conversation with M de Vergennes was a long one, a particular account of it, would swell this Dispatch to too great a Size, I must therefore content myself with giving Your Lordship the Substance.
I began with telling him — that since we parted at Fontainebleau, I had received Letters from my Court, in which, I was enjoyned to express the great satisfaction with which the...
Date: 27 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
My Lord I am very secretly informed th:;i.t Spain who, as Your Lordship knows, has long favoured 'the American Rebels underhand is now preparing to assist them more than ever, It is Even not improbable that She will take an open and decided Part in their Favour. She likewise Meditates an attack upon Portgual. All this is done in Concert with this Court who chuses to keep behind the Curtain for...
Date: 27 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I learnt Yesterday Evening, that the famous Doctor Franklin is arrived at Nantes, with his two grand Children; They came on board an American Privateer, which took several English Vessels in her Passage. Some People think that either some private Dissatisfaction or Despair of Success have brought him into this Country. I cannot but suspect that He comes charged with a secret Commission from the...
Date: 11 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I have this Moment recd authentic Information that M. de Coudray and above a hundred french officers of Artillery and Light Troops sailed from Havre de Grace the 12th Inst on board a french Frigate called L'amphitrite Mounting Eighteen Guns. At least My Lord I know for certain that they were to sail on that day. A Chevalr Tort who is one of the officers on board and who has, he says a Conge for...
Date: 15 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I have authentic intelligence, that there are at Present, at Nantes, the following American Ships, viz the Ship that brought franklin, mounting sixteen Guns. A fine Brig mounting the same Number, a Merchant ship, that is waiting to take cloaths, and ammunition, Another of two hundred Tons, called the William and Mary, that is just arrived, and brought Rice, and Tobacco, and means to load with...
Date: 28 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I inclose a duplicate, of my Letter by Lord Fitzwilliam, least by any Accident, He should have been detained upon the Road.
I have received, through a Secret Channel, the following Intelligence, which I can by no means warrant, but think it deserves some degree of Attention.
Doctor Franklin certainly was at Versailles soon after his Arrival here, (some accounts Say, that he stopped there in his...
Date: 1 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Two American Privateers, have put into Blaye near Bourdeaux, and desired to purchase Ammunition, which I am told has been refused them.
I have received a letter from Mr Delamain, one of the proprietors, of an English Vessel, called the Vine, which as I have already informed Your Lordship, was taken by an American Privateer.2 He tells me, that He cannot learn where his ship is, but is...
Date: 1 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
. . . I told him,2 which is true, that I have intelligence from America, which says, that Franklin is come with his Pocket full of Letters of Marque, and that his Intention is to engage french Ships, fitt those Ships with Men of this Country, anp by putting an American or two on board, and giving Lettres de Marque try to make these Vessels pass for American Privateers. I spoke of this...
Date: 7 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8