Displaying 1 - 20 of 173
I offer you all my thanks, Sir, for forwarding to me the dispatch from M. Garnier concerning the secret branch he had the initiative to put back into operation. The additions that he has suggested seem to deserve all our attention. I know how important it is for us to be exactly informed of all English maritime movements; I also think that we could take great advantage of the connections which M...
Date: 20 February 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Orders are given in all the sea ports of this kingdom, prohibiting the taking in any cargoes for the English colonies; and to inform those who do so, that it will be at their own risk.
Date: 11 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Permit me to impart to you my uneasiness with regard to our great affair, and, above all, as to the man who has the charge of it.
You have seen the contract passed between the secret committee of the Colonies, and ratified by the General Congress, of the one part and the Sires Pliarne and Penet of the other; so we could not doubt the intentions of the Congress. But it seems likely enough that,...
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I received your Letter of the 23d May. I will perform "my" promises "in the way I have pointed out." I am about to send to Cape François in the island of St Domingo, a Ship loaded with Merchandize to the value of £25000, besides Cannon, Powder and Stores, but this last article will arrive but in small Parcels on account of the risque. "On your part do not fail to send a Ship loaded with good...
Date: 6 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have the honor, Sir, to send you the reply which I received from the Navy Commissioner in Nantes concerning 45 thousand pounds of powder which recently left Amsterdam and which the Court of London believes to be destined to New England. However, you will see that M. Doyard does not believe it was part of the shipments received in this port during the month of May and that he will take great...
Date: 12 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have this morning seen M. de Gribauval,2 who, interesting himself much in the fate of our friends in America, into whose secrets he has been initiated by the Count de St Germain, is very uneasy on their account because of the advance of the English by way of Canada. He fears lest they may be forced to bend beneath the yoke of the Mother Country if they are not promptly and...
Date: 19 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In Cyphers
I refer you to my former Letter of the 6th of June (No 2) of which I pray you to follow the disposition.
"The difficulties which I have met with in my negociation with the Ministers, have made me take the resolution of forming a Company which shall send out the supplies of Powder and Stores to your friend, depending in the mean time on remittances in Tobacco at Cape François and always...
Date: 25 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Although it seems from public notices in the different ports of Kingdom that American Ships come in freely in order to exchange the Goods which they bring from their Colonies for Merchandise from our Continent, the Supplicant, a Merchant in the City of Bordeaux, uncertain as to whether this new Traffic is carried by virtue of some special permission, and unwilling to innovate without the...
Date: 8 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I saw M de Beaumarchais this morning, and following your express authorisation, I gladly conferred with him without reservation. Everyone knows his good sense, his talent, and no one gives more credit than myself for his honesty, his discretion, his zeal for everything that is great and good; I believe he is one of the men best suited to political negotiations, but perhaps at the same time least...
Date: 13 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In compliance with your request at our interview of yesterday, I send you inclosed copies of my commission, and an extract from my instructions which will fully satisfy you of my being authorized to make the purchases Ihave applied to you for. To understand this extract, it is necessary to inform you that I was ordered to make my first application to the ministers and to procure the supplies...
Date: 20 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I beg you in the second place, to ask M. de Sartine for his consent, at least tacit, to have cannon cast at the Ruelle forge in Angoumois, on the account of some owners of privateers; this forge, excellent for this purpose, is well situated, and was returned to the King's demesne last October; if it were still in the appanage of the Count d'Artois, I should have had every desirable and suitable...
Date: 21 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Inclosed I send You a Copy of the Article of my Instructions which was the subject of Our last Conference.2 I have not as yet had the pleasure of seeing Monsr Beaumarchais but am so Confident, from the Character I received of him from You that he will be able to procure for Me the Articles I want, That I shall Apply to him in preference to any other person; And I imagine thro' him the...
Date: 22 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
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...
Date: 24 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
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
Mons. ー Chauont, a very wealthy person, and intendant for providing clothes, etc. for the French army, has offered me a credit on account of the Colonies to the amount of one million of livres, which, I have accepted. I have in treaty another credit, which joined to this, will purchase the articles directed in my instructons; the credit will be until May next, before which I hope remittances will...
Date: 27 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
I should have sent this off earlier, but delayed on account of hearing something more directly, if I might depend on certain articles for which I was in treaty; I am now assured I may, and the whole will be ready to ship in all the month of October. My next labor will be to obtain a convoy, which I do not despair of, though it is a delicate question, and I have only sounded at a distance, yet I...
Date: 2 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I beg you to send suitable orders to the Geeral Director of the Docks in Nantes so that he will not stand in the way or cause difficulties with regard to the embarkation of War ammunition by M. Penet in Nantes. This Director, by the name of M. de Guerton, is a very honest men, but he needs to be warned because the embarkation is urgent.2
Date: 6 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Orders are sent to all the sea-ports in this kingdom, that such frigates of war, from 32 to 36 guns, as shall henceforth be built in any ports of France, be lengthened ten feet by the keel, and breadth in proportion, by which they wil be enabled to carry on one deck, a weight of metal equal to the lower tier of an English fifty gun ship.
Date: 9 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
...I have seen the Controller General, the Farmers General, Mr Deane; everything is arranged. Mr Deane is persuaded that the vessels in question are coming only in order to furnish him with funds by the sale of their cargoes of salted fish. Another deputy and friend from Maryland has just arrived from Holland.2 He very quickly brought him to me. These gentlemen are sending from Paris a...
Date: 16 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6