Displaying 1 - 20 of 27
I have the honor to send you, Sir, the summary of the letters which were sent to me by the governors of our colonies concerning the conduct the captains of English warships in those seas. I also enclose extracts of declarations made upon their return by the captains of merchant ships that were visited by English officers and of which several & were fired upon with shot. Since England wages an...
Date: 26 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
You may have been informed, My lord, that the Frenchmen who were in Philadelphia and about whom there was a great deal of talk in this country were captured upon their return on an American vessel and brought to Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, who sent them here on board the vessel that was shipwrecked off Cape Lizard. There were three of them. The youngest one perished. The other two were...
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
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
There was an action at sea between the Frigate Glasgow and some American Privateers that dared attack her. The fight was obstinate, but both parties separated without much damage. The frigate returned to a port of Rhode-Island, and the Privateers to the Port of New-London in the province of Connecticut.2
The number of horses being embarqued for America amounts to thirteen hundred at...
Date: 4 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
My lord, we cannot mark without justifiable alarm the daring acts of which the English Sea Officers are capable. As the war gets hotter, they will become more dangerous; and their avidity for spoils will increase as they get used to firing their guns. If the English people are generally proud and greedy, it can be said with them maritime pride exceeds national pride by several degrees and that...
Date: 7 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Information received from Canada is becoming clearer. An officer, dispatched from Quebec on the 16th of last month on board the Corvette Hunter, brought yesterday letters from General Carleton dated on the 14th of the same month. They indicated that, upon the arrival of the first reinforcement brought by the ship Isis and a few Frigates or transport Ships, the Americans, numbering about three...
Date: 11 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
When we consider the forces of a Nation we ordinarily distinguish her own from those she derives from her alliances. The combination of these means is the measure of her power and determines to what degree she may impress rival nations. I doubt that, if England considers us under both these views, she will find the balance to tip in her favor. But I shall leave these speculations to her...
Date: 24 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Yesterday, there was a conference at Lord Weymouth's. I took this opportunity to discus with this Minister various matters about which I had already conversed with Lord Suffolk:...
As to the liberties taken by their cruising vessels, I also read to him the letters from Messrs. d'Ennery and d'Argout, and I observed to him that I did not officially request M. [Robert] Keeler's punishment, but that...
Date: 28 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
You are informed, My lord, of the plans for the Royal Army in Canada. The intention is to penetrate the English Colonies by way of the Lakes Champlain and George. It has been admitted that much time will be needed to build the boats required for this passage. Then, these boats will have to be carried from one lake to the other and the Americans will have be overcome at Ticonderoga. We might say...
Date: 5 July 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 have the honor to send you herewith the Translation of a resolution passed by Congress and published on the 15th of May, to abolish any authority on the part of the Crown, and to recommend to each Colony to chose its own Government. It is even reported that, in consequence, the provinces of South Carolina and Georgia have already elected each a Governor, a Council and an Assembly.
The...
Date: 9 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The English Ministers no longer mention our Armaments to me; but I have heard that they are becoming alarmed. Some of their confidants claim even that the differences with Portugal depend upon the war with the Colonies, that is to say they consider this discussion as a pretext that will be used according to the state of affairs; that, if England meets with rapid success in America, the Portuguese...
Date: 12 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
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
You will see from the List enclosed herewith of the Crews presently on board the Guardships that they come to a total of 4,948 men who are quite unequally divided since there are ships with more. than 400 men and others that do not have enough to man their boats. To tell the truth, only those in Chatham are in this situation because the port is the least exposed. Among the others we can see two...
Date: 26 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The Second Hessian division finally left Plymouth on the 23rd of this month with the pack-horses. They will be convoyed by the Frigates Diamond, Unicorn and Ambuscade. The Frigate Lark sailed from Portsmouth on the 24th with two transports carrying recruits and ammunition. This frigate has one hundred thousand pounds Sterling to pay the troops in America. Well, nothing can distract them from...
Date: 26 July 1776
Volume: Volume 6
You know, My lord, that Lord Weymouth mentioned our armaments only once and without pressing the matter. The more lightly he treated this matter, the more concerned he was, as I realized. Since then, he did not mention it to me any more. The other Ministers never spoke to me about it. Silence in such delicate matters is always suspicious; consequently I am more attentive than ever to all the...
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