Displaying 1 - 19 of 19
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
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
I don't know, sir, if you have any body with you, whom you may trust for translating the French letters, which treat on important affairs. On my part I shall not be able to treat with security in English, till after the return of a person whom I expect at this moment from London, and who will be an interpreter between us, meanwhile I have the honor to inform you, that I had for some time past,...
Date: 18 July 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
The respectful esteem that I bear towards that brave people who so well defend their liberty under your conduct has induced me to form a plan concurring in this great work, by establishing an extensive commercial house, solely for the purpose of serving you in Europe, there to supply you with necessaries of every sort, to furnish you expeditiously and certainly with all articles ー clothes, linens...
Date: 18 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have the honour to recommend to you the contents of the enclosed letter. We are not aware for what reason the Customs officers in charge at Bilbao have detained the American vessel in question. It would be very serious if it were to be known in America that the Court of Madrid had ill-treated one of their privateers. Then they would think it very certain that they had nothing to hope for from...
Date: 14 October 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Monsieur le Comte de Vergennes:
Friday at 8 o'clock I shall be at Your Excellency's.
If I were not certain that I agree with your views in desiring that you lift as many as you are able of the obstacles which are holding up my business, I would not have the indiscretion to point [it] out, since it seems that I need only submit myself. But I know that you are as vexed as I am about what is being...
Date: 12 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I am not fortunate in anything coming from your Department. Since the reply from M. de St. Germain which you showed me, I have obtained the most exact information as to the quantity of powder lying in the King's magazines, and I have found that there are nineteen millions two hundred and odd thousand pounds weight. You will confess that a very malevolent demon must meddle with my affairs, to...
Date: 21 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Gentlemen: With regard to me, gentlemen, my sincere attachment to your cause and my respectful esteem for your persons has not suffered me to hesitate and to wait till vessels loaded by you should arrive in this country with the produce of your own in exchange for our merchandise, but the faith of the powers of your commissioner (a duplicate of which he has left in the hands of our ministry) have...
Date: 1 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
. . . my yesterday's letters have informed me of the departure of three of my vessels in three days; one from L'Orient, one from Nantes and the other from Havre. But without the cannon there is no pleasure. M de Sartine summons me this evening to Versailles. May he at last, with a stroke of the pen, save me from the perpetual and insupportable reproaches which I receive without complaint . . .
Date: 1 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
All the Examinations, inquisitions and surveys of arms and Merchandise, Sir, have doubtless an object of great usefulness, since they have been thought necessary. They have at least Served to refute all the base Suspicions which have been feigned as to the excellence of the articles furnished; that is to say in good French, as to the honesty of Mr Hortalez. But was all this worth the time that it...
Date: 19 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have the honor to fit out, for the service of Congress; by the way of Hispaniola, the ship Amelia, loaded with field and ordnance pieces, powder and leaden pigs. As the season is too far advanced, that the ship might go straightway to your ports, I have charged M. Carabasse, my correspondent at Cape Francois, to reverse the whole cargo on Bermudian or even on American ships, if he finds any at...
Date: 28 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
. . . I have missed the 5 vessels laden at L'Orient. They were sold when my agent arrived there. I confess to you the sin I was going to commit, because I am vexed that others have committed it in my place. The 5 vessels and their cargoes were sold for 90 thousand livres, and were worth 600 thousand. 2
The last vessel which I am loading, and which is ready to sail, is called le Comte...
Date: 7 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have just left the Spanish Ambassador, whom I had not seen for a long time. I have drawn him a most faithful picture of the importance of effectual help for the Americans, of their present state, and of the still more critical danger of their becoming reconciled to England on the arrival of the courier who is shortly to be sent them from France, If they do not receive any Help or encouragement...
Date: 7 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The moment I finished this letter, I received one from Nantes, which informed me of the refusal to give sailors to the ship-owners. And so my richest vessel is stopped at the moment of sailing. I was asked to obtain from the Minister of Marine Secret and private permission to employ only ten sailors. They are making up the rest of the crew with novices &c. I beg you therefore, Monsieur le...
Date: 15 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
. . . A letter of the 6th March written to Havre from Cape Francois informs me that l'Amphitrite and la Seine, my two first vessels, have arrived without accident at Charlestown in South Carolina, 2 I hasten to send you this news, begging you to rejoice at it for my sake, if the American cause h as become so foreign to France that you will no longer rejoice for its sake. I am no longer...
Date: 4 May 1777
Volume: Volume 8
To the King Only.
Sire, ー When considerations of State impel you to extend a helping hand to the Americans, Policy requires that your Majesty proceed with such caution, that aid secretly conveyed to America may not become in Europe a brand to kindle strife between France and England. Above all, it is the part of prudence to be certain that the money cannot possibly pass into other hands...
Date: 22 January 1776
Volume: Volume 3
I have received this instant the good news that l'Amphitrite, after a tedious passage of 85 Days, has arrived at Portsmouth 17 leagues to the north of Boston. The whole Crew was pushed to the brink of their strength and courage. They are now well. It is Capt. Heraud, commanding l'Mercure, and arrived from Boston in 23 Days who posted this good news on the 28th June on his arrival at Nantes.
Le...
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Je Profite, Mon cher Francy, de toutes les occasions pour vous donner de mes Nouvelles, qu'il en soit ainsi de Vousje Vous prie.
Quoi qu'il Soit aujourdhui Le 20 Xbre 1777, Mon Grand Vaisseau1 n'est pas encore parti, Mais c'est un Sort a peu prés commun à tous Les Vaisseaux Marchands destinés pour L'Amerique. Le Ministere2 a craint que le Commerce n'enlevat à la...
Date: 31 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11