TO THE COMMITTEE OF SECRET CORRESPONDENCE.
Paris, 6th February, 1777.
Gentlemen,
Since our last, a copy of which is enclosed, Mr Hodge arrived here, from Martinique, and has brought safely the papers he was charged with. He had a long passage, and was near being starved. We are about to employ him in a service pointed out by you, at Dunkirk, or Flushing. He has delivered us three sets of the papers we wanted; but we shall want more, and beg you will not fail to send them by several opportunities.
A private company has just been formed here for the importation of tobacco, who have made such proposals to the Farmers-General, as induced them to suspend the signing of their agreement with us, though the terms had been settled, and the writings drawn. It seems now uncertain whether it will be revived or not. The company have offered to export such goods as we should advise, and we have given them a list of those most wanted. But so changeable are minds here, on occasion of news, good or bad, that one cannot be sure that even this company will proceed. With a universal good will to our cause and country, apparent in all companies, there is mixed a universal apprehension, that we shall be reduced to submission, which often chills the purposes of serving us. The want of intelligence from America, and the impossibility of contradicting by that means the false news spread here, and all over Europe, by the enemy, has a bad effect on the minds of many, who would adventure in trade to our ports, as well as on the conduct of the several governments of Europe. It is now more than three months, since Doctor Franklin left Philadelphia, and we have not received a single letter of later date, Mr Hodge having left that place before him.
We are about purchasing some cutters, to be employed as packets. In the first we despatch, we shall write more particularly concerning our proceedings here, than by these merchant ships we can venture to do, for the orders given to sink letters are not well executed; one of our vessels was lately carried into Gibraltar, being taken by an English man of war, and we hear there were letters for us, which the captain, just as he was boarded, threw out of the cabin windows, which floating on the water, were taken up, and a sloop despatched with them to London. We also just now hear from London, (through the ministry here) that another of our ships is carried into Bristol by the crew, who, consisting of eight American seamen, with eight English, and four of the Americans being sick, the other four were overpowered by the eight English, and carried in as aforesaid. The letters were despatched to Court.
From London, they write to us, that a body of ten thousand men, chiefly Germans, are to go out this spring, under the command of General Burgoyne, for the invasion of Virginia and Maryland. The opinion of this Court, founded on their advices from Germany, is, that such a number can by no means be obtained, but you will be on your guard. The Amphitrite, and the Seine, from Havre, and the Mercury, from Nantes, are all now at sea, laden with arms, ammunition, brass field pieces, stores, clothing, canvass, &c. which, if they arrive safely, will put you in a much better condition for the next campaign, than you were for the last.
Some excellent engineers, and officers of the artillery, will also be with you pretty early, also some few for the cavalry. Officers of infantry, of all ranks, have offered themselves without number. It is quite a business to receive the applications and refuse them. Many have gone over at their own expense, contrary to our advice. To some few of those, who were well recommended, we have given letters of introduction.
The conduct of our General, in avoiding a decisive action, is much applauded by the military people here, particularly Marshals Maillebois, Broglio, and D'Arcy. M. Maillebois, has taken the pains to write his sentiments of some particulars useful in carrying on our war, which we send enclosed. But that, which makes the greatest impression in our favor here, is the prodigious success of our armed ships and privateers. The damage we have done their West India trade, has been estimated, in a representation to Lord Sandwich, by the merchants of London, at one million eight hundred thousand pounds sterling, which has raised insurance to twentyeight per cent, being higher than at any time, in the last war with France and Spain. This mode of exerting our force against them should be pushed with vigor. It is that in which we can most sensibly hurt them, and to secure a continuance of it, we think one or two of the engineers we send over, may be usefully employed in making some of our ports impregnable. As we are well informed, that a number of cutters are building, to cruise in the West Indies against our small privateers, it may not be amiss, we think, to send your larger vessels thither, and ply in other quarters with the small ones.
A fresh misunderstanding between the Turks and Russia, is likely to give so much employment to the troops of the latter, as that England can hardly expect to obtain any of them. Her malice against us, however, is so high at present, that she would stick at no expense to gratify it. The New England Colonies are, according to our best information, destined to destruction, and the rest to slavery, under a military government. But the Governor of the world sets bounds to the rage of man, as well as to that of the ocean.
Finding that our residence here together, is nearly as expensive as if we were separate, and having reason to believe, that one of us might be useful at Madrid, and another in Holland, and some Courts further northward, we have agreed that Mr Lee go to Spain, and either Mr Deane or myself (Dr Franklin) to the Hague. Mr Lee sets out tomorrow, having obtained passports, and a letter from the Spanish Ambassador here, to the Minister there. The journey to Holland will not take place so soon. The particular purposes of these journeys we cannot prudently now explain.
It is proper we should acquaint you with the behavior of one Nicholas Davis, who came to us here, pretending to have served as in officer in India, to be originally from Boston, and desirous of returning, to act in defence of his country, but through the loss of some effects coming to him from Jamaica, and taken by our privateers, unable to defray the expense of his passage. We furnished him with thirty louis, which was fully sufficient; but at Havre, just before he sailed, he took the liberty of drawing on us, for near forty more, which we have been obliged to pay. As in order to obtain that credit, he was guilty of several falsities, we now doubt his ever having been an officer at all. We send his note and draft, and hope you will take proper care of him. He says, his father was a clergyman in Jamaica. He went in the Seine, and took charge of two blankets for Mr Morris.
We hope your union continues firm, and the courage of our countrymen unabated. England begins to be very jealous of this Court, and we think, with some reason.
We have the honor to be, &c.
B. FRANKLIN,
SILAS DEANE,
ARTHUR LEE.