Passy, June 16th, 1778.
Sir,
I received yours of the 5th instant, acquainting us that the ministry have at length agreed to an exchange of prisoners. We shall write to Captain Jones for the list required, which will be sent you as soon as received. We understand there are at least two hundred. We desire and expect, that the number of ours shall be taken from Tortune and Plymouth, in proportion to the number in each place, and to consist of those who have been longest in confinement, it being not only equitable that they should be first, but this method will prevent all suspicions, that you pick out the worst and weakest of our people to give in exchange for your good ones. If you think proper to clear your prisoners at once, and give us all our people, we give you our solemn engagement, which we are sure will be punctually executed, to deliver to Lord Howe, in America, or to his order, a number of your sailors, equal to the surplus, as soon as the agreement arrives there.
There is one thing more which we desire may be observed. We shall note in our lists the names and numbers of those taken in the service of the King, distinguishing them from those taken in the merchants' service; that, in the exchange to be made, you may give adequate numbers of those taken in the service of the States, and of our merchants. This will prevent any uneasiness among your navymen and ours, if the seamen of merchantmen are exchanged before them. As it will be very troublesome and expensive, as well as fatiguing to them, to march our people from Brest to Calais, we may endeavor to get leave for your ship to come to the road of Brest, to receive them there; or, if that cannot be, we must desire from your Admiralty a passport for the ship, that is to convey them from Brest to Calais. If you have any of our people still prisoners on board your ships of war, we request they may be put into the prisons, to take their chance of exchange with the rest.
B. FRANKLIN.
TO JOHN PAUL JONES.
Passy, June 16th, 1778.
Sir,
Upon the receipt of this letter, you will forthwith make preparations, with all possible despatch, for a voyage to America. Your own prudence will naturally induce you to keep this your destination secret, lest measures should be taken by the enemy to intercept you. If, in the course of your passage home, opportunities should present of making prizes, or of doing any material annoyance to the enemy, you are to embrace them; and you are at liberty to go out of your way for so desirable a purpose.
The fishery, at the banks of Newfoundland, is an important object, and possibly the enemy's men of war may have other business than the protection of it. Transports are constantly passing and repassing from Rhode Island, New York and Philadelphia to Halifax, and from all these places to England. You will naturally search for some of these as prizes.