We have given orders to M. Bonfield, at Bordeaux, to ship to America twentyeight 24 pounders, and twentyeight 18 pounders, according to our instructions. By his answer to us it will take some little time, perhaps two or three months, to get those cannon at a good rate, and in good condition.
Our distance from Congress obliges us very often to act without express instructions, upon points in which we should be very glad to have their orders. One example of which is, the case of the American prisoners in England. Numbers have been taken and confined in gaols; others, especially masters of vessels, are set at liberty. We are told there are five hundred yet in England. Many have escaped from their prisons, who make their way to Paris, some by the way of Holland, others by Dunkirk, and others by means of smuggling vessels in other ports in this kingdom. They somehow get money to give gaolers in order to escape, then they take up money in England, in Holland, in Dunkirk, and elsewhere, to bear their expenses to Paris, then they apply to us to pay their other expenses, and expenses to Nantes, Brest, and other seaport towns. When arrived there, they apply to the American agent for more money; besides this, bills of their drawing are brought to us from Holland, and other places; all this makes a large branch of expense. We have no orders to advance money in these cases, yet we have ventured to advance considerable sums; but the demands that are coming upon us from all quarters are likely to exceed so vastly all our resources, that we must request positive directions whether we are to advance money to any prisoners whatever. If to any, whether to merchants, and seamen of private vessels, and to officers and crews of privateers, as well as to officers and men in the Continental service. We have taken unwearied pains, and have put the United States to very considerable expense, in order to give satisfaction to these people, but all we have done has not the effect; we are perpetually told of discontented speeches, and we often receive peevish letters from these persons in one place and another, that they are not treated with so much respect as they expected, nor furnished with so much money as they wanted. We should not regard these reflections if we had the orders of Congress.
We have the honor to be, &c.
B. FRANKLIN,
ARTHUR LEE,
JOHN ADAMS.
FOOTNOTES:
[52] It is thus in the original, but it will have been seen, that there are three short letters to Congress between July 20th and September 17th.
M. NECKER TO THE COUNT DE VERGENNES.
Translation.
Paris, September 18th, 1778.
Sir,