Yet all the advices concur in assuring us, that the Cabinet is determined on pushing the war in America, for which purpose they propose sending the following regiments; 1st and 2d battalions of Royals; 3d, 11th, 13th, 19th, 25th, 30th, 32d, 36th and 69th. The 18th, 66th and 67th from Ireland. These fourteen regiments may contain from five to six thousand men. One of my correspondents, in whom I have much reliance, thinks they will be sent to the West Indies, and not to the Continent. In truth, I believe they will wait till the operations of Count d’Estaing enable them to decide whether they can venture to send them to New York, or must necessarily re-enforce the troops in their islands in order to preserve them.
I send you copies of the bill of lading and the invoice of supplies shipped from Bilboa, which I hope will arrive safe. You also have an account of the money I have been intrusted with, and how I have expended it. The vouchers are the merchants’ accounts, which I have regularly transmitted as I received them.
We wrote to M. de Beaumarchais upon our receiving your letter, and the agreement with his supposed company, that we were ready to settle accounts with him whenever he chose. He has made no answer. If your commercial agents do not keep an exact account of the marks of what they receive on the public account, and count or weigh what is delivered, you will want the means as we do, of checking the demands made. For example, M. Monthieu brings in an account to us for so many uniforms of blue cloth and so many pounds of rose copper; and Mr Williams, the agent, gives a receipt for so many bales of uniforms and so many casks of copper, without specifying the number, weight, or quality, so that we are as little able to judge whether what we are to pay for has been received, as if no receipt at all was produced. Nor is the receipt of the agent on your side of the water in the least more explicit.
I have the honor to be, &c.
P. S. Circumstances are such, that it is not prudent to say much about my particular department, but I think Congress will have reason to be satisfied with that quarter. January 28th.
| Public Money expended. | ||
| 1777, | Livres. | |
| May 25th, | Power of Attorney to Dr Franklin to dispose of the first remittance, | 9 |
| Remitted to Gardoqui at Bilboa (for supplies sent to Congress) November 29th, 1777, 60,790; May 29th, 1778, 14,599; September 25th, 24,654; January 3d, 1779, 19,905; | 119,848 | |
| 1778, | ||
| Feb. 7th, | Courier with despatches to Nantes, | 120 |
| 20th, | A person’s expenses to and from London, to get intelligence, | 1,165 |
| March 30th, | Remitted to the prisoners at Portsmouth by Mr Thornton, | 495 |
| Advanced for the State of Virginia, | 35,585 | |
| June, | Cost and expenses of 800 fusils, | 22,548 |
| " 10th, | Lieutenant Jones of the Providence, his expenses for bringing despatches, | 347 |
| " 23d, | Mr Thornton’s expenses to Portsmouth, &c. | 480 |
| My own expenses, | 2,232 | |
| Sept. 25th, | Mr Bonfield’s accounts for supplies sent, | 52,501 |
| Banker’s commission, | 1,037 | |
| 30,000 blankets ordered from Bilboa, | 210,000 | |
| Charges on them, | 18,000 | |
| 464,567 | ||
| Public Money received. | ||
| 1777, May, | Remittance from Spain, | 187,500 |
| 1778, Oct. | Two do " do | 187,500 |
| Interest on the last for three months, | 2,000 | |
| 377,000 | ||
| Debit, | 87,567 | |
| January 1st, 1779. | Livres | 464,567 |
COUNT DE VERGENNES TO ARTHUR LEE.