Sir,
It is with the greatest regret that I learn, that the attempt made at Martinique to obtain military stores has been fruitless. You will see the reasons of it in the letter of the Marquis de Bouillé, which I have the honor to send you. Nothing but the impossibility of the thing could prevent the servants of the King from rendering all possible services to the American cause, and compel them to delay complying with the requests of Congress.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant.
GERARD.
THE MARQUIS DE BOUILLÉ TO M. GERARD.
Translation.
Martinique, July 11, 1779.
Sir,
I have received the letter, which you did me the honor to write on the 8th of June, in which you inform me of Congress' want of powder. I am very sorry that the supplies for this colony, which are much less than they ought to be, will not permit me to furnish any to the United States of America. The immense and unforeseen consumption occasioned by Count d'Estaing's fleet, and his unhappy expedition against St Lucia, have laid me under the necessity of purchasing up all the powder in the hands of merchants to the amount of fifty thousand pounds, and you must be sensible, that nothing but the most urgent necessity could have induced me to go to such expense on account of the King, at a time when I am in so much want of money. Mr Bingham who is here, an agent of Congress, will be able to purchase lead of the merchants. As to arms, they are become scarce.