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to request of you, that, as you are situated at the Hague, where ambassadors from all the courts reside, you would make use of the opportunity that situation affords you,sof discovering, if possible, the disposition of the several courts with respect to such assistance orcalliance, if we should ap ply for the one, or propose the other. As it may possibly be necessary, in particular instances, that you shouldy for this purpose, confer directly with some great ministers, and show them this letter as your credential, we only recommend it to your discretion, that you proceed therein with such caution, as to keep the same from the knowledge of the English (ambassador, and prevent any public appearauce, at present, of your being employed in any such immany business, as thereby, we imagine, many inconveniences may be avoided, and your means of rendering us service, increased.

事

That you may be better able to answer some questions, which will probably be put to you, concerning our present situation, we inform you that the whole continent is very firmly united-the party for the measures of the British ministry being very small, and much dispersed that we have had on foot, the last campaign, an army of near twenty-five thousand men, wherewith, we have been able, not only to block up the king's army in Boston, but to spare considerable detachments for the invasion of Canada, where we have met with great success, as the printed papers sent herewith will inform you, and have now reason to expect the whole province may be soon in our possession that we purpose greatly to increase our force for the ensuing year; and thereby we hope, with the assistance of a well-disciplined militia, to be able to defend our coast, notwithstanding its great extent-that we have

already a small squadron of armed vessels; to protect our coasting trade, who have had some success in taking several of the enemy's cruizers, and some of their trans port vessels and store-ships.This littles naval force we are about to augment, and expect it may be more considerable in the next summer, ek gibi bus bus gað a

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We have hitherto applied to no foreign power. We are using the utmost industry in endeavouring to make salt petre, and with daily increasing success Our artificers are also "every where busy in fabricatinge small bums, easting cannon, &c. yet both arms and ammunition are much wanted. Any merchants, who would venture sto send ships, laden with those articles, might make Į great profit such is the demand in every colony, and such generous prices are and will be given; of which, and of the manner of conducting such a voyage, the bearer, Mr. Storey, can more fully inform you and whoever brings in those articles, is allowed to carry off the value in provisions, to our West Indies, where they will oprobably fetch a very high price, the general exportation from North America being stopped. This you will see more particularly in a printed resolution of the congress.

We are in great want of good engineers, and wish you could engage, and send us two able ones, in time for the next campaign, one acquainted with field service, sieges, &c. and the other with fortifying of sea-ports. They will, if well recommended, be made very welcome, and have honourable appointments, besides the expences of their voyage hither, in which Mr. Storey can also advise them. As what we now request of you, besides taking up your time, may put you to some expence, we send you for the present, enclosed, a bill for one hundred pounds sterling,

to defray such expences, and desire you to be assured that yours services will be considered, and honourably rewarded by the congressmce bris 218UM 220mane sit to 19VaR **We desire, also, that you would take the trouble of receiving from Arthur Lee, Esq. agents for the congress in England, such letters as may be sent by him to your care, and of forwarding them to us with your dispatches. When you chaves occasion to write to him to inform him of any thing, which it may be of importance that our friends there should be acquainted with, please to send your letters to him, under cover, directed to Mr. Alderman Lee, merchant, on Tower-hill, London; and do not send it by post, but by some trusty shipper, or other prudent person, who will deliver it with his own hand. And when you send to us, if you have not a direct safe opportunity, we recommend sending by way of St. Eustatia, to the care of Messrs. Robert and Cornelius Stevenson, merchants there, who will forward your dispatches to me. With sincere and great esteem and respect, I am, Sir, &e.

I

urbo vB. FRANKLIN

agentala ogjad ennemi dhol mort

TO JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESSJ! jarri, - ha ag to trow frem of 978

Account of Dr. Franklin's Voyage to France-Takes

ས། "

SIR,

two Prizes, ¡

100 592 10 y!! Nantes,
Nantes,

nolew un 26 id hebrommange dye

In thirty days after we left the Capes of Delaware, we came to an anchor in Quiberon Bay. I remained on board four days, expecting a change of wind proper to carry the ship into the river Loire, but the wind seening fixed in an opposite quarter, I landed at Auray,

*

and with difficulty got hither, the road not being ">well! supplied with means of conveyance. Two days before we saw land, we met a brigantine from Bordeaux belonging to Cork, and another from Rochefort belonging to Hull, both of which were taken. The first has on board, stavesy utar, turpentine, and claret the other Coniac brandy and flaxseed. There is some difficulty in deter mining what to do with them, as they are scarce worth sending to America, and the mind of the French court with regard to prizes brought into their ports, is not yeta knownqIt is certainly contrary to their treaties withTM Britain to permit the sale of them, and we have no regular means of trying and condemning themThere are, how ever, many here who would purchase prizes, we having already had several offers from persons who are willing! to take upon themselves all consequences as to the illest gality,

Captain Wickes, as soon as he can get his refreshments!! intends a cruise in the channel. Our friends in France? have been a good deal dejected with the gazette accounts of advantages obtained against us by the British troops. I have helped them here to recover their spirits a little, byn assuring them that we still face the enemy, and were under no apprehensions of their two armies being able to come plete their junction.

A

I understand Mr. Lee has lately been at Paris, that Mr. Deane is still there, and that an underhand supply is obtained from the government, of two hundred brass field pieces, thirty thousand firelocks, and some other military stores, which are now shipping for America, (ands will be convoyed by a ship of war.ade &

The court of England, Mr. Penet tells me (from whom

I have the above intelligence) had the folly to demand Mr. Deane to be delivered up, but were refused. bolqqi

J

1

1

Qur voyage though not long was rough, and I feel myself weakened by it, but I now recover strength daily, and in a few days shall be able to undertake the journey to Paris. I have not yet taken any public character, thinking hit prudent first to know whether the court is ready and willing to receive ministers publicly from the congress, that we may neither embarrass her on the one hand, nor subject ourselves to the hazard of a disgraceful refusal on the other, I have dispatched an express to Mr. Deane, with the letters I had for him from the com mittee and a copy of our commission, that he may imme diately make the proper inquiries, and give me information. In the mean time, I find it is generally supposed here. that I am sent to negociate, and that opinion appears to give great pleasure, if I can judge by the extreme civie lities I meet with from numbers of the principal people who have done me the honour to visit me. I have desired Mr. Deane, by some speedy and safe means, tougive Mr. Lee notice of his appointment. I find several vessels here laden with military stores for America, just ready to sail; on the whole there is the greatest prospect that we shall be well provided for another campaign, and much stronger than we were the last. A Spanish fleet has sailed, with seven thousand land forces, foot, and some horse, their destination not known, but supposed against the Portuguese in Brasil. Both France and England are preparing strong fleets, and it is said that all the powers of Europe, are preparing for war, apprehending a general one cannot be very distant. When I arrive at Paris, I shall be able to write with inore certainty. I beg you to