ince that time. The
ships were to have been despatched in a reasonable time to and from
America. Mons. Beaumarchais was my surety. The difficulty met with in
getting away the stores was such, that the last of the ships did not
sail from Marseilles until in September, 1777. The delay of near
twelve months of some of them in France, and an uncommon delay of all
of them, occasioned by repeated counter orders, and fresh obstacles
rising in the way of embarking those stores, as well as the unexpected
detention of those ships in America, as for instance, of the
Amphitrite, from April until the October following, with the capture
of them, were circumstances unforeseen and unexpected at the time of
making the contract, and entitled M. Monthieu to an equitable
consideration over and above the freight stipulated. Before the last
ship sailed, therefore, M. Monthieu insisted that some mode for a
settlement should be agreed upon; on which Dr Franklin and myself
agreed with him to submit the whole to Mons. Chaumont; the submission
was made and signed. M. Monthieu, on his return from Marseilles, (to
which place he went immediately to embark and send off the remainder
of the stores) urged M. Chaumont to undertake it. I did the same; he
declined, telling me that he found Mr Lee of so jealous and unquiet a
disposition, and so much disposed to abuse every one that he had any
concerns with, that he had well nigh resolved never to have any thing
more to do with the commissioners, while he was one of them; but as M.
Monthieu had other concerns with the commissioners, he thought it best
to settle the whole at once, and when the whole was ready for a
settlement, if Mr Lee would then desire him to undertake it, he would
do it as well to oblige us as M. Monthieu, for whom he had a regard.
This put off the settlement for the time.

Mr Lee proceeds to say, "It is this sort of neglect, and studied
confusion, that has prevented Mr Adams and myself, after a tedious
examination of the papers left with Dr Franklin, from getting any
satisfaction as to the expenditures of the public money. All we can
find is, that millions have been expended, and almost every thing
remains to be paid for."

I am not surprised at any thing of this kind from Mr Lee, nor that Mr
John Adams has not joined with him in this letter, though I dare say,
that gentleman knows his duty, and has done it, as well to the public
as to me. After premising that Mr Lee had in his hands t