would be well taken, if we communicated
with no other person about the Court, concerning our affairs but
himself, who would be ready at all convenient times to confer with us.

We soon after presented several memorials, representing the state of
the Colonies, the necessity of some naval aid, and the utility to
France, that must result from our success in establishing the
independence of America, with the freedom of its commerce. In answer,
we received a positive refusal of the ships of the line, (which we had
been instructed to ask,) on this principle, that if a war with England
should take place, the whole fleet of France would be necessary at
home for her defence; that if such a war did not take place, yet,
while England apprehended a war, it was equally serviceable to our
States, that the fleet of France should remain entire in her ports,
since that must retain an equal force of English at home, who might
otherwise go to America, and who certainly would follow thither any
French squadron. During these conferences, every step was taken to
gratify England publicly, by attending to the remonstrances of her
ambassador, forbidding the departure of ships which had military
stores on board,[29] recalling officers who had leave of absence, and
were going to join us, and giving strict orders, that our prizes
should not be sold in French ports; yet that we might not be
discouraged, it was intimated to us by persons about the Court, that
these measures were necessary at present, France not being yet quite
ready for a war, and that we might be assured of her good will to us
and our cause.

Means were proposed of our obtaining a large sum of money for present
use, by an advance from the Farmers-General, to be repaid in tobacco,
of which they wanted twenty thousand hogsheads. We entered accordingly
into a treaty with that company, but, meeting with difficulty in
settling the terms, we were informed that a grant was made us of two
millions of livres from the crown, of which five hundred thousand was
ready to be paid us down, and an equal sum should be paid at the
beginning of April, July, and October; that such was the king's
generosity, he exacted no conditions or promise of repayment, he only
required that we should not speak to any one of our having received
this aid. We have accordingly observed strictly this injunction,
deviating only in this information to you, which we think necessary
for your satisfaction, but earnestly r