J. LOVELL.

* * * * *

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

York, 8th November, 1777.

Gentlemen,

At the time this will be delivered to you, bills of exchange will also
be presented for your acceptance, drawn by Henry Laurens, of
Charleston, South Carolina, who was elected President of the
Continental Congress, on the first day of this month, of which we
thought proper to give you thus early information, that you may duly
honor his draughts, the particulars of which we shall forward speedily
by another opportunity, concluding with much regard, &c.

R. H. LEE,
J. LOVELL.

* * * * *

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Passy, 30th November, 1777.

Gentlemen,

In a former letter we acquainted you that we had engaged an officer,
one of the most skilful in naval affairs this country possessed, to
build us a frigate in Holland, on a new construction (drafts of which
we sent you) and to go over in her to America, and enter your
service. The frigate is almost finished. She is very large, is to
carry thirty 24 pounders, on one deck, and is supposed equal to a ship
of the line. But the infinite difficulties we find in equipping and
manning such a ship in any neutral port, under the restrictions of
treaties, together with the want of supplies from you, have induced us
to sell her to the king, who, by a large pension offered to our
officer, has engaged him to remain in his service, and pays us what we
have expended on her.

We have built a small frigate at Nantes, which we hope to get away
soon, laden with supplies of various sorts. We meet with difficulties
too in shipping arms and ammunition in her, but hope they will be
surmounted. Several other vessels, some under the direction of Mr
Ross, others belonging to French merchants, are almost ready to sail
for America, and we had thoughts of sending them in a little fleet,
under convoy of the Raleigh, and Alfred, but on consultation,
considering the spies maintained by England in all the ports, and
thence the impossibility of making up such a fleet, without its being
known, so as to give tim