hat letters are occasionally missing. These are not
to be found in the archives of the government. The loss may be
accounted for in several ways. In the first place, the modes of
conveyance were precarious, and failures were frequent and
unavoidable. The despatches were sometimes intrusted to the captains
of such American vessels, merchantmen or privateers, as happened to be
in port, and sometimes forwarded by regular express packets, but in
both cases they were subject to be captured. Moreover, the despatches
were ordered to be thrown overboard if the vessel conveying them
should be pursued by an enemy, or exposed to the hazard of being
taken. It thus happened, that many letters never arrived at their
destination, although duplicates and triplicates were sent. Again, the
Committee had no Secretary to take charge of the papers, and no
regular place of deposit; the members themselves were perpetually
changing, and each had equal access to the papers, and was equally
responsible for their safe keeping. They were often in the hands of
the Secretary of Congress, and of other members who wished to consult
them. Nor does it appear, that copies were methodically taken till
after the war. In such a state of things, many letters must
necessarily have been withdrawn and lost. When Mr Jay became Secretary
of Foreign Affairs, in the year 1784, that office had been made the
place of deposit for all the foreign correspondence which then
remained. Under his direction, a large portion of it was copied into
volumes, apparently with much care, both in regard to the search after
papers, and the accuracy of the transcribers. These volumes are still
retained in the archives of the Department of State, together with
such originals as have escaped the perils of accident, and the
negligence of their early keepers.

The letters of the Committee of Congress to the agents abroad were
few, scanty, and meagre. This may be ascribed to two causes. First,
there was really very little to communicate, which was not known
through the public papers; and, secondly, it was not made the duty of
any particular member of the Committee to write letters. Hence the
agents frequently complained, that their despatches were not answered,
and that they were embarrassed for want of intelligence. When Mr
Livingston came into the office of Foreign Affairs, a salutary change
took place in this respect. His letters are numerous, full, and
instructive.

In preparing the