unitions of war were supplied, neither as to the
price, nor the time, or conditions of payment. As we said before, we
apprehend that the United States hold themselves under obligations to
his Majesty for all those supplies, and we are sure it is their wish
and their determination to discharge the obligation to his Majesty, as
soon as Providence shall put it in their power. In the mean time, we
are ready to settle and liquidate the accounts according to our
instructions at any time, and in any manner which his Majesty and your
Excellency shall point out to us.

As the contract for future supplies is to be ratified, or not ratified
by us, as we shall judge expedient, we must request your Excellency's
advice as a favor upon this head, and whether it would be safe or
prudent in us to ratify it, and in Congress to depend upon supplies
from this quarter. Because, if we should depend upon this resource for
supplies and be disappointed, the consequences would be fatal to our
country.

We have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN,
ARTHUR LEE,
JOHN ADAMS.

* * * * *

M. DE SARTINE TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

Translation.

Versailles, 16th September, 1778.

Gentlemen,

I have received the letter, which you did me the honor to write to me
on the subject of the French ship Isabella, which the American
privateer General Mifflin recaptured from a Guernsey privateer.

In the _General Thesis_, you may see the disposition of the ordinance
of the Marine of 1681, which adjudges to captains, captors of
recaptured vessels, when they have been during twentyfour hours in the
enemy's hands, a third for the charges of rescue, when they are
retaken before the twentyfour hours. The American privateers shall
enjoy in France, without difficulty, the benefit of this law, if it
has been adopted by the United States in such a manner, as that the
French privateers may be assured of experiencing the same treatment,
with respect to the recaptures they may conduct into the ports of
North America.

The English laws, on the contrary, grant a privateer only one eighth
of the value of the vessels retaken within the first twentyfour hours,
a fifth within the second day,