mbark on board the French
fleet as interpreter. He speaks and writes the Spanish language
perfectly.

I have also some reason to believe that the French naval force, and a
larger body of troops than they have yet sent to America, will appear
on our coasts earlier the next, than they did the present year.
Jamaica is thought to be the first object of these expeditions, and
this conjecture arises from the appointment of M. Galvez to the
command of the Spanish force in the West Indies, whose project for
attacking that Island is well known. In France, it is said that a part
of the troops to be embarked at Brest, is intended for the East
Indies; and here, that theirs are sent to suppress the revolt at Santa
Fe, mentioned in my letter of the 17th ult.[12] I rather think that
two French ships of the line, now at Cadiz, and as many frigates, who
have taken and are taking in provisions for a long voyage, are
destined to the eastern part of the world, and that they will take
with them a considerable sum in dollars, for the payment of their land
and sea forces there. The French Ambassador has obtained, or is about
to obtain, permission to send out of the kingdom two and a half
million of dollars, part of which sum is probably destined to the
purpose above mentioned.

The sieges of Gibraltar and Mahon go on slowly. The operations against
these fortresses have not been so vigorous hitherto as to promise a
speedy reduction of either; when the efforts of these besiegers become
more interesting, I shall transmit regular accounts of their progress.
The Court of Great Britain proposes to send five hundred troops to
America, exclusive of recruits, to be drawn from Germany and Ireland.
These it is said, will sail with thirteen sail of the line in the
course of next month. The East India Company also send a reinforcement
of seven thousand men to the East Indies, with four sail of the line.
If this information can be credited, the East and West India, and
American reinforcements will sail at the same time, to insure by their
united force their safety on the coast of Europe.

In Holland the divisions are still great, and likely to be so. The
Provinces have not yet all agreed to the loan proposed by France for
the use of Congress. I am informed the Stadtholder's friends give it
all the opposition in their power. That Prince has, as I have already
advised the Committee, been obliged to consent to the augmentation of
the marine. The news of t