ost entirely on it, proves it to be as
wholesome as fresh meat. The sea scurvy, ascribed by some to the use of
salt meat, is equally unknown in America as in Europe. It is the want
of vegetables at sea which produces the scurvy. I have thus hastily
mentioned reasons and objections, to save you the time and trouble of
recollecting them. To you, Sir, it suffices barely to mention them. Mr.
Short, _charge des affaires_ of the United States, will have the honor
of delivering you this, and of giving you any further details which you
may be pleased to require.

I shall hope, on my return in the spring, to find your health
reestablished, and your mind relieved by a perfect settlement of the
affairs of the nation; and with my felicitations on those accounts, to
express to you those sentiments of profound respect and attachment, with
which I have the honor to be, your Excellency's most obedient and most
humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XVII.--TO JOHN JAY, September 30, 1789

TO JOHN JAY.

Havre, September 30, 1789.

Dear Sir,

No convenient ship having offered from any port of France, I have
engaged one from London to take me up at Cowes, and am so far on my way
thither. She will land me at Norfolk, and as I do not know any service
that would be rendered by my repairing immediately to New York, I
propose, in order to economize time, to go directly to my own house, get
through the business which calls me there, and then repair to New York,
where I shall be ready to re-embark for Europe. But should there be
any occasion for government to receive any information I can give,
immediately on my arrival, I will go to New York on receiving your
orders at Richmond. They may probably be there before me, as this goes
by Mr. Trumbull, bound directly for New York.

I enclose you herewith the proceedings of the National Assembly on
Saturday last, wherein you will perceive that the committee had approved
the plan of Mr. Necker. I can add from other sure information received
here, that the Assembly adopted it the same evening. This plan may
possibly keep their payments alive till their new government gets into
motion; though I do not think it very certain. The public stocks lowered
so exceedingly the last days of my stay at Paris, that I wrote to our
bankers at Amsterdam, to desire they would retain till further orders
the thirty thousand guilders, or so much of it as had not yet come on.
And as to what might be alread