In consequence of your desire, I have endeavoured to collect informations relative to the presents which the African Powers usually receive from European Nations.

By the inclosed summary, you will get every intelligence I could obtain of what has been done by Holland, Sweden, Danemark, Venice, Spain, Portugal and England—the returns Nos. 2, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, are minuted accounts of the presents which at several periods have been delivered by those Powers.

As to France, it has been more difficult for me to know their exact situation—their way of transacting business with the Africans is peculier to them, and it is a principle with Government not to divulge it—I know we are not like the other powers obliged to pay certain tributes—Our presents are volontary with respect to the time, as well as to the value, and France is upon a much more decent footing with those pirates than any other nation—It has been avoided to give presents upon fixed occasions, like a change of Princes. The King of Morocco’s Envoys have not been considered as Ambassadors, one excepted who came to present a number of Frenchmen taken in foreign vessels whom that King had purchased from the captors—Upon the King’s coronation he was complimented by Tunis and Tripoli, But the permission I am told was not granted upon the Delphin’s birth.

It is however customary that every French Consul, when first introduced, makes a present in his own name—the last one at Alger, in the return No. 1. cost 20,000 french Livres—those to Tunis and Tripoli are much inferior:

On the last treaty of peace with Tunis the present No. 3 was sent by the late King of France—it did cost about 50,000 Livres, besides which the french merchants made a present of about 12,000 Livres—the Tunisian Ambassador who came for the King’s coronation received the present No. 4. which cost 68,840 Livres.

Upon the occasion of the last peace with Morrocco, the present to the Emperor was worth 163,708 Livres, and to his Officers 74,250 Livres as appears by the return No 6—The Ambassador from that country, in the year 1775 was complimented with the articles of the return No. 8 to the amount of 129,063 Livres.

The return No 14 contains the present to the Pacha of Tripoli by the Envoy he was permitted to send for the Kings coronation—it is worth 34,340 Livres.

It is also customary to pay the expences of those Envoys on the road, and to send them back to their Country in a ship of war.

Such are, Gentlemen, the intelligences I could collect—I am to apologize for the delay—but considering the variety of articles, and the reserve of Government upon this point, my exertions required some time before I could gather all the interesting particulars. With the highest respect I have the honor to be Your Excellency’s Most obedient humble Servant