Messrs Ve. Dque. Morel et fils Merchants In dunkirk Enjoied the Advantage of being thro’ the recommandation of M. Grand Banker In Paris Introduced to a Correspondance With M. Deane Deputy of the united States of America in france and of having Transacted With him Business Which Concerned the Subjects of the united States.

Messrs. Morel Were Informed in the Month of feby. 1777 by Mr. Grand of the arrivall at dunkirk of Mr. William hodge, to Whom he had delivered a Letter of Credit on them. M. hodge Was receiv’d by M. Morel in the most amicable Manner, he at first said he Was an English merchant Who had his Certain Views of Commerce, and he lett not appear in the Least Way for What Reason he Was making that Voyage. Few Weeks after he Went out of Town, he return’d after Saying he had been Buying Some Linnen In the Austrian flandres, and requested from M. Morel What Cash he Wanted.

Only in the Month of May 1777 Messrs. Morel Where Informed by M. hodge him Self of the reason that Led him to Dunkirk. Cape. Cunningham Who had Sailed out of dunkirk in that Very same month arriv’d few days after With the harwich packet and the Snow the Joseph he had taken from the English.

The arrivall of thoses prises occasionned great astonishment In Dunkirk, M. hodge applied on M. Morel and told them it Was him Who had fitted out the privateer the Surprise, that the Money he had receiv’d had been Emploied for It and that he Expected they Shoud Continue rendering him their Services. He proposed Cape. Cunningham Shou’d Sell them Appearently the Snow the Joseph, her Entire Cargo, and the harwich packett. M. Morel absolutely Inclined to render M. hodge any Service, aggreed to It the Act of Sale was Consequently accepted and Signed, Messrs. Morel Went to the admiralty office In order to Make their property Known.

They told M. D’hersin Lieutenant Général of the admiralty that the next day they intended to hoist a french flag on board of Both prises, but the Judge replied them that this Was not possible that the Laws of this Kingdom did not allow it, and that the prises together with the privateer had no More than 24 hours to Stay in the harbour and that most Certainly the Kings proxy Could not help acting with his power on that occasion.

In fact the next day pursues Were made by the Kings proxy at the admiralty Cape. Cunningham Was ordered to Sail out of Dunkirk Within the 24 hours. Both this Cape. and Mr. hodge freightened at these orders applied to M. Morel Who to avoid the great Danger the Cape. Was Exposed to, had a petition Drawn in his name, mentionning that those Vessells Which had Considerably Damaged them, so far that they Were not able to go to Sea, they Consequently demanded a Judicial Examination and the admiralty officers Cou’d not help ordering It.

No Other View in requesting this than to gain time that M. hodge might Inform the Honorable Deputies of the united States and receive their orders. M. Morel advised him Immediatly to sett off for Paris, and they took upon them the management of Cape. Cunningham affairs.

M. frazer the English Commissary residing then in Dunkirk Who had seen What pass’d, Imposed about Cap. Cunningham’s Conduct, and by his pliing got an order from our Court that Said Cape. and all his Crew Shoud be Confined.

That order Was put to Execution the Very Same Instant the Commissary of the Navy receiv’d it, and before M. Morel Coud be Inform’d of It, they only heard It in the next day.

Four days after orders Were Sent from Court Which at that time had not yet acknowledg’d the Indepency of the united States, to the admiralty office to Lett the prices Cap Cunningham had made be delivered to those In England that Where the Right owners; tho’ M. hodge at his Departure for Paris had Left no orders to M. Morel to pay Cape Cunningham and his Crew What money they might Want, Messrs. Morel notwithstanding it pay’d them the sum they thought Necessary to Maintain them in prison, as much as Laid in their Power they alleviated the rigor of their Captivity by frequently visiting them and maintaining their Courage.

One of the Messrs. Morel has Drawn Many Petitions and memoirs In order to get the Liberty of the prisonners, all those papers Were Directed to the Ministre and M. Deane has been Informed of it In time.

Whilst those troubles Were Lasting Mr. hodge arriv’d from Paris at Messrs. Morel at ten O’clock at Night, begg’d as a favor at two of them to Whom he only Spoke, not to Lett any one Know he Was Come from Paris, they rendered him all the services he requested. He Laid at their house and the Next day at day Light he Went Again out of Town, in Compangy With one of M. Morel Who Saw M. hodge Safe to Six miles off always Disguis’d not be Known.

It Was however Consequent for him to receive from Paris some packetts. He aggreed With M. Morel that he Shou’d retire to Cassel 6 Leagues off Dunkirk and that there he Shou’d Wait for the packetts he Expected.

Those dispatches only arriv’d the second day after M. Grand of Paris Who had sent them to Mr. hodge under Cover of M. Morel, Wrote them It Was of the Greatest Consequence M. hodge Shou’d have them delivered in own hands, and that In Case he shoud be gone to have the dispatches returned,

One of M. Morel Immediately took pose horses in order to Join M. hodge at Cassel, but When arriv’d there he heard M. hodge had Left that place and sett off for Lille, M. Morel Went on, rode all the night, and arriv’d at Lille the next day at the Opening of the gates. He Went Immediatly to M. hodge’s usual Lodging But being Informed he had only Stopp’d the time necessary for a Meal and that he Was gone to Paris M. Morel returned the same day and the house of M. Morel Sent the dispatches of M. hodge to M. Grand.

Mention shall not be made here of all What passed relating Cape. Cunningham’s Last fitting out, and shall only be observed it Was Carried on With the greatest activity and During the Whole time M. hodge and the Cape. took advices from Messrs. Morel Who have assisted them in all occasions.

The Vessell the Surprize Which Cunningham Commanded at first Was remaining at Dunkirk M. hodge’s Instructions made it however a necessity to have her sent Into an other port of france, but orders Sent of Court to the admiralty and Navy officers Were Expressive not to Lett her arm’d and out. To Elude these orders M. Morel Concerted with Mr. hodge, the Latter Sold appearently the Vessell to a private Man Who then Sold it few days after to M. Morel.

M. Morel Consequently Named a french Capn. and applied to the Marine Commissary in order to Make him Known the Contract of the sale and requested that it shoud be Allowed them to fit out the Vessell for a french port he refused it and M. Morel Wrote Severall Letters to M. Desartine the Ministre begging the favor he shoud revoke his orders, all these trials did unluckely not prove successfull.

M. Simeon Deane being arriv’d some days after in Dunkirk In Conformity to the particular Instructions he had, he gave orders to M. Morel they shoud sell the Vessell to one other Merchant Which they did.

Nothing proves more that M. Morel rendered those Services in the most Critical Circumstances for them than a Letter they receiv’d from a friend of theirs in London, it Was Wrote the 29th august 1777. and says, “I am Sorry to tell you that there is a great Grumbling arising here against your house, you are thought to be of Intelligence With Cape. Cunningham and his Crew. They Say you have receiv’d them, and that you do their Business, I do all I Can to persuade them that I do not do their Business, I do all I Can to persuade them that I do not belive It. M Most part of your Business Depending from this place, Where your Connections are Such that you Woud not Ever be Sucspected of Such Things. to all I Say they answer, that no goods Shall be Consigned to your house In the present Circumstances. I must Confess I am in the Greatest Astonishment and remain.

Messrs. Morel did all they Cou’d to Discover Who Was Trying to hurt them and Cou’d but Suspect Mr. frazer the English Commissary then In dunkirk, Was Capable of such a Base action, as they had all room to apprehend of his Scruples, they thought prudent to begg of M. Deane to Direct all the Letters he Shoud have occasion to Write them in future under Cover of one of their relation at Calais Who took Care to forward them. The same was observed for the answers they had the honor to address to M. Deane, they Were sent to Calais and forwarded to Paris under Cover of M. Grand.

Since that affair of Cape. Cunningham Messrs. Morel have had the management of another of no smaller Consequence, and Which may be Looked on as a further management of another of no smaller Consequence, and Which may be Looked on as a further proof of their Zeal and activity in Serving the subjects of the united States.

Commodore A. Gillon Esqr Chief Commander of the Navy of South Carolina made With M. DeLuxembourg a treaty about the Ship Which Was at first built In Amsterdam under the Name of the Indian, and Was fitted out under that of the Ship the Unie. M. Gillon Wanted Sailors and In Consequence Sent Messrs. Grinall, hogan, Moore his Lieutenants to make some Men, they Were recommended to M. Morel, Who gave them all assistance In their power. Tho’ Great recommandation had been made them by M. Morel not to Engage any french Subject, Knowing the Dangers they Shoud be Exposed to if they did, they notwithstanding thought they Shou’d run no risk by giving hint to go as far as furnes a Little town 12 Miles off and Belonging to the queen and that there they Should Engage them, Which they did. Whilst In Town they Kept Assuring M. Morel that they had engaged No other Sailors than strangers Just as Spaniards, Italians and Irishman; so far no Inconveniency Was arising, but no Little Were Messrs. Morel astonished on seeing the Next day they Were gone; an Express arrive With a Letter Informing M. Morel that a great Number of bad fellows had followed them With the sailors and pretended good Sums for their pay and that the american Lieutenant having refused it they were all ordered to prison ’till further orders from the Court of Bruxelles. Messrs. Morel Who Appreciated the Consequence, perfectly Knowing the Laws had great room to apprehend that they Were Exposed; for giving a hint to the french Sailors Was the same as if they had Engaged them In town. M. Morel Dufaux took Immediatly a horse and Went to

Where he did all he Cou’d to settle this bad affair and got the Lieutenant out the Next Day With orders from the Magistrate not to remain In [?] no More than six hours, happy he Suceed’d for had he not finished it, the Consequence might have turned out Very Bad. Proper advice Was given to Commodore Gillon of What had pass’d and had much satisfaction to hear of the prudent steps taken by Messrs. Morel.

Warlike stores Such as the Gun Powder, Musketts, Boulets and all Ammunitions belonging to the ship Were to be Transported to Amsterdam, It Cou’d not be done by the Austrian flanders, Which Was the safest. No other Way than by Sea but great risks to run on account of the English privateers and no great safety to Load for fear of being discovered by the English Spies that Were In dunkirk. Notwithstanding it Messrs. Morel took It upon them to freight a small Vessell Commanded by an Intelligent Cape, the goods Were Loaded In the night time and M. Morel had the satisfaction of hearing them safe In Amsterdam. The same Difficulty Were arising for the Troops M. Gillon Wanted on board, Messrs. Morel met With the same Success.

The advances of Messrs. Morel In order to facilitate the operations have been great and Even So farr, that the Ballance due them by the States is Still of about 27,000 french.

M. Morel Dufaux has besides made sundry Voyages both to Paris and Amsterdam In order to settle the Business.

All this proves that Messrs. Morel are the Merchants in Dunkirk who first rendered the most Important Services to the Subjects of the united States, and of all What has pass’d did not answer their Expectation, they Enjoy at Last the satisfaction to Say that Nothing Can be Imputed With regard to their Zeal their activity and the Intelligence with Which they have Transacted all this Business Committed to their Care they are happy to say they have been approved in all by M. Deane Who Wrote them the most obliging Letters upon that occasion.

In those Circumstances they depend on the Equity from the Honble. Deputies that they shall Continue the Confidence here to fore placed in them for the management of the Business that may be Carried on in the port of Dunkirk Either in the privatering Way or for Commerce, the Services they have rendered Seems to Entitle them to Claim the prefference of their favors to my other house in dunkirk M. Morel Dufaux one of the Partners Who speaks and Writes English had already the honor of Asking to M. Deane and M. Barclay to be Named Consul of the united States of america In dunkirk this Deputy and Consul general promissed him that they Shoud with pleasure remember him in Case there Was any Named in the ports of france.