A few Minutes before my Departure from Paris I received your obliging letter with the Inclosures, I am Very thankfull to you for what you wrote of the propriety of seeing the Marquis de la Fayette, which I had done, on the subject of the supplies, and his Idea as well as my own Corresponded exactly with Yours, all of us supposing the expence of the shipments were to be advanced by the Court of France, and untill there remains No probability of its being done in that Channell it wou’d most Certainly be Very improper for Us to move or [touch] them. I do not see that anything can be done at present and I shall, after seeing My family at L’Orient, proceed to Nantes, where I am in hopes of being able to point out some proper Conveyances. In the Mean time let me beg of you to keep in View the absolute Necessity of sending the Cloathing in time for the Next Campaign—that it must all be made up after its arrival in America, and that the want of some of the articles will be severely felt this winter, especially the Blankets of which there are near Twenty thousand here. My reason for Mentioning these Circumstances is because I hope you will give me any hints that occasionaly occur to you relative to the best and speediest Manner of sending the goods out—that you will Miss no opportunity of urging the Importance of the object, and I beg you will from time to time Converse with your Grandfather about it, and be assured every Exertion on My side shall be Used.

When you see the Marquis de la Fayette refresh his Memory, he is well disposed to [illegible] Us and probably may be Very instrumental in promising an immediate interposition from the Court.

Give Me leave Now to make you an offer of Every service in my power, and to assure that if I Can be in the least Usefull to you it will give Me particular pleasure. When You are at leisure be so good to favour Me with a line to L’Orient, and Mention the state of your Grandfathers health. Believe Me sincerely My dear Sir Your Affect. hble Serv.