The American Commissioners to Sartine
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Archives
(two); incomplete copy: Archives nationales
<Passy, October 30, 1778: We are honored by your letter of
October 26 and grateful for the prompt release of some of our
countrymen imprisoned at Dinan. We have received another
petition from prisoners at Brest; it appears that there are ten
of them, only four of whom we had heard from, letters from
the other six having miscarried. We would appreciate a similar
clemency extended to them and enclose their most recent
communication. A letter received last night from Lorient informs
us that three British whaling vessels manned by Americans
have been captured by French frigates and cruisers. We
have collected detailed intelligence on the valuable English
whale fishery off the coast of Brazil. About seventeen vessels
have sailed in the past two months. The officers and most of
the men are Americans. Last year the English newspapers
falsely reported that a convoy would accompany the fleet. In
fact it is defenceless and could easily be overpowered. A single
frigate or privateer sent in early December when the fleet is
loaded with bone and oil would suffice to capture an extremely
valuable cargo and free the Americans involved.
Whenever the British have captured American vessels they
have given the whalemen a choice of fighting their own countrymen
or entering the whale fishery. Many have chosen the
latter. We hope that His Majesty’s service may send a frigate
from here or the West Indies to seize both a profitable branch
of commerce and a nursery for seamen.>
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