I have been honored by your letters in the Washington, of the 3d. 11th. 13th. 19th of January, and the 26th. and 31st. of May. Till that Ship arrived, we had been totally in the dark respecting American Affairs for near Six Months. The Correspondence may henceforth be more regular, as five Pacquet Boats are now ordered here, to depart from L’Orient for N. York the middle of each month, which with those that I understand will continue to depart from England the Beginning of each Month, will give opportunities of writing every Fort-night. The first from hence is to sail the third Tuesday in September. I have received also your Dispatches per Col: Ogden, and also a set that had been in England, and were opened. They contained all your Correspondence with Genl. Washington and the Contractors relating to the Difficulties in supplying the Army; and I am afraid have had an ill effect on the Negociations, the conciliating views of the Ministry respecting our Commerce with their Islands seeming by their late Proclamation to be entirely changed.

I am happy to find that you had agreed to continue the Exercise of your Office for some time longer. Your Reputation as well as your abilities is necessary to our Affairs. I am amazed at the quantity of Business you so well go thorough.

The affair between you and the Intendant of the French Army, respecting the irregular Transactions of de Mars and de Brassine, is not, as I understand from General de Chattellux, at all spoken of here; and he is of opinion, that as it is settled by the event of the Suit, there can be no use in taking any farther notice of it at present. I shall therefore say nothing of it to the Ministers, unless you shall hereafter think proper to direct it.

Mr. Grand and myself were for a long time in a most anxious situation here. Our Funds nearly absorbed, fresh drafts continually appearing, more foreseen, and all our Worrying of the Ministers with applications for farther Aids from Government proving ineffectual. We at length however after many Difficulties obtained what was wanted from the Loan in Holland. Upon the receipt of your Letters I made the fresh application directed, but without Success; as you will see by the Letters inclosed; and I hope in God that no more such orders will be sent me. If our People who neither pay Rents nor Tythes, would only pay honestly in Taxes half what other Nations pay in those Articles, our whole Debt might be discharged in a Twelvemonth. But I conceive the great difficulty lies in the Collection of our Taxes, thro’ the dispersed situation of our Inhabitants; and the excessive trouble of going from house to house many Miles to collect a few shillings from each, often obliged to repeat the Calls. Might not this be helped by some Laws, such as one disabling a man to take out a Writ or commence any action, for receiving any Debt, Damage, Legacy, &c. or to receive any other Benefit or Protection from the Laws of the Society, who does not prove that he has duly contributed to its support, by producing the Collector’s Receipt for his last Taxes.

The Farmers-General, who have been extremely kind and favorable to us, in never urging a Compliance with our Contract or a Repayment of the Million they advanced to us, nor demanding any Interest, have lately been with me and intimated that they hoped now we were in Peace, it might not be inconvenient to us to proceed in discharging the Debt. After some Conversation on the means, they agreed to write me a letter, of which I send a Copy. You will understand a part of it, by knowing that I recommended you warmly to them as a proper Correspondent, after this Affair and your Office should be finished. I ought and do as warmly recommend to you the doing them Justice as speedily as may be, and favoring them where it is practicable, for we are really under great Obligations to them. Inclosed is a Copy of their Account. It was sent before, but probably miscarried.

I am content with the Method established respecting the Salaries, and am with sincere and great esteem &c.