I think I mentioned to you in my last the Utility of forming a little Dictionary of the Terms by which the different Articles of Manufacture are designated in our two Languages. Such a Dictionary would in my Opinion greatly facilitate the Correspondence and Commerce between the two Countries. At present if one of our Merchants should send an Invoice to France for a variety of Goods he formerly had from England, the Terms he would use must be unintelligible. This I experienced when at Paris. The Congress sent me an Order for a great Quantity of Merchandise, I show’d the Invoice, but it was not understood and I could not explain it. At length I took the Resolution of sending to England for one of each Article, which would not only explain what was wanted, but serve as a Model for your Workmen to imitate; as People accustomed to Forms of Tools &c. do not like those that are different tho’ perhaps better. I enclose[d] a Copy of the Particulars sent for. They were purchased accordingly and sent by way of Ostend: But unfortunately a Package containing one half of them, was unaccountably lost between that Place and Paris; and the subsequent long Delay in Expectation of Recovering that Package, which was never done, prevented the Execution of the Scheme. I would now recommend it to your Consideration, whether it would not be well for your Government to send for those Models, put them into the Hands of your Workmen, and then acquaint us with the French Names for them. Those purchas’d for me by the enclos’d Invoice, cost but [?] Guineas. I am persuaded that many of them might be manufactur’d cheaper in France than they are in England, and as Britain lays so many Restraints on our Trade, we should chuse rather to supply ourselves from you.

Our Disputes about the New Constitution are almost subsided, and we are proceeding fast towards good Order. I hope all the late Differences in Opinion on public Affairs will end well, with you as well as with us. With great and sincere Esteem, I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant.