From Van de Perre & Meÿners
als: American Philosophical Society
<Middelburg, April 6, 1780, in French: Monseigneur, we beg you
to help us obtain the restitution of our ship the Berkenbos, Capt.
Arÿ de Neve, captured by Capt. John Paul Jones in early January,
on its way from Liverpool to Leghorn with a cargo of herring
and lead. The ship was sent to Boston or Philadelphia under
the false pretext that the cargo was English property, after
the captain had made that statement under duress, as we heard
from a witness just returned to this city. Would Your Excellency
see to it that we obtain 1. the return of the ship; 2. the return of
the cargo as belonging to neutrals—the lead to us and the herring
half to us and half to T. Violetti from Leghorn—; 3. reimbursement
of the expenses and damages caused by this unjust
capture; 4. the release of that part of the crew that Paul Jones
kept on his board. We have full trust in your willingness to help
us since our cause is just.>
634231 = 032-221a.html