In your useful Collection for August last page 108, there is a decent and sensible Refutation of a Calumny, exhibited against the Americans seemingly by Dr. Kippis in his Life of Capt. Cook as review’d in the Gent. Mag. for July 1788 “while the French Court generously issued Orders to their Cruisers not to molest that Navigator if they should meet with him in his Return, the narrow-souled People of America did all in their Power to obstruct the Success of his Expedition.” The Refuter acknowledges he has not seen Dr. Kippis’s Book, and therefore will not on the Credit of that Magazine venture to charge the Doctor with the Injustice of the Charge. This is candid and fair. But permit me to add, that tho’ I do not well know Dr. Kippis, I have some Acquaintance with Mr. David Henry the Compiler of the Gentleman’s Magazine, and am persuaded he would never have inserted in it such an Accusation as from Dr. Kippis’s Book if it was really not to be found there. Upon this Ground I would venture to call on the Doctor for his Proofs, of which I am persuaded he cannot produce a single Instance. On the Contrary, as the Refuter asserts, it is certain that they did what lay in their Power to prevent any Injury or Interruption being given to the Success of a Voyage in which the Good of Mankind was concern’d: The following Copy of a Circular Letter from their Minister at the Court of France to all their Cruisers, is one authentic Proof of this; and more of the same kind might undoubtedly be given, if they were necessary.

See Page 526 of Life in Manuscript.

This generous Proceeding was so well known in England, and the Sentiments it manifested so much approved by the Government there that when Cooke’s Voyage was printed the Admiralty sent to Dr. Franklin a Copy of the same in three 4a Volumes accompanied with the elegant Collection of Prints appertaining to it, and a very polite Letter from Lord Howe signifying that the Present was made with his Majesty’s express Approbation, and the Royal Society, having in Honor of that illustrious Navigator one of their Members struck some good Medals to be distributed among his Friends and the Friends of his Voyage, one of these Medals was also sent to Doctor Franklin by Order of the Society together with a Letter from their worthy President Sir Jos. Banks expressing likewise that it was sent with the Approbation of his Majesty. These being Acts of public Bodies in England I wonder much that they should never have come to the Knowledge of Dr. Kippis. I am &c.