t ashore on one of her islands by the English, were maintained comfortably by the governor during their stay there, furnished with every necessary, and sent to Lisbon, where, on inquiry to whom payment was to be made for the expence they had occasioned, they were told that no reimbursement was expected, that it was the queen's bounty, who had a pleasure in shewing hospitality to strangers in distress. I have presented thanks by the Portuguese ambassador here in behalf of the congress: and I am given to understand that probably, in a little time, the ports of that nation will be as open to us as those of Spain. What relates to Spain I suppose Mr. Lee informs you of. The sword ordered by congress for the marquis de la Fayette, being at length finished, I sent it down to him at Havre, where he was with the troops intended for the invasion. I wrote a letter with it, and received an answer, copies of both which I enclose, together with a description of the sword, and drawings of the work upon it, which was executed by the best artists in Paris, and cost altogether two hundred guineas. The present has given him great pleasure, and some of the circumstances have been agreeable to the nation. 1 Our cartel goes on; a second cargo of American prisoners, one hundred and nineteen in number, being arrived and exchanged. Our privateers have dismissed a great number at sea, taking their written paroles, to be given up in exchange for so many of our people in their gaols. This is not yet quite agreed to on the other side, but some expectations are given me that it may take place.› Certainly humanity would find its account in the practice of exchanging upon parole, as all the horrors of imprison ment, with the loss of time and health, might be prevented by it. *We continue to insult the coasts of these lords of the Captain, now commodore, Jones, put to sea this summer with a little squadron consisting of a ship of forty guns, the Alliance, another frigate of twenty, with some armed cutters, all under American colors, with congress commissions. He has sent in several prizes, has greatly alarmed the coast of Ireland and Scotland; and we just now hear, that going north about, he fell in with a number of ships from the Baltic, convoyed by a fifty gun ship and a twenty four gun frigate, both of which he took after an obstinate engagement, and forced several of the others ashore. This news is believed, but we wait the confirmation and the particulars. Since writing the above, I have received the following farther particulars of the action between commodore Jones and the English men of war. The 44 gun ship is new, having been but six months off the stocks, she is called the Serapis; the other of 20 guns is the Countess of Scarborough. He had before taken a number of valuable prizes, particularly a rich ship bound to Quebec, which we suppose he may have sent to America. The English from H mistaken intelligence, imagining he had a body of troops with him to make descents, have had all their northern coasts alarmed, and been put to very expensive movements of troops, &c. B. FRANKLIN.. To DR. Cooper."! * American Privateers.-Commodore Jones.-Rumour of DEAR SIR, Peace, &c. Passy, Oct. 27, 1779. It is a long time since I have had the pleasure of hearing from you. The intelligence you were used to favour me with, was often useful to our affairs. I hope I have not lost your friendship together with your corres→ pondence. Our excellent Mr. Winthrop, I see, is gone, He was one of those old friends for the sake of whose society I wished to return and spend the small remnant of my days in New England, A few more such deaths will make me a stranger in my own country. The loss of friends is the tax a man pays for living long himself, I find it a heavy one. บ You will see by the newspapers that we have given some disturbance to the British coasts this year. One little privateer out of Dunkerque, the Black Prince, with a Congress commission, and a few Americans mixed with Irish and English smugglers, went round their islands and took 37 prizes in less than three months. The little squadron of Commodore Jones, under the same commissions and colours, has alarmed those coasts exceedingly, occasioned a good deal of internal expence, done great damage to their trade, and taken two frigates, with 400 prisoners. He is now with his principal prizes in Holland, where he is pretty well received, but must quit that VOL. I. 2 F १ neutral country as soon as his damages are repaired. The bad. English watch with a superior force, his coming out, but we hope he will manage so as to escape their vigilance. Few actions at sea have demonstrated such steady, cool determined bravery as that of Jones in taking the Serapis. There has been much rumour this summer throughout Europe, of an approaching peace, through the mediation of Russia and Holland: but it is understood to arise from the invention of stock-jobbers and others interested in propagating such opinions. England seems not to be yet sufficiently humbled, to acknowledge the independence of the American States, or to treat with them on that footing, and our friends will not make a peace on any other. So we shall probably see another campaign. By the invoices I have seen and heard of, sent hither with Congress Interest Bills of Exchange to purchase the goods, it should seem that there is not so great a want of necessaries as of superfluities among our people. It is difficult to conceive that your distresses can be great, when one sees that much the greatest part of that money is lavished in modes, gewgaws, and tea! Is it impossible for us to become wiser, when by simple economy, and avoiding unnecessary expences, we might more than defray the charge of the war. We export solid provision of all kinds which is necessary for the sustenance of man, and we import fashions, luxuries, and trifles. Such trade may enrich the traders, but never the country. q 1 The good will of all Europe to our cause, as being the cause of liberty, which is the cause of mankind, still continues, as does the universal wish to see the English pride humiliated, and their power curtailed. Those circum, stances are encouraging, and give hopes of a happy issue. î Which may God grant, and that you, my friend, may live long a blessing to your country. I am, &c. w 90 50on w B. FRANKLIN. JE 16 1152334 To JAMES LOVELL, Esq. The Marquis de la Fayette.-State of Affairs in DEAR SIR, hand England, &c. Passy, March 16, 1780.~ The Marquis de la Fayette, our firm and constant friend, returning to America, Fohave written a long letter by him to the president, of which a copy goes by this ship. M. Gerard is since arrived, and I have reu ceived the dispatches you mentioned to me, but no letter in answer to mine, a very long one by the Chevaliers de la Luzerne, nor any acknowledgment that it came to Oi Jessami sesignoƆ duw By the many newspapers and pamphlets I send, you will see the present state of European affairs in general. Ireland continues to insist on complete liberty, and will probably obtain it. The meetings of counties in England, and the committees of correspondence they appoint, alarm a good deal the ministry, especially since it has been produ posed to elect of each committee, a few persons to assem ble in London, which, if carried into execution, will form a kind of congress, that will have more of the confidence and support of the people than the old parliament. If the nation is not too corrupt, as I rather think it is, some conus siderable reformation of internal abuses may be expected from this; with regard to us the only advantage to be reals. sonably expected from it is a peace, the general bent of the nation being for it. The success of admiral Rodney's fleet against our allies, has a little elated our enemies for the present, and probably they will not now think of proposing |