me the honor to send for my opinion. The papers of that frigate were deposited in the Admiralty at Philadelphia, I think in April or May, 1781; and I remember that some arrangement with Mr. Holker was spoken of by the Board for the wages due to the marines, who, being French subjects, were claimed by the Chevalier de la Luzerne, and sent to join Monsieur des Touches, at Rhode Island. As this happened in the moment when paper money was going out of circulation, perhaps the men have not been paid. The truth can only be known by writing to America, unless you think fit to consult the Count des Touches, with whom they embarked at Philadelphia for Rhode Island.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

PAUL JONES.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, January, 9 1787.

Sir,

My last, of December 31st, acknowledged the receipt of yours of October 12, as the present does those of October 3d, 9th, and 27th, together with the resolution of Congress of October 16, on the claim of Schweighauser. I will proceed in this business on the return of Mr. Barclay, who, being fully acquainted with all the circumstances, will be enabled to give me that information, the want of which might lead me to do wrong on the one side or the other.

Information of the signature of the treaty with Morocco has been long on its passage to you. I will beg leave to recur to dates, that you may see that no part of it has been derived from me. The first notice I had of it was in a letter from Mr. Barclay, dated Daralbeyda, August 11th. I received this on the 13th September. No secure conveyance offered till the 26th of the same month, being thirteen days after my receipt of it. In my letter of that date, which went by the way of London, I had the honor to enclose you a copy of Mr. Barclay's letter. The conveyance of the treaty itself is suffering a delay here at present, which all my anxiety cannot prevent. Colonel Frank's baggage which came by water from Cadiz to Rouen, has been long and hourly expected. The moment it arrives, he will set out for London, to have duplicates of the treaty signed by Mr. Adams, and from thence he will proceed to New

York. The Chevalier del Pinto, who treated with us on behalf of Portugal, being resident at London, I have presumed that the causes of the delay of that treaty had been made known to Mr. Adams, and by him communicated to you. I will write to him by Colonel Franks, in order that you may be answered on that subject.

The publication of the enclosed extract from my letter of May 27th, 1786, will, I fear, have very mischievous effects. It will tend to draw on the Count de Vergennes, the formidable phalanx of the Farms, to prevent his committing himself to me in any conversation which he does not mean for the public papers, to inspire the same diffidence into all other Ministers with whom I might have to transact business, of getting aid of the Farm on the article of tobacco, and to damp that freedom of communication which the resolution of Congress, May 3d, 1784, was intended to reestablish.

Observing by the proceedings of Congress, that they are about to establish a coinage, I think it my duty to inform them that a Swiss of the name of Drost, established here, has invented a method of striking the two faces and edge of a coin at one stroke. By this and other simplifications of the process of coinage, he is enabled to coin from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand pieces a day, with the assistance of only two persons, the pieces of metal being first prepared. I send you, by Colonel Franks, three coins of gold, silver, and copper, which you will perceive to be perfect medals, and I can assure you, from having seen him coin money, that every piece is as perfect as these. There has certainly never yet been seen any coin in any country comparable to this. The best workmen in this way acknowledge that his is like a new art. Coin should always be made in the highest perfection possible, because it is a great guard against the danger of false coinage. This man would be willing to furnish his implements to Congress, and, if they please, he will go over and instruct a person to carry on the work; nor do I believe he would ask anything unreasonable. It would be very desirable that in the institution of a new coinage we should set out on so perfect a plan as this, and the more so as while the work is so exquisitely done it is done cheaper.

I will certainly do the best I can for the reformation of the Consular convention, being persuaded that our States would be very unwilling to conform their laws either to the convention or to the scheme; but it is too difficult and too delicate to form sanguine hopes.

However, that there may be room to reduce the convention as much as circumstances will admit, will it not be expedient for Congress to give me powers in which there shall be no reference to the scheme? The powers sent me oblige me to produce that scheme; and certainly the moment it is produced they will not abate a tittle from it. If they recollect the scheme and insist on it we can but conclude it; but if they have forgotten it, (which may be,) and are willing to reconsider the whole subject, perhaps we may get rid of something the more of it, as the delay is not injurious to us; because the convention, whenever and however made, is to put us in a worse state than we are in now. I shall venture to defer saying a word on the subject till I can hear from you in answer to this. The full powers may be sufficiently guarded, by private instructions to me not to go beyond the former scheme. This delay may be well enough ascribed (whenever I shall have received new powers) to a journey I had before apprized the Minister that I should be obliged to take to some mineral waters in the south of France, to see if by their aid I may recover the use of my right hand, of which a dislocation about four months ago threatens to deprive me in a great measure. The surgeons have long insisted upon this measure. I shall return by Bordeaux, Nantes, and L'Orient, to get the necessary information for finishing our commercial regulations here. Permit me, however, to ask as immediately as possible an answer either affirmative or negative, as Congress shall think best, and to ascribe the delay on which I venture to my desire to do what is for the best.

I send you a copy of the late marine regulations of this country. There are things in it which may become interesting to us, particularly what relates to the establishment of a marine militia, and their classification.

You will have seen in the public papers that the King has called an assembly of the Notables of his country. This has not been done for one hundred and sixty years past. Of course it calls up all the attention of the people. The objects of this assembly are not named; several are conjectured: the tolerating the Protestant religion, removing all the custom-houses to the frontier, equalizing the Gabelles on salt through the kingdom, the sale of the King's domains to raise money; or, finally, the effecting this necessary end by some other means are talked of; but in truth nothing is known about it. This Government practises secrecy so systematically that

it never publishes its purposes or its proceedings sooner or more extensive than necessary. I send you a pamphlet which, giving an account of the last Assembleé des Notables, may give an idea of what the present will be.

A great desire prevails here of encouraging manufactures. The famous Bolton and Watts, who are at the head of the plated manufactures of Birmingham, the steam mills of London, copying presses, and other mechanical works, have been here. It is said, also, that Wedgwood has been here, who is famous for his steel manufactures, and an earthern ware in the antique style. But as to this last person I am not certain. It cannot, I believe, be doubted but that they came at the request of Government, and that they will be induced to establish similar manufactories here. The transferring hither those manufactures which contribute so much to draw our commerce to England, will have a great tendency to strengthen our connexions with this country, and loosen them with that.

The enfranchising the port of Honfleur at the mouth of the Seine, for multiplying the connexions with us, is at present an object. It meets with opposition in the Ministry, but I am in hopes it will prevail. If natural causes operate, uninfluenced by accidental circumstances, Bordeaux and Honfleur or Havre must ultimately take the greatest part of our commerce. The former, by the Garonne and Canal of Languedoc, opens the southern provinces to us. The latter, the northern ones and Paris. Honfleur will be peculiarly advantageous for our rice and whale oil, of which the principal consumption is at Paris. Being free, they can be reëxported when the market here shall happen to be overstocked.

The labors of the ensuing summer will close the eastern half of the harbor of Cherbourg, which will contain and protect forty sail of the line. It has from fifty to thirty-five feet water next to the cones, shallowing gradually to the shore. Between this and Dunkirk the navigation of the channel will be rendered much safer in the event of a war with England, and invasions on that country become more practicable.

The gazettes of France and Leyden to the present date accompany this.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

TH: JEFFERSON.

Office for Foreign Affairs, May 10, 1787.

The Secretary of the United States for the Department of Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred that part of Mr. Jefferson's letter of the 9th January last, which relates to the Consular Convention, viz:

"I will certainly do the best I can for the reformation of the 'Consular convention, being persuaded that our States would be very 'unwilling to conform their laws either to the convention or to the 'scheme, but it is too difficult and too delicate to form sanguine 'hopes; however, that there may be room to reduce the convention, 'as much as circumstances will admit, will it not be expedient for 'Congress to give me powers, in which there shall be no reference 'to the scheme? The powers sent me oblige me to produce that ' scheme, and certainly the moment it is produced, they will not 'abate a tittle from it. If they recollect the scheme, and insist on it, 'we can but conclude it; but if they have forgotten it, (which may 'be,) and are willing to reconsider the whole subject, perhaps we 'may get rid of something the more of it. As the delay is not injurious to us, because the convention, whenever and however 'made, is to put us in a worse state than we are in now, I shall 'venture to defer saying a word on the subject till I can hear from 'you in answer to this. The full powers may be sufficiently guarded 'by private instructions to me not to go beyond the former scheme. This delay may be well enough ascribed (whenever I shall have ' received new powers) to a journey I had before apprized the 'Minister that I should be obliged to take to some mineral waters in 'the south of France to see if by their aid I may recover the use of 'my right hand, of which a dislocation about four months ago 'threatens to deprive me in a great measure. The surgeons have 'long insisted on this measure. I shall return by Bordeaux, Nantes, ' and L'Orient to get the necessary information for finishing our 'commercial regulations here. Permit me, however, to ask as 'immediately as possible an answer either affirmative or negative, as Congress shall think best, and to ascribe the delay on which I ' venture to my desire to do what is for the best." Reports:

That in his opinion the Court of France regard the Consular convention in its present form as an interesting object, and that no article or provision in it will escape their recollection. He never