Papers of John Adams, volume 6

The Commissioners to J. D. Schweighauser, 22 August 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris JA Lee, Arthur Franklin, Benjamin Schweighauser, John Daniel The Commissioners to J. D. Schweighauser, 22 August 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John Lee, Arthur Franklin, Benjamin Schweighauser, John Daniel

The Commissioners to J. D. Schweighauser

Passi August 22. 1778

We received yours of the 18 Instant.1 Mr. Bersoll has already been informed that he must send his Accounts and Vouchers to us before we can order him to be paid therefore you will inform him that ' till he has furnished us with these for our Examination he must not expect payment and we hope that for his own sake as well as for ours he will not proceed to the indecent Violence you apprehend. We are not in Circumstances to afford any further purchases and therefore desire that the goods on hand only may be ship' d off as speedily and with as little Expence as possible. You will therefore act with Regard to the Saltpetre as you judge most conducive to this End. Mr. Hall2 must also shew a Receipt for the Delivery of the Beef charged to the Ranger, before he can be paid.

With Regard to the Captain's and other Americans not actually in the Service of the 13 united States who apply to you for Money, these are our Sentiments which we desire you will consider as final, that when they are at a Seaport like Nantes where they may supply their Wants by their own Industry, there is no Reason for their asking any thing from the public, nor can we consent that any public Money should be advanced to persons in 386their Situation, it is only to forward them to that Situation that we think ourselves authorised to furnish them Aids from the public Funds. We are wth. great Esteem Yours &c.,

BF AL JA

LbC (Adams Papers); in Arthur Lee's hand.

Not found.

Presumably Elijah Hall, former 2d lieutenant and at the time of this letter, under Thomas Simpson, 1st lieutenant of the Ranger. In the absence of Simpson, Hall would have been left in command of the Ranger during Jones' absence in Paris.

British Prisoners of War to the Commissioners, 22 August 1778 Finlay, George Anquetil, Thomas Allen, Hon. Bencor, Brown First Joint Commission at Paris British Prisoners of War to the Commissioners, 22 August 1778 Finlay, George Anquetil, Thomas Allen, Hon. Bencor, Brown First Joint Commission at Paris

British Prisoners of War to the Commissioners

Honorable Gentlemen Anoenie Ancenis 22 Aug. 1778

This to inform your honouers we perisoners was Taken By Capt. Tucker Commander of the Boston was Sent on Shore the 3 Instant to Nantzs and from Nantzs to this town we humble beg Your Honouers to Grant us Lebertiy to Goe home for we have no mony and no Cridet here we have Dun Nothing amiss to our knowalage more then aney other Captains they all Gott there Liberty we humbley beg your honouers will be so Good as to order ours or order Some Supply as presoners of war Gentlemen if I Due not mistake all the Comanders of americca Vessalls have had there Liberty.1 We Are your Most Humble and obident Servents,

George Finlay Thomas Anquetil Hon. Allan Brown Bencor

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); addressed: “The Right Honourable Commissioniers of the United Coulnies of America at Paris”; stamped: “ANCENIS”; docketed, not by JA: “Prisoners Letter Ancenis 22 August 78.”

This letter serves as an example of petitions received by the Commissioners from British prisoners. George Finlay had commanded the John and Rebecca; Thomas Anquetil, the Elizabeth; and Allan, an unidentified Scottish brig. All were taken during the Boston's short cruise in June. Brown Bencor remains unidentified. The fourth prize taken by Tucker during that expedition was the Britannia, commanded by William Baker (see Samuel Tucker to the Commissioners, 3 July, above; Philip Chadwick Foster Smith, Captain Samuel Tucker, Salem, 1976, p.104). The Commissioners apparently took no action in regard to this letter.

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