Papers of John Adams, volume 7
Tho' we are without any interesting inteligence in this or the neighbouring Ports I hold it my duty to advise you that so it is. The Merchants from their heavy Loss's are obliged to contract their concerns which unfortunately will be sensibly felt by the short Exports for the United States. Excepting three small Cutters belonging to Virginia it is three Months since any expedition went from hence.
Messr. Beaumarchais and Co. have bought a vessel of 24 Gunns that is to Sail about the 10th of next Month for Rochfort there to join the Roderique and the Drake bought by the same Company. These Vessels I am told are to be reinforced by two ships or Frigates. It will be a fine Convoy for our two Ships at Nantes if it dont too long detain as the fierre Roderique was not hove down
The Farmers General begin to doubt that the abundant supplies they were to receive from Spain, the Brazils, the Ulkraine and Holland of Tobacco will not make up the short Imports from Virginia and are tampering with the holders to engage all at Market before a rise take place. No capital Stock can be expected for many Months. A start in 239this article very sudden may be expected which may probably engage the Merchants to renew their speculation to America.
I have the Honor
In a letter of 12 Dec., Beaumarchais requested that Sartine supply the Fier Roderigue with the men needed to fill out its crew and thereby permit its immediate departure. With ten merchant ships in its convoy, the Fier Roderigue apparently sailed in April 1779 and arrived off Grenada in late June or early July. There, pressed into service as part of the French fleet under Estaing that met the British under Byron on 6 July, it was heavily damaged (Louis De Loménie, Beaumarchais et son temps, 2 vols., 3d edn., Paris, 1873, 2:162–164; Laporte to JA, 4 April 1779, below).
It was reported that La Motte-Picquet, at sea since late October with four ships of the line and several frigates, had taken seven British ships and a frigate escorting them (London Chronicle, 14–17 Nov., 1–3 Dec.).
Your Letter1 informing me of the Alteration of your Intention, not having reached my House till some time after the Hour you had appointed for setting out for Versailles, I was gone before it arrived. I informed Count Vergennes, that you were coming, and we waited till 5' O'Clock under no small Embarressment, especially myself, to conceive what detained you.
Count Vergennes says, that as there was such bad Management last year in dispatching our Ships, as to detain the Convoy Six Weeks; he wishes we would write him, when the Ships, for which we now desire a Convoy, will certainly be ready to sail, and he will do all in his Power to obtain what we desire.2
I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect Gentlemen, Your Mos. Ob Servt.
In JA's hand and docketed by the kitchen boy who received it, the one-sentence letter, dated “Friday Morning”
Vergennes' request led the Commissioners to write to J. D. Schweighauser and the other merchants at Nantes (LbC, Adams Papers), who had written to both Sartine and the Commissioners on 7 Nov. (above). The Letterbook copy, which served as the draft, is dated 27 Nov., probably erroneously in view of the 240present letter. Arthur Lee's copy in his letterbook is dated 28 Nov., Lee having placed an “8” over the original “7” (PCC, No. 102, IV, f. 128).