1William Bingham to the American Commissioners, 28 November 1777[–4 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
..., despite British objections, sailed from France in October. The departure of the Spanish “galleon” (the treasure fleet) was delayed, thereby eliminating any possibility that Spain would join the Franco-American alliance the following spring. Dull, French Navy, pp. 81, 94–5.
2Conrad-Alexandre Gérard to the American Commissioners, 5 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
, pt. 1 (Philadelphia, 1982), pp. 29–32, and French Navy, pp. 83–101.
3Intelligence from Brest, 12 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
, Feb. 1; Dull, French Navy, pp. 96 n, 102 n. had in fact sailed for America on Jan. 6 with Simeon Deane and his dispatches: Dull, French Navy, p. 93 n.
4Gérard to the American Commissioners, 17 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
...had informed Britain of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the two countries were breaking diplomatic relations; Stormont had already announced his recall, and on the 17th the French Ambassador was ordered home from London. See Dull, French Navy, pp. 103–5.
5John Paul Jones to the American Commissioners, 4 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
The frigate they promised was to accompany Jones until he was clear of the coast. She was new, and of only 26 guns: Dull, French Navy, p. 357.
French Navy and Amer. Independence
7Simeon Deane to the Commissioners, 16 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
French Navy and Amer. Independence
8John Paul Jones to the Commissioners, 9 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
French Navy and Amer. Independence
9Francis Coffyn to the Commissioners, 19 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
French Navy and Amer. Independence
10John Bondfield to the American Commissioners, 23 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Almodóvar, the new Spanish ambassador to St. James’s, was charged with discovering what Britain would offer Spain to remain neutral: Dull, French Navy, p. 114.