As there is a great deficiency of such kind of artillery as Colo. Menonville applies for, at the disposal of General Washington, he has it not in his power to do more, than to communicate the wishes of His Excell’y Count de Rochambeau (as they are expressed by Colo. Menonville) to Congress; from where he is perswaded Eight or ten pieces of the cannon said to be imported for the 70 Gun ship at Portsmouth may be had if they are actually arrived & Congress should despair of fitting that Vessel for Sea—In the mean time, it lies with the Count de Rochambeau (if he wishes to avoid delay) to make application to an individual [state] for the number of Guns he may want for the defences of Rhode Island; & as far as it is in General Washingtons power to facilitate the loan of them, he will tho’ candor obliges him to add, that sometime ago he made an ineffectual application himself to the State of Massachusetts for some of the Guns belonging to the Somerset Man of War (which stranded on Cape Cod) when they were much wanted to render the Post at Westpoint more defensible.