From Benjamin Franklin to Pierre Landais, 2 March 1779
To Pierre Landais
Copy: Library of Congress
Passy March 2. 1779.
Sir,
Your other Swedish Prize is retaken and carried into England, as we hear by the English News Papers. The other which is arrived, will I suppose be tried in the Court of Admiralty of the Port at which she is arrived, unless being unable to find Proofs that the Property of the Cargo is English, you should think fit to discharge her.8
Mr Adams will take his Passage in you, and I suppose writes to desire you to make Provision of Sea Stores for himself & Son, which you will do well to comply with.9
I shall be glad to hear how your Refit goes on when you think you shall be ready, and whence you propose to meet the Merchant Ships from Nantes.1
I have the honor to be Sir &ca.—
B Franklin
Honble Capt. Landais.
8. Capt. Landais’ ship, the American frigate Alliance, had captured two Swedish merchant vessels, the ship Victoria and the snow Anna Louisa, while en route to France. The former was sent into a French port with a prize crew, but the latter was reported missing, after becoming separated in a fog: XXVIII, 488, 563.
9. Landais had been forewarned a week earlier that he might be asked to take BF’s former colleague back to America: XXVIII, 589. For details of JA’s return voyage see our annotation to BF’s certification for JA’s shipment of books, March 2, below.
1. Landais had been ordered to convoy home fifteen American merchantmen stranded at Nantes: XXVIII, 589, 607. French Naval Minister Sartine had volunteered to let them accompany a French convoy to the West Indies: XXVIII, 476–7, 507.