To John Jay from William Bingham, 19 July 1787
From William Bingham
New York July 19th 1787
Dear Sir,
From the period of July 1776, when I first arrived in the French west Indies untill the month of February 1778, I found all their Ports open for the admission of Lumber, Salted Fish & Live Stock, & indeed for all the Productions of America, (even those that entered into Competition with the Articles that France could furnish her Colonies with) but this was only a temporary Indulgence, arising out of our peculiar Situation & from the Benefits that France derived from the sale of large Quantities of Merchandize which the Americans took in Exchange for their cargoes of Produce
Previous to that Period, the first enumerated Articles were alone permitted to be disposed of; And no Ordinance of the Court established this Right in our Favor, but a discretionary Power was lodged with the Intendant to regulate this Intercourse
The Port of the Carenage in St Lucie, La Trinité & St Pierre in Martinico & Point a Petre in Guadeloupe, were the most frequented in the Windward Islands—
Indeed at one Period, previous to our Revolution, I found it had been in Agitation to confine all the American Commerce to St Lucie, as the Vigilance of the Guarda Costas was not Sufficient to prevent an illicit Trade in Articles whose admission was Severely prohibited in the French Colonies
After the Month of February 1778 American Vessels made regular Entries into all the Custom Houses, & were indulged with every advantage that the Subjects of France partook of, I am Dr Sir Your Friend & obet hble Servt1
Wm Bingham
ALS, DNA: PCC, item 167, 243–46. Addressed: “The Honorable / John Jay Esqr”. Endorsed: “See Mr. Adams Letter July 16. 1783. Conference with Ct. de Vergennes / Two free Ports in the West-Indies—”. LbkC, , 3: 261 (EJ: 2153).
1. This letter is in reply to JJ’s of 17 July 1787, requesting, that Bingham “… inform me as soon, and with as much precision as you can, what free ports there were in the french Islands, and particularly in Guadaloupe prior to the month of February in the year 1774, and whether american Vessels were then admitted into all or into which only of the Ports of the french Islands.” LbkC, , 3: 243 (EJ: 2150). For JA’s letter to RRL of 16 July 1783, concerning the West Indian trade, see 6: 551–54; 15: 122–26.