51From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 30 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives de la Marine; copy: Library of Congress I am under the greatest Uneasiness to find, that great Part of the Cloathing sent to Brest to be shipt for America, was left behind, and that the Alliance alone has not sufficient Room, to receive it with the Arms and Gunpowder, which the King has been so good as to order for us, and which are all so much wanted in the American Armies. A...
52From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 27 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much obliged to M. deshayes, Commissaire des Classes a Cherbourg, for the Care your Excellency informs me he has taken of the poor Americans that have escaped from England and arrived at that Port. I shall desire him to send me his Account of the Expence he has already been at in relieving them, that I may discharge it; and I shall request him to continue his...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 4 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Your Excellency will perceive by the inclosed Passports the Grounds on which they were given. The Person to whom they were granted is apprehensive that they will not be a Sufficient Protection against French armed Vessels, & desires to have like passes from your Excellency, which if there is no impropriety, I beg may be granted to him. With great Respect, I have the...
54From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 26 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress As soon as I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of Writing to me relative to the Exchange of Capt. John Bell & his Son, I wrote to the Owner of the Black Prince to know if they were not Hostages for the Ransom of their Vessel. I have now received an Answer, that they are not Ransomers, but merely Prisoners, their Brigantine Hopewell having been...
55From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 28 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library; copy: Library of Congress As our Prisoners now exchanging are chiefly at Portsmouth and Plymouth and the Distance between those Places & Nantes is double of that between them and Morlaix, and a great Part of the Voyage to Nantes, being in the Bay of Biscay, which will be very inconvenient to the Cartel Ship and other Poor Passengers, in the Winter Season, I am...
56From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 19 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives de la Marine; incomplete copy: Library of Congress J’ay receu La lettre que Vostre Excellence m’a fait L’honneur de m’ecrire Le 17 de ce mois, Sur unne lettre qu’elle a Reçue du Lieutenant general de L’amirauté de Vannes et de L’orient, qui L’informe que J’ay ecrit au dit Lieutenant general pour que le Vaisseau le Serapis Soit vendu par devant Les Juges de Cette amirauté. J’ay...
57From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 21 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I return herewith the Letters of Mr. de la Villehelis and de la Dame de st. Maurice which your Excellency did me the honour of communicating to me the 15th. Instant. I begin to have a bad Opinion of this Mr. Lock he has written me a Letter, in which he pretends to be an American, but it is so written as to make me suspect the Contrary. I knew nothing of the Damsel Des...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 29 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Library of Congress I have received a Letter from Mr. Wm. Bingham, Agent for the Congress at Martinique, covering the inclosed for your Excellency, and giving an Account of an unhappy Mistake, in which a Vessel belonging to some Subjects of the U. S. was sunk by one of the Batteries of Guadeloupe, & 17 of the People drowned. I request your Excellency would take the Matter into...
59From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 22 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Bearer waits upon your Excellency for the order you were so good as to promise on thursday last, for the sale of the Prizes taken by the squadron under Commodore Jones. He waits here for that order only and the ship must be detained at a great expence till it can be executed. With the greatest Respect I am your Excellency’s, most obedient and most humble servant....
60From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 23 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I beg leave to introduce Mr. Alexander by this Line to your Excellency, and to request that you would favour him with a few minutes Audience. With the greatest Respect, I am, your Excellency’s m. o. and m. &. Undoubtedly Alexander John Alexander, who had asked BF to deliver memoirs to Sartine and Vergennes; see his letter of Dec. 14, above.