To Benjamin Franklin from the Duc de Croÿ, [1 March 1779]
From the Duc de Croÿ9
AL: American Philosophical Society
[March 1, 1779]
Le Duc de Croÿ a fait resouvenir que dans la notte quil avoit donné Lannée passée pour que les vaisseaux du Roy menage et ayent tous les egards pour M Coock on navoit pas parlé des corsaires.
Sur sa remarque M de Sartinne vient de faire ecrire la lettre la plus forte et circulaire pour que tous nos corsaires soient avertis davoir les plus grands egards pour M Coock &c.1
Il seroit bon que les corsaires insurgents ayent le meme ordre M de Sarcefiel, a ma demende, doit deja en avoir parlé.2
Notations in different hands: Le Duc de Croy / sans date
9. Emmanuel, prince de Moeurs et de Solre, duc de Croÿ, is identified in XXV, 391. The duke was fascinated by natural history and navigation, and had taken upon himself the task of seeing that Capt. James Cook and the crew of the Resolution be allowed to voyage unmolested. According to his journal, the duke convinced Sartine in the summer of 1778 to issue such orders to all French navy warships, and in January, 1779, to all French privateers. Now he wanted BF to issue similar orders to American privateers. He visited Passy on March 1 and there, while waiting for the Doctor, drafted this document. See Croÿ, Journal, IV, 166–7, and his account of their meeting, under March 1, below.
1. Sartine’s circular letter, dated Feb. 2, was printed in the Gaz. de Leyde, March 30, 1779.
2. We have no other record that Guy-Claude, comte de Sarsfield (XXIII, 231n) intervened, but BF did issue a letter to all American privateers: below, March 10.