I had the honor to address you the original of the foregoing of the 22nd. Ulto. & the postscript of the 29th: by the Brig Maria, Captn. Carew via Alexandria. Duplicates of the inclosures therein described go herewith. In that letter I omitted to acknowledge the receipt of a letter the 17 Jany. addressed to Mr Erving indorsed Department of State, another recd. via Baltimore for the same Gentleman, with the same indorsement the 24 Jany., and received two others delivered at the Collectors Office in Boston, for the same Gentleman, one indorsed department of State & I think one of them dated 16 Novr. on the outside. I presume its detention was owing to no vess⟨el⟩ having come direct from that port for several weeks before. All the letters I forwarded by the insuing posts. The inclosed yesterday recd from Mr Erving will probably acknowledge the reception of ⟨the⟩ two former, as he mentions their reception in the letter which a⟨c⟩companied it to me.

The information of Mon⟨sieur⟩ Rayneval relative to the battle b⟨e⟩tween the Russian & French Armi⟨es⟩proves to be incorrect. He recd. it through the Spanish Legation ⟨just⟩ before he communicated it to ⟨me⟩. It was published in the Madrid G⟨a⟩zette & was probably extracted fr⟨om⟩ some of the French papers, as ⟨it⟩ first appeared in Paris. It was several days, generally beleived here, as I find it was also in France & Spain. A partial action however actually took place in which it appears the French got the advantage. A new treaty being formed between the Porte, Russia & England is also contradicted. It is now said that a new Treaty has been formed between France & the Divan of Constantinople. Both may be true, as the porte may have formed one with Russia & England under the presumption that the coalition with Prussia would prove successful; finding it did not, it repaired its mistake by renewing its former connections with France.

Burr’s expedition is making much talk in Europe. Here many persons seem to think that the observations in the Federal papers regarding his intentions are correct, but the better informed view the affair in the right point of ligh⟨t.⟩ The step which the Presiden⟨t⟩ so wisely took regarding ⟨the⟩ affair, will unquestionab⟨ly⟩ have a very happy effect at the Courts of Paris & Madrid, at least it ought. With entire Respect I have the honor to ⟨be⟩ Sir Yr: Mo: Ob: Ser⟨vt⟩