From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 10 November 1782
To Vergennes
ALS: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères
Passy, Nov. 10. 1782
Sir
I have examined the Captain if it might not be possible that he had left your Excellys. Letters in his Ship.3 He says that he certainly had no others for you than the Pacquets he delivered: But that there came with him as a Passenger, a Mr Forest, who was a Commis he thinks in the Office of the Secretary of the French Minister,4 and who left him at L’Orient to come to Paris by way of Nantes; saying that he had Letters to deliver to you, & should be at Paris within twelve Hours after the Captain. I am, with Respect, Sir, Your most obedt humb. Servt
B Franklin
M. le Comte de Vergennes
Notation: M de R5
3. The captain was Joshua Barney. Vergennes was waiting for letters from La Luzerne before making a decision on BF’s Nov. 8 request for additional financial aid: Lafayette to BF, [on or before Nov. 22], below.
4. Antoine-René-Charles-Mathurin de La Forest (1756–1846): Morris Papers, VI, 517n; DBF; Abraham P. Nasatir and Gary E. Monell, eds., French Consuls in the United States: a Calendar of Their Correspondence in the Archives Nationales (Washington, 1967), pp. 560–1.
5. Rayneval.