I have the Honor to enclose duplicate of the letter which I last addressed you on the 27 Nov. and Come now to wait on you with the return of our Shipping that ⟨h⟩ave entered this Port since the 1 July till the end of last month. On account of the War, the Trade between America and this Country has materially increased, Our Vessels having been in a Manner the only Carriers of the Colonial Produce required for its Consumption. Now that Peace is reestablished in Europe it is to be presumed that it must materially fall off, as the Importations no⟨w⟩ will be restricted to the Productions of the United States.

I transmit to you under this Cover, the following Certificates, or Sea Letters, which I retired from Captains that have here disposed of their Vessels during the last few months Vizt.

No. 1 A Certificate given by John Gavino Esqr. Consul at Gibraltar to Thomas Lovell a Citizen of the U. S. for navigating the Polacre ⟨Davies⟩ to Charleston with Bill of Sale of said Vessel, in favor of said Thomas Lovell, dated 27 January last.

No. 2 A Sea Letter given by Patrick Mullony Esqr. Vice Consul at Algeciras to Stephen ⟨Mureau⟩ for sailing the Brig Diana, to this Place & New York dated the 27 January last.

No. 3 Another issued by said Patrick Mullony, in favor of Archibald Selman, to proceed in the Ship American Lady from Algeciras to this Port and America dated 16 September past.

No. 4 Another passed by the aforesaid Patrick Mullony in favor of George Loring, to proceed with the Ship Mary, to this Place, and New york, dated 20 October.

Which are the only Vessels that have been sold in the district of this Consulate during the last Six months.

I also wait on you with an Account of the money disbursed for the Public Service till the 30 Novr. past, Amounting to $64: 10 Cents which I have taken the Liberty to draw on you to the order of Edward Durant, and request of you, to order to be discharged. For the 1 & 5 articles of this Account you will find Receits enclosed. For the others there are none.

On the 25 Ulto: Capt McNeil arrived here in the Frigate Boston, in quest of Commodore Dale Who on his departure, mentioned He expected to be back in the Course of a fortnight or Three Weeks. However I had no accounts of his motions till on the 3 Instant I received a Letter from him dated at Toulon 7 Decr. of which the enclosed is a Copy Another I passed to Captn. McNeil who proceeded the same Evening to Join him at Toulon, and Three days afterwards the Swedish Admiral Baron Sederstrom set off with the same Intention in the Frigate Troya, leaving two others to proceed from hence on the 11 Currt. With such American and Swedish Vessels as may offer for the Ports of Spain France & Italy; and a fourth to give Convoy out of the Mediterranean, and afterwards to Join him off Tripoly. You will find enclosed Copy of a Letter Which the Swedish Admiral addressed me on the 31 ulto:, of my Answer, and duplicate of the One He desired me to deliver to the Senior Commander of our two Frigates then here. It was, in consequence of my Communicating to him the Contents of Commodore Dale’s Letter on the 3 Inst, that He determined to call in at Toulon, being particularly anxious to [. . .] him, in order to Consult and Concert his Plans conformable to the Instructions received from his Government.

The Essex came on here on the 24 Ulto: to procure Water and proceeded on the 1 Inst; to her Station, where Capt. Bainbridge continues to blockade the Tripoline Cruizer at Gibraltar. You will already have been informed that the other had been sold there.

Towards the end of last month orders were received from Madrid, by this Board of Health, that all Vessels from New York & Norfolk should perform a rigorous Quarantine. Since then the Commissioners of it have declared that Vessels from these two Ports should be turned off, and those from other parts of the United States subjected to lay fifteen days. I have written to our Minister in Madrid fully on the Subject, and forwarded a Copy of a Bill of Health from New York, with the Spanish Consuls Certificate to it, Which, I have great Confidence may produce the desired effect of entirely freeing us of this disagreeable Annoyance to Trade; all Vessels Coming to the Ports of Spain should have their Bills of Health legalised by the Spanish Consul’s, resident in the Ports they proceed from.

Yesterday I dispatched Circulars to all my Colleagues in the Ports of Spain, France, and Italy, to advise them that the two Swedish Frigates would proceed from hence on the 11 Currt: and requested they might notify such American Captain’s of Vessels as meant to benefit of their Protection, to hold themselves in readiness, against their arrival. I have the Honor to be, with Sentiments of reg⟨ard⟩ and respect Sir, Your most obed & he. Serv.