To Benjamin Franklin from Le Ray de Chaumont, 4 February 1780
From Le Ray de Chaumont
Two AL:3 American Philosophical Society
Passi ce 4. fevrer. 1780—
Chaumont a L’honneur de prevenir M. franklin que M. Villiam a tiré sur luy Chaumont pour 250 mils Livres de Lettres de Change a valoir sur L’habillement des troupes americains qu’ils font executer par œconomie pourquoy M. franklin doit se Munir d’un Bon de M. D’harvelay4 de 250/m l.t. qui Serviront a acquitter Les traites de M. William que M de Chaumont acceptera avec L’autorisation de M. franklin.
3. The other AL (undated) is a slightly expanded version. It is endorsed: “M. de Chaumont concerning Bills drawn by M. Williams No Date demanding a Credit with M. de Harvelay for 250,000 Livres.”
4. Joseph Micault d’Harvelay, Keeper of the Royal Treasury: XXIII, 198–9. The following day, Chaumont drafted a revision of his memo described in our annotation to JW’s letter of Feb. 1, above. Entitled “Notte pour M. Franklin / Habillement des troupes américains,” it reduced the order of habits to 5,000, nearly halving the total uniform cost, and gave detailed payment instructions. The sums would be payable at four months’ term; but as the bankers would not accept anything over three months, it was essential that BF accept Chaumont’s plan of the previous day concerning d’Harvelay.