1. For an account of Denmark’s 1779 return of the frigate Alliance’s prizes to Britain and Congress’ instructions on obtaining restitution, see vol. 15:331–332, 333–334. In his 8 Oct. 1785 letter to Thomas Jefferson, Jones indicated that since he had been unable to raise the issue of the Alliance’s prizes with Danish diplomats in Paris, he intended to deputize Dr. Edward Bancroft in London to undertake negotiations on the matter with the Danish minister there and asked Jefferson to write JA concerning it (Jefferson, Papers description begins The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, and others, Princeton, N.J., 1950– . description ends , 8:597). On 11 Oct. Jefferson wrote JA, requesting him to assist Bancroft by opening negotiations with the Danish minister. In his 4 Nov. reply, JA indicated that Congress’ instructions placed responsibility for resolving the issue “wholly” in the hands of the American minister to France, so he and Bancroft thought it best for Jefferson to initiate discussions with the Danish chargé d’affaires at Paris (vol. 17:504, 566–568).

2. Jones’ 11 Oct. letter to Bancroft (Adams Papers description begins Manuscripts and other materials, 1639–1889, in the Adams Manuscript Trust collection given to the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1956 and enlarged by a few additions of family papers since then. Citations in the present edition are simply by date of the original document if the original is in the main chronological series of the Papers and therefore readily found in the microfilm edition of the Adams Papers (APM). description ends ) authorized Bancroft to act in his place with regard to the Alliance’s prizes. With it were enclosed Congress’ 1 Nov. 1783 resolution appointing Jones its agent, under the direction of the U.S. minister at Paris, for the recovery of the prize money (JCC description begins Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, ed. Worthington Chauncey Ford, Gaillard Hunt, John C. Fitzpatrick, Roscoe R. Hill, and others, Washington, D.C., 1904–1937; 34 vols. description ends , 25:787–788); Robert Morris’ 6 Nov. 1783 certificate that Jones had executed bonds for his mission (Morris, Papers description begins The Papers of Robert Morris, 1781–1784, ed. E. James Ferguson, John Catanzariti, Elizabeth M. Nuxoll, Mary A. Gallagher, and others, Pittsburgh, 1973–1999; 9 vols. description ends , 8:741); Benjamin Franklin’s 17 Dec. 1783 authorization of Jones to act with regard to the prizes (Franklin, Papers description begins The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Leonard W. Labaree, William B. Willcox, Claude A. Lopez, Barbara B. Oberg, Ellen R. Cohn, and others, New Haven, 1959– . description ends , 41:298); and a copy of Franklin’s 21 July 1785 letter to Jones describing his negotiations with Denmark and rejection of the Danish offer of £10,000 as a settlement (PCC, No. 168, II, f. 385).

JA wrote to Jones on 21 Jan. 1786 that he would support Bancroft’s representations to the Danish minister at London but thought it would be best to apply to the Baron von Walterstorff, the chamberlain to the king of Denmark who had been at Paris and in 1783 negotiated with Franklin concerning a commercial treaty with Denmark. JA indicated that he would write to Walterstorff immediately and did so on 21 Jan. 1786 (vol. 15:225–226; both LbC’s, APM Reel 113). In his 7 Feb. reply (Adams Papers description begins Manuscripts and other materials, 1639–1889, in the Adams Manuscript Trust collection given to the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1956 and enlarged by a few additions of family papers since then. Citations in the present edition are simply by date of the original document if the original is in the main chronological series of the Papers and therefore readily found in the microfilm edition of the Adams Papers (APM). description ends ) Jones indicated that the London option remained the best solution because Walterstorff was no longer available, having been appointed governor of the Danish West Indies. See also Jones’ 10 July letter, below.