Papers of John Adams, volume 6
1778-07-29
We have received your Favour of the Eighth of June, by the Hand of Captain Barns of the schooner Dispatch, together with the Packetts, forwarded by the Hon. Council of the Mass. Bay.1 We, have according to your desire given orders to Mr. Schweighauser at Nantes to furnish the Captain, with such supplies as may be necessary to provide for his Return, and to defrey his Expences there.2 We have given him an order on our Banker for a Months Pay, to himself and his Crew, and a Gratification to him of one hundred Dollars, in lieu of Primage, which as you inform Us, is according to Contract.3
We thank you for the Gazettes, and shall always be obliged to you for similar favours, which are not less beneficial to the public, than amusing to Us. We have the honour to be, with great Respect, &c.
We cannot avoid expressing our Surprize at the monstrous Sum to be advanced here in silver and Gold to the officers and Crew of this Vessell, if it was really the Intention of the Honourable Board that it should be paid so—We wish the Board had Specified the sums to be paid to each Person.
The Commissioners also wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Council on this date offering nothing not in their other letters to America at this time (LbC, Adams Papers).
For the Commissioners to Schweighauser, 29 July (LbC, Adams Papers), see their letter to the Committee of Commerce of 29 July, note 1 (above).
This order, dated 29 July, was for 2,108.15 livre (Accounts, 30 June, above).