Papers of John Adams, volume 6

Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 18 April 1778 Williams, Jonathan First Joint Commission at Paris JA

1778-04-18

Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 18 April 1778 Williams, Jonathan First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John

Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners

Nantes 18 April 1778

Your Excellencies favour of the 13 Instant I have duely received. You may depend that I shall not make any new Engagements without your express Orders. I apprehend I shall very soon satisfy every demand on the public Account, 'till when I must beg a Continuation of your Approbation of my Drafts on Mr. Grand. Had I not been prevented by Illness my Accounts 39 would have been at present before you. I hope in about a Fortnight or three Weeks to lay them before you in person.

I have hitherto employed the Workmen in repairing those of the Arms that required the least Repair, judging that their Value in America depended on their speedy arrival, and by this means I have now between 3 and 400 Cases ready. To finish the whole number compleat would I suppose require at least 2 Years. I have about 40 Men at Work every Day, and I pay them every monday morning, were the operation to be stopped, all these men must be sent at your Expence to their own Homes which are principaly at Leige about 200 Leagues from this, and the arms to remain in their present State would not be worth anything to the public; indeed if we can't find some method of sending them to America, they can do the Public as little good when repaired. When I come to Paris I will give you the best Information on this1 and many other Subjects which the sudden Departure of Mr. Deane may render necessary: During his presence you could be well informed of all that is transacted here. I will try to get Freight on board the American Vessells, but do not expect to do much at present.

I beg Mr. Adams' acceptance of my Congratulations on his safe arrival. I have the honour to be with the greatest Respect Your Excellencies most obedient & most humble Servant

Jona Williams Nantes April 21. 1778

P.S. The Letter on the other side was intended for the last Post, but was unfortunately too late. I have nothing new to communicate to your Excellencies and have the Honour to be as before.

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); docketed: “Letter from Mr. J. Williams 18 Ap. 1778”; in another hand: “Jon Williams Nantes 18 Apl 1778.”

For the outcome of this controversy, see Williams to the Commissioners, 3 July (below).

The Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham, 19 April 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris JA Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Conyngham, Gustavus

1778-04-19

The Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham, 19 April 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Conyngham, Gustavus

The Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham

Sir Passi April 19. 1778

We have received a Complaint from the remaining Part of your Officers and Crew, of an unfair distribution of Prize Money by Mr. Hodge.1 To prevent any Such Complaints in future, We 40desire that you will put your Prizes into the Hands of Messieurs Gardoqui at Bilboa,2 and into those of the Principal Merchant at Cadiz or Corogne Coruña,3 directing them to make a Speedy Distribution of the Prize-Money, among the Crew and Account to Us for the public Part. You will inform Us, at the Same Time of their Contents and what they are supposed to be worth.

We wish to have, immediately an Account of what you have hither to taken, their Supposed Value and to whom committed. You will use your utmost Endeavours to make up your Crew and taking a Cruise where you can with Safety, come to Bourdeaux, Brest or Nantes. We can there examine into your Disputes and settle your future Establishment, with much more ease and Effect. When you make a Prize, you should take Copies of her Bills of loading, or an Inventory of her Contents, by Sending Us copies of which We can check the Merchants Accounts and prevent any Impositions.

You will inform your ships Company of the Directions We have given to provide for their Satisfaction in future and We wish to be favoured with a Copy of your Commission. We are sir, your most obedient, humble servants

B Franklin Arthur Lee John Adams

LbC (Adams Papers); notation: “To Captn Cunningham of the Revenge at Cadiz.” RC containing only the two final paragraphs and closing, both in JA's hand, and the signatures (Musée de Blérancourt, Blérancourt, France); docketed: “B. Franklin & Arthur Lee J Adams Letter Le Captn Connynham of the Revenge.”

Gustavus Conyngham, captain of the Continental cutter Revenge and earlier of the lugger Surprize, both fitted out by William Hodge Jr. at Dunkirk in 1777, had terrorized the Irish and North Sea coasts of Britain since May 1777. Forced to avoid French ports because of British protests and France's desire not to provoke Britain too far, Conyngham at the time of this letter was cruising out of Spanish ports. Between July 1777 and Feb. 1779, when Conyngham returned to America, the Revenge captured 27 English vessels and burned 33 more, making it one of the most successful American naval vessels of the Revolution ( Cruises of Conyngham, ed. Neeser, p. xxx–xlvi). No letter from the crew has been found, but see the Commissioners to John Hodge, 19 April, and William Hodge Jr. to the Commissioners, 10 July (both below).

Joseph Gardoqui & Sons, who were engaged in the American trade and acted as American commercial agents at Bilbao. For further information about the firm and JA's relations with it, see JA, Diary and Autobiography , 2:431; Adams Family Correspondence , 3:xiv–xv.

Almost certainly Lassore & Co. in Cadiz and Lagoanere & Co. of La Coruña (Lagoanere & Co. to Lassore & Co., 28 Nov. 1777, Cruises of Conyngham , p. 115).