Papers of John Adams, volume 16
The undersigned comptroller of the College of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, having conferred with Mr. Bisdom, comptroller of the Admiralty of 534 the Meuse,3 on the contents of Mr. Dumas’ note, dated 31 December last and referred to them jointly, has the honor of herewith remitting to Mr. Dumas, for the information of the plenipotentiary commission of the United States at Paris, their response to the questions that are the object of the said note, assuring Mr. Dumas, not only in his own name but also on behalf of Mr. Bisdom, that both of them eagerly seized this occasion to be useful to him. Signed
Questions
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Response to the first question:
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| 1. What presents did Their High Mightinesses give last winter to the emperor of Morocco and to his ambassador? | Their High Mightinesses gave on this occasion all the equipment for two frigates of war, ten bronze twenty-four pound cannon and ten eighteen pounders,4 and in addition gave to the ambassador of his imperial majesty two watches, several pieces of cloth of different colors, muslin, tea, sugar, porcelain, etc., placed at the ambassador’s disposal so that he might have the means of making his return to the emperor more pleasant. |
Response to the second question:
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| 2. What are they in the habit of giving? | Their High Mightinesses have sent from time to time a richly appointed watch. Some time ago they made a present of a dagger adorned with diamonds, valued at 45,000 florins, and most recently two thousand rifles, at a cost of approximately 18,000 florins. |
To the third:
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| 3. How much does the republic give annually to Algiers, Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli, and all other similar states? | There is nothing fixed in this respect regarding Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli, and other similar states. From time to time they send presents to oblige them. As for Algiers, Their High Mightinesses are in the habit of sending there each year from 50,000 to 60,000 florins worth of cannon tackle and powder. That is what they call ordinary presents. Extraordinary presents are sent as well every other year, consisting of fabric, cloth, porcelain, sugar, and they amount each time to about 17,000 Dutch florins. |
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Response to the fourth question:
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| 4. How do they negotiate with those states? | All negotiations with the above-mentioned states are done by consuls that the republic sends to the various powers and who reside there all the time, or by the said consuls assisted by some captain of a ship of the line, or in case of war where consuls are not present, by a commodore of the squadron or senior captain, who for this reason are always provided with letters from Their High Mightinesses. |
Copied and collated with the originals, which are in my possession, by myself. At The Hague, 22 February 1785.