I have received your Letter of the 12 and a former one.1 Mr Lotter will present you two Accounts approved by me, one against the United States and one against me. these you will please to pay. I pray you also for the future to take upon yourselves the whole Care of the Hotel of the United States at the Hague. Mr Lotter is as honest a Man and as carefull, as ever I met with, and I cannot but recommend him to you to take Care of the House upon the best Terms you can agree with him for, untill the arrival of another American Minister which I hope will be very soon, whoever he may be he cannot have a better Maitre D’Hotel than Lotter.

I am very Sorry to hear that Mr Parker is so indiscreet as to make Comparisons between the Funds which he Says are of the Same Nature and Solidity, and consequently as Safe as the Dutch American Loans. I persist absolutely in my Resolution never to give him any Certificate concerning those Matters.

and I beg of you Gentlemen to tell me explicitly and precisely whether you think or Suspect that there has been any fraudulent Contract between De la Lande and Fynje and Mr Geyer and their Connections in Boston, N. York or Phyladelphia, to Secure one set of Creditors to the disadvantage of another. We have a Right to expect and demand of De la Lande & Fynje a sight and Copy of their Arrangements. They ought to have had juster Sentiments of the Sacred Nature of a public Trust than to have applyed a Single Ducat of the public Money of the United States in their Hands to any Projects of private Commerce or to the Payment of any of their private Debts: but if in addition to this Fault, they have committed the greater one of entering into any partial Engagements to the Disadvantage of the United States, which cannot but be construed a 254fraudulent Contract, they will deserve no Pity from Congress. I desire therefore to be furnished with Copies of their Arrangements with their private Creditors in England and America.

With great Esteem &c

Dr Franklin as I am informed departed from Paris on the Eleventh, for Havre from whence he is to cross over to Cowes, there to be taken on board Captain Truxtun’s Ship bound from London to Philadelphia. The Doctors Baggage is contained in, from 150 to 200 Boxes. It is doubted whether the Laws of England will permit these Things to be removed from one Vessell into another, and it would be attended with unknown Difficulty Delay and Expence, Should he be obliged to enter them regularly merely to pass them from one Vessell to another. Captain Truxton and his ship are now in London and both will proceed to Cowes before Thursday next.

If it is practicable that any orders may be given, or Letters Sent, either directly to Cowes or by the Captain, whereby it might be permitted that these Effects should be landed and stored, untill the Arrival of Truxtun, so that the Drs Vessell from Havre may be discharged, and then reimbarked on Board the Vessell bound for Philadelphia, or if this cannot be done, that the Transfer from one Vessell to another may be made, all under the Inspection of the Custom house Officers, it would be a very great Favour.1

If there is no Impropriety in this Request which I am not sensible of, I should take it as a particular Favour, if you would be so good as to procure the necessary Facilities for this Business, and if it cannot be done that you would inform me of it as soon as possible.

With very great Respect I have the Honour &c