Sir:

DE BAUQUE BROTHERS TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN

Dunkerque, 9 8ber, 1786.

We have the honour to forward the inclosed our letter of the 5th Inst. since having received advices from St. Ubes that Salt was very scarce there, we have determined to fitt out the Dauphin directly to your port, and have loaded on board of her the following goods according to the annexed bill of Loading:

1500 pounds clean Hemp. 25,000 do. second sort.

24,200 do. Iron by assortiment.

3,000 do. or there about Cordages.

of which goods, all insured, we beg the favour of your utmost care for the best disposal: the proceeds of which you'll be so kind as to apply to the repairs of our vessell and cargo back. We have the honour to be, Sir: Your most obedient Servants,

BROTHERS De Bauque

FRANCIS ROTCH TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN

Dear Sir,

Dunkirk, 9th October, 1786.

My Friends Messrs. DeBauques of this Town having bought the Ship United States, that was Mrs. Hayley's, and meaning to repair her in order to go into the Greenland Fishery, I have advised them to send her to America for that purpose. They have given the Command of her to Captain William Haydon and at my recommendation she goes to your address. You will receive from them a small quantity of Hemp and Iron which is to be sold and the proceeds applied to the repairs and Cargo back. If it should not be sufficient, or if Captain Haydon should be short of money, either your or his draft on Messes. DeBauques frères here made payable in Paris you may be sure will be

punctually paid. The Exchange between London and Paris is almost as much above par in Paris as 'tis in America or at least from 5 to 6 per Cent and sometimes more just as the fluctuations are. If a premium of 8 per cent can be obtained by drawing on them payable in London there will be no objection to it in that way. the time it will take for the Bills to come here, to be accepted and sent back to London is but one week in the ordinary course of Post, it will not be worth their while to pay in London at a less premium. I mention this for your government knowing you like to have all matters of business made clear. The article of Hemp has risen in London to the enormous price of £35 Sterling per ton and is still rising. The exportation from Russia has failed in quantity five thousand tons this year so that Hemp must inevitably be very high till the next years exportation. I know not from what cause this has happened but I understand the fact is so.

In regard to the repairing and fitting the ship for her intended purpose Captain Haydon I believe is well acquainted with the usual method in such cases and his activity I have no doubt will be shewn in a manner adequate to the occasion. The time allowed him to stay abroad is very short and should you find a difficulty in providing a return Cargo of Lumber in season for him to leave America by the middle of January it will not do for him to wait for it. If by any unforeseen accident we should be deprived of the services of Captain Haydon I must recommend it to you to give the earliest notice of it to my Brother William Rotch at Nantucket if he should arrive safe otherwise to his sons or to the former Captain of this Ship Benjamin Hussey requesting them to provide a suitable Captain and men for the Fishery if possible in time to save the season for Greenland. should any accident happen to the ship of consequence enough to make an application to the Underwriters you will be so good to have the vouchers well arranged authenticated and sent by two conveyances to Messrs. Alexander and Benjamin Champion New Lloyds London who are the Agents of my Friends Messrs.

DeBauques and who have done the Insurance on Ship and Cargo to the amount of £3500, say £2500 on Ship and £1000 on Cargo in the office of the London Assurance Company. these Gentlemen or rather this Company are rather particular in respect to vouchers either for an average or loss. I mention this only as a trait of their Character well knowing it is not necessary to be mentioned to you in any other light. Captain Haydon's time after his arrival at Rhodeisland will most likely be much taken up in seeking and collecting such men as will best answer his purpose. the burthen of the repairs, etc. I fear will fall heavier upon you from this cause than it otherwise would do. I would recommend as the first step to heave the ship out as soon as possible to examine her bottom and if necessary nail the Sheathing over again and to get her upon her legs again as soon as can be in order for the doubling and other strengthnings to go on. this I fear will be the most difficult part of the business, it being absolutely necessary she should be kept afloat and by no means suffered to touch the ground upon her side. I have no doubt that every possible care will be taken according to circumstances. I shall have the pleasure of writing to you. again soon. in the mean time, I am Dear Sir, with my best Compliments to Mrs. Champlin the young Ladies and Gentleman your Sincere Friend and obedient Servant,

F. ROTCH

I have put on board Captain Haydon 12 Westphalia Hams and 20 doz. of Burgundy which I wish may be divided into four parts one of which I beg you to keep, two to be sent to Mrs. Jeffrey without her knowing of their coming from me and the other at the disposal of Captain Haydon. pray write to Messrs. DeBauques frères here by all opportunities advising them of the progress from time to time you make with the Ship and inclose any Letter you may have for me to them.

Sir,

LANE SON AND FRASER TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN London, the 16 October, 1786.

YOUR favor of the 28th July is before us, note the contents and are sorry to find the Legislature of your State had pass'd a Law which would infallibly hurt the credit of it. it was a wise measure in you in preventing your Goods from being sent to Newport whilst the Paper Money was circulating. in the mean time we thank you for your kind promise of sending us a Remittance by way of Ireland and remain Respectfully, Sir, Your most humble Servants

LANE SON AND FRASER

WILLIAM GREEN TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN

Dear Sir,

I SHALL not detain your patience with any dull detail of the length and nature of my passage here. It was lucky I came, my affairs requiring very much my presence to keep them in order. What think you of a public sale here, of a part of the goods I sent home in a schooner from St. Eustatia having taken place, so very irregular and unprofitably, as, tho all bear the same comparative value, some of them were sold at a loss of Twenty per Cent, while others retain a profit of Forty on the first price. By the first price I must be supposed to mean the Calcutta price, without any Charge of freight or Insurance etc.

I am hourly impatient for the arrival of the Hydra, the season for her outfit approaches fast. I am not yet however absolutely bent on sending her, in case a plan of association for the Voyage, with some others, which I have now upon the tapis does not take place.

I have since paid my Compliments to all my friends in London, and have since brought some of them here to render the time light and easy while I am away from my family.

Pray make my Compliments to your good Lady, and my charming Cousins, and I beg you will make a thousand

efforts to remit as much as possible to Mr. Wilkinson early in the spring. I am much prest to accomplish my engagements and rely on your doing every thing in your power to assist me.

I mean to write you again soon. I cannot be particular just now, but as the South West winds prevail much at this Season and the packets are sometimes detained here a fortnight, I send this off, that it may be certain of reaching you by the November packet.

Continue to believe me always faithfully yours,

Mosthumble levount.

Michen

Ostend, the 19th October, '86.

Dear Sir,

London, 1st November, 1786.

My last Letter to you was dated the 10th of last month by Captain Wm. Haydon in Le Dauphin who sailed the day after from Dunkirk Roads for Rhode island to your address with a small parcel of Hemp and some Iron and a few Currants. My friends at Dunkirk have at my recommendation sent this Ship to you to be doubled and otherwise prepared for an expedition to Greenland. Should Captain Haydon not arrive no notice is to be taken or provision made on this account, if he comes to you safe he is possessed of all necessary instructions for the purpose, which aided by your kind assistance I have not the smallest doubt will fully answer the expectations of his Owners. dispatch is the most essential point to be aimed at, and to gain this point I am sure no time will be lost or exertion be wanting.