given me a Copy of, and the Falsehood and Misrepresentation are equal to the malice. all these are so gross and the Improbability so glaring, that nothing but the manner of conveying the Information can entitle it to the attention of the marine Comtee or induce them to lay it before Congress on that Subject I need make no observations. I shall only say to you that whatever Notice is taken of it, the N[avy] B[oard] are ready for the severest Scrutiny. the N. B. have great merit, they have done nearly all the Business of your Navy, which is a full Evidence of their Diligence. their Integrity will appear on examination, and if I mistake not will shine in Proportion to the Strictness of the Scrutiny. We have done Business enough to earn a fortune and are now so far from making one that all the emoluments we have ever deriv'd from this Office have not paid our simple board, at the most moderate rate, without a Glass of Wine for ourselves or any Indulgence whatever. The Commissions mention'd in the anonymous Letter are groundless and ridiculous, and so indeed is the whole, unless what relates to Mr. Deshon's agency for the french at N. London which may be true or false, I know nothing about it. with Regard to the authors I have no difficulty about them, or the motives to this Business, the authors are, I think, displac'd officers and their Connections, and their motives are resentment and Revenge and the whole Process is in Character. but I forbear to take up your time or give you further Trouble on this Subject and only say, that if Congress at any time choose to appoint a better man in my room, I shall be glad to resign. I should have done it before for other reasons, if I had not attended to the requests of my Friends, for I really cannot afford to stay here unless Congress have increased our Salarys.

A great Dearth of foreign News has prevail'd here for a long time and our Impatience is severely tried on this Occasion, much was expected from the great military and naval operations in Europe, and we get nothing certain about them, a rumor prevails this morning that a vessel at Cape Ann from Martinico brings advice that the English and combin'd Fleets in Europe are call'd in, and that a treaty of Peace under the mediation of Russia was on foot. this is far from being certain, if it proves true it will have

a sudden and curious operation upon our Currency and commercial matters. our internal matters remain pretty much in their usual Situation. I suppose you are before now informed of the Election of all the members of Congress for this State, and of Genl. Ward in the room of Mr. Dana. I hear Genl. Hancock intends soon to set out for Congress that he may be able to return home early in the Spring.

The French Frigate that carried Mr. Adams has been spoke with seven Days after sailing, 200 Leagues to the Eastward, all well I hope she is now in France.

I beg my Compliments may be made to your Brethren, and particularly to my good Friend Mr. Gerry. I am your Friend and humble Servt.

ELBRIDGE GERRY TO JAMES WARREN

PHILADELPHIA, Jany. 25, 1780

MY DEAR SIR, It is a long Time since We have heard from our Friends eastward, and We impute it to the Severity of the Winter, but yesterday I received by the Post your agreable Favour of the 27th Decr., the Desire of which was increased by the Detention.

I should have been glad to have seen your Remarks on the anonymous Letter, but Mr Lovell informs me, he has not yet received them.

The Policy of America will succeed or fail in my Opinion, in proportion to her Exertions for establishing a Navy. I well remember that You was the first to promote it, and altho it was disapproved by some in Point of Time, the Benefit derived from the Measure has clearly manifested the Wisdom of it. the State of our Finances will check it's present Growth, but I doubt not that it will soon flourish, and that Time will suggest Improvements in the Arrangements and Regulations of the Boards that are appointed to cherish and conduct it. I am very sensible that the officers of these Departments have been poorly rewarded, and was lately of a Committee who reported that their present Salaries should have a Retrospect to Novr. 1778, but the Subject is not yet

considerd by Congress: I think however that You have their fullest Confidence.

Congress have not yet determined whether to remove eastward or southward; both are talked of, but your Remarks respecting the Navy, are conclusive in my Mind, in Favour of the former.

The great objects of Attention in Congress are Oeconomy and Resources. Necessity dictates their Measures, and I hope will produce salutary Effects. the Departments of the Muster and Barrack Masters are abolished and the Business of the former annexed to the office of Inspector. Generals Schuyler and Mifflin and Colo Pickering are appointed a Committee,1 with full Powers to inform themselves by Inspection or otherwise of the State of the Staff Departments, to call on any of the officers thereof for Information, to discharge all persons therein that are supernumerary or delinquent, to break up unnecessary issuing Posts and establish others where requisite, to stop all Issues of Rations not indispensibly necessary for the Service, and in Conjuncture with General Washington to reduce the Number of Horses and Waggons in the Service and Expence of Transportation, and to adopt a general Reformation of the Departments. the States are to be also called on for their respective quotas of Supplies and authorized to stop all purchases by continental officers, when Measures are adopted for complying with the Requisitions of Congress; and to induce the States to purchase cheap, they are to be credited equal prices for Articles of the same Kind and quality, and in proportion for other Articles.

I inclose You the News papers containing three sensible Letters by a Gentleman in Maryland on "Appreciation," and can give You nothing new, excepting certain Information from the Court of France that by their Interposition the british Court have failed in their Applications for Recruits to the several Powers of Germany.

The Massachusetts Delegates are sitting in Congress by Vertue only of a Certificate of their Appointment from the Deputy Secretary. They have never aspired to be commissioned, but wish not to loose their Rank as warrant officers.

1 Journals of the Continental Congress, XVI. 77, 79.

I observe your Apprehensions relative to a new Q[uarter] M[aster] G[eneral], but have no Reason to suppose them well grounded, altho the Matter has been suggested in Congress. I remain Sir with every Sentiment of respect your Friend and hum Ser. E. GERRY

JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

PARIS, Feby. 23d, 1780

DEAR SIR, -The French Court seem to be now every day more and more convinced of the good Policy, and indeed the Necessity of prosecuting the War with Vigour in the American Seas. They have been and are making great Preparations accordingly, and are determined to maintain a clear Superiority.

M. de la Motte Piquet has with him, the Hannibal, the Magnifique, the Diadem, the Dauphin Royal, the Artesien, the Reflectir, and the Vengeur, and if M. de Grace has joined him from Chesapeak Bay, the Robuste, the Fendant and the Sphinx, in all ten Ships of the Line.

M. de Guichen is gone to join him, with the Couronne, eighty Guns, the Triomphant, eighty, the Palmier, seventy-four, the Victoire, the Destin, the Conquerant: the Citoyen, the Intrepide, the Hercule, the Souverain, all of seventy-four; the Jason, the Actionaire, the Caton, the Julien, the Solitaire, the St. Michel, the Triton, all of sixty-four. The Frigates the Medée, Courageuse, Gentille and the Charmante, all of thirty-two. He had above an hundred Sail of Vessels under his Convoy, and the Regiments of Touraine and Enghien, of more than thirteen hundred Men each, and the second Battalion of Royal Comtois and of Walsh of seven hundred Men each - making in the whole more than four thousand Troops. Besides these, there are seven more preparing at Brest to sail.

Messs. Gerard, Jay and Charmichael are arrived at Cadiz in a French Frigate, the Confederacy having been dismasted and driven to Martinique. The Alliance carries this with Mr. Lee and Mr. Izard, who will no doubt be treated with all Respect at Boston.

Notwithstanding the Commotions in England and Ireland, the Success of Prevost at Savannah, and of Rodney off Gibraltar, and even the silly Story of Omoa in South America,1 is enough to embolden the Ministry to go on with a Debt of two hundred Millions already contracted, to borrow twelve or fourteen Millions a Year in the Beginning of a War with France and Spain, each having a greater Navy than they ever had, each discovering a greater fighting Spirit than they ever did before, and obliging the English to purchase every Advantage at a dear Rate.

The Premiums and Bounties that they are obliged to give to raise Men, both for the Service by Sea and Land, and the Interest of Money they borrow, are greater than were ever given in any former Wars, even in the last Year of the last War. This cannot always last, nor indeed long. Yet I dont expect to see Peace very

soon.

I have sent a Trunk to the Care of the Navy Board, for my dear Mrs. A[dams], in which is something for Mrs. W[arren]. Pray write me as often as possible, and send the News papers to me. Your Friend and Servant,

JOHN ADAMS

JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN
PARIS, HOTEL DE VALOIS,

ADAMS MSS.

RUE RICHELIEU, Feby. 28, 1780

DEAR SIR, I have written so fully to Congress and to particular Friends before, and have so little time now, that I have little more to do than make up a Letter for the Bearer to deliver

you.

The Marquis de la Fayette is going to Boston in a Frigate and surely he wants no Recommendation of mine; his own Merit and his Fame are enough. He has been the same Friend to us here that he was in America. He has been very assiduous to procure Cloaths and Arms for our Army and to promote our Interest in every other way within his Circle. I can tell you nothing from I In Honduras, Central America.