15 July 1778
any representation to you, and whether you consider them, as entitled, to
obtain their demand. I have the honour to be, with the
most perfect Consideration, Gentlemen, your very humble and most obedient
Servant
De Sartine
[to] Messrs. Franklin
Lee and Adams Deputys of
the
United States of America.
Lieutenant Simpson
Passi
July 16. 1778
Sir
We have long wished to accommodate Disputes among the Officers of
the Ranger, and have at length the Pleasure to inclose you a Letter from Captain Jones,
which has given Us much Satisfaction for several Reasons, one of which is that
it has given Us an opportunity to reinstate you on board the
Rangers
You are accordingly, upon the receipt of this Letter, forthwith to take the
Command of the Ranger as her first Lieutenant, and to join
Captain Whipple of the Providence, and observe
his orders, relative to your future Cruises and Voyage to
America.
As to the British Prisoners you will leave them in such place and in the
Custody of such Persons, as Mr. Schweighauser shall
advise.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams
Delivered Captain Jones a Copy of [illegible]
the above Letter the 5. of August, 1778.
Captain Whipple
Passi
July 16. 1778
We have ordered Lieutenant Sympson to whom the Command of
the Ranger devolves, by the destination of Captain
Jones to another Service, to join you and obey your orders, respecting
his future Cruises and Voyage to
America. We wish you to get to Sea, with all posssible
dispatch Use all possible dispatch, in getting to Sea, with the
Providence, Boston and Ranger.
You are to Use your utmost Endeavours, to take, burn, sink and destroy all
Privateers of
Jersey and
Guernsey, and all other British Cruisers, within the Command of
your Force, as you may have Opportunity.
You are to leave all the Prisoners in such place, and in the Custody of such
Persons, as Mr. Schweighauser shall advise. We are &c.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
Mr. Schweighauser
Passi
July 16 1778
We have ordered the Ranger under the command of
Lieutenant Simpson to put to Sea with all possible Expedition:
You will be so good
Page 2
as to furnish her, with the Necessaries
Mr. Simpson may demand, with as much dispatch as possible.
The British Prisoners, on board of all these Frigates, are to be left
behind, but We will endeavour tomorrow to obtain
directions from the Ministry, in whose hands and in what place they shall be
lodged. We have directed the Captains to leave them in such place and in the
Custody of such Persons as you shall advise.
Signed B. Franklin, Arthur Lee,
John Adams.
The Honourable the Council of the
Massachusetts Bay
Passi
July 16. 1778
May it please your Honours
We have the Honour to inclose a Copy of a Letter just received from
Monsieur De Sartine, the Minister of State for the Marine of
this Kingdom, in answer to which We have had the honour to assure his Excellency that We would embrace the
first Opportunity of communicating it to your honours.
We have not the smallest doubt of the good Inclinations of the People
in America to supply the Necessities of their Friends at
Saint Peters and Miquelon, nor of the Abilities of
those in the Northern States to do it effectually, provided the British Men of
War are withdrawn from the
Hallifax and
Newfoundland Stations. Perhaps it may be done notwithstanding
the dangers of Men of War. We hope however it will be attempted. There is no
doubt that a good Price may be obtained, at the same time that an acceptable
Act of Friendship and of Humanity, will be performed.
We have the Honour to request that this Letter and
its Enclosure may be laid before the General Court, and that such Measures may
be taken as their Wisdom shall dictate, for the accomplishment of so desirable
a purpose. We have the Honour to be
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
To the President of Congress
Passi
July 16. 1778
Sir
We have the Honour of inclosing a Copy of a Letter from his
Excellency Monsieur De Sartine, The Minister of State for the
Marine of this Kingdom in Answer to which We have had the Honour to assure his Excellency that We would embrace the
first Opportunity of communicating it to Congress.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
Monsieur De Sartine
Passi
July 16. 1778
We have the
Honour of your Excellencys Letter of
the fourteenth instant, and We shall embrace the first Opportunity of writing
to Congress and to the Government of The
Massachusetts Bay, And enclosing Copys of your Excellencys
Letter to Us, which We are persuaded will have the most
powerfull Influence with them to exert themselves
Page 3
and to recommend to their Fellow Citizens to engage in Expeditions
for the relief of the Inhabitants of
St. Peters and
Miquelon. There is not the smallest doubt of their Ability to
supply the Wants of their Friends at those places provided the British Men of
War
are should be withdrawn from the
Newfoundland and
Hallifax Stations, but if there should remain as many Ships of
War on those Stations as there have been for the last two Years, the difficulty
will be very great.
We have the honour to inclose to your Excellency a Copy of a Letter just
received from Mr. Schweighauser, whereby your Excellency will
see the difficulties that still embarrass our Frigates, in relation to their
Prizes. We entreat your Excellencys further Attention to the Subject and that
orders may be given for the Releif of our Officers
and Men from their Embarrassments.
We have the Honour to request your Excellencys
Attention to another Subject, that of the British Prisoners made by our
Frigates, the Providence, Boston, and
Ranger and all others in future. As it is necessary for those
Frigates forthwith to proceed to Sea, and as We have some hopes of an Exchange
of Prisoners in
Europe We request your Excellency that We may have leave to
confine them in your Prisons, to be maintained there at our Expence untill exchanged or sent
by Us to
America and that your Excellency would give the necessary
Directions accordingly. We have the Honor to be with the greatest respect, your
Excellencys most humble and obedient Servants
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
Passi
July 16. 1778
Gentlemen
At the time when I took Lieutenant Simpsons Parole I did
not expect to be long absent from
America, but as Circumstances have now rendered the time of my
return less certain, I am willing to let the dispute between Us drop forever,
by giving up that Parole, which will entitle him to command the
Ranger. I bear no Malice. And if I have done him an Injury, this
will be making him all the present Satisfaction in my Power. If, on the
contrary he hath injured me, I will trust to himself for an Acknowledgment. --
I have the Honor to be, with Sentiments of due Esteem and respect Gentlemen
your obliged, very obedient and humble Servant.
Signed Jno. P. Jones.
[to] Honble. Commissioners.
By the preceeding Papers it will be seen that Jones had
been so elevated
Page 4
by his Success in taking Prizes and especially by
the Glory of capturing the Drake that he had acted a very high
handed and presumptuous Part upon many Occasions, which gave Us a great deal of
trouble, from several Sources. One of the greatest was, that We most heartily
applauded his Bravery, and were desirous of avoiding every thing that might
disgrace, or discourage him or any other Officer or Man of the Navy. Another
was, he was manifestly one of the Deane party and
countenanced, perhaps stimulated by the whole
Chops Corps of
Satelites of Mr. De Sartine at least, perhaps of
the Count de Vergennes, perhaps of the Treasurer of the Queen.
Chaumont,
Monthieu,Beaumarchais and
Bancroft and Holker and all their
Subordinates in
Nantes,L'Orient,
Brest,
Paris, and
every where were
blowing the Trumpets of Fame for Le Capitaine Jones, and a
refusal of the most unreasonable demand he made or could make, would be
unpopular with the Cabal of
Paris. His Conduct however was so
compleatly unjustifiable that Franklin
could not approve it, nor excuse it. He accordingly assented to all our
measures. With a great Exercise of Patience, We prudently brought him at last
to write Us the above Letter, which terminated all Difficulties for the
present.
The true Source of the dispute on board the Ranger, I suppose
was the same which produces most of the Quarrells
among Naval Officers, the division of the Glory. The Captain was thought to be
desirous of monopolizing the honor of conquering the Drake. The Officers and
Men, although they allowed that the Captain was a Man of desperate Courage, yet
unanimously affirmed that the Lieutenant was an abler Seaman and
more skillful in Battle, and that the Victory was in a greater degree due to
him. The partiality of the Crew for their Countryman the Lieutenant was natural
enough: but I have no doubt the Captain had his full share of Merit, in that
Action.
This day We received the Letter of which the following is a Translation.
Versailles the
18 July 1778
I receive, Gentlemen, Letters from
L'Orient, on the Subject of Differences, which have arisen,
between the Commander of the American Frigate the
Boston and some Frenchmen who made a part of his Crew, some in
the Character of Volunteers, and others in the quality of Sailors. According to
what is written to me, upon this Subject, whatever means have been employed to
effect a reconciliation, they have not been able to [illegible]
obtain it. And they have been obliged to disembark a Number of twenty Eight,
twenty five of whom are volunteers and three Novices. It appears that the
discontent of these People was not against the Captain of the Ship, nor against
that of the Volunteers, but that it was not the same with the first Lieutenant,
and two other Officers, from whom, it appears, they had received very ill
Treatment. These are Facts which have come to the Knowledge of the Commissary
of the Classes at
L'orient, as well as of Monsieur De La Touche
de
Treville Chef D'Escadre, who being at
L'orient
