Lee votre deputé à Londres, dont je pourrai avoir tressouvent des nouvelles. N‘etant point comme de lui, j‘aien recours a M. Le Compte de Lauraguais avec qui il esten liaison, pour lui faire passer ma premiere lettre.

Je viens d‘en recevoir une de Mons. Penet, il s‘agit deprocurer à la Colonie de Virginie, douze pieces de canonde six; ce calibre n‘est pas commun icy; cependant noustâherons d‘en trouver.

Il n‘est pas terns encore de vous parler d‘un fusil d‘unenouvelle construction, beaucoup plus simple, et qu‘on esperequi n‘en sera que plus solide; il y aura en même tems del‘epargne sur le prix l‘inventeur, nommé Reynard, m‘en faisoit attendre le modele de jour en jour depuis plus d‘unmois; il m‘annonce enfln qu‘il est terminé et l‘epreuve ensera faite la semaine prochaine avec l‘exactitude la plusscrupuleuse sous les yeux de Mons. De Gribauval qui ventbien s‘y preter, et qui en cas de reussite, sera enehanté quele premier employ en soit consacré a la cause de la liberté, de la justice, et de l‘humanité, et que l‘on ne commence aen faire pour le service des armées Françoises que quandles votres en seront abandamment pourvues.

ler Juillet.—Je n‘ai point encore reçu le paquet tant desiré de Roterdam, et il faut clore aujourd‘huy cette lettreque je vais remettre a Mons. De Boisbertrand qui passerademain en poste pour aller s‘embarquer a Nantes. Dieu veceille qu‘il puisse vous la remettre bientôt. Soyez persuade que je ne la lui ai confiée qu‘apres m‘etre assuré parde bons garants de sa fidelité, de son courage et de sa sagesse. Il m‘a donné sa parole d‘honneur qu‘an moins netombera t‘elle pas entre les mains de vos ennemis, tellechose qui puisse lui arriver à lui même. Il m‘en auroit faitserment si je faisois cas des sermens, mais je ne les ai jamais regardés que comme la derniere ressource des menteurs; sans cela je jurerois icy entre vos mains un hommagelige et une fidelité inviolable a l‘auguste Congrès de la plusrespectable Republique qui ait jamais existé; mais mon attacbement pour vous repond assez de mon devouement pourelle puisse t‘elle conserver longtems un sujet tel que vous, et en reproduire de semblables de generation en generation, et puissent mes services lui etre agreeables en sous ordres desvotres. Je mourrois content si je pouvois voir ma patrie etla votre intimement unies, et si j‘avois pu y contribuer jeserois au comble de mes voeux.

Je suis avec la plus parfaite estime et la plus tendre affection, Monsieur et cher ami, votre tres humble et tresobeissant serviteur,

BARBUE DUBOURG.

Comme il est fort douteux que ces depeches puissent parvenir jusqu‘a vous, tandis que la mer est herissée de vaisseaux Anglois, j‘en fait faire deux autres copies que je ferai partir chacune par un navire different, afin qu‘il puissevous en arriver au moins une des trois.

Enfin je joins icy un modele d‘alphabet en chiffres pour nous servir par la suite de part et d‘autre, si vous le jugezà propos. Chaque lettre principale y est representée par plusieurs chiffres differens, dont on employera tantôt l‘un ettantôt l‘autre pour mettre les curieux en defaut. Les motsseront distingués par l‘interposition d‘un caractere grecsans consequence; deux de ces caracteres auront la valeurd‘une virgule, et trois vaudront un point. Il faudra effacertous ces caracters grecs pour lire la lettre sans peine enconfusion faisons en immediatement l‘essay:

3, 2, 6, 19, 5, 23, 16, 12 γ, 44, 53, δ, 10, 51, 4, 61, θ36, 17, 6, 24, 71, 1, λ, 42, 28, 37, 33, μ, 82, 54, 11, 9, 8, 47, 59, 88, 13, 69, ξ, 31, 92, ω, 72, 34, 56, 73, σ, 6, 94, 4, 20, ø, 40, 100, 68, 48, 4, ψω

Pour dechiffrer cela, effacez les caracteres grecs:

3, 2, ৷, 19, 5, 23, 16, 12, ৷৷, 44, 53, ৷, 10, 51, 4, 61, ৷,

m, a, f, e, m, m, e, e, t, d, c, u, x,

36, 17, 6, 24, 71, 1 ৷, 42, 28, 37, 33, ৷, 82, 54, 11, 9,

f, i, l, l, e, s, v, o, u, s.

8, 47, 59, 88, 13, 69, ৷৷, 31, 92, ৷, 72, 34, 56, 73, ৷, 6, 94, 4, 20, ৷, 40, 100, 68, 48, ৷৷.

Cherchez maintenant les lettres correspondantes à chacunde ces chiffres dans l‘alphabet cy joint.

2e Juillet.—M. De Boisbertrand emmene avec lui à sespropres depens, deux bas officiers d‘une bravoure à touteepreuve, et d‘une conduite irreprochable, dont ou peyt fairede tres bons officiers, si l‘on en a occasion comme il est apresumer. Quant a lui je lui ai fait esperer le grade deColonel, dans la persuasion où je suis qu‘il peut bien le rempler a la satisfaction de vos generaux; je me suis cependantbien gardé de lui en donner de parole positive; mais je doisvous faire observer que c‘est un usage constant d‘avancer aumoins d‘un grade tout officier que l‘on fait passer d‘icy dansles Indes. Pour ce qui concerne tant M. Du Coudray que M. le Chevalier De Tot comme il auroit fallu prendré beaucouptrop sur moi pour faire partir l‘un ou l‘autre immediatement, je me crois obligé d‘attendre vos ordres à cet egard.

P. S. Je rouvris ma lettre pour vous dire que depuis uneheure, j‘ai appris des choses qui me feroient un peu rabattre de l‘idée que j‘ai pu vous donner de M. De Montieux.

Adieu, portez vous bien, prosperez, vous et les votres etsoyez sur que persone au monde ne vous est plus devoue.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO THEIR DELEGATES IN CONGHESS.

GENTLEMEN: We received a letter yesterday at oneo’clock from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., enclosingresolves of Congress relative to our Militia, in consequenceof which, as our powers are not adequate to the matters requested from this Province, we have resolved that a Convention be held at Annapolis, on Thursday, the 20th inst.;

now Ambassador here. He showed me much kindness, but importantconsiderations do not permit him to risk a dispute with the French Ministry. Though Mr. Penet hath positively authorized me, by word of mouthand by writing, to exercise for him and as himself the powers which hehas received from your Secret Committee, my mind is not altogether easyat his not having delivered to me the letter which you did me the honourto write with your own hand. In this perplexity, I have conceived theidea of forming a correspondence with Mr. Arthur Lee, your Deputy at London, from whom I might have frequent intelligence. Not beingknown to him, I have had recourse to the Count de Lauraguais, withwhom he is in connection, to get him to send my first letter. I have justreceived one from Mr. Penet; he is aiming to procure for the Colony of Virginia twelve pieces of cannon, six-pounders; that bore is not common here; however, we will strive to find them.

The time is not yet come to speak to you of a musket of new construction, more simple, and, it is hoped, not less solid; there will also be asaving in the price. The inventor (named Reynard) led me to expectthe model day by day more than a month; he tells me at length that it isfinished, and the proof of it will be made next week, with the most scrupulous exactness, under the eye of Mr. De Gribauval, who is pleased toattend it, and who, in case of success, will be charmed that the firstemploy of it should be consecrated to the cause of liberty, of justice, andof humanity, and that they should not be made use of for the service ofthe French armies till after yours shall be abundantly provided withthem.

July I st.—I have not yet received the much-desired packet from R otterdam; and I must this day close this letter, which I shall send byMr. De Bois Bertrand, and who goes post-haste to-morrow to embarkat Nantes, God grant that he may soon deliver it to you.

Be assured that I have not trusted it to him till after being convinced, by good warrants, of his fidelity, his courage, and his wisdom. He hasgiven me his word of honour that at least it shall not fall into the enemy’shands, though such a chance should happen to himself. He wouldhave given me his oath for it, if I laid stress upon oaths; but I have never regarded them otherwise than as the last resource of liars. Was itnot for that, I would swear, in this within your hands, a full homage andan inviolable fidelity to the august Congress of the most respectableRepublick which has ever existed. But my attachment to you answerssufficiently for my devotedness to that. May it long enjoy a subject suchas you, and produce likenesses of you from generation to generation!And may my services be agreeable to it in an under rank to yours. Iwould die contented could I see my country and yours intimately united;and could I contribute towards it, I should be at the summit of mywishes.

I am, with the most perfect esteem, and most tender affection, sir anddear friend, your very humble, and very obedient servant,

BARBUE DUBOURG.

As it is very doubtful whether these despatches will reach as far asyou, since the sea is poreupined with English cruisers, I have orderedtwo other copies, which I shall send by two different ships, so that oneof the three at least may arrive safely to you.

July 2d.—Mr. De Bois Bertrand takes with him, at his own charge, two subalterns, of thorough bravery and irreproachable conduct, ofwhom may be made very good officers, if they shall be wanted, as is tobe presumed. As to him, I have led him to expect, the rank of Colonel, from the persuasion I have that he would fill it well, to the satisfaction ofyour Generals. I have, nevertheless, been upon guard with him as togiving absolute word; but I must observe to you that it is the constantusage here to advance one rank every officer who is sent over to the Indies,

As to what regards Mr. Du Coudray and Mr. De Tot, as I must havetaken far too much upon me to make either one or the other to proceedimmediately, I thought myself obliged to wait your orders on that head.

P. S. I open my letter to tell you that within an hour I have learnedsome things which make me abate the idea which I gave you of Mr. Montieux. Adieu, fare you well, be prosperous, you and yours, andknow that not one in the world is more devoted to you.