this character have been rendered particularly by the upright and learned judge Cambauld, who has gone further, and on account of the delinquency of the neutral for carrying to the enemy in some cases, a bale of Osnaburgs, which instead of being employed for sails, are used for negro clothing; and in others, a cask of nails, which instead of being used for Ship Building are employed in House Building, has condemned the Ship and the residue of the Cargo. It is true that small nails and even Brads are used in finishing the Cabin of a vessel; but as well might the Admiralty Court condemn Window Glass, because this article is used in glazing the windows of a ship's cabin, or leather, because it serves to prepare the Boxes of the pumps, as they can condemn any species of nails beneath the size of what is called Dock Nails, a smaller sort of spikes, and which are the only nails that can with common sense be alleged to serve directly to the equipment of Vessels.

That in the provincial Courts of Admiralty such decisions may have happened, when we know the character and capacity of some of the judges, is not to be wondered at; but that in the High Court of Admiralty, especially in the Court of Appeals, a decree so entirely preposterous should be even apprehended is truly surprizing. I will never believe it possible, until it has actually been given, and the sooner we decide the question the better. A trial cannot be had in any case, in which, according to your statement, the point will be more simple and easy to be settled.

I therefore desire that you will by all means, prosecute the appeal, before the Lords; that you may perceive that on this occasion I follow the sentiments of our Government, I transmit to you the extract of a Letter that I have received from the Secretary of State, which shows the importance of a decision that shall put this question at rest.

With great Esteem &c. &c.

RUFUS KING.

P. S. I need not remark to you that the supply of nails for the building of mills & houses and particularly for Negroes is a valuable branch of the American West India Commerce.

HENRY DUNDAS TO RUFUS KING, ESQ.*

Copy.

SIR :

PARLIAMENT STREET, 18th August, 1798.

I have received the honor of your letter of the 16th instant, enclosing a letter from Mr. Lane, a Merchant in the City of London, stating that his Correspondent Mr. Derby of Salem in the United States, is desirous of sending a Ship to Bengal for the purpose of exporting from thence to the United States a Cargo of Saltpetre.

Independent of any personal consideration, which would induce me at all times to pay attention to any wish of yours, I can have no hesitation in contributing to afford every possible facility to the Government of the United States, which my influence with the East India Company can tend to procure, and I shall instantly forward your application to the Court of Directors, who I flatter myself will feel no hesitation in complying with your wish. I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obed, humble St. HENRY DUNDAS.

DEAR SIR:

G. CABOT TO R. KING.

August 18, 1798.

I am just now favored with your's of the 12th & 26th of May. You are in the midst of great events which occupy the attention of the whole world & for whose issue we feel a particular solicitude. We speculate more on what is passing on your side the water than the affairs which are transacting here; indeed it is impossible we shou'd not see that our destiny is involved in the fate of Europe. If France succeeds in executing the projects of her mad ambition, it appears to me a Feudal System worse than the old will be established over the whole face of the civilized world. We shall see only two sorts of people Soldiers & Slaves. While conjecture is rambling everywhere with the Toulon Fleet I have ventured to opine that they are gone into the Euxine in concurrence with the Turks to attack the Russians in that quarter &

* Answer to R. King's Letter, Aug. 16, 1798.

thus to divert their force from the borders of the Baltic. There Germany may be also checked, & there the disaffected Polanders may be easily rallied. If such is the object, its first success may be great, resulting from surprise & from a security against the Fleets of England which wou'd be shut out from the passage of the Dardanelles but it wou'd ultimately be favorable to England by engaging Russia to act with vigor against all the undertakings of France. If however Nelson overtakes them I expect a profitable victory & this wou'd seem to be certain if the French are not acting in concert with the Turks.

Our accounts from Ireland are to the first week in June & are affecting-if the Govt. succeeds however in fully suppressing the Insurrection as is expected no one can doubt that the power of G. B. will be greater than before; the anxieties about Ireland will cease & the Royal army there will form a new security against the French.

I saw the P last week at Quincy, he is extremely dissatisfied, (I think), with Gerry; he maintains however that he can do no harm now, but he supposes the Directory will try new artifices to restore their party here. I think Congress will be called together early in November if anything occurs to render it expedient. You will see that they have not done enough altho' they have done many good things. We are still tainted with Jacobinism in various parts of the U. S. but the majority of Antijacobins is certainly very great on the whole & I think we are in less danger than we have been these 5 years,-among the military arrangements you see Hamilton is named first after Washington, but several sorts of people are endeavoring to establish the opinion that Knox and others cannot serve unless their rank is above Hamilton's, because Hamilton's rank in a former war was below theirs. I hope that Mr Pinckney will not be ensnared by those fallacious plausibilities which have been successful (as I am told) with Knox; the Country needs all the aid of H's talents & I trust will have it.

I know nothing of Mr. Pitt's scheme but what I infer from the remarks in your letter, we ought to make liberal allowances for the extraordinary circumstances in which G. B. is placed, but it will be unfortunate for us & perhaps for her, if she is obliged to adopt any measures which will furnish new food to the french

Partisans in the U. S. Some of the great men about you still entertain the belief that an Invasion is to be attempted; I have often wished it but never for a single moment cou'd believe it. It must certainly give you great pleasure to know that we are earnest in equipping a little navy & that we shall soon have 50 vessels of all sizes-say from 10 to 44 guns. You will be equally glad to hear that our Interdict of french trade has already produced very uneasy sensations among the West India Cutthroats & I think if we are steady & G. B. cooperate with us, in less than a year the trade of the Enemy Colonies may pass into the hands of G. B. & the U. S.; but this I think shou'd not be admitted unless those Colonies throw off the Jacobin Yoke.

Notwithstanding almost all Europe is enslaved by France yet to me it appears that France is on the decline-I hope the time so often mentioned by the Clergy is at hand when the wrath of man having praised the Lord the remainder of it he will restrain. A line from Gunn lately informed me that the Georgians were federal & other information corroborates his-the bold and patriotic language of P. Adams has done infinite service among the people.

G. C.

CHAPTER XXVI.

King to Secretary of State relative to Negotiations between England and Holland-To Lord Grenville on Talleyrand's Proposals to Gerry and Lord Grenville's Answer-Also Application for the Use of certain Cannon given by George II. to South Carolina and then in Halifax-Yellow Fever in Philadelphia-Apprehended Difficulty with Commissioners under sixth Article-Military Appointments-Hamilton and Knox-King to Secretary of State-French Perfidy and Outrage-Also his Satisfaction with the decided Measures against France-State of Europe-Landing of French Troops in Ireland-Ignorance of the Destination of French Fleet from Toulon-On the Eve of a Recommencement of the War on the Continent -Irish Rebellion-Dr. Logan in Paris-King complains to Lord Grenville of Proceedings of English High Court of Admiralty in the Matter of Captures-Pickering's Opinion of Gerry-Correspondence about MusketsKing to Hamilton-Military Appointments-Pickering on the same-King says the Conduct of the President and of America wise and approved in England-Circular to Consuls as to Commissions to armed American

Vessels.

R. KING TO SECRETARY OF STATE. No. 94.*

Secret and Confidential.

LONDON, August 20, 1798.

DEAR SIR:

Mr. Murray has on several occasions informed me that dispositions and views existed among certain influential persons in power in the country where he is, to throw off the odious dominion of France: the object of these communications has been to procure from England assurances of support on certain points, and relaxation in the rigour with which the war is carried on, particularly against the Dutch Fisheries.

These communications have always been so loose, informal, and imperfect that I have, on his account as well as others, felt considerable embarrassment in permitting myself to be drawn into an affair, the * In cipher.