n8 Life of Count Rumford. 



" 1 am sorry to inform you that nothing has yet been done at 

 the Treasury respecting your Petition. I have often inquired 

 after it, and I shall continue to do everything in my power to 

 forward it. But just at this moment their Lordships are so 

 extremely busy with Parliamentary matters that it is next to 

 impossible to get them to attend to anything else. But as soon 

 as the present hurry is a little over, I would hope they will take 

 the Petitions of the American sufferers into consideration; and 

 you may rest assured that your Petition will be among the very 

 first that are; laid before them. 



11 1 am, Dear Sir, with great regard and respect, 

 " Your most Obedient, 



" And most faithful, humble Servant, 



"B. THOMPSON. 

 " DOCTOR GARDINER." 



It is suggestive to think of Mr. Thompson as hav- 

 ing in hand, and inquisitively scanning, the official pa- 

 pers seized with Henry Laurens, the late President of 

 our Congress, when he was captured, in the summer 

 of 1780, by a British frigate near Newfoundland, on 

 his way to Holland as our Minister Plenipotentiary. 

 Laurens was then in the Tower, and his papers, which 

 he had thrown overboard on his capture, but which 

 were fished up by a seaman, made piteous exposure of 

 the needs of his countrymen. Thompson, it seems, 

 divulged their secrets. He was soon after to have a 

 meeting with Laurens under other circumstances. There 

 were many curious surprises in those days, which re- 

 quired that Americans meeting in Europe should keep 

 full command of courteous manners. 



It is probably safe to accept the reason and motive 

 assigned by Cuvier as the promptings which induced 

 Mr. Thompson to seek active military service in the 

 royal army, and in that capacity to return to his native 



