2o6 Letters to Benjamin Franklin 



From Paulze. 1777. January 23. Paris. 



Sees no difficulty in the matter of Mr. Franklin's taking an interest 

 in the Society for furnishing tobacco to the Farmers-General. A. L. S. 

 I p. (In French.) V, 31. 



From J[onathan] Williams, Jr., to The American Commissioners. 



1777- January 23. Nantes. 



Date of the Mercury's sailing; unless he receives further commands, 

 will then set ofif for Paris, Trusts the Amphitrite got off from L'Orient. 

 A. L. S. 2 p. XXXVII, 44. 



From [Barbeu] Dubourg. 1777. January 23. 



Requesting Messrs. Franklin, Deane and Lee to give an interview 



to M. Bayard, on important business. A. N. in 3d P. I p. (In 



French.) LXX, 85. 



From Jo. Pfeffinger et al. 1777. January 24. Strassburg. 



Attesting the wholesomeness of a beverage similar to beer, manufac- 

 tured by Anton Holper and Frantz Xaverius Deck, in Landsor, upper 

 Alsace. D. S. i p. LIX, 33. 



From [Captain] Garanger. 1777. January 24. Havre. 



Has a letter of recommendation to Franklin from M. Brisson ; his 

 twenty-one years' service in the artillery ; his desire to enter the service 

 of America; his friends obtained for him from the King the rank of 

 captain of artillery and for his brother that of lieutenant; only expected 

 to wait at Havre six days, and it is now six weeks ; their money exhausted, 

 having received no advance on their appointments; asks Franklin's as- 

 sistance. A. L. S. 4 p. (In French.) V, 32. 



From [Louis Le Begue Duportail] to The American Commissioners. 



1777- January 25. Paris. 



The Court permits him to carry out his plan. Because of this 

 voyage and to recompense him for a great work for the corps, just 

 terminated, he is given the title of Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal 

 Engineer Corps. His first condition for entering the American ser- 

 vice was that he should have a rank higher than he held in France at 

 the moment of leaving. He makes the same request for his com- 

 panions, M. de Laumoy and M. de Gouvion. He urges great caution 



