Letters to Benjamin Franklin 213 



.From Thomas Walpole. 1777. February 10. London. 



Mr. Wharton is unable, in the present unhappy state of affairs in 

 America, to be of any use in the further application to Government for 

 lands on the Ohio river; therefore he has closed his account; concerning 

 Franklin's part in this. L. S. i p. V, 53. 



From M[ary] Stewart. 1777. February 10. Calais. 



Begging Franklin to lend her fifty pounds, which she promises faith- 

 fully to pay on her arrival in Paris; disappointed of money due her in 

 England. A. L. S. i p. V, 54. 



From Georgiana Shipley. 1777. February 11. London. 



Writes v^^ithout her father's knowledge, he deeming it imprudent in 

 the present state of affairs. Franklin's many friends in England. Ad- 

 vises him to read Smith's Wealth of Nations and Gibbon's History of 

 the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Franklin's likeness to Socrates. 

 Description of a new electrical machine invented in Italy. A. L. 4 p. 



V, 55. 



Printed in Hale's Franklin in France, I, 91. 



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

 1777. February 12. Nantes. 



Reasons which determined M. Peltier to purchase The Count de 

 Vergennes; expects to despatch her in three weeks. A. L. S. 2 p. 



XXXVII, 53. 



From Elizabeth Wright. 1777. February 13. London. 



A minute account of the case of [Ebenezer Smith] Piatt, now a 

 prisoner in Newgate on a charge of high treason committed in America. 

 Through Franklin's influence hopes his friends may be made acquainted 

 with his situation and thereby take some steps towards his acquittal ; 

 severities of his imprisonment. Mr. Piatt's uncle one of the members 

 of Congress. A. L. S. 7 p. V, 56. 



From Louis Simon. 1777. February 14. Marseilles. 



Is about to fit out and command a new ship bound for the West In- 

 dies for purposes of trade; desirous of placing an electrical conductor on 

 his ship, but was informed that the method had not yet been adapted 

 to the navy; begs Franklin to instruct him in such an important part of 

 his discoveries. A. L. S. 2 p. V, 57, 



