252 Letters to Benjamin Franklin 



of making salt-petre; wants to obtain a passage gratis and to carry 

 certain letters of recommendation. Arrangements being made by them 

 for two vessels to sail once a month for America; will take anyone 

 Franklin recommends without any expense, if he so wishes. A. L. S. 

 2 p. (In French.) VI, 47. 



From Josiah Smith. 1777. June 4. London. 



Born in Massachusetts, educated at Cambridge and studied physic 

 and surgery until January, 1777, when he took ship for Bordeaux; gives 

 an account of their capture by the English and their confinement in 

 Plymouth ; after two months obtained his freedom ; treatment of the 

 ship's company who, though they swore they were subjects of the United 

 States, were forced into the service of the King. Two hundred Ameri- 

 cans prisoners at Plymouth and as many more at Portsmouth; is 

 coming to France to report their miserable condition to Franklin ; his 

 destitute state; begs Franklin to procure him a place as surgeon on some 

 vessel; a friend of his, Capt. Brown, lately commander of a privateer, 

 has just escaped and also would be glad of assistance. A. L. S. 2 p. 



VI, 48. 



From M[ichae]l Hillegas to The American Commissioners. 



1777- June 5. Baltimore. 



Supposes they are already acquainted with Congress having established 

 a Continental Loan Office, taking money on interest ; they will see by the 

 late papers that far from being crushed, affairs look better than could 

 have been expected. A. L. S. i p. VI, 49. 



From Jona[than] Williams, [Jr.], to The American Commissioners. 

 1777- June 5. Nantes. 



Books on Cavalry to go by the Massachusetts; Count Pulaski and his 

 two companions to embark on this ship ; money advanced for their pas- 

 sage. Terms on which he can procure suits of clothing, shoes, saddles 

 and holsters. A. L. S. 3 P- XXXVII, 89. 



Frorn John Porter. 1777. June 6. St. Malo. 

 Account of his capture, imprisonment at Plymouth and escape; is in a 

 strange country and destitute of every necessary of life; desperate cir- 

 cumstances of his poor countrymen who are treated like felons in the 

 prisons of Plymouth; English worse than the Turks; promised to tell 

 Franklin of Capt. John Adams's capture. A. L. S. 2 p. VI, 50. 



