Letters to Benjamin Franklin 129 



From Amable Hardy. 1779. August 12. Nantes. 



Forwarding the preceding; the assistance he has been enabled to ren- 

 der these prisoners; their longing to return to America. Offers his 

 services in his role of merchant. A. L. S. 3 p. (In French.) 



XV, 118. 



From Garde de Maligny. 1779. August 12. Guines. 



Begs Franklin to forward the enclosed to his only son, who sailed for 

 America more than two years before and served as aide-de-camp to M. 

 de Coudray; apparently not one of his letters has ever reached him. A. 

 L. S. 4 p. (In French.) XV, 119. 



From Rob[er]t Montgomery. 1779. August 12. Madrid. 



Informed Franklin in his last letter that he had been granted every 

 liberty and protection by the Count de Florida-Blanca; since then in- 

 curred the Governor-Assessor's ill will and has been ordered to retire 

 twenty leagues from the coast till he can prove the authenticity of the 

 passport and certificate signed by Franklin, Lee and Adams; relies on 

 Franklin to obtain him redress. A. L. S. 2 p. XV, 120. 



From Fraii[ci]s Coffyn. 1779. August 12. Dunkirk. 



Services he hopes to render the French sailors, who belonged to Capt. 

 Conyngham and who were exchanged by the last cartel as Americans. 

 Concerning a report that in England they regard the " Black Prince " 

 as a sort of pirate-ship navigated by a parcel of Irishmen and that those 

 men who were taken will be tried as pirates; effect of this rumor upon 

 the Irish sailors who have flocked to Dunkirk to ship on board other pri- 

 vateers; desires Franklin's opinion of the best steps to take to save 

 the poor men from an ignominious punishment. A. L. S. 3 p. 



XV, 121. 



From Mercy & Lacaze & Fils. 1779, August 13. Cadiz, 



Safe return of their ship from Philadelphia; left Messrs. Lacaze and 

 Mallet to form a commercial establishment there; their ship to sail 

 for Philadelphia again towards the end of September. Wish to know 

 if a bank is to be established by the united efforts of Congress and 

 France. Desire letters of recommendation for a commercial establish- 

 ment which they intend to form in Baltimore. A. L. S. 2 p. (In 

 French.) XV, 122. 



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