am persuaded the other facts are totally independent of these, and of one another, and are accidentally brought together in point of time.  Neither nation is in a condition to go to war:  Great Britain, indeed, the least so of the two.  The latter power, or rather its monarch, as Elector of Hanover, has lately confederated with the King of Prussia and others of the Germanic body, evidently in opposition to the Emperor’s designs on Bavaria.  An alliance, too, between the Empress of Russia and the Republic of Venice, seems to have had him in view, as he had meditated some exchange of territory with that republic.  This desertion of the powers heretofore thought friendly to him, seems to leave no issue for his ambition, but on the side of Turkey.  His demarkation with that country is still unsettled.  His difference with the Dutch is certainly agreed.  The articles are not yet made public; perhaps not quite adjusted.  Upon the whole, we may count on another year’s peace in Europe, and that our friends will not, within that time, be brought into any embarrassments, which might encourage Great Britain to be difficult in settling the points still unsettled between us.

You have, doubtless, seen in the papers, that this court was sending two vessels into the south sea, under the conduct of a Captain Peyrouse.  They give out, that the object is merely for the improvement of our knowledge of the geography of that part of the globe.  And certain it is, that they carry men of eminence in different branches of science.  Their loading, however, as detailed in conversations, and some other circumstances, appeared to me to indicate some other design:  perhaps that of colonizing on the western coast of America; or, it may be, only to establish one or more factories there, for the fur-trade.  Perhaps we may be little interested in either of these objects.  But we are interested in another, that is, to know whether they are perfectly weaned from the desire of possessing continental colonies in America.  Events might arise, which would render it very desirable for Congress to be satisfied they have no such wish.  If they would desire a colony on the western side of America, I should not be quite satisfied that they would refuse one which should offer itself on the eastern side.  Captain Paul Jones being at L’Orient, within a day’s journey of Brest, where Captain Peyrouse’s vessels lay, I desired him, if he could not satisfy himself at L’Orient of the nature of this equipment, to go to Brest for that purpose:  conducting himself so as to excite no suspicion that we attended at all to this expedition.  His discretion can be relied on, and his expenses for so short a journey will be a trifling price for satisfaction on this point.  I hope, therefore, that my undertaking that the expenses of his journey shall be reimbursed him, will not be disapproved.