My letters to Mr. Jay will have informed you of the objects which
carried me to England: and that the principal one, the treaty with
Portugal, has been accomplished. Though we were unable to procure any
special advantages in that, yet we thought it of consequence to insure
our trade against those particular checks and discouragements, which it
has heretofore met with there. The information as to the Barbary States,
which we obtained from Abdrahaman the Tripoline ambassador, was also
given to Mr. Jay. If it be right, and the scale of proportion between
those nations, which we had settled, be also right, eight times the sum
required by Tripoli will be necessary to accomplish a peace with the
whole; that is to say, about two hundred and forty thousand guineas.
The continuance of this peace will depend on their idea of our power to
enforce it, and on the life of the particular Dey, or other head of the
government, with whom it is contracted. Congress will, no doubt,
weigh these circumstances against the expense and probable success of
compelling a peace by arms. Count d'Estaing having communicated to me
verbally some information as to an experiment formerly made by this
country, I shall get him to put it into writing, and I will forward it
to Congress, as it may aid them in their choice of measures. However,
which plan is most eligible can only be known to yourselves, who are on
the spot, and have under your view all the difficulties of both. There
is a third measure, that of abandoning the Mediterranean carriage to
other nations.

With respect to England, no arrangements can be taken. The merchants
were certainly disposed to have consented to accommodation, as to the
article of debts. I was not certain, when I left England, that they
would relinquish the interest during the war. A letter received since,
from the first character among the American merchants in Scotland,
satisfies me they would have relinquished it, to insure the capital and