of them you will find in the enclosed copy of a letter which I have
written to General Knox. The box is marked T. J. No. 36, is gone to
Havre, and will be forwarded to you by the first vessel bound to New
York, by Mr. Nathaniel Cutting, an American gentleman establishing
himself there.

Recalling to your mind the account I gave you of the number and size
of ships fitted out by the English last year, for the northern
whale-fishery, and comparing with it what they have fitted out this
year, for the same fishery, the comparison will stand thus:

Years. Vessels. Tons. Men.

1788. 255 75,436 10,710

1789. 178 51,473 7,476

Difference. 77 23,963 3,234

By which you will perceive, that they have lost a third of that fishery
in one year, which I think almost entirely, if not quite, ascribable to
the shutting the French ports against their oil. I have no account of
their southern fishery of the present year.

As soon as I was informed that our bankers had the money ready for the
redemption of our captives, I went to the General of the order of
the Holy Trinity, who retained all his dispositions to aid us in
that business. Having a very confidential agent at Marseilles, better
acquainted than himself with the details, he wrote to him for his
opinion and information on the subject. I enclose you a copy of his