enjoyed equally
between the three contracting powers, to the exclusion of all other
nations.

"5. The regulations of commerce to be reciprocal.

"6. Any British vessel found or met with on the coast of North or
South America, or the Islands adjacent or belonging thereto, _within a
certain degree or distance to be agreed on_, shall be forever
hereafter considered as lawful prize to any of the subjects of France,
Spain, or the United States, and treated as such as well in peace as
in war,--nor shall France, Spain, or the United States ever hereafter
admit British ships into any of their ports in America, North or
South, or the Islands adjacent, nor shall this article ever be altered
or dispensed with, but only by and with the consent of each of the
three contracting States.

"7. During the present war, France and Spain to send fleets into the
seas of the United States to defend them from the British, and should
the possessions oL France or Spain in America be attacked, the United
States to lend such aids as they can for their defence.

"8. No peace to be made with Great Britain, by either of the
contracting parties, to the infringement or violation of any one of
these articles."

* * * * *

TO THE COMMITTEE OF SECRET CORRESPONDENCE.

Paris, 6th December, 1776.

Gentlemen,

You have enclosed the duplicate of an agreement with Mons. du Coudray,
of my orders for clothing, stores, &c., of my agreement with Baron de
Kalb and others of his train, also with the Comte de Monau and his,
which I hope will be agreeable, also the agreement for freight of the
ships, which I was assured by letters from Bordeaux and elsewhere was
as low as could be procured. At the same time, if it is above the
stated price, in such cases I am promised an abatement. I hope the
peculiarity of my situation, and the anxious desire I have of
forwarding aid to my country, will be considered if any of the
articles are thought high. Men cannot be engaged to quit their native
country and friends, to hazard life and all in a cause, which is not
their own immediately, at the same easy rate as men will do who are
fighting literally _pro aris et focis_, and it is a universal custom
in Europe to allow something extra to foreigners, but my allowances
are very much below the rates here for officers in the same station.

I have the honor to be, with the most profoun