seph Chiappe, our agent at Mogadore, I am notified of
a declaration of the Emperor of Morocco, that if the States General
of the United Netherlands do not, before the month of May, send him an
ambassador, to let him know whether it is war or peace between them, he
will send one to them with five frigates; and that if their dispositions
be unfavorable, their frigates shall proceed to America to make prizes
on the Dutch, and to sell them there. It seems to depend on the Dutch,
therefore, whether the Barbary powers shall learn the way to our coasts,
and whether we shall have to decide the question of the legality of
selling in our ports vessels taken from them. I informed you, in a
former letter, of the declaration made by the court of Spain to that of
London, relative to its naval armament, and also of the declaration of
the Count de Montmorin to the Russian minister here on the same subject.
I have good information, that the court of Spain has itself made a
similar and formal declaration to the minister of Russia at Madrid.
So that Russia is satisfied she is not the object. I doubt whether the
English are equally satisfied as to themselves. The season has hitherto
prevented any remarkable operation between the Turks and the two
empires. The war, however, will probably go on, and the season now
admits of more important events. The Empress has engaged Commodore Paul
Jones in her service. He is to have the rank of rear-admiral, with
a separate command, and it is understood that he is in no case to be
commanded. He will probably be opposed to the Captain Pacha on the Black
Sea. He received this invitation at Copenhagen, and as the season for
commencing the campaign, was too near to admit time for him to ask
and await the permission of Congress, he accepted the offer, only
stipulating, that he should be always free to return to the orders of
Congress whenever called for, and that he should not be expected to bear
arms against France. He conceived, that the experience he should gain
would enable him to be more useful to the United States, should they
ever have occasion for him. It has been understood, that Congress had
had it in contemplation to give him the grade of rear-admiral, from the
date of the action of the Serapis, and it is supposed, that such a mark
of their approbation would have a favorable influence on his fortune in
the north. Copies of the letters which passed between him and the Danish
minister are herewith tran