eless one for our codfish. It was settled, therefore,
in our conferences, that an _Arret_ should be passed, abridging the
former one only as to the entrepot of codfish. I was in Holland when the
_Arret_ came out; and did not get a copy of it till yesterday. Surprised
to find that fish-oil was thereby also excluded from the entrepot, I
have been to-day to make some inquiry into the cause; and from what I
can learn, I conclude it must have been a mere error in the clerk who
formed the _Arret_, and that it escaped attention on its passage. The
_entrepot_ of whale-oil was not objected to by a single deputy at
the conferences, and the excluding it is contrary to the spirit of
encouragement the ministers have shown a disposition to give. I trust,
therefore, I may get it altered on the first occasion which occurs,
and I believe one will soon occur. In the mean time, we do not store a
single drop for re-exportation, as all which comes here is needed
for the consumption of this country; which will alone, according to
appearances, become so considerable as to require all we can produce.

By a letter of the 8th instant, from our bankers, I learn that they had
disposed of bonds enough to pay our June interest, and to replace the
temporary advances made by Mr. Grand, and from a fund placed here by the
State of Virginia. I have desired them, accordingly, to replace these
monies, which had been lent for the moment only, and in confidence of
immediate repayment. They add, that the payment of the June interest
and the news from America, will, as they trust, enable them to place
the remaining bonds of the last year's million. I suppose, indeed, that
there is no doubt of it, and that none would have been expressed, if
those two houses could draw better together than they do. In the mean
time, I hope the treasury board will send an order for so much as may be
necessary for executing the purposes of Congress, as to our captives at
Algiers.

I send you herewith, a _Memoire_ of Monsieur Caseaux, whose name is
familiar on the journals of Congress. He prepared it to be delivered to
the King, but I believe he will think better, and not deliver it. The
gazettes of France and Leyden accompany this.

I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

P. S. May 27, 1788. I have kept my letter open to the moment of Mr.
Warville's departure (he being the bearer of it), that I might add
any new incidents th