hich I enclose you a copy by post, in hopes it will get to Bordeaux in
time for Mrs. Barclay. This _Arret_ ought to have a great effect towards
tranquillizing the nation. There are still, however, two circumstances
which must continue to perplex the administration. The first is, the
want of money, occasioned not only by the difficulty of filling up the
loan of the next year, but by the withholding the ordinary supplies of
taxes, which is said to have taken place in some instances: this
gives apprehension of a bankruptcy under some form or other, and has
occasioned the stocks to fall, in the most alarming manner. The second
circumstance is, that justice, both civil and criminal, continues
suspended. The parliament will not resume their functions, but with
their whole body, and the greater part of the _bailliages_ declined
acting; the present _Arret_ announces a perseverance in this plan. I
have information from Algiers, of the 5th of June, that the plague is
raging there, with great violence; that one of our captives was dead of
it, and another ill, so that we have there, in all, now, only fifteen or
sixteen; that the captives are more exposed to its ravages, than
others; that the great redemptions by the Spaniards, Portuguese, and
Neapolitans, and the havoc made by the plague, had now left not more
than four hundred slaves in Algiers; so that their redemption was become
not only exorbitant, but almost inadmissible; that common sailors were
held at four hundred pounds sterling, and that our fifteen or sixteen
could probably not be redeemed for less than from twenty-five to thirty
thousand dollars. An Algerine cruiser, having twenty-eight captives of
Genoa aboard, was lately chased ashore, by two Neapolitan vessels: the
crew and captives got safe ashore, and the latter, of course, recovered
their freedom. The Algerine crew was well treated, and would be sent
back by the French. But the government of Algiers demands of France,
sixty thousand sequins, or twenty-seven thousand pounds sterling, for
the captives escaped; that is, nearly one thousand pounds each. The
greater part of the regency were for an immediate declaration of war
against France; but the Dey urged the heavy war the Turks were at
present engaged in; that it would be better not to draw another power
on them, at present; that they would decline renewing the treaty of
one hundred years, which expired two years ago, so as to be free to act
hereafter; but, for the