ts from it, they count the difference once in their
favor; then a second time, when they sum the remittances of cash they
receive from France. There has been no _Arret_ relative to our commerce,
since that of August, 1784. And all the late advices from the French
West Indies are, that they have now in their ports always three times
as many vessels as there ever were before, and that the increase
is principally from our States. I have now no further fears of that
_Arrets_ standing its ground. When it shall become firm, I do not think
its extension desperate. But whether the placing it on the firm basis
of treaty be practicable, is a very different question. As far as it is
possible to judge from appearances, I conjecture that Crawford will do
nothing. I infer this from some things in his conversation, and from
an expression of the Count de Vergennes, in a conversation with me
yesterday. I pressed upon him the importance of opening their
ports freely to us, in the moment of the oppressions of the English
regulations against us, and perhaps of the suspension of their commerce.
He admitted it; but said we had free ingress with our productions. I
enumerated them to him, and showed him on what footing they were, and
how they might be improved. We are to have further conversations on the
subject. I am afraid the voyage to Fontainebleau will interrupt them.
From the inquiries I have made, I find I cannot get a very small and
indifferent house there, for the season, (that is, for a month) for less
than one hundred or one hundred and fifty guineas. This is nearly the
whole salary for the time, and would leave nothing to eat. I therefore
cannot accompany the court thither, but I will endeavor to go there
occasionally from Paris.

They tell me it is the most favorable scene for business with the Count
de Vergennes, because he is then more abstracted from the domestic
applications. Count d'Aranda is not yet returned from the waters of
Vichy. As soon as he returns, I will apply to him in the case of Mr.
Watson. I will pray you to insure Houdon's life from the 27th of last
month till his return to Paris. As he was to stay in America a month
or two, he will probably be about six months absent; but the three per
cent, for the voyage being once paid, I suppose they will insure his
life by the month, whether his absence be longer or shorter. The sum to
be insured is fifteen thousand livres tournois. If it be not necessary
to pay the money