t,
by the Mr. Fitzhugbs of Virginia, who expect to land at Philadelphia.

I enclose you a correspondence which has taken place between the
Marechal de Castries, minister of the Marine, and myself. It is on
the subject of the prize-money, due to the officers and crew of the
Alliance, for prizes taken in Europe, under the command of Captain
Jones. That officer has been here, under the direction of Congress,
near two years, soliciting the liquidation and payment of that money.
Infinite delays had retarded the liquidation till the month of June. It
was expected, when the liquidation was announced to be completed, that
the money was to be received. The M. de Castries doubted the authority
of Captain Jones to receive it, and wrote to me for information. I
wrote him a letter dated July the 10th, which seemed to clear away that
difficulty. Another arose. A Mr. Puchilberg presented powers to receive
the money. I wrote then the letter of August the 3rd, and received
that of the M. de Castries, of August the 12th, acknowledging he was
satisfied as to this difficulty, but announcing another; to wit, that
possibly some French subjects might have been on board the Alliance, and
therefore, that Captain Jones ought to give security for the repayment
of their portions. Captain Jones had before told me there was not a
Frenchman on board that vessel, but the captain. I inquired of Mr.
Barclay.. He told me he was satisfied there was not one. Here, then,
was a mere possibility, a shadow of right, opposed to a certain, to a
substantial one, which existed in the mass of the crew, and which was
likely to be delayed; for it was not to be expected that Captain
Jones could, in a strange country, find the security required. These
difficulties I suppose to have been conjured up, one after another, by
Mr. Puchilberg, who wanted to get hold of the money. I saw but one way
to cut short these everlasting delays, which were ruining the officer
soliciting the payment of the money, and keeping our seamen out of what
they had hardly fought for, years ago. This was, to undertake to ask an
order from Congress, for the payment of any French claimants by their
banker in Paris; and, in the mean time, to undertake to order such
payment, should any such claimant prove his title, before the pleasure
of Congress should be made known to me. I consulted with Mr. Barclay,
who seemed satisfied I might venture this undertaking, because no such
claim could be presented.