my last, in hopes of being
favored with the answers of the Courts of Versailles and Madrid to the
plan of pacification, as soon after you may receive them, as shall be
convenient to you. It is my earnest wish to form my conduct upon the
fullest informations I can possibly obtain, and to avoid any step,
which may have the least tendency rather to injure than to promote the
interests of either country.

Your Excellency will be pleased to accept my warmest thanks for your
attention to the business of my mission, your wishes for the success
of it, as well as for the assurances of your personal zeal, to promote
the general interests of the United States.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the highest respect, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

St Petersburg, September 15th, 1781.

Sir,

In my letter from Berlin I did myself the honor to give your
Excellency an account of my route, as far as that city. A duplicate of
that letter will accompany this. I was detained there nine days, the
first part of which time was lost by my illness, and the rest in
waiting for my carriage. I set off from thence the 2d of August, and
arrived here, travelling day and night, on the 27th, _New Style_,
having stopped in this route (sometimes to recruit a little, and
sometimes to make the reparations to my carriage, necessary in so long
a journey) at the following places, viz. Dantzic, Konigsberg, Memel,
Riga and Narva, all of which are ports of consideration, and lay in my
way.

I made during my short stay in them as full inquiry into the nature of
their commerce as circumstances would admit of. I do not find that the
exports from any of them, Riga excepted, are calculated for our
markets, or that we can derive any advantage from them, till we engage
in circuitous voyages and become their carriers. The great article of
Riga is cordage of all sorts, which I am told is the best in all these
countries. They export considerable quantities of hemp likewise, to
say nothing of articles similar to our own, but this article can
perhaps be better purchased at St Petersburg, than anywhere else. I
expect to receive shortly a minute account of all the exports and
imports of Riga, with their prices current, &c. Being no merchant, my
account of these things it is to be expec