isit none, however great my
personal respect might be for them, without being previously informed,
that they would return my visit. It is my opinion, I ought to wait on
none but those of France, Holland, and Prussia; the latter, because on
his presentation to the royal family, he paid the same compliment to
me as to others. I presume that my presentation will not take place,
until the Count de Florida Blanca receives an answer from the Count
d'Aranda, whom he directed to communicate to Mr Jay the present
disposition of this Court.

On the 15th ult. the Court of Portugal thought proper to repeal an
ordinance, published the 5th of July, 1776, prohibiting the entry of
all American vessels into the ports of Portugal, &c. &c., and
directing in future, that they shall be treated on the same footing as
those of other nations in friendship with that Crown.

On the 30th of January I had the honor to inform you, that it was more
than probable that the Emperor and Russia meditated great designs. It
has been my constant endeavor since to procure information on that
head. I will not pretend to give as authentic, the result of my
inquiries, although I have collected my information from various
persons in a situation of knowing what passes at these Courts. From
these I have collected, that in the month of April, 1780, the Courts
of Vienna and Petersburg adopted the project of attacking the Turkish
empire in Europe, and at that period concluded an eventual partition
treaty. In order to have time to make the necessary preparations for
this war, and to conceal their real intentions, these Courts offered
their mediation to the belligerent powers, and proposed a general
Congress, in which they hoped to embroil matters still further, and to
retard the peace. The Courts of France and Spain were aware of their
intention, and although they accepted the proffered offer of
mediation, they evaded, under different pretexts, fixing either the
place or the time for assembling the Congress. I remarked, that soon
after the signature of our provisional treaty with Great Britain, the
Ambassador of the Emperor and the Russian Minister were very uneasy,
and exceedingly inquisitive to know whether there would be a general
Congress or not, sounding me on that subject on a supposition, that I
should be advised of it by Dr Franklin. Lately, they have circulated a
report, that the Congress would be held at Vienna. The Count de
Montmorin, who was compromitted