Province to
provide separately for the protection of its commerce; otherwise all
the trafficers in wool, who do a great business in this article, among
others for Flanders, both French and Austrian, will retire from Leyden
to Amsterdam.

The Ambassador of France wishes that the great city had shown itself
less inflexible against the army augmentation, and that it had set off
this augmentation against unlimited and effectual convoys. I am not of
this opinion. I think they would thereby put a dangerous weapon into
the hands of the Anglomanes, and that the convoys would be no less
evaded, and the republican party led by the nose. Our friend reasons
better, in wishing that his country should be a commercial, and not a
mediating power in Europe. In fact, since from the acknowledgment of
the Anglomanes themselves there is little to fear for the Republic,
(for on the part of the English it is clear that it is not military
but naval forces that she wants); and since both are so much at the
disposal of the Anglomanes, it is as well for us and for the Republic
itself that they should remain on the old footing; and this probably
will happen; for commerce, seeing they do not protect it, will not the
next year pay the double of the right of entry and the excise; and
this will reduce the fleet of the Republic from thirty two to
twentytwo vessels, great and small.

_September 20th._ The Court of France has made a declaration here,
that it has prohibited throughout the kingdom, the importation of
cheese from North Holland. This interdict will not be removed until
the cities of North Holland have acceded to the affair of convoy.

I have the honor to be, &c.

DUMAS.

* * * * *

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The Hague, September 20th, 1779.

Gentlemen,

Returned from Passy, where I have been detained some weeks longer than
I had expected, and during which, affairs have not suffered here from
my absence, because I constantly kept up correspondence with our great
and worthy friend in this country; returned also from Amsterdam, where
I was ordered to go for some secret business; I have the honor to send
you herewith the public papers, which will apprize you of what has
happened throughout Europe these last few months; you will see also by
my letter to Dr Franklin, the pres