range mystery, which when explained, must surprise you.
C., who pretends to exercise authority over these moneys, will I fear
persist in withholding them, till he obliges me to lay a second
complaint before the Minister against him, and if I am reduced to the
necessity of this step, he will not come off so well as he has
hitherto done, on the score of betraying secrets.

I will take care of your packets, and as I expect to remain but two or
three days longer, I hope to hear from you through the hands of our
friend R. M. of Philadelphia. Let me know how Mr Round Face, that went
lately from Paris to the Hague, is proceeding? I understand he has
gone to Amsterdam. I wish he may be doing good. If he should
inadvertently do evil, as a stranger, I shall, as his fellow-citizen,
be very sorry for it, but you being a native will hear of it. I
confess I am anxious about his situation. The man has a family, and in
these troublesome times, I wish he were at home to mind his trade and
his fireside, for I think he has travelled more than his fortune can
well bear. Present my respects to Madam and the virgin muse. I got
many little pieces addressed to me while near the Court, but I made
very little return.

I am, my dear philosopher, with unalterable regard, yours.

JOHN PAUL JONES.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

The Hague, September 12th, 1780.

Sir,

There has been a great dearth of news for some time, which is happily
interrupted by the capture of the English East and West India fleets,
by the combined fleets of France and Spain, as your Excellency will
see by the accompanying journals. Important as this event is in
itself, we consider it here as the presage of what we are to hope in
America; the capture of the twelve English vessels bound to Quebec,
made by the Americans off Newfoundland, and the failure of General
Kniphausen at Springfield, is an agreeable foretaste of what we may
expect from the combined operations of the French and Continental
forces. There is nothing going on here, the States of Holland having
done nothing in their present session, except to deliberate on a
petition of the merchants of Amsterdam, for the free passage into
France of naval stores and copper, by the canals of Flanders and
Brabant, until the navigation of the Republic is better protec