these, I received information from our bankers in Holland, that they had
money in hand sufficient to answer the demands for the foreign officers,
and for the captives; and that, moreover, the residue of the bonds of
the last loan were engaged. I hereupon wrote to Mr. Grand for an exact
estimate of the sum necessary for the officers. He had stated it to me
as being forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty-two livres eleven
sous six deniers a year, when I was going to Holland to propose the
loan to Mr. Adams, and at that sum, you will see it was stated in the
estimate we sent you from Amsterdam. He now informed me it was sixty
thousand three hundred and ninety-three livres seventeen sous ten
deniers a year. I called on him for an explanation. He showed me that
his first information agreed with the only list of the officers and sums
then in his possession, and his last with a new list lately sent from
the treasury board, in which other officers were set down, who had been
omitted in the first. I wrote to our bankers on account of this error,
and desired to know whether, after receiving the money necessary for the
captives, they were in condition to furnish two hundred and fifty-four
thousand,livres for the officers. They answered me by sending the money,
and the additional sum of twenty-six thousand livres, to complete the
business of the medals. I delivered the bills to Messrs. Grand and
company, to negotiate and pay away; and the arrears to the officers, to
the first day of the present year, are now in a course of payment.
While on this subject, I will ask that an order may be forwarded to the
bankers in Holland to furnish, and to Mr. Grand to pay, the arrearages
which may be due on the first of January next. The money being in hand,
it would be a pity that we should fail in payment a single day, merely
for want of an order. The bankers further give it as their opinion, that
our credit is so much advanced on the exchange of Amsterdam, that we
may probably execute any money arrangements we may have occasion for,
on this side the water. I have the honor to send you a copy of their
letter. They have communicated to me apprehensions, that another house
was endeavoring to obtain the business of our government. Knowing of no
such endeavors myself, I have assured them that I am a stranger to any
applications on the subject. At the same time, I cannot but suspect
that this jealousy has been one of the spurs, at least, to the promp