ARTHUR LEE. COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO ARTHUR LEE. Philadelphia, August 8th, 1777. Sir, We have to acknowledge yours of March 18th from Vitoria in Spain, and another of May 13th from Paris. The first falls particularly under the notice of the Committee of Commerce to whom it has been referred. You could not, at the time of writing it, have been certified of the arrival of some interesting despatches from Congress to your colleagues in France on the 10th of that month, which might have occasioned a very considerable alteration in the politics of the Court of Versailles, which would consequently influence those of the Court of Madrid. The intelligence contained in your last is a most pleasing confirmation of the hopes, which you had given us of pecuniary aid from Spain. Whatever tends to establish the value of our paper currency is most highly important to us. Congress will immediately go into a consideration of the several hints for this purpose given by you and Messrs Franklin and Deane. The unpleasing events in the northern department have so far engaged the attention of all public bodies, that it has been impossible for Congress to decide upon the subjects mentioned to them by you, early enough for us to forward their determinations by the present opportunity. By our several letters despatched in the armed sloop Independence from hence, or by duplicates and gazettes sent by Mr M’Creary from Baltimore, you will know by way of Paris the history of our military affairs in a regular detail. We are at this time altogether uncertain as to Mr Howe’s destination, his fleet not having been seen since the 1st of this month. Indeed, we shall leave you for the most part to get information of our operations from the gentlemen at Paris, to whom we shall have the most direct opportunities of conveyance. We wish you success on the embassy you are now engaged in; and we are pleased that you are so agreeably connected with Mr Sayre, whose attachment to the cause of liberty and this country has been manifested. We are, with much regard, Sir, your friends and humble servants, BENJAMIN HARRISON, ROBERT MORRIS, JAMES LOVELL. TO THE BARON DE SCHULENBURG. Paris, August 13th, 1777. Sir, Upon inquiry I find the plan for establishing assurance companies at Rouen, Nantes, and Bordeaux is not yet carried into execution, and that it respects French subjects only. At Cadiz they confine themselves to forty thousand livres in one bottom. I am satisfied, Sir, upon the maturest reflection and consultation with my brother Commissioners, that the opening of your ports to our cruisers is the only way of commencing a commerce with effect.