The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 05
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 05
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
There is an article of news from Copenhagen of the 4th of July. "The
vessels of war, the Prince Frederick and the Jutland, each of seventy
guns, and the frigates, the Pearl and the Alsen, are in the Road. The
Admiral's flag will be hoisted on the 6th on board the Justitia, of
seventyfour guns, and all the Dutch fleet will consist, this year, of
ten ships of the line, from seventyfour to fifty guns, and six
frigates, thirtysix to thirty. There has already sailed of this fleet,
one ship of sixty guns, for the coast of Guinea; one of fifty is in
the north sea; another is in the Road of Elsinore, for a guard ship,
and three frigates have sailed for America. Thus the squadron will
remain composed of seven ships of the line and three frigates, which
are to join the Russian fleet. Yesterday and the day before, arrived
in the Road of this city a Russian fleet, consisting of fifteen ships
of the line and four frigates, under the command of Admiral Borislow,
of Vice Admiral Kruse, and of the commandant, Polibin; and on the 1st
of this month, there passed before the port of this city, the Swedish
ships of war, coming from the Baltic Sea, and making sail toward the
Sound."
_Elsinore, 27th of June._ "There has sailed from this port a convoy of
eighteen merchant ships, destined for the North Sea, under the convoy
of a Swedish ship of the line and a frigate."
There is a paragraph in the Amsterdam Gazette of the 14th, which is
worth translating, because these paragraphs oftentimes betray a great
deal of politics. It is this; "the conquest of Mobile, made by the
Spaniards, the news of which has lately arrived here, appears so much
the more important, as it leads infallibly to that of Pensacola, by
which the Spaniards may cut off one of the principal avenues of
Jamaica, and may, in time, intercept the commerce and the provisions
of this Island, from whence they are much annoyed at Mexico by the
English, who sufficiently incline to extend themselves when they can,
and had made since the peace so great progress in this part of the
world, that to stop them, the war was become almost indispensable to
Spain." It might have been added, that it was become indispensable to
France too; for the English have ever made it a maxim to go to war
with France, as she had a fine fleet and a flourishing commerce. Burn,
sink, and destroy, were the words with England whenever a formidable
navy appeared upon the ocean, belonging to any other nation.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
COUNT DE VERGENNES TO JOHN ADAMS.
Translation.
Versailles, July 20th, 1780.
Sir,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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