With regard to the six millions given by the King in aid of our operation's for the present campaign, before the arrival of Mr Laurens, 2,500,000 of it went in the same ship with him in cash; stores equivalent to 2,200,000 more of it were ordered by him, and are shipped; 1,500,000 were sent to Holland, to go in the ship commanded by Commodore Gillon. Add to this, that Captain Jackson, by his orders, purchased clothing and stores in Holland, to the value of about L50,000 sterling, for which he has drawn bills on me, which bills I accepted, and also agreed to pay those drawn on Messrs Laurens, Jay, and Adams; expecting aid from a projected loan of 10,000,000 of livres for our use in Holland. But this loan meeting with unforeseen difficulties, and its success uncertain, I have found myself obliged to stop the money in Holland, in order to be able to save the honor of the Congress drafts, and to comply with my engagements. By these means you have really at present no funds here to draw upon. I hope, however, that Messrs Couteulx, & Co. will be enabled to honor your drafts; but I trust in your prudence that you will draw no more till you have advice of funds provided. And as the laying out so much money in Holland instead of France is disapproved here, and the payment will, therefore, not be provided for, I must earnestly request your aid in remitting that sum to me before December next, when my acceptances will become due, otherwise I shall be ruined with the American credit in Europe. With regard to the wealth and credit of the House of Le Couteulx, & Co. I have never heard it in question. But as Mr Ferdinand Grand, banker at Paris, and his broker, Sir George Grand, banker in Holland, have been our zealous and firm friends ever since our arrival in France, have aided us greatly by their personal interest and solicitations, and have often been six or seven hundred thousand livres in advance for us, and are houses of unquestionable solidity, I cannot but be concerned at any step for taking our business out of their hands, and wish your future bills may be drawn on Ferdinand Grand, for I think it concerns our public reputation, to preserve the character of gratitude, as well as that of honesty and justice. The commission hitherto charged to us by Mr Grand for receiving and paying our money is a half per cent, which, considering the trouble given by the vast number of small drafts for interest of the loans, appears to me a moderate consideration. With great and sincere esteem, I have the honor to be, Dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. * * * * * TO THE GOVERNORS OF MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, NEW YORK, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, AND NORTH CAROLINA. Philadelphia, July 27th, 1781. Sir,