This Court has not completed its intended new system for the trade of their Colonies, so that I cannot yet give a certain account of the advantages that will in fine be allowed us. At present it is said we are to have two free ports, Tobago and the Mole, and that we may carry lumber and all sorts of provisions to the rest, except flour, which is reserved in favor of Bordeaux, and that we shall be permitted to export coffee, rum, molasses, and some sugar, for our own consumption.
We have had under consideration a commercial treaty proposed to us by the King of Prussia, and have sent it back with our remarks to Mr Adams, who will I suppose transmit it immediately to Congress. Those planned with Denmark and Portugal wait its determination,
Be pleased to present my dutiful respects to the Congress, and believe me to be, with sincere and great esteem, Sir, &c.
_May 13th._ I now enclose a copy of the ratification of the Definitive Treaty, on the part of his Britannic Majesty.
I have the honor to inform you, that I have transmitted to London the ratification on the part of Congress of the Definitive Treaty of peace, between Great Britain and the United States of America, and I am ordered to represent to you, that a want of form appears in the first paragraph of that instrument, wherein the United States are mentioned before his Majesty, contrary to the established custom in every treaty in which a crowned head and a republic are parties. It is likewise to be observed, that the term definitive _articles_ is used instead of definitive _treaty_, and the conclusion appears likewise deficient, as it is neither signed by the President, nor is it dated, and consequently, is wanting in some of the most essential points of form necessary towards authenticating the validity of the instrument.
I am ordered to propose to you, Sir, that these defects in the ratification should be corrected, which might very easily be done, either by signing a declaration in the name of Congress for preventing the particular mode of expression, so far as it relates to precedency in the first paragraph, being considered as a precedent to be adopted on any future occasion, or else by having a new copy made out in America, in which these mistakes should be corrected, and which might be done without any prejudice arising to either of the parties from the delay.