The Hague 13. Oct. 1797. My dear Sir, [undecipherable: probable reading "Were"] I in China I should not wonder at the total absence of letters from these shores — but [undecipherable] as I am possessed of — But [undecipherable] with such constant opportunities I do wonder & grieve. — If you have not time my young friend M^r. John McHenry would write & let me know how you do & that I am not gone from all remembrance — W^m. also grieves — for I have received but one letter from you — but one from my brother — a line from Claripse since I became Dutch! The Dutch Fleet at length resolved to try its title to the [undecipherable] with the British — they went out on Saturday last — Duncan's Squadron being supposed to be in part — The Fleets met a little south of the Texel, where you may easily suppose from the map I shall find you [undecipherable]. [Honble. J^s. McHenry Esq^r.] and an engagement took place. The Dutch Fleet under Admiral De Winter, formerly a Lieutenant of a Ship, consisted of 17 of the line & ten frigates & small ships — The British of it is said of 16. of the line & some frigates (I do not hear how many.) The Dutch were, as might be expected from their inexperience & want of old officers, & especially of old, seasoned, between = = deck subordination, were defeated & Eight Line Ships of the line, [undecipherable] ten, taken — They behaved very handsomely & with the greatest bravery — De Winter & another Admiral Krayenstein are among the prisoners. On the sailing of the Fleet the greatest joy prevailed among the men in public life — & on a false report of the British flying before the Batavian flag the guns were fired at Rotterdam & great demonstrations of [undecipherable] took place — The sudden reverse of fortune has affected all classes as you may imagine with a steady gloom. Dead bodies, & the wrecks of masts sails &c float up heavily upon the long line of sea coast & present mournful detail of the defeat. This, though I can not help grieving for my [undecipherable: probable reading "true"] & honest friends the Dutch, who deserve to be a free & independent nation, under present circumstances will help us; as that British Squadron which was large & expensive, will be no longer necessary on this coast — The times, the priest of modern speculation, will find their rival enemy [undecipherable] strong by this liberation of force from European attention, in the West Indies, as to render the [undecipherable] & supplies of the U.S. & their neutrality, more & more essential Politics here are differently affected by this event. The mass of the people who appear to be orangists, do not lament — & many of them are to day drinking & rejoicing in private at this defeat which they think will help their friend the Prince. I have not heard from any of [undecipherable] our Deputies at Paris since their arrival — I have written every post — I am almost certain they would write — Since the publication of M^r. Adams's letter respecting this country &c. I have [undecipherable] to apprehend a great attention on the part of the French to all letters to & from Ministers to the U.S. — Indeed I feel the effects of that publication in various ways — but it has produced an undisguised resentment in the members of the Gov^t. — If you write to [undecipherable] any minister ordered off — the way would be to publish his dispatches — I shall [undecipherable] do my duty, as I have told one of the members of the Commission des Relations Extérieures — & among others spoke to me with rather a menace, or at best a warning, of such communications. — So my dear Sir, you will judge upon this affair — The ministers must write the truth on the whole of it — & I shall do [undecipherable] & the gov^t. must judge as to publication — always however under a certainty that from that moment any minister becomes obnoxious at the [undecipherable] is. — as yet from appearances, they seem to like me, very well — They have a committee upon a[nother] [undecipherable]. I lately wrote by Cap^t. [undecipherable] of Baltimore to you & to Gen^l. W. — Lafayette is liberated. God bless you & yours my dear friend & believe me always affectionately W.V. Murray.