To Benjamin Franklin from James Smith, [between 27 December 1778 and 17 April 1779]
From James Smith
AL: American Philosophical Society
[between December 27, 1778, and April 17, 1779]7
It is requested by Doctor Smith that the “Articles particularly a Dozen of Knives and Forks Some Table Cloths and Napkins wrapt up in a peice of Crocus” being from this discription contained in a Note delivered to him by Mr Loyd8 from Doctor Franklin part of the Baggage detained at Calis by the Custom House Officers and said to be left at Passy may be delivered to the Bearer Mr Arthur9 who will receive and transmit them Accordingly to Doctor Smith the proper proprietor.
NB The Above Articles were sent up to Paris some time before Doctor Smith left France and were arrived long before he made his last enquiries after them at Passy.
Addressed: To / Doctor Benjn Franklin / One of Commissioners For the / United States of America
Notation: Note from Dr Smith to Dr F. relative to his Effects.—
7. The earlier date is when Smith’s goods arrived at Passy: see our annotation of Vergennes’ letter to the commissioners of Dec. 18. The latter date is when BF released them to Mr. Arthur, whose dated receipt for the items is at the APS. Smith went back to England without the passport he had requested; he did not return to America until some time after 1785: James McLachlan, ed., Princetonians, 1748–68: a Biographical Dictionary (Princeton, 1976), pp. 212–13.
8. Richard Bennett Lloyd, an American sympathizer who returned to England at the end of 1778: XXVI, 343n. The note has disappeared.
9. Possibly the junior partner of Connelly and Arthur, Dunkirk merchants with extensive American contacts who wrote BF on Feb. 4, 1783 (APS), to solicit business. For the firm see Almanach des marchands, p. 193.