The reports of 
     
     1 72 7 received. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Pensens' report 
     
     received. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The masts have 
     
     arrived at 
     
     Rochefort. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The masts 
     
     have failed 
     
     the inspection. 
     
    
   
   
    
     1728: 23 June — (at Compiégne) to Mézy (Commissaire at Louisbourg) 
     
    
   
   
    
     l have received the letters that you wrote to me 14 September, 21, 24, 27 November 
     
     and 10 December of last year with the papers that were attached. I approved that 
     
     you took advantage of the opportunity of the journey of Sieur de Pensens to send 
     
     Sieur Le Normant your son to lle Saint-Jean so that he could inspect with the 
     
     Charpentiers [carpenters/Shipwrights] the masts found on this island, on the quality 
     
     of which there is nothing [to change?], and the report that he has made on it is exact. 
     
    
   
   
    
     [PAC, AC, Series B, Vol. 52, fols. 600-600v.] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1728: 24 June — (at Compiégne) to Pensens (Commandant on lle Saint-Jean) 
     
    
   
   
    
     l have received the letters that you wrote to me 20 October and 20 November of last 
     
     year. l have seen that this occasion has enabled you to make the discovery of a 
     
     harbour on lle Saint-Jean called the havre a /'ours [i.e. ’Bear Harbour’, now Murray 
     
     Harbour] which from the description that you make cannot be of great use being full 
     
     of sand bars. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Monsieur de Mézy has sent me the report of the inspection that you made with Sieur 
     
     Lenormant and two Charpentiers [carpenters/Shipwrights] of the masts found in the 
     
     woods of this island. If the idea that you give of their beauty and quality is found to 
     
     be such, this discovery will be very useful in the service of His Majesty. As the 
     
     contract that Monsieur de Mézy has agreed with the man called LeComte Charpentier 
     
     has been approved we will be able to determine this year whether the quality of the 
     
     masts is as you think. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I will inform you next year of the intentions of his Majesty on the proposal that you 
     
     have made of providing yourself with vessels needed as much for the transport of 
     
     supplies and munitions as for other uses . 
     
    

    
     [PAC, AC, Series B, Vol. 52, fols. 603-603v] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1729: 18 January — (at Versailles) to Beauharnois (lntendant at Rochefort) 
     
    
   
   
    
     I have been delighted to learn that the Dromadaire, the Gironde and the Profond have 
     
     entered the port. 
     
     [PAC, AC, Series B, Vol. 53, fol. 109v] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1729: 29 March — (at Versailles) to Beauharnois (lntendant at Rochefort) 
     
    
   
   
    
     I received, Monsieur, the letters that you have written to me on 8 10 and 12 of this 
     
    
   
   
    
     month with the reports of the inspection of masting and planks sent from lle Royale 
     
     on the King’s f/utte the Dromadaire. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I will write to Monsieur de Mézy not to send any more such masts; those that have 
     
     been received, however will not be a heavy cost having been bought at a low price. 
     
     With regard to the planks of pine that you point out to me, which are well made and 
     
     of good quality, you will see the price that they have cost from the statement that I 
     
     send to you on the whole supply: amounting to 6664 livres, 1 sol — including 4 [.7 ] 
     
     for [delivery ?]. You will inform me whether you consider it suitable to have a 
     
     delivery each year by the King’s ship of similar planks at the same price. I await your 
     
     reply in order to give Monsieur de Mézy my orders on this subject. 
     
    
   
   
    
     [PAC, AC, Series B, Vol. 53, fol. 129] 
     
    
   
   
    
     69