I do not recollect whether or not he consented, or that I presented the memoir; but I perfectly remember that if I did it was ineffectual, and the embargo still continuing, I took another method, which succeeded.

I inserted a relation of the affairs in one of our letters to M.de Maurepas, though I had difficulty in prevailing upon M.de Montaigne to suffer the article to pass.
I knew that our despatches, although their contents were insignificant, were opened at Venice.

Of this I had a proof by finding the articles they contained, verbatim in the gazette, a treachery of which I had in vain attempted to prevail upon the ambassador to complain.

My object in speaking of the affair in the letter was to turn the curiosity of the ministers of the republic to advantage, to inspire them with some apprehensions, and to induce the state to release the vessel: for had it been necessary to this effect to wait for an answer from the court, the captain would have been ruined before it could have arrived.

I did still more, I went alongside the vessel to make inquiries of the ship's company.