Note 177 — Chapter II

The debt due to the crown of France was ascertained in 1782 to be eighteen millions of livres; and by the contract entered into by the Unites States with the king of France, on the 16th of July, 1782, the principal of this debt was to be paid in twelve annual instalments of one million five hundred thousand livres each, in twelve years, to commence from the third year after a peace, at the royal treasury in Paris. The interest was payable annually, at the time and place stipulated for the payment of the instalments of the principal, at five per cent. The king generously remitted the arrears of interest due at the date of the contract. There was also due to the King of France ten millions of livres, borrowed by him of the States-General of the Netherlands for the use of the United States, and the payment of which he had guaranteed. This sum was to be paid in Paris in ten annual instalments of one million of livres each, commencing on the 5th of November, 1787. The interest on this loan was payable in Paris immediately, and the first payment of interest became due on the 5th of November, 1782. There was also due to the Farmers-General of France one million of livres, and to the king six millions of livres, on a loan for the year 1783; making in the whole thirty-eight millions of livres, or $7,037,037, due in France. There was also due to money-lenders in Holland $671,000; for money borrowed by Mr. Jay in Spain, $150,000; and a year's interest on the Dutch loan of ten millions of livres, amounting to $26,848;—making the whole foreign debt $7,885,085. The domestic debt amounted to $34,115,290. Five millions of this were due to the army, under the commutation resolves of March, 1783. The residue was held by other citizens, or consisted of arrears of interest. The whole debt of the United States was estimated at $42,000,375, and the annual interest of this sum was $2,415,956.