Gallais, Francois Michel, 1757-1826 [Captain Gallais' observations on American merchant ships engaged in combat with French ships]

Written in French by a Captain Gallais of the corsair La Laure to First Consul of French Republic Napoleon Bonaparte. Translation in collateral file. Gallais is offering his opinion on how the French government should handle American merchant ships that previously engaged in battle with French ships under the new treaty, the Convention of Mortefontaine, which was signed in October 1800. Says treaty is only applicable retroactively to ships with irregularities in their papers, not to ships engaged in combat. Says boarding of American ships and request to hoist the flag is still permitted, and would therefore be permitted in the past. Says it is impossible to distinguish between neutrals and enemies unless ship's flag is hoisted and the ship boarded. Claims papers must be examined to assure flag is justified. In left margin of recto, Napoleon wrote that the document should be returned to the Minister of External Relations. Under his note it is signed "Bonaparte." In upper left corner of recto is 75 centimes stamp of the French Republic.