Includes letters and documents concerning the War of the Austrian Succession, France’s support for the Jacobite cause of Charles Edward, the Young Pretender, in England, and other aspects of French foreign policy; the finances of the French navy; diplomatic relations and commerce with other countries such as Spain, Russia, and Portugal; shipbuilding, navigation, scientific expeditions, and taxation. Papers concerning Maurepas’s management of the royal household document his patronage of the arts, including the Comédie Française and dancers of the Royal Academy. Also included are personal letters to Maurepas from his politically powerful aunt concerning life at the court of Versailles; and a report on naval affairs written by Joseph Pellerin for Voltaire, which Voltaire used later in his Précis du siècle de Louis XV.
Correspondents include Maurepas; his father, Jérome Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain, and grandfather, Louis de Pontchartrain, who preceded him as Secretary of the Navy; his aunt, Armande de la Porte Mazarin, marquise de Mailly-Nesle; Charles Edward, the Young Pretender; King George II of England; Louis François Armand, duc de Richelieu; Joseph Pellerin; and Voltaire

The commissaries will send a copy of the French memorial on St. Lucia by ordinary post. The King is at Bellevue and will spend Lent at Versailles. The memorial about the two French ships in Nova Scotia will be handed to the French as soon as possible. Ammon has arrived in Paris and is lodging at Voltaire’s house, but only informed Le Chambrier after two days. He refers to naval intelligence from Rochefort and the failure of the clergy to make a return on their revenues.

Yorke encloses two essays. One refers to the merchants trading in the East, and their decision to petition the King regarding the Turkish taxes, ‘avanias’, which have been imposed upon them. The second praises recent British naval operations. Also enclosed is a copy of his letter to Hockersan, in which he requests information regarding an adultery case, between a merchant and his wife. He asks the Academy’s impression of the inscription when they publish a new book of their memoirs, and if Hockersan has access to ‘any manuscripts of note’, particularly a copy of the essays of Voltaire.

Maréchal Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, 3rd duc de Richelieu writes to Voltaire that Admiral Byng’s fate causes him great pity. He notes that all he had known of Byng was positive and that all of his actions had been admirable. He then writes that it is the opionion of all our sailors that the forces were equal as the English had 13 ships and the French 12 with more numerous and fresher crews, and that chance was on the French side, forcing Byng to retreat as persistence would have resulted in the loss of the English fleet. He concludes by noting that there has never been a more flagrant injustic than that of Admiral Byng, remarking that every man of honour (and particularly every soldier) should take an interest in the case.

Voltaire writes that Sextus Pompée was Secretary of State for the Navy, and so he has the right to address the Duc de Praslin, however the package is big and he does not wish to bore his protector.