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

A report detailing the population size of the Pays de Gex divided into the towns of Gex, Bains, Cessy, Chalex, Chevry, Collonges, Divone, Ferney, Meyrin, Priguy, St Jean de Gonville, and Versoise. The title has been written in a large, elaborate script, suggesting that this was a presentation copy of the report.

The report notes that the Pays de Gex is freed from the taxes on salt and tobacco as it is landlocked between Geneva, Switzerland, and Savoy, and is separated from the other provinces by Mount Jura. The village of Lelex is not included in this exemption because it is located beyond Mount Jura but the inhabitants claim that they should enjoy the same favour as the inhabitants of the Pays de Gex.

The report notes that the Pays de Gex is freed from the taxes on salt and tobacco as it is landlocked between Geneva, Switzerland, and Savoy, and is separated from the other provinces by Mount Jura. The village of Lelex is not included in this exemption because it is located beyond Mount Jura but the inhabitants claim that they should enjoy the same favour as the inhabitants of the Pays de Gex.

A report providing observations of a project seeking to detach the Pays de Gex from the five large farms [Les gabelles, L’octroi de Paris, Les droits de traits, La ferme du tabac created in 1674-5, and Le ferme d’Occident also created in 1674-1675], and to remove all employees currently established there.

Report of Archibald MacDonald on 1 individual petition (prisoner) and 4 collective petitions (48 people, from London, including 2 aldermen; 37 people from London, including an alderman and neighbours of the prisoner; 18 people from London, and 32 people from London) on behalf of Isaac Morgan (indicted as John Morgan), bookseller, convicted at the Court of King’s Bench, on 16 May 1789, for the publication of an obscene libel by selling a pamphlet The Battles of Venus, translated from Voltaire, in May 1788. There is also a written evidence by Isaac Morgan. Grounds for clemency: prisoner did not realise the book sold was obscene, the book has been sold widely in London, another bookseller selling the same book has received a free pardon, prisoner has a good reputation and supports his mother (aged over 70) who is in great distress. Initial sentence: 12 months imprisonment in Newgate, to stand once in the pillory at Charing Cross and security of £200 for future good behaviour. Recommendation: remission of the requirement to stand in the pillory but the rest of the sentence to stand.

A report consisting of nine articles concerning the rights of the people of the Pays de Gex. The articles are as follows:

1. The Pays de Gex has been disunited from the five large farms
2. Inhabitants of the Pays de Gex are allowed to trade with foreigners as they see fit
3. They wish that the salt tax be imposed every year in each of the communes
4. The nobility, clergy, and other privileged individuals wish to be subject to the taxation of salt ordered by the preceding article
5. The price of each minot of salt shall be fixed at the sum of 23 livres in accordance with the decree of the Council of 26 August 1738
6. If the Pays cannot provide the amount of salt specified, their families and Bertiaux should be allowed to provide the additional salt as they see fit
7. The findings of the three orders of the Pays de Gex will be carried out in the presence of the general tenderer of the farms or his clerk
8. The price of the salt delivered will be paid to them in the hands of the adjudicataire général des fermes
9. The provisions of the ordinance of May 1680 will be observed