Decoding Revolutionary Correspondence

I found on the web the following cipher text written by Benjamin Franklin, with a remark "This has never been deciphered." from a 1903 book.

I have just received a 14, 5, 3, 10, 28, 2, 76, 203, 66, 11, 12, 273, 50, 14, joining 76, 5, 42, 45, 16, 15, 424, 235, 19, 20, 69, 580, 11, 150, 27, 56, 35, 104, 652, 20, 675, 85, 79, 50, 63, 44, 22, 219, 17, 60, 29, 147, 136, 41, but this is not likely to afford 202, 55, 580, 10, 227, 613, 176, 373, 309, 4, 108, 40, 19, 97, 309, 17, 35, 90, 201, 100, 677.

Since I could not post a reply to that page, I present below the decipherment of the Franklin cipher.

I have just received a neuu comiissjon joining me uuith m adams in negodiaions for peace but this is not likely to afford me much employ at present

I have just received a 14 < n > 5 < e > 3 10 28 < c > 2 < o > 76 < m > 203 66 11 < s > 12 < s > 273 < j > 50 < o > 14 < n > joining 76 < m > 5 < e > 42 45 16 15 < t > 424 < h > 235 < m > 19 < a > 20 < d > 69 < a > 580 < m > 11 < s > 150 27 < n > 56 < n > 35 < e > 104 < g > 652 < o > 20 < d > 675 85 < a > 79 50 < o > 63 < n > 44 < s > 22 < f > 219 < o > 17 < r > 60 29 < e > 147 < a > 136 < c > 41 < e > but this is not likely to afford 202 < m > 55 < e > 580 < m > 10 227 < c > 613 < h > 176 < e > 373 < m > 309 4 < l > 108 < e[or o] > 40 < y > 19 < a > 97 < t > 309 17 < r > 35 < e > 90 < s > 201 < e > 100 < n > 677 < t >

The decipherment is also published in Ralph E. Weber, United States Diplomatic Codes and Ciphers (1979). For some details of the cipher used here, see an article by me. Since Dumas was French, his cipher did not include "w" and Franklin had to spell it with "double u".

Decoding Revolutionary Correspondence

Franklin to Dumas, 16 August 1781