West River January the 27 1777
Gentell Men
Captain Mathews Com to Me from [y]ou for Cordigg and Canviss I have not So much of Eather as well Compleet the Galley thats fineshed I have firneshed this Galley With feeften or Sexteen Hundred Wait of My one Inglesh Cordig Such I am Shore I Cant git In this State to Replace I have taken Evrey Step to Git metearls for the Seven Galleys and the Nine armd vesells and have ben Continuley Disapointd you no I Deliverd you a bill of Parsels for Evrey thing at first but as Evrey one that you Employed to Build the Galley have Built them on Difrent Construction from What Was first Proposd, itis Emposebell for to no What Metearls is Sutebell for any of them but the two I have Built My self Which are Built agreeable to the Draft I Drew and laid befor the Convention Which the Convention aProved of and Desierd Me to Give the other Builders Copys of Which I Did I Sapose the other Builders have Consilted you before thay Built on a Difrent Plan
Intend to Baltemore this week to try If I Can Proswaid Msrs Lux and Bowley to Mak Me another Cable If I had a Cable that I Culd venterd this Galley In the Bay With I would sent hir to you long ago I think Capta.i.n Mathews Will tell you She is Comple[a]t for the use She Was Intended for Which is Dereclly to the Plan I laid befor the Convention I Shall Call on you as I go up for your Comands and shall Strickly observe them as far as In my Power I have Riged and fited out fore vesels for you Comple[a]t Which has taken a great dele of Cordigg Canviss Ship Chandle[r]y &c I am Gentell Men [&c.]
Stephen Steward
1. Red Book, XVII, Md. Arch.