[Philadelphia] March 21. 1777
Sir
We find complaints are made by the officers and Seamen concerned in the Capture of Prizes that have fallen into your hands as Continental Agent, for want of a distribution of Prize Money and it is urged by Mr [Jonathan] Glover their Agent that you neglect or refuse to settle the accounts or to pay him the share appertaining to the Captors which puts it totally out of his power to make distribution, and in consequence of these delays the Maritime service of the Continent suffers exceedingly, in short it is owing to unhappy circumstances of this kind that the Navy cannot be manned and we now must press your immediate attention and utmost exertion to settle the accounts of every prize whose circumstances can admit of Settlement, and if you have delivered any Prize goods for the Continental service produce the Inventories thereof with the receipts that prove the delivery to Messrs Isaac Smith Ebenezer Storer and William Philips whom we have appointed to value the same. The Amount of such valuations you will charge to the Continent and Credit in the respective Account sales which will enable you to compleat the Account of all such prizes and you will then pay to the Agent for the Captors their proportion agreeable to the Resolves of Congress.2
We must also remind you of our Letter of Instructions dated the 18th of October the receipt of which you acknowledged but hitherto have not complyed with the Contents. We suppose it will be sufficient to inform you, we shall be under a Necessity of requiring a Strict Complyance with those injunctions from all the Agents.3 We are sir &c.
1. Marine Committee Letter Book, 63, NA.
2. These instructions to Bradford relate only to prize distribution of vessels taken by General Washington's schooners.
3. See Volume 6, 1321-22.