Sir

We acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 27th Novemr wrote by Order of your Committee upon the Subject of Permitts for Shipping Provisions to New England; In Reply to which we observe, that the New England Colonies stand constantly in need of Supplies of Bread, Flour & Corn from your Country, more especially the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, where the Continental Army are now fixed. The Exportation of the Articles before mentioned ought to be under a very strict Regulation to prevent any Misapplication of what may be intended for our Friends there: We submit it to your Consideration, whether it would not be adviseable to require either a Certificate from some Committees of Inspection in those Governments, and where such Certificate cannot be conveniently obtained, and the People applying for such Permitts are Residents of New England, or of your Colony to require the Shipper or the Master of the Vessell in which the Provisions are to be exported, to give Bond, that they shall be landed or delivered to our Friends in those Governments, and to Oblige the Master to make Oath, that he will use his best Endeavours, that they shall be so landed and delivered We are with great Respect [&c.]

Mr Samuel Purviance Junr