Cambridge Head Quarters Jany 20. 1776
Dear Sir
I arrived here the 15 Instant & delivered the Money to the Treasurer & your Letters to the General Court ー I immediately endeavourd to find out the most convenient & safe place to Build the Vessells for the Continental Service, 2 Consulted the several Members of the Council & other Gentlemen who were of opinion that Newbury Port was the most suitable place Upon all Accounts & I conferred with Mr Cross of Newbury Port 3 about Building the same who is gone to that Town to Confer with Mr Jona Greenleaf upon the Subject, I think I shall Contract with those Gentlemen, I have already engaged fifteen Tons of Hemp & am Informed can procure the Rest & Duck sufficient for both Vessells of Mr Willm Dennie, I have purchased the sea Coal of Mr [Thomas] Mifflin, The Iron, in order to get it upon the cheapest Terms must be had from Philadelphia ー Mr Cross tells me as the Timber for these Vessells must be very large, he must pay the Cash down for it & therefore must be furnished with at least one Third of the Builders Bill immediately or he shall not be able to procure the stuff; this will amount at least to Two Thousand pounds lawfull money; The Cost of the Hemp Duck Coal will be very Considerable so that you will perceive the Necessity of my being furnished with a Considerable Sum of Money immediately in order to proceed upon this Affair with Expedition. ー
As there will be constant & frequent Calls Upon the Continental Treasury for Cash I submit it to your Consideration whether it would not be adviseable to secure the Cash for the Vessells to be Built in our Province immediately. I hope to hear from you soon with further directions and also the drafts of the Vessells, let me know the size of the Timber & the Thickness of the plank, pray be as particular in your directions as possible ー We have no news here except the repulse of Our Troops at Quebec. I heartily greive for the loss of Genl Mongomery & his Aid the Camp Mr McPherson ー we have taken A Vessell from London & another from Ireland with Provisions for the Ministerial Troops, 4 in great haste I conclude with my respects to Mrs Hancock [&c.]
Thomas Cushing
1. Personal Papers, Misc., Accession 1930, LC.
2. Cushing had arrived from Philadelphia with authority to have built the two Continental frigates to be constructed in Massachusetts.
3. Stephen and Ralph Cross were involved in building the frigates; Cushing is not clear about which one he consulted.
4. The ship Friends and brig Sukey, carried into Newburyport on January 15, 1776.