[Extract]
Mr Jarvis
Dear Sir,

Your post going off before his usual time prevented your hearing from me last week, Agreeable to your request I now send you the valuation of the fifty Rifles and the other Musquets. I agree in Sentiment with you as to the price of the Duck, tho'gh had not several pieces been much damgd eight pounds (even at that time) would have been very low as Duck Sold about that time by the Single piece at the Exorbitant price of £15, I think it will always be best to charge the Continent for the Articais they have occation for & which in part belongs to them as low as we can consistant with Justice to the Captors Lest the Congress may Suppose we enhance the Value of things to make our Commission greater—

menting a commissn Reminds me of a Conference with Col [Daniel] Tillinghast on the Subject I exhibited an Accot of Sales of a Cargo of Rum taken by the Columbus & Charg'd the Captors 2½ P Cent Commn Soon afterwards it seems Capt [John] Langdon sent forward an Acct of Sales he had made of a Cargo taken by the same ship and Charg'd 5 P Ct the officers and men were dissatisfied and would not allow it Colonel Tillinghast being agent for the Ship wrote to Langdon & Recd for Answer that he should not make any alteration, As he had wrote the Congress and they Order'd him to charge such Commissn on all the Business he did for them I beg leave to hint that I suppose the Congress wont make any difference in the payment of their Servants therefore I agreed to allow you the one half of what I am allow'd it was on the presumption that 2½ would be the allowance that I offered you 1¾ As but few words have pass'd between us respecting this matter I should be glad you will give your mind fully on the Subject as we are both mortal I must confess the Commissn is generous

As it will give you pleasure to hear of the prosperity of the State, I will acquaint you they have had Arriv'd in port three [two] Briggs from Bilbo[a] which they sent for Salt only, but so Elated were the spanish Court with the accounts they Recd of the Advantages over Genl Howe last winter that they Interfer'd & would not suffer them to take but a trifle of Salt & have loaded them back with Large Cables Cordage & Anchors. they have a third Brig got into Booths Bay from Nants with 110 Chest of Arms ten tons Powder four Hhd files a quantity duck &c

I cant hear of [Stephen] Cleaveland begin to fear he is taken the packet I dispatch'd 13 weeks ago was waiting her dispatches from paris, daily expect Her, Capn [John] Skimmer is arriv'd at townsend with two Brigs them with a Sloop & Schoonr are all he has taken they are of Small Value except the one which had 600 Quintles of dry fish on board Our frigates have sent in a small Brig² from London for york with a Cargo of 3 or 400 pounds    

Capt George Williams this moment informs me he has see[n] the priz master of another of [John] Fiskes prizes Just arriv'd at portsmouth with Salt and duck we have certain accnts from Nants that [John] Clouston has taken 16 prizes on the Cost of England & pass of portugal and had sent them into franee & sold them at publick Auction, a speedy and good method to make Remittances. . . .

Boston  PS

Sir,                                                                                              

I wrote the foregoing thinking to be obligd to go to Salem yesterday but luckily was prevented in answer to yours of the 14 I am greatly pleasd you are like to get a mast for the providence which we thought impossible I am glad the Cap has done so much honour to the american Colonnies³ in regard to what you write about (John Paul] Jones he does not improve on acquaintance for und[er] the Guise of dispising money he is aiming and grasping all he can he is no more inti[t]led to third twentieth part than he is my chaise neither would I ever give a penny on it, its true I paid the Commodore his 1/20 of the rum prizes hut Jones told me Repeat[ed]ly since he came from philidepia that that matter was Orderd otherwise by Congress and that resolve only ment when the Commodre was out with a Numbr under hiscommand

I beg you to forward the cost and outfit of the Deleware⁴ so that I may send it to phila by next post as Mr Morris is desireuous of having it pray be as moderate in your demands as posible its very scar[ce] here the two frigates have send in a small Brig⁵ from Lond[on] to York with cargo of above 800 Skimer is arrived a[t] Falmout[h] with two Brigs without any Cargosavea trifle of green fish and 70 Hhds Salt . . .