[Extract]
Gentlemen

I am sorry to inform you that I am under the necessity of returning to Providence without carrying with me the Balance of your Accot for building the Warren & Providence — you will doubtless be surpris'd at this; but your astonishment cannot be greater than mine was at the circumstance which prevents a Settlement here, agreeable to your wishes. — It is simply this. — Govenr [Stephen] Hopkins, being appointed to have the sole direction of Building those Ships, in the manner he should judge best, is the only Person known to the Committee here in the Settlement of the Accots, — that is, he alone is Charg'd with, & consequently accountable for, all the Money paid out of the Continental Treasury for the purpose of building them; — and by the Treasurer's Books it appears, Mr Hopkins has recd, since the first of Feby 1776, 148,500 Dolls, which is 20,950 Dollars more than you have Credited the Marine Committee, including the amots of the 200 ps of Duck, paid for by Mr Hopkins himself! — So that untill Mr Hopkins Accounts for this large Sum, you are to look to him for the Balance of your Accot; — and tomorrow I am to be furnish'd with Letters accordingly to him & you; and if no unforeseen accident prevents, I shall set out for Providence on Thursday Morning. — But as I cannot but think Mr Hopkins has dispos'd of this Money, some way or other, for the use of the Continent, in which case you will have to wait the return of the Post from hence at least for the Balance due, I thought best to write by him, that no time might be lost. — Inclos'd is a Copy of the Drafts on the Treasurer in favr of Governor Hopkins, taken from the Treasurer's Books; which may be some help to Mr Hopkin's Memory. —

The Navy Board, to whom the Examination of your Accots was committed, have objected to two Charges only: — the first is the Balance of Peter T. Curtenius's Accot, he never having sent the Anchor here agreeable to your directions; so it will lay with you to collect the Money: — the other is the Interest, which, as it will be a bad precedent, they rather decline to allow; — besides if Mr Hopkins has the Money by him, which is unaccounted for, there can be no Interest due from the Marine Committee; but from Mr Hopkins. — However, I shall know more tomorrow Morng when I am to wait on the Board.² — And when too I expect to receive Messrs Brown's Money for their Draft on Mr Morris. . . .