[Extract]
Dear Sir

My last to you was under the 19th Instant by express at that time I was intirely ignorant of what the Cargo onboard the Dispatch consisted of — as Capt Cleveland only mentioned his arrivall at Salem and forwarded the Letters by express wch I mentioned to you. the Brig has since got up from Salem and we are unloading her. the musquets I find in very bad Order being damag'd by water before I took them in at Bourdeaux — Cleveland has brot no invoice of the Cargo neither does he know what many Packages Contains. he has been at a great Expence to Arm & equip her for a Cruizer. Brought a Large number of men but was not fortunate enough to meet a prize in his way. She sails uncommon fast he spoke with Every vessel he attempted to on the Passage — she mount 8 four lb Cannon with six wooden ones & made a grand appearence in coming up the Harbour however she is not calculated for a Cruizer without going through the like Operation with the Alfred wch would be very expensive — I have not yet seen the Captains Accounts I find by him Mr Deane paid his Disbursments in france. . . Yesterday a Prize was sent in here by Capt Skimmer a fine new Brig Loaded with Salt of 160 Tons bound from the Streights to the Land² — Skimmer was left the 29th Ultimo. I most ardently wish he may be happy enough to be promoted by Congress. he in my opinion is Equal to any man in the naval Command. I don't know that He wants any Qualification to command any Ship in our Navy — I congratulate you & my Country on our once more possessing Ticonderoga, god grant, that ere this reaches you Victory may be proclaim'd in favour of America in your City Yours &c