Navy Board Eastern Department Boston June 4th 1778
Sir,
We have this moment recd. your favr. of the 26th may1 Inclosing the account rendered by Captn. Roatch.2 we are of Opinion that Captn. Roatch has Suffered greatly by the representations made to Congress, & we wish it was in our powr to make him Some Compensation. We have again Mentioned his Case to Congress which is all we Can do.—with regard to the accounts Stated by him no Other part is admissable by us agreable to our Instructions but the Charge of wages, that we are Ordered to pay & that only. we must therefore be Confined to that alone, and that only. we would wish you to pay taking Care that is right as to time and Agreable to the then Establishment, as you Mention nothing of the [w]ant of Money, we would presume that you have Succeeded [with] your Loan office, or have a Satisfactory assurance of it we wish our presumtion may be well founded & that you may soon be able to remitt us Such part of the Warrant as was proposed.—we are with Great Esteem [&c.]
J Warren J Deshon
L, Private Collection, Capt. J. G. M. Stone (Annapolis, Md., 1959). Addressed at foot: “Honbl. John Langdon Esqr." Docketed: "Navy Board's/Letter/June 4th. 1778—/Answd."
1. Not found.
2. Capt. John Roche, Continental Navy.