Crescent [London] Augt 14. 1776.
To The Right Honorable The Lords Commissioners of His Majestys Treasury.
The Memorial of Messieurs Wooldridge & Kelly of the
City of London Merchants.
Humbly Sheweth.
That your Lordships Memorialists are the Owners of a Ship called the Molly, Daniel Lawrence Mastr who sail'ed from Baltimore in the Province of Maryland in the month of February last, with a very valuable Cargo of Wheat; Flour, & Staves for Falmouth & a market; but the ship meeting with several delays in the river Patapsico was there Seized & detained by an Armed Vessell in the service of Government, that soon after that Seizure she was retaken by an Armed Ship in the Service of the Americans, & being by them liberated, She proceeded on her Voyage in the begining of the Month of March last but in getting out of the River she was again Seized by a Tender belonging to the Liverpool Man of War, who carried her to Lord Dunmore in Virginia when His Lordship appointed Commissioners to try her, which Commissioners acquitted her. And that after her acquital His Lordship thought proper to detain her for the Service of Government. Your Lordships Memorialists further beg leave to represent that the said Ship & her Cargo has cost them more than Eight Thousand pounds Sterling which sum they wuld have received some months ago had the Ship been permitted to have proceeded on her Voyage which was strictly within the Intention of the Act Passed in the last Sessions of Parliament for "Restraining the Trade &c"
They therefore most humbly Pray that your Lordships will be pleased to order immediate payment to be made to them for the said Ship & her Cargoe without [which] your Memorialists will inevitably be ruined as they and their Predecessors Messrs Kelly Lott & Co have what is to them, an Immense Sum due to them from the Colonies, besides a very considerable property in the Provinces of New York, New Jersey & Pensylvania.
Your Lordships Memorialists beg leave to annex the original Invoice, bill of Lading, Commissioners Acquital of the Ship & her Cargo, with the protest &c in order to illucidate the facts to your Lordships. And your Lordships will therefore be pleased to direct such relief to your Memorialists as to your Lordships may seem meet, and your Memorialists as in Duty bound will ever Pray, &c.
[Endorsed] Recd 14th Augt 1776 ー Read same day. prepare W[arran]t & Minute Done Read 20 Decr 1776 ー write to the Petrs & Minute Done
