Sir

Since we wrote you of 18th June last p Trident, Mitchell enclosing a Blank Power of Attorney for yourself & Mr Lowndes to execute & return us, we have reced yr Letter of 21st July & observe the contents.

We find that the £1000 Bank Stock left to Benjn Benson stands in the names of Robt Carter, Christr Lownds & Ann Ogle, for which reason a Power from them must be had for the purposes of receiving the Dividends already due thereon (of wch the Warrants for above 2 Years remain unreceived) & transferring the Stock into his name

Last Summer he was attacked by an Illness which became very dangerous but he at length recover'd of it & in the Month of October when Mr Jas Anderson was about to embark for Maryland, by way of New York, he determined to accompany him. In consequence thereof we paid the expences of his fitting out with Cloaths &c his Passage & Cash for travelling Expences from New York & gave him the Account which amounted to £214.15.5 (including your charge against him)ー

These Accots we deliver'd to Mr Benjn Benson before he left London to shew how his Accot stood with us but you will observe that thro' the whole transaction we have charged neither Commission nor Interest of Money altho' we shall at least expect the latter on his last Accot & then we are not at all benefited for having had him under our careー

It appears rather singular that since you put under our Care a young Gentleman, your Consignments of Tobacco have been discontinued to us, which we apprehend must be owing to your removal from Williamsburg to Nominy hall on Potowmack River, where our Captain has not had opportunity to wait on you for yr Commands. We suppose that if you intended us any Tobacco, you wd have prevailed on Messrs Hyndman & Co's Captain to take it on bd his Ship, as you have repeatedly done heretofore, & such a request, if denied, you wd in course advise us of, that we might take such measures as to prevent your being disappointed a second time from himー

We had the misfortune, to lose our Ship Martin coming from Virginia the 31st Decr last on the coast of Wales near to Millford Haven together with all the Cargo (except about 6 hhds in quantity) & Captain & 9 Men occasion'd by the Ship getting into the Bristol Channel instead of the English Channel. This unhappy accident & the present alarming situation of America, prevent our chartering a full Ship, we have therefore agreed with Capta Outram of the Ship Liberty, who loads in York River, to take 200 hhds Tobacco for us, & we shall give him directions to wait on you on our behalf. He will sail the beginning of next Month for Virginia in Ballastー

You will please to remember that it is incumbent on you to forward us proper Powers to enable us to reimburse ourselves, as what we have expended for Benjn Benson at present stands to your Debet ー We hope he is by this time arrived in Maryland & that he will pursue some employment forthwith, having lost already too much time in doing nothing & it being out of our power by persuasion to prevail on him when here to settle in some way of Businessー

We remain at all times Sir [&c.]

[P.S.] The Power B Benson has left here for accepting Stock, & receiving Dividends will be sufficient, after it is transferred into his name, but at present it is irregular, owing to that having not been yet done.ー [Endorsed] Leter dated 24th febry 1775 ー Received the 5th May 1775ー