Gentlemen

We have occasion for a quantity of Salt to cure beef & Pork the ensuing season for the use of our fleet and dont care to buy up what arrives here transiently as the people are much in want of that article, and would murmer were it to be bought off their hands. We therefore request that you will immediately on receipt of this letter Charter five or Six good fast sailing large Sloops, Schooners or Brigantines, and either load them with Salt at Bermudas or send them to Turks Island for it, just as you may find safest and best ー send one of them to Edenton in North Carolina consigned to Messrs. Hewes & Smith one to Baltimore in Maryland consigned to our Order; & the others here addressed to us. Perhaps it may be most prudent to load part in Bermudas and part in Turks Island but our great Object is to get the Salt soon and safe here.ー

You will Charter these Vessels on the best terms in your power by the Month or otherways, have them valued and we agree to insure them for so long as they remain in our Service, and if the terms are reasonable that may probably be a long time. You'l buy the Salt as cheap as you can and give them the utmost dispatch or it will be too late for our purpose. We must depend on you to advance the money for the cost of the Salt until we can reimburse you, which shall be done by returning some of these Vessels to you with Cargoes of Provisions and probably a Convoy with them. Should any of the Vessels be taken or lost we will either pay for them in Provisions or undoubted good bills on Europe or the West Indies as may best suit the Owners. We hope you will be able to comply with these orders immediately for which we shall allow you areasonable Commission ー Interest for the advance of your Money and Commissions on the Goods we shall consign you hereafter and for your security we pledge you the faith and Credit of the United States of America being so authorized to do by the Honorable the Continental Congress of which we are members and are Gentleman [&c.]

P:S: If you cannot send Six send as many Vessels as you can short of that Number