Sir.

Your Favor of the 12^th Ins^t was delivered to me last Friday,¹ I received a Letter also at the same Time, from Mess^rs Samuel & Robert Purveyance² informing me that they had good Reason to believe that M^r Governere³ of Curasoa was part Owner of the Sloop⁴ & Cargoe, and that the Captain was retailing the Salt in very small Quantities at £15 p^r Bushel and would not sell it to Ingrossers. Before the Receipt of your Letter, I had been advised by M^r Van Bibber,⁵ of the Arrival of this Vessel, that this was her third Voyage and that the Captain,⁶ in a former one, refused to sell in Gross and had retailed his Salt at a lower Price than he had been offered for it in large Quantities. The Council and myself thought it best that Enquiry should be made, as to the Property of the Vessel and Cargoe and that, unless the Owners were real Enemies, a Purchase would be much more eligible than a Seizure, especially, as the Scarcity of Salt is not now so great as the Congress seems to have apprehended and I willingly, came here with that View. The inclosed Affidavit and correspondent verbal Information from several of the trading Gentlemen in Town is the Result of my Enquiry. M^r Beakman⁷ is known to some of the trading Men here, and has, as I am informed by them and others, been always esteemed, not only a firm but a suffering Whig; what Connexions he has had here, seems to have been with those who are Whigs. The Captain says, that he was employed in the Service of the Congress from New York to Curasoa with a Cargoe, in this Vessel, to make Remittance for Powder sent to New York by M^r Governere, and that M^r Beakman offered her Cargoe of Salt last year to M^r P. Levingston⁸ for the Use of the Congress, at two thirds the Price it was sold for at Egg Harbour. Seeing no Circumstance against M^r Beakman but what ought to be equally decisive against every Body else now in Philadelphia, I have forbore to make any Seizure of the Salt, on an Assurance, which I have no Doubt will be kept, that the Congress may have it, if they please, at the common selling Price, which is now 15£, a Bushel, 1000 Bushels at least, will be reserved for an Answer. One M^r John Davis since I began this Letter came in and of3ered me 200 Bushels, just brought up at £14 a Bushel. M^r William Lux & others have a late Arrival at South Key⁹ North Carolina and will engage to deliver 1000 Bushels here as soon as possible, they expect one Half of it within a Fortnight at 13£ p^r Bushel. There have been several late Arrivals in North Carolina, Virginia, and in the Inlets on the Eastern Shore, amongst the latter 700 Bushels belonging to this State, these 700 Bushels, about 300 at Snow Hill, about 200 at Annapolis and about 150 in the Neighbourhood of this Town, all belonging to this State, the Congress may have at a reasonable Price. Several People expect Salt in, daily and small Quanties of imported and Country made Salt are, every now and then, brought to this Place for Sale. Those who have and expect Salt, seem desirous of giving Congress the Preference and independent of all other Circumstances which would make it more desirable to purchase, the Congress may be supplied in that Way with a greater Quantity than in any other of this. The Council & I are so well satisfied that if the Treasury of this State could possibly bear it, we should immediately purchase 1500 or 2000 Bushels for the use of the Continent, but we have not the Money. If I might advise, it would be, to order the Comm^y to purchase what is immediately wanted here for Cash and, there can be little Doubt but, in a short Time, there will be a Plenty and at a lower Price. A few Days ago, I received a Letter from M^r Richardson¹⁰ in the purchasing Commissary's Department, at George Town; he had borrowed one hundred Bushels of Salt of M^r Hooe¹¹ & had just been informed that a Quantity which he expected from Virginia had reached a Creek on Potowrnack, from whence he might soon get it. I am well informed of large Quantities of Salt expected here, but a Seizure will cirtainly determine People to stop what they can and prove not only highly prejudicial to the Inhabitants of this State, but prevent Congress from being supplied at so cheap a Rate on the Whole, with any large Quantity at the Places by much the most convenient for Carriage . I am [&c.]