In Council

Lancaster February 13^th. 1778

Sir

The enclosed is copy of a letter which the secretary wrote to you yesterday. M^r. William Crispin Commissary of provisions for the boats Crews as well as the paymaster M^r. William C Bradford have occasion for a considerable sum of money. Col^o. Coats¹ by his Letter to Council a day or two before he was unfortunately captured mentions that he had collected to the amount of four or five thousand pounds—this money I much wish was deposited in the hands of the above mentioned gentlemen or into the hands of the State Navy board for the abovesaid purposes—I beg your attention to this matter—You have hereby full power and authority to call upon any person or persons who Colonel Coats may have left the money with, and receive it of them, and pay the same, one half to M^r. William Crispin, the other half to Colonel William Bradford, or any other member of the State Navy board, for the use of the fleet—if the money has been left by Colo. Coats with you, which is not very improbable, it may save you some trouble. I am with much respect [&c.]