[Extract]

. . . I should be glad to have the Dementions for the Seventy four & an Order from Committee am procureing Timber Plank, Masts &c in abundance only wait for Snow to hall, all the business is doing on Credit — pray send the money — as soon as the orders came for the Vessels to go to Baltimore, for Iron shall Comply — we have got Iron for Roche's Ship we shall want forty or Fifty Tonns for the 7 4 as to the Schooners to go to St Peters I beleive will not do as I know of no Cargo to send but Provision which I'm fearful would not pay the risque however if it comes I shall do my best or get your Brother Joseph to do it, who has done me the Honor of accepting a Deputation of Agent for Prizes which I had right to appoint by Virtue of my Instructions to have one half of the Commissions of any Prizes that come in hereafter dureing his appointment, I find you can't inform me relative to Commissions lv'e Charged only 2½ PCent on Prizes & the same on homeward bound Cargoes but fitting out is 5 PCent as P order and most Certain for building of Ships as I do without Contracting is worth 5 PCent or it's worth nothing. I wish this matter was settled, the Questions are these what Commissions on the Cargoes inwards what Commission on Prizes, what Commission on the rest of the business which is done at great expence and Trouble to me in the way I do it,