Sir,

I am directed by the Board of War to desire you to purchase for them a Quantity of Timber, &c. agreeable to the above Memorandum, sufficient to load a ship of two hundred Tons according to your own proposals of finding & sending up a Master, Mate, and Hands for such ship as the Board shall direct to carry her from the Port we may buy her at to Falmouth, there to load and proceed in her to such Port in France or Spain as the Board may order — for which the Board agrees to allow the said Master & Hands Wages as pr Memorandum above and you a Commission of 5 pr Cent upon the Cargo you may purchase for your Trouble —

The Board depend upon it that you will exert yourself to purchase the Articles directed upon the most reasonable Terms you can — and that they are all of thelll of the best quality, as the Reputation of the Country may depend upon the goodness of the Cargo we may send.

As it is necessary that the Business be immediately accomplish'd, it is expected that you directly attend to it, letting us hear from time to time what progress you may have made in it [&c.] in behalf of the Board Ellis Gray

[P.S.] Capt Ten Pounds pr Month, a Priviledge of ten Hogds, & a Gratuity of fifty pounds in Lieu of Commission —
Mate eight pounds pr month —
Hands, from 16 to 20 Dollars —

[Enclosure]

Memorandum of Articles to be purchas'd by Mr William Frost of Falmouth for loading a ship of about two hundred Tons to be sent him by the Board of War for the State of Massachusetts-Bay

Square edg'd fine Deals from 10 to 25 feet long — from 10 to 16 Inches broad & from 2 to 4 Inches thick —
White pine Timber from 12 to 24 Inches square —
Oak Timber from 12 to 20 Inches well squar'd —
Do Plank 2 to 4 Inches —
Masts & Bowsprits of the largest size you can procure, & which the Vessel can carry —
Spars, Staves Anchor Stocks, Lath, Wood, Handspikes, Car Rafters, for Stowage —