Providence March 1st 1777 —
Sir
The above is Copy of a paragraph of an Order I received from the hon Marine Board dated 21st Jany 2 and in Consequence thereof I am to Request that if you have not You immediately pay the Remainder of the people's Wages Lately under your Command ー and likewise to Return to the Several Agents where you may have Sent Prizes a Certificate Attested of all the Men belonging to the Ship Alfred and Sloop Providence while under your Command, that is Intitled to Prize Money, together with a List of the Officers and the Core they are to Share in, and also the Names of the most deserving Seamen which are Intitled to the dead Shares agreeable to Orders of Congress ー and you will likewise deliver either your Books of the Ship Alfred and Sloop Providence, or an Attested Copy thereof to the Agent John Bradford Esqr as soon as possible ー I am Sir [&c.]
Esek Hopkins 3
John P. Jones Esqr at Boston
1. Papers CC (Letters of John Hancock, and Miscellaneous Papers), 58, 193-94, NA.
2. See Volume 7, 1008-09.
3. Hopkins also wrote to Bradford this date asking him to see that Jones complied, Hopkins Letter Book, 68, RIHS.