Boston 4th Septr 1777
[Extract] Dear Sir
Yr favour P Post is before me am glad the Hambden has escaped the Enemy and got safe into your Port I wish she may send you in a good Prize soon after Sailing. You Ask how Conta prizes are to be sold it was desigrt'd by the [Massachusetts General] Court when they prohibited Vendues to Except Continental Property as it millitates with the resolves of Congress, but they rose in a hurry & neglected it — I suppose the Exception will be made on their next meeting. The marine Board are at length Organiz'd2 & Yesterday I laid before them your difficulty respecting the Shares of the Supernumerary Officers on board the Alfred they give it as their Opinion, that they are intitled to only a Single Share as Congress has not Provided for them, & Laugh at the folly of [John Paul] Jones to pretend to Charge 1/20 as Commodore,3 he will sail in a few days for France. . . I know not how to reply to your last Question who to Credit with the Ac/c sent you — if I remember that Ac/c forwarded you was Monies advanc'd sundry Men belonging to the Alfred by the Pay Master General at Philadelphia, I take it that the Marine Board should be credited with the Sum advanc'd Sundry of the Alfred's Men by the pm G — Its five weeks since I promis'd the secret Committee to transmit them the Cost & Outfit of the Esther. As they wrote they were making up their Accts to lay them before the Congress at the same Time. Mr. Morris urged the sending the Active's Accts forward, pray let me beg you to send them by next Post that I may transmit them to Congress — I'm fearful I shall incur Censure by keeping them back. . .
1. John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, LC.
2. Continental Navy Board of the Eastern Department.
3. This would indicate that Jones had pressed for a commodore's extra one-twentieth share of prize money for captures made when he commanded Alfred and sailed on a joint cruize with sloop Providence in late 1776.
