Boston May 27th 1778
Sir,
My Attorney Lowell1 informs Me that ye Mary2 and her Cargo are half condemned to ye Continent & that an Appeal is gone to Congress,3 as it’s my Duty to take Care of ye Continental Interest I now request you to send Me a Schedule of ye Cargo & where it’s deposited, the Melasses I understand was all remov’d from Bedford4 & to ye Hianes5 & as it’s a wasting Article, I request you to give Orders to Capt. Gorham6 to deliver Me one half of ye Whole, and to send it up to Boston with all possible Expedition, as the Navy greatly want it. You may depend on my Promise that in Case the Judgment should be revers’d by Congress, the Money shall be paid by Me on Demand for what Melasses I receive, if you see proper, to send the Whole of it, I will dispose of it to ye very best Advantage for your Acct. & pay the Money to your Order, its very certain the Sooner the Melasses is dispos’d of it will be more for ye Interest of ye Public, & also ye Captors, as ye Cask[s] are in bad Order and is always leaking, pray be particular in mentioning what Part of Cargo lays at the Hiannes & what Part at Bedford, an Answer will be acceptable to yours &c—
J B
LB, DLC, John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, p. 136. Addressed at top: “John P Rathbourn Esqr.”
1. John Lowell.
2. Ship Mary, Henry Johnson, master, was a prize of Continental Navy sloop Providence, Capt. John Peck Rathbun, commander. For more on its capture at Nassau, Bahamas, see NDAR 11: 247, 400, 444.
3. On 19 May the Massachusetts Maritime Court for the Southern District at Plymouth decreed that the prize ship Mary be divided equally between the Congress and the crew of sloop Providence. Acting as prize agent for the crew, Marine Capt. John Trevett claimed the whole of the proceeds from the prize and appealed the verdict to the Continental Congress in June 1778.
4. That is, New Bedford, Mass.
5. That is, Hyannis, Mass.
6. Capt. Sturgis Gorham, merchant at New Bedford.
