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Sir:

Your Excellency has certainly been informed by our letters to Colonel Martin, Speaker of the Senate, that we have received several articles sent from Martinico by the Marquis of Bretigny for the State of North Carolina.

We have delivered up everything—muskets and powder excepted.

Our Schooner was impressed by the Marquis for that expedition. The State is indebted to us for the hire of the vessel.

Major Mountflorence having no order to settle with us and to pay us off in produces of the Country, we would willingly pay ourselves off with the articles on hand unless your Excellency should give orders to the contrary.

Monsieur Clauss, lately from Martinico, is bearer of a letter of exchange on this State drawn by the Marquis de Bretigny for seven hundred and fifty dollars specie. Colonel Martin wrote to him that he might take it up with the pork, which he has ordered Major Mountflorence to deliver to us, to be sent to Martinico, but as the Colonel did not mention to us anything on that subject, we thought it necessary to take your Excellency’s orders on that head.

Yesterday, came in one of our vessels from Martinico, with letters from the Marquis de Bretigny, among them the enclosed for your Excellency.

The same vessel brought in seven hundred and fifty muskets and seven barrels of powder, out of which we are directed to take ten per cent. for our freight, the remainder we will deliver on your Excellency’s order.

Major Mountflorence informs me that he had received instructions from your Excellency to deliver us, upon Colonel Martin’s orders, but what old pork may be found in the district. We take the liberty to observe to you, Sir, that such kind of provision is but of little value at Martinico, especially 50 per cent. being deducted

for the freight; besides the Major intimates that the number of barrels will fall very short of the amount of the two hundred and fifty specified in the order.

We should be glad your Excellency would order Colonel Long to send immediately for the powder and arms in our hands, as there is no place in this town fit to keep such articles with safety.

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