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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 137
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all the Troops notwithstanding their Advantageous Situation
must be reduced to the necessity of retiring & destroying or
relinquishing the Fort their other Works & perhaps their Bag-
gage to the Enemy, that nothing will be wanting on your
part to avert such an Accident I am well persuaded but con-
ceive the Troops will never be well supplied with Provision
unless a very different Scheme from that hitherto followed be
pursued. The most frugal & most likely means in my Opinion
of having that Affair well managed will be to appoint a Com-
missary of Reputation Ability & some fortune who with the
Assistance of a Deputy & a Clerk will be able to attend &
execute that Business in a proper & satisfactory manner. His
Clerk always & himself for the most part to be resident in the
Magazine at Wills Creek to receive Cure & deliver the Pro-
visions & if He be not entrusted himself with Authority to con-
tract for Provision yet to him should be sent Copies of all
Contracts as soon as they are made that he might know when to
expect the Supplies engaged for & might be able to inform
himself before the Time specified in Contracts for Delivery
whether the Venders be in a Condition to comply with the
Terms of their Contracts & in Case of a probability or Pros-
pect of their failure be it his Care to give immediate notice to
the Commanding Officer that proper & speedy measures may
be taken to prevent any ill Consequence from such an Event.
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Letter Bk. II.
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it will be also his Care to make the most of the Skins Tallow
&c for the publick which well managed & disposed of will be
a considerable Saving to the Government, the Regulating the
Books & in Case of His Masters Absence the Care of deliver-
ing out Provisions to the Deputy will be sufficient Business for
the Clerk, & when the Troops leave Wills Creek the Deputy
must always receive & take Charge of the Provisions & to
deliver it out at stated times to the Troops. This Affair of
Victualing the Troops being a matter of the greatest Import-
ance It will I doubt not be committed to a person of Honour
& Ability, wherefore I hope you will take my Proposal into
Consideration & if you approve thereof acquaint me what you
think a sufficient Recompence or Sallary for such a Service, &
if you have not engaged with any Gentn to act in such a
Capacity I can I believe venture to recommend or appoint one
whose Character, fortune, & Ability render him equal to the
undertaking. Whoever shall be employed to purchase pro-
vision of any Kind for the future I think should be directed to
insert in all their Contracts a Clause subjecting the Vender to
a large Penalty in Case of his non-Compliance with the Con-
ditions specified in the Contract that all extraordinary Expence
incurred by his neglect or Inability might be defrayed by the
penalty & the Governmt thereby indemnified. Care should
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p. 33
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