[Forbes to Sharpe.] ^o

Shippensbourg 3^d September 1758.
Sir
By a letter from M^r Howell at Philadelphia dated August
3o^th I find D^r Ross's affair not fully settled, altho by the
return of your Express I sent M^r Howell credit for £1519. .
1 8.. 8 Sterling to reimburse him for the money advanced to
D^r Ross over and above the £1500 sterling allowed off by M^r
Kilby; This as far as I could account was the whole sum;
but M^r Howell writes me that D^r Ross received from him
£2770.. 9.. 8 Sterling in Bills of Exchange, besides £510 Cur-
rency, which two sums is some hundreds more than the
£3019.. 18.. 8.. sterling paid By M^r Kilby and me, but M^r
Howell says that M^r Kilby is to be there in a day or two, who
will easily set those matters to rights; So there is the less
matter as M^r Ross is not, nor never was in prison, and might
have prevented all this trouble by returning M^r Howell the
Bills he had had from him, which I find he must do at last, as
M^r Howell writes me that he believes I must send new Bills
at last to prevent some losses, or some other things which I
understand nothing off, such as Course of Exchange &c.
I must take notice of D^r Ross's indiscretion who when M^r
Howell proposed to him to lodge the Bills and Cash in any
indifferent persons Hands untill M^r Kilby or I could send our
instructions about the affair, refused positively to do so, giving
as his reason that as he had now got hold, he would not let
go, which answer obliged M^r Howell to take the steps he did,
and must of conequence oblige M^r Kilby and me to take
proper receipts from D^r Ross for the money we advance upon
the General account as neither his acc^ts nor Vouchers have
been looked over by us, or properly authenticated, for us to
advance money upon, you will therefore be so good as write
the D^r upon this subject and acquaint him that whatever
money he receives now, he must be accountable for, and
therefore ought to make no payments nor reimbursements
without your particular allowance, as you know some of the
accounts may upon examination admit of disputes unless very
clearly Vouched.
I must likewise add that the sum I have ordered payment
for to D^r Ross greatly exceeds what M^r Kilby and I at first
thought necessary to be advanced, for supporting the D^rs
Credit and further carrying on the service, so it, will be neces-
sary before you allow the D^r to pay away that money advanced
by me, that I have a Copy of the D^rs accounts sent me, and
that those articles not clearly vouched be the last that any
money is paid upon.
I propose leaving this to morrow morning in a kind of