316 Journal and Correspondence

C. C.

a Sergeant who happened upon the Wharf and with whom he
had then made some slight Acquaintance, to do some small
Service for him; he never asked or demanded, or had Occa-
sion to ask or demand, or received any Aid from the Fort,
and that he refused to shew his Instructions in pursuance of
his Cap^ts Orders which were designed, as the Cap^t alledges,
to obviate the Inconvenience of his being obliged to shew
them to Masters of the Vessels who might, perhaps be too
curious. We also are informed by Cap^t Cooke, that he wrote
to the Commanding Officer of the Fort to lend his Assistance
to his Officer, if it should be necessary, and which corresponds
with the written Instructions produced by the Officer. Upon
the Whole we apprehend the Information you have had,
respecting the Conduct of Cap^t Cooke & his Officers as men-
tioned in your Letter, has not been well founded, and, from
the best Judgment we are able to form upon the Examination
we have made, there was no Intention, on the Part of Cap^t
Cooke, to treat you with any Slight in the Management of the
Affairs he had been intrusted with.
Yet if you think this Matter is not properly represented by
Cap^t Cooke & his Officers we shall, if you desire it, make a
more formal Inquiry on Affidavits being made, a proper Way,
we think, to lay the Foundation of calling on an Officer for his
Conduct, which, in some Degree carries an Imputation with it.
You may be assured we had no Intention of your being ill
treated in any Degree; we sent Cap^t Cooke, who was not at
all honored by the Commission, and, we believe, he has
executed it with the Fidelity and Diligence we expected.
Major Nath^l Smith We are &^ca

C. B.

Thursday 10^th July 1777.
Present as on yesterday.

That the western shore Treasurer pay to Joseph Middleton
five pounds Am^t of his Acc^t passed the board
That the said Treasurer pay to Robert Berry Thirty pounds,
Ten shillings and eight pence Balance of his Acc^t passed the
Board
That the said Treasurer pay to Robert Casey Express from
Norton & Beall seventeen Pounds Ten shillings.
That the Armourer deliver to M^r Winters twenty five Gun
Barrels, twenty five Locks & Powder to prove them to be
Stocked by him.