of the Council of Maryland, 1778-1779. 379

[Council to W. Hemsley.]

In Council Annapolis 4^th May 1779.
Sir.
On Friday by the Post, we received a Letter from Gov^r
Morris, in which he requested that the 10000 Barr^ls of Flour
which he before desired to be purchased & sent forward to
Philadelphia, should be lodged in Stores, under the Inspection
of Officers of our Appointment. That it should be at the
Order of the Chairman of the Committee of Congress on the
Commissary's & Quartermaster's Departm^ts. That it should
be on the Waters of this Bay, so as to be within the Effects of
our open Navigation at a Moment's Warning. That it should
be collected in Stores, so that it might make him Returns of it
by the I^st Day of June at farthest. That what might be got
beyond the above Quantity, be stored in like Manner. He
says that Orders had been given to stop the Commissaries
from purchasing in this State. From this you will see that
the Flour M^r R. Morris desires you to purchase is wanted
with the same View as that 10000 Barr^ls and from R. M's
Letter and other Circumstances, we conclude more than 10000
Barr^ls is desirable. We have, the same Day of the Receipt
of G. M's Letter, wrote to M^r Rob^t Buchanan, Purchaser in
Baltimore, & Col^o Dallam, Purchaser in Harford, advising
them of the Change of Destination of the Flour, & requested
them to act accordingly as we have since done to M^r Sam^l
Gilpin & Jn^o Ward Veasey, Purchasers in Cecil & Col^o Henry
& Col^o Perkins, Purchasers in Kent and we wish that you &
Col^o Thompson would get what may be produced by your
Purchases in the situation desired as soon as is well possible.
We do not know the Reason of the Flour's being desired to
be lodged at Landings on this Bay, but to prevent the
Possibility of an irreparable Stroke, we think it would be best
not to collect too great a Quantity at the Head of Elk and
therefore we could wish that the wheat purchased in Queen
Anne may, where it is any Way convenient, be ground up in
the Neighbourhood. From any Information we have, there
are not yet more than about 7000 Barr^ls including Wheat
capable of producing, if procured. We are not at Liberty, by
the Act, to stop the Purchase in particular Places and continue
it in others. Any Thing above the 10000 Barr^ls will be applied
to the desired Purpose and the Gen^t in Kent & Cecil seem to
have been very industrious; for these Reasons we cannot stop
the Purchase on the Eastern Shore. Be pleased to send us
an Account, the 20^th Ins^t of the Quantity of your Purchase and
where it is, that we may be able to answer M^r Morris's
Expectation. We send by M^r Carie, an Order in your Favor,

C. C.

p. 247