of the Council of Maryland. 237

[Council to Colo. Thomas Gist]

Sir This Board has made an Appointment of Officers to the Regi-
ment Extraordinary to be raised by this State, before the Receipt
of your Letter of the 24^th which did not reach us 'til this Day by
Post. If you will be pleased to inform us in what Manner the
Vacancy arose in your Battalion, whether by Death, Resignation, or
Refusal to act, and the Name of the Captain whose Place Evehart is
to fill, the Commission shall be immediately made out, agreeable to
your Request.

[Council to Merchants in Baltimore]

Gent" We have enclosed you the Letter we have wrote to our Dele-
gates in Congress, on the Subject of the Distresses of our Trade,
for your Perusal, which we request you to seal and send forward.

[Council to Chevalier de la Luzerne.]

Sir We had the Honor to receive your Excellency's Letter of the
1 8^th Inst, with the Act of Congress recommending to this State to
grant Permission to your Agent to purchase and export to the Span-
ish Colonies in the West Indies 3000 Barrels of Flour for the Use
of his Catholic Majesty, and have, in Conformity thereto, given
Licence to M^r William Smith of Baltimore Town to purchase and
export that Quantity in the Manner your Ex^y shall direct; and, to
avoid the Inconveniences and Disadvantages that would result from
a Competition between our Commissaries and M^r Smith we have
desired the latter not to interfere with the former, not to exceed
the Prices Stipulated by the General Assembly, to be given by the
Commissaries and not to buy of those Persons whose unbounded
Avidity and inordinate Love of Gain, might prompt them to engross
all the Wheat and Flour that can be procured, with the Design of
exacting the most exorbitant Prices from the public Purchasers,
and to use every other Precaution to prevent the Enhancement of the
present Prices. Our Desire to promote the Military Operations in
the West Indies and to comply with the Requisitions of Congress for
Supplies will induce us to render every necessary Assistance to
M^r Smith, to facilitate his Purchase. We have already given Orders

Liber C C

No. 22
p. 141

to procure & forward the Flour to be furnished by this State, for the
Use of your Marine; but if from their, and other extraordinary
Demands on us, we should fail to supply the Whole, we think such
a Part of this Quantity as will make up the Deficiency ought to
be appropriated to that Purpose, but we wish your Excellency to
understand, we do not mean to keep back any of the Flour, if we
can possibly furnish it.

p. 142