380 Journal and Correspondence.

December 8

being got forward that was expected. I hope to God our Assembly
will do something to retreive the Credit of our Currency as People on
all Hands are knocking it down every day. Col Blane hinted to me
on his way up that M^r Rich^d Dallam had exhibited some Charges
against the Commissarys to Baltimore & Harford if any Charges
are exhibited against me I shall much oblidged to your Excellency
for a Copy of them as I am conscious of no misdemeanor in my
Department, but would wish every Public Officers conduct should
scrutinised. M^r Dallam I make no Doubt will, shall therefore be
silent untill such a Scrutiny happens and then the Cause of the rise
of Grain in this County will be fixed on the right Person.

December 8

[John Dorsey and Company to Gov Lee]

We will charter two Briggs, equal in Goodness & fast Sailing
to any on the Continent, one carries 8 four Pounders and the other
10, with small arms Pikes, Cutlasses &c^a to carry flour to any Part of
the West Indies, the Briggs shall be well manned and compleatly
fitted and found for the Voyage We will take one half of the Cargoe
for the Freight to the Port of Delivery and will bring back one
half of the Load or Cargo for the State and agreeable to orders.
We will Purchase the Load of Flour on the Usual Commission (and
if necessary advance the Purchase money) and we will send a dis-
creet Sensible young Gentleman of mercantile Knowledge to transact
the Business in the West Indies each Brig will carry about 600
Barrels of Flour
600 Barrels of Flour will cost say — £60,000
300 for Freight 300 for the State will bring in the West Indies four
half Iocs per Barrel, which will amount to £3.600 Gold, this sum laid
out in Goods and brought to the Continent, at 80 for one (which is
less per Barrel, which will amount to £3.600 Gold, this sum laid out in
Goods and brought to the Continent, at 80 for one (which is less
than the current Price) will amount to £288.000 Continental Money,
by this Calculation the State will only risque £60.000 when the
Owner of the Vessel will risque his Vessel and outfits, which will
amount to £120.000. The Owner of the Vessel will also have to pay
at least £750 in Gold, in the West Indies for Seaman's Wages, and
other Disbursements, this will reduce the Owner of the Vessel his
half of the Sales of the Flour to £2,850 which brought here will
bring £228.000 By the above Calculation which we believe to be
just, the Owner of the Vessel risques Double the Sum to Sea
(not only to but from the West Indies that the State does, and the
State, if the Vessel returns will receive a Profit of £60.000 more
than the Proprietor of the Vessel.
We have some Coarse Cloths to the amount of about £25.000
which will Cost about £26 p yard, which we will sell to the State