Letters to the Council. 503

as may be nessesary for their immediate use they have no objection
to, but they cannot think of admitting any kind of Traffick whatever.
It is with concern they hear of the sufferings of your officers, but at
the same time they have the Satisfaction to think it has not arose
from any Inattention or neglect on their part, as you may have
occasion to write to Maryland on this Subject, it may not be amiss
to Observe to you the heavy sum which has been a long time due to
the Inhabitants on Long Island for your officers Board & that unless
some Speedy & Effectual means are taken to discharge it, we cannot
think of imposing such a Burthen upon these people any longer or
of their being restricted to two dollars a week for your Board when
our officers Prisoners of war with you are left to seek their own
Quarters at an unlimited price.

Red Book
No. 26

[Allen McLane, Capt. Commandant to His Excellency
Governor Lee]

Sir Captain Archer of the Partisan Rangers waits on your Ex-
cellency to represent to your Honorable Councel the disadvantage
attending the Corps from the want of the necessary articles of Soap
& Candles. Every means has been tried to procure them at the Posts
we past through, but they were unable to Supply us. If your Excel-
lency will give directions for a supply of these articles, it will have
the most Salutary effect, & be considered as a mark of attention
deserving the gratitude of the Corps

Red Book
No. 26
Letter No. 29
May 27

[W. Smith, Baltimore, to Gov. Lee]

Sir I am this moment favor'd with yours of the 24^th You should
have been furnished with the information wanted respecting my
purchase for the Marine of france Long ere this, had it been in my
power, but my agents for Kent County (where the principal part of
that purchase was effected) advise me that as late as last week, the
com" for seizing flour in that county alledged they had not rec^d any
instructions for the delivery of the French wheat & flour seized by
them, this circumstance has prevented me getting returns, as their
purchases could not be ascertained with any degree of certainty
before the delivery. From the best information I have hitherto
obtained, I expect the whole of my purchase will amount to nearly
30000 Bushells of wheat, this I suppose will make 5000 barrells of
flour, add to this about 2500 bb^ls of flour, or perhaps something
upwards, say ip the whole 7500 to 8000 barrells, some part of which
is in the hands of the Commrs, or perhaps sent forward to the army.
For a week or 10 days past considerable quantitys of flour has offered
at this market, should it continue to come in, I will engage as much as
I possibly can, but at present I am not in cash for that purpose not

May 27