346 Letters to the Governor and Council

July 12

ble, who are to Issue Rations provide Barracks & other necessaries

& when I may expect the Bounty for them, & Likewise whether I
am to have the Command of them or whether they are to be Delivered
to Regular Officers.

July 12

[Jas. Calhoun, Baltimore, to the Governor and Council.]

On the 18^th Ult. I took the liberty to request the directions of your
Hon^ble Board in several matters relating to the Commissary Depart-
ment, but have not been favoured with any instructions on that
subject
I am very desirous to get this business into a proper channel so as
the State may have Credit for the Specific Supplies furnished the
Continent which will not be the case for any but what is delivered to
a Continental officer, therefore must once more take the liberty of
pointing out what I apprehend is the proper channel for supplies to
pass through — there are certain Magazines established in this State by
the Commander in Chief viz. Head of Elk Baltimore & George Town
at each of which place is a Continental Store keeper whose business it
is to receive Specific Supplies from the State Commiss^ry and for-
ward them to whereever they may be wanted either in or out of the
State but those Continental Storekeepers having once received Pro-
visions into their hands can only deliver them to a Continental officer
or Issuing commissary & hence the impropriety of having any other
than Continental Issuing Commissaries at the different Posts for
besides the great trouble it must necessarily be to your Board it is
attended with a very considerable expence to this State in sending
Provisions from the Magazines to the different Posts which ought
to be the business of the Continental Quarter Master or Store keeper
at the expence & risque of the United States.
I am afraid the Quantity of Merchantable Flour that I shall be
able to deliver Col^l Smith will fall short of your order as a good deal
of the wheat was manufactured into common flour previous to the
resolve of the Gen^l Assembly, besides M^r W^m Smith insists on being
furnished with his 518 Barrels as his order was prior to Col^o Smith.
Pray direct me what to do in this matter and also what is to be done
with the common flour in the different Counties which am very appre-
hensive will not keep good through the Summer Season.
Yours of the 10^th came to hand last night & agreeable to order I
now send p bearer fifty Barrels of flour as p Invoice enclosed to
M^r Chrisal for which was oblidged to pay the freight before the
Skipper would take it in — such is the unhappy situation of our
Public Credit