Council of Maryland, 1781-1782. 37

That the said Treasurer pay to James Roper three pounds Specie
on Account
Commission of Letters of Marque and Reprisal issued to Claude
Besse Commander of the Brigantine Spitfire, sixty four Tons
burthen navigated by twenty men, mounting ten Carriage Guns be-
longing to John Dumeste of Baltimore and Peter Lamaige of Phila-
delphia dated 8^th of July 1781.

January 2
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 198

[Council to His Ex^y Count Rochambeau]

We are honored with your Favor of the 17^th ult^o and are exceed-
ingly concerned that the last Dispatches we forwarded, were so long
on their Way. Perfectly coinciding in Opinion with you that the
Delay of Dispatches may be attended with the most fatal Conse-
quences, and ever desirous of manifesting upon all Occasions, our
Respect for your Excellency, we beg Leave to assure you Sir, that we
shall be particularly attentive in forwarding any Letters of yours
which may, in future, pass through our Hands. The Chain of Ex-
presses shall be established from Alexandria through this State,
according to the Plan you setled with General Washington.

January 2
Liber No. 78
p. 316

[Council to The Governor of Virginia]

We were yesterday honored with your Letter of the 21^st ult^o and
shall give Directions that the Line of Posts be continued from Alex-
andria through this State. We have written to the Count de Rocham-
beau to this Effect and we hope his Apprehensions of unnecessary
Delay of his Dispatches will be removed. We are greatly obliged by
your Excellencys Communication, respecting Joseph Shoemaker:
From the Information that can be obtained, we are induced to be-
lieve he originally resided in Pennsylvania, and removed from thence
to Virginia and was an Inhabitant of your State when the Depreda-
tions alluded to by you, were committed. If so, we need not suggest
the Impropriety of our receiving him. What Testimony can be pro-
cured here against him shall be communicated

Ibid.

Thursday 3 January 1782

William Souther a Draught from Prince Georges County & David
Jones a substitute from Dorchester County 'till the 10^th of Decem-
ber last are hereby Discharged from the service. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to Baruch Williams
Esq^r three hundred pounds of the Bills emitted under the Act for the
Emission of Bills of Credit &^ca of the money appropriated for the
present Campaign to be delivered over to Henry Hollingsworth on
Account

January 3
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 198