I beg leave to trouble Your Excellency with my present embarrisment, viz in Stating my Account with Coll. Walker. The Commissioner for the Marine department. I made the United States Drs. for the following Entry viz “to extra Stores laid in for Eleven Gentlemen Passengers Recommended by Doctr. Franklin and Mr: Scheweighauser, Agent which Gentlemen, Shippd at Nants Brest &ca and came to North America, as Cabbin passengers at 10 Guineas each, in July 1778 viz

this was when I was in France under your Excellencys Orders and Commanded the ship Providence than lying at Pinbeef and there received your Excellencys Orders to take under my Command the Frigate Boston and Ranger Sloop of War and being all ready for Sailing for Brest I received a writting Order from Mr. Scheweighauser Continential agent, to take on board the above Named Gentlemen Passengers.

Having no time to send up to Nants, to the Agent, for Stores for them and determined to fullfill your Excellencys orders As the agent Assured me, the Gentlemen came from Paris, and that it was Your Excellencys Orders they should go to America in the Ship, I immediately furnished the Necessary Stores for their Comfortable Accomodation, and they all arrived save with me at Boston in October.

I delivered my Accounts to the Navy board in Boston in 1778, but could never get them settled. And am now here upon Extra expences for that very purpose. They are at length nearly closed but however the Commissioner Coll Walker did not think himself Authorized to Allow me this charge (for monies I advanced out of my own private purse and have never since received a Single shilling therefor) by reason I could produce no proper Voucher, for its support.

I must here Observe that by a resolve of Congress: the Agents are directed to lay in Stores on these Occasions, and most unfortunate for me, I have either mislaid or lost Mr. Scheweighausers Writting Order.

From the report made by the Commissioner here to Congress why it could not be Allowed. I judged it necessary to prefer a Memorial to the Honble: the Congress stating the particular circumstances as above related whereupon they were pleased to Order. Their Commissioner Coll Walker to allow it: provided I could obtain Your Excellencys Certificate that such Orders did exist or were given. Thus circumstanced, If from the distant period of the date, or more Urgent business this single transacion should have passed unnoticed in Your Excellencys Minutes, or book of Entry, If these are not to be referred too. I still flatter my self it is yet possible, Your Excellency may recollect some traces of these Circumstances, and thereby inable me, to have this reasonable charge allowed me, in my present, and final Settlement and tho of much less real value will still be of infinite Use to a reduced Servant of the US And Your Excellencys most Obedient Humble Servant