On the 13th of January 1781 The late Board of Treasury referred to me as auditor Genl. an Invoice of Eighteen bales of woolen cloathing which had been presented by John Holker Esqr. as agent for Mr. Le Ray de Chaumont of Passy, Signed by Jonn. Williams at Nantz febry 12th 1779, and said to have been Shipped by him on board the Ship Zephyr, Nicolas Manville Commander, on accot & risque of said Chaumont, amounting by said invoice to twenty two thousand, five hundred seventy three livres 8s/3d. exclusive of freight and shipping charges So this invoice was annexed a receipt for the Eighteen bales dated at Charlestown March 13th 1780. and signed John Sandford    Depy clothier. On the 15th Janry aforesaid, in the then common rotine of Business, referred the matter to Mr. Gorell & Mercier Commissioners of accots. who declined deciding on it, for reasons given in their report to me dated the day following. Viewing the affair in a different point of light at that time, I then made a particular State of it, and reported Specialy to the Board of treasury on the 19th of the same month. My report was favorable to the claimant, but the board for reasons unknown to me never acted upon it. From that time, I have heard but little of the matter till some few months ago, that Mr. holker has become pressing for a determination on the Claim. When I made my report to the board, I was unacquainted with the Situation in Which Mr. Chaumont stood with respect to the United States, or of his having been appointed by our Ministers in france, to ship stores for the public, since then the accots. of Mr. Grand the Banker, having been by you transmitted to me, I find that Mr. Chaumont is therein chargeable with the sum of one Million six hundred and forty five thousand two hundred and forty seven livres 17s/2d advanced him between the 20th febry 1777 and 30th May 1781. This very large sum being still unaccounted for, so far as I know, I cannot entertain the idea of admitting Mr. Chaumont’s claims for the cloathing in question. Before th can be done here Mr. Chaumont ought not only to make a fair and final settlement with the commissioner appointed to   our public accots in Europe, But that Commissioner ought to transmit here a circumstantial State in full detail of the whole accot as by him settled; officially authenticated, in order that it may be known how the whole actually stands and that the officers here may be enabled to proceed with certainty in doing justice.

On the 29th March 1781 Mr. holker committed to the Medical Committee of Congress a Copy of an invoice of medecines to have been shipped by Mr. Chaumont and delivered at Rhode Island for the use of the American hospitals, amountin to thirteen thousand, five hundred seventy seven livres 1s/6d.

On the 6th of August 1782, it was entered in the general register in this office; but the objections against the Claim for cloathing, operating with equal force against this, it has not been acted upon and must remain in Suspence with the other.

I trouble you with this communication at the request of Mr. Holker, and I have been particular in tracing the origin and progress of these claims in the offices that I have had the honor to act in, not only with a view to your information, but also that it may be recorded for my own Satisfaction, and that of others hereafter. I have the honor to be with respect, Sir your most obedient humble servant