To Alexander Hamilton from Tench Coxe, 9 December 1794
From Tench Coxe1
Treasury Department, Revenue Office, December 9, 1794. “I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter from Mr. Francis2 relative to the purchase of ingredients for gun powder, or gun powder itself: to this I have to add, that the only parcel of Salt Petre known to have been Imported elsewhere than in Philada. was procured by me at Providence R. I: being about 22 Tons.3 You were apprized of the unsuccessful efforts made by me to procure a contract to Import.…4 The contract with Messrs. Willing & Francis5 which has been pending some days, has not been completed.… No powder could be got under the prices offered by Whelen & Miller.…6 I understand some Salt Petre ordered by you from Europe has been received.…”7
LC, RG 75, Letters of Tench Coxe, Commissioner of the Revenue, Relating to the Procurement of Military, Naval, and Indian Supplies, National Archives.
1. This letter is in reply to H to Coxe, December 6, 1794.
For background to this letter, see Henry Knox to H, March 29, April 21, 1794.
2. Tench Francis.
3. See Coxe to H, June 20, 1794.
5. The Philadelphia mercantile firm of Thomas Willing, Thomas Mayne Willing, and Thomas Willing Francis.
6. Israel Whelen and Joseph I. Miller.
7. See H to Willink, Van Staphorst, and Hubbard, May 8, 1794; Willink, Van Staphorst, and Hubbard to H, July 15, 1794, note 4, August 18, September 1, 1794.