Since my last respects to you of the [. . .]th. of Novr. with a Copy, I have been honored with your obliging favor ⟨of⟩ the 28th. of the same month with its duplicate, covering your ⟨le⟩tter to Mr. Livingston on the subject of Messrs. Smiths, De Saussure ⟨&⟩ Darrel’s 4 Casks of Indigo, which were plundered from on board ⟨the⟩ American Ship Commerce by the Captn. & Crew of the French ⟨Pr⟩ivateer Tiger, of St. Malo, which I immediately forwarded & wrote ⟨him⟩ thereon, and I flatter myself that the desired effect will soon ⟨be⟩ produced. Your other Letter to Mr. Saabye, our Consul at Copenhagen ⟨was⟩ likewise forwarded at the same time. Mr. Latimer, ⟨Co⟩llr. of the Customs at Philadelphia wrote me a letter some time since, of which enclosed I beg leave to hand you a Copy, with duplicate ⟨& o⟩ne of my own in reply to it. The letter & Dispatches which he ⟨me⟩ntions were immediately, on Captn. Ross’s arrival here, brought to me ⟨by⟩ him, who then informed me that the Collr. had particularly enjoin⟨ed on⟩ him to lose not a moment in conveying them himself to me; the ⟨im⟩pression this circumstance & the dispatches made on me was ⟨na⟩tural. I conceived them to be of the utmost importance, and therefore ⟨set⟩ off myself with them for London in less than three hours after they ⟨rea⟩ched me and early the next morning I delivered them to Mr. King, ⟨who⟩ to my surprise informed me, they were not of much consequence being only duplicates of what he had before recd. and therefore ⟨he⟩ supposed that Mr. Latimer mentioning what he did, was merely to avoid the heavy expence of Postage, as a Packet that came to him some time before by the Mail was charged about 50 Gs. The expence I have been at is £12:16:10, without making any charge whatever for my own time, ’though it was of much more value ⟨to⟩ me than the mere Pecuniary cost of the Journey. This howeve⟨r⟩ I did not regard, but I certainly expected that Mr. King would have paid ⟨me⟩ my expences, as I conceived it would have come very properly with⟨in⟩ the Limits, of his Postage Acct. but he thinks he is not at liberty to all⟨ow⟩ it without your Permission, as you’ll observe by the enclosed extra⟨ct⟩ of his Letter to me on the subject. I however promise myself that yo⟨u⟩ will readily admit the propriety of my being reimbursed, at least f⟨or⟩ the Pecuniary expence I have on that acct. incurred (if no more) and that you will have the goodness to give instructions accordingly, as ⟨I⟩ conceive it perfectly reasonable and am Persuaded you will no⟨t⟩ be of a different opinion.

I here likewise enclose you an Acct. of all the Imp⟨orts⟩ & Exports by our Vessels within my district, for the half year ending the 31st. of Decr. last, also, a few News-Papers & the latest London Price Current, to which I beg leave to refer you for ⟨matters⟩ of a Public nature. I have the Honor to be with every sentim⟨ent⟩ of the most Perfect esteem & respect, Sir, Your most obedt. & most Hle Servt.