[Circular]

Sir We have the honor to inclose herein a Resolve of the Continental Congress² of which we are members whereby you will see we are empowered to order a proper and just distribution of all Prizes taken by the Cruizers Genl Washington caused to be fitted out on Continental Account, and also that we are authorized or rather Ordered to receive from the Agents who received and sold the said Prizes, the Continental share thereof, and as we find you have been employed as an Agent in this business, we desire that you will immediately send us an Account of the Prizes that have been put under your care, with Coppies of the decrees of the Court of Admiralty, Inventories of Ships and Cargoes, with Copys of the Accounts Sales properly Authenticated, an Account Current for each Prize wherein you Credit the Neat Proceeds, and charge the share appertaining to the Officers and Crews who were interested in the Capture and also the Continental share agreeable to the Rules and Regulations laid down by Congress and a General Account Current wherein you will credit the Continent for their share in every Prize and charge for all such Remittances as you make to us in consequence of these Orders as well as for any other just charge you have to make against them. We desire that you will remit, to this Board whatever moneys you have in hand arising from the Continental share of the Prizes put under your management, and as there are many persons gone from hence to purchase prize goods, you may procure drafts on this place from undoubted safe good men which will save the trouble and risque of sending the money, or you may pay it in to the Continental paymaster at Boston Ebenezer Hancock Esqr and transniit us his draft on the President of Congress, or the Honorable Thomas Cushing Esqr, John Bradford esqr of Boston or John Langdon Esqr of New Hampshire have occasion for money on our account ー their drafts on ourselves will be good and the sooner you make these Remittances and render the Accounts the better. We must also enjoin you to make an immediate division and distribution of that share of Prizes that appertains to the Officers and Crews that took them, agreeable to and in strict conformity with the Rules and Regulations of Congress, and that you transmit as soon as can be duplicates of those Accounts as it is our duty to see this business perfected, otherways the maritime service of America will suffer greatly, by the discouragements arising from delays in the payment of Prize money &c. Where any part of the Prizes have been applyed to Continental use, that part must be valued and included at the valuation in the new account of Sales ー if applyed to the use of yours or any other State, they must pay the valuation and that be included in the Acct Sales. Expecting your complyance with an answer to this Letter We remain Sir [&c.]

To

William Bartlet[t] Esqr in Beverly.
William Watson Esqr in Plymouth
John [sic Joshua] Wentworth Esqr in Portsmouth
Wintrop Serjent [Winthrop Sargent] Esqr in Cape Anne
Messrs Bartlet[t] & Glover³ in Lynn Marble head and Boston
John Bradford Esqr Boston