[Copy] [the Secretary at War] [January 20^th 179[undecipherable]] New York January [undecipherable] 179[undecipherable] I beg [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] to enclose an extract from a letter [received?] this day from Cap^t. [Jenner?], the Agent for [the] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] enclosing [undecipherable] claims for [undecipherable] [undecipherable] information respecting the claims of some [undecipherable] informing him [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that [were?] of that kind [undecipherable] and that the [undecipherable] The [undecipherable] [received?] accounts of [the] [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] the uncertainty [undecipherable] was such that [it] was improper for [undecipherable] [undecipherable] they should at present be paid. [undecipherable: probable reading — James Allan]