Sir War Office Feb^y 14. 1795 On the 7^th I answered your letter of Jan^y 22^d, and noted the receipt of yours of the 30^th on which I will observe. That the proposition of the Contractor Ernests to calculate conveniently on the Hides & Tallow as equal to one fourth of the weight of the beef is manifestly inadmissible: There is nothing in the contract to warrant such a mode of ascertaining their weight. It must be done in the way pointed out in the 11^th Instruction which you have received unless you can hit on a one more sure. That as various accidents may occasion the loss of some of the Component parts of rations, it will be very necessary as you suggest to provide for a new supply of such parts, for which purpose the prices of the Component parts must be fixed — I presume this has been done by the Commissioner of the revenue and the Contractors & so it shall be communicated to you. That as you remark it will be more eligible for the deputy Commissary at Pittsburg to settle the accounts directly with the proper Officer in Phila. The idea you suggest of establishing Tanyards at some of the out Posts is a very good one but I cannot say which Posts will be so permanent as to render the measure immediately eligible. M^r Hodgson has directions to send on scale beams & Blank books. You do not mention the age and number & I have [undecipherable] of them. [marginalia: the prices of the Component parts of the rations have not as yet been fixed this will be the subject of future arrangements] I am Sir y^r ob^t Serv^t Timothy Pickering Sec^y of War Major A. Kirkpatrick [undecipherable]