Pay Master. The advance of pay & subsistence was made to him to enable him to leave Town for the Army. — I forward you those papers that you may be prepared on his arrival at the Army to make the necessary deductions from the Pay Rolls, of which you will forward me in the usual form a Certificate of such Stoppage. I am &c. W^m Simmons Acc^t The Hon^ble Accountants Office Theodore Foster Esq^r Oct 18^th 1796 Providence Rhode Island D^r Sir I had the honour of receiving your letter of the [undecipherable]^th inst on the subject of the Claim of the Administrator to the Estate of Peter Harris deceased, late a Soldier in the Rhode Island line, which I reported the 18^th of April 1796 as barred by the Acts of Limitation: — a summary of which I have extended & herewith enclose to you, by which you will see that the Act of the 23^d July 1787 required that a particular Abstract of all Claims should be exhibited within a certain given period, and that the Act of the 27^th March 1792 suspended the operation of the Limitation only for two years ending on 27^th March 1794. All Claims rendered under these Acts were entered on a Register kept for that purpose, of which a Copy was furnished immediately after the expiration thereof to the Department of the Treasury exhibiting a particular Abstract of each Claim: — That of Peter Harris was not entered thereon, neither could it either from M^r [undecipherable]'s Letter of the 13^th of March or 2^d of April 1794. The Construction of the Limitation Acts has fixed an established rule in the Offices which cannot be deviated from, short of an Act of Congress. I am &c. W^m Simmons acc^t Lieu^t John Saunders Accountants Office Fort Norfolk Oct^r 17. 1796 near Norfolk Virginia Sir I received your letter of the 11^th Inst. enclosing a Certificate of the Contractor for your retained Rations, which arrived too late to forward the Money by this Post — it will however be sent to the Sup. by the next Post, as well as your Pay for the months you have due you I am &c. W. Simmons Acct