Loss of Saltpeter
Document 1798Hodgdon informs Steele of the loss of a portion of shipped saltpeter due probably to drying during storage and to loss during transportation.
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Philadelphia 11 June 1798.
Sir—
Enclosed you have the Public Store keepers receipt for the salt Peter forwarded by you in consequence of my former letter— You will perceive that it falls short of your invoice, weight three hundred and fifty eight pounds and three quarters which shews a loss of three quarters per cent. Most of this has probably arisen from the Salt petre its drying, being as you informed me for a long time confined in a dry room. A small part may be supposed to have been lost by transporting. I shall furnish the Comptroller of the Treasury with a similar receipt which will enable you to close your account for the purchase.
I am,
Sir
Your Most Obedient servant
Thomas Lloyd Halsey. Samuel Hodgdon.
Merchant.
Philadelphia 11 June 1798.
Sir.
Enclosed you have Thomas Lloyd Halsey's invoice of the salt Peter purchased by him for the United States. Also the Store-keepers receipt for such part of it as he has received. I have written to Mr Halsey and have enclosed him also a similar receipt to enable him to close his cash account for the purchase. It will be found, the receipt is three hundred and fifty eight pounds and three quarters less than the invoice. This shews a [undecipherable: deficit/difference] of three quarters of a per Cent, which I can easily conceive may have arisen from the drying of the Salt, being as I am informed confined in a dry close room when about it I was purchased. A small portion must have even been lost also in Coopering and transporting. The whole is submitted by
Your Most Obedient servant
John Steel Esqr Samuel Hodgdon.
Comptroller.
Type
Author's Letterbook Copy
Description
Hodgdon informs Steele of the loss of a portion of shipped saltpeter due probably to drying during storage and to loss during transportation.
Date
06/12/1798
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Philadelphia
Repository
Document number
1798061228155
Page start
120
Notable persons
John Steele
Samuel Hodgdon
Thomas Lloyd Halsey
Notable locations
Philadelphia
Notable items
saltpeter
storekeeper's receipt
cash account
invoice
dry closed room

