Philadelphia 30 Oct. 1798. Sir. By order of the Secretary of War I send to your address the Articles inserted in the enclosed invoice and Bill of Lading. Some articles of Clothing ordered were not in the Store consequently could not be forwarded by this conveyance. they shall go by the next after we receive them which I expect will be in a few days. Please to give your receipt on the back of the Bill of Lading, and inform me the time and order in which they get to hand. I am Sir Your most Obed Servant Samuel Hodgson Capt. Joseph Ten Broeck. Philadelphia 31^st October 1798. Sir. It appears to me that M^r Small may be very profitably employed at the Post on the Potomac and I would accordingly recommend his being engaged to act under the immediate direction of a [undecipherable] — To keep the workmen at the Post diligently employed many materials will be wanted which may be procured in the vicinity to collect such may be made a part of his duty, this and the Superintendance of the workmen to be employed under the direction of the construction [undecipherable: possible "Artist"] in and about the Canal or Race will probably take up the whole of his time until it is finished; after which he may be employed in the finer parts of Gun Mounting for which I think his former pursuits and general mechanical knowledge qualifies him. I expect the best Workmen of the several branches of business to be carried on, may be engaged at thirty Dollars a month and as usual a ration and a half a day. M^r Smalls various employments will entitle him to better pay. I think One Dollar & third and one and a half rations a day ought to be allowed — If you approve of his being thus employed, and request it, I will sketch out what I conceive to be suitable instructions to make his services truly valuable to the United States, and submit them for your consideration — If engaged he may immediately go forward with the materials and tools providing for the Post. With Sentiments of Esteem I am Sir Your most Obed. Serv^t Samuel Hodgson. James M^cHenry Esq^r. Philadelphia 31 Oct^r. 1798. Sir. I duly rec^d your letter of the 1^st instant with the Papers that accompanied it, but hitherto have had no time to examine and reply to them, being alone in my Office on account of the prevailing fever and having various business to attend to. You will recollect a General Return of all Public property at Springfield is required of you on entering on the duties of your appointment, of course those in the hands of the Superintendent of Armouries are to be included. You certainly are to give the Superintendent a receipt for every article he has in hand; without this they cannot appear in your return. With your receipt he must close his accounts to the time you mention. After that period he will account to you for the Expenditures of all Public Property put into his hands. All articles procured in the Factory will be procured by you, consequently they will be received into the Public Stores and from thence delivered to the Superintendent agreeably to your instructions. In ordinary cases relative to the delivery of any article under your care you will be governed by the strict letter of your instructions in extraordinary ones like the present a latitude must be given and prudence must direct. I shall now [undecipherable] this apology as conclusive and pass the irregular vouchers to [undecipherable] your credit, which will be a justification of your conduct