Philadelphia 17. Nov. 1798. Sir, I am requested by the Secretary of War to inquire of you whether the Casks which contains the Powder lately purchased for the United States by W^m De Saussure in your City are in Such order as to insure the keeping of the Powder free from waste and damage — or whether it would not be best to part the whole into Barrels of One hundred Pounds N^et Weight — and in this case what would be the price of the Casks — they Should be made of the best white Oak Staves well seasoned and full bound with two Copper Hoops at each end — to give room for the Powder to Shift when rolled the Casks should be twenty three inches long and fourteen broad at the head calculating from out to out with a Small Swell and a bung hole, to try the Powder when necessary. I am Sir Y^r most Obed^t Serv^t Samuel Hodgdon M^r W^m Crafts Ag^t for the U. States. Philadelphia 19^th November 1798 Sir, On the 1^th October last in consequence of a letter received from the Secretary of the Treasury, I forwarded a Box to your address by the way of New York. containing 8 Charleville Muskets to be used as models & patterns for a number making for the U.S. in your State. the melancholy state of this City, and New York at and since that time has thrown every thing into confusion, the Box in question is a striking evidence of this tho directed as plain as letters could make it under various pretences [which] create very lately lately I knew nothing of. it has been detained by some and handed about by others, until at length it was lost sight of altogether. I have been obliged to send a person in quest of it, he has found it, and once more put it in train to read you shortly. M^r Melaneton Smith Merchant, in New York is specially charged with it, and I hope & believe you will receive it in 4 or 5 days from this time. I am mortified that a business so simple in its nature, should have been conducted to the injury of the States or the Contractors with you. In usual times, with less trouble and attention to myself, I could have sent the Box from one end of the Continent, to the other, I hope however the disappointment will not prove very injurious to any concerns. If the Muskets should not be with you by the time mentioned, I wish you to write M^r Smith and enquire for them. I am Sir, Your most Ob^t. Servant Samuel Hodgdon John S. Dexter Esq^r Supervisor Providence R. Island