Philadelphia, 26 April 1799. Sir, By this conveyance via Plasbing I send you all the advance receipts taken on the owners of the shipwrights with you as I know their time of service is nearly expired and the documents may be wanted. I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant,— Capt. Matthew Ernest, Detroit— Samuel Hodgdon. Philadelphia 26^th April 1799. Sir, On Tuesday next I shall proceed to Elizabeth Town, Princton, and New York to re-inspect the castings of Mr John J. Mesch for the United States. I shall be obliged by your sending me an extract of the Contract that which immediately relates to the proof; and any other documents you may be in possession of which can be of use in the examination.— Previous your letter of the 22^d instant, enclosing Col Ebenezer Stevens's receipt for the Muskets &c. received of Mess^rs James & Ebenezer Watson — I have previously received Stevens's statement of the same business; after a minute inspection of the cases that contained the Stores, in which he finds a deficiency of three Muskets, four Gun worms and eighty Brushes & Wires — I have sent the receipt of yours with him on the subject, and received his answer, in which he confirms the statement made to me, his receipt to the contrary notwithstanding — I shall write to them for such information as they can give to enable me to make further enquiry after the missing articles.— I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant, John Steele, Esq^r Comptroller — Samuel Hodgdon.—