Philadelphia, 10 June, 1799 To, The Secretary of War has requested me to take measures immediately for securing payment for the Powder which the United States are entitled to from M^r David Foe and others, for the quantity embezzling by the Person in whose charge it was placed as stated in your Return of the first day of June 1797. The quantity called for by my Books charged on the Return made by Capt. James Bruff, is as follows, viz Twenty-eight Single Barrels containing One hundred pounds, and one hundred and twenty seven Barrels, containing Thirty-five pounds each, the whole equal to Five thousand, eight hundred pounds weight. The Secretary thinks this is a particular propriety in presenting the account by you, as though your M^r Foe and his associates communicated their intention of accounting for the whole quantity of powder embezzled when called on, you will please to present the account to M^r Foe, and communicate his answer as early as convenient, that if necessary further steps may be taken to obtain full satisfaction for the Loss sustained by the United States. — your most obedient Servant, Samuel Hodgdon — Capt. Staats Morris, Baltimore. — Philadelphia, 10 June, 1799. Sir, This letter will be handed you by Captain Staats Morris. It calls for an adjustment of the Powder account, which Bruff says he states to be embezzled by the Keeper of the Magazine under your immediate direction, and for which you and a certain Company engaged to account for to the United States when called on for that purpose. The quantity standing on my Books taken from Captain Bruff's return is Twenty-eight Barrels of one hundred pounds each, and