[Private & confidential] New York June 14. 1799 (171 50 I use, my Dear Sir, the privilege of an old friend to write to you in language as plain as the occasion requires. The fact is that the management of your Agents as to the affairs of Supplies is intolerably bad — Besides the extreme delay, which attends every operation, articles are forward in the most incomplete manner. Coats without a corresponding number of Vests — Cartouche boxes without [strikethrough: letter to be] nothing more nothing [undecipherable: system] alike — In the scene of the work [undecipherable: records] of our revolution was acted over again even with caricature. Col Steem tells me that lately materials for tents were purchased here and sent to Philadelphia — This is of a piece with what was done in regard to clothing and it is truly farcical — proving that the microscopic eye of the purveyor can see nothing beyond Philadelphia. It is idle to pretend that the materials in just cases cannot be made as well elsewhere as at Philadel[phia] and that double transportation and the accumulation of employment at a particular place beyond its means [undecipherable] tend to economy or any other [undecipherable] — and the delay is so enormous as to overballance any minute adva[ntage] if any there be that attends the pl[an] — It is a truth My Dear Sir and a truth which you ought to weigh well that unless you immediately employ more competent Agents to procure and to forward Supplies the Service will deeply [undecipherable] and the head of the War Dep[artment] will be completely disparagable[?] — The object will very soon be much enlarged to an extent to which just men and just measures can never suffice — You must immediately get a more efficient Purveyor — & I believe a more efficient Superintendant — or nothing can prosper — My frankness & plaine[ss] of writing are a new proof of the cordial friendship which I make always cherish for you Always Affy y my [signature: A. Hamilton] [The Secy of War]