[82] Capt Mason Prior Accountants Office Sir June 20^th 1799 I have received a letter from L^t Thomas [undecipherable] dated at Cincinnati [undecipherable] inclosing your Abstracts & Vouchers for expenditures in the Indian Department, but before an examination can take place it will be necessary for you to furnish the authority under which you acted, particularly from all sums rec^d by you from whom [undecipherable], to assist to the balance [undecipherable] to you from the United States — I am &c N. S. Capt Samuel Gates June 19^th 1799 Boston Sir Mr Clement Winchester has exhibited his accounts for April & May 1799, at this Office for settlement, among which are charges for the amount of D^r 324 [undecipherable] for repairing the barracks at [undecipherable] William [undecipherable] by your order. Inquiry has been made at the War Office to know by what authority you directed the said repairs, and none could be found unless it is shown by what authority you ordered the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] it will be [undecipherable] from the Contractors accounts — as it is usual in repairs of that nature to transmit [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] Gen[undecipherable] for his approbation — I am &c N. S.