of the Department of the Treasury as the proper place where the claims should be presented— that the claimants were told there that no investigation could take place, as it could not be ascertained to what amount such said Bills had been [undecipherable: issued] & whether the United States were liable for their payment— No settlement has been made at the Treasury Department for such claims. I am therefore of opinion that the due bills in question should be forwarded to this Office of both Portsmouths with such remarks as far as the documents on his [undecipherable: posession] or a knowledge of facts may enable him to report. that an examination will take place on their being received here, as to principles upon which they were [undecipherable: issued] as well as to their amount. But it may be proper to observe that on reaching a [undecipherable: resentment] of those claims no encouragement should be given or held out to the claimants that any payment will be made, for it appears to me that insurmountable difficulties will arise to their payment on examination — of this however I am not prepared to decide until the papers are received and a proper examination made — June 4^th W S Caleb Swan Esq^r S^r M^r V. Jun 27. 1799 Sir I herewith transmit you a statement of the balance remaining in the hands of Cap^t [undecipherable: Vance] Agents on settlement of the [undecipherable: accts] amounting to [undecipherable: forty] one [undecipherable: Cents], which sum you will of course, deduct from his pay on his Pay Roll of his Company, or of which he will be informed [undecipherable: Truly] W S