[Endorsement, top right:] Capt. Joseph Williams / off Springfield / Jan'y 1800 [Stamp:] Received / State Dep't. / Nov. 24. 1894. / N.P.O.401810. [Address:] Springfield Jan'y [undecipherable] To Samuel [Hodgdon?] [undecipherable] Superintendent of Stores Philadelphia Springfield January 27, 1800 Sir Your favours of the 21^st & 22^d inst enclosing fifteen hundred Dollars in Post Notes on account of the Armory, has been duly received. I have in no instance received Bills cut in halves - this mode however is thus practiced by the Merchants of this Town - this appears to be a safe way - for in case one half is stolen they become of no value to the Villain, who takes them - the other half being in the possession of the lawful owner serves as a check - on substantiating his Character & should [he] be able to procure new Bill of the Bank from which the former were issued for the half he retains — in case of no miscarriage - the two parts being pasted together, they have the same currency as before — With pleasure however I submit the mode of remitting money to me on account of the Armory to your Superior good Judgment & discretion — You observe that instructions have heretofore ^been forwarded me regarding the sale of scrap Iron & I have reexamined every letter Received from yourself & the Sec^y of War & find no such orders - I have presumed on the system previously adopted by the Superintendant of the Armory to dispose of those refuse articles - crediting the United States with the proceeds - wishing for instructions more direct, I wrote you for them - I mention this only, that it might not appear, I am troubling you for a repetition of orders on the same subject - I am Sir most respectfully Y^r Obedient Servant Joseph Williams Samuel Hodgdon Esq^r