War Department February 25. 1800 Sir, I have received your letter dated the 20 instant, containing a summary of certain accounts and vouchers exhibited to your Office by John & Amos Woodward, and submitting it to the Secretary of War to direct what is proper to be admitted of the said Accounts to the credit of the Contractors, and if necessary to have the bills of medicine and surgical instruments taxed in the usual way. On referring to the contract with John and Amos Woodward, you will find the third and fourth article will enable you to proceed in the settlement of their accounts, in the manner practised at the Treasury in like cases, and which appears to me to be true and proper courses to be pursued. The Secretary of War ought not to be called on to audit accounts. Should any of the vouchers be defective or require the sanction of a higher military authority than those annexed to them, it will be proper that you should make the objection to and requirement of the Contractors. The Bageon Boat which has been provided for the use of the Garrison at Fort Trumbull, is properly a Quarter Masters item, and as such comprehended in the third article of the Contract. I consider it to have been necessary; but if it has not been ordered by competent ^military authority, the defect can I presume be supplied through the Contractor. The watch boats I should not have authorized had I been applied to, but having been furnished by the Contractor, I do not see that his accounts for them can be well ^be rejected. I shall state the matter to General Hamilton and request him to cause an enquiry to be made into the circumstances which induced such a requisition upon the Contractor. When medicine Chests with their medicines have been procured at other towns than Philadelphia, it has not been the practice to have the Bills examined and taxed by a Druggist or Physician of Philadelphia, as is usual with Doctors Bills, who attend upon Garrisons or recruiting parties. The account in Question appears to be for a medicine chest and its medicines. If you have any doubts as to the propriety of the charges, it will be proper that you should require the Contractor to produce a Certificate, from some known Druggist or medical character in New London, that the charges in the account are conformable to the established prices in that place — Doctr Sees attendance, if estimated beyond the pay of a supernumerary mate, ought to be so limited — I return you the Vouchers. I am Sir. Your obedient Servants. James McHenry William Simmons Esq^r Accountant —