Gunston-Hall March 19th. 1789.
In the first Load of wheat I sent up for the Ship Becky, there was a loss of 22 Bushs. Differrence between the Measure here, & the Ship's; the Wheat being measured here 622 Bushs. & on board the Ship only 600 Bushs. my half Bushells, tho' not stamp'd, was cut exactly by the County Standard, & has been tryed since, & found to agree with several authentickly stamp'd half Bushells. In the Load of Wheat I sent up for the Ship Maryland, there was only a Differrence of 4 Bushs. in 613 Bushs. Hence it is evident that there must have been some Error or Mistake in the ship Becky's Measure. Perhaps, to make the greater Dispatch, they may have made use of several half Bushs. without attending to their having been previously tried.
If the whole Cargo was the Property of one, or the same Persons, I conceive any Mistake in the Measure, in this Country, wou'd make no material Differrence; as the Wheat will be sold by it's Measure in France; but it's being the property of separate Persons, quite alters the Case. I must therefore beg the favour of you to examine into the Matter; that if any Mistake has already happened, &can be explained, it may be corrected, & future Errors prevented; for which Purpose, I have had sent up my half Bushell. Mr. McCarty's boat now brings up 325 1/2 Bushs. of Wheat for me, & 284 Bushs. for my Son William; the whole Load 609 Bushs. One more Load will take all we have, & I hope will be up in time for the Ship; as we shall give the Boat all the Dispatch we can; and if not prevented, by some Accident, or very bad Weather, I think all our Wheat will be along side the Ship, early in the next Week.
You will do me the favour to transmit me exact Accts. of each Load we put on board the Becky to enable me to transmit an exact Statement to Messrs. Fenwick Mason & Compy. I will leave Blanks in my Letters, to be filled up, as soon as I receive the Accts. and will send up an Express with my Letters to George Town. I presume I May depend on my 13 Hhds. Tobo. going out in the Becky. I am Dr. Sir, Your most obdt. sert.,