I am desired by the Committee to acquaint you that a ship has lately sailed from this place bound to James River, in Virginia; the master's name is Crowel Hatch. When he was building his ship, a proposal was made to him by some of the Committee, to employ the tradesmen of this Town, for which he should receive a recompense by a discount of five per cent on their several bills, but he declined to accept of the proposal. This, you are sensible, would have been the means of his employing our sufferers at their usual rates, and at the same time as cheap to him as if he had got his vessel built by more ordinary workmen from the country. There is also another circumstance which I must relate to you. Capt. Hatch proposed that the Committee should employ our smith, in making anchors for his vessel, at a price by which they could get nothing but their labor for their pains, because he could purchase cast anchors imported here, for the same price, which was refused. At this he was very angry, and (perhaps in a gust of passion) declared in the hearing of several persons of credit, that he was used ill, threatening repeatedly that he would stop all the donations he could, and that no more should come from the place where he was going to, meaning Virginia. These facts the Committee thought it necessary to communicate to you, and to beg the favor of you to use your influence that Capt. Hatch may not have it in his power, (if he should be disposed,) to traduce the Committee and injure the sufferers in this Town, for whose relief our friends in Virginia have so generously contributed. I am, in the name of the Committee, Sir, your obliged friend and humble servant, ________________________________________________________________ 1James River, Virginia. TO CHARLES DICK, CHARLES WASHINGTON, AND GEORGE THORNTON.1 [Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol. iv., pp. 211.] BOSTON, March--1775. GFNTLEMEN, Your letter of the 23d of January last, directed to the Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Boston, has been laid before the Committee appointed to receive and distribute Donations for the sufferers by that cruel and unrighteous Act of the British Parliament, commonly called the Boston Port Bill. I am now in behalf of this Committee to acknowledge the receipt of seven hundred thirty-six and a quarter bushels wheat, twenty- five bushels Indian corn, three barrels flour, and three barrels bread, shipped on board the schooner Betsey, Capt. John Foster, being a very generous contribution of Spotsylvania County, in Virginia, to those sufferers.