Provisions, on pretense of keeping Supplies from being obtain’d by the Enemy, but in reality for beating down their Price in Favor of the Contractors, in whose Profits it was said, perhaps from Suspicion only, he had a Share. And when at length the Embargo was taken off, by neglecting to send Notice of it to Charlestown, the Carolina Fleet was detain’d near three Months longer, whereby their Bottoms were so much damag’d by the Worm, that a great Part of them founder’d in the Passage home. Shirley was I believe sincerely glad of being reliev’d from so burdensome a Charge as the Conduct of an Army must be to a Man unacquainted with military Business. I was at the Entertainment given by the City of New York, to Lord Loudon on his taking upon him the Command. Shirley, tho’ thereby superseded, was present also. There was a great Company of officers, Citizens and Strangers, and some Chairs having been borrowed in the Neighborhood, there was one among them very low which fell to the Lot of Mr Shirley. Perceiving it as I sat by him, I said, They have given you, Sir, too low a Seat. No Matter, says he, Mr Franklin; I find a low Seat the easiest!

While I was, as aforemention’d, detain’d at New York, I receiv’d all the Accounts of the Provisions, &c. that I had furnish’d to Braddock, some of which Accounts could not sooner be obtain’d from the different Persons I had employ’d to assist in the Business. I presented them to Lord Loudon, desiring to be paid the Balance. He caus’d them to be regularly examin’d by the proper Officer, who, after comparing every Article with its Voucher, certified them to be right, and the Balance due, for which his Lordship promis’d to give me an Order on the Paymaster. This, however, was put off from time to time, and tho’ I called often for it by Appointment, I did not get it. At length, just before my Departure, he told me he had on better Consideration concluded not to mix his Accounts with those of his Predecessors. And you, says he, when in England, have only to exhibit your Accounts at the Treasury, and you will be paid immediately. I mention’d, but without Effect, the great & unexpected Expense I had been put to by being detain’d so long at New York, as a Reason for my desiring to be presently paid; and On my observing that it was not right I should be put to any farther Trouble or Delay in obtaining the Money I had advanc’d, as I charg’d no Commissions for my Service, O, Sir, says he, you must not think of persuading us that you are no Gainer. We understand better those Affairs, and know that every one concern’d in supplying the Army finds means in the doing it to fill his own Pockets. I assur’d him that was not my Case, and that I had not pocketed a Farthing: but he appear’d clearly not to believe me; and indeed I have since learned that immense Fortunes are often made in such Employment. As to my Balance, I am not paid it to this Day, of which more hereafter.

Our captain of the Packet had boasted much before we sail’d, of the Swiftness of his Ship. Unfortunately when we came to Sea, she proved the dullest of 96 Sail, to his no small Mortification. After many Conjectures respecting the Cause, when we were near another Ship almost as dull as ours, which however gain’d upon us, the Captain order’d all hands to come aft and stand as near the Ensign Staff as possible. We were, Passengers included, about forty Persons. While we stood there the Ship mended her Pace, and soon left our Neighbor far behind, which prov’d clearly what our Captain suspected, that she was loaded too much by the Head. The Casks of Water it seems had been all plac’d forward. These he therefore order’d to be remov’d farther aft; on which the Ship recover’d her Character, and prov’d the best Sailer in the Fleet. The Captain said she had once gone at the Rate of 13 Knots, which is accounted 13 Miles per hour. We had on board as a Passenger Captain Kennedy of the Navy, who contended that it was impossible, that no Ship ever sailed so fast, and that there must have been some Error in the Division of the Log-Line, or some Mistake in heaving the Log. A Wager ensu’d between the two Captains, to be decided when there should be sufficient Wind. Kennedy thereupon examin’d rigorously the Log-line, and being satisfy’d with that, he determin’d to throw the Log himself. Accordingly some Days after when the Wind blew very fair & fresh, and the Captain of the Packet (Lutwidge) said he believ’d she then went at the Rate of 13 Knots, Kennedy made the Experiment, and own’d his Wager lost. The above Fact I give for the sake of the following Observation. It has been remark’d as an Imperfection in the Art of Ship-building, that it can never be known ’till she is try’d, whether a new Ship will or will not be a good Sailer; for that the Model of a good sailing Ship has been exactly follow’d in the new One, which has prov’d on the contrary remarkably dull. I apprehend this may be partly occasion’d by the different Opinions of Seamen respecting the Modes of lading, rigging & sailing of a Ship. Each has his System. And the same Vessel laden by the Judgment & Orders of one Captain shall sail better or worse than when by