James Warren LS to John Langdon Regarding Naval

Warren, James (1726-1808). Paymaster General of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and President of Massachusetts Provincial Congress. LS as a member of the Continental Navy Board, "J Warren," 1p, 8.25 x 9.25 in., Boston, MA. October 22, 1778. Docketed on verso. Also signed by William Vernon "Wm Vernon." Addressed to John Langdon. Letter answers Langdon's request for financial assistance: "We are very sensible of the necessity of your being well supplyed [sic] with money to enable you to carry on your business & should have sent some at the time you expected had not a multiplicity of Business prevented that attention to it that we ourselves Intended to give we now send you by the post Ten Thousand dollars...we have given Mr. Simpson orders to proceed to Boston with the Ranger..."

The Continental Navy was founded by Congress on October 13, 1775. In June, 1777, Congress appointed John Paul Jones as captain of the USS Ranger and sent him to France to meet with the American commissioners, including Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane. In 1778 after being detached to command the Bonhomme Richard, Jones handed over command of the Ranger to Lieutenant Thomas Simpson, under whose leadership the sloop captured twenty-four prizes.

John Langdon (1741-1819) was born in Portsmouth, NH to a prosperous farmer. He eventually became a merchant with great success. A supporter of the Revolution, Langdon participated in actions against the British (seizure of munitions in Portsmouth) and became a shipbuilder, especially constructing privateers for naval operations against the British. He was a member of the New Hampshire Assembly and of the Continental Congress (1775-1776). He was a signer of the Constitution and became the first President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. He served four terms as Governor of the State (1785-86, 1788-89, 1805-09, and 1810-12), and was nominated for the position of Vice President on the ticket with James Madison (1812), but declined. Langdon is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Condition Report: Bottom portion of letter (an additional 4.125 in. lg.) fully separated. Letter with fold creases (some minor splitting), darkening to certain edges and creases, ink transference throughout, and brittleness to edges/corners. Sizeable area of paper loss to bottom right corner.