by the East India Company, and consigned to us, should not be landed;
that the duty should not be paid, and that the tea should be returned in
the same ship that brought it out. It also appears by the printed
proceedings of that assembly, that you consented it should go back in
your ship. We also understand that there is continually on board your
ship a number of armed men, to prevent it being landed. We therefore
judge it out of our power to receive it at present, but when it shall
appear to us to be practicable, we will give the necessary orders
respecting it.

QUESTION 2^D.

As your reply to our first question, gent^n., appears to us not to the
point, we must and do demand a categorical answer whether you will or
will not immediately, either by yourselves or your order, or otherwise,
qualify any other person or persons to receive the teas consigned to you
now on board our ship, as we are now entirely ready, and will, if in our
power, deliver the said teas immediately, if application is made?

ANSWER.

Gentlemen: It appears to us that the answer we have made to your first
question is a full reply to the second.

QUESTION 3^D.

As you, gentlemen, by the tenor of your first and second reply, refuse
to give us a direct answer to our questions, whether you will or will
not receive the teas mentioned therein, we now demand our bill of lading
given by Cap^t. Hall, in consequence of his receiving those teas on
board in London River, and the amount of the freight of the said tea,
say ninety-one pounds seven shillings and seven pence lawful money?

ANSWER.

Gentlemen: We shall not deliver up Captain Hall's bill of lading, nor
pay the freight of the teas until we can receive them.

[Copy.] FRANCIS ROTCH.
JAMES HALL.
THO^S. & ELISHA HUTCHINSON.
RICHARD CLARKE & SONS.
BENJ^N FANEUIL, JUN^R.

[Copy.] AT CASTLE WILLIAM, IN NEW ENGLAND,

11^th Dec^r., 1773.

QUESTIONS PROPOSED BY JAMES BRUCE,

_Master of the ship Eleanor, burthen about 250 tons, now lying in the
harbour of Boston, in New England, with part of her cargo, from London,
consisting of one hundred and fourteen chests of tea, consigned to
Messrs. Richard Clarke & Sons, Tho^s. & Elisha Hutchinson, Benj^n
Faneuil and Joshua Winslow, of said Boston, Merchants._

QUESTION 1^ST, BY CAP^N BRUCE, TO THE CONSIGNEES AFORESAID, IN BEHALF OF
HIMSELF AND