dollars and sixty-six cents ($2 66) per gallon, when the market price for best Rio coffee is seventeen cents per pound. For each half cent that the said coffee shall rise above seventeen cents per pound, an additional three and half cents on the gallon of cencentrated coffee will be charged; and for each half cent the said coffee shall fall below seventeen cents per pound, a deduction of three and a half cents per gallon will be made. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel A. B. EATON, GAIL BORDEN, JR., President N. Y. C. M. Company. Asst. Com. Gen. Subsistence, No. 4 State street. OFFICE NEW YORK CONDENSED MILK COMPANY, SIR: In answer to your request of the 12th instant, we herewith send you a sample (two half-gallon cans) of Borden's extract of Rio coffee combined with milk and sugar. The New York Condensed Milk Company will deliver this article to you, at No. 4 State street, in gallon and half-gallon tin cans, (equal numbers,) packed in strong hickory-strapped wood cases of eight gallons in each case, at two dollars and sixty-six cents ($2 66) per gallon, when the market price for best Rio coffee is seventeen cents per pound. For each half cent that the said coffee shall rise above seventeen cents per pound, an additional three and a half cents on the gallon of concentrated coffee will be charged; and for each half cent the said coffee shall fall below seventeen cents per pound, a deduction of three and a half cents per gallon will be made. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel A. B. EATON, GAIL BORDEN, JR., President N. Y. Condensed Milk Co. Ass't Com. Gen'l of Subsistence, No. 4 State street. NEW YORK, November 25, 1861. SIR: Herewith I send you the "two small samples" desired by you of my "pure extract of coffee, with sugar and milk." It is of Rio coffee, and of the character submitted by me to the regiments and the department, and such as I am able to furnish in large quantities, for the purpose of carrying out the General Order No. 98, and the order of the Secretary of War of October 25 and November 2, for the purchase of the supply of my extract, intended to give effect to the said general orders. I submit also a copy of my proposition of August 19 to furnish this supply, on which the said orders were predicated, and also my letter of November 13 to Colonel Taylor, as well as his of November 9 and 19, in which he advises me that the original of said propositions cannot be found, but encloses to me a copy of another communication which shows the allowance for the saving in transportation, distribution, and waste contemplated in my proposition and in the letter of the Secretary of War, dated November 2. If, however, you find yourself unable to fix satisfactorily the fair estimate for the difference in transportation, wastage, &c., mentioned in the Secretary's letter of November 2, except the allowance of about three cents ascertained as the present saving on transportation between New York and Washington, by water to Baltimore, as I am anxious to have the supply begun without further delay, I will deliver the amount necessary to supply fifty regiments sixty days, at $3 08, with the three cents on transportation to Washington, making 83 11 per gallon, in gallon cans, leaving the allowance for saving in transportation beyond Washington, and distribution, and for wastage, to be adjusted in conformity to such instructions as the department may hereafter give upon the subject. Í can deliver, as soon as it can be received from the manufactory, five thousand gallons, and, in addition, after this week, at the rate of two hundred or three hundred gallons daily for two weeks; thereafter, at the rate of four hundred to five hundred gallons daily, or more. Your obedient servant, Colonel A. B. EATON, H. A. TILDEN, for Tilden & Co. Assistant Commissary of Subsistence. NEW YORK, November 25, 1861. The United States bought of the New York Condensed Milk Company, 173, Canal street: Nineteen cases Borden's extract coffee, combined with sugar and milk, viz: A* (1 to 4)—4 cases containing each 9 1-gal. cans-36 gals. A* (5 to 7)—3 cases containing each 16 4-gal. cans—24 66 66 B* (8 to 13)—6 cases containing each 9-gal. cans-54 gals. 66 Received from Lieutenant Colonel A. B. Eaton, assistant commissary general of subsistence, four hundred and eighteen dollars and sixty-eight cents, in full for the above account. Signed in duplicate. $418 68 JAMES LAKE, Secretary N. Y. Condensed Milk Company. NEW YORK, November 25, 1861. SIR: Herewith I send you the "two small samples" desired by you, of my "pure extract of coffee, with sugar and milk." It is of Rio coffee, and the character submitted by me to the regiments and the department, and such as I am able to furnish in large quantities for the purpose of carrying out the General Order 98, and the orders of the Secretary of War of Octobor 25, and November 2, for the purchase of the supply of my extract, intended to give effect to the said general orders. Ex. Doc. 16-2 I submit also a copy of my proposition of August 19 to furnish this supply, on which the said orders were predicated, and also my letter of November 13 to Colonel Taylor, as well as his of November 9th and 19th, in which he advises me that the original of said proposition cannot be found, but encloses to me a copy of another communication which shows the allowance for the saving in transportation, distribution, and waste, contemplated in my proposition, and in the letter of the Secretary of War, dated November 2. If, however, you find yourself unable to fix satisfactorily the fair estimate for the difference in transportation, wastage, &c., mentioned in the Secretary's letter of November 2, except the allowance of about 3 cents, ascertained as the present saving on transpostation between New York and Washington, by water to Baltimore, as I am anxious to have the supply begun without further delay, I will deliver the amount necessary to supply 50 regiments 60 days, at $3 083, with the 3 cents on transportation to Washington, making $3 113 per gallon, in gallon cans, leaving the allowance for saving in transportation beyond Washington, and distribution, and for wastage, to be adjusted in conformity to such instructions as the department may hereafter give upon the subject. I can deliver, as soon as it can be received from the manufactory, five thousand gallons, and, in addition, after this week, at the rate of 200 to 300 gallons daily for two weeks; thereafter, at the rate of 400 to 500 gallons daily, or more. Your obedient servant, Colonel A. B. EATON, H. A. TILDEN, for Tilden & Co. Assistant Commissary of Subsistence. OFFICE OF THE AMERICAN DESICCATING COMPANY, SIR: This company proposes to deliver at No. 4 State street, such quantity of prepared cream coffee as you may from time to call for; the same to be equal to the sample now submitted, and made of the best Rio coffee, milk and sugar, put up in one gallon and one half-gallon tin cans, packed in wooden boxes, with hickory straps, containing say eight gallons in each, at the price of thirty cents per pound net. In the event of a higher duty being placed upon sugar and coffee, such additional duty to be added to price of the prepared coffee. The company will further agree to reduce its price from above, if allowed to substitute the amount of chicory usually used. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. O. FREEMAN, Managing Trustee. Assistant Commissary General. Lieutenant Colonel A. B. EATON, NEW YORK, December 2, 1861. The United States bought of The American Desiccating Company of New York: NEW YORK, December 16, 1861. Received from Lieutenant Colonel A. B. Eaton, assistant commissary general, forty dollars and eighty cents, in full for the above account. Signed in duplicate. 840 80. HENRY O. FREEMAN, Treasurer, For American Desiccating Company of New York. Office of ASSISTANT COM. GENERAL of SUBSISTENCE, New York, December 4, 1861. In compliance with the orders of the War Department, communicated to me by your letters of the 4th and 6th ultimo, I proceeded at once to take measures to obtain a quantity of Tilden's extract of coffee, &c. Mr. Tilden has not yet furnished me with a quantity of his extract for shipment. I expect to receive some (5,000) five thousand gallons of it to-morrow, when it will be transferred to the quartermaster's department for transportation. In order that the department and the economical interests of the public service might have the benefit of such competition as could readily be invited, I sent to Mr. Tilden, and to two other manufacturers of the extract of coffee, a circular note requesting samples of their several articles and a statement of prices. This has been responded to, and I herewith forward the several replies. The prices are as follows: Tilden's, three dollars eleven and half cents ($3 111) per gallon. American Desiccating Company, thirty cents (30 cents) per pound, equal to three dollars, ($3.) New York Condensed Milk Company, two dollars and sixty-six cents, ($2 66.) With Mr. Tilden's extract, I will also send some of the article from the other proposers. I have repeatedly tried samples of each, and have no hesitation in saying that the article furnished by the New York Condensed Milk Company is very far superior to the others. I request that the several articles may, on their arrival in Washington, be examined and tested; also that I may have instructions as to whether I shall continue to purchase from Mr. Tilden at his price or otherwise. I think there can scarcely be any room for any error, if the New York Condensed Milk Company be engaged to go on as rapidly as rapidly as possible under their proposal. I enclose a copy of a report by a board of naval officers appointed to examine and report upon some samples furnished by the same parties, which samples, I presume, are not to be taken as representing the articles now presented; Mr. Borden himself informing me that the sample he furnished the board was made from inferior coffee, and had fifteen per cent. chicory in it; all of the articles now supplied being, as claimed, of pure, prime Rio coffee. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. B. EATON, Lieutenant Colonel and Acting Com. Gen. of Subsistence. Colonel J. P. TAYLOR, Commissary General of Subsistence of the U. S. A,. Washington, D. C. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT COM. GENERAL of Subsistence, Your telegram, "Until further instructed, make no more purchases of the extract of coffee," has just been received. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel J. P. TAYLOR, A. B. EATON, Lieut. Col. and Asst. Com. Gen. of Subsistence. Com. Gen. of Subsistence, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. Telegram-(Copy sent by mail.) OFFICE COMMISSARY GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, COLONEL: Until further instructions, make no more purchases of the "ex tract of coffee." Lieutenant Colonel A. B. EATON, J. P. TAYLOR, Commissary General of Subsistence, Assistant Commissary General of Subsistence, New York. NEW YORK, December 7, 1861. MY DEAR SIR: My brother finds an obstruction to the carrying out of your order of October, (25th, I think,) in regard to his extract of coffee. He goes to Washington to inquire into the matter, and will probably be once more compelled to appeal to the clear and steady purpose with which you have sought to promote the health and comfort of the soldiers, while not increasing, but rather reducing, the expenses of their supplies. The price at which Colonel Eaton would take his extract was the cost now paid by the government for the green coffee and raw sugar in the ration now furnished, with three cents per one hundred rations allowed for saving on cheapest mode of transport between here and Washington. The article being one-half the weight and bulk of the present ration, there is a large saving on the transport beyond Washington and to remote places, and in distribution by wagons, and especially on a long march, as well as much convenience in diminishing the wagon train. There is also believed to be an important gain in saving what is known as "ordinary waste." But as Colonel Eaton said he had not any satisfactory dates to fix these, Clements, my brother, in his desire to avoid further delay in his articles reaching the regiments, assented to deliver the supply for the present purposes on the terms so advantageous to the government. Meantime, after about ten days' supply for the regiments acting under your order was delivered, before that has begun to reach them or provision is made to have their supply continued, your order is again suspended in the department below. The pretext, as nearly as can be found out, is that some new party has submitted a sample of an article, which he proposes to manufacture, at a still lower p ice. An important reduction from the price, founded on the basis above explained, would be in itself a cause of just suspicion. The defect of quality, even though |