6.  Mr.  G.  C[rowninshield]  made  an  experiment  upon  the  ice
with  a  boat  upon  skates.  The  tenderness  of  the  ice  prevented
the  full  extent  of  the  experiment.  Three  skates  were  used  one  in
the  fore  part  &  the  boat  moved  with  sails.  The  direct  movement
was  best.  The  skates  required  to  move  otherwise  than  fastened
in  length  to  the  boat  as  he  who  skilfully  moves  on  skates  uses
not  direct  line  in  the  smallest  movement,  unless  he  be  under  the
impulse  which  his  collected  movements  have  given  him  &  then
his  body  &  arms  are  at  rest.  The  experiment  proved  the  latter
faci

7.  A  Son  of  Mr.  G[erry]  late  V[ice]  P.  of  TJ.  S.  A.  was  with
me.  His  object  was  to  defray  his  expenses  to  W[ashington].
His  father's  funeral  exp.  paid  by  the  Government.  The  motion
for  a  sum  to  his  family  could  not  obtain  with  any  from  the
state  of  our  finances,  from  the  nature  of  the  preceders,  &  from
the  chaxacter  of  the  Commission  his  Father  held.    At  his  death


1815]  WILLIAM  BBNTLBY,   D.  D.  818

the  V.  P.  left  just  enough,  his  S.  reports,  to  pay  his  debts,  leaving
the  Mansion  only  as  the  Widow^s  dower.  Not  a  penny  for  the
wife  &  six  children.  His  purpose  was  in  person  to  interceed
at  Washington  for  some  Office  for  his  maintenance,  &  applica-
tion for  the  loan  was  to  be  made  to  6.  C[rownin8hield],  junr.
Mr.  O.  C.  replied  that  he  had  loaned  to  Oovemment  a  million  &
had  calculated  upon  the  interest  which  could  not  be  obtained.
