Custom House,
Ellsworth January 22, 1866

Sir:
I send you herewith copy of Secretary's letter an answer
to your application for American Register for Schooner
"C. Hood." You see he has rejected your application
on the ground that the repairs do not amount to three
times as much as the original cost of the vessel.
He has made no account of her cargo which
was paid for out of the $1425. It is unfortunate that
your bill of sale was not made so as to distinguish
between the cost of vessel & her cargo, but as it is
I see no way for you except to get affidavits
showing that $495 was the value of the cargo on board & Bunkers claim for salvage
thus leaving the true & original cost of the vessel $970 as stated
in your papers. The items as put into your statement are 40
cords wood @ $10 = $400.00, 50 lbs butter @ 1/2 = $25.00, 50 yds canvass
@ 1 = $50.00, BunkersSalvage claim $20.00 - Total $495. You will
see that it is necessary to send on her Foreign Register & to
state on what authority & by whose agency the sale was effected
& etc. The Dept. seems disposed to prevent as far as possible

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the getting back vessel built in the U.S. & put under
foreign flags during the war, therefor you must show
by her Reg. or some other evidence that your vessel
was not built in the U.S. Mr. Thomas is absent &
will not be back for a week or more probably. I have
just received these papers. Now, if you are in haste
to get this matter through you had better get the
affidavits to which I have referred. Your foreign
Register if you have it if not satisfactory evidence
to show where the Sch. was built & come here at
once & I will try to put the thing through the mill
again.

Wm. P. Preble Esq.

Yours truly
Cranberry Isles Chas. D. McDonald
Me. ???