[ Jefferson Miles, Proof Master General of Ordnance. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Jeaffreson Miles') to Robert Eddowes, Ordnance Storekeeper at Portsmouth, directing him to have all his receipts signed.

1p., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmark, 'To | Robert Eddowes Esqr | Ordnance Storekeeper | at | Portsmouth'. 24 lines of neatly-written text. An unusually emphatic communication, the possibility of fraud clearly being in the air. Begins: 'All your Bills of Disbursements lately transmitted to the Surveyor General's Office are allowed without any deductions, but in looking them over the Surveyor-General Observed that the Vouchers were not Witnessed, I have therefore reced his Commands to acquaint you therewith & to desire that you would for the future Observe that all Articles of Stores which you Shall have the Board's Orders to buy, the Receipt of them into Store is to be Certify'd by the Clerks of the Survey & Cheque & all Payments whatsoever made b you on the Office Account, each of those Payments are to be Witnessed by those two Officers, or in their absence by their Representatives & least you Shoud not understand my meaning I will endeavour to be Still more explicit - Every Receipt that you shall take for Money paid & every Paylist that Labourers shall Sign, the two abovemention'd Officers are to Witness every Such Receipt & Paylist.' A final paragraph comments Eddowes for sending up his bills of disbursements immediately. One of Miles's sons was the political writer William Augustus Miles (1754-1817), for whom see Oxford DNB, and another was the naval officer and author Jeaffreson Miles (d.1844).