With this letter Beethoven sends the engraver's model for op. 98 and asks for payment of 50 ducats. He intends to honour the debts he has with Steiner at a later date. The letter is couched in the usual terms Beethoven employs when writing to Steiner's company. Steiner is referred to as "Generalleutnant", abbreviated to "G-t", his employee Diabelli as "Diabolus" and "Groß Profos". Beethoven needs the money for his "war coffers" and he refers to himself as "Generalissimus", abbreviated to "G-s".
