[Endorsed: [undecipherable]er 15 1787 / H Knox's Letter] War Office December 15^th 1787 Sir In consequence of your letter of [undecipherable] I appli'd to the Board of Treasury requesting them to furnish the money required for surveying the grant to the late Army agreeably to the Resolves of Congress of October 22^d. I have the honor to inclose you a copy of their answer by which you will perceive that no assistance can be obtained from them in surveying the military tract at the mouth of the Ohio. As the public finances are thus circumstanced I have conceived that it may be practicable to have the said tract surveyed by some of the commissioned officers of the Troops serving on the Ohio without any considerable expence to the public - If you approve of this project and will write to Brigadier General Harmar requesting him to appoint a suitable officer for the above purpose, and will give them the necessary instructions for his government, I will also write conformably to the same object. The Officer shall be on oath to perform the service uprightly - I presume that Majors Doughty, Captain Heart, and others might be found among the Officers who would be competent to this business. I have the honor to be Sir Your Most Obedient & Humble Servant. H Knox Captain Hutchins. Geographer of the United States.