[Secretary of War September 9 1793] War Department September 9 1793 Sir, The letter of [undecipherable] your favor of the 3^d Ult^o has been presented to the Secretary of State and by him submitted to the President of the United States. As this business [undecipherable] to have been assigned to his department, I am instructed by the President of the United States to say. That the situation of the [undecipherable: Genoa?] [undecipherable] in her [undecipherable] statutorily to France and England or any other French Vessel and [undecipherable] in one port. That therefore the British Ship Ocean having brought a French prize into our port so to be considered as comprehended in the Treaties of the Commerce [undecipherable] with France, had she not brought in a vessel being a public Vessel, she would have been entitled to any assistance not of a warlike nature which she might have [undecipherable]. I have the honor to be Sir, Your obedient humble Servant [undecipherable] His Excellency The Governor of Virginia