[Endorsed: New Haven Cap^t. [undecipherable] / W.D. — 19^th March 179[undecipherable] / Rec^d. [undecipherable] / Recommend Copies / [circled: 15]] [Address: Samuel Hodgdon Esq^re / of Philadelphia / [undecipherable]] New haven March 19^th 179[undecipherable] When I wrote to you by M^r Perkins I Believe I neglected to inform you that the house belonging to the Carriages for the Ordnance here was generally very good and might save for two Carriages and should you think it best I could have the Ordnance mounted in this Country. A number of Arms are now repaired and have been stationed for a better house to hold them in; the buildings occupied by the Publick are already filled and indeed completely constructed at any rate for the reception of the guns, unless they were stacked up in [undecipherable]. It is however a necessity that this idea be adopted or a house erected immediately for their reception. A Building Sixty or fifty feet in length and twenty feet in Breadth with two Stories and a Garret would be sufficient to contain the Arms in the upper Apartments, and a number of other articles might be deposited on the ground floor. If this house were erected at the Publick expense it would save much money to the Publick on a few Years, as the Rent now given is very high and the houses very [undecipherable]. I have ventured to give my opinion as to what I think would promote the Interests of the United States in this borough, but shall now submit it entirely to your Judgment, and have only to beg you will favor me with Instructions on the Subject as early as possible. Captain Tinsley the bearer of this letter has made some proposals to me this day to undertake the repairs of the Carriage Boxes here. I imagine on a critical examination of them there will not be found more than a few hundred fit for Present use. If the quantity of Carriage Boxes shall be made equal to the Muskets a number must be repaired and a still greater number made entirely new, the Wooden work of many of the old Carriage Boxes I [undecipherable: probable reading returned] was lost or destroyed before I took the charge of the Store, and many so badly constructed that I imagine they will be rejected. I have taken the liberty to refer M^r Tinsley to you; he will show you a Specimen of his work and I believe he is competent to the business. I am Sir your most Obedient humble Servant W^m: [undecipherable: probable reading Holt] Samuel Hodgdon Esquire