wages of the Journeymon a shilling or two per day, which would occasion great embarrassment, if not ruin, to the undertakers. Hence it would appear to follow as a consequence that if the Shipbuilders of Philadelphia, some of whom have considerable capitals, would decline a contract, that it would be almost or quite impracticable to obtain the building by contract elsewhere. If this should be so then Agents respectable for their intelligence, activity, and integrity, must be sought in the places in which the said frigates are directed to be built. The President of the United States has approved of the said vessels being built under the directions of some agent or agents which I presume it will be in your department to nominate to him. I suppose however if you should find it practicable to build them by contract, that the subject will still be reconsidered by him, and as for myself I should find great satisfaction in a contract, if one, upon solid principles, could be obtained. [Estimate of timber &c for a frigate made by Joshua Humphreys] An estimate of the quantity of Timber Plank &c for a frigate of 147 feet Keel, 43 feet beam, 14 feet hold, 6 feet 9 inches between decks, and 7 feet waist 1 piece for keel 80 feet long, 18 by 24 inches in middle 2 d° 55 d° 1 of 18 by 30 d°, and 1 of 18 by 23 1 sternpost knee as long as can be had 1 stem Keelson rider, and one for stern 1 piece dead wood forward d° d° 24 inches by 8, 100 feet, or 2 of 50 feet [all the plank to be as long as possible, 60 or 70 feet if possible] 1 lower piece stem, and five pieces for keelsons 310 ft, 18 in. square 80 floor raising timbers and crotches. 2000 feet of 6½ inch wales 9 inches wide running measure 200 d° 5 d° 9 d° d° 4200 d° wale stuff 6 by 9 for decks d° [White oak] 2000 d° 4 inch plank for gun deck 4000 feet scantling for carlings 6 by 6 reduced measure 1000 d° 6 by 9 d° 1 deck stem and 1 deck sternpost knee to mizzen v° foremast 1400 feet of 5 inch plank 12 inches wide for clamps. 600 feet of 6 d° 10 inches wide for timber streaker running measure 1000 d° 5 d° 14 d° inside bilge streaks d° 1500 d° scantling for carlings for orlop deck 18000 feet of 4 inch plank for bottom and ceiling 200 good white oak logs 1000 feet running measure of 5 inch plank, 900 of 4½ inch and 5000 feet 3 inch [Pitch pine] 10000 feet of 3½ heart pine plank for lower deck 7000 d° 4 d° gun d° 8000 d° 3 d° quarter deck & forecastle 54 heart pitch pine beams for lower deck 14 by 16, 30 to 42 ft. long 60 d° d° gun deck 15 by 18, 30 to 40 ft long 12 d° forecastle 10 by 11 & 12 by 13, 22 to 35 feet long 34 d° for quarter deck 10 by 11 and 13 by 14, from 28 to 36 ft. long 50 d° orlop beams 10 by 12 30 to 38 feet long 6000 ft. Jersey pine two inch plank for orlop deck 170 live oak lower futtocks 174 d° middle d° 178 d° upper d° [Those timbers are calculated for four tier, but it is doubtful whether they can be procured that length, if not add 340] 150 live oak } toptimbers 50 red cedar } 200 cedar half timbers [The Knees may be had in North Carolina, the live in Georgia] [Live oak and Red cedar] 2 live oak Knight heads 8 d° hausepieces 12 d° bow timbers 1 d° upper piece stem & 1 piece apron 40 d° stanchions 1 d° sternpost 30 feet long, sided 17 inches 1 d° transom 30 d°, 22 inches square & 10 smaller ones 2 d° corner counter timbers 4 d° middle d° 12 cedar half timbers d° 500 knees for lower and gun deck of live oak 130 d° quarter deck and forecastle d° 8 d° for transom d° 2 d° d° standard d° 8 live oak breasthooks from 18 to 20 feet long d° 6 pieces for partners for masts live oak 200 feet 1¼ inch copper bolts for breasthooks 1600 d° 1½ d° for floor, keelson, dead wood, and sternpost knees [from Sweden] 850 d° 1⅛ d° for stem, stern, keel scarf, rudder and riders 1350 feet 1⅜ inch for keel & bilge bolts 7 pair composition braces and pintles for rudder [made in Philad.] 16 composition dovetail plates 12000 feet of sheet copper for bottom 5200 feet cedar, 1 inch, and of half inch. 30000 feet boards and scantling 50000 locust trunnels, 18 inch, 24 inch, & 30 inches long I think it will take 55 men two months to cut the timber of live oak and red cedar, calculating 24 working days in a month, for one ship. Joshua Humphreys [Joshua Humphreys, Philadelphia] General Knox presents his compliments to M^r Humphreys and will be much obliged to him to favor him as early as possible (if convenient to day, so much the better) with an estimate of the quantity of timber and plank necessary to build a ship of forty four guns distinguishing the tons of timber from the plank and the probable cost of each article. 1 May 8. 1794