36 (S.) *The* Secretary *of* War, *in obedience to the orders of the Preſident of the United States, ſubmits to the Houſe of Repreſentatives the following report reſpecting the Frigates authorized by the "* Act to provide a naval armament.*"* THAT the paſſing of the ſaid act created an anxious ſolicitude that this ſecond commencement of a navy for the United States, ſhould be worthy of their national character. That the veſſels ſhould combine ſuch qualities of ſtrength, durability, ſwiftneſs of ſailing, and force, as to render them equal, if not ſuperior, to any frigates belonging to any of the European powers. Reſearches therefore have been made for the beſt principles of conſtruction; and ſuch proportions adopted as have appeared beſt, upon the moſt mature advice and deliberation. The largeſt ſhips, of forty-four guns, will be conſtructed upon a ſcale to contain thirty cannons, of the caliber of twenty-four pounds, upon the gun-deck. The others, of thirty-ſix, twenty-eight cannons, of the ſame caliber, upon the gun-deck. The remaining force will be made up of twelve pounders and braſs howitzers. The frigates will be built of live oak and red cedar, in all parts where they can be uſed to advantage. Theſe valuable woods afford the United States the higheſt advantages in building ſhips; the durability being eſtimated at five times of the common white oak. Beſides theſe woods, the beſt white oak, pitch pine, and locuſt, are directed to be uſed in the conſtruction. Expedients have been deviſed for ſeaſoning the plank, as expreſſed in the letter of Joſhua Humphreys, herewith ſubmitted. But the procuration of the live oak and cedar (being of ſouthern growth) has been retarded by the circumſtances ſpecified in the letter of the Commiſſioner of the Revenue. The building of the ſhips has been directed in the ſeveral following parts of the Union, in order as well to diſtribute the advantages ariſing from the operation, as to aſcertain at what places they can be executed to the greateſt advantage—to wit. One thirty-ſix, at Portſmouth (New-Hampſhire). One forty-four, at Boſton. One forty-four, at New-York. One forty-four, at Philadelphia. One thirty-ſix, at Baltimore, and One forty-four, at Portſmouth or Norfolk (Virginia). The following arrangement has been adopted for the building and equipment of the frigates. 1. All contracts for the principal materials of conſtruction and equipment, have been made in purſuance of law, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treaſury. 2. All labour, and inferior materials not otherwiſe provided by the Secretary of the Treaſury, are to be procured by agents, whoſe compenſations are two and an half per cent. conformably to their inſtructions hereunto annexed, marked No. 1. 3. The captains of the frigates are to ſuperintend the conſtruction and equipment in purſuance of their inſtructions, No. 2. 4. The conſtructors or maſter-builders, are to be regulated by their general inſtructions, No. 3. It has been endeavoured to take theſe characters from the beſt qualified of their profeſſion; and in order that the public ſhould derive all the advantage of their whole time, they have been detached from all private purſuits, by a liberal compenſation, at the rate of two thouſand dollars per annum. It is poſſible that in one or two inſtances, *agreements for their ſervices* might 37 have been obtained at a rate ſomewhat lower; but the invidiouſneſs of the diſtinctions of different rewards for men performing the ſame ſervices, would but ill comport either with the invariable feelings of the human heart, or the public ſervice; they have therefore all been placed upon the ſame footing. A clerk to each yard, or place of building, is to receive, iſſue, and to account for all public property belonging to the ſhip, according to his inſtructions, No. 4—at the rate of ſeven hundred and fifty dollars per annum. The progreſs which has been made in the buſineſs, is generally ſtated in the letter of the Commiſſioner of the Revenue, and the letter of the captains, and conſtructor of the port of Philadelphia, herewith ſubmitted. It is to be underſtood, that no expences were authorized until the appropriation of the ninth day of June laſt, although the act for building the frigates, was paſſed the twenty fifth day of March. That few or no materials of any ſort, either for conſtruction or equipment, exiſted in their proper ſhape. That every thing, if not to be created, was to be modified. That the wood of which the frames were to be made, was ſtanding in the foreſt, the iron for the cannon lying in its natural bed, and the flax and hemp perhaps in their ſeed. That the materials will be ſoon collected, and the building vigorouſly puſhed, ſo that the frigates, according to the opinions contained in the documents herewith ſubmitted, may be afloat in the courſe of the year one thouſand ſeven hundred and ninety-five. That from the expenditures hitherto made upon the naval armament, no accurate judgment can be formed at preſent, what further ſums, if any, will be wanting to complete the ſame. It is reſpectfully ſuggeſted, that the idea contained in the letter of the Commiſſioner of the Revenue, reſpecting the publicity of ſome of the meaſures upon this ſubject, merits conſideration. *All which is reſpectfully ſubmitted.* *Department of War,* *December 27th, 1794.* (T.) *Inſtructions to the perſons appointed for building the Frigates.* —No. 1.— TO THE AGENTS. War Department. Sir, YOU having accepted of the agency of the ſhip of war to be built at are to conſider the rules herein ſpecified, as the general principles whereby to govern yourſelf in the execution of the agency. 1. You are to provide all the artificers and labourers of all deſcriptions, excepting the conſtructor or maſter builder, neceſſary to build a ſhip of guns; the number to be ſuch, from time to time, as will be able to operate with the greateſt effect. Theſe workmen to be provided upon the beſt terms, by the day, week, or month, as you ſhall judge conducive to the public intereſts. 2. You are alſo to purchaſe ſuch materials for the conſtruction and equipment of the ſaid ſhip as ſhall not otherwiſe be provided by ſpecial contracts under the orders of the Secretary of the Treaſury, and to pay all other incidental or contingent expences. 3. All the workmen and materials for building the ſaid ſhip, are to be obtained by you upon the eſtimate or requiſition in writing by the conſtructor, counterſigned by the captain or ſuperintendant. Other articles or labour neceſſary for the rigging or equipping of the ſhip, are to be obtained by you 38 upon the eſtimate of the principal artificer in each branch, and alſo counterſigned by the captain. 4. The clerk of the yard will receive, diſtribute, and account for every article of public property. 5. The ſhipwrights and all other artificers employed in working at the yard, upon the body of the ſhip, will be under the immediate direction and controul of the conſtructor; his certificate therefore, ſigned by the clerk of the yard, will be your voucher for payment of the wages according to the agreement you ſhall make. 6. You will keep fair accounts of all tranſactions, ſtating all expences for labour in one account, and all purchaſes for materials in another; every expenditure muſt be accompanied with the requiſition of the ſuperintendant or conſtructor, as the caſe may be; for which purpoſe you will take duplicate receipts for all expenditures, and alſo the receipts for the ſums paid. Abſtracts of the expenditures muſt be tranſmitted monthly to this office, and every three months the accounts and vouchers muſt be tranſmitted to the Auditor of the Treaſury, for the purpoſe of being adjuſted and ſettled. You will in the firſt inſtance receive dollars, and ſuch further ſums ſhall be advanced from time to time as the nature of the caſe may require; but all monies which you ſhall receive on this account muſt be kept by itſelf, and depoſited in the as naval agent, and a bank book kept excluſively for this object. You will be allowed two and a half per cent. commiſſion on the ſums expended, as full compenſation for your ſervices on this occaſion. You will in all reſpects conſider yourſelf as charged with the general ſuperintendance of the public intereſts, as far as the building of the ſaid ſhip, and will correct and report any conduct which may be improper in any of the branches. (U.) —No. 2.— TO THE SUPERINTENDANTS. War Department. Sir, YOU are to conſider yourſelf as the ſuperintendant of the frigate to be built at the port of and which is to mount guns. Your conſtant attendance will be neceſſary for the purpoſe of obſerving that all parts of the buſineſs harmonize and are conformed to the public intereſts. The frigate will be built and equipped under the following regulations. The Treaſury of the United States will make ſpecial contracts for the principal materials, which will be uſed in the conſtruction and equipment of the ſhip. The agent will provide all the materials not otherwiſe provided by the Treaſury; he will alſo, excepting the conſtructor, procure and pay all the workmen and labourers of all ſorts, neceſſary for the building and equipping the ſhip. The numbers and qualities of workmen and labourers are to be furniſhed by the agent, in purſuance of requiſitions in writing by the conſtructor, for the hull, or maſter mechanic in each branch of equipment; but in both caſes to be counterſigned by the ſuperintendant. The materials for the equipment, not provided by the Treaſury, are to be obtained by the agent, in purſuance of the eſtimate of the maſter mechanic in each branch, counterſigned by the ſuperintendant. 39 The conſtructor will have the immediate direction of all the workmen employed upon the hull of the ſhip. The rolls of the workmen and of the labourers, muſt be called every day, at the commencement and termination of their labour, and after returning from dinner: This muſt be done in the preſence of the conſtructor and clerk of the yard, whoſe certificate will be an indiſpenſible condition of payment. The clerk of the yard will receive, iſſue, and account for all the public property. The order for the iſſue of articles for the hull, muſt be ſigned by the conſtructor, and counterſigned by you. The articles for the equipment to be iſſued on the eſtimate of the principal mechanic in each branch, with your order thereon. You will, as well as the conſtructor, be particularly careful that none but the beſt materials be uſed in the conſtruction of the hull; and you will obſerve the ſame precautions with reſpect to the equipments of all ſorts. You will alſo carefully obſerve that there be no deviation from the directions which ſhall be iſſued with reſpect to the proportions of the hull and equipments of all ſorts. You will report to me, weekly, the number of workmen employed, and the progreſs made in the execution either of the hull or equipments. I am, &c. (W.) —No. 3.— TO THE CONSTRUCTORS. War Department. Sir, YOU having been appointed conſtructor or maſter-builder of a frigate, to be built at the port of are to conſider theſe as the general principles whereby you are to govern yourſelf. Particular directions will be given to you relatively to the proportion of the ſhip; a draft and moulds for the ſame, to which you are undiviatingly to adhere. As you are eſtabliſhed upon a ſalary as a public officer, you will in all reſpects obſerve the higheſt degree of œconomy in all the objects which ſhall come under your direction, whether of materials or labour of the workmen and others, of which you will have the principal direction. Your conſtant attendance will be neceſſary, in order to direct the application of the reſpective workmen and labourers. The rolls of the workmen and labourers are to be called at the commencement and termination of the labour of the day, and upon their return from dinner, for which they will be allowed hour; the labour to commence at and terminate at You, and the clerk of the yard, will attend always at theſe roll calls, making ſuitable deductions from every abſentee; your certificates will therefore be required by the agent, as a voucher for their payment. Beſides yourſelf, the following perſons will be concerned in building the ſaid ſhip. An agent will be appointed to procure upon the beſt terms, all the materials which ſhall not otherwiſe be provided by the Treaſury of the United States; and he will alſo procure and pay all the workmen who ſhall be employed in the conſtruction or equipment of the ſaid ſhip. The captain will be the ſuperintendant to obſerve that there be a due application of all the means employed to the end intended. A clerk of the yard will be appointed to receive, diſtribute, and account for all public property. 40 The materials for building the ſhip, not procured by the Treaſury, will be purchaſed by the agent, in purſuance of your eſtimate to him, counterſigned by the captain or ſuperintendant. All the artificers of the reſpective branches, and labourers, neceſſary for the conſtruction of the frigate, are alſo to be procured upon your eſtimates, and counterſigned by the captain. You particularly will be reſponſible to the public, that no materials of any ſort enter into the conſtruction of the ſaid ſhip, but of the beſt quality. That a ſubſtantial foundation be laid for the ſhip, ſo that there ſhall be no danger of ſettling when the poſt comes out of the ground. That all parts of the great fabric are mechanically and perfectly executed. The view of the government, beſides diſtributing the advantages, by building the ſix frigates in different places, is to aſcertain where ſimilar work may in future be done to moſt advantage. The preſent attempt therefore is to be conſidered as an experiment; and the place where the buſineſs ſhall, under all circumſtances, be beſt performed, may derive permanent and great benefits. It will be expected that the utmoſt harmony ſhall prevail among the different characters concerned in building, ſo that their united efforts may produce a ſatisfactory reſult. I am, &c. (X.) —No. 4.— TO THE CLERKS OF THE YARDS. Sir, YOU having been appointed clerk of the yard, for the frigate to be built at are to obſerve theſe inſtructions as the general rule of your conduct. You are to receive, iſſue, and account for all the public property relatively to the ſaid ſhip, whether belonging to the hull or equipment, which ſhall be placed in your poſſeſſion, either by the orders of the Secretary of the Treaſury, the Naval Agent, or in any other way or manner. All the materials for the conſtruction of the hull, are to be iſſued by the orders of the conſtructor, counterſigned by the ſuperintendant, who is the captain. All the materials for the equipment, are to be iſſued on the eſtimates or returns of the principal mechanic in each branch, ſigned by the ſuperintendant. Accounts are to be opened for each principal article uſed in the conſtruction, ſuch as timber, iron, maſts, ſpars, booms, yards, cordage, hemp, ſailcloth, tools or implements, anchors, ſhip chandlery, &c. And on the firſt Monday in each month you are to tranſmit me an account of all articles received and delivered; by whoſe orders, and to whom; and all articles remaining on hand. You are alſo to attend the roll call of the workmen and labourers employed in the yard, and to counterſign the returns of them, for the agent to regulate his payments by. Your accounts and vouchers are, every three months, to wit, on the firſt day of October, January, April, and July, to be tranſmitted to Samuel Hodgdon, Eſq. in Philadelphia, who is the ſuperintendant of the military and naval ſtores of the United States. I am, &c.