[Copy Letter to the Secretary at War 28. December 1794.] [Copy] Sir I arrived in this City, six days after receiving your Orders directing me to repair to this place for the purpose of Superintending the Construction of the Frigate about to be built [strikethrough: here] [undecipherable] this Port. Soon after which I was favord with your further direction to appoint a Clerk to the yard, in obedience to which I have appoint M^r Daniel Tingley to that office whose appointment took place on Monday the 22^d Inst at which time he commenced the duties required of him in that line— I gave him a Copy of [strikethrough: the] instructions [interlineated: for his immediate direction] which were inclosed to me [strikethrough: on a former] on some time since, perhaps you will deem it proper to forward his instructions officially—. It is [undecipherable: probable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [••] you will conceive that I have neglected to make the appointment above alluded to so soon as you expected if so I must beg leave to observe that I meet with many disapointments by those that I at first expected to officiate and in fact who ingaged to enter on the business but afterwards declined. I was however the more easy on that score as I did not find untill late find that they would have much duty to perform, there being scarcely any one imployd except such as were in the country procuring timber and a few [undecipherable] imployd in erecting a Store House for the use of the yard & I have also neglected untill the present day to make you my return of the State of the buisiness which appeared to me not of sufficient magnitude to lay before you — you will have here inclosed the amount of all the timber which has hitherto been received in the yard all of which was laying in the yard before my arrival except the Keel Sticks for the keel and some of the floor timbers which have come in since— The Keel will be ready to be put together in a few days more if the weather should remain good. a great proportion of the rod timber which was in the yard on my arrival has since been used for the brig ways to lay the keel on — the want [undecipherable] has been bored into plank for the [strikethrough: boards] decks, some pieces of the oak have been sawed into [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as yet no Timber from the Southward have arrived and which we are in great want of out of the Stock which have been brought here only [undecipherable] & four have bore the inspection, they are soft and even those that have one of a bad quality. There has come to hand nearly Sixty Eight tons of Rigg Balloch which as yet have not been inspected. they however are uncommonly Rough and will not make much better Hoage than common Rigg — they are neither [strikethrough: then] dyarie nor Round and the composition is like drarst & Linder — perhaps it might be well to have some knowledge of the [undecipherable] as a guide to the inspector— because if [undecipherable] Squain Riggs were [undecipherable] agreed for those bought nearly all to be condemned— The Clerk of the yard requests to know if any Particular form in making his return is expected, and if so that a Copy of such form may be forwarded to him for his guide— Inclosed you have the return of the number and quality of the Labourers employd during the last Week. I am Sir your most Obedient humble Servant [undecipherable]