the Naval constructor & requested him to transmit to this office and to yours the dimensions required — [Caleb Gibbs's Appointment] W. D. December 31^st 1794 Caleb Gibbs appointed Clerk of the Naval Yard at Boston — see Instructions page 58. [Henry Jackson cf] Sir War Department Dec^r 31^st 1794 I have just received the enclosed from [undecipherable] Commissioner of the Revenue — I request you & Captain Nicholson to concur in the appointment of an Inspector who shall be sworn to reject all which is not of the most perfect quality — You will have the Duck stored until further orders in some brick & slated building and in a part of the Store which shall be secure from fire — [P Geo. Flaghorne] Sir W. D. January 3^rd 1795. General Knox, the late Secretary of War has directed me to inform you, that he has had your letter of the 26^th of September last under consideration & has consulted M^r Humphreys the Constructor on the subject thereof who has no objections to the keel of the Frigate being made in the manner pointed out by you, but that no alterations can be made in the dimensions of the timber — Your Compensation will be the same as the other Constructors [undecipherable: prob. "allow'd"], a Salary, at the rate of 2000 Dollars p annum (signed) Jn^o. Flagg jun. [Josiah Francis Esq^r] Sir W. B. January 17^th 1795. Your letter of this date just now received contains the same information which you before verbally communicated. I then understood you that the [undecipherable] in question was to be laid immediately over the keel of the Frigate consequently besides the durability which common oak may acquire by salting, it will be likely to get repeated salting by the leaking which I presume happens in all vessels with whatever care they are built— For this reason and on the opinions of M^r Humphy and Penrose that common oak will answer well and of the latter even that it is to be preferred, for the particular use in question and because the live oak cannot be obtained without a very injurious delay I think the Common oak should be used. But let the direct salting of the timber be effectually performed. Signed Tim. Pickering—Jefferson P.S. If common oak is not used in the case mentioned can live oak of sufficient size be obtained & how soon? and must the Work on the Frigate be in the mean time suspended? [Mr. Samuel Shore] Sir W. B. July 5 1795. Your letter of January 26 is rec^d — It will be practicable to have the duties of your Office executed without owning a house. I should prefer it as the service must be reported temporary — At all events, before an order for building can be given, it should be ascertained what would be the unavoidable rent for a year of a building suitable for your office & what would be the expense of building, and the estimate if this expense should not rest on the vague conjecture of builders who it is generally said make the same, at least one third or half the eventual cost — It would also be proper that the opinion of the Naval Agents should be explicit in writing— [Mr. Flagg Esq^r] Sir W. D. February 12 1795. The Secretary of the Treasury has informed me that in the Ship Neptune from Liverpool a quantity of copper has arrived at New York for the use of the United States. John Lamb &^o the [undecipherable] of your port will show you the bill of lading and deliver you the contents. These I suppose are chiefly if not wholly destined for the Frigate building at New York. You will therefore be pleased to store them where you judge it will be most proper for the intended use— [John Lamb Esq^o] Sir W. D. February 17 1795. The Secretary of the Treasury has sent me a copy of your letter of the 6^th informing of the arrival of a quantity of copper in the Ship Neptune from Liverpool, for the use of the United States. Be pleased to deliver the same to John Flagg Esq^r. Naval Agent who has directions to receive it.