[Copy of] Copy of Joshua Humphreys Letter to Sec'y of War on the [undecipherable] and Frigates Keel at Gosport Feb'y 7 1795 Sir Feb'y 7. 1795 I have taken this liberty of [undecipherable] this [undecipherable] or [undecipherable: best] [undecipherable] holds to [undecipherable] on the dead=[undecipherable] this will give good [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. The [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] the to [undecipherable] think will [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] will be [undecipherable: highly] [undecipherable: impregnated] with [undecipherable: corrosive] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] or [undecipherable], which will [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] side of the [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the hole of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] of in this [undecipherable] end to [undecipherable] 30, in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is the 30 [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] I in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 44 [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for the 44 Gun [undecipherable: Frigs]. To [undecipherable] to give durability to the whole Oak [undecipherable], I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] they [undecipherable] be [undecipherable: bored] in each end with a two [undecipherable] inch or three [undecipherable] [undecipherable: auger], within one [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at as deep as the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] are long; then [undecipherable] a small [undecipherable] in a vertical direction at the end of the holes, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to take a small [undecipherable] [undecipherable] - [undecipherable] the same [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] until [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the hole at the [undecipherable] end. The holes in the ends [undecipherable] then be [undecipherable: filled] with felt [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] up [undecipherable] when the [undecipherable] are on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] be [undecipherable: broke] in the middle of the [undecipherable: beam] to open the cut one [undecipherable] inch, then [undecipherable] [undecipherable: above] under the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the decks [undecipherable] [undecipherable], this [undecipherable] is the best possible means of preserving them. [undecipherable: Having] the [undecipherable] informed the keel of the [undecipherable: frigates] is laid with very little descent [undecipherable] I [undecipherable: conceive] [undecipherable] it to be [undecipherable: improper], [undecipherable: because] it ought to be held on [undecipherable] its [undecipherable] [undecipherable: position] with regard to descent the ship ought to [undecipherable: lay] with [undecipherable] Launching, if the ships keel [undecipherable: passed] is laid without any on a very small descent it will make it [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] dangerous in Launching which [undecipherable: ought] to be guarded against in the most [undecipherable: particular] manner for when the Launching ways are laid with a [undecipherable: sufficient] descent [undecipherable] the keel laid on [undecipherable] [undecipherable], the blocking [undecipherable: adapt] must be very high; this every person acquainted with Launching must acknowledge is very dangerous; in order to prevent any thing of the kind, I would [undecipherable] the [undecipherable: difference] suggest the [undecipherable: idea] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]