[106.] [Capt. Talbot] Sir, War Departm^t April 17. 1795. I have rec'd yours of the 12^th. I am sorry the shot of Kentledge cast by M^r Faesch &c are so bad. A copy of the contract is enclosed. The moulds for the shot were assuredly made with great exactness and cast in the knowledge of a uniform shape & exactly square. The dimensions full are noted in the enclosed statement. M^r Faesch himself I am informed received the moulds in Philadelphia. Seeing the execution is so bad, I pray you to make a critical examination of the whole, & to report the result minutely. — Copy of a letter from M^r Humphreys to the Secretary of War. M^r April 18. 1795. The size of the first moulds that was made for the Kentledge I did not register, but being directed to make others I went to the [undecipherable] & took the size of them that were cast by the mould I suppose first made. Their dimensions are as follows Two feet, six inches long on one side & two & a half inches wide. Two feet, five & 3/4 inc^t on other s^d & five & one quarter inc^t &c Dep. four inches & three eighths of an inch. The rod at each end on the flat end at opposite sides. — [undecipherable] [undecipherable: probable reading Joshua] Humphreys [Josiah Francis Esq.] Sir War Office April 22. 1795. By a letter of the 19 Instant from Captain Truxtun at Baltimore to M^r Humphreys it appears that he has met there with a M^r King an Englishman who [107.] who has agreed to reduce the large copper bolts to a proper size at three pence currency a pound. If the smiths here will not or cannot work at as low a rate, we must get M^r King to come up here for the purpose of [undecipherable] the bolts, after you shall have forwarded and he shall have drawn what will be necessary for some time at Baltimore. M^r Humphreys can best advise you on what quantity to forward in addition to what you have already sent. [Josiah Francis Esq.] Sir W. O. April 28. 1795. A letter of the 26^th from Captain Truxtun informs that the copper bolts had then arrived at Baltimore. Enclosed is a copy of M^r [undecipherable]'s letter to Cap^t Truxtun stating the pieces of live oak wanting for that frigate before she can be raised. [Cap^t Sam. Nicholson] Sir W. O. April 30^th 1795. I have received your letter of the 23^d. Your hay will be forwarded. The book of regulations for the British navy is not in this office: when the time approaches for manning our frigates, I shall be glad to receive that in your possession, if I do not meet with one nearer at hand. [Josiah Fox] Sir W. O. May 12. 1795. Your skill & services in preparing the draughts & moulds of the frigates now building in the U.S. & the intended further application of your skill in assisting in the construction of the frigate to be built at Norfolk as soon as draughts could be completed, induced me to agree, that from the first of April last, your pay should be at the rate of 750 dollars a year, for which for your satisfaction I give this certificate. For that compen-