[M^r Isaiah Fac^s] War Office June 23, 1795. Sir, I have received your letter of the 9^th, and handed it to M^r Humphreys for his information, and remarks. His opinion on the laying of the keel of the frigates building at Portsmouth Virginia, is expressed in the inclosed copy of his letter of the 22, to which you will substantially conform. Navy Yard June 22, 1795. Sir I have to observe on M^r Fac's letter to you, dated Naval yard, Portsmouth, June 9, 1795, that neither time nor expence should be spared in laying the heels of the frigates in the best possible position for launching. I think from his description of the ground, it will be very proper to lower the keel a foot; in fact, to keep it as low as possible on the blocks, all fore and aft, as will barely admit of putting on the false keel. If they have sufficient water for launching, I would give the keel the same declivity as the launching ways. If the water is scant, it should be left as described in a former letter to you on that subject. (signed) Joshua Humphreys. The Secretary at War. [Capt. Ja.^s Sever] War Office May 14, 1795. Sir I have received your letter of the 26^th. Your direction for putting the white oak timber, when dressed, into salt water, is doubtless a very good one. By this post will be transmitted to M^r Hacket copies of two letters from M^r Humphreys, the Constructor of the frigate building at Philadelphia. In one of them he suggests that it may be expedient to bore the ends of the timbers and for a certain part to run a whip saw through the center, and then to fill the auger holes, and the opening with salt, in order to prevent the rotting of the timber. Should M^r Hacket approve the project of boring, and soaking [strikethrough: the putting them into salt water will more effectually preserve them], I conceive, than M^r Humphreys's application of salt. The part sawed, may be opened, as M^r Humphreys proposed, and if the time they shall lay in the salt water shall raise a doubt whether they are sufficiently penetrated, the dry salt may be afterwards applied. I understand that the copper arrived at New York, is merely for the frigate building at that place; a similar arrival has happened at Philadelphia. The copper for all the other frigates may now be expected daily at the respective ports, or at ports convenient to those where the frigates are building. Unfortunately a mistake in copying the directions for the bolts at the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue, last year, has occasioned the sending out the largest bolts of [undecipherable] inches diameter, instead of 1⅝ [undecipherable]. Experiments have been made to reduce them. It is under con—