[Letter to Secretary of [undecipherable: War?], June 9. 1795.] Honl Timothy Pickering Naval Yard Portsmouth June 9^th 1795— Sir, My instructions requiring me to [undecipherable] a report to you on the State of the yard at my arrival, have taken the first [undecipherable] moment of Complying therewith — [undecipherable] last week but the [undecipherable] that the Yard was in at my arrival made me anxious to [set?] every thing in [a regular?] train as soon as possible. — I expected to have been here at Portsmouth sooner, but was so unfortunate as to be detained [undecipherable: at Baltimore?] by contrary Wind of unfavorable weather — I hope my excuses for the [public?] Service will be such as to meet your approbation. Immediately on my Arrival I waited on Mr [Pennock?] to whom I delivered my Letter of [Introduction?] — He appeared ready to afford every Assistance [Necessary?] for forwarding the Business with energy — The Yard is well Situated for the purpose of Building [Frigates?] for War, the [undecipherable] of the enclosure renders it convenient for laying Timbers to advantage for work, all the [Necessary?] Buildings are Compleat the only Deficiency that appears at present is the [Clerk's?] Office being some distance from the Yard, which we find is frequently attended with great inconvenience of which might be remedied by appointing a small place for his Office at one end of the Store house — I [should?] also [recommend?] to have a Steward under the Clerk to take care of the provisions for the Men of [every sort?] — at present he Occupies a great portion of the Clerks hours, & when more Men are employed the Clerks attention will be entirely taken up in drawing out the provisions — We find a great inconvenience also for want of a Bell to call the Men to & from their Meals, which might be furnished by Mr [Pennock?] — I found the Keel laid on the Blocks, the [Scarph?] Bolted & rabbet partly [removed?] out — but in my Opinion it will require some alteration as the Declivity by no means agree with Mr Humphreys Directions — the present Declivity being only 3/8 of an Inch to a foot [at?] that Declivity the lower part of the Keel at the fore end rises 6 feet & half above the ground (I must here remark) the ground from the Midships of the Keel [forward?] to Dead Level, but [aft?] it rises nearly parallel with the [Keel?] so that the Declivity of the Keel as it now Stands reaches nearly [undecipherable] across [undecipherable] before it Strikes the Surface of the water which is something more than the Ships length from the after Block which distance she [would?] have to run over [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] also [submit?] the impossibility of so much [Blocks?] forward as will be Required [if?] the Keel should be lifted to the Declivity Desired — Therefore [I am of Opinion?] Lowering the [after?] part of the Keel will be more eligible. but which will require great part of the Blocks to be now laid [and?] some of the Ground removed — The Timber that has arrived is of the first quality but as no account has been taken by the Clerk of the Contents of the pieces when they were landed we are under the [Necessity?] of being guided by the [invoice?] for those timbers [already?] [undecipherable] Since I arrived have entered several additional hands of expeditious [undecipherable] more, most of those already employed are Negroes, very few of whom can work the Timbers to the Moulds of [undecipherable] — [who/we?] are under the necessity of employing them in hewing the Timbers for [undecipherable] — however shall do my endeavors to instruct them so that they may [undecipherable] the Timbers with Certainty — enclosed is [a?] list of what work had been done before my arrival [which?] will [show?] what little progress has been made, and you may depend on my exertions to keep pace with the other yards I remain with [undecipherable] of Respect &c. Josiah Fox Ac^t of work done in the yard to 1^st of June 1795. Keel trimmed, [Scarph'd?] Bolted & Blocked. 6 Floor Timbers Sided 29 1^st Futtocks d° 61 2^nd d° d° } none of which are [moulded?] 16 3^d d° d° 69 [undecipherable] Futtocks d° 5 pieces of Bottom [undecipherable] square to 18 Inches 2 Upper [undecipherable] pieces Sided. [undecipherable] Deck [undecipherable] & Transoms Sided [undecipherable] nearly compleat No of Men employed 9 White Men [great?] part of whom are Shipwrights 1 d° [Joiner?] 15 Blacks [& Men?] Total 25 Work done from June 1^st to June 9^th. 1795 Sternpost, [Transom'd?] [undecipherable] inner part & [undecipherable] fastened Wing Transom [removed?] & bolted to the post 6^th [undecipherable] Transom trimmed & on the post, but not bolted 7 Transoms removed 2 Upper Futtock pieces trimmed about 70 second Futtocks & [undecipherable] Sided Portsmouth June 9. 1795 — Josiah Fox