[margin: Calid. Gibbs Ing.] Sir, War Office June 10. 1795 — M^r. Holyden has shown me your letter to him of the 25 of May, manifesting a disinclination to render him monthly instead of quarterly returns. Your reason is that your instructions from the late Secretary of War prescribe only quarterly returns; and you suppose the salary fixed was calculated on that idea; and therefore that the clerks should not be required to do three times the duty originally intended. On this I will observe; that if the making of returns constitutes, as your words import, the principal part of your duty, your salary is given on very easy terms; and that for the service rendered, you are better paid than any officer of the United States. But there is certainly much more to be done by a Clerk of a Navy yard and the making of returns must form but a small portion of his duty. I have further to observe that M^r. Hodgdon being the Superintendant of military stores [and] of all moveable property of the United States that has any relation to War is comprehended in that term [,] has a right and it is his duty, to call to account all persons to whom the same may be intrusted. These are the words of the law. And he must call for accounts and returns of property to be rendered at such times as the due arrangement of his accounts requires. And it is to be presumed that he will not call without reason. This information I trust will satisfy you that the returns demanded by M^r. Hodgdon are to be rendered, & that without delay.