No. 3. PROGRESS IN PROVIDING MATERIALS AND BUILDING FRIGATES. COMMUNICATED TO THE SENATE, DECEMBER 27, 1795. Sir: In obedience to the resolution of the Senate, I have the honor to present a part of the progress in providing materials for frigates, and in building them. TIMOTHY PICKERING. The Vice PRESIDENT of the U.S. and The PRESIDENT of the Senate. A Statement of the progress in providing materials for the frigates, and in building them. If the frigates had been constructed with the timber at hand in the several places where they were found necessary and best might be built, the time have been completed with live oak and cedar, [undecipherable] for our state, deemed necessary and attention to the procuring of those materials, I think the timber of extraordinary difficulty in those articles for the country. But in the expectation it has been found, that timber of the length and sizes necessary for frigates, was greatly dispersed, and the general difficulty of the country have been increased by [undecipherable] of ship carpenters of any. Ship carpenters were got from the Northern States in the places where they live oak [undecipherable], and best employed during the last summer in cutting and hauling, selecting the proper timber, and moulding it in the re [undecipherable] to pieces have been procured on to remain. Those, with negro laborers, have continued the work, and are still employed. With these, however, it was judged insufficient, and employed in Georgia during the last winter, and who has now returned hither to superintend, as it is possible, to expedite, the work that now remains to finish. Upon this report, it will be accordingly orders were given to accumulate at least at the yards so much of it as would be necessary to complete two frigates; the other ship, put far away and her cargo lost. Some [undecipherable] ordered in procuring proper vessels to transport the timber; of those which had made one voyage [undecipherable] largest concerns and the work is continued, and with the well grounded expectation [undecipherable] expressed, that all the live oak timber will be cut and transported to the different ship yards at furthest by the next midsummer.