Report of progress made in providing materials for the Frigates, and in building them. December 12. 1795

No 6 Department of War recd. 15 Decr. 1795 3. A Statement fo the progress in providing materials for the Frigates and in building them. If the Frigates had been constructed with the timnber at hand in the several places where they were destined to be build, they might by this time have been completed. But the design of rendering them permanently useful having determined the Executive to have them constructed with live Oak and Cedras, the measures deemed necessary and adequate to the procuring of those materials were take during the last war. The common and easy acquisition of those articles for the ordinary service of the merchants forbade any apprehension of extraordinary difficulty in procuring the same for the frigates. But in the experiment it has been found that timber of the lengths and sizes necessary for frigates was greatly disperes and grew generally in places difficult of access and required extraordinary means of trnasportation to the landing. The natural diffuclties of the Country have been increased by unusual quantities of rain. Shipcarpenters were sent from the Northern States to the Islands bearing the live Oak, and employed during the last winter in cuttin gand [undecipherable] the Timber: but the climate deterred them from staying to prosecute their work, so that these men only capable of selecting the proper timber and moulding it in the requisite forms have been prevailed on to remain. These with Negro labourers have continued the work and are still employed with these however it was judged practicable to procure the whole of the live Oak timber by the month of May 1796. Such was the report of an intelligent agent employed in Georgia during the last winter and who has not returned hither to superintend and as far as possible to expedite the operations. Upon this report made in June last it was judged eligible to concentrate the efforts that were making to furnish the yards with live Oak timbers and accordingly orders were given to accumulate at two of the yards as much of it as would be necessary to complete two frigates by the ensuing spring. But befor these orders could reach the Margin several vessels were dispatched to different yards; and one was cast away and the cargo lost. Some difficulty occured in procuring proper vessels to transport the timbers: several of those which had made one voyage having incountered such hardship and distress as to be detered from making second. Nevertherless under all these embarassments the work is continued and with the well grounded expectation, before expressed, that all the live oak timber will be cut and transported to the different Ship yards at farthest by the next midsummer. Details of the quantities of timber and other materials already provided and of the progress in building will appear in the anniced schedules. The live Oak and white Oak timber mentioned are generally as wholly moulded and dussed[?] and ready for raising. Since draughting the foregoing report a letter has been received frm the Chief Carpenter employed in procuring timber in Georgia presenting a very favorable account of his progress. Two vessels laden with live Oak had recently sailed for the yards of Philadelphia and Baltimore and the cut of the timber to complete the frames of the frigates in building at these places was cut and ready to be shipped. These were the two frigates which as before mentioned it was proposed first to finish. The Chief Carpenter adds that if he is furnished with vessels fir for the [undecipherable] he will have all the timber in the [undecipherable] yards in the month of May next [undecipherable] the trees all of which he thinks cannot be got of libe Oak. The Agent [undecipherable] engages the vessels for transporting the timber has no doubt of procuring timely all that will be wanted for the service. Sail Cloth has been provided for set[?] of Sails for each of the Frigates. It was contracted for, and manufactured in the United States in the year 1794. It has been [undecipherable] to because one kind of foreign Clof of a superior Quality, for the second suit but the purchase has been suspended, to [undecipherable] Money untill it should be ascertained at what [undecipherable] the Cloth would actually be wanted to equip the Frigates. In the like reason no more Hemp has been purchased than will be required for the Cordage of the tow Frigates, the Building of which it was intended to ordonance in pressence to the Shores and which it was then hoped would be constructed by the close of the comming Spring. For the same [undecipherable] the purchase of Anchors which will eventually be required remains incomplete. All which is respectfull transmitted to the Senate of the United States. Timothy Pickering Department of War Decr. 12 1795