[cover/address panel:] [undecipherable] 12½ c.^M Josiah Fox War Office Philadelphia [post] [docket:] Capt.ⁿ Truxtun Baltimore Feb.y 4^th 1796 recd Feb.y 8^th Baltimore 4^th Jan^y 1796 Dear Sir I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind favour of the 2^d Instant — the Agent Clerk of the Yard & Constructor as well as myself Anti=cipated what the Report of the Marine Committee of the [house of Representatives of the] United States have determined on, Namely the building of only one 44 and one 36 gun frigate, & we accordingly prepared a statement of the Ma=terials &c &c, and transmitted the same this post, to the Secretary of War, as also a Copy to the Surveyor of public Supplies, by which you will immediately See, that we are in a greater State of forwardness here, than else where — I addressed [strikethrough: you] the Sec.^y [undecipherable] last post and inclosed a letter from the Clerk of the Yard, with an extract of a letter from M^r Hodgdon Respecting your Complaint, of his not Transmitting Accounts & Returns to the War Office, and although you was right in Complaining, being Acquainted with the original Instructions to the Clerk of the Yard, given by Gen.^l Knox: M^r Garrison is not blameable I presume, in consequence of Major Hodgdons Subsequent letter, wherein he Says, the Copies to the War Office, May be dispensed with— I hope our white Oak timber [undecipherable] better than that of New Hampshire, & our Materials being in a State of greater forwardness, than at that place; in addition to Several vessels being ordered here immediately, from Georgia, with live Oak will be alone, a Sufficient inducement to build this Ship, in preference to that at New Hampshire — I am Sir Your Ob.^t Ser.^t Thomas Truxtun M^r Josiah Fox