War Office March 29^th 1796 As the live Oak for the Deadwoods have not arrived from Georgia and a great lapse of time may unavoidable happen before it may arrive you are therefore permitted to make use of white oak for those pieces of Deadwood which were directed to be of live Oak by former orders, provided, that white oak of a very excellent quality can be procured, which I understand from Cap^t Truxtun a part can be obtained in your part of the Country. In Answer to your letter of the 24^th ins^t can only state that what pay is due you from this Office may be drawn for, and that you may empower M^r Sterel who is resident in this City to receive it quarterly as it becomes due. War Office April 25, 1796 The Congress having passed a Bill to build only three of the frigates ordered by a former law, and it being determined by the President to lay aside the frigate building at Norfolk you will therefore make no more purchases on account of that frigate — you are also requested to cause M^r William Herbert to make out a just and particular return of all Articles received by him for the public use, some M^r Sheets discharge, and transmit the same to this office with utmost dispatch, that measures [M^r Davis Stodder Naval Const^r Baltimore] [M^r Will^m Pennock Naval Agent Norfolk]