T [undecipherable] July 1. 1796 I have the honor to transmit [herewith] [a Report lately?] [submitted?] [undecipherable] to the President of the United States dated [August?] [undecipherable] 179[undecipherable] The design of this Report was to [present?] the President [with?] the [organ-] [iz]ation [&] [admin-] [istra]tion of the Departments of War & [undecipherable] for the execution of the Acts of Congress [passed?] the [undecipherable] day in May 179[undecipherable] entitled "an Act making alterations in the [Treasury?] & War Departments" it is [transmitted?] to you to [shew?] the [opinions?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] has been entertained [undecipherable] [those?] which we are now [undecipherable] to [notice?]. The [receiving?] [&?] safekeeping [undecipherable] of all Supplies purchased for the War [Department?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [holding?] the Agents [thereto?] [undecipherable] has [now?] been [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Department — With [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] & [provisions?] & other articles [undecipherable] [contracted?] for [consumption?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for which there is no [authority?] in the [undecipherable] of the [Purveyor?]. The duty of the [Treasury?] in relation to Supplies for the Department of War, I understand to be nothing further than to take orders for [obtaining?] by Contract or otherwise such articles as are [required?] before the [undecipherable] [payments?] [undecipherable] which we are provided [undecipherable] by [laws?], & to cause [deliveries?] to be made to such authorized Agents. The [undecipherable] of [executing?] this duty [falls?] [primarily?] on [the?] [Purveyor?] or the [Purveyor?] who [receives?] [directions?] [undecipherable] from the Secretary of the Treasury with the [requisite?] [authority?] [therefor?]. [The?] [Purveyor?] accounts with the Auditor & Comptroller, by which [they?] [obtain?] [orders?] from the [undecipherable] to make [expenditures?] on articles [undecipherable] for the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the Agents appointed by the [undecipherable] of War to receive the articles so [purchased?] — [and?] the [re-] [sponsibility?] of the [Purveyor?] to the [undecipherable] is terminated. The responsibility of the [Department?] commences [where?] that of the [Treasury?] ends, & consists in the [safekeeping?] [undecipherable] of the articles [purchased?] [and distributing?] [undecipherable] or [applying?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. Except where the [law?] has made special provision as for the appointment of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Masters?] [undecipherable] who from the nature of their Offices are the [Receivers?] of Stores, I presume the [undecipherable] [has?] the power of appointing such Agents to keep [undecipherable] & apply the [public?] [property?] [as?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — I presume also that except in relation to [undecipherable] [an?] Army or Navy, which [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [of?] the [undecipherable] [number?] under [undecipherable] Control of [undecipherable] Military & Naval [Commanding?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Work Shops, Navy Yards, &c. where [they?] [undecipherable] orders for the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] Agents to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: intrusted?] to the [responsibility?] [undecipherable] of those [establishments?], that all orders for [transfer?] in delivery, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with the Secretary of War. To insure that these orders are [executed?], that there [be?] no [undue?] [waste?], & that [any?] Agent [undecipherable] & [render?] [proper?] accounts, [undecipherable] the duty of the [Superintendent?] [undecipherable] [of?] [Military?] Stores. — [undecipherable] [undecipherable], the books of the [Superintendent?] ought to exhibit the [quantity?] [undecipherable] articles [purchased?] for [the?] Department, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [responsibility?] when the articles [undecipherable] & in [what?] manner [undecipherable] They are [answered?] [undecipherable] (Concluded on previous page) before N^o. 5[undecipherable] [5³ contd.] Conformably to this [opinion?], the [undecipherable] forms & instructions now [prepared?] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] & mode of [accounting?]. They [undecipherable] [undecipherable] were not intended to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the whole duty of [their?] [Officers?], [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the forms of [his?] accounts, [undecipherable] [undecipherable: was to] be governed solely by the instructions of the Sec^r of War. I have [undecipherable] The Sec^r. of War. [July 1^st. 1796 The Secretary of War Recorded.]