executing the same as expeditiously as possible. When you have managed this business, you may proceed to Boston and Portsmouth [M^r Jarman Cheesman To] War Office July 30. 1796. Sir. I have received your letter of the 29^th inst informing me of M^r Fox's departure for Boston. I had written M^r Fox on the 25^th, not expecting that he would have left New York so suddenly, either to engage the yard at Corlears hook, or to request you to receive [undecipherable] at a rent not exceeding two hundred and seventy pounds New York currency per annum. You will be pleased therefore to engage it, for the United States at the said rent; and to proceed to execute the orders you have received, or may receive, from M^r Fox, relative to procuring, pitching and securing the timber. I will request Cap^t [undecipherable] to deliver the [undecipherable] yard back into your keeping. [M^r John Blagge] War Office. August 8. 1796. Sir. M^r Fox has written to me that he had selected from the timber at New York, eighteen pieces of live Oak for Baltimore, and sixteen pieces for Boston. I shall thank you to have them shipped as soon as may be for their respective places of destination. M^r Cheesman will point out to you the several pieces to be forwarded. [George [undecipherable] the same to David [undecipherable]] War Office August 10. 1796. Sir. It is considered necessary that the [undecipherable] bolts [undecipherable] the oblique deck of the Frigates building by you for the United States, should be of [undecipherable] of the size as before directed; if no copper bolts for the oblique [undecipherable] can be procured of the proper size, they may be wrought from the cuttings of some of the large bolts split and rounded; there is a sufficient quantity of the smallest size already procured that will answer for the lower deck. [M^r Josiah Fox] War Office August 13. 1796. Sir. I have received your letters of the 1^st 2^d and 4^th. M^r Hackett proposes, in building the thirty six gun frigate [undecipherable] appears to be considerably more than those of either M^r Cheesman or M^r [undecipherable]. But the time he would stipulate to launch her in, is longer than could be wished. [Be] pleased to consult M^r Hackett, to know whether he will not engage in case his terms should be accepted, to launch the Ship at an earlier day. M^r Cheesman proposes to deliver in ten months. [M^r Josiah Fox] War Office September 1. 1796. Sir. It being thought adviseable that the frigate agreeably to sketch [I] in your instructions should be built by contract, you will inform M^r Hackett thereof, and that the terms which he has offered to build her on have been communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury and approved of; M^r Hackett may therefore proceed to make all preparatory arrangements for commencing the works without a moment's delay. M^r Hackett is to be informed at the same time that it will be required as indispensable conditions in the contract 1^st. That the frigate be delivered complete agreeable to contract in ten months from the date of the reception of this letter. 2. That the public may furnish the timber, plank, &c which it has in store, proper for the said frigate at a valuation. 3. That the timber be valued by two disinterested, reputable, and well informed persons, who shall be on oath, one to be chosen by M^r Sheafe and the other by M^r Hackett. If these should disagree, a third to be chosen by mutual consent who is also to act on oath. 4. That the United States shall have a right to appoint an Inspector of the work. As soon as you obtain M^r Hackett's consent to these conditions