Boston Sept. 12^th 1796. D^r Sir I rec'd yours of the 4^th Inst. likewise one from Col. Claghorne from Philadelphia, he says the Secretary of War Shew him his Orders to M^r Shief to deliver us all the Timber at Portsmouth Yard that we might want, w^th order he must have tied ere this. I hope M^r Claghorne's exertions and Statement of facts to the Secretary of War, will Procure us the Timber that have been most Shamefully kept there, and we Shall go on and build our Ship in as good Season as other folks. I have made the inquiry at the Post Office and will forward your letters as you desire — I expect to S^r McNaughn this Week and will mention the Matter about the Masts &c. We are just getting our people to Work in the yard again, we have had an arrival from N. York, got [undecipherable] Live Oak. I am y^r Obed^t Ser^t Sam Nicholson [Address: M^r Josiah Fox / to the care of / M^r Jacob Shief / Navy Agent / Portsmouth] [Docket: Boston Sept 12. 1796 / Cap^t Nicholson] [rec^d at Portsmouth / Sept 14]