[The Secretary / The Secretary] Sir War Office September 14. 1796. Inclosed is a copy of a letter addressed to H. Armbrister dated the 1^st instant, and a copy of a letter in answer thereto received this morning, relative to the building of a frigate at Portsmouth in New Hampshire. As it may be proper to enter upon arranging the conditions of the Contract without loss of time, I have annexed the Sketch A. which exhibits the dimensions of and sizes and kinds of materials for the said Frigate, as communicated to me by the Secretary of State, and since corrected by Mr. Humphreys. This Sketch is [undecipherable] the bar a not to be incorporated with the conditions expressed in my letter to M^r. Fox. Attending the fourth condition of that letter, you will be pleased to advise that after the work is considerable [undecipherable] by M^r. Hackett should be directed to his the Inspector that [those?] persons shall be called in, to [swear?] his oath, to review it and that a deduction shall be made, whenever in their opinion either shall fall short of the conditions. [N. Patch Sir] Sir ) War Office September 14. 1796. I have received your letter of the [1^st?] instant, on conveying the proposal of Charles and James [Hall?] for providing the framework for the frigate. Be pleased to call upon them and communicate [as?] [expressive?] the terms on which they would furnish the [Inn?] as well as the framework that may be wanted for the frigate, and inform me thereof, as soon as convenient. It will not suit the United States to furnish the [Inn?]. [N Freeman &[undecipherable] names] Sir War Office September 14. 1796. Be pleased to deliver to George Claghorne, the Purveyor [those?] pieces of timber, as long as [before?] in your charge, as he shall think proper, for the use of the Frigate now building at Boston.