[Page 190] [The Secretary of the Treasury] Sir, War Office September 19, 1796 M^r George Wingborne the Constructor of the frigate now building at Boston has been authorised to procure such pieces of timber at New York as may be found there suitable to said frigate. You will be pleased therefore to take order that he be provided with the means for its transportation to Boston. [The Secretary of the Treasury] Sir, War Office September 20, 1796 M^r John Skillin of Boston has been recommended to me by M^r Rush as a qualified artist to undertake the ornaments of the head or figure for the frigate building at that place. He is so proper that the work should be committed able assurance you will be pleased to give such orders as may be necessary on the occasion. There is a drawing of the figure for the carving now preparing which I shall send forward to M^r Skillin as soon as finished. [M^r Hiñet Son] Sir, War Office September 21, 1796 I have received your letter of the 14th inst. vil[?] joined, either with a piece Masts Spars and timber of every description and expressed to be received by your instructions of the 12^th and 2^nd I am at a loss and proper to limit the I spud sketched—I in said instructions may be used for this purpose. I shall order M^r those orders for no concern. You are therefore pressed to ascert the different prices and terms wanted by M^r Hachet and have the value of the whole ascertained agreeably to the mode indicated in my letter of September last. To prevent any difficulties money for M^r Hachet must give a receipt for the amount in acknowledgement to one to the United States the amount of the same at which the whole may be valued. My idea is that the President [undecipherable] for the more