[The Secretary of the Treasury] Sir, War Office September 19. 1796. Mr George Wingham the Constructor of the frigate now building at Boston has been authorised to select such pieces of timber at New York as may be found there suitable for said Frigate. You will be pleased therefore to take order that he may be provided with the means for its transportation to Boston. [The Secretary of the Treasury] Sir War Office September 20. 1796. Mr. John Skillen of Boston has been recommended to me by Mr. Rush, as a qualified Artist to undertake the carving of the head or figure for the frigate building at that Town. As it is proper that the work should be immediately commenced, you will be pleased to give such orders as may be necessary on this occasion. There is a drawing of the figure (a Hercules) now preparing which I shall send forward to Mr. Skillen as soon as finished. [Mr. Bush, &c.] Sir. War Office September 21. 1796. I have received your Letter of the 14^th inst. — pleased with the oak, a fine white [undecipherable] and timber of your description not [undecipherable] to be covered by your instructions of the [undecipherable] and 22^d July ultima and proper to build the [undecipherable] sketched [undecipherable] in said instructions may be used for that purpose. I shall give [undecipherable] orders for its delivery. You will therefore proceed to select the different pieces not [undecipherable] wanted by Mr. Hacket and have the value of the whole ascertained agreeable to the mode pointed out in my letter of September 1^st. To prevent any difficulties hereafter Mr. Hacket must give a receipt for them and an acknowledgment to owe to the United States the amount of the sum at which the whole may be valued. My idea is that the timber [undecipherable] destined for the new frigate, must be immediately separated from that to be reserved, and the whole valued, after which it is to be at Mr. Hacket's risque. [Mr. Jacob Pheenix] Sir, War Office September 21. 1796. I have been favoured with your letter of the [undecipherable] inst. You will be pleased to send such pieces of live oak and plank, whether oak or pine, to Boston, as may be pointed out by Mr. Fox and deliver such pieces of timber, and oak or pine plank to Mr. Hacket as shall be selected by Mr. Fox for the new frigate to be built by that Gentleman having the same previously valued. The idea is that the timber pieces so destined for the new frigate be immediately separated from that which is to be reserved for future use, and the whole of it valued, after which it is to be at Mr. Hacket's risque. To be calling upon persons to value every piece as they should want it would be to give them, you, and the public Officers a great deal of unnecessary trouble. You will therefore be kind enough to notice Mr. Hacket to attend to make the selection and to appoint a person on his part to enter upon the valuation. [The Secretary of the Treasury] Sir, War Office September 27. 1796. I believe the best explanation relative to the proof by water will be to give Mr. Hughes a more detailed view of the mode in which the experiment will be directed to be made. The object of the water proof is to discover whether there are any holes which penetrate through the sides of the Cannon. For this purpose the Examiners will be instructed, after the Cannon have undergone the proof by powder, to place them upon a thick piece of Timber, so as they may...