may be easily made to turn upon it. The Touch hole will be stopped with a wooden peg covered with tallow. the Cannon will then be raised, and the chace surrounded with linnen, so that any water which may fall down the sides on filling the bore, shall not be confounded with the drops that may filter through the metal; and with the same view the water will be poured into the cavity by means of the spout of a watering pot. The water will be then pressed upon by a rammer covered with thick cloth, so as to fill exactly the muzzle of the Cannon. During this operation, the exterior will be attentively watched, to see whether any water passes through the metal. If the least filtration appears the cannon will be refused. As to the dimensions of the twelve pounders &c the draughts are in hand, and I expect will be finished in a few days. [M^r Herbert] War Office September 30. 1796 Sir, I request you to have all the live Oak frames which were intended for the frigates to be built at Gosport, and that are bolted together, separated and piled up in such a manner as to give room for the air to pass between them, and to be kept clear from the ground; the timbers that are not bolted to be piled up in the like manner; if the [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] or either of them are bolted they may remain as they are. you will have the whole well covered and secured from the sun and rain. [the Secretary of the Treasury] War Office October 6. 1796 Sir, I here inclose copy of a letter from M^r Josiah Fox dated Sept 8, and copy of proposals from [undecipherable] and James Hill for providing the iron and iron work that may be wanted for the frigate contracted for at Portsmouth. If no better terms should be offered, I wish you to complete the contract for the iron works for the said Vessel, as soon as convenient, including therein a condition that the iron is to be furnished by the Contractors. [Henry Jackson Esquire] War Office October 18. 1796 Sir, I herewith transmit you a draft drawn by M^r Rush for the head of the frigate building at Boston and request that you would inform me by the first opportunity of its having come safe to hand. [The Secretary of the Treasury] War Office October 18. 1796 Sir I enclose you a copy of a letter from Joseph [undecipherable] dated [undecipherable] September 26, 1796, and request that you would be pleased to take measures for having the timber therein mentioned transported as soon as may be to Philadelphia. [John Langdon Esquire] War Office October 18. 1796 Sir, I have received your letter of the 10^th ulto. The general duty of Inspector of the frigate will be to inspect the workmanship and quality of the materials that may be used in her construction, to report as often as any shall appear deficient or unfit for the purpose, and to give information relative thereto as often as required to such persons as may be appointed to