[Purveyors Office / 19 Oct 179[6]] [Addressed: M^r Josiah Fox / at the Navy Yard / Portsmouth—] [Free] [[undecipherable] Purveyor New Hampshire] [FREE] M^r Josiah Fox Philadelphia 18. October 1796— Sir The Proposals made by Elisha and James Hills for furnishing the Iron Work for the Frigate building at Portsmouth for the Dey of Algiers, was put into my hands by the Secretary of the Treasury. I have to observe on the— 1 proposition. That I have no Objection to closing with this, say Five dollars p[er] hundred gross and Six dollars for the Iron— Equal to Eleven dollars p[er] hundred gross.— 2 proposition. I Object to any Charges being made for Cutting Bolts, it is not done here, and for drawing them smaller if they are made too large, surely the Smith ought to make them to the Size required. Five Cents for rivetting may be Admitted.— 3 proposition.— I have no Objection to this provided we pay for Iron only— It is said that they have a custom in some parts of New England of charging as Iron the whole weight of the Bolts & Straps— this is not done here;— If Mess^rs Hills will Agree to the above, they may depend on M^r Wolcott closing with them. In your Advising th[e]m they do Articles of Agreement conformable will be directed at the Treasury and forwarded for execution— I am with respect Y[ou]r ob[edien]t [undecipherable] Purveyor