to determine finally upon the same. If you will state those duties to Col. Thom[as] and inform me what his terms are, and [if] they sh[ould] be reasonable, your recommendation will be a su[ffi]cient inducement with me, to mention him to th[e] President f[or] the appointment. [Capt. Tho.^s Truxtun] War Office 25 October 1796. Sir, The draught for the frigates which accompanies this, is not complete; it will however in the opinion of M.^r Humphreys answer the present purpose, as shewing the stations of the beams and [undecipherable] where to place the pumps. As soon as M.^r Fox returns I shall direct a more correct draught to be made out and transmitted. [M.^r [undecipherable] [undecipherable]] War Office October 31. 1796. Sir, I have received your letter of the 21^st inst[ant]. You will be pleased to forward to Boston such white oak timber and knees as may be required for the frigate-building at that place. [Capt. Tho.^s Truxtun] War Office 2^d November 1796. Sir, I have consulted with M.^r Humphreys and considered the subject of your letter of the 27^th ult[imo]. It appears that altho the Frigates built in Europe are generally without riders, yet that th[ere] is scarcely one of them so constructed that does n[ot] get hogged. This circumstance has induced m[e] to