175 War Office Decem 9 1796 Sir It would appear by the annexed letter and document from M^r de la [undecipherable] Consul General from the Republic of France that you had purchased for the use of The Frigate an Anchor claimed by the Consul as property belonging to his Republic To avoid mingling in the disputes of right between the person you purchased from and The Republic it is thought best that the anchor in question should be immediately transported to the place from whence it has been taken and delivered to the person from whom it has been bought [Henry Jackson, Boston] Sir War Office Decm 13 1796 I enclose you an Estimate of the quantity and weight of Cable, Rigging &c which will be wanted for the Frigate contracted to be built at Portsmouth by M^r [undecipherable] Such of those Articles as can be obtained on easier terms here than at Portsmouth including transportation and risk, Whether you will of course direct to be procured and forwarded in season to enable the work to proceed without delay You will also find enclosed copies of letters from Cap^t Thompson of Portsmouth containing information which may be useful to the purveyor and persons for providing Materials, Superintending the work, and conducting it to a final close It appears to me that it may be proper and advantageous to assign such duties to an Agent at Portsmouth as are pointed out in M^r Thompson's letter, and that he should be enabled to purchase, make, and procure whatever cannot [Secretary of the Treasury]