[Vol. 31 / No. 133] 133 F. D— December 23 1796 Sir I have [strikethrough: deemed] directed the Purveyor to take measures for procuring the articles mentioned in the estimate accompanying your letter of the 15^th instant, for the Frigate building the at Portsmouth I have no other than any general information of the qualifications of Cap^t Thompson; — if you shall think proper to employ him as an Agent, I submit to your consideration the expediency of directing him to correspond with the Purveyor in [undecipherable] to purchase [by?] the necessary expenditures; [strikethrough: my [undecipherable] it being of importance in my opinion to [undecipherable]] I find that a revision of the estimate for the Frigate, will be necessary, in consequence of the additional articles requested by your letter of the 15^th instant The former [undecipherable] is prepared the letter of [undecipherable] will accompany a copy of the [undecipherable] [strikethrough: which [undecipherable] to [undecipherable]] I am &c. The Sec^y of War