[at the War Office] [44] M^r. Jos^a. Fox Naval Constructor Philadelphia [Postm^d: July 1. 1797. Captⁿ. Thompson] M^r Fox Ports^o 8^th July 1797— Naval Constructor Your favour of 24^th Jun^ij covering your Statement of Blocks to which I shall Shortly conform altho I do not like the mode for Jears—4 double Blocks is what I should prefer for practice—the Blocks were in hand—Sizes all agree—especially dead Eyes—which I wish to have just done——the yards are in hand—The length of The topsail yard arms seems very much out of proportion for beauty [underline: and] perhaps needless with respect to Reefs—the lower yard arms are Short—heads of masts are also short—the difference between fore mast & main mast very great—fore mast will appear like a Jocary mast—you have my proportions [undecipherable]—but shall abide by those from the War Office—except you reconsider them in any particular—want oil & varnish to pay masts yards & Blocks with——I wish you had describ'd the long boat—have agreed for 27 feet— without further directions I shall lengthen the masts heads, preserving the same length in hoops, as you dimension'd you will have time if you wish to make any alteration in the [underline: MASTS]—tis for the Interest of the [undecipherable] that some trusty person should be employ'd to receive all the: Iron—Gabriel Hall—[undecipherable] as he is in pay on the other frigate he can perform this duty also—which he continued to do—but M^r Sheafe has shewn a disposition to with draw him—and has also denied the use of the Smiths shop &^c—now you know the intention was to accommodate—with the Buildings &^c in the old Public yard—but they seem [undecipherable] of late you know Gabriel's small duty is to ferry over M^r Gurney only—you know the connections those things have with the Algerne [undecipherable]—its not worth my while [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] with those tuffeling matters—you must see Them set to rights—Your Ob: Ser in haste G. Tho. Thompson