An admonishment from the War Office on appropriate means of submitting returns
Document 1797After a review of his returns over the past year, Secretary of War reminds him about the proper procedures for submitting returns. Are to be submitted on montly basis; with list of all articles received and returned. It would be proper if Gibbs would comply. Gibbs is asked to submit a statement of all articles received in past year since appointment as clerk of yard.
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[Page 220]
[*for* [undecipherable]] War Office February 14. 1797
Having observed several of your returns sent to this Office in the last year and the beginning of the present with out any Articles inserted therein —
It becomes my duty to remind you that your Instructions require you to transmit me Monthly an account of all Articles received and delivered, by whose order, and to whom. Expect therefore that you will in future be very particular in attending to the above as well as every other part of your Instructions.
It will be proper you should transmit to this Office without delay a particular Statement of all Articles received into the Navy Yard and Public Stores under your care since your appointment as Clerk of the Yard, together with a Statement of all Articles delivered to the Constructor and other principal Mechanic of each branch concerned in the Building and equipping the Frigate particularizing the Number, Weight, & Measurement of each Article so received and delivered —
[Caleb Gibbs —
Boston]
---
[*for* [undecipherable]] W. O. February 14. 1797
you will be pleased to deliver to the order of the Collector of the port of Philadelphia any quantity of Flintlocks not exceeding Twenty four
[Mr Harris
Storekeeper]
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[*for* [undecipherable]] W. O. February 24. 1797
The Blacksmiths Shop situated in the Navy Yard being wanted for the Frigate building by Mr Hackett, it may be proper that Capt Thompson should have the Use of the same together with the Mast-loft — The Man who is employed to ferry over to the Navy Yard (Mr Quincy and Capt Thompson) having a considerable portion of Barrow, you will be pleased to bring the Man and that may be furnished at Portsmouth to the Navy Yard —
[Jacob Sheafe Esq
Boston]
Type
Letterbook
Description
After a review of his returns over the past year, Secretary of War reminds him about the proper procedures for submitting returns. Are to be submitted on montly basis; with list of all articles received and returned. It would be proper if Gibbs would comply. Gibbs is asked to submit a statement of all articles received in past year since appointment as clerk of yard.
Date
02/14/1797
Recipient
Sent from
Philadelphia
Document number
1797021415055
Page start
220
Notable persons
Caleb Gibbs
clerk of ship yard
Secretary of War
James McHenry
War Department
War Office
naval constructor
Notable locations
Boston
War Office
navy yard Boston
War Department
Philadelphia
Notable items
returns
articles
public stores
frigate
USS Constitution

