[Endorsement: New York March 3. 1791 / Thomas Cheesman] New York 3 March 1791 Sir Anceived yours of Inst. and agreeble to your desire inform you that I engaged the Yard at Corlians Hook on and from the first day of November last and am posessing a lease for the same for the the term of six Years from that date I have hauled on the said Wharf about one half of the Plank & Nails to the number of four hundred [undecipherable] this was done late last fall — I did not then prove any of the Timber out of [undecipherable] Navy Yard owing to the severity of the season but as the days have lengthened & the weather more moderate I shall in a few days procede to a general [undecipherable] the Rent of s^d Yard is 675 Dolls p^r Ann to be paid half Yearly — I shall in a day or two write the [undecipherable: probable reading "Secy"] of War respecting [undecipherable] surplus lumber that I conceive had better be disposed of before we are at the expense of [undecipherable] it — I am with respect your sincere frien^d Thomas Cheesman [undecipherable]