[undecipherable] War Office May 2^nd 1797 Sir In answer to your letter of the 14^th ultimo I beg to observe that I always considered the [undecipherable] must find a Complete set of Masts and Spars, with Sails, Cordage and [undecipherable] but all Spare Masts & Spars are to be provided at the Expence of Government. Bonepartes The Bonepartes uncommonly [undecipherable] among the [undecipherable] as no [undecipherable] of even ours can be said to be Complete without them and as there is no new price [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] he cannot [surely?] objects to the Cutting & Fixing them. [Having?] our [undecipherable] Cleaving [Timber?], felling the Bowsprit and Pumps are always Considered as a [kind?] of the Business [only?] to perform they are not inserted in the Contract, [since?] the Contract is fully explicit, as to those Common Matters as it directs that M^r [Hackett?] Shall Completely furnish her for the Use of the United States of America in a workmanlike manner fitting for a Ship of War in all respects as if more [particularly?] mentioned, and no an other [Parts?] of the Contract it is said "and agreeable to the [undecipherable] [Should?] M^r [Hackett?] [draw?] our attention to the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] had he caused not with the usual degree of propriety [have?] [undecipherable] to perform those for Prices of [undecipherable], that have been [undecipherable] will affirm that this is the last [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] us [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] therefore will be superior to any one [undecipherable] by him, therefore under those circumstances he cannot [surely?] neglect to perform these but at smallest [undecipherable]. I have done my utmost to [accommodate?] him in every respect where I could possibly do it without regard to the Public Interest, and I shall always [endeavour?] to be [conscious?] and [undecipherable] to give [satisfaction?] to all parties [concerned?]. The affairs of Government have never yet given me room to [consider?] that they judge [unfavourably?] of me but on the contrary [undecipherable] due Confidence in my Judgement [undecipherable] &c. The Observations you have been pleased to [send?] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Quantity of "Beams, Knees, Strings & Iron Work as [ordered?] by the [undecipherable] being no more than are [usually?] placed in [undecipherable] war, except by the French who build their Ships in a very [different?] a measure as to endanger those [undecipherable] there former [undecipherable] in a few weeks, and [undecipherable] they adopted the more I suppose [those?] Ships were scarcely sea worthy. I shall write you [soon?] on a few posts on the Method to be pursued in [undecipherable] on the [Upper?]. You will be pleased to acknowledge the receipt of the [undecipherable] [sent?] and all [orders?] as [those?] [undecipherable] after be sent you from this Office. I am Sir with due respect Cap^t Thomas [Thompson?] [Dartmouth?] Josiah Fox, [Navy?] [Constructor?]