[Capt. Nicholson Boston] Sir W O July 12, 1797 I beg leave to inform you that agreeably to your request of May the 22^d I applied to the Secretary of War for an Extra Boat for your Ship, which he informs me cannot be granted, without the like indulgence to each of the other Captains, he is therefore decidely against it — I am &c Josiah Fox Manifest of Sundries Shipped by Samuel and Joseph Sterets Naval Agents for Baltimore, on board the Ship Mount Vernon William Stokes Master bound for Baltimore for the Use of the Frigate Constellation. Fifty Six Spares and Spars one Box Containing Two Copper patent pumps Two Wood pumps with brass chambers Two pipes and one Box of Tin ware One Trunk of Charts &c Two Boxes of Compasses Four Hundred Pigs of Kentledge Two Hundred Hand granadoes Fifty seven pigs of Lead Fifty pieces of Sail duck Eleven Hundred and Thirty seven, Twenty four pound Shot — a pair of Quarter pieces — [undecipherable] J— { Ten pieces of Different — Thirteen d° a pair of Bottom finishings a pair of Top d° for Galleries — { a pair of [undecipherable] d° Eighty pieces of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a Box Containing five pieces of festoons for the Stern and Gallery windows — Festoon drops in Thirty two pieces — I do hereby Certify that all and Singular the Articles enumerated in the above Manifest are the property of the United States, and destined for the Frigate Constellation now Building at Baltimore in the state of Maryland) Given under my hand and Seal of the War Office at Philadelphia this Twenty Fourth day of July A.D. 1797 Signed James McHenry Secretary of War [Joshua Hum[undecipherable: probable reading Humphreys] Naval Constructor] Sir W O July 23, 1797 The Secretary of War being very anxious that the Frigate Constellation should be launched in the fastest manner and with as little expense to the U.S. as possible, and judging that your advice may be necessary to assist M^r Stodder in performing that Service; desires me to request you will be pleased to inform him if you have any Objections to proceed to Baltimore and consult with M^r Stodder on the properest Method to be pursued to ensure the safe Launching of that Ship into the Water. If you have no objections to go on that Service you will be so obliging as to inform the Secretary of War with your Approbation of the Measure, that proper letters or Letters of Introduction &c may be prepared — I am Sir with the respect &c Josiah Fox Navy Constructor