[341] War Office August 4^th 1797 Sir. I have enclosed you a letter from Cap^t Nicholson of the 30^th Ultimo which was rec^d at the Office this morning, as it calls for information which is within the line of your office I thought it would be best to send you the original for perusal. however I have to note that the Cannon at Portsmouth is much more suit=able for the Constellation than it can be for the Constitution with weight is [strikethrough: at 2] to [undecipherable] and consequently within 5/6 of the bore required by incident for that Ships. The Statement that I forwarded to Cap^t Nicholson on the 18^th Ultimo was an exact Copy of Captain Barry's requisition of Military Stores for his Ships, and I also mentioned at same time what had been ordered for Boston. I am Sir. respectfully y^r [undecipherable] Fox [seal] James Francis Esq^r.