War Office Oct^r 31^st 1797 Sir Having returned with my Faamily to the City on the 26^th instantt: found your letter of the 15^th [strikethrough: instant] instant requesting my attendance with which I should have immedi=ately complied had it reached my hands sooner however I hope my absence will not be any ways injurious to the Public business — and for the past indulgence I shall endea=vour to render all the services in my power the last post brought letters from Cap^t Nicholson & Gen^l Jackson, com=municating the pleasing intelligence of the Frigate com= [140] =stellation being safely launched into the Muster, which Person M^r Purvis has forwarded you by this post — The United States has got all her Masts aloft & the whole of her Standing Rigging over head and set up; Cap^t Barry requests me to inform you that it will be necessary provided the Ships is to be immediately fitted for sea, You a Master and other Officers to be appointed and part of the Crew to be Shipped as soon as possible the Riggers are Still employed on some necessary Jobs as they have found to do untill the Guns are furnished, and I am sorry to find the [undecipherable: Blacksmith's] Work is much behind hand, by reason of the late Contagious disease — Sir as Congress will meet in the Course of two Weeks I submitt to your Consideration whether the Navy Constructors must Cluster of the Moulds where the Frigate have been Built, are to be continued any long and to what time Hon^ble James McHenry Secretary of War, Josiah Fox