those are absolutely indispensable; You mention twenty: This is a much greater number than has been required for the Ship United States when Selected as the Constitution now is — You will be pleased to inform me at what pay Marines may be enlisted without bounty, and the wages at which a Crew of Seamen can be engaged and in what time the complement of both can be completed [undecipherable: probable reading I am &c] War Office 11^th January 1798 [Capt. John Barry] Sir Till such time as permanent regulations can be matured and established by the President respecting the government of the Navy, you will be pleased to have the officers and Seamen mustered monthly while in Port and regular muster rolls made out Alphabetically and signed by the persons appointed to muster them, as well as by the Commandant of Marines for the Marines, and the acting Lieutenant and yourself for the Seamen — Colonel [undecipherable] is to muster the Marines as now experienced and Inspector the Seamen — You are requested to direct the first muster to be made as soon as possible, and mention to me a proper person to muster the Seamen that orders may be taken accordingly — All expenditures for provisions while in port are to be [undecipherable] on their [undecipherable] Certified by the Lieutenant [of] Marines the acting [Lieutenant] and your own signature — The contractor is to furnish rations conformably to the [9^th] Section of the act providing a Naval Armament He will also when an equivalent in Beef or any other articles for the rations of any day is required grant the same. Regulations of this nature are to be signed by the Captain who is to certify that the equivalent is agreeable to the parties [undecipherable: probable reading I am &c] War Office January 9^th 1798 [Caerst Sheafe Esquire —] Sir I have received your letter of the 25 Ult^o. If no other opportunity should offer of sending the Answer to the Constitution but through the medium of Norfolk, I beg you will be pleased to send it by the first vessel to the address of William Pennock Esquire Naval Agent at that place [undecipherable: probable reading I am &c] Sir War Office 9 of January 1798 [Capt. John Barry] You will be pleased to have Jonathan Shattuck borne upon the Ships books as a Marine till further orders for provisions only. [undecipherable: probable reading I am &c] Sir War Office January 15^th 1798 [Capt. S. Nicholson] I have received your letter of the first That part of your letter relating to the Seamen and Marines is by no means so satisfactory as I could wish. The President having taken into his consideration the pay of the petty officers Seamen, ordinary Seamen and Marines to enable them to be fixed at the two establishments, it becomes necessary that the best information should be obtained from those Posts where the Frigates will be stationed, and as I conceive every [undecipherable] [undecipherable]