[Cap^t Nicholson Boston] War Department, Sir, 5^th May, 1798. I have it in Command from the President, to direct you to repair on board the Ship Constitution laying at Boston, and to lose no Time in completing, equipping and manning her for Sea. The Lieutenant of Marines will immediately procede to inlist, agreeably to the inclosed Instructions, and the Act intitles an act providing a naval Armament "passed the first of July 1797 — You will forthwith cause such of the Sea Officers, as may appear best calculated for the Business, to open Houses of Rendezvous in proper Places, and to exert Themselves to engage one Hundred and Fifty able Seamen, and One Hundred and Three Midshipmen and ordinary Seamen, at the following Terms of Service and Rates of Wages. The Seamen to engage for twelve Months, unless sooner discharged. The Pay of the Able Seamen to be Seventeen Dollars per ell[ow] the ordinary Seamen Ten Dollars — You will instruct the Officers at each Rendezvous, to engage no other than healthy robust and well organ[ized] m[e]n, and to rejct those who may be [found] or consumptively affected. You will direct the Surgeon or a Mate to attend at these Places to examine each Sailor and Marine, and to certify to the recruiting Officer, that they are well organised, healthy and robust, and free from scorbutic and consumptive Affections, before he engages them or pays them any Money. If Money is advanced or paid to any without such a Certificate, it will be at the risk of the Officer paying it. The Officer of each Rendezvous shall make out on every Saturday a Return of the Number of Seamen recruited within the Week, Stating therein the Number delivered over to the Ship, and transmit the same to the Captain, and a Duplicate to be forwarded to the Sec'y for the Department of War. You will also transmit to the Sec'y for the Department of War, a weekly Return exhibiting the Number of Marines, able and ordinary Seamen on board the Ship, and the Incidents that have taken place respecting them or any of Them, as also the Progress that has been made in preparing her for Sea. The commanding Officer at each Rendezvous, on the desertion of a Seam[an] or Marine, besides the usual Cautions and Means to be employed on such Occasion to recover and apprehend them, will transmit as soon as possible a Description of Them to the Secretary of War. With respect to the Pay of the Marines and Seamen. The Purser, otherwise, will act as Pay-Master to the Officers and Crew, and will receive from time to time, Money for that Purpose. Marines may be advanced Two Dollars out of their first Months Pay, and Seamen Two Months Pay, if they can not be obtained without such Advance. The several Officers will be held accountable for all Monies paid in their Hands for the recruiting Service — for the Expenditure of which proper Vouchers must be produced at the Accountant Office. The Names of the Marines and Seamen are to be entered alphabetically in the Muster and Pay Rolls, and the others to be mustered while in Port by a qualified Person, whose Certificate, as well as [yours] is to be attached to the Muster Roll. This is the Presidents express order, that you employ the most [vigorous] Cautions, to accomplish these [several] [purposes] and to put your Ship, as speedily as poss[ible] in a Situation to sail at the shortest Notice. Should any articles for this Purpose, be yet wanting, you will specify them without Delay, in order to their being procured. —