Dear Sir, Philadelphia June 14. 1798. The Secretary of War being absent, I have been charged by the President of the U. States with the business of that department, which occasions this address to you. [undecipherable] me two letters [undecipherable] rps of artillery, with [undecipherable] county of the advanced [undecipherable] inlisting a num- ber of frames and [undecipherable: marines?], for the Constitution frigate, Capt. Truxton. It was too late to go thro' the ordinary process of remitting money: and as lieutenant Triplett is waiting only for that, to dis- charge a variety of demands at Alexandria; and as I apprehend Capt. Truxton will be waiting for him at Hampton Roads, and incur some delay even with the utmost dispatch that Lieut. Triplett can make, — I have to request that you will ad- vance to him Seven hundred dollars, for the purpose above mentioned, taking duplicate recpt. By to-morrow's post I will reimburse to you that sum. Capt. Truxton wrote on the 10^th [undecipherable] that he should go down the Bay, and be ready to put to sea by next Sunday or Monday: and I was extremely unwilling that the frigate should be delayed for want of this small sum, or that she should go to sea without an officer to command her marines. [Sec'y of War June 14. 98 / respect, Lieut. de Triplett] [undecipherable] Pickering Col. John Fitzgerald Collector of the Port of Alexandria