Department of War relative to the Naval Department is repealed — by the 8 Section of said Act the Secretary of the Navy is to take possession of all the records, books & documents and all other matters or things appertaining to the Department of the Navy which are deposited in the Office of the Secretary of War — whereby I am of opinion that without further legislative interference I am prohibited from entering any further upon the examination or adjustment of the Accts of the Navy Department, and that I cannot receive or pay any balance that might be found due, but that I am to furnish to the Department of the Navy a particular abstract of the advances & settlements entered on the Books of my Office; together with all the information explanatory of the charges and settlements within my knowledge appertaining to that Department, which I am at any time ready to do, and if the Legislature should think proper at any time to authorize the settlement & adjustment of the Navy accounts to be made in my Office I will most chearfully attend to it, for it has never been my wish that Public business should ever be delayed, nor would I at any time wave any thing that may be considered or understood to be my duty — Sam^l W^m Semm— John Fitzgerald Esq^r    Alexandria Virginia                                                               Accountants Office                                                               June 23 1799 Sir I rec^d your letter of the 20 Inst^t covering the rect of M^r James Tripplett for seven hundred dollars, which will be entered on the Books of this Office — Sam^l & W^m Semm—