[S.]              Navy Department                   Trenton August 30 1798— Captⁿ Dale writes to me on the Subject of the Guns of the Ganges and insists 1^st that [undecipherable] to M^r Francis but he must procure from Cannon Founders, such as Captⁿ Dale sh[all] [undecipherable: probable reading "direct"]. — They must of course be mine Founders & you can give orders about the Carriages accordingly — I have also written to M^r Francis to procure Sundry Stores ordered by Captⁿ Dale, supposing that he will be able to collect them with more facility than it may be in your power to do.            I remain Sir            Your obedient              Ben Stoddert. M^r Joshua Humphreys. [Address leaf: M^r Joshua Humphreys Esq^s / to the Care of the [undecipherable] / Haverford North] [Docket notation, rotated: [undecipherable: probable reading "Stoddert"] [undecipherable]]