Philadelphia. 29^th April, 1799. Sir I have received your note of this date — The five hundred musket Stocks shall be delivered to Mr Robert McCormick — We have now in Store thirteen thousand one hundred and thirty three Musket Stocks, the precise number fit to work up this moment, it is under circumstances impossible to know, but I have reason to believe it is much larger than stated by Mr McCormick — On the 10^th of January Mr Henry Draby, the Contractor for Stocks, informed me he have then logs on hand well seasoned sufficient to cut from twenty five hundred to three thousand Stocks, and that by pursuing a mode he mentioned to have taken with those he contracted, to supply the whole would be seasoned fit for working in Six months — Since the 10^th of January, the date of my letter to which you refer, there has been delivered from the public Store in this City, three thousand one hundred and Sixty five Gun Stocks, two thousand of them on your order, viz. One thousand to complete the order in favour of Mr Whitney, and the other in favour of Mr Gilbert the remainder the Gun Smiths in this City — No Stocks have been since delivered to either of the national Armories. that at Harpers Ferry is to be supplied with Stocks by contracts now in operation in its neighbourhood — of course none will be sent from hence — Springfield alone will depend on our Magazine for a supply, but it is probable months may elapse before that post will stand in need of a further supply — What reason then is there to fear our not being able to supply all demands? I can see none — I trust the foregoing will shew that the Statement given in my letter of the 10^th Jany last is correct — the part alluded to as not comporting with the [undecipherable] of Mr McCormick is no more than my opinion, and I think it has been fully justified — I must again observe I have no Agency in Contracts in the business of procuring Gunstocks, but I have voluntarily done all in my power (limited as it is) to prevent a disappointment and I must I have succeeded. — I am, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Samuel Hodgdon, Oliver Wolcott Esq^r. Sec^y of the Treasury.