[193] War Department 29 Aug. 1799 Sir. The inclosed letters N° 1. relate to the fortifications at Baltimore, exhibit the whole proceedings with the Naval Committee of that City. The schedule N° 2. the monies which have been expended on the different harbours of the United States, with the several Appropriations and the balance still in the Treasury. You will perceive from these letters, that by my first engagement with the Naval Committee in July 1798, I was to advance to them 10,000 dollars which has been done, they being engaged on this point to complete a fort according to the plan and estimate furnished by [undecipherable] Jones and; that I found myself constrained to enter into a new engagement (the 4. July 1799) according to the plan & estimate of M[r] [undecipherable], a man of real knowledge as an Engineer, & [undecipherable] will require 39,938 ⁷⁴/₁₀₀ whereof the United States are to advance 28,975, additional. In the committee's address to the Citizens of Baltimore, which is dated the 22^d of July 1799, it is stated that [they were] informed by the Secretary of War, that the finances of the United States did not admit of a larger appropriation than 10,000 towards the fortifications to be erected near our City; and they do not say in any other part of their address, that more had been promised, altho; the new engagement had preceded their address. I can only regret the want of precision in the committee, which induced the statements made by them, as they were not authorized to make it from any thing to be found in my letters, and that [Mr.] Smythe had not taken the trouble to have [undecipherable] the gentlemen and my letters, which would have enabled them to have [undecipherable] themselves, and relieved him from his patriotic feelings on the occasion, and from expressing, that 20,000 Dollars only had been allotted to the defense of Baltimore. I observed in my letter of the 7^th July 1798 to the Committee, "that the means which may be applied to this object will not exceed 20,000 Dollars." This was not like a suggestion "that the finances of the United States did not admit of a larger appropriation to their object," was as [I] considered [it] this sum adequate to finish the Batteries and erect a small fort, to protect them, and [I] supposed the Engineer would not have reported to me, or [undecipherable] works more to require a [considerable] addition. [Undecipherable] had been expended and advanced for the defense of [both] harbours of Baltimore 34,405 ⁶⁰/₁₀₀, and by engagement entered into the 4^th July ulto., made provision [for something] mentioned, there is therefore [remaining an addition] of 28,975 Dols. making a total of 63,380 ⁶⁰/₁₀₀. I flatter myself you were of opinion, that Baltimore had never been neglected, but has [been] put [in] defence [at] every point of view. With respect to the [address] of Boston. It is needless [to say there] remained [a balance] in the Treasury of the appropriations on the [fort] account. 115,72[undecipherable] out of which the following sums are due to be satisfied. For Baltimore . 28,975 For Wilmington [undecipherable] . 9,166 [Undecipherable] . . [undecipherable] . 8,000 [Undecipherable] [undecipherable] . . 15,000 Rhode Island [undecipherable] . . . 15,000 [Undecipherable] recommended [undecipherable] . . 2,000 [Undecipherable] [undecipherable] . . 14,000 [Undecipherable] . . ²⁸/₁₀₀ [undecipherable] . [undecipherable: 281,141] Remaining . . . 27,643 [Undecipherable] which [I have] recommended No appropriation [from] Congress to establish [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Portsmouth] Fort [undecipherable] to [be] [erected], of the [previous] amounts that may be wanted. [This] may do for some of them, and perhaps more may be required for all. I have omitted Norfolk in Virginia entirely, having no satisfactory data to go upon. At all events it is my intention to render the defenses on Castle Island respectable, and to extend the outworks to such other points as shall appear indispensable to the protection of the City of Boston. I must however await to hear from the Engineer, who is engaged in examining the Harbour, and who is instructed to report upon the necessary works and furnish the estimates. I do not suppose that 27,000 Dollars will be sufficient; we shall however have enough, to go on with such works as may be necessary there and elsewhere the next Session of Congress, when a further appropriation can be obtained. With the greatest respect I have the honour to be Sir. Your most Ob^t & most Hble Ser^vt James McHenry John Adams President of the United States