[No. 16] Hon. James McHenry Esq. Salem August 23^d 1799 Secretary of War — Sir In conformity with your communication of March [undecipherable] The Selectmen of Salem received by the Hands of the Hon. M^r Goodhue Senator of the United States, the Sum of two thousand Dollars, to be applied to the Strengthening the Works at Fort William. the Subscriber one of the Board of Selectmen, was specially appointed by the Board to superintend the Business & direct the proper Expenditure of the Money appropriated, in the most suitable manner. In this Business I have been employed for some time past & have made considerable Progress in increasing & extending the Works. I have made such alteration in the Plan of the Fort, as in the Opinion of the best Judges here, was absolutely necessary, to place the Guns in such Position as most effectually to annoy Shipping when approaching the Fort. The Method of Constructing the Works has been particularly attended to, so as to unite materials with Strength, openfullness with Duration — The masonry of the Foundation for the Cannon is— —intirely on a new Plan; the Iron wheels of the new constructed Gun Carriages. traverses on a substantial Foundation of solid Rock, cut in a circular Form & hammered smooth. In this kind of Foundation there are two Advantages which are of primary Consequence & which I humbly conceive will recommend the use of similar Constructions wherever the same kind of Stone can be procured. They will never Rust. They will never be indented or moved by the wheels, so as to injure the traverses. & the longer & more they are used, the smoother they will be. The Extra Expence will not much exceed a third more than if constructed of Timber which as it is necessarily exposed to rain & Sun Shine, will both warp & Rot in a very short time. It cost forty two Cents a superficial Foot for the Stone Circles. I have endeavoured to practise the utmost Oeconomy in the Expenditure of the Money appropriated. As I have received no particular Direction from the Department in what Manner the Accounts are to be kept; I have followed the usual Method We take in our Town Accounts for highway & other public Expences = Viz to take Bills of every Article purchased & take Receipts of each Person employed for all Money paid for Wages &c — These Amounts & Receipts can be submitted for Examination to any Persons You may please to Appoint. As most of the Fortresses of the United States in this part of the Continent have had an Alteration of their former Names, I take leave to request your Permission that the Fort at Salem may take the Name of Pickering. Your acquiescence in this particular would be very grateful to the numerous Friends of the [undecipherable] Secretary of State in this his native Place, it will be a solemn[,] the public Testimony of our respect for his Character, & will manifest our grateful recollection of those important Services he has rendered his Country by his Vigilance, Firmness & Perseverance in the arduous Duties of his public Office. — As it is expected the President of the United States will visit the Town when the Frigate is launched, it is proposed to perform the Ceremony of naming the Fort on that Day, provided the Measure shall receive the Sanction of your Approbation. I must solicit the Honour of an early communication from you on this Subject, in order to make the necessary = = Arrangements for the Occasion. The Frigate will be launched on or about the 16^th of September. presuming on your Goodness to over look any thing improper in this Communication, I shall only add that with the most respectful Consideration — I am your H^ble Servant — Jonathan [undecipherable] [FR E] [Hon. James M^cHenry Esq^r / Secretary of War / War Office / Aug^t 26 / Philadelphia / [undecipherable]]