War Department 29 Aug. 1799 Sir. The inclosed letters N^o [undecipherable] relative to the fortifications at Baltimore, exhibit the [undecipherable] proceedings with the naval Committee of [that] City. The schedule N^o 2. the [undecipherable] in [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 [undecipherable] engagement with the Naval Committee in July 1798, I was to [undecipherable] to them, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] have been [undecipherable] they engaging on their part to complete a fort [undecipherable] a plan and estimate furnished by Major Fousard; that I [undecipherable] myself [undecipherable] to enter into a new engagement (the 15 July 1799) according to the plan & estimate of M^r. Foncin, a man [of?] real knowledge as an Engineer, which will require 39,938 [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] of the United States are to advance [undecipherable] additional. In the [undecipherable] address to the Citizens of Baltimore, which is [dated?] in [the?] July 1799, it is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] informed by the Secretary of [undecipherable], that the [undecipherable] of the United States did not admit [undecipherable] appropriation [than?] 20,000 to any [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be erected near [our?] City, and [they?] do not [say?] in any other part of [their?] [undecipherable] [that?] [they?] had [been?] promised, [after?] the [undecipherable] had [undecipherable] [them?] of it. I can only [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable], which induced [undecipherable] [that?] [undecipherable] any thing to be found in my [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] had not [taken?] the trouble I have [undecipherable] the [gentlemen?] and my [letters?], which [appear?] have enabled them to have corrected their [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] him from his patriotic feelings on the occasion, and from supposing that 20,000 Dollars only had been allotted to the [defence?] of Baltimore. I [undecipherable] in [my letter?] [undecipherable] July 1798 to the [Committee?], [the?] means which may be [obtained?] [undecipherable] [would?] not exceed 20,000 Dollars! [undecipherable] [well?] [knowing?] [that?] the finances of the United States [would?] not [admit?] [of?] [a?] [larger?] [appropriation?] [to?] the [undecipherable] [city?]. I [consider?] the [sum?] [undecipherable] to [finish?] [this?] and [would?] [undecipherable] [supposed?] the Engineer [would?] not have [required?] to do as requisite [merely?] to [require?] a greater [expenditure?] [undecipherable]. [There?/These?] [have been?] [expended?] and advanced for the [defence?] [of?] the [harbour?] of Baltimore [undecipherable], and by [an?] engagement entered into the 15 [July?] [1799?], made [for?] [to?] [their?] [undecipherable] as before [stated?], there is promised [undecipherable] [sum?] of [undecipherable] [dollars?], making a total of 63,380 [undecipherable]. I flatter myself you will be [of?] [the?] opinion, that Baltimore has not been [neglected?], but [that?] [she?] has had full justice in every [point?] of [view?]. With respect to the [harbour?] of [Boston?]. It is [necessary?] to [observe?], that [sums?] have remained outstanding in the Treasury of the appropriations on the 10^th instant 115,706[?], and [of?] [that?] the following sums are to be [satisfied?]. For Baltimore . . . . 23,975 For [undecipherable] [City?] [undecipherable] . . . 9,166 [undecipherable] . . . [undecipherable] . . . . . 3,000 New York [undecipherable] . . . . . 15,000 [undecipherable] [undecipherable] . . . . . 15,000 [Portsmouth?] N.H. [&c?] . . . . . 2,000 Fort Mifflin [undecipherable] . . . . . 10,000 88,141 Remains . . . 27,063 I [undecipherable] give the [sum?] . . . carried and to [undecipherable] [&?] [undecipherable], New [York?], Portsmouth, Fort Mifflin & Deacock, as the [precise?] amounts that may be wanted. Less 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 [expedient?] [undecipherable] to render the [defences?] on Castle Island [sufficient?] [here?], and to extend the [expenditures?] to [such?] other points as [shall?] appear indispensable to the [protection?] [of?] the [undecipherable] [City?]. I must however await to [hear?] from the Engineer, who is engaged in examining the harbour, and who is instructed to [report?] upon [the?] [undecipherable] [necessary?] works and [furnish?] the estimates. I do not suppose that 27,000 Dollars will be sufficient; [it is?] there however [a?] [undecipherable] enough, to go on with such works as [may?] be necessary. [There?] [are?] [the?] [undecipherable] the next [proportion?] 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 [h?]ible S^t [undecipherable] [marginalia: undecipherable] John Adams President of the United States