War Department 23 Dec 1800 Sir I am honored with your favor of yesterday. The amount thought necessary for fortifying ports & harbors has not heretofore been inserted in the annual estimate of expenditures; it was therefore omitted in the estimate for 1801. I presume that the deficiency of past appropriations is not equal to 100,000 Dollars, but the precise amount cannot be known. I think that to appropriate for that object Two Hundred Thousand Dollars in the whole would be sufficient for the ensuing years. I have the Honor to be Sir, Your obdt Serv. Sam l Dexter Hon. Mr. Griswold