Instructions to the Persons appointed for building the Frigates. N° 1 To the Agents. War Department Sir You having accepted the agency of the ship of war to be built at are to consider the rules herein specified as the general principles whereby to govern yourself in the execution of the Agency. 1^st You are to provide all the artificers and labourers of all descriptions excepting the Constructor or Master builder, necessary to build a ship of guns the number to be such from time to time as will in able to operate with the greatest effect. The workmen to be provided upon the best terms by the day week or month as you shall judge conducive to the public interest. 2^d You are also to purchase such materials for the construction and equipment of the said Ship as shall not otherwise be provided by special contracts under the orders of the Secretary of the Treasury and to pay all other incidental or contingent Expenses. 3^d All the workmen and materials for building the said Ship are to be obtained by you upon the estimate or requisition in writing by the Constructor, countersigned by the captain or Superintendant. Other articles or labour necessary for the rigging or outfitting of the Ship are to be obtained upon the estimate of the principal artificer in each branch and also countersigned by the [undecipherable]. 4^th The Clerk of the yard will receive, distribute and account for every article of public property. 5^th The Shipwrights and all other artificers employed in working at the yard where the body of the Ship will be under the immediate direction and controul of the Constructor. His certificate therefore signed by the Clerk of the yard will be your voucher for payment of the wages according to the agreement you shall make. 6^th You will keep fair accounts of all transactions, stating all expenses for labour in one account and all purchases for Materials in another. every expenditure must be accompanied with the requisition of the Superintendant or Constructor as the case may be, for which purpose you will take duplicate receipts for all expenditures, and also the receipts for the Sums paid. Abstracts of the expenditures must be transmitted monthly to this office and every three months the accounts and vouchers must be transmitted to the Auditor of the Treasury for the purpose of being adjusted and settled. You will in the first instance receive dollars and such further Sums shall be advanced from time to time as the nature of the case may require. But all Monies which you shall receive on this account must be kept by itself, and deposited in the as Naval Agent and a Bank Book kept exclusively for this object. You will be allowed two and a half p^er Cent Commission on the sums expended as full compensation for your Services on this occasion. You will in all respects consider yourself as charged with the general Superintendance of the Public interests as far as the building of the said Ship, and will correct and report any Conduct which may be improper in any of the branches. I am &c. N° 2 [underline: To the Superintendants] Sir War Department You are to consider yourself as the Superintendant of the Frigate to be built at the Port of and which is to mount guns. Your constant attendance will be necessary for the purpose of observing that all parts of the business harmonize and are conformed to the public interests.— The Frigate will be built and equipped under the following regulations.— The Treasury of the United States will make special Contracts for the principal materials which will be used in the construction and equipment of the Ship.— The Agent will provide all the materials not otherwise provided by the Treasury. He will also, excepting the Constructor, procure and pay all the workmen and labourers of all sorts necessary for the building and equipping the Ship.— The numbers and qualities of workmen and labourers are to be furnished by the agent in pursuance of requisitions in writing by the Constructor for the hull or master mechanics in each branch of equipment, to be in both cases to be countersigned by the Superintendant. The materials for the equipment not provided by the Treasury are to be obtained by the Agent in pursuance of the estimate of the master mechanic in each branch countersigned by the Superintendant.— The Constructor will have the immediate direction of all the workmen employed upon the hull of the Ship. the rolls of the workmen and of the Labourers must be called every day at the commencement and termination of their labour and after returning from dinner. This must be done in the presence of the Constructor and Clerk of the yard whose certificate will be an indispensible condition of payment.— The Clerk of the yard will receive, issue and account for all the public property. The order for the issue of articles for the Hull must be signed by the Constructor and countersigned by you.— The articles for the equipment to be issued on the estimates of the principal mechanics in each branch with your order thereon. You will as well as the Constructor be particularly careful that none but the best materials be used in the construction of the Hull, and you will observe the same precautions with respect to the equipments of all sorts.— You will also carefully observe that there be no deviation from the directions which shall be issued with respect to the proportions of the Hull and equipments of all sorts.— You will report to me weekly the number of workmen employed and the progress made in the execution either of the Hull or equipments.— I am &c.— [underline: N° 3 To the Constructors.—] Sir War Dep^t You having been appointed Constructor or Master builder of a Frigate to be built at the port of are to consider these as the general principles whereby you are to govern yourself.— Particular directions will be given to you relatively to the proportions of the Ship, a draught and moulds for the same to which you are undeviatingly to adhere.— As you are established upon a Salary as a Public Officer you will in all respects observe the highest degree of economy in all the objects which shall come under your direction, whether of materials, or labour of the workmen and others of which you will have the principal direction. Your constant attendance will be necessary in order to direct the application of the respective workmen and labourers.— The rolls of the workmen and labourers are to be called at the commencement and termination of the labour of the day, and upon their return from dinner, for which they will be allowed hours, the labour to commence at and terminate at You and the Clerk of the yard will attend also at these roll calls, making suitable deductions from absence. Your Certificates will therefore be required by the agent as a voucher for their payment. Besides yourself the following persons will be concerned in building the said Ship. An Agent will be appointed to procure upon the best terms all the materials which shall not otherwise be provided by the Treasury of the United States. And he will also procure and pay all the workmen who shall be employed in the construction or equipment of the said Ship.— The Captain will be the Superintendant, observe that there be a due application of all the men employed to the end intended.— A Clerk of the yard will be appointed to receive, distribute and account for all Public property.— The materials for building the Ship not procured by the Treasury, will be purchased by the Agent in pursuance of your estimate to him, countersigned by the Captain or Superintendant.— All the artificers of the respective branches, and labourers necessary for the construction of the Frigate are also to be procured upon your estimates and countersigned by the Captain.— You, particularly will be responsible to the Public, That no materials of any sort enter into the construction of the said Ship but of the best quality. That a substantial foundation be laid for the Ship so that there shall be no danger of falling when the frost comes out of the grounds.— That all parts of the great fabric are mechanically and perfectly executed.— The views of the Government besides distributing the advantages, by building the six Frigates in different places, is to ascertain where similar work may in future be done to most advantage.— The present attempt therefore is to be considered as an experiment and the place where the business shall under all circumstances be best performed may derive permanent and great benefits.— It will be expected that the utmost harmony shall prevail among the different characters concerned in building so that their united efforts may produce a satisfactory result.— I am &c. [undecipherable] N° 4 [underline: To the Clerks of the Yard.—] Sir You having been appointed Clerk of the yard for the Frigate to be built at are to observe these instructions as the general rules of your Conduct. You are to receive, issue and account for all the public property relatively to the said Ship, whether belonging to the hull or equipment which shall be placed in your possession either by the orders of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Naval Agent or in any other way or manner. All the materials for the construction of the Hull to be issued by the orders of the Constructor countersigned by the Superintendant who is the Captain.— All the materials for the equipment are to be issued on the estimates or returns of the principal Mechanics in each branch signed by the Superintendants. Accounts are to be opened for each principal article used in the construction such as Timber, Iron, Nails, [undecipherable], Booms, yards, Cordage, Hemp, Sail Cloths, Tools or Implements, Anchors, Ship Chandlery &c. And the first Monday in each month you are to transmit me an account of all Articles received and delivered, by whose order and to whom and all articles remaining on hand. You are also to attend the roll calls of the workmen and labourers employed in the yard and to countersign the returns of them for the agent to regulate his payments. [since reduced to monthly returns] * Your accounts and Vouchers are every three months to wit on the first days of October January April and July