[Com]missioners of the Navy, beg leave to Observe to His [Excellency] the President, that, in their Opinion, the State should be furnished with a Vessel of Greater Force, than any that now belongs to it, to be employ'd as well for the protection of its Trade, as for the Annoyance of its Enemies, and, that if a Ship was immediately built of about 108 feet Keel, 31 feet Beam, & depth of Hold in proportion, such Vessel would be of much more benefit to the State than Another Galley, and is at Present much more wanted. The Board have at Present a Number of Ship Carpenters Employ'd in the State Yard & have wrote to Philadelphia for thirteen more in Order to Carry on the work with Dispatch; they are hopefull they will be here before those now Employ'd Quit the Service, should they Incline to do so, when the Three Months are Expired, the time they first Engaged for; They are also furnished with Timber and Other Materials necessary for the Building of such a Vessel, and if its the pleasure of your Excellency, & Council, that such a One should be Built, you will be pleased to signify it to the Board as soon as possible, (the Operations in the ship Yard being Delay'd for your Answer) and the Commissioners will give Orders Accordingly — The Acteons Guns with others that may be furnish'd by the State, the Commissioners apprehend will be sufficient for the Vessel mentioned — The Public are at a Considerable Expense in hiring Negro Labourers at great Wages, for the Naval Department, great part of which might be saved & the work more certainly & regularly Conducted, if your Excellency would be pleased to Order Twenty of the Labouring Negroes, Employ'd in the Public Service to assist in the works of the Naval Department, under the direction of the Commissioners — The Commissioners have a Quantity of ship Timber laying at Mr Capers Island, which they have accasion for at the Ship Yard, &will be Obliged to his Excellency to Order the Floating Battery to be delivered to the Commissioners, in Order to Convey it Over as the State has no Other Vessel proper for the purpose