SIR, BOSTON, OCTOBER 31, 1801. I Now enclose an account of the repairs made on, and the supplies furnished to the French national corvette Le Berceau, agreeably to your instructions of the 2nd of April last, amounting to $ 32,839 54 cents, to wit: Supplies from publick property $18,345 10 cents, and bills discharged by cash for repairs and supplies, § 14,494, 44 cents. As some of the indents for supplies were not made out till a short time previously to her departure, I have not therefore been able to furnish the account before this time. I have thought it would be proper, in order to shew as fully as possible, the state of her equipment, to begin the account by detailing the supplies furnished from the inventory of the stores purchased with the hull of the corvette by Messrs. Higginson and Co. the late agents; but presuming the cost of those stores has been forwarded to the navy department, I have supposed it to be unnecessary to carry out a price against them. The supplies furnished from the property of the publick follow next, in the account, to which I have affixed a price. And lastly, the bills for repairs and supplies which have been discharged by cash. Some of the stores of the inventory of Le Berceau were left on hand after the equipment, which with a quantity of old copper taken from her bottom, have been delivered to Major Gibbs, whose receipt is enclosed. In your letter of the 8th July, you have advised that it would be proper for me to state particularly, by letter to your department, the repairs and supplies received by the Le Berceau at the publick expense. You have also directed to be stated the precise condition she was in, as to her equipment of every kind, on the delivery to the officers appointed on the part of the French Republick to receive her. On the 23d June she was formally delivered up, but, as many of the supplies to her were necessarily made after that time, I conceive the object intended would not be embraced by stating her condition at that period. I think there is no better way of ascertaining the repairs and sup plies she received at the publick expense, and the condition of her equipment at the termination of the supplies, than by a reference to the account, which I hope you will think to be sufficiently explanatory. But it may not however be amiss in me, to make some general observations on the subject. I shall therefore say, that the best shipwrights, blacksmiths, caulkers, joiners, mast-makers, riggers, and other workmen in this place, were employed on the repairs, that their work was well executed, and that the materials furnished for the purpose, were of the best kind. That wherever the copper on her bottom appeared to have received any injury, it was repaired with new. In these respects there cannot be a doubt of her being placed in a better condition than she was in at the period immediately anteriour to the action with the Boston. Her masts, bowsprit, spars, tops and caps, were all new, and made in the best and most substantial manner. Her shrouds, stays and cordage were also all new, and of the best quality, being made of the finest yarns, excepting about four tons of the latter, supplied from the inventory purchased by the late agents at auction. She was furnished with a new cable of 18 inches, 120 fathom in length, and amply supplied with spare cordage. In addition to upwards of thirty sails that were saved from the wreck, which were put in good order, she was furnished with a complete new suit of sails, made of the best duck. Her condition as to her masts, spars, shrouds, stays and sails, was doubtless made much better by the repairs, than at the period referred to above. Her supply of blocks and block work was ample. She was furnished with a new barge, and her other boats were well repaired, and she was abundantly supplied with water casks. The surgeon's department was well furnished, excepting amputating instruments, which were not supplied, as it was discovered that her former surgeon had kept possession of those that were on board at the capture. Her cabin was sufficiently furnished with tables, desks, chairs, crockery-ware, and other furniture. In these respects there cannot be a doubt, she was also placed in a better condition than she was in at the period before referred to. In conforming to the indents of the captain, she was furnished with beef, pork, bread, beans, rice, flour, oil, rum, wine, and other stores, for a voyage of three months, which were of the best, kind. The gunpowder, and other military stores supplied her, were also furnished in conformity to the indents of the captain. She mounted on her battery, twenty-two nine pound cannon, and two short twelve pound carronades. On the 26th of last month she departed from hence for sea. The pilot that carried her out, has since returned, having continued on board until she was fifty leagues at sea, when he was put on board of a vessel bound hither. The bills in the account, agreeably to the abstract enclosed marked No. 1, amounting to $519 37 cents, may not perhaps be considered as proper charges against the outfits of the corvette, as they were for supplies so made to her crew, soon after her arrival here, and for their transportation to New York; I have presumed, however, that there would be no impropriety in placing them therein. The bills and supplies charged agreeably to abstract, enclosed, marked No. 2, amounting to $3480 82 cents, for the hire of Apple Island, for blankets and hammocks, for the transportation of the crew from New York, and for their subsistence after their arrival here, till they were ordered by the captain to repair on board of the corvette, I have supposed, from the nature of the supplies and charges, might be reimbursed by the French government. Necessity obliged me to furnish them, as the French commissary had then neither money nor credit, to enable him to do it. I also forward by this post, in a separate enclosure, the vouchers of the bills paid for the supplies made to the Le Berceau, being from No. 1, to No. 114. I am, with great respect, sir, your most humble servant, SAMUEL BROWN. (Signed) Original cost of the corvette Berceau $13,349 44 French Convention signed by the plenipotentiaries of the two nations, Sept. 30, 1800. Ratified by Mr. Adams, with exception, &c. February 18, 1801. Agreed to by Bonaparte, July 31, 1801. Promulgated by the President, Dec. 21, 1801. [cory.] Messrs. Stephen Higginson and Co. Boston, Jan. 15, 1801. Received payment of S. Higginson and Co. Navy Agents, amounting to thirteen thousand three hundred and fortynine dollars and forty-four cents, in full. (Signed) S. BRADFORD, Marshal, Massachusetts District. [COPY.] Abstract of the Repairs and Expenditures on the French corvette Le Berceau, by order of the Secretary of the Navy, under date April 2, 1801, viz. |