Your letter of 4 August advised us that you had treated with several merchant shipwrights on the Thames, for building two small 6th Rate frigates for their Majesties, and that they insist on upwards of 4 months time and £8 per ton for building, alleging the dearness of timber. If it is thought fit to have two more frigates put in hand, then it will be of benefit to the Navy to have one of them set up at Portsmouth in place of the 4th Rate being launched next spring. The other set up at Chatham since they may be built at both places sooner and cheaper than by contract. You are directed to have two frigates set up at Portsmouth and Chatham accordingly.