I have the honor to enclose Your excellency a return of the field artillery ammunition and small arms which I have received from the Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to procure the same and also of the issues therefrom to the different counties agreeable to your Excellency’s orders—1 I beg leave to inform your Excellency that fifty cases small arms recently missorted were damaged and incurred so much rust as made it absolutely necessary to employ a suitable person to clean and repair them— Mr Allen the person employed has done the needful and they are now in good order— The expense of which if it amounts to five per cent must be paid by the Underwriters but if less it will not amount to an average and in that Case the State must reimburse me— Your Excellency will permit me to observe that it is necessary to have the remainder of the small arms rubbed, oiled, and repacked— it cannot be any great expense and will preserve them for two or three years— I would also recommend five thousand Cartridge boxes that are water proof to be contracted for, which will cost at least ten thousand dollars if properly made and that one hundred rounds of Cartridges be provided for each piece, put up in proper order— I know there is sufficient powder and I beleive lead for the purpose, but with respect to the latter Mr Hunter can inform You— Of the eighty pieces of heavy artillery contracted for at Salisbury2 twenty one have been brought to Governors Island and I beleive the remainder are nearly finished— Your Honor will see the propriety of having all those guns mounted as Commissioners have procured suitable and properly seasoned timber for that purpose which is now on Governors Island— I would recommend six of them being mounted on travelling field carriages for the use of this island, to prevent Ships going up the North or East river in case of a War and that Shot be provided for both the field and heavy artillery. Mr Mangin has furnished me with a plan for the intended arsenall at Potters field,3 which I will send your Excellency the first opportunity, and has added his observations and explanations for the arrangement and completion of the (whole) Same—which I think judicious of which the whole or part can be put in execution, as may be judged proper. Some place is undoubtedly wanted for the artillery and military stores which are deposited at present in wretched hovels that make them continually in need of repairs and being so Very Valuable ought not to be without a proper place for their reception and preservation— Should the Legislature resolve to erect such a building it will be necessary to appoint a Maj[or] Gen of ordnance and Military stores and make suitable provision for defraying incidental charges— And as it is essentially requisite that some person should be appointed to instruct the different Companies in the proper use and management of field artillery and the implements attached thereto, I beg leave to recommend John McLean4 (who was a Sergeant with me during the late war) as a person perfectly capable of this important task. He was requested by several companies the last summer to undertake a journey for the purpose of instructing them as they were conscious of inexperience which frequently endangers the lives of many and, in consequence of their repeated request did at his own expense undertake a journey to Ulster and Orange Counties and communicate instruction to the Corps of Artillery there. There are nine pieces of iron ordnance laying on Skids at the Battery— Six of them are six pounders and the other three are four pounders much eaten by the rust, and if Your Excellency thought fit to recommend to the legislature to have them sold it would be a good reason season to dispose of them— they cannot be of any use to the State as their Calipers5 vary and are irregular—

It is essential that the legislature grant your Excellency a sum of money annually to be applied to the repairs of the Ordnance and military stores of every kind and defraying other contingent expenses, such as transporting Artillery, Ammunition &c. to the different Counties. Govr. Clinton always had a grant of money for this purpose.6

I have presumed from the confidence Your honor has been pleased to place in me to make these representations and wishing You the Compliments of the Season Remain