A Resolution of the house of Representatives of Yesterday asks from me information as to the efficacy of the gunboat defence, what particular ports we propose to place them in, & how many in each. I will enumerate the particular ports, but instead of saying literally how many to each, on which there would be a thousand opinions, I will throw them into groupes as below, and say how many to each groupe. will you be so good as to state how many you would think necessary for each of the ports below mentioned, to give them such a degree of protection as you think would be sufficiently effectual in time of war? also to strike out any of the ports here named, & insert others, as you shall think best;

Missisipi river

L. Pontchartrain

Mobille river

Savanna

Beaufort

Charleston

Cape Fear

Ocracock

Chesapeake bay & waters.

Delaware bay.

New York

New London

Newport

Boston

Newbury port

Portsmouth

Portland

Kennebeck

Penobscot

Passamaquoddy

send me also, if you please, copies of the opinions of certain officers on the effect of gunboats, which I believe were formerly laid before a Commee.

a similar note in substance was sent to Genl Dearborne