Your favor of Sep. 30. was recieved in due time and referred to the Secretary at war, who will give orders to Capt McCoomb to make trial of the plan you propose of setting fire to the sails & rigging of vessels. certainly it is much our interest to avail ourselves of every possible invention for defending our seaports against an enemy more powerful than ourselves on that element: and the thanks of the government and of every citizen are due to those who shall give them the benefit of their ingenuity for this purpose. on the public behalf therefore I bear witness to the merit of the offer of communicating your plan of destroying an enemy in our harbours, & shall gladly avail them of it. I salute you with great esteem & respect.