TO MR. SMITH.
January 14, 1808.
I return you Chauncey's letter. I am sorry to see the seamen working for rations only, and that we cannot allow even them. And further, indeed, that we shall be under the necessity of discharging a number of those we have. This is so serious a question that I propose to call a consultation on it a day or two hence. Our sixty-four gun-boats and ketches may certainly be reduced to ten seamen each, at least I have at various times had the opinions of nearly all our naval captains, that from eight to ten men are sufficient to keep a gun-boat clean and in order, to navigate her in harbor, and to look out of it. This would give us a reduction of about four hundred men. But even this will not bring it within the estimate. However, what is to be done, is the question on which I shall propose a consultation. I send you a letter of a Mr. Walton, of Baltimore, for perusal, merely as it suggests ideas worth looking at. I confess, I think our naval militia plan, both as to name and structure, better for us than the English plan of seafencibles.
I ought to be in possession of a former letter from the same person, but not finding it among my papers, am induced to ask whether I sent it to you? Affectionate salutations.