Captain Delafield has been assigned to the permanent superintendence of the repairs of this road, and has been directed to join you on or before the 1st of October next. You will, therefore, immediately on his arrival, turn over to him these instructions, together with all the papers and public property that may be in your possession relating to the road. As soon as you shall have completed the necessary examinations on the road, you will commence and continue the repairs simultaneously in both States.

You will make application for such instruments and funds as may appear necessary to enable you to execute the foregoing instructions.

I am, &c.,
C. GRATIOT,
Brigadier General.

Cumberland, Md., August 1, 1832.

Sir: I have this evening returned from a general reconnoissance of the road in this State. I find the road in a shocking condition, and every rod of it will require great repair; some of it is now almost impassable. I purpose leaving here to-morrow, on a particular measurement and survey of the road as it is, and the requisites to put it in complete repair.

The object of this communication is to request to be permitted to deviate, according to circumstances, from so much of my instructions as requires the old bed in all cases to be lifted, and the rise in the middle three inches; for there are parts of the road where the top of the old bed is full low, and where it will be more expensive, and less firm, to remove the old bed and fill in with earth, than to bring stone and Macadamize on the top of the old bed to the thickness of nine inches; and there are cases on the sides of the mountains where a greater rise than three inches, such, for instance, as some parts of it now have, which is more advantageous than a less one to confine the water to the gutters in cases of torrents, and thereby preventing a general sweep over the whole road, which would carry off the smallest stuff of a Macadamized road.

The repairs made by Mr. Giesey, about two years since, have the radical fault resulting from having lifted the old road indiscriminately, and not giving sufficient rise to the center for a mountainous country.

I have the honor to be, sir,
Very respectfully, your most obedient,
J. K. F. MANSFIELD,
Lieut. of Engineers.

Gen. Chas. Gratiot, Chief Engineer.