Perhaps I ought to apologize for the frankness of this communication. It proceeds from an ardent zeal to see this government (the idol of my soul) continue in good hands, and from a sincere desire to see you whatever you wish to be. To this apology I shall only add my friendly salutations, and assurances of sincere esteem and respect. 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. TO MR. SMITH. January 15, 1808. To the letter from Mr. Davy, of the committee of the chamber of commerce, of Philadelphia, (which I now return you,) I think you may say in answer, that you had communicated it to the President, and were authorized to say that the Government of the United States have no present views of forming new harbors for the reception of their vessels of war: that under the authority, and with the means, lately given by the Legislature to the executive, it is intended to furnish means of defence, by land and water, to the several harbors of the United States, in proportion to their importance and local circumstances: that all the points to be defended are not yet definitively decided on; but that in reviewing them, the harbor proposed by the chamber of commerce, to be formed near Lewistown, will be considered, and will have a just participation in the provisions for protection, in the first place according to its present circumstances, and hereafter according to any new importance which shall have been given it by being made a place of greater resort for merchant vessels. Affectionate salutations. TO MR. J. DORSEY. WASHINGTON, January 21, 1808.