[U.S. NAVY]. MCHENRY, James (1753-1816). Autograph letter, draft, to Timothy Pickering, War Office, 8 July 1796. 1 page, 8vo (216 x 159 mm), old folds, two strikethroughs, docketed on verso. McHenry requests from Pickering information on the frigate promised to the Dey of Algiers, including its dimensions, weight of metal, and number of guns, so that McHenry may begin preparatory steps in its construction. McHenry was a Continental Army surgeon during the Revolutionary War, a Founding Father, and a signer of the United States Constitution. McHenry served as the Secretary of War under Presidents George Washington and John Adams, overseeing military affairs and the construction of coastal defenses.