Description:

BENJAMIN STODDERT
(1744 – 1813) First Secretary of the Navy, from May 1, 1798 to March 31, 1801, established the first six navy yards and advocated building twelve 74 gun ships of the line. Congress approved construction of these ships in 1799. Fine content manuscript L.S. with holograph subscription and signature, 6pp. 4to., Georgetown, Nov. 9, 1798 to John Templeman, a goverment contractor. Only months before construction of the naval vessels is to begin, Stoddert engages Templeton to seek out lands along the Potomac or adjoining waters being careful not to arouse interest on the part of land speculators. He asks that Templeton undertake surveys of potential sites, noting: "...It is not unlikely that the public may want to purchase this winter, a Body of Land on the Potomac well cloathed with Timber proper for building ships of the largest size...This is a confidential business...as suspicion that you were employed by the public might excite extravagant expectations in the Lands..." Huge tracts of land, 20-50,000 acres each, are discussed, part of which may have ended up as the Washington Navy Yard, established by Stoddert the following year. Fine condition.

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April 18, 2018 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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