I would have reproched myself for not having writen to you
as regularly as you had desired I should were it not for circum-
stances, to which you will I doubt not attribut this seeming
neglect in approving of the considerations which made me give
the whole of my time to forwards as much as possibly could be
the business I had to performe, Great as were my Endeavour
to that end it [Steel] remained unfinished at the moment of the
President arrival at this place were I could present him no
more but a rough drawing in pincel of the several Surveys
which I had been able to run -- nevertheless the President In-
dulgent disposition making him account for the difficulties en-
countered, I had the satisfaction to see the little I had done
agreable to his wish -- and the confidence with which he has
been pleased since to Honor me in ordering the Survey to be
continued and the deliniation of a grand plan for the local dis-
tribution of the City to be done on principle conformable to the
ideas which I took the liberty to hold before him at the proper
for the Establishment being to heigly flatering to my Embition
to Fail Exacting the best of my hability. it shall be from this
moment my Endeavour to Enswer the President Expectation
in preparing those plans and having them ready for the time of
his return from the Southern tour.

   I shall in the mean while, Sir, beg for every information re-
specting all what may in your jugement appear of most im-
mediate importance to attend to as well as relating to Every
desirable Establishment which it will be well to forsee although
delaying or perhaps leaving the Execution thereof to a natural
succession of time to Effect.

   the number and nature of the publick building with the
necessary appendix I should be glad to have a statement of as
speedily as possible -- and I would be very much obliged to you
in the meantime if you could procure for me what Ever may
fall within your reach -- of any of the different grand city now
existing such as for example -- as London -- madry [Madrid] --
paris -- Amsterdam -- naples -- venice -- genoa -- florence
together with particular maps of any such sea ports or dock
yards and arsenals as you may know to be the most compleat in
their Improvement for notwithstanding I would reprobate the
Idea of Imitating and that contrary of Having this Intention it
is my wish and shall be my Endeavour to delinate on a new and
original way the plan the contrivance of which the President
has left to me without any restriction soever -- yet the con-
templation of what exist of well improved situation, iven the
parrallel of these, with deffactive ones, may serve to suggest
avariety of new Ideas and is necessary to refine and strengthen
the Jugement particularly in the present instance when having
to unite the usfull with the comodious & agreable viewing
these will by offering means for comparing enable me the better
to determine with a certainty the propriety of a local which
offer an Extansive field for combinations.