the town on short warning.  In this situation, her annual expense is about two thousand dollars, as by an official estimate at the end of this letter. 3.  Fully manned for action.  Her annual expense in this situation is about eight thousand dollars, as per estimate subjoined.  ’When there is general peace, we should probably keep about six or seven afloat in the second situation; their annual expense twelve to fourteen thousand dollars; the rest all hauled up.  When France and England are at war, we should keep, at the utmost, twenty-five in the second situation, their annual expense fifty thousand dollars.  When we should be at war ourselves, some of them would probably be kept in the third situation, at an annual expense of eight thousand dollars; but how many, must depend on the circumstances of the war.  We now possess ten, built and building.  It is the opinion of those consulted, that fifteen more would enable us to put every harbor under our view into a respectable condition; and that this should limit the views of the present year.  This would require an appropriation of sixty thousand dollars, and I suppose that the best way of limiting it, without declaring the number, as perhaps that sum would build more.  I should think it best not to give a detailed report, which exposes our policy too much.  A bill, with verbal explanations, will suffice for the information of the House.  I do not know whether General Wilkinson would approve the printing his paper.  If he would, it would be useful.  Accept affectionate and respectful salutations.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER XX.—­TO MR. VOLNEY, February 8, 1805

TO MR. VOLNEY.

Washington, February 8, 1805.

Dear Sir,

Your letter of November the 26th came to hand May the 14th; the books some time after, which were all distributed according to direction.  The copy for the East Indies went immediately by a safe conveyance.  The letter of April the 28th, and the copy of your work accompanying that, did not come to hand till August.  That copy was deposited in the Congressional library.  It was not till my return here from my autumnal visit to Monticello, that I had an opportunity of reading your work.  I have read it, and with great satisfaction.  Of the first part I am less a judge than most people, having never travelled westward of Staunton, so as to know any thing of the face of the country; nor much indulged myself in geological inquiries, from a belief that the skin-deep scratches, which we can make or find on the surface of the earth, do not repay our time with as certain and useful deductions, as our pursuits in some other branches.  The subject of our winds is more familiar to me.  On that, the views you have taken are always great, supported in their outlines by your facts; and though more extensive observations, and longer continued, may produce some anomalies, yet they will probably take their place