Baltimore January 18. 1814

Sir,
I beg leave to trespass on your time a moment, to request permission, to have the sails of the Ontario, made at this place; as I understand they have not yet commenced at Washington.
I have also to ask leave, to open a Rendezvous at New York, as Captain Ridgely having nearly completed his compliment, is about to close at that place. Seamen are easily obtaind there tho’ they are scarce, both here, and at Philadelphia.— I have the honor to be, with great respect your Obt Servt.

R. T. Spence

From a January 18, 1814, letter by Master Commandant Robert T. Spence to Secretary of the Navy William Jones. See previous letter from January 9, 1814.

Source: The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History, Volume III, Part 2 of 7, p.20.