By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of accounts, for £44 10, which with 50 lb. of Gunpowder, ordered to be delivered him by Rob't Towers, Commissary, is in full of 228 lb. of Salt petre manufactured in this Province and receiv'd by Mr. Towers.

Some days past the Honorable Continental Congress sent the following Resolve to this Board, which is ordered to be enter'd on the Minutes:

"In Congress, April 3rd, 1776.

"Resolved, That every person intending to set forth and fit out a private Ship or Vessel of War, and applying for a Commission or Letters of Marque and reprisal for that purpose, shall produce a writing, subscribed by him, containing the name and Tonage or Burthen of the Ship or Vessel, the Number of her Guns, with their weight of Metal, the name and place of residence of the Owner or Owners, the Names of the Commander and other Officers, the Number of the Crew & the quantity of Provisions and Warlike Stores, which writing shall be delivered to the Secretary of Congress, or to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Convention, or Council, or Committee of Safety of the Colony in which the Ship or Vessel shall be, to be transmitted to the said Secretary, and shall be register'd by him."

"And that the Commander of the Ship or Vessel, before the Commission or Letters of Marque and reprisal may be granted, shall, together with sufficient sureties, seal and deliver a Bond, in the penalty of five thousand Dollars, if the Vessel be of one hundred Tons or under, or ten Thousand Dollars, if of greater Burthen, payable to the president of the Congress in Trust, for the use of the united Colonies, with Condition in the form following, to Wit: "The Condition of this Obligation is such, That if the above bounden who is Commander of the

the Colony of navigated by

belonging to

of

called in Carriage Guns, and Men, and who hath applied for a Commission

mounting

or Letters of Marque & Reprisal, to arm, equip, and set forth to sea the said as a private Ship of War, and to make Captures of British Vessels and Cargoes, shall not exceed or transgress the powers and authorities which shall be contained in the said Čommission, but shall in all things Observe and Conduct himself and govern his Crew, by and according to the same, and certain Instructions therewith to be delivered, and such other Instructions as may hereafter be given to him, and shall make reperation for all damages sustain'd by any misconduct or unwarrantable proceedings of himself, or the Officers or Crew of the said Then this Obliga

tion shall be Void, or else remain in Force."

"Sealed and deliver'd

in presence of

"Which Bond shall be lodged with the said Secretary of Congress. "By Order of Congress.

"Sign'd, JOHN HANCOCK, President."

The following Resolve of Congress was this day deliver'd to the Board, and ordered to be entered on the Minutes:

"IN CONGRESS, 25th May, 1776.

"Resolved, That the disposition of the Prisoners sent from North Carolina, as made by the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, is approved, and that the said Prisoners have the allowance ordered to Officers.

"Extract from the Minutes,

"Sign'd, CHA'S THOMSON, Sec'ty."

Resolved, That Capt. Loxley & Mr. William Evans be authorized to procure Timber for the following Number of Carriages:

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of accounts, for £200, and Ordered to be charged to the account of Thomas Nevill, and others, appointed to collect Lead for the use of this Province.

In Consequence of a Resolve of Congress of the 3rd April last, By order of the Board, a Commission was granted for the Schooner Mars, Norris Copper, M'r, owned by Mr. John Wilcocks, & Messrs. Jno. and Peter Chevalier, and a Bond taken agreeable to said Resolve,

A Letter was this day wrote to Messrs. Levi Hollingsworth & Thomas Richardson, and directed to them at Newport, Rhoad Island, Inclosing the following Resolves of Congress:

"In Congress, 30th May, 1776.

"Resolved, That six of the heaviest Canon at Newport, & fourteen of the heaviest Canon at New London, belonging to the Continent, be transported to Philadelphia as soon as possible.

That a Copy of the above Resolution be transmitted to the Governors of Rhode Island and Conecticut.

"Extract from the Minutes.

"Sign'd, CHAS. THOMSON, Sect'y."

In Committee of Safety.

с

PHILAD'A, 1st June, 1776.

PRESENT:

JAMES MEASE, Chair'n.

Samuel Howell,

John Nixon,

James Biddle,

Joseph Parker,

Owen Biddle,

Thomas Wharton, Jun'r,

Samuel Morris, Jun'r.

Resolved, That Capt. John Hazelwood construct and immediately employ Persons for building an additional Guard Boat, for the use of this Province.

Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Thomas Apty two pounds Gunpowder, for clearing the Work House.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq'r, & others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of William Montgomery, for one hundred pounds, to be charged to his account; and an order on Robert Towers, in his favour, for Fifty Pounds of Gunpowder, for Exchanging for Salt Petre.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Jno. Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Messrs. Th's Fitzsimmons and Joseph Moulder; for five hundred & fourteen pounds, to be charged to their accounts.

Resolved, That Colo. Wm. Montgomery purchase for the use of the Associators, in Chester County, a Quantity of Lead, and that he draw on this Board for the amount.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Jno. Wilcocks and others, appointed to pay for Firelocks, and for the use of the Gun Lock Manufactory, for five hundred pounds.

Resolved, That Mr. Owen Biddle be requested to procure, properly sorted, so many Canon shot as will encrease the last order to three hundred Tons.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of accounts, in favour of John

Patton, Esq'r, for five hundred pounds, being towards the payment of Canon Ball he has engaged to furnish this Board. Resolved, That Capt. Charles Lawrence go as soon as possible down to Lewis Town with two of the Guard Boats, and that he deliver one of them to Mr. Henry Fisher, to be employed for the defence of the Commerce of the Bay of Delaware.

That Capt. Lawrence immediately upon his delivering said Boat to Mr. Fisher, that he, with the utmost expedition, return to this City with all his hands.

Resolved, That each Galley in the service of this Province, be supplied with a small convenient Iron hearth, and that this regulation supercede the former orders to procure a Vessel for cooking in.

Upon application of Barnard Dougherty, Esq'r, for a sum of Money for the payment of Firelocks, engaged by him for the use of Bedford County, agreeable to a Resolve of this Board of the 1st April last,

By order of the Board, an order was drawn in his favour, on Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, for £150, for that purpose.

By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Daniel Lukens two Waggon Load of Brimstone, to be sent to Germantown to be stored there.

Resolved, That this Board go into the consideration of the appointment of a Commodore to the Naval armaments of this Province on Wednesday next, and that the Members be noticed to attend on that day at 9 O'Clock in the Morning.

By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Thomas Heinberger five hundred weight of Brimstone, to be manufactured into Gun Powder.

Resolved, That Mr. John Britton & Mr. Thomas Cuthbert, be desired to prepare the Flatts purchased for Hulks, by fitting them immediately with coarse, ordinary Hay and light Timber, agreeable to particular directions, accompanying this Resolve, and to purchase the necessary anchors and Cables to moor them at their respective stations.

VOL. X.-38.

Resolved, That the Men employed in the service of this Province on board the Naval armaments thereof, be Allowed the following Wages to cemmence the first of this month:

Seamen, three pounds Month.

Landsmen, Fifty shillings per Month.

Resolved, That two additional arm'd Boats or Gondolas be immediately built.

That Major Sam'l. Mifflin, Capt. Nath'l Falconer & Capt. James Craig, jun'r, be requested to superintend the Building of the Boats.

That the said Gentlemen be requested to superintend the Building the two Gondolas ordered for the Bay service.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Jno. Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of Accounts, for one hundred and fifty pounds, to be charged to his account.

Resolved, That Mr. John Mitchell Continue Victualling the Officers and Men employed on Board the Naval Armaments and Artillery Company, in the service of this Province, from the 11th inst. to the 11th of Sept'r next, at the same price of his former contract with this Board.

Upon application of Mr. Thomas Mendenhall, for a sum of Money to be lent him to assist his carrying on the making of Salt Petre,

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Jno. Nixon, Esq'r, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favor of said Mendenhall, for £50, payable in Salt Petre, twelve months from the date Lereof.