The Petition of Col. Francis Johnston, respecting expences incurred in procuring Cloathing, &ca, for the Regiment formerly Gen'l Wayne's, was read; & thereupon,

Ordered, That Col Johnston's application be referred to the proper Board, appointed by Congress for examining claims, with the recommendations of Col. Johnston as an active & Zealous Officer, which probably brought this burthen on him.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Rob't Allison, or his order, for the Sum of Three Hundred Pounds, for which he is to account.

An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Col. Lewis Farmer, or his order, for the sum of Two Thousand Pounds, to be applied to purchasing necessaries for the Army, agreeable to the Resolves of the Hon'ble House of General Assembly, & for which sum the said Farmer is to account.

Petitions of Rich'd Footman & Magdelen Devine were read; Ordered, That the Act of Assembly having provided for the determinations of all claims of the kind mentioned in their Petitions, the Petitioners are referred to the remedy by the Law provided.

The Council met.

PHILAD'A, Monday March 1, 1779.

PRESENT:

His Excell'y JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President." Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President.

Joseph Hart,

McLene,

John Macky, & Esq'rs.

Jacob Arndt,

This Board having at length received from the Camp a proposed plan of distribution of the Articles provided for the Troops, agreeable to a Resolve of the House of Assembly of the 5th of December last, & also a recommendation of Captain Ziegler as a proper person to distribute the same,

Resolved, That the said Captain Ziegler be & he is hereby appointed Distributor of the said Articles, & that he have such allowance therefor as the same Officer from the State of Maryland is allowed,

2nd. Resolved, That the said Articles be distributed pursuant to the said Resolve of Assembly, at one-fourth part of the Original Cost, for Cash only, & that the usual allowance be made to Capt. Ziegler for wastage.

3d. Resolved, That the said Articles be distributed in quantity in the following manner, Viz: 1 pint of Rum Week; Ration ib Muscovado Sugar; do. lb Coffee; do. 1 oz. of Tea; do. lb Chocolate; 2 oz. hard Soap, lb of Tobacco.

4th. Resolved, That due regard be had in the said Distribution to the Rank of the Officers, & that each Officer be entitled to draw from the Store in exact proportions to the number of Rations to which he is entitled on the Continental Establishment, Vizt: The Weekly allowance of a soldier for every Ration.

5th. Resolved, That the Prices of the said Articles now sent, be at the following Rates, Viz: Quart of Rum (21s. 3 & 23s. 9 Gallon) as in quality; Pound of Sugar, 3s. 1 & 3s. 4, as in quality; Pound of Tea, 14s. 9; Pound of Coffee, 3s. 6; a Pound of Chocolate, 6s. 3; a Pound of Tobacco, 1s 3 & 1s. 10; a Pound of hard Soap, 2s. 4; Loaf of Sugar, 7s. The above being the One-fourth part of the Original Cost of said Articles.

6th. Resolved, That as the above Articles are designed for the comfort of the Officers & Soldiers actually in Camp, none on Furlow be deemed entitled to draw for the time he is absent.

7th. Resolved, That Capt. Ziegler do make regular returns of his issues to the Board once a Month, & be deemed accountable for the Money accrueing to the State, after due allowance made as aforesaid.

A Message to the General Assembly of Representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania was read, considered, approved, & ordered to be signed by the President. And the same is as follows:

"Gentlemen:

"By an Act of Assembly passed the second day of January, A. D., 1778, intitled 'An Act for the better supply of the Army of the United States of America,' The several Officers appointed under the said Act were directed to obey the orders & Instructions of the Legislature, & during their Recess, of the Supreme Executive Council. We have, during your Recess, distributed the Cloathing procured, made some new purchases, & directed the Sale of such Cloth on hand as was not suitable for the Army, & given such other directions as appeared to us beneficial to the Army & proper for the State.

"Mr. Howell, the present Receiver General, having signified his intention to resign some time ago, we would wish you to make a new appointment, & also direct the settlement of his accounts, with those of Capt. Lang, late an Officer in that department. We apprehend one Officer to be quite sufficient for that purpose, & if you should not conceive the business too extensive, it might be attended with a public saving to employ the purchasing Commissioner of the Articles mentioned in your Resolution of the 5th of December. In this view only we mention it.

"The Bridge on Schuylkill is an Article of considerable expence to the Public, & the rates of Ferriage having been settled by Act of Assembly, when the real & nominal value of money bore a more just proportion to each other than they now do. These rates are at present very inadequate & insufficient. By the papers transmitted

herewith, you will see what proposals the Quarter Master General of the United States has made with respect to the use to be made of the said Bridge by the Public Teams. As this part of the business is yet incomplete, unless your Hon'ble House will finish the Treaty we have had on this subject, it will be necessary to empower this Board to act therein, as the Quarter Master has represented to as that it will be very prejudicial to the public service to compel the Teams to pay Toll as they pass respectively.

"In our message of the 5th of February, we observed that the State of the Treasury, the Season of the year, & other circumstanees, had concurred to prevent our purchase of a Ship for the defence & protection of Trade. But having never lost sight of this important object, we now acquaint you that we have in contemplation Two Vessels, which are recommended to us as suitable for the purpose, one just launched, the other lately arrived from sea, provided with Guns, &ca. The papers herewith will show an estimate of the cost of the former. The proposals respecting the latter being not yet answered, we cannot ascertain the probable expence, but, doubtless it will bear some proportion.

"The ways & means of answering the expence in this case, will deserve your attention, & we mention it the more particularly, that if this important service should fail for want of the necessary supply, it may not be attributed to inattention or neglect in us; As both interest & duty lead us to give all public relief to our mutual constituents. In this instance, we have nothing to reproach ourselves with, whatever may have been insinuated to the contrary. We have now further to acquaint you, that in order to carry our design into Execution more effectually, we some time ago wrote to the States of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland & Virginia, respectively, proposing an embargo on all outward bound Vessels, not only to deprive our enemies of their expected prey, but in order to enable us to man & fit out our Vessels of defence with the greater expedition.

"From the spirit which seems to prevail in Maryland, we can hardly doubt their concurrence, & we hope it will meet the approbation of the other States; On our part nothing shall be wanting to make effectual provision against every species of depredation, whether on the Frontiers or elsewhere. We observe in your report of the conference entered in your Vote of the February, an idea is held forth that Council will prepare a plan of general defence for the Frontiers & River.

"As a Committee of your Hon'ble House then existed for considering the State of the Frontiers, & providing for their defence, & had eonferred with a Committee of Congress thereupon, have since agreed upon a plan, & Congress have transmitted to us their Resolves thereupon, we apprehend no propositions from this Board can be expected. The President, with several Gentlemen, whose

knowledge & experience may be of signal service, are going tomorrow to view the several defences & State of the River, & to consider what further addition may be made. Your Hon'ble House will doubtless be acquainted with the result of their observations, so far as the communication of them is consistent with the secrecy necessary to public security. For as the objects of these means, (Viz:) safety & a repulsion of the Enemy, are common to us all, we can have no views or interests in which you do not partake. And we trust our mutual exertions will convince the good people of the State, that their dearest interests, either in the deliberative or executive branches, are not committed to unfaithful or negligent hands.

In Council.

"JOSEPH REED, President."

PHILAD'A, March 1st, 1779.

Resolved, That the Hon'ble George Ross, Esq'r, be Commissioned Judge of the Admiralty of this State, under the late Act of Assembly: That this Board highly approve the firmness & Ability he has hitherto shewn in the discharge of his said Office.

(His Excell'y the President gone down to view the River. The

Hon'ble Vice President absent.)

Mr. Scott took leave of the Council to go home.

A Petition of Elias Lewis Treckel, was read; & the same relating to a claim of his on a House forfeited to the State by Lawrence Fagan; the same was rejected & the Petitioner referred to the Judge of the Supreme Court.

A Certificate signed "Holker, Consul of France & Agent General of the Royal Marine," That the Brig Convention, William Allen, Commander, Blair McClenaghan, owner thereof, has been Chartered to carry to Martinique 340 barrels of Bread, 60 barrels of Pork, & 40 barrels of Flour, for account of his most Christian Majesty, & for the use of the Squadron Commanded by His Excell'y Vice admiral Count D'Estaing, being read and considered:

Ordered, That the Naval Officer be directed to clear out the said brig Convention.

The Secretary reports, That the Six blank Commissions for private Ships of War, last received from the Hon'ble the President of Congress, have been issued.

Ordered, That application be made to the President for a farther supply of blank Commissions for private Ships of War.

N. B. To write the Lieutenants of the Counties who have not sent their accounts of Money advanced to the Recruiting service, (Viz: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, & Lancaster.)

The Council met.

PHILAD'A, Thursday March 4, 1779.

PRESENT:

The Hon'ble GEORGE BRYAN, Esq'r, Vice President..

(His Excell'y, The President, being indisposed.)

A Message to the Hon'ble House of Assembly being prepared, was read, approved, & ordered to be signed, & is as follows:

[Blank in Council Book.]