Sir: "In Marine Committee. PHILAD'A, 10th May, 1776. "You will perceive by the foregoing, that Congress have ordered Twenty of the Canon you brought from Providence to be improv'd in Philad'a; And in order that the Benefit of that order may be realized as soon as possible, we direct that you order the said twenty Canon to be put on board the Fly, or any one other of your Vessels, and carried to New York, & direct the Commander of the Vessel to call on General Washington for his further proceeding, to whom we shall write on the subject; this to be effected in the best manner you can, but by no means to be done to the prejudice of more essential service. The Canon, hewever, must be sent as speedy as possible, by some conveyance that shall be judged best. “We are, &ca., Signed, "To Commodore E. HOPKINS." "JNO. HANCOCK, In Consequence of the above Resolves & Letters of Congress, this Board came to the following Resolutions: Resolved, That Mr. Thomas Richardson & Mr. Levi Hollingsworth do, as soon as possible, proceed to New London & there apply for the Canon, should they be at that place; If not, That they then go to Newport & procure them, and apply for the Fly or any other armed Vessel to Transport them to New York or Brunswick, by the Sound; or if the Navigation should be interrupted by the Enemy's Vessels, that they are then to procure the Canon to be conveyed by Land to some Harbour in Connecticut, & from thence to be conveyed in any proper Vessel. Upon the whole, they are to procure the Canon to be brought to this place at all events. That any sums that may be wanted to effect this service they are to draw on this Committee At a Special Meeting of the Committee of Safety, 11th May, 177 By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver the following ammunition, to be sent down to the Gondolas immediately, Vizt: Shot 18 pounders, 24 do. 32 do. 500 240 60 320 25 Capt. Greenway was ordered to receive the following Powder, Shott & Wadds, & carry them down in the Pilot Boats to the Gozdolas, and deliver them to the Senior Officer, Vizt: From Rob't Towers, 500 shot, 18 pounders, 240 do. 24 do. And all the 24 & 32 pound shott on board his Ship or at Fort Island, Viz.: From Capt. Falconer, Capt. Wickes, Capt. Reed, The Batterys, a quantity of Wadds, ditto ditto ditto Resolved, That Capt. Whyte, Capt. Falconer, & Mr. James Wharton, settle with the several owners of the Shallops and Boats lately employed in the Public service, and draw orders for payment on Mr. Nixon and others, the Committee of accounts. By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Jno. Nixon & others, the Committee of accounts, in favour of John Cobourn, for two hundred pounds, being towards the payment of the men employed in sinking the Chevaux-de-Frize. Resolved, That John Martin Strohbogh be appointed third Lieut. in the Artillery Company of this Province, he to produce a discharge from the Congress previous to his entering into this service. Resolved, That the Members of this Board be noticed to meet precisely to-morrow morning at 9 O'Clock, on business of Impor tance. Resolved, That Capt. Moulder & Mr. Tho's Fitzsimmons be desired to purchase two Convenient Vessels, the one for a Magazine, the other for a Provision or Store Vessel, & Man & fit them immediately, to be ready to attend the Fleet upon the orders of this Board, or the Commanding Officer. And that when they are in service, Richard Wells, with his Pilot Boat, be employed to ply between the said Vessels and the Fleet. Resolved, That the Committee of Fire-Rafts be authorized to purchase a Convenient Vessel for quartering the Men belonging to the Fire-Rafts while down the River. Resolved, That Capt. Hazelwood & Capt. Hervey, be appointed to survey the River from Billingsport to Fort Island. The Congress sent yesterday to this Board the following Resolve, which is ordered to be entered on the Minutes: "In Congress, 10th May, 1776. "Resolved, That it be recommended to the Committee of Safety for Pennsylvania, to examine into the Conduct of the Gaoler who had the Charge & Custody of Moses Kirkland, and if they find him Culpable, that they have him removed. "Extract from the Minutes, "Sign'd, CHA'S THOMSON, Sec'y." Resolved, That George Gray, Sam'l Howell & Joseph Parker, be a Committee to enquire into the Complaint of Cogress against Thomas Dewees Gaoler, & make Report to this Board. Instructions to Mr. John Read, Commissary, Barrack-Master & Clerk of the Check at Fort Island, were this day read, approved, and order'd to be enter'd on the Minutes. "Instructions to Mr. John Read, Commissary, Barrack-Master & Clerk of the Check at Fort Island: "Sir:-In Consequence of your appointment to the Office of Commissary, Barrack Master & Clerk of the Check at Fort Island, by this Committee, you are hereby enjoined & required to perform the duties of the several offices committed to you with care & fidelity, & for your better information of the services expected from you in those Capacities, we have sent you the following Instructions, Vizt: 1st. "As Commissary you are to take an Inventary of all the Stores on Fort Island belonging to this Province, and enter it into a Book, noting carefully whose possession they are in, and the uses they are applied to. 2ndly. "All Stores that shall be Committed to your care, are to be kept an account of, and preserved by you in the best manner, only to be deliver'd by the Commanding Officer of Fort Island, or this Committee, and when deliver'd out, you to take a Receipt for the same. 3rdly. "When the uses for which any of the Stores are deliver'd out are fully answered, the remainder are to be returned to you again for the use of the Province, and for which you are to be accountable. "As Barrack Master: 1st. "You are to have the Barracks allways kept clean, and in order for the reception of any Troops or People that may be ordered to Fort Island by this Committee or the Assembly. 2ndly. "You are to see that the necessary furniture, bedding, and Cooking Utensils be provided for each appartment. 3rdly. "You are to assign the particular quarters which the Troops are to occupy, having a regard to the Interest of the Public and the convenience and health of the Men; for which purpose, not more than sixteen Men be station'd in each room while there is any vacant appartments, nor should they be suffered to occupy a greater portion of the Barracks at any time than is necessary for the purposes before mention'd, of which you are to be judge. 4thly. "When any Troops are first Quartered in the said Barracks, you are to take a Receipt from an Officer of the Company for all the Furniture and Cooking Utensils that you deliver to them, for which the whole Company are to be accountable you; and in case of any embezlement or wanton destruction of them, or any part of them, the Value thereof shall be stopped out of their pay, which is forfeit for the resupply of the same. 5thly. "The Keys of all the appartments while unoccupied are to be kept by you, and on any Troops quitting their quarters at the said Barracks, they are to deliver the Keys of the same to you. 6thly. "You are to purchase Fire Wood for all the Troops, Boatmen, & Workmen, that are employed in the Provincial service, at the cheapest rate you can, and portion it out to them in reasonable and sufficient quantities, taking care that it is not wasted unnecessarily, for which purpose the Commanding officer of the Island is to fix a Guard over it. 7thly. "Your order on John Nixon & others, the Committee of Accounts for this Board, for all necessary supplies of Fire Wood, for the purpose aforesaid, will be duly paid. 8thly. On application to the sub-Committee of Fort Island for any of the stores, Furniture, Cooking Utensils, &ca, that may be necessary for the accommodation of the Troops, &ca, station'd at Fort Island, they will provide such part as they shall think proper and Usefull, and send it to your care, for which you are to be accountable. "As Clerk of the Check: "You are to keep a Regular Muster Roll of all the Workmen employed on Fort Island by order of this Committee, entering their Names and employments, Time at Work, and Wages per day, of which you are to make out a correct Copy, and return it Evening to the Superintendant appointed by the sub-Committee for Fort Island." Resolved, That Capt. Heysham & Mr. Joseph Watkins be appointed a Committee to receive the directions of this Board, to carry into execution the making of Carriages for the different Canon that may be made or otherwise procured for the use of this Province. Resolved, That the Officers of the Ship, Armed Boats, Floating & Land Battery, make report to this Board the quantity of Military stores they now have. By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Mich'l Hillegas, Esq'r, in favour of Colo. Sam'l Atlee or his order, for five hundred pounds, for the use of the Musket Battalion in the service of this Province. Whereas, several Gent'n have offered to form themselves into Companys of Volunteers, and whenever called upon in defence of this River, to enter into actual service on Board any armed Boat that shall be provided for them by this Committee, under their own officers. Resolved, That this Board has a just sense of their spirited & patriotick offer, and Messrs Sam'l Howell, Thomas Wharton, & Owen 1 |