clared, that to the best of his knowledge, there were no more provisions on board, than the master had given an account of. That Job Easton, master of the sloop Bonetta, cleared out for Antigua, the other vessel that sailed in company with the above mentioned snow, has made oath, that he had no more provisions, nor would take any more on board said vessel than are absolutely necessary for said voyage, as appears by a certificate in the office, aforesaid, dated July 12, 1755, signed by Joseph Sylvester, justice of the peace; and Messrs. Jonathan Thurston and John Jepson, owners of the said sloop, and Mr. Godfrey Malbone, Jr., who chartered one half of her, have made oath before us, that all the provisions on board said sloop, were three barrels and one half of pork, three barrels and one half of beef, three hogsheads and seven barrels of bread, one hundred and sixty-nine weight of bacon, six sheep, and one half bushel of peas. That Simon Rhodes, John Waite, John Updike, and Jeremiah Wilcox, had cleared out with provisions, being live stock, for Halifax; all of whom had given bond, pursuant to act of Assembly; and that said bonds were shown to us by the collector, who assured us that all the masters of vessels cleared out in his office, with more provisions than were necessary for their victualling on the proposed voyage, had given the like bonds; and that we are of opinion, that the report of vessels' having sailed from this port with provisions designed for the French, is absolutely without foundation. JOHN TILLINGHAST, IMMANUEL NORTHUP, Newport, 16th August, 1755. EDWARD SCOTT, And now this Assembly, having duly examined and consid. ered the foregoing report,- Do vote and resolve, and it is voted and resolved, that the same be, and is hereby accepted. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that in case an escape is made by any prisoner, after bond given to the sheriff, and a suit brought for the benefit of the creditor, pursuant to an act, entitled "An act for the ease of prisoners for debt;" in all such cases, the damages to be made up by the court whereunto such suit is brought, shall be thirty per cent. upon the principal sum and costs. Be it enacted by this General Assembly and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that if any of the commissioned officers by this Assembly appointed to go with the three companies ordered to be raised and sent as an additional force against Crown Point, shall die or refuse to take his commission, the committee of war shall, and hereby are authorized and fully empowered to appoint another or others in his or their stead, that shall happen to die or refuse. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the committee of war be, and hereby is clothed with, and shall have, take and exercise, in the recess of the General Assembly, all and singular the power and authority that was given or granted them by the act passed at the last session, for their further continuance; they being always accountable for their conduct unto future Assemblies. God save the King. Proceedings of the General Assembly, held for the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, at Newport, the 8th of September, 1755. The Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Governor. The Hon. Jonathan Nichols, Deputy Governor. Be it enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authori ty thereof it is enacted, that the company of soldiers raised in this colony, under the command of Capt. John Whiting, towards reinforcing the army, gone against Crown Point, be forthwith embarked and sent to Albany, on board the transport taken up in the government's service, for carrying provisions, &c., to that place; and that they proceed from Albany to join the army, in the same manner with the company that marched from Providence; and that the committee of war put on board said sloop, all such deserters as are, or shall be taken up before the departure of said sloop, rendering them unto the care of the said captain, in order to their being carried unto the sev eral companies to which they belong respectively, and deliv ered unto the captains of the same. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the au thority thereof it is enacted, that four companies, to consist of fifty men each, including officers, be forthwith raised and subsisted at the charge of the colony, to be added unto those already raised and ordered to be raised for the expedition against Crown Point; and that when said companies are raised, they be sent and joined unto the regiment of this government, under the command of Col. Christopher Harris; and that an act be drawn up accordingly, by a committee to be appointed by both houses. This Assembly do vote and resolve, and it is voted and resolved, that Jeremiah Lippitt, William Richmond, Daniel Jenckes and Daniel Updike, Esqs., be, and they are hereby appointed a committee, to prepare a bill for raising four companies towards a reinforcement of the army gone against Crown Point, agreeably to the vote of this Assembly made and passed for that purpose. An Act for raising two hundred men to reinforce the English army gone against Crown Point. Whereas, by advices lately received from Major General Johnson, commander in chief of the provincial forces employed in the expedition against Crown Point, it appears that the French are in a condition to bring a much greater number of men to oppose that enterprise, than the colonies had at that time raised for carrying it on, which makes it absolutely necessary that large reinforcements be speedily sent unto our army; and as the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and the colony of Connecticut, have already ordered very large numbers of men to be immediately raised and employed in that service; and this colony is willing also to contribute in proportion to their ability, towards so necessary a measure,— Be it therefore enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that two hundred men be forthwith raised in this colony, to be disposed into four companies of fifty men each, including officers; and as soon as the said companies are respectively full, the committee of war immediately cause them to move forward and join the regiment al57 VOL. V. ready raised, and now in the service, under the command of Col. Christopher Harris. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the soldiers so to be raised, shall, upon their enlistment, receive each man a bounty of £40, and a good blanket, gratis; or, in lieu thereof, £8, if he furnish himself with one; and the officers shall have and receive the following monthly wages, viz. : Every captain, £100; every lieutenant, £60; every ensign, £50; every sergeant and drummer, £20; every corporal, £18; and each common soldier, £16; all which wages and bounties, shall be paid and given in old tenor bills of public credit; moreover, every officer and soldier shall have one month's pay advanced to him before he marches, and enjoy the same immunities and advantages which the soldiers already raised in this colony are allowed by the former acts. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that officers shall be forthwith chosen to command the said four companies; and in case any of them when chosen, shall refuse to take his office, or neglect to enter upon the duty of enlisting men forthwith, or shall die, that the committee of war shall appoint another or others in his or their stead; and all and every of said officers shall be commissioned by His Honor, the Governor, in the same manner and form as the former officers were; and shall use their best endeavors to enlist as many able bodied men as possible in any part of the colony, for the making up their respective companies, until the 22d day of this instant September, when they shall make a proper and exact return of their enlistment unto the committee of war; and if it shall happen that the companies are not filled up at said time, the committee of war shall forthwith cause the number of men wanted to be immediately impressed, according to the following proportion as near as may be, viz.: The regiment of the county of Newport, seventy. shall be assigned to the county of Kings county, and four to the county of Kent, as part of their proportion; and when return is made of the number of men necessary to complete the said four companies, the committee of war, or any two of them, shall forthwith give orders to the respective field officers of the regiments aforesaid, to cause an impress to be made immediately, as near as may be in equal proportion, according to the number of soldiers in the several trained bands in their respective regiments; and this proportion shall be settled by the field officers in each regiment, according to the muster rolls of the several companies, which they shall cause to be laid before them, and sworn unto by the clerks; and thereupon, the principal field officer, in each regiment, shall issue warrants, directed to the several captains in his regiment, requiring them forthwith to cause to be impressed the number of able bodied men respectively deficient, as aforesaid; and requiring all the other officers and soldiers in his regiment, to be aiding and assisting therein; and officers that shall refuse or omit to perform the duties hereby enjoined, shall incur the following forfeitures, to be recovered in bills of credit, of the old tenor, by bill, plaint, or information, in any court of record, within this colony, viz.: Every field officer, £500; every captain, lieutenant and ensign, £200; and every sergeant and corporal, £100; and immediately after the number deficient is impressed, return shall be made unto the committee of war. And every man impressed, as aforesaid, shall be obliged to attend the King's service, in the said expedition, upon the penalty of £100, old tenor, to be recovered as aforesaid; or shall find a good able bodied man to attend the service in his stead; and every man impressed, as aforesaid, shall afterwards have liberty to enlist as a volunteer; all which forfeitures and penalties made and recovered, as aforesaid, shall be disposed of to the colony's use; and that His Honor, the Governor, forthwith issue warrants, requiring the field officers to conform themselves unto this act. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that |