That the people of the Town of Dartmouth, mentioned in said Remonstrance, who withhold said vessels from said Wing and Barlow, be notified to appear the second Tuesday of the next meeting of the House of Representatives, in Watertown, to give their reasons why they withhold the same, and that they be served with a copy of this Remonstrance, and that Wing and Barlow be notified to attend at the same time and place; which is humbly submitted.

Per order,

EZRA RICHMOND.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY FOR MASSACHUSETTS.

Salem, May 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Mr. Stephen Higginson, of this Town, arrived here yesterday from London. The answers he gave on his examination before the House of Commons, and which were some time since printed in the newspapers, have given umbrage to some persons in this place, (and we hear in Marblehead also,) who imagine those answers to be highly injurious to the Province, and given with an intention to distress it. He this day appeared before the Committee of Safety of this Town, and, upon exhibition of the facts, the Committee, to a man, were perfectly satisfied of his innocence and good intention relative to the matter complained of; but that every one might be made easy, as the Town were to meet this day, it was judged best to publish the whole to the inhabitants when assembled, which was done accordingly to a full meeting, and the Town thereupon expressed their satisfaction by a vote, from which only three or four dissented, but many did not vote at all; and since the meeting was dissolved we find that several remain dissatisfied, and desire the matter may be inquired into by the Provincial Committee of Safety; we have, therefore, advised Mr. Higginson to wait on you, that your decision may quiet the minds of the people here and through the Country. We have stated the facts above-mentioned as a necessary apology for troubling you about a matter so extremely obvious.

We are, gentlemen, your most humble servants,

RICH. DERBY, Chm’n Com. of Safety.
TIM. PICKERING, JUN., Town Clerk.

To the Provincial Committee of Safety.

COLONEL STARK TO THE NEW-HAMPSHIRE CONGRESS.

Medford, May 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Yours of the 26th instant I have received, and note the contents; and as to the fire-arms for the use of the Regiment under my command, the greatest part of those who were destitute when I wrote to you, are since furnished, and I am informed by the officers of the several Companies, that the remainder will be equipped very shortly; so I flatter myself that this difficulty (as to my Regiment) will be soon surmounted. Yet, as to the manner of procuring them, whether by the respective Towns to which they belong, or by individuals, I cannot at present inform you, as no account has yet come to hand. But I would still beg leave to entreat you to take some further notice of the Army. And, in the first place, consider that a great part of the Regiment or Army here, are destitute of blankets, and cannot be supplied by their Towns, and are very much exposed; some of whom, for the want thereof, are much indisposed, and thereby rendered unfit for duty. Secondly, that we are in very great want of money, and that neither officers nor soldiers can subsist much longer, without some, by any means. And this I am well assured of, (from daily complaints which are made to me,) that unless you, by some means, advance some money to the Army directly, (as there is no room in my mind to doubt that there is a very considerable sum in the Province belonging thereto,) they will certainly return, for they cannot nor will not continue. I would also recommend to your consideration the necessity of a sutler or sutlers for the benefit of the Army; and if it should be thought necessary that there should be such, and if one cannot be found in that Province who will undertake to supply the Army upon reasonable terms, I know of a gentleman in this Province that would gladly embrace the opportunity, if applied to. I would likewise be glad there might be a chest of medicine procured for the Regiment, and forwarded, as it is wanted very much, and also armourer’s tools.

According to your request, I have transmitted to the Committee of Safety a regimental return of the men who have enlisted under me into the service of the Province of New-Hampshire, and who expect to be paid therefrom.

Your compliance with the above will greatly oblige your’s in the common cause,

JOHN STARK.

COMMITTEE OF PORTSMOUTH, N. H., TO THE COMMITTEE OF NEWBURYPORT.

Portsmouth, May 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: We had two provision vessels seized at the mouth of our harbour the last night, by the Scarborough, and upon application to Captain Barclay for their release, find he has positive orders from the Admiral to take possession of all vessels laden with provisions, salt, or molasses, and send them to Boston, and says further, those orders are circular through the Continent.

We give this earliest intelligence for your government, and also inform you that the Canceaux, a small ship, of six or eight guns, sails the first wind, to convoy the two vessels already seized to Boston, and are sorry to find ourselves unable to prevent it, as we have our harbour blocked up by a twenty-gun ship, and have no vessel of force able to retake them. One reason of our mentioning this circumstance, and sending an express this night with it, is, because we have just heard that you have an armed vessel in your port. We have ordered two small vessels to cruise off and on, and, if possible, give this intelligence to all vessels bound to this or any other port, and trust you will do the same. Your most obedient servants. By order of the Committee:

H. WENTWORTH, Chairman.

To the Committee of Correspondence of Newburyport.

Newburyport, May 30, 1775.

This letter was received this morning by the Committee of this Town; and as the Admiral’s orders, herein mentioned, may affect every part of the Continent, we think it our duty to send it forward to the Committee of Safety for the Province, or to the Congress.

B. GREENLEAF, per order.

To the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts.

Portsmouth, N. H., May 30, 1775.

This day about thirty or forty men from on board the Scarborough, man-of-war, now in this harbour, came on shore at Fort William and Mary, and tore down great part of the breast-work of said fort, and did other damage.

The day before this attempt, the Scarborough took two provision vessels, loaded with corn, pork, flour, rye, &c., coming in from Long-Island, which were for the relief of this place, as the inhabitants are in great want of provisions; and notwithstanding the most prudent application of the principal gentlemen of this Town, the Captain refused to release them. O shocking situation.

Upon this refusal it was apprehended the most violent outrages and tumults of the people would immediately follow this detention of their provisions, the consequences of which would be, most probably, very fatal to His Majesty’s subjects, by bringing into the most imminent danger the lives and properties of his said subjects, which ought by all means to be prevented, if possible.

Upon this unwarrantable transaction, the inhabitants of this and the neighbouring Towns were greatly alarmed, and, next morning, between five and six hundred men, in arms, went down to the battery, called Jerry’s Point, and brought off eight cannon, twenty-four and thirty-two pounders, being the whole that were there, weighing four thousand eight hundred pounds each, and brought them up to this Town. While they were taking off the above cannon, the Canceaux, with a tender, set sail with the two provision vessels for Boston. The next day the Town was full of men from the country, in arms.

This uncommon exertion of arbitrary power immediately alarmed the inhabitants, and the Committee of Safety having met, a memorial was, by their approbation, presented to the Governour and Council, who took every prudent method in their power to pacify the people, and to obtain a release of the captures. His Excellency repaired on