Thursday, August 31, 1775.

The Council met according to adjournment.

Resolved, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands, pay unto Mr. Isaac Harris, or his order, four Dollars and two-thirds of a Dollar, for every good substantial proved Musket Barrel, three feet and a half long, and three-quarters of an inch in the bore, agreeable to the one now made and delivered, and for a pair of Brass Moulds, as aforesaid, for every eighty barrels, which the said Harris shall deliver to the said Treasurer before the first day of May next.

Resolved, That Robert Alexander, Esq., be empowered to contract for the purchase of five thousand Cartouch Boxes, to hold twenty-three rounds of powder and ball, with good Belts, for a sum not exceeding one Dollar for each Cartouch Box and Belt, and for five thousand Gun Belts, and five thousand Bayonet Belts, for a sum not exceeding one-third of a Dollar for each Belt, and for one thousand six hundred and fifty Scabbards for Bayonets, for a sum not exceeding one-third part of a Dollar for each Scabbard.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay unto Mr. Alexander, or his order, Five Thousand Dollars, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands, to enable him to advance to the Contractors.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay unto Thomas Johnson, Jun., Esq., or his order, Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Dollars, to be by him laid out in the purchase of good double Bridle Locks, good plain Brass Mounting, Black Walnut or Maple Stocks, Steel Ramrods, Bayonets with Steel Blades seventeen inches long, double Screws, Priming Wires and Brushes, for five hundred Muskets.

The following Letter from Thomas Jenings, Esq., was received by the Council:

“GENTLEMEN: Matters of an interesting nature require my attendance in England, and the present recess of business enables me to undertake the voyage with little inconvenience to my private affairs. I propose returning early in the Spring, and have inducements to believe that I shall have an opportunity of rendering some service to the general cause; if, however, in the present exigency of the times, my voyage is deemed improper, I shall decline any further thoughts of prosecuting it.

“I am, very respectfully, Gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

THOMAS JENINGS.

“September 1, 1775.”

Upon reading of which, Ordered, That Mr. Jenings be informed that the Council see no impropriety in the prosecution of his intention to go to England.

The following Advertisement was ordered to be inserted in the Maryland Gazette:

“The Council of Safety, desirous of forwarding the intentions of the Convention in promoting the manufacture of Salt, Saltpetre, Gunpowder, and Fire-Arms, request any persons who are inclined to engage, on liberal encouragement, in the manufacture of Fire-Arms, or to erect a Powder-Mill in the neighbourhood of Baltimore Town, where it will be most beneficial, or Salt or Saltpetre Works, that they will send their proposals, in writing, to Gabriel Duvall, Clerk of the Council of Safety, and they shall be attended to, and speedily answered.”

Resolved, That the Hon. Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Esq., Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Esq., and Mr. Charles Wallace, or any of them, be empowered to contract for the making and delivery of any number, not exceeding one thousand, good substantial proved Muskets, of the same dimensions and with the same accoutrements with those for which Mr. Beatty is empowered to contract, and for the same price, and may contract to advance in the same manner.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay unto the Hon. Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Esq., Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Esq., and Mr. Charles Wallace, or any of them, or either, or either of their order, Five Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty-Three Dollars and one-third of a Dollar, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands, to enable them to advance as aforesaid.

Resolved, That Thomas Johnson, Jun., Esq., be empowered to contract for the making and delivery of any number, not exceeding one thousand, good substantial proved Muskets, of the same dimensions and with the same accoutrements with those for which Mr. Beatty is empowered to contract, and for the same price, and may contract to advance in the same manner.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay unto Thomas Johnson, Jun., Esq., Five Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty-Three Dollars and one-third of a Dollar, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands, to enable him to advance as aforesaid.

The Proceedings of the Committee of Observation for Kent County, relating to John Patterson and Robert Buchanan, were read; on consideration whereof, it is the opinion of this Council that that branch of the Council of Safety on the Eastern Shore hath competent jurisdiction of the charges contained in the said Proceedings, which opinion is ordered to be certified to the said Committee.Ordered, That the Publick Arms delivered out in April last, and which have been distributed in Baltimore County, be collected, so that they may be delivered to the Minute-Men, agreeable to the orders of the last Convention.

Signed by order:

G. DUVALL, Clerk.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Perth-Amboy, August 29, 1775.

SIR: The Committee of Safety acquainted you, by a letter dated the 26th inst., that we had ordered a ton of gunpowder to be sent you, agreeable to your request. It left Philadelphia early on Sunday morning, and yesterday I overtook the wagon on the road at Trenton, and left it proceeding on the journey. But being informed this morning at Brunswick that four wagon loads of powder had passed through that place on Friday evening, for your City, and supposing it to be the powder which you mentioned as having been expected, but not arrived, which occasioned your sending to us, and as we have still too little at Philadelphia, I thought it best to stop that powder, and send it back again, and wrote accordingly to the wagoner by a person just setting out for Trenton. I write this, therefore, that you may not expect it at Newark in consequence of our letter.

With great respect and esteem, I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

B. FRANKLIN.

Honourable P. V. B. Livingston, Esq.

BERGEN COUNTY (NEW-JERSEY) COMMITTEE.

Bergen County Committee Chamber, August 29, 1775.

Resolved, That Peter Zabriskie, Jacob Terhune, John Demarest, and Joost Zabriskie, be a Committee of Safety, to act for the County during the recess of the County Committee.

Resolved, That all male persons, above sixteen and under fifty years old, who have removed or shall hereafter remove from other Provinces or other Counties into this County, during the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and the American Colonies, shall be enrolled in the Militia Company of the District within which such Companies shall respectively reside; and that all such as neglect or refuse to come under the Militia Regulations of the Provincial Congress of this Province shall be immediately desired to leave the County.

By order of the Committee:

JOHN FELL, Chairman.

JONATHAN TRUMBULL, JUN., TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, August 29, 1775.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS: I have this day received your letter, in the name of the President of this honourable Congress, requesting me, as Paymaster, to advance to Colonel James Holmes six hundred Pounds, to enable him to pay his men. In answer I have only to say, that the resolution of the honourable Continental Congress, by virtue of which I have received the money destined for the use of the Army in the Northern Department, mentions the application thereof shall be made in such manner as General Schuyler, by his warrant, shall limit and appoint. In consequence hereof, I have received General Schuyler’s order, in the following words, viz: “As soon as you have