Dawson, to be forwarded for the use of the Continental Army in the northern part of this Colony.

A draught of a Letter to Major-General Schuyler was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

SIR: We have received your several letters of the 16th, 21st, 22d, 26th, and 27th of July, the first of which was received on the 31st of July, and others all on the 1st of August. Although we have deferred answering them till now, yet be assured that we have paid the most unremitted attention to the subject-matter of them, and have been doing every thing in our power to comply with the requisitions contained in them. We are sensible of the necessity you urge of strengthening the garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and have been indefatigable in preparing our Regiments to embark for that purpose, but find ourselves much embarrassed in procuring arms. This day four Companies of Colonel McDougall’s Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ritzema, are embarked for Albany, completely equipped; and rest assured, Sir, that no time shall be lost in forwarding the remainder of them as soon as they have arms. The Albany Regiment, we understand, is full, and nearly supplied with arms; Colonel Clinton’s, though full, have scarcely any arms at all. Orders have been given to the several Colonels to send such of their men as are furnished with arms, and they will be followed by the rest as soon as possible. The greater part of the clothing and other necessaries have already been forwarded for the Regiment at Albany. We enclose Mr. Curtenius’s account of all the supplies he has furnished, from which it will appear that almost all the articles in your estimate are sent: the rest will be forwarded in a few days.

We have appointed Mr. Duer Deputy Adjutant-General, and his commission has been sent to him by Colonel Campbell, so that we hope he has joined, or will join you soon. With respect to the appointment of a commander of the Artillery, recommended by you to our attention, we are utterly at a loss for a proper person to fill that office, and therefore have as yet done nothing in the matter. Captain Lamb has orders for marching; he has about thirty men enlisted in his Company of Artillery, and orders to fill it up by draughts out of the four Regiments at Ticonderoga.

We have the pleasure to inform you that, in addition to what was before sent, two tons and a half of powder was forwarded from Dobbs’s Ferry last week, by Captain Dowe. The Congress, in order to procure a supply of arms, have resolved that every soldier who finds his own arms shall be allowed ten Shillings for the use of them, and that such as have them not shall be furnished by the Province; and for this purpose we have authorized the several Committees in the Counties to hire or purchase such arms as can be got for the use of the Province. We are, Sir, &c.

P. S. We should be glad to know what progress has been made in the enlistment of the Green Mountain Boys.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed and signed by the President, and transmitted, with the accounts therein mentioned enclosed, by the first conveyance.

The Congress adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Die Mercurii, 9 ho. A. M., August 9, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Rodgers. Present:

Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., President.

A Letter from Robert Hempstead, Chairman of the Committee of Southold, in Suffolk County, of the 7th instant, was read and filed. The said Letter informs that thirteen sail of vessels, eight of which were supposed to be ships of war, had been cruising between Montauk and Fisher’s Island, and were then riding at anchor between that island and the Oyster Ponds. The said Letter prays for an additional supply of Gunpowder.

Mr. Hobart, from the Committee to form an arrangement of the Militia of this Colony, delivered in a Report, and asked leave to sit again. The said Report was read; and being again read, paragraph by paragraph, and amended, was filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

Your Committee do report that it be recommended—

1. That every County, City, Manor, Town, Precinct, and District, within this Colony, where the same is not already done, be divided into Districts or Beats, by the respective Committees, in such manner that out of each may be formed one Military Company, ordinarily to consist of about eighty-three able-bodied and effective men, Officers included, between sixteen and fifty years of age; the Battalion commanded by Colonel Lasher, the Companies of Artillery, Light-Horse, and Hussars, in the City and County of New-York, and the Troops of Horse Companies, of Grenadiers, and the associated Companies already formed in the several Cities and Counties within this Colony, excepted.

2. That in each Company so to be formed there be chosen, in the manner hereinafter mentioned, one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Clerk, one Drummer, and one Fifer.

3. That two Committee-Men, at the least, attend in each District or Beat, on a day to be by them appointed, for the purpose of choosing the abovementioned Officers, who shall be persons within such Beat or District who have signed the General Association recommended by this Congress; that such choice or election be made in the manner following, to wit: After the Company is drawn up, the Committee-Men who preside at the election may repair to a station at some convenient distance from the Company, then let the men pass in a single file between them, each man giving in the name of the person he chooses to fill the office in question; the majority of such votes to determine the election. But in case the votes shall be so divided that no one has the majority, then the presiding Committee-Men to acquaint the Company therewith, and call them to a new election; the same to be repeated till such majority be obtained, or the Company agree upon some other mode of choosing the Officers. The names of the Captains, Lieutenants, and Ensigns, so chosen, to be returned, with all convenient speed, to this or some future Provincial Congress of this Colony, or, during their recess, to the Committee of Safety, to be commissioned by them.

4. That whenever a vacancy shall happen in any Company, by the promotion, death, or resignation of an Officer, such vacancy to be filled up in the beforementioned manner.

5. That those Companies in the above excepted Battalion, commanded by Col. Lasher, which are now under the direction of Field-Officers, shall for the future be commanded by Captains, who are to be chosen in the manner above directed.

6. That for the purpose of completely carrying into execution the recommendation of the Continental Congress, after the whole Militia is formed as above, that every fourth man of each Company be selected for Minute-Men, of such persons as are willing to enter into this necessary service; that the Officers of the Militia make, with all convenient speed, a return of the names of those persons to the Committee of their respective Counties, who shall thereupon arrange those men into Companies, and who are to recommend to such new arranged Companies the choice of their Officers, in the manner abovementioned. Provided, that where whole Companies offer their service as Minute-Men, they shall be commanded by the Officers already chosen, and the remaining number of the Minute-Men shall be completed out of the other Companies, as above.

7. That the several Committees do return to the Secretary of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, the names of such persons as do refuse to conform to the above Resolve.

All which is humbly submitted.

Ordered, That Congress do agree with the said Committee in their Report; and Ordered, That it be published, as Resolutions of this Congress, in all the Newspapers.

The Mayor and some other of the Magistrates attending at the door, informed one of the Members that Captain Vandeput, of His Majesty’s Ship Asia, had requested to know whether he will receive a Boat in lieu of that lately destroyed.

Ordered, That the Mayor and Magistrates be informed that it is the sense of this Congress that a new Boat be built for the use of His Majesty’s Ship Asia.

Thereupon the Congress entered into a Resolution in the words following, to wit:

Whereas the Barge ordered to be built, to replace the one belonging to His Majesty’s Ship Asia, lately destroyed,