Francis James, owner of a Pilot-Boat, named the Bishop of Llandaff, lately employed in services to the eastward, was called in and examined. Thereupon,

Ordered, That the Wardens of the Port of New-York do, on their oath of office, value the said Pilot-Boat, as she now lays, and return their valuation thereof, signed by themselves, to this Congress, with all convenient speed.

A Letter from Jacob Lansing, Jun., Esq., Chairman of the Committee at Albany, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Albany, October 9, 1775.

“GENTLEMEN: In consequence of your letter respecting the repairing of the barracks, we have appointed those persons whom you recommended to us, who we judge are competent for the purpose. We will give them all the advice they may stand in need of, in order to complete this business with expedition; and as many articles cannot be got without cash, viz: firewood, lime, brick, &c., we have therefore taken the liberty to draw upon you, in favour of Messrs. Peter Silvester, Abraham Yates, Jun., and Henry Glenn, Esquires, for the sum of two hundred Pounds, for which sum this Committee will be accountable, after the work is completed.

“We are, Gentlemen, with esteem, your most humble servants. By order of the Committee:

“JACOB LANSING, JUN., Chairman.”

The Draft for two hundred Pounds, mentioned in the Letter of Jacob Lansing, Jun., Esquire, Chairman of the Committee of Albany, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Albany, October 9, 1775.

“SIR: Please to pay or cause to be paid unto Messrs. Peter Silvester, Abraham Yates, Jun., and Henry Glenn, Esquires, the sum of two hundred Pounds, New-York currency, for the purpose as mentioned in our letter of this day’s date.

“I am, Sir, your most obedient servant.

“By order of the Committee:

“JACOB LANSING, JUN., Chairman.

“To N. Woodhull, Esq.”

Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress, do pay to Peter Silvester, Abraham Yates, Jun., and Henry Glenn, Esqrs., the sum of two hundred Pounds, New-York currency, for the purpose of repairing the Barracks at Albany, and that Mr. Livingston take a receipt from those gentlemen for that sum.

The President informed the Congress that Powder from Philadelphia for this Congress is passed or passing through Elizabethtown to Dobb’s Ferry.

Ordered, That Colonel McDougall be authorized, and is hereby authorized, to take such methods to get that Powder safe to Town as he shall think proper.

A Letter from Jacobus Van Zandt was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Saturday Morning.

“SIR: We think it will be prudent of the Congress to order Colonel Lasher to procure twenty men to guard the Congress money without Sandy-Hook, as the man-of-war boat may lay in wait for her near that place, although the Viper may be at sea by way of decoy.

“I am, in behalf of the Committee, Sir, your humble servant,

JACOBUS VAN ZANDT.

“To Colonel Woodhull, Chairman of Provincial Congress.

“P. S. The vessel will be ready to sail this evening or to-morrow.”

Ordered, That Mr. Van Zandt and Colonel McDougall confer with Mr. Van Zandt on the subject of his Letter, and that they agree upon such methods relative thereto as they shall think proper, and carry the same or direct the same to be carried into execution.

The Congress then resumed the consideration of the motion of Mr. Low, of yesterday, seconded by Mr. Verplanck, which motion is in the words following, to wit: “I move that the sense of this Congress be taken, whether the evidence, which appears to this Congress, was sufficient to authorize the taking of Mr. Bethune.”

And debates arising thereon, and the question being put, whether the evidence, which appears to this Congress, was sufficient to authorize the taking of Mr. Bethune, it was carried in the negative, in manner following, to wit:

Resolved, therefore, That it is the sense of this Congress, that the evidence, which appears to this Congress, was not sufficient to authorize the taking of Mr. Bethune.

On motion of Mr. Micheau,

Ordered, That the Report of the Committee made on the 8th of July last, of a plan for a dissolution of this Congress, and the election of a new Provincial Congress for this Colony, except that part which was then considered and agreed to, be taken into consideration on Wednesday next.

The Congress then adjourned until Monday morning, but not then able to make a House.

Die Martis, 9 ho. A. M., October 17, 1775.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.

A Letter from Walter Franklin & Co. was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“New-York, October 17, 1775.

“RESPECTED FRIEND: We have a sloop which we propose sending to Georgia, one of the United Colonies, and to put her in a set of ballast, with about one hundred barrels of flour, some bread, rum, and perhaps some other small articles, but shall not proceed to take any thing on board until a permission is first obtained from the honourable Provincial Congress.

“We are, respectfully, thy friends,

“WALTER FRANKLIN & Co.”

Ordered, That the consideration thereof be deferred until to-morrow.

Mr. Kissam, from the Committee appointed to examine all the Resolutions and advices of the Continental Congress, relative to this Colony, delivered in their Report, which was read; and the same being again read, paragraph by paragraph, and amended and approved of, is in the words following, to wit:

Your Committee report, that they have perused all the Resolutions of the Continental Congress which more immediately respect this Colony, from the 18th May to the 17th instant, and find that the resolution relative to the collecting Saltpetre and Brimstone hath not been fully complied with, and therefore do report it as their opinion—

1st. That all the Brimstone and Sulphur in this City, not exceeding twenty tons, (except about two tons to be reserved for the use of vessels, ) be purchased and deposited, with all convenient despatch, at some secure place near the Powder Mills in this Colony, under the care of the respective Committees of the County or District where the mills are.

2d. That a letter be written to the respective Colonels of the Militia and Minute-Men in this Colony, requesting them to appoint and notify to their respective Regiments, some convenient place of rendezvous, where they are to muster, completely equipped, upon any publick alarm, and to remain until marching orders shall be received by their respective Colonels or commanding Officers; and that the Colonels be desired to acquaint this Congress of the places they shall so respectively appoint for that purpose.

3d. That in order to give a general alarm throughout the Colony, in case of invasion, and for the purpose of mustering the Regiments aforesaid, that Beacons be erected at convenient places and distances throughout the Colony, and where convenient places cannot be found to erect Beacons, that Cannon be fixed instead of them, and that some fit person be employed, under the direction and with the advice of the several County Committees, to make a