on the subject of dispute between Great Britain and these Colonies, so long as I remain a prisoner.

“JAMES SMYTH SYMES.”

Upon application of Lieutenant Symes, he was furnished with a copy of his written Parole.

Resolved, That Messrs. Alexander Wilcocks and Owen Biddle be a Committee to prepare a Letter to the Committee of Westmoreland County, respecting Provincial Arms, and those that they purchased in lieu of them, that were to be made in that County, agreeable to the direction of the Assembly.

Resolved, That Messrs. Joseph Read and George Clymer wait on the honourable Continental Congress, and humbly suggest to their consideration an amendment to the Resolution of the 15th July, respecting the exportation of the produce of these Colonies, in lieu of Arms and Ammunition hereafter imported, so as that Lumber may be excepted out of the Resolves, it being the unanimous opinion of this Committee, that the value of Lumber bears so small a proportion to that of Arms and Ammunition, that such quantities of Lumber may and probably will be exported, as to destroy the efficacy of the Non-Exportation Agreement in a most essential article.

Mr. Wilcocks and Mr. Nixon, the Committee appointed to inspect the condition of the Soldiers confined in the Work-House and Jail of this City, now report: That those Soldiers who are confined in the Work-House declared that they have no complaint to make, on account of their accommodation with provisions and lodging, except that they had no bedding; begged that they should be allowed blankets to keep them sufficiently comfortable at this season. The Soldiers in the Jail complain that the provisions supplied them was insufficient for their subsistence, and that they wanted firing and bedding. Your Committee directed the Jailer to provide them wood for fire, and, upon examination, were of opinion that their complaints were not well founded; and gave such direction for their future supply as will leave them no reasonable cause of complaint.

Robert Towers, Commissary, reports his having received, from Thomas Yorke, ten and a half barrels of Powder, weighing five hundred pounds.

Saturday, November 25, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety: Present—

George Clymer, Chairman, James Mease, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Samuel Morris, Jun., Anthony Wayne, Samuel Howell, Owen Biddle.

Upon application of Mr. Thomas Wharton, one of the Committee for importing and procuring of Gunpowder, Arms, &c., for the use of this Province, it is

Resolved, That they, the said Committee, direct Mr. John Wilcocks to load the Ship Woodmas, Captain Henderson, with the produce of these Colonies, for the purpose of procuring said articles from foreign parts, and that the following Certificate be issued, viz:

“This is to certify that Mr. John Wilcocks has permission to load the Ship Woodmas, Henderson, Master, with the produce of these Colonies, the same being for account of this Province, agreeable to a Resolve of the honourable the Congress, dated 26th October, 1775.

“By order of the Committee:

“GEORGE CLYMER, Chairman.

“To the Committee of Inspection and Observation of this or any other Province, and all whom these presents may concern.”

The Board, taking into consideration the absolute necessity of procuring a number of heavy Cannon as soon as possible, it was, upon motion made,

Resolved, That Messrs. George Clymer, James Mease, Samuel Howell, Owen Biddle, Anthony Wayne, and John Cadwallader, be a Committee with full powers to complete an agreement with Mr. Samuel Potts and Mr. Bustead, for casting a number of heavy Cannon, and that these gentlemen be requested to take Mr. Rittenhouse with them to Mr. Potts's, works, or to take any other measures for effecting this purpose which they may think proper.

Upon motion, Ordered, That Mr. Rittenhouse, Captain White, Mr. Luke Morris, Mr. Peter Reeve, and Mr. Oswald Eve, or any three of them, be requested to make a survey of the River Delaware, from Marcus Hook to this City, with the several shoals, bars, and depth of water, with descriptions of the shores and elevation of the banks, and make return of the same to this Board.

Resolved, That the Captains of the Armed Boats be informed that they are to send their sick people to the Pest-House, on Province-Island, where there are Beds provided for their reception, an agreement made with the Overseer of the House to furnish them with Provisions, Firewood, proper Drink, and to wash for them, and that Dr. Rush and Dr. Duffield will attend there in rotation.

Upon motion made, Ordered, That the following Resolves of Congress be entered upon the Minutes of this Committee, viz:

“In Congress, Wednesday, November 22, 1775.

“The Congress resumed the consideration of the Report from the Committee of the Whole, and the same was agreed to, as follows:

“The Committee of the Whole House to whom were referred the several Petitions from the Island of Bermuda, representing the distress to which they are exposed by the Non-Importation Agreement, and praying to be relieved in such manner as the Congress may deem consistent with the safety of America, report, that they have considered the same, and thereupon came to the following Resolutions:

“That the inhabitants of the Island of Bermuda appear friendly to the cause of America, and ought to be supplied with such and so great a quantity of the produce of the Colonies as may be necessary for their subsistence and home consumption; that, in the opinion of this Committee, they will annually require, for the purposes aforesaid, seventy-two thousand bushels of Indian Corn, two thousand barrels of Bread or Flour, one thousand barrels of Beef or Pork, two thousand one hundred bushels of Peas or Beans, and three hundred tierces of Rice; and that they be permitted to export the same yearly.

“That the said inhabitants ought to pay for the above annual allowance in Salt; but it is not the design of this resolution to exclude them from the privilege of receiving American produce, to any amount, in exchange for Arms, Ammunition, Saltpetre, Sulphur, and Field-Pieces, agreeable to a resolution of Congress passed the 15th of July last.

“That to enable such of these Colonies as conveniently can furnish the Island of Bermuda with the abovementioned annual allowance, to divide whatever advantages may result therefrom, in proportion to their respective shares of the general expense, it is further the. opinion of this Committee—that the Colony of South-Carolina supply them with three hundred tierces of Rice; that the Colony of North-Carolina supply them with sixteen thousand bushels of Indian Corn, and four hundred and sixty-eight bushels of Peas or Beans; that the Colony of Virginia supply them with thirty-six thousand bushels of Indian Corn, and one thousand and fifty bushels of Peas or Beans; that the Colony of Maryland supply them with twenty thousand bushels of Indian Corn, and five hundred and eighty-two bushels of Peas or Beans; that the Colony of Pennsylvania supply them with twelve hundred barrels of Flour or Bread, and six hundred barrels of Beef or Pork; that the Colony of New-York supply them with eight hundred barrels of Flour or Bread, and four hundred barrels of Beef or Pork.

“That the Conventions or Committee of Safety of the abovementioned Colonies ought to superintend the exportation, provide against fraud, and take care that, in exchanging the said commodities of Salt and Provisions, no undue advantage be taken by either party of their mutual wants; and further, that no vessel employed in this business ought to load without their permission; and that when they shall, in pursuance of these resolutions, permit any of the said vessels to load, they do give notice thereof to the Committee of Inspection of the County, City, or Town, where such vessel shall load, and inform them that the same is dope under the authority and by order of this Congress.

“That these resolutions ought to be kept as private as the execution of them will admit; that they should be transmitted to the several Conventions, Assemblies, or

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