six companies you mention in the fort. If they are sent up, they must be quartered in the neighbourhood.

We have it not in our power to supply the fort with any powder or ball. When it is in our power, we shall do it very cheerfully. This Colony has been gleaned of its arms to furnish the troops raised in it. Many have been impressed for this purpose; and this city, in particular, has been stripped of five hundred and fifty of its best arms, so that we are very badly armed as a Colony, and have no arms in our power to spare. Our Colony has already put all its publick arms in the Continental service, and we hope our neighbours of Jersey have spared their's before they called on us, stripped as we are.

Our zeal to promote the publick service has determined us to purchase about one hundred muskets of our citizens, of different bores, with bayonets and steel ramrods, for your troops, for which we are to pay four pounds per musket. To prevent any misunderstanding in settling the publick accounts, we expect these arms are to be on account of your Colony, or the Confederated Colonies. They will be in order in about ten days. When they are finished we shall advise you.

We are, with great truth and regard, your Lordship's most obedient, humble servants.

By order of the members present:

NATHANIEL WOODHULL.

The Right Hon. William, Earl of Stirling.

NEW-YORK CONGRESS TO COMMISSIONERS AT HIGHLANDS.

New-York, December 5, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Continental Congress have ordered six companies of ninety men each, besides those already here, to be placed in the fortifications on Hudson river. These six companies are nearly ready, and if barracks can be fit to receive, them, may be there in eight days. We earnestly request you to have sufficient barracks completed for thousand men, if possible, and to lay in immediately a sufficient quantity of fire-wood for the barracks that now are and can be built.

We are, gentlemen, your humble servants. By order.

To John Grenell, Samuel Bayard, William Bedlow, and Jonathan Lawrence, Esquires.

NEW-YORK COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the General Committee for the City and County of New-York, on Tuesday evening, December 5, 1775. Present: John Broome, Chairman,

The case of James Taylor, respecting his having quitted his post at Foster Lewis's, and suffering two prisoners to escape, having been resumed,

Ordered, That the Chairman issue his Warrant to apprehend the said James Taylor, and hold him to bail until he be discharged by order of Congress or the Committee.

A draft of a Petition to the honourable the Provincial Congress for the Province of New-York, was read, and is as follows, viz:

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Province of NEW-YORK.

The Petition of the General Committee for the City and County of NEW-YORK, humbly showeth:

That a body of troops, from a neighbouring Colony, did lately make their publick entry into the city at noon-day, and did seize and carry off the types belonging to one of the publick Printers of this Colony, without any authority from the Continental or this Congress, your Petitioners, or any other body having power to grant such authority. And being apprehensive that such incursions, should they be repeated, will be productive of many great and evil consequences to the inhabitants of such place wherein they may be hereafter made, your Petitioners do therefore conceive it highly necessary, in the present situation of publick affairs, as well for the sake of internal peace and harmony of each Colony, as for the maintenance of the general union of the Continent, now happily subsisting, and so essential at this juncture, that each of the Associated Colonies on the Continent should have the sole management and regulation of its publick matters by its Congress or Committee, unless otherwise directed by the honourable the Continental Congress.

Your Petitioners do therefore most humbly pray, that this honourable House of Delegates would be pleased to take the premises into their consideration, and devise some expedient to prevent, for the future, the inhabitants of any of the neighbouring Colonies coming into this, to direct the publick affairs of it, or to destroy the property or invade the liberty of its inhabitants, without the direction of the Continental or this Congress, or the Committee of Safety, or the Committee of the County into which such inhabitants may come, or of the Continental Generals, unless there should be an invasion into this Colony. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.

By order of the Committee.

Ordered, That the same be fairly copied, and signed by the Chairman of this Committee, and delivered to the Chairman of the Congress.

It having been represented that John Roff, Boatman, loaded for the Provincial account with Provisions and other necessaries, intended to leave this City, for Albany, this night, and a man-of-war's Tender being on a cruise up the North River:

Ordered, That the said John Roff be directed not to depart this City without leave from the Chairman of this Committee.

Information having been brought to the Committee, that an Armed Vessel was gone up the North River, which might intercept the Vessels coming down with Provisions,

Ordered, That an Express be despatched to give notice to all the landing places as far up as Constitution Fort, unless he shall have information that the said Vessel is returned to New-York.

It having been represented to the Committee that the appointment of a Town Major is very necessary at this time, and the same being put to vote, William Leafy was appointed by a majority of voices.

Ordered, That William Leary be recommended to the Provincial Congress, and request that he may be appointed accordingly; and that he be desired to act until he receives a commission for that purpose.

Whereas it is represented to this Committee that there are vacancies in several of the Beats in this City, for want of which being filled up by their proper Officers the Night-Watch is greatly interrupted:

Ordered, That the commanding officer of every Regiment be authorized to appoint a day of election for every vacant office within his Regiment, excepting Field or Staff Officers, and be empowered to call upon two Committee-men, who are hereby required to attend on the day appointed to fill up the same, according to the direction of the Provincial Congress.

The examination of John Myford, for aiding and assisting in the inlisting of men to send on board the Asia man-of-war: He says he never did supply the man-of-war with oars, but that Mr. Lott has had his boat, but does not know what was carried on board; that Captain Harris and the other two men were not above two or three hours at his house; that they informed him they were going up to Poughkeepsie, and had some money, of which they were afraid of being robbed, and desired the use of the pistols, for which they left him a half-johannes in pledge; that he never supplied the man-of-war with provisions at any time whatever; that he did not make use of any expressions against the Congress; that he was not acquainted with Richard Sprong's going on board of the man-of-war, or inlisting as a soldier.

The, Committee having heard the charge against the said John Myford, and his defence,