of New- York. That at the house of W. Sutton, Esq., of Maroneck, about twenty head of fat cattle had been barrelled within a few days past, which, by some of our friends in that neighbourhood, is supposed to be sent off for the Ministerial army; and that in the same neighbourhood, for three or four miles round, there are not more than eight or ten Whigs to one hundred and twenty Tories. The proceedings of the Committee of that County appear rash, dilatory, weak, and inadequate to their unhappy circumstances. That upon the 15th inst., a large yawl from the Asia, with about twenty-four men armed, came in the night into Maroneck harbour, and from the inimical inhabitants, was loaded with poultry and small stock for said ships; the friends of liberty were so few, that they were not able to collect sufficient force to make any timely opposition. That the Provincial Congress of New-York have sent two or three fruitless messages to the armed Tories in Queen's County, and then passed a resolve, that they should not be indulged the privilege of the York markets, but cannot learn that they have taken any other measures to suppress them. Said Congress adjourned till the 1st of February. It is said by one of their members, that some time had been spent by them in debating whether they should not address Mr. Tryon, for the purpose of calling the General Assembly of that Province, to revive their old scheme of adopting the Parliamentary insult of the 20th of February last, which was rejected. And as to the conduct of the men-of-war in New-York, we cannot learn any thing more than what is inserted in the publick papers, to which we beg leave to refer your Honour, and are, with great respect and esteem, your Honour's obedient, humble servants.

By order of the Committee:

AMOS MEAD, Clerk.

TO THE HONOURABLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CONVENED AT NEW-HAVEN, ON THE 14TH OF DECEMBER, 1775.

Whereas, Captain Samuel Forbs and the subscriber were appointed by your Honours, at your Sessions in October last, a Committee to examine and explore a Lead Mine at New-Canaan, in the Province of New-York, and to report, &c.

The said subscriber asks leave to report, that, on the 7th of November last, on my journey to said New-Canaan, I expected said Captain Forbs to join me, but he being ill and unable to assist in said business, advised me to proceed j with which advice I complied, and repaired to said New-Canaan, where I found said mine, the vein of ore in which appears about fifty or sixty rods in length, lying north and south, in a ledge of rocks, or lime-stone mixed with white flint; at the south end of which the ground falls about twenty-six feet; below which the water cannot be drawn off by a level; which vein I found had been opened about one rod in length, and about three or four feet deep, where I employed a skilful miner to blast the rock, but found no continued or adherent vein, but found the ore in bodies, in different shapes, about three or four inches diameter, lying about three or four feet distant; the said miner also opened the vein in several places, where it had not before been tried, and it appeared to be in the same manner. I, also, smelted eight ounces of said ore, and found, when it was well refined, it weighed five ounces, and was very mallable and good. All which is submitted by your Honour's most obedient, humble servant,

JOSEPH HOPKINS.

N. B. The mine aforesaid lies in a tract of land called the King's District, where the fee has never been granted or patented to any person, and the inhabitants claim to hold by possession only; and I employed the miner afore-mentioned, with others, to labour in said mine seven days, about half of which time was spent in preparing to open the vein, and by the other half of the labour was raised one hundred weight of ore. Yours as above,

J. H.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GOVERNOUR COOKE.

Cambridge, January 6, 1776.

SIR: I received your favour of the 1st instant, and return you my thanks for the blankets, and your promise of having more procured, as they are much wanted. I did not see Mr. Earl, who brought them, nor the account, or the money should have been transmitted you by his return. You will please to draw on the Quartermaster-General, and it shall be immediately paid. I have seen General Lee since his expedition, and hope that Rhode-Island will derive some advantage from it. I am told that Captain Wallace's ships have been supplied, for some time, with provisions by the town of Newport, on certain conditions, stipulated between him and the Committee. When this treaty first obtained, perhaps it was right—there then might have been some hopes of an accommodation taking place; but now, when every prospect of it seems to be cut off by His Majesty's late speech; when the Throne, from which we had supplicated redress, breathes forth vengeance and indignation, and a firm determination to remain unalterable in its purposes, and to prosecute the system and plan of ruin formed by the Ministry against us, should not an end be put to it, and every possible method be fallen upon to prevent their getting necessaries of any kind? We need not expect to conquer our enemies by good offices, and I know not what pernicious consequences may result from a precedent of this sort. Other places, circumstanced as Newport is, may follow the example, and, by that means, their whole fleet and army will be furnished with what it highly concerns us to keep them from; this, however, with all deference, I leave to your consideration.

I received a letter from Governour Trumbull, of the 1st instant, by which I am informed, that the Connecticut Assembly are very unanimous in the common cause; and, among others, have passed an act for raising and equipping a fourth of their Militia, to be immediately selected by voluntary inlistments, with such other able, effective men, as are not included in their militia-rolls, who inclined to inlist, to act as Minute-Men, for their own, or the defence of any of the United Colonies, and this under proper encouragements. Another act, for restraining and punishing persons inimical to us, and directing proceedings therein; no person to supply the Ministerial army or navy, to give them intelligence, to inlist, or procure others to inlist, in their service, to pilot their vessels, or in any way assist them, under pain of forfeiting his estate, and an imprisonment not exceeding three years; none to write, speak, or act against the proceedings of Congress, or their acts of Assembly, under penalty of being disarmed, and disqualified from holding any office, and be further punished by imprisonment. For seizing and confiscating, for the use of the Colony, the estates of those who put or continue to shelter themselves under the protection of the Ministerial fleet or army, or assist in carrying on their measures against us. A resolve to provide two armed vessels, of sixteen and fourteen guns, with a spy schooner of four, and six row-galleys. An act exempting the polls of soldiers from taxes, for the last and ensuing campaign. Another for encouraging the making of saltpetre and gun-powder; a considerable quantity of both, Mr. Trumbull hopes to make early in the Spring. He says, the furnace at Middletown is smelting lead, and likely to turn out twenty or thirty tons, and that ore is plenty. They have, also, passed an act, empowering the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, or officers commanding a detachment or out-posts, to administer an oath, and swear any person or persons to the truth of any matters concerning, and relative to, the publick service. The situation of our affairs seems to call for regulations like these, and I should think the other Colonies ought to adopt similar ones, or such of them as they have not already made. Vigorous measures, and such as, at another time, would appear extraordinary, are now become absolutely necessary for preserving our country against the strides of tyranny making against us. Governour Trumbull, in his list, has not mentioned an act for impressing carriages, and agreeable to the recommendation of Congress; this I hope they have not forgot. It is highly necessary that such an authority should be given, under proper restrictions, or we shall be greatly embarrassed, whenever the Army, or any detachment from it, should find it necessary to march from hence.

I am, sir, with very great esteem, your most obedient servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Governour Cooke.