Jersey; which Letter and Resolves were read in this Committee, who, after duly considering the same, approve of the expediency of establishing posts for the purposes aforesaid; have, therefore,

Resolved, That a man and horse be kept in constant readiness, by each of the several Committees of Newark, Elizabethtown, Woodbridge, New-Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton, whose business shall be to forward all expresses to and from the Continental Congress; and that the aforesaid Town Committees shall, on every intelligence of any invasion or alarm, send expresses to the neighbouring Town Committees, who are directed to provide ex presses to forward the same from town to town, to the Town Committees, and to such officers of the Militia as they may think proper to notify thereof throughout the Colony, with as much expedition as may be in their power. And that all the expenses incurred by such expresses, the Treasurers of this Colony, appointed by the Provincial Congress, or either of them, are hereby required to pay on order or orders signed by the Chairman of either of the Committees of the Townships in this Colony. Which orders, with endorsements thereon by the person or persons to whom the same are made payable, shall be sufficient vouchers to the said Treasurers, or either of them, for such sums of money as they, or either of them, may pay thereon as aforesaid.

Ordered, That the above Resolve be published in the New-York and Pennsylvania Gazettes.

A Memorial from Yelles Mead, of the County of Bergen, and several other Memorials from the Counties of Bergen and Essex, of the same tenor, setting forth, that the said Yelles Mead had, in expectation of a Lieutenant's commission in Captain Meeker's Company, in one of the Battalions in this Colony, raised his complement of men for said Company, praying a commission accordingly. Also, a Memorial from George Ross, the third, of the County of Essex, setting forth, that in expectation of an Ensign's commission in said Captain Meeker's Company, he had raised his complement of men, praying a commission in consequence thereof—were laid before the Committee and read, and several recommendations in favour of the Memorialists were also read.

And, also, a Letter from Lord Stirling, recommending Matthias Halstead, of Elizabethtown, First Lieutenant, and the abovesaid Yelles Mead, Ensign of Captain Meeker's Company, was also read.

Ordered, That the said Memorials, Recommendations, and Letter, have a second reading.

Two Recommendations, from the Committee of Woodbridge, were laid before the Committee, recommending James Bonny, Captain, James Manning, First Lieutenant, David Crow, Second Lieutenant, and John Clarkson, Ensign, of a Company of Militia in Woodbridge. The other recommending Ellis Barron, Captain, Ralph Marsh, First Lieutenant, Matthew Freeman, Second Lieutenant, and Jonathan Bloomfield, Ensign, of another Company of Militia in said Woodbridge, which were read, and commissions ordered to be issued accordingly.

A Certificate was produced from the Chairman of the Committee of the North Ward of New-Brunswick, certifying that John Taylor was elected Captain, Jacob Mersural, First Lieutenant, James Schuurman, Second Lieu tenant, and John Voorhees, Jun., Ensign, of a Company of Minute-Men in Colonel Neilson's Battalion.

Ordered, That the above gentlemen be commissioned accordingly to their appointment.

The Committee adjourned till two o'clock, P. M.

The Committee met according to adjournment.

John Hart, Esq., one of the Committee, attending, took his seat accordingly.

Mr. President laid before the Committee a Letter from Richard Smith, Esq., one of the Delegates of this Province, at the Continental Congress, in the words following:

"Philadelphia, January 4, 1776.

" DEAR SIR: I am desired by the Congress to transmit to you the enclosed extracts from their proceedings, the whole of which, relative to that subject, I have sent to Lord Stirling, by this post, together with six dozen copies of the Articles of War. The one thousand dollars mentioned in the extract, I have received from the Continental Treasury, and they wait your commands.

"The Congress wish to know in what manner the prisoners of war at Trenton live, who supplies them, and upon what terms. The reason of the inquiry is, that very extravagant claims are made on this head from other quarters, and we aim to render the publick burdens as light as possible. You will, as soon as it is convenient, afford me the necessary information.

" I am, your affectionate, faithful servant,

" RICHARD SMITH,

" To Samuel Tucker, Esq."

The enclosed Resolve, referred to in the above Letter, was read, and is in the words following:

"In Congress, January 2, 1776.

"Resolved, That the Barracks in the Colony of New-Jersey, be prepared for the reception of such of the Battalions as may not be in readiness to proceed to New-York, and that the Ministerial troops or prisoners, at present occupying them, be accommodated in the said Colony, in such a manner as the Committee of Safety for the said Colony shall think most prudent and convenient.

"That the hundred stand of Arms, supplied by the Colony of New-York, for the New-Jersey Battalion, be paid for by the Convention of New-Jersey; and that in order to enable the said Convention to make such payment, as well as to furnish such of the men belonging to the said Battalions, as are yet unprovided with Arms, the further sum of one thousand dollars be advanced to the said Convention, and that the price of the Arms be deducted out of the wages of the Privates belonging to said Battalions.

"Extracts from the Minutes:

"CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary"

The above Letter and Resolve were read, and ordered a second reading.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.

Thursday, January 10, 1776.

Joseph Holmes, Esq., one of this Committee, attending, took his seat accordingly.

Jacob Scoggin, Esq., laid before this Committee a re commendation from the Committee of the County of Salem, in favour of certain gentlemen to be commissioned Field-Officers of the Militia in said County. And it appearing to this Committee that a controversy now subsists in the County of Salem, respecting the appointment of Field-Officers, and as this Committee have not at present an opportunity of hearing the grounds of the controversy from both parties, and being desirous of acting in such a manner as may conciliate all parties in a just and equitable determination between them in the appointment of said officers, do, in order thereto, direct, as well the Commit tee of the County of Salem, as such other persons as are opposed to the gentlemen recommended by the said Committee, or may have any claim to commissions, by the election of the Captains and the Subalterns of the Militia before the 16th day of August last, to appear, by persons properly deputed for that purpose, before the Congress of this Province, the 6th day after their next meeting, that the truth of facts may be then fully known, that they may take such resolution thereon as to them may seem just.

Ordered, That a copy of the above order be delivered to Mr. Scoggin, to be laid before the County Committee, to be by them communicated to the contending parties.

Adjourned till two o'clock, P. M.

The Committee met.

This Committee received information from the Committee of the County of Monmouth, by Doctor Scudder and Doctor Henderson, and also by Letter from the Chairman of the said Committee, that a small sloop, called the Polly and Anne, one Haines, captain, was on the 24th of December last, stranded on Squan Beach, on board of which was a quantity of Beef, Pork and other Provisions; which Vessel and cargo is now in the care and custody of Colonel Forman, except such articles as are perishable, which the Committee directed to be sold by Doctor Scudder and Doctor Henderson; an inventory of which cargo, as well such as were sold, as such as remain, were laid