Coit, I find by strict inquiry, (though she be not very well accommodated for the officers,) is an excellent sailer, and is sufficiently strong. The Continent has been at considerable expense in fitting this vessel for the service, and should she be put out, and another taken into the service, one hundred pounds will necessarily be sunk to the Continent by the transfer. For these reasons I have thought it prudent to continue the Harrison in the service, and have, agreeable to your Excellency's permission, nominated Captain Charles Dyar to the command. This Dyar was with Captain Coit, his last cruise, and can give the character of the schooner more perfectly.

Captain Dyar, the bearer of this wont, at first interview, appear to your Excellency to advantage; he is no orator, and seems rather softly; but his character ranks high as a good officer, and as an active, smart sailor. Captain Coit has recommended him in high terms, and will give your Excellency his true character.

We shall have no difficulty in getting as fine a crew as any on the Continent, provided they can be inlisted for six months only, or for so long a time as Captain Dyar shall continue to command. Our people are very fond of knowing their officers, and the best of them are unwilling to engage for a longer time than their officers engage for. Captain Dyar will wait on your Excellency, and will receive every necessary direction.

I am, your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,

WILLIAM WATSON.

To His Excellency General Washington.

N. B. Your Excellency will please to direct me whether I am to libel the two vessels taken by Major Tupper, and carried into Dartmouth.

MESHECH WEARE TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

January 15, 1776.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: Your letter of the 13th instant, setting forth the difficulty of providing firearms for the Army, came to hand yesterday. The General Court, now sitting, took the contents under consideration, and find that all the publick arms of the Colony have been delivered out to the soldiers, now in the Continental Army, and at our own garrisons in Portsmouth. Upon a return lately made from the several towns in this Colony, we find that not more than two-thirds of the persons capable of using arms, are provided therewith, and many of them, such as would not be thought fit to be trusted to in the Continental Army. The scarcity of workmen, as well as steel, has hitherto prevented our getting but a small number made in this Colony, for which reasons, together with the apparent need of our keeping a considerable body of troops to defend our seaports, brings us to the disagree able necessity of informing your Excellency that it is not in our power to supply any arms for the purpose you mention. We are fearful, that the detention of the arms of the Militia, (now at the Camp,) against their consent, would create such an uneasiness in their minds, that they would not exert themselves freely, if called upon here after.

To General Washington.

THOMAS WESTBROOK WALDRON TO NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Dover, January 15, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: While my heart gratefully glows with thankfulness, on the distinguished mark of respect shown me by your vote of the 6th instant, handed hither by Ichabod Rollins, Esq., the evening of the same day, I beg leave to acquaint you, that I have been little able to leave home for three winters successively. That accepting the honourable, arduous, and intense duty, proposed, without a prospect of attending thereto, (which I have not,) would be but to prevent the appointment of a suitable person to assist in the now critical councils of the Colony, and that an address giving notice of my inability, and imploring your excuse, would have been forwarded last week, had not one of your honourable body consented to convey it there.

Please to forgive my saying, that to prevent the effects of late unconstitutional measures, many Colonies appointed Congresses, as their General Assemblies were subject to the adjournments, prorogations, and dissolutions of Governours, &c, and that while Congresses, as such, managed the momentous affair, the friends of America in England, and elsewhere, approved the exertions, and we may reasonably hope will continue still so to do as it seems to me.

But as the fertile field before me begins to raise ideas too important for my steril pen to marshal, I take leave, with only adding, that I wish you Divine direction, and am, with great truth and sincerity, honourable sirs, your respectful, and most obliged, humble servant,

THOMAS WESTBROOK WALDRON.

To the New-Hampshire Committee of Safety.

HERBERT COURTENAY TO CHARLES CARROLL, BARRISTER.

Baltimore, January 16, 1776.

SIR: Your favour of the 14th is now before me, the contents of which I note. You may be assured I want no other indulgence in loading the brig Friendship, than others are entitled to by similar contracts, and without vanity, can say, that I can execute such business on equal terms with any other in Baltimore, but I wish not to sacrifice a commission in giving advanced prices above my limits, as am pretty certain has been the case with some since my writing you last. I wonder my application has been the first to raise the price, as I have been told by several that the Convention was wrote to on same head, but when I wrote you first, the matter was only beginning, and that with people who was buying on some private account, and not on that of the Convention, which disabled those employed by them from executing their commissions, as the country people and millers will always sell to those who give them most; nay, some flour that I had bought two days ago, was taken from my door, and given to another private buyer, who gave thirteen shillings per cwt. for it; under such circumstances the market is at present, and unless some order is taken therein to put a stop to private buyers, it appears that the publick's must be impeded. I did inform the Committee that I had engaged between four and five hundred barrels, which was the case, but bad weather has, I must suppose, stopped the wagons. I have about one hundred and seventy barrels of flour on board, and the bread is ready, but that must go in last. I shall go on with loading, as fast as flour comes in, and follow your directions. I thought I could not do less than advise you in my former letter how matters were going on here, which is still the case. This week I think must bring much flour in.

I am, sir, with all respect, your very humble servant,

HERBERT COURTENAY,

To Charles Carroll, Esq., Barrister.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, January 16, 1776.

Your letters of the 25th and 31st of December, and 4th of January, have been duly received, and laid before Congress.

By the enclosed resolutions, you will perceive, that the Congress, in providing for the defence of Canada, have directed that two battalions should be raised out of the troops now serving there. This they did in testimony of their approbation of the services of those brave men, apprehending at the same time that it would be both agreeable to the officers and men, to have the honour of defending a country which their valour had rescued from slavery.

And the Congress have a firm confidence, that General Montgomery, who has a warm and just sense of their merit and services, will cheerfully embrace the present opportunity to continue and promote the officers of that corps, and, as far as in his power, to reward with office, and commend, in those battalions, such volunteers and others, as have distinguished themselves.

The Committee to whom your letters were referred, this day brought a partial on which the Congress came to certain resolutions, which you will see in the enclosed extracts. I am just to acquaint you, that it is expected when the Paymaster draws any bills, he will observe to make them payable some few days after sight. The Committee have desired leave to sit again, which is granted.