Manufactories of any kind within this Province, and report their opinion thereon; and Mr. Gilpin, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Ramsey, Mr. Ramsey, and Mr. Earle, were elected by ballot a Committee for that purpose.

On motion, Resolved, That the Deputies for this Province attending in Congress, are instructed, that it is the sense of this Convention, that all India Teas imported into this Continent before the first day of March last, may be sold and used without any prejudice to the cause of America, and that they endeavour to procure the same to be permitted by the Congress, not taking into such permission any Teas imported for, or on account of, the English East-India Company, or imported from Great Britain contrary to the Continental Association, if any such there be.

Adjourned till three o'clock.

Post Meridiem. Convention met.

The Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the three lower Counties, Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, praying that Richard Ellis, of Cecil County, may be continued their Captain, was read a first and second time and granted.

On motion, Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider what alterations and amendments are necessary in the regulation of the Militia of this Province, and report their opinion thereon; and Mr. Smallwood, Mr. Ware, Mr. Thomas Johnson, Mr. James Tilghman, and Mr. Hooper, were elected by ballot a Committee for that purpose.

The Order of the Day, for taking into consideration the state of the Province, being read,

Ordered, That the same be referred for further consideration till Tuesday next.

Mr. Hooe has leave of absence.

Convention adjourns till Tuesday morning, half after nine o'clock.

Tuesday, December 26, 1775.

Convention met. All Members present, as on Saturday, except Mr. Moale, Mr. Edmonson, Mr. Hooe, Mr. Sim, Mr. Smith, Mr. Contee, and Mr. Tolley.

The Proceedings of Saturday were read.

Mr. Johnson brings in, and delivers to Mr. President, a Report from the Committee appointed to devise the best ways and means to promote the manufacture of Saltpetre, which was read the first time, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Order of the Day, for taking into consideration the state of the Province, being read,

Ordered, That the same be referred for further consideration till to-morrow.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning, half after nine o'clock.

Wednesday, December 27, 1775.

Convention met. All Members present, as on yesterday.

The Proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Contee and Mr. Moale appeared in the House.

The Petition of Patrick Graham, of Charles County, praying a remission of the judgment pronounced against him by the last Convention, was read the first time, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Convention proceeded to take into their consideration the Report from the Committee appointed to devise the best ways and means to promote the manufacture of Saltpetre, and, thereupon,

Resolved, That a small Saltpetre Work be erected at a principal Inspecting House, or in the neighbourhood of Tobacco Houses, or in some other publick and convenient place, in each County, at the publick expense, for the making Crude Nitre; that thus, besides the advantage immediately accruing from carrying on so many Works, in different parts of the Province, the good people thereof may be generally instructed in the art of making Crude Nitre; and as a further inducement thereto, and that this art may be still more extensively diffused and practised, that a liberal price ought to be allowed for all Crude Nitre manufactured in private families; that all the Crude Nitre, whether made by individuals or at the County Manufactories, be carried to one Refinery, where the same may be purified by a skilful Refiner, in large quantities, without waste, and made fit for manufacturing into Gunpowder.

That seventeen hundred Pounds, common money, be appropriated, one hundred pounds whereof to be placed in the hands of a discreet and active person in the Lower District, and one hundred pounds in the hands of a discreet and active person in the Middle District of Frederick County; and the residue thereof, one hundred pounds for each other County, to be placed in the hands of a discreet and active person in each County, who shall he called a Supervisor; and that so much of the said one hundred pounds as may be necessary, shall be laid out by the said Supervisor in purchasing, procuring, and setting up proper kettles, tubs, and other necessary utensils and conveniences, for manufacturing rough Nitre, at some such place as aforesaid, in his County; and, also, in erecting a rough shed convenient thereto, under which the earth, from which the ley shall have been drawn, may be placed, that the same may become again impregnated with Nitre.

That each of the said Supervisors be empowered to lay out the residue of his one hundred pounds, in hiring labourers to assist a skilful workman, who shall be employed in each of the said Works, and in procuring and removing earth impregnated with Nitre, fit to be used at the said Works.

That the Supervisor of each of the said Works employ a skilful workman to carry on, direct, and manage the process of making Crude Nitre at the said Works, respectively; and that the same Supervisor pay to the said workman one shilling, common money, for each pound of good Crude Nitre that he shall manufacture and deliver at the same Works, as his wages and reward for his skill and labour.

That the said workman show and explain to those who will attend the Work, and may be desirous of instruction, the method and process of making Crude Nitre.

That each Supervisor pay to any person who shall deliver to him good Crude Nitre, manufactured at any place within his County, other than the said Publick Work, for the use of the publick, after the rate of two shillings, common money, for every pound thereof.

That as soon as a contract shall be made for building a Powder Mill, pursuant to the Resolution of the late Convention, a Publick Work be erected convenient thereto, under the management of a skilful person, for purifying Nitre. And the several Supervisors shall, from time to time, send all the Crude Nitre which shall be made at the said Works, and otherwise come to their hands, as aforesaid, to the said Publick Refinery.

That each Supervisor draw from the Treasurer of his Shore, as well the said one hundred pounds, as the sum of two shillings, common money, and no more, per pound, for all Crude Nitre by him sent to, and delivered at, the said Refinery.

That each of the said Supervisors render an account of his transactions to every Convention, by the third day of every session thereof; and that, on such account, he be allowed all the said disbursements, the actual expenses of sending the Crude Nitre to the Refinery, and, for his trouble, the sum of two pence for every pound of rough Nitre made at the Works under his care, and the sum of one penny for every other pound of Crude Nitre by him collected, as aforesaid, and sent to the said Refinery; and that he pay the balance of the money in his hands into the publick Treasury, for the use of the publick, if so ordered.

That it be strongly recommended to such of the good people of this Province, whose circumstances and conveniences will allow them to pursue the following directions, to place in open houses, or sheds admitting the air, but excluding the rain and sun, the stalks and trashy leaves of tobacco, trodden straw, the sweepings of stables, mixed with rich mould, collected from the floors of barns and outhouses, and from time to time to sprinkle with urine, brine, or water, this collection of various substances, so as to occasion the fermentation and speedy putrefaction thereof, that the whole mass, when perfectly rotten and digested, may be dug, stirred up, and thoroughly blended, and thus left, without further damping, so loose and light as to at-