The following persons were then elected Captains of the Battalion, (Light Infantry.)

Adjourned till three o'clock.

Post Meridiem. Convention met.

The Petition of Thomas M'Cobb, of Lincoln County, in the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, setting forth, that in consequence of a Resolution of the General Court of that Colony, he had obtained a permit from the Selectmen and Committee of Correspondence of Georgetown', in Lincoln County, in the same Colony, to import Grain into the said County, and praying leave to load his Vessel, was read; and, thereupon, it is,

Resolved, That the said Petitioner be allowed to load his said Vessel in Somerset County: And it is,

Ordered, That the loading of the said Vessel be under the inspection of the Committee of Observation for Somerset County, who are required, before the said Vessel shall depart, to appoint the track for her voyage, and have the Captain and Mate of her sworn to perform the same, so far as they can, and that they will use their utmost endeavours to land her cargo in the County of Lincoln, in the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay aforesaid.

Ordered, That the Clerk make out and transmit a copy of the above Resolution to the Committee of Somerset County.

The Convention proceeded to ballot for seven First Lieutenants for the Independent Companies; the ballots were as follow:

The following persons were next elected by ballot First Lieutenants for the Battalion, (Light Infantry,) to wit:

The persons following were then elected by ballot Second Lieutenants for the Independent Companies.

And the following Second Lieutenants for the Battalion, (Light Infantry.)

The following persons were elected by ballot Third Lieutenants for the Independent Companies.

And the following elected by ballot Ensigns for the Battalion, (Light Infantry.)

And Hatch Dent, Third Lieutenant.

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

Wednesday, January 3, 1776,

Convention met. All Members present, as on yesterday, except Mr. Sluby and Mr. Sudler. The Proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Hall, have leave of absence.

An account of the expenses for transporting Powder from Fredericktown to Baltimore town, being read,

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay to the Committee of Observation for the Middle District of Frederick County, or their order, out of the bills of credit in his hands, twenty-three Pounds, nineteen Shillings, common money, being the expense of transporting the same.

Ordered, That the Clerk make out and transmit a copy of the above Resolution to the Committee of Observation for the Middle District of Frederick County.

On application of Colonel Harrison, of Virginia, to this Convention, to furnish Colonel Simpson, of Accomack County, with two hundred pounds of Gunpowder,

Ordered, That the Committees of Observation for Worcester and Somerset Counties do, each of them, immediately, send one hundred weight to Colonel Simpson.

The Convention proceeded to the election of Officers.

Mr. Gabriel Duvall was elected by ballot Mustermaster and Commissary of Stores; Mr. Peter Mantz, Quartermaster, Mr. Charles Wallace, Paymaster.

Mr. Nathaniel Smith, Captain of the Matrosses, at Baltimore town; Mr. William Woolsey, First Lieutenant; Mr. Alexander Furnival, Second Lieutenant.

Mr. Beall has leave of absence.

Adjourned till three o'clock.

Post Meridiem.—Convention met. Mr. Thos. Wright, a Member for Queen Anne's County, appeared, and took his seat in the House. Mr. Handy and Mr. Waters appeared in the House.

Mr. George Keepott was appointed Third Lieutenant of Captain Smith's Company of Matrosses.

The Convention took into consideration the following Report, to wit:

In obedience to a Resolve of the honourable Convention, the Committee appointed to receive all Proposals relating to the establishment of Manufactories of any kind within this Province, and report their opinion thereon, do report: That the following Proposals and Petitions have been laid before them, to wit:

The Petition of Mr. Fielder Gaunt, setting forth: That, about four months ago, he had discovered a vein of Lead Ore in Frederick County, between Fredericktown and the Catoctin Mountain; that, upon an examination of the same, appearances were so favourable that he hoped to be able, in a short time, to supply this Province with a sufficient quantity of Lead during our present unhappy disputes; and prayed that two hundred pounds might be advanced to him for the term of one year, without interest, upon giving bond, with sufficient security, at the end of that term to repay the same. Your Committee further report, that Mr. Gaunt hath, in person, informed them that he has, by sinking a shaft thirty-eight feet in the earth higher up the hill, found another vein of Lead; and that both the said veins run under a large rock, where it was too expensive, on his own capital, to pursue the same; and that the quantities of Lead Ore taken out of said veins were not considerable. Your Committee beg leave, further, to report thereon: that, in their opinion, a Manufactory of Lead in this Province would be of great advantage to the publick, and, of course, merits the attention and encouragement of this Province; and that the sum requested for that purpose is not unreasonable.

Your Committee further beg leave to report: That Alexander McFadon, of Frederick County, by his Petition, hath expressed his desire of erecting a Linen, Woollen, and Cotton Manufactory, in or near Fredericktown; that he is, also, well acquainted with the business, and would undertake to carry on the same, with the publick encouragement and assistance, and proposed that a sum, not exceeding four thousand pounds, should be advanced to him, from time to time, by the Province, on giving bond, with good security, for the payment of the money lent, with four per cent, interest, after the expiration of three years from the advancement thereof, Your Committee further report: That Mr. McFadon, in person, informed them that, although he proposed, by the above