BERKS COUNTY (PENNSYLVANIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Standing Committee for Berks County, January 20, 1776

Mark Bird, Esq., in the chair.

The Committee, taking into their consideration the present state of the Association in this County, and being persuaded of the pressing necessity of being prepared for defence, do earnestly recommend it to their brethren to sign the Articles of Association formed by the House of Assembly at their last meeting; this Committee trusting that such amendments will be made, at the next sitting of Assembly, as will make the Association not only more effectual, but more consonant to the principles of justice and equality.

And afterwards, at a meeting of the Committee, on the 30th of the same month,

Resolved, unanimously, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that it will be highly requisite, in case the Assembly should not think proper to make the necessary amendments in the said Association, that a Provincial Convention be held for that purpose; and they do, accordingly, appoint Edward Biddle, Mark Bird, Jonathan Polls, Daniel Broadhead, Baltzer Gheer, Collinson Read, Esquires, and Messrs. Valentine Rekert, Nicholas Lutz, Sebastian Levan, and Richard Tea, to attend the said Convention, in behalf of this County.

By order of the Committee:

COLLINSON READ, Secretary.

BUCKS COUNTY (PENNSYLVANIA) COMMITTEE.

In Committee, Bucks County, January 31, 1776.

The Committee of Safety of this Province have lately published a process for the making of Saltpetre, with a view to induce the inhabitants of this Colony to set about the work; but, as no description, however exact, can so fully answer the purpose of instruction as an actual exhibition of the process, this Committee, at the request of the Committee of Safety, hath appointed James Wallace, Andrew Kichlein, and Joseph Fenton, Jun., to attend the Saltpetre Works in Philadelphia, so as to obtain a competent knowledge of the method practised at the Saltpetre Works there, that they may be qualified to exhibit the process to such persons as are desirous of being useful to their country, by entering into the manufacture of that useful and necessary commodity; and James Wallace is, also, appointed to receive all the Saltpetre that shall be made in this county, who will be furnished with Powder, to pay, in that article, one-fourth part the value of the Saltpetre, and the rest of the price will be punctually paid in cash by Mr. Wallace.

By order of the Committee:

JOSEPH HART, Chairman.

NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO LORD STIRLING.

In Committee of Safety, New-York, Sunday Evening,

8 o'clock, January 21, 1776.

MY LORD: By the seizure of a man, brought up from the Hook by one of our pilots, from on board a transport, we, this instant, have learned her being in a distressed condition, and waiting there for direction and assistance from this port. She has been out thirteen weeks, destined for the Head-Quarters of the Ministerial troops, so that, if she receives relief, she will, doubtless, proceed for Boston. She is deeply laden with all kinds of stores for the army.

Our intelligence is from letters found on the prisoner, directed to certain persons under fictitious directions, which were intended to be conveyed, by him, on board of the man-of-war. It would greatly serve the publick cause could she be seized. There are the most evident reasons why we, in New-York, ought not, in point of prudence, to do it. We have two ships-of-war lying here, and our exports, as yet, happily, uninterrupted by them.

This discovery cannot be kept long a secret, and we think it our duty to submit this case to your immediate attention. Should it be known to the ships-of-war, they will, doubtless, send down their boats, which consideration has induced us, by express, to furnish you with this opportunity of serving the publick.

The above reasons point out the propriety of keeping the source of your information a secret, and, to this end, we beg you will destroy this as soon as read.

We are, my Lord, with great respect, your Lordship's most obedient.

By order of the Committee:

P. S. She is a ship of between three and four hundreutons, a galley-built ship, without a head has yellow sides, blue quarter-boards, with the trophies of war painted on the quarter-boards; has six three-pounders on the quarterdeck. She has, it is thought, a quantity of ammunition on board. She has about twenty hands, and lies hovering off and on, without the Hook, and will not leave that station till she receives intelligence from shore. Captain William Rogers, the bearer of this, will be a proper person to take the direction of the undertaking.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Stirling.

NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO JOSEPH HALLETT.

In Committee of Safety, New-York, January 21, 1776.

SIR: Through the misfortunes and indisposition of sundry members we are very few in number. We have only eight members, when all meet who are in town, or can be collected. We have had more cases than one, in which we should have thought it our duty to have spared a member from the Committee, for important matters at some distance, if our number would have permitted us so to do.

Thus situated, we think it our duty, to request you to come to New-York, and attend the Committee as soon as the situation of your health will admit.

[A similar letter was sent to Mr. John Imlay.]

GENERAL WOOSTER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Montreal, January 21, 1776.

SIR I herewith enclose a letter just received from Colonel Arnold, and take this opportunity most heartily to condole with you for the loss of the brave and most amiable General Montgomery, and the other brave officers and soldiers who fell with him, and for the failure of success in the unfortunate attack upon Quebeck, the particulars of which, you will, doubtless, have received before this reaches you.

I should have gone down, immediately, upon hearing of the defeat, to the camp before Quebick, but the necessity of securing this place, and the country round, in our interest, induced all the officers and our friends here, to request me not to leave this place, till we should have a reinforcement from the Colonies; when they arrive, I expect to proceed on with them. We have many enemies in this Province, particularly among the Clergy, who are using every artifice to excite the Canadians to lake up arms against us; but I hope to be able to prevent any thing of the kind. I have called in many of the commissions given by Governour Carleton, and have given out new ones under the Congress, and expect soon to have them spread through the country, which, I expect, and indeed I perceive already, that it answers very salutary purposes; after receiving new commissions, they look upon themselves as bound, and unless we succeed, they will all be treated as Traitors. I allow each Parish to choose their own Captains, a circum stance which pleases them much and there has been but few instances that they have not chosen a zealous friend to our cause.

The taking of Quebeck must be a matter of the greatest consequence to the Colonies, but at present we are very ill provided for it. The place is strong. I believe they are determined to defend it to the last extremity. We have but about four tons of powder in the Province. We have, I believe, a sufficiency of small cannon, none larger than twelve pounders, except two brass twenty-fours, which are at St. John's. We have expectations of having shot and shells cast at Three-Rivers.

In my opinion, it will not only be necessary to forward men and powder from the Colonies, but also, a number of heavy cannon, such as thirty-two pounders, and one thirteen inch mortar, if no more, and some small ones, if to be had. I understand that the large mortar from Ticonderoga, with a number of pieces of cannon, are gone to your