of the said Committee, on the penalty of being deemed enemies to their country."

And whereas, this Committee not doubting the good intentions of the said Committee met at Poundridge, do, nevertheless, conceive that the said Resolve has a manifest tendency to distress (in the article of Provisions) the inhabitants of this City, and other friends to liberty, whose business may call them hither,

Resolved, therefore, That it is the opinion of this Committee that no Committee of any City, Borough, Town, or Precinct in this Colony, ought to prevent any such supplies of Provisions to this City, as aforesaid, unless they shall have due proof that such supplies are intended to be furnished to persons engaged in service against the liberties of America, nor, in such case, any longer than until such Committees, respectively, shall, in cases where such proof shall have been made, have duly certified this Committee or the Provincial Congress thereof, and until order shall have been made thereon by this Committee or the Provincial Congress.

Ordered, That a certified copy of this Order be delivered to the said Jonathan Booth.

An Orderly-Sergeant of Major De Hart, having called on a member to be informed if the Muskets engaged to Lord Stirling are ready, the Committee conceive that, as the Colony are to raise several Regiments, in pursuance of the orders of Congress received yesterday, that it is their duty to request Lord Stirling to be released from the engagement of this Colony as to those Arms. Thereupon, a draft of a Letter to Lord Stirling was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety, New-York, January 25, 1776.

My LORD: Since the last communication between your Lordship and us, concerning the arms we undertook to supply you with for the troops under your command, we have orders from Congress to raise four new battalions, besides the which we before that time were under orders to raise. We are, also, informed that there are still thirty stand of publick arms in the town of Newark, which are not appropriated to the use of your troops, and there may be others in the same situation in other parts of your Colony; and we conceive it a hardship to be obliged to forward a department of service out of our Colony, by supplying those arms which we intended for you, which, with many more, will be wanted for equipping our own battalions. We can assure you, my Lord, with the greatest truth, that we are totally at a loss how to supply our new levies with arms, without taking them from our Militia, which nothing but the most urgent necessity will justify, as by that means the defence of this important post will be weakened.

We, therefore, earnestly request you to release us from our former engagements to you, and are, my Lord, most respectfully, your Lordship's obedient, humble servants.

By order of the Committee.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Stirling.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted by Major De Hart's Orderly-Sergeant.

Die Jovis, 4to ho. P. M., January 25, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Mr. Joseph Hailed, Chairman, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Scott, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Clarke.

The Committee being of opinion that prudence and care of this Colony, and of the Capital and inhabitants thereof, requires that a proper person be kept at the Hook, to keep a lookout if any fleet, or transports or ships-of-war should be approaching this Colony, and having, on considering that matter yesterday, thought it best to prevent jealousy among the pilots, and to give different persons among them a chance of earning a subsistence in the present times of I difficulty, agreed to employ Samuel Isleton (who was recommended for that purpose) in the place of William Dobbs.

Samuel Isleton attending by request, received his instructions. He is directed to take the pilot-boat and oars lately purchased by this Committee, with four men to row her, and proceed to the Hook and stay there, and diligently lookout for one week, If no fleet, or transports, or ships-of-war, appear sooner. If any appear, he is to give the most immediate notice to this Committee.

Samuel Isleton is to have ten Shillings per day, and James Burns, Robert Bennet, John Besly, and William Mullinger, his Oarsmen, are to have eight Shillings per day, each, and they are to find themselves all necessaries and bear their own expenses.

The Committee took into consideration the necessity this Colony will be under of having a quantity of heavy Cannon, and that there is not, at present, any Furnace large enough and fitted to the purpose; that it will be vastly more expensive to have heavy Cannon brought from Philadelphia, than to have a Furnace made for the purpose, besides the advantage of establishing a work of that kind in the Colony, and of supplying the vessels building in this Colony for the Continental service, and the neighbouring Colonies.

After some time spent therein, they are of opinion that, considering the nature of the ore, and the advantages of transportation, such a work may most probably be effected by Robert Livingston, Esq.

Thereupon, a draft of a Letter to Robert Livingston, Esq., was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety, New-York, January 25, 1776.

SIR: In all probability this Colony will stand in need of a number of heavy ordnance (from twenty-five to fifty hundred weight) for its defence. On casting about for a place best calculated for erecting a foundry, yours appears to be the most proper.

You will please to take this matter into immediate consideration, and inform us, as soon as possible, whether you can prepare your furnace for casting such cannon and shot, as, also, the terms on which you would undertake to cast them, and when you will be ready for expediting this business.

As we are informed the Continental Congress have under consideration an estimate of the ordnance necessary for the defence of the different Colonies, we are desirous of being prepared with the terms on which they may be manufactured, and of preserving to our Colony the credit and advantage of such a manufactory.

We earnestly request your most speedy answer, and are, most respectfully, sir, your most obedient, humble servants.

By order.

To Colonel Robert Livingston, at Calender House, Manor Livingston.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted.

The Committee spent the residue of the evening in considering the Resolves and Letters received yesterday from the Continental Congress.

Die Veneris, 10 ho. A. M., January 26, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Mr. Joseph Hallett, Chairman, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Clarke.

No other Members appeared, whereby the Committee could not proceed to any active business, and spent the whole morning in considering the Resolves of Continental Congress, and forming an extract of them for Regulations for Recruiting Officers, and considering of proper persons for Officers in the four Battalions ordered to be raised in this Colony.

3 ho. P. M., Die Veneris, January 26, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Mr. Joseph Hallett, Chairman, Mr. Scott, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Tredwell, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Sands came in half-past seven o'clock.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the Resolves and Letters received from the Continental Congress on the subject of raising Troops. After some time spent therein, the Committee sent for Colonel Lasher, to know his sentiments on a declaration lately made by him to one