Harrison, Lynch, and Allen, with a copy of the above request.

Mr. Benson, one of the Secretaries, returned, and informed this Committee that Messrs. Harrison, and Allen, will wait on this Committee, in the Assembly Chamber.

Mr. Sands, one of the sub-Committee appointed by the Provincial Congress to freight a Vessel to the West-Indies, with provisions, &c., to purchase arms and ammunition, reports, that, in pursuance of said appointment, he has freighted the Sloop James Richard, Pooler, Master, for St. Eustatia, belonging to Stephen Thorne, and loaded her with provisions, as per invoice, amounting to seven hundred and seventy-seven pounds seven shillings and nine pence, consigned to Mr. Samuel Curson, merchant, there; that the freight of said sloop is, as per agreement, three pounds ten shillings per ton, merchant's tonnage; and in case said sloop is seized by the Ministerial army or navy, in consequence of carrying provisions to said Island, the Congress are to pay to Stephen Thorne, for said sloop, the sum of five hundred pounds, as per agreement annexed. He further reports that, by order of the Committee of Safety, he has loaded the Schooner Polly, Matthew Van Alstyne, Master, whereof Abraham P. Lott and Matthew Van Alstyne are owners, for Martinico, Guadaloupe, and St. Eustatia, with provisions, as per invoice, amounting to one thousand two hundred and seventy-eight pounds two shillings and ten pence, consigned to said master, to purchase arms and ammunition; that the freight agreed for is three pounds ten shillings per ton, merchant's tonnage; and in case said schooner is seized in consequence of carrying provisions to said Islands, the Congress are to pay to Abraham P. Lott and M. Van Alstyne the sum of five hundred pounds, as per agreement, also annexed. As, also, has loaded the Sloop Sally, Wilkie Dodge, Master, whereof himself is owner, for Curacoa, with provisions, as per invoice, amounting to one thousand one hundred and thirty-two pounds eight shillings and eleven pence, consigned to Mr. Isaac Governeur, merchant, there, to purchase duck, flints, and ammunition; that the freight of said sloop is as the former, at three pounds ten shillings per ton, merchant's tonnage; and in case said sloop is seized in consequence of carrying provisions to said Island, the Congress are to pay for said vessel to said Comfort Sands the sum of six hundred and fifty pounds.

He further reports, that in order to get said vessels out of this port, he has been obliged to give bonds to the Custom-House to land said cargoes in some of the English Islands in the West-Indies, and requests the Committee of Safety will indemnify him from said bonds.

Mr. Sands delivered in the agreements made by him for the respective vessels above-mentioned, and the invoices and bills of lading, and papers relating to the said several vessels and cargoes, which are now filed.

The above Report being read, and fully approved of, the Committee agrees that the said Report, and the several agreements therein mentioned, stand confirmed, and be considered as the agreements of the Committee of Safety, made for and on behalf of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, and on their account and risk.

And Resolved, That the said Comfort Sands shall be, and hereby is, fully indemnified by this Committee of Safety, and the Provincial Congress of this Colony for the time being, against any bonds which he has entered into at the Custom-House for the said vessels and cargoes, or on account of lading and sending them to sea, or either of them; and that, in case any costs or damages shall accrue or be suffered by the said Comfort Sands, or his representatives, by means of entering into such bonds, or either of them, all such costs ??? damages as may arise, happen, or accrue by means there shall be borne by this Colony; and the said Comfort Sands having now delivered in the accounts of the cargoes ???adings of the said several vessels, amounting, in the wh???, to the sum of three thousand one hundred and eight-seven pounds eighteen shillings and eleven pence, and ??? in credited the sum of two thousand five hundred received by virtue of an order of the ??? of the 19th December last, whereby a balance of six hundred and eighty seven pounds eighteen shillings and eleven pence is stated as ??? the said Comfort Sands, the Committee not having hitherto had time to examine and audit the said account, that Mr. Sands may not continue so large a sum in advance for the publick service,

Ordered, That Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, pay to Comfort Sands, on account of the Moneys he has advanced for the publick service, by order of the Provincial Congress and of this Committee of Safety, in purchasing the Cargoes for sundry Vessels, the sum of six hundred Pounds on account, and that Mr. Livingston take Mr. Sands's receipt for the same.

Messrs. Harrison, Lynch, and Allen, the Committee of the Continental Congress, attended the Committee, and were introduced. The Committee of Safety informed those gentlemen that their answer to the order of this Committee occasioned this conference. The Committee of Safety, on their part, suggested that, as General Lee, by his letter, had informed them that he would delay the main body of his troops on the frontiers of Connecticut until after his arrival; that as those troops are introducing into the Colony, without any particular order of the Continental Congress known to this Committee, and Major-General Lee, who was to have preceded those troops, and had the command of them, detained by indisposition, the Committee of Safety conceive that those troops ought not to be introduced into the city on any order condition than under their direction: that the dignity of this Colony in the Continental Union, and their duty to their constituents to preserve their liberties, and prevent any manœuvre or accident that may endanger the safety of the city, or cause the removal of the inhabitants at this inclement season of the year, in their opinion, forbids the introduction of those troops on any other condition, for the present.

The gentlemen of the Committee of Continental Congress then informed this Committee that Congress, in consequence of having received a copy of the letter of the Committee of Safety to General Lee, and his Committee; that no service or matter whatever should be undertaken by those troops, until such conference had. They then produced their credentials from Congress, whereby the directions of those troops are given to the gentlemen of that Committee. They further assured the Committee that General Lee, knowing that they were here, by his instructions to Colonel Waterbury, had directed those troops to be under their command; that they would, as far as in their power, take care that the troops should be kept under good government and discipline until General Lee's arrival, and for that purpose they had given particular directions to Colonel Waterbury.

The Committee thereupon were satisfied, and declared they were contented, as those troops are under the command of the Committee of Continental Congress.

Die Veneris, 10 ho A. M., February 2, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

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

Colonel Curtenius attended by request. He informed the Committee that he had examined the one hundred Muskets at Mr. Jecamiah Allen's, which were directed for Lord Sterling, and that they are good and in order. The Committee being further informed that Jecamiah Allen has fifty other Muskets ready, and that he requests an order for one hundred Pounds on account.

Thereupon, Ordered, That Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, advance to Mr. Jecamiah Allen the sum of the hundred Pounds, on account of moneys due to him from the Provincial Congress for Muskets, and that Mr. Livingston take Mr. Jecamiah Allen's receipt for the same.

Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius, as Commissary of the Provincial??? of this Colony, purchase all the good??? fit for use, that he can procure, and that he direct the Gunsmiths not to sell any Muskets out of this Colony.