Saturday, February 17, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourables Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb Gushing, Thomas Cushing, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Hlolten, Jabcz Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires,

Petition of Benjamin Crocker of Falmouth, setting forth: "that there is due to him, and others, of Falmouth, large sums of money, to the amount of about seven hundred pounds sterling, in the Islands of Tobago and Grenada. He, therefore, humbly prays that your Honours would permit him to sail from Falmouth (in a vessel in ballast) to said Islands, in order to collect the aforementioned sums."

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Benjamin Crocker be allowed to go in a Vessel, of which himself is master, to the West-Indies, in order to collect any moneys which may be due to him, and others, there, he giving bonds, with sufficient sureties, in the sum of one thousand Pounds to the Treasurer of this Colony, that he will not carry in said Vessel any cash or produce of the Colonies, and that he will return to some port of the United Colonies, (other than Boston, Nantucket, or New-York,) with the proceeds of the collection of such debts, and not purchase Goods from any Island contrary to the Continental Association; and, it is hereby recommended to the said Crocker, to purchase Arms, Ammunition, or any kind of Military Stores, enumerated in a late Resolution of the Congress, if there to be obtained; and, that the Committee of Inspection of Falmouth be, and hereby are directed to see that there be no more Provisions carried off in said Vessel, than what is necessary for victualling the people belonging to her in said voyage.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Philip Hodgskins, and others, the sum of four hundred Pounds, to supply the necessities of the Inhabitants between Peuobscot and Goldsborough.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Whereas, it is of the utmost consequence, that there be procured a sufficient quantity of Sulphur, for manufacturing into Gunpowder the Saltpetre that may be oblained

Resolved, That there be allowed, and paid out of the Treasury of this Colony, for every pound of good and merchantable Sulphur that shall be refined from mines and ores within this Colony, and delivered to the Commissary-General of this Colony before the 1st day of July next, a bounty of nine Pence per pound, in addition to the like sum which the Committee of this Court for procuring that article are already directed to give; the venders of such Sulphur producing a certificate from the major part of the Selectmen of any town where such Sulphur is refined, certifying in what Town and County within this Colony the same was produced and refined; and that Captain Brown get this Resolve printed in the several Newspapers.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the Committee lately appointed to build, rig, and fix ten armed Sloops be, and they hereby are empowered, to suspend contracting for more than five of that number, until, upon making full inquiry, they shall have a probable prospect of obtaining the necessary materials for rigging and equipping the same; and, instead thereof, said Committee are hereby authorized, also to purchase, rig, and fix five suitable Vessels already built, for the purpose of defence, of any other denomination and dimensions than those specified in a former Resolve, according to their best discretion; and, said Committee are further empowered to import, at the risk and expense of this Colony, any materials they shall find necessary for rigging and fixing any of the aforesaid Vessels, as they shall judge best, not infringing upon any Resolves of the Continental Congress.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Mr. Phillips came up with a message from the House, to desire the Board to suspend granting the commissions of General Officers, and Brigadiers of this Colony, till the next sitting of the General Court.

In the House of Representatives: Ordered, That Mr. Dix and Major Johnson be added to the Committee on the Rolls of the Militia and Minute-Men, who are to sit in the recess of this Court, so long as a quorum of the Council shall sit.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to make inquiry after virgin Lead, &c., beg leave to report, that a sub-Committee has been to Northampton and examined the Lead-Mine there, which has been worked, and in which, as Mr. Clapp, Clerk of the Works, informed us, much loss had been sustained. He, also, told us that Mr. Bowdoin, Colonel Ward, and Mr. Hedge, were the present proprietors; that they owned about two hundred and twenty-five acres of land, had a Storehouse, Stamping-Mill, and Smelting-House; that they would sell their estate there for one thousand pounds, lawful money, as he believed that their land is bounded about half a mile upon a river, upon which is said Mill. Said Clapp also said, that many assays had been made upon the ore, and it produced, in that small way, from fifty to seventy-five percent. Lead; but, in smelting in the large way of business, they could not produce any Lead, but it all ran into glass, they not understanding the business. He said that they stamped and washed the ore, and in that state, without smelting, they sold in considerable quantities to the potters.

The sub-Committee are of opinion, that if the present proprietors' right be purchased, it will be necessary to purchase other lands, perhaps to the amount of one thousand pounds, lawful money, more, so as to command the river roads, and the summit of the mountains, in which, it is likely, are better mines than that which has been opened; and, as the buildings are much out of repair, and others will be needed to carry on the business, it will reuire at least one thousand pounds, lawful money, more, to set the work in a good way of business. There will be twelve or fourteen miles cartage to water carriage.

The sub-Committee have, also, examined a Lead-Mine in Southampton, very convenient for working and water L; but, as this had not been opened, and the winter preventing, they could not make full discovery of the quantity. They, also, examined a Mine in Worcester, but its situation would not admit of its being worked.

The sub-Committee brought from Northampton some of the ore, and obtained Mr. Clarke to make an assay, in doing which he saved twenty-five per cent. Lead, and the supposed that he washed or lost in the operation twenty-five per cent more. They have, also, endeavoured to have another assay made by Mr. Hurd, but, his fire-place being very small, the assay failed, he not being able to raise a sufficient heat.

The Committee beg leave to sit again, and desire to be instructed whether they shall now transmit this Report to the American Congress, or wait for further light in this matter, and, also, whether they shall examine into the process, &c., of the Lead-Works now carrying on at Middle-town, in Connecticut.

ELDADTAYLOR, per order.

In Council: Read, and concurred, and that the said Committee be directed to sit again, and transmit a copy of the foregoing Report to the American Congress, and, also, to examine into the process, &c., of the Lead-Works now carrying on at Middletown, Connecticut, and report.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Whereas, the Administration of Great Britain, by their despotick and cruel measures, from time to time, and finally by shedding the blood of the inhabitants of the British-American Colonies, has obliged us to take up arms for our defence, and thereby we are engaged in an unnatural war, which has, in a considerable degree, prevented the importation of Bread; Corn, Flour, and other articles of subsistence and defence, into this Government, from the neighbouring Colonies, whereby great part of the usual supply is cut short; and, as the sea-coasts of this Colony are surrounded with ships-of-war and cutters, which makes it necessary for our defence an armed force should be stationed in various parts thereof, which army cannot be subsisted and defended without an importation of those supplies, and it being of great imprtance proper measures should be pursued, to prevent the distresses that may arise from the want of the said articles;

Therefore, Resolved, That Thomas Durfee, Esq., Daniel Davis, Esq., Captain Josiah Batchelder, with such as the honourable Board may join, be, and they are hereby,