the names of such persons as are desirous of entering the service aforesaid, and are qualified for commanders or other officers: Likewise the ships, brigantines, schooners or sloops in said town, suitable for armed vessels, which are to be sold or hired out; to whom they respectively belong; what their tonnage; the depth of water they draw; their breadth; their decks; and what their age. And that said return be made, agreeable to the schedule herewith sent them, and without delay lodged in the Secretary's Office.

Resolved, That the foregoing Resolve be printed and sent to the several maritime Towns in this Colony, with a special direction to each of the said Towns, by filling up the blank in the same, with the name of each Town to which it shall be sent.

Resolved, That Colonel Thompson, be a Committee to cause the foregoing Resolve, and the Schedule annexed, to be printed and sent to the Towns mentioned therein.

A Return from the Town of . . . . . of persons qualified for Officers and Seamen who are desirous of inlisting on board of Armed Vessels in the service of the United Colonies, or of this Colony, or private adventurers; also, of the dimensions of Vessels fit for the purpose aforesaid, to be sold or hired out in said Town; the owners' names; age of the Vessels, &c., agreeable to the within Resolution of the General Courts.

The House then adjourned to ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, December 12, 1775.

A Petition of Jirch Willis, Clerk of the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Dartmouth, setting forth the importance of that harbour and its defenceless state, and praying the attention of this House thereto.

Read, and Ordered, That Colonel Orne and Captain Foster, with such as the honourable Board shall join, be a Committee to consider the same, and report.

Samuel Holten, Esquire, brought down from the honourable Board a Report of the Committee on the Letter from Thomas Crafts, Jun.

In Council, December 12, 1775: Resolved, That the Committee of said Point-Shirley be, and they are hereby directed to make use of any old, decayed stores, barns, or fishhouses, as fuel for the relief of the sick and distressed, and, if necessary, to take down any publick building there for the purpose aforesaid, said Committee to render an account of their proceedings to the Court; and they are further directed to use their utmost endeavours to prevent the spreading of the small-pox, and make proper representations of the state of such persons as are put under their care to this Court, whenever they find there is occasion thereof. (A.)

Read, and concurred, with the amendment at A, viz: At A insert, "and that Captain Foster and Captain Searl be a Committee to repair immediately to Point-Shirley, and cause such buildings as may be thought necessary to be taken down for fuel, to be apprized, and take any measures, and give directions that shall appear to them necessary, to aid the Committee now there in procuring wood, and in preventing the spreading of the small-pox."

The Report of the Committee on the Resolves of the Continental Congress, brought down from the honourable Board on the 9th instant. Read, and ordered to be recommitted.

Mr. Sullivan, by order of the House, brought in the following Resolve,

Whereas, by a Resolve passed by this Court on the 6th of December instant, it is

Ordered, That certain persons for each County in this Colony should be appointed by the whole Court, to distribute the Certificates therein mentioned, to be signed by the Secretary for the purposes mentioned in said Resolve, under such regulations as are in said Resolve provided.

And, whereas, there would be too much expense of time in appointing such Committees by the whole Court:

It is, therefore, Resolved, That the Council of this Colony shall be empowered from time to time, when necessary, to appoint in each County where the same shall be needed, such person, and two in the County of Lincoln, to fill up and deliver out said Certificates according to the direction of the Resolve aforesaid.

Jabez Fisher, Esquire, brought down from the honourable Board a copy of a Letter from John Hancock and Thomas Cushing, Esquires, at Philadelphia, dated November 29, 1775.

Read, and upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Story go with a message to the honourable Board, and desired that, if they have received other Letters from gentlemen at the Continental Congress, on the subject of the Letter just communicated, that they would favour this House with a view of them.

Who returned that he had delivered the message.

Jedediah Foster, Esquire, came down from the honourable Board, and said that other Letters from gentlemen at the Continental Congress were then under the consideration of the Board, which they had determined to communicate previous to their receiving the last message.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That the Report of the Committee on the Petition of a number of Inhabitants of the Town of Pownalborough, brought down yesterday, be considered at four o'clock this afternoon.

Afternoon.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Story, Colonel. Mitchell, and Mr. Pitts, be a Committee to consider whether any further measures can be taken more effectually to prevent the spreading of the Small-Pox.

John Whetcomb, Esq., brought down from the honourable Board, a number of Letters from the Delegates of this Colony at the Continental Congress.

Resolved, That Mr. Putnam, Captain Parker, and Mr. Singktary be, and they hereby are appointed a Committee to purchase so much Land, and such a part of the Stream, of Water in the Town of Sutton, as may be fully sufficient for the erecting a Mill in the said Town of Sutton, for the manufacturing (A) Powder.

And it is further Resolved, That the Committee aforesaid are hereby authorized and empowered to purchase the remains of a Powder-Mill in the Town of Stoughton, with so much of the Land and Stream adjoining the same, as may be sufficient to prepare said Mill for the manufacturing (A) Powder. And the said Committee are hereby empowered to employ such skilful persons for the erecting and preparing said Mills for the manufacturing (A) Powder, and also, to provide such skilful persons as manufacturers, as may be sufficient for that purpose, and to lay the bills of the expenses thereof before this Court; and that, the said Committee contract for a sum not exceeding six hundred Pounds.

Moses Gill, Esq., brought down from the honourable Board the Report on the Resolves of the Continental Congress.

In Council, December 12, 1775: Read, and concurred, and recommitted, and Ordered, That James Prescott, Esq., be of the said Committee, in the room of John Winthrop, Esq., who is absent, Read, and concurred.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That the Committee for procuring Sulphur give publick notice, requesting all who are possessed of any quantity of that article to make sale of it to them; and, all who shall know of any parcel, that they give information thereof as soon as may be.

Ordered, That the consideration of the Petition from a number of the Inhabitants of Pownalborough, be referred till ten o'clock, tomorrow morning.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., brought down from the honourable