Wednesday, December 20, 1775.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider what part of the Sea-Coast should be garrisoned this winter, be discharged of that part of their duty which directs them to confer with General Washington, on the subject thereof, and they are directed to report immediately.

Ordered, That Mr. Pitts be on the Committee appointed to fit out vessels for Powder, &c., in the room of Mr. Speaker, excused.

Ordered, That a Message go to the honourable Board, to know if they have passed upon the Resolve relative to procuring Hay for the Army.

Upon a motion, Resolved, That Captain William Johnson, of the Schooner Brittania be, and hereby is directed forthwith to deliver Richard Devans, Esq., Commissary of this Colony, the neat proceeds of a cargo consigned him by order of the late Committee of Supplies, being per his accounts, three hundred and sixty-four Fire-Arms, five hundred and twenty-nine and-a-half pounds of Powder, (Leward weight,) two thousand Flints, seventy-five weight of Ball, and twelve Cutlasses, excepting so many of said articles as by receipts shall appear to have been delivered agreeable to the order of this Court.

And he is further directed to adjust his accounts as soon as may be with Colonel Orne and Mr. Gerry, a Committee appointed for that purpose; also, that he deliver twelve Swivel-Guns to the Committee of Safety of Newburyport, to be improved by them in the defence of said town, until the further order of this Court.

Ordered, That Mr. Cross send a copy of the foregoing Resolve to Captain Johnson.

A Memorial of Hannah Sewall, of Brookline, setting forth, that considerable quantities of Wood for the use of the Army have been cut and carried away from a landed estate in Newton, which descended to her and her brother Samuel Sewall, (a Refugee,) and praying relief. Read, and committed to Mr. Nye, of Hardwick, Colonel Woodbridge, and Deacon Rawson.

The Report on the Petition and Memorial of Jacob Boardman, of Newburyport, entered the 16th current, was again read, and recommitted.

Joseph Palmer, Esq., brought down the Resolve for supplying the Army with Hay, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, December 18, 1775: Read, and concurred, as taken into a new draft, the same schedule being annexed.

The new draft was read, and the House concurred in the same. It is as follows, viz:

Whereas, a considerable quantity of Hay is wanted for the use of the American Army, and, unless speedily supplied, very great inconveniences, and, perhaps, fatal consequences, may ensue:

It is, therefore, Resolved, That the several Towns mentioned in the schedule hereto annexed, be called upon immediately, to furnish such quantity of Hay, and of such sort, and to cause the same to be conveyed to such camp as is therein pointed out; for which they will be allowed, and paid, at the rate of five Pounds per ton for English Hay, and forty Shillings per ton for salt Hay; and, it is expected, that the teamsters take of the person, or persons, authorized to receive such Hay, certificates expressing the quantity they deliver, and that such certificates be transmitted to the Secretary's Office within twenty days from the date hereof; and, it is earnestly recommended to the Selectmen, and Committees of Correspondence, of those towns, respectively, as they regard their own and their country's welfare, to see that the requisition be punctually complied with on their part.

And the gentlemen, hereafter named, are appointed a Committee to cause this Resolve to be communicated to the several towns concerned, and to take such further steps as may be necessary to procure a full compliance with the same, viz: Mr. Perry and Mr. Kingsbury, for the County of Suffolk;Mr. Phillips and Major Moody, for Essex;Deacon Plympton, Mr. Hayward, and Mr. Bent, for Middlesex;and Colonel Cushing, for Plymouth.

Mr. Singletary and Major Ely were appointed Monitors'.

The Militia Bill was again considered by the House, and three o'clock, in the afternoon, assigned for the further consideration thereof.

The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve for altering the style and title of the chief officer to be appointed for the Town of Gloucester, &c, reported. Read, and accepted.

Resolved, That that part of the Resolution of this Court of the 2d of December instant, providing, "that a General Officer be appointed to take the command of the Forces stationed at Gloucester, who shall be empowered to call in the neighbouring Militia, upon any emergency, as he shall judge necessary, and discharge them again as soon as the service will admit of the same," be, and it hereby is rendered null and void.

Resolved, That a Field-Officer, of the rank of Colonel, be appointed to take the command of the Forces stationed at Gloucester, and of the Militia that shall at any time be raised for defence of the same, unless some General Officer of this Colony shall be present; and he is hereby empowered to order the Commanding Officer of the neighbouring Regiment of Militia, upon any emergency, to repair with his Regiment to the Town of Gloucester aforesaid, and co-operate with him in defending the same, so long as he, the said Commanding Officer of the Sea-Coast Forces, shall judge it necessary; and, the Militia Officers and Soldiers, who shall be raised as aforesaid, are hereby directed to obey the said Commanding Officer of the SeaCoast Forces, accordingly.

The Committee on the Memorial of Jacob Boardman, of Newburyport, reported. Read, and accepted.

Resolved, That the Vessel mentioned in the Memorial of Jacob Boardman, belonging to Newburyport, be permitted to proceed on a voyage to any part of Europe, the Dominions of Great Britain excepted, for the purpose of procuring Gunpowder, and other Military Stores, for the service of this Colony; provided, the owners of the Vessel enter into bonds, with sufficient sureties, in the sum of (A) four hundred Pounds, to be taken by the Committee of Safety of Newburyport, in the name of the Treasurer of this Colony; that said Vessel shall proceed upon said voyage with all possible despatch, and bring nothing back except Gunpowder, and other Military Stores, and to land the same in some part of this Colony, Boston and Nantucket excepted; and that said Vessel shall proceed in ballast, without any other loading; and this Colony engages to take all the Powder brought in said Vessel, giving for the same at the rate of five Shillings per pound, (B) he delivering the same (C) to the Commissary of this Colony.

Honourable Charles Chauncy, Esq., brought down the Petition of Neal McIntyer, of Portsmouth, in New-Hampshire, praying that the Court would order certain articles of household furniture to be delivered to him, which were shipped by his father at Boston, on board the Sloop Advance, Nehemiah Eastman, master, and are now in the hands of the Committee of Frenchman's Bay, with the following Order of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, December 20, 1775: Read, and Ordered, That Jabez Fisher, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to consider the foregoing Petition, and report.

Major Hawley, agreeable to order, reported a Resolve for the purpose of revoking a Resolve of this Conrt, appointing a Committee of both Houses to examine Muster-Rolls. Read, and recommitted to Mr. Gerry.

Afternoon.

The Committee appointed to obtain an effectual method of making Saltpetre, reported. Read, and accepted; and, thereupon,

Ordered, That Doctor Whiting, Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Hall, be a Committee to publish such part of said Report, as, also, such Resolves of this Court, and such experiments that have been made in the manufactory of that article, as they may think proper.

On a motion made, Ordered, That Mr. Morgan, Captain Carpenter, and Mr. Hopkins, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for reconsidering a Resolve of this Court, which directs that a Powder-Mill shall be erected in the Town of Sutton, and to provide for the erecting one at Andover.