pointment of the three Major-Generals, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, February 8, 1776: Read, and concurred, with the amendment at A, viz: At A dele the name of "Honourable James Warren, Esq., second Major-General."

Voted, as the sense of this House, that the Money lent General Washington remain in the hands of the Paymaster-General till he receives a supply from the Continental Congress.

Moses Gill, Esq., brought down the Resolve which passed the House yesterday on the Petition of Jeremiah Obrien, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, February 8, 1776: Read, and concurred, with the amendment at A, viz: At A insert, "the above establishment to continue until the last day of December next, unless this Court should think it expedient to discharge them sooner."

Read, and concurred.

The Petition of the Selectmen of Reading, read January 25, read again, and the prayer thereof granted; and, there upon,

Ordered, That a precept issue to that Town for the choice of a Representative accordingly.

Whereas, by a Resolve of the General Court, passed the 19th of December last, all Officers and Soldiers who were, on the 19th of April and 17th of June last past, engaged in battle with the Ministerial troops, and suffered loss of Clothing, Arms, and Accoutrements, should, upon application made to the General Court, with sufficient evidence of their having sustained such loss, be compensated: And whereas, delay in exhibiting those Accounts has prevented, and may further prevent, detection of fraud in many instances:

Therefore, Resolved, That no Officer or Soldier who sustained any loss of Clothing, Fire-Arms, Ammunition, &c., on the 19th of April, or on the 17th of June last past, by being engaged with the Ministerial troops, shall be entitled to any compensation therefor, who shall not exhibit the account thereof to this Court, on or before the first Tuesday of the next sitting of this Court; and this Resolve shall be published in the Watertown Paper.

(No account for losses on Bunker-Hill to be allowed which are not exhibited before the first Tuesday of the next sitting of the Court.)

Azor Orne, Esq., having been appointed by the Court a Major-General of the Militia of this Colony, moved that he might be excused from accepting that appointment. Considered, and

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be put off till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the honourable Board, to know if they have passed upon the Resolve of the House for supplying the Committee for procuring Saltpetre with money for that purpose.

Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., came down and informed the House that the honourable Board had not passed upon the same, but that it was under consideration of the Board.

Whereupon, the House directed Mr. Perry to desire Mr. Phips to tarry in town.

The Bill for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels, &c., read a second time, and committed to Mr. Speaker, Mr. Story, and Colonel Orne.

Resolved, That to-morrow, eleven o'clock, A. M., be assigned for a third reading of the said Bill.

The House considered the Vote of the honourable Board on the Resolve of this House appointing three Major-Generals.

An engrossed Bill for reviving and continuing sundry Laws that are expired, and near expiring, read, and Resolved, That it pass, to be enacted.

The Selectmen of Bridgewater had leave to withdraw their Petition.

A Petition, signed Robert Harrington, James Kenny, and Moses Eayer, praying the Court to advance them the sum of two hundred Pounds, to enable them to procure necessary Stock to mount a number of Cannon, &c.. Read, and committed to Captain Stone, Colonel Barret, and Mr. Kingsbury.

A Return from Cape-Elizabeth, of a Schooner proposed to be fitted out as a Privateer, and the number of men who would engage in that service, with a Petition of Isaac Battle and Samuel Nichols, praying that said Schooner may be fitted out for that purpose. Read, and committed to the Committee appointed by the Court to build, ten Armed Sloops; and the said Committee are empowered to purchase, instead of building, Vessels as are suitable for the purpose.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the honourable Board, to desire them to send down the Report on Mr. Derby's affair, if not passed upon.

Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., brought the same down accordingly.

The Committee on the three Petitions of Benjamin Foster and James Noble Shannon, entered 5th current, reported. Read, and not accepted; and the Petitioners had leave to withdraw that which was first entered, and the other two were dismissed.

On a Petition of the Selectmen of the Town of Mention, praying allowance of an Account for Provision supplied the Companies that marched from that town on the 19th of April last:

Resolved, That there be paid to the said Selectmen, out of the publick Treasury, the sum of thirty-eight Pounds four Shillings and four Pence, in full discharge thereof.

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

Friday, February 9, 1776.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the honourable Board, to desire them to send down the Report of the Committee appointed to view the Harbour of Dartmouth, if not passed upon by the Board.

Moses Gill, Esq., brought it down accordingly.

Read, and committed to Captain Toby, Mr. Walker, and Captain Goodman, to, bring in a Resolve for the purpose expressed in said Report.

Walter Spooner, brought down a number of Resolves of the honourable Continental Congress, and a Letter from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., brought by Mr. Fessenden, express. Read, and committed to Captain Stone, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Batchelder, Mr. Rice, and Colonel Lovell.

The House assigned three o'clock, in the afternoon, to hear a Petition of the Committee on Accounts, and several other Committees of the Court.

James Prescott, Esq., brought down the list of Brigadiers, as chosen by the House the 30th January last, with the following Vote of Council thereon, viz:

In Council, February S, 1776: Read, and concurred with the amendment at A, B, C, viz: At A, dele "Generals;" at B, dele "for the County of Middlesex, John Cummings, Esq.;" and at C, dele "for the County of Lincoln, Arthur Noble, Esq."

Read, and concurred.

The Bill for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels, read a third time, and passed to be engrossed, with amendments.

John Taylor, Esq., brought down the following Resolve, viz:

In Council, February 9, 1776: Whereas, Accounts have been presented to this Court for payment by several towns in this Colony, for Provisions supplied the men who marched from such towns, respectively, on the alarm on the 19th of April last, and after, and no sufficient vouchers are lodged with such Accounts whereby it may be made evident that the publick had the benefit of such Provisions: And whereas, this Colony allowed to each man so marching, one penny per mile to refund his expense in travelling into camp, &c.:

Therefore, Resolved, That each Town who have presented their Accounts to this Court for payment, and yet remain unpaid, and those who shall in future present such Accounts for payment, shall lodge with them, before they shall be passed on, a Certificate from the Officer who commanded such men on the alarm aforesaid, that no part of