the purposes aforesaid, agreeable to the advertisement from this Board.

Agreeable to direction of Congress, this Board went into the examination of Doctor Connolly, and find him to be a person inimical to the liberties and dangerous to the safety of these Colonies; therefore, was remanded to Jail till the further orders of Congress, or this Committee.

Upon application of Mr. King, for the payment of his Bill, for a quantity of Grape Shot made for, and delivered to this Board, this Committee came to the following Resolve: That he be paid four Pence per pound for said Shot; and that he be allowed fifty-five Pounds as a recompense for his having undertaken this business, and the unexpected disappointments he met with on carrying it into execution.

Wednesday, January 31, 1776.

In Committee of Safety: Present—

John Nixon, Chairman, JohnCadwallader, James Mease, James Biddle, Samuel Howell, Samuel Morris, Jun., Owen Biddle, Daniel Roberdeau, Gtorge Gray.

Upon application of Captain Proctor, for a sum of Money for the Recruiting Service, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Mr. John Maxwell Nesbitt, for fifty Pounds for said purpose.

Upon application of Captain Josiah Harmar, for the payment of ten Fire-locks, purchased by him for the use of his Company, in the Battalion late Colonel Bull's, by order of the Board an Order was drawn in his favour on Messrs. Mease and Caldwell, for thirty-six Pounds nine Shillings.

The Memorial of the Captains and Lieutenants of the Armed Boats, was this day read, and referred to Friday next.

Whereas, it is represented to this Board, by the Committee of the County of Philadelphia, that Thomas Auslinls charged, by several witnesses, with having uttered many declarations inimical to the cause of American liberty, and tending to excite groundless fears and apprehensions in the minds of the good people of this Province:

It is Resolved, That the said Thomas Austin be required to attend this Committee, on Tuesday, the 6th day of February next, at eleven o'clock, in the morning, to answer the said charges; and that for that purpose he be served with a copy of this Resolve.

The following Notice was sent to Josiah Hart, Marshall Edwards, Jacob Laughlin, and Caspar Fettcrs, Witnesses in the complaint against Thomas Austin, viz:

You are hereby required to attend the Committee of Safety, on Tuesday, the 6th day of February next, at eleven o'clock, in the morning, to declare such matters as you know touching a certain charge exhibited to the said Board against Thomas Austin.

Thursday, February 1, 1776.

In Committee of Safety: Present— John Nixon, Chairman, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Owen Biddle, Samuel Howell, Daniel Roberdeau, Samuel Morris, Jun., James Mease, Jnmes Biddle, Samuel Miles, Joseph Reed, Robert White, John Cadwallader, Anthony Wayne, Alexander Wilcocks, George Clymer.

Upon application of the Committee of Accounts, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Michael Hitlegas, Esq., in favour of John Nixon, Thomas Wharton, Jun., and James Mease, or either of their Orders, for the sum of ten thousand Pounds.

Lieutenant-Colonel Penrose having informed this Board, that a First Lieutenant is wanting in the Fifth Battalion of Troops to be raised in this Province, in the Continental service, this Committee, therefore, do appoint Richard Seward to be a First Lieutenant in said Battalion.

Upon application of John Tyler, for the payment of his Account for repairing a number of Fire-locks belonging to Captain Willet's Company, in the Battalion late Colonel Bull's, an Order was drawn on Messrs. Mease and Caldwell, in his favour, for eleven Pounds five Shillings and nine Pence.

Resolved, That Samuel Howell be joined to Robert Morris, Thomas Wharton, Jun., and Robert While, the Committee for importing Fire-arms, Gunpowder, Saltpetre, &c, from foreign parts for the use of this Province, to aid and assist them in that service.

Mr. Gratz having a quantity of Blankets and other Woollen Goods, said to be proper for covering and clothing the Troops now raising for the Continental service, this Board gave him directions to order the said Goods imme diately to this City, and if they are found suitable for the above purposes, this Board will allow him a generous price for them.

Messrs. David Rittenhouse, Daniel Joy, JohnMcNeal, and Samuel Morris, were by a Resolve of the 22d ultimo, appointed and required to make a survey of the Jersey-Shore, from Billingsport to Newton-Creek, and to determine what parts it may be necessary to fortify, to make an estimate of the expense thereof, and report the same to this Board, agreeable thereto, they make the following Report:

To the Honourable the Committee, of Safety for the Province of PENNSYLVANIA.

GENTLEMEN: According to your request, we proceeded from hence into the Province of New-Jersey, to the lower part of Billingsport, on the river Delaware, and surveyed the shore from thence to the lowland near Mantua-Creek. We determined the bearing and distance of the pier at the fort, from thence, and likewise the breadth of the channel opposite Billingsport, which was readily done by means of the grounded ice on each side of it. From Billingsport we went lo Red-Bank, and there, by measuring two stations, and taking several bearings, we ascertained its distance from the upper pier aforesaid. From Red-Bank we returned to Gloucester, where we took several bearings, which served to complete the draft which accompanies this, in which you will see the particular bearings and distances laid down with as much accuracy as the time would admit. If we may presume to give our judgment with regard to fortifying any part of the Jersey-Shore, we are unanimous in our opinion, that it is not advisable, because any part of Billingsport, or Red-Bank, is at too great a distance from the chevaux-de-frise, for either friends, or enemies, to annoy, with certainty, any boats, &c, that may be stationed at them; andd if a fort were built at either of these places, the enemy would land above or helow it without any difficulty, (unless a superior army could be collected before, on the spot to oppose them,) and oblige our people to spike their cannon, and quit the fort, or submit to be made prisoners, and the very means of our defence be made to operate against us, or at least be dismantled. To obviate which, we humbly offer a different manner of defence and annoyance to your consideration, which is to have a number of guns, twelve or eighteen pounders, mounted on strong travelling carriages, and previous to the enemy's approach to raise breastworks at the most convenient places at Billingsport, Marcus Hellim's, and other places, from whence these guns, thus mounted, and well plied with star and cross-barred shot, will annoy the enemy much, and, if they should land and press hard, our people can retreat and make a fresh stand at suitable places. If the enemy should land their whole force in the Jerseys, with an intent (as we may suppose) lo bombard this city, in such case the bridges, after our cannon are retreated over them, should be destroyed, with houses, barns, fences, &c, which would assist them in crossing; and thus, if our cannon are well supported with musketry, every inch of ground may be disputed with great inconveniency and loss to the enemy.

DANIEL JOY,

DAVID RITTENHOUSE,

JOHN MCNEAL.

Friday, February 2, 1776.

In Committee of Safety: Present—

Alexander Wilcocks, Chairman, Jamos Biddle, George Clymer, Samuel Miles, Owen Biddle, Samuel Howell, Daniel Roberdeau, John Cadwallader, George Gray.

Upon application of Mr. James Chapman, one of the Commissaries of Buck's County, for a sum of Money to purchase a quantity of Osnaburghs for Knapsacks, for the use of that County, by order of the Board an Order was drawn in his favour, on Michael Hillegas, Esq., for fifty Pounds for that purpose.