tractor, and endorsed on the back of the Port-Master’s memorandum, Rum excepted.

A Letter from Abraham Livingston, Esq., was read and filed. He thereby informs that he has received a deputation from Walter Livingston, Esq., in the Department of Commissary-General, to furnish all Continental Troops in this part of the Colony with Provisions, and that he will continue to act in that appointment until further order, or some contract made for supplying the said Troops.

A Letter from the Committee of Essex County, in New-Jersey, on the subjects of the Pay and Provisions, &c., of their Militia ordered into this Colony by Lord Stirling, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Newark, March 14, 1776.

“SIR: The Earl of Stirling last night requested of the County of Essex the assistance of three or four hundred men, to march to New-York as soon as possible. We think proper to inform you of it, and, also, that we have agreed to comply with the request, provided it be agreeable to the Provincial Congress of New-York. You will therefore be kind enough to let us know by the bearer the sense of the Congress about it. We have given orders for the men to be raised immediately, and they will be ready to march tomorrow, or next day at farthest. The Congress is desired, also, to inform us how the men are to be provided for, and by whom to be paid, and when quarters and provisions will be ready for them. Three hundred men are ordered to be raised in this County.

“I am, sir, your most humble servant,

“WILLIAM BURNET, Chairman.

“To the President of Congress, New-York”

A draft of a Letter in answer to the Committee of Essex County, in New-Jersey, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, March 14, 1776.

SIR: I have communicated to Congress your favour of this day, and am directed to inform you that they approve of the requisition made by the Earl of Stirling. The Congress have a grateful sense of the readiness your people manifest to comply with his request. Quarters will be provided for your Troops, but we wish them to bring a Quartermaster with them. An Assistant to the Deputy Commissary-General will furnish them with provisions. Who shall pay the troops is a question to be determined by the Continental Congress. When our aid shall become necessary to our neighbours, we shall cheerfully give it, and put this question on the same issue.

And are, sir, your very humble servants.

To William Burnett, Esq., Chairman of the Committee for the Town of Newark.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted by the bearer from Newark, in waiting.

The Congress then proceeded to take into further consideration the Report of the Committee who conferred with Lord Stirling on the 13th instant, on the measures necessary to be taken for the defence of this City and Colony. The said Report being read, and again read by paragraphs, and those parts of it that remained to be carried into execution corrected, amended, resolved on, and unanimously agreed to, is in the words following, to wit:

Regulations agreed to for the Defence of the City of NEW-YORK, between Lord STIRLING, General of the Continental Army, and a Committee of the Provincial Congress of the Colony of NEW-YORK.

Lord Stirling has already ordered Colonel Dayton, with the Third Regiment of the New-Jersey Troops, and also six Companies of the Second Battalion of the Pennsylvania Troops, immediately to proceed to this City. He also wrote to the Chairmen of the Committees of six Counties in New-Jersey, to send at least three hundred picked men, well accoutred, from each. And has informed the President of the New-Jersey Congress of the intelligence received from General Washington, concerning the embarkation of the Ministerial Troops at Boston, and requested him to give us all possible assistance, on the supposition that those Troops are destined hither. He has also ordered all the Artillery to be put in the best order possible.

Lord Stirling informs the Committee of the arrival of a quantity of Powder in this City, and that another quantity is soon expected, both directed by the Continental Congress for the service of the Army at Cambridge. It is agreed that the forwarding of the said Powder be deferred till further order of the Continental Congress, and that an express be immediately despatched to them by Lord Stirling on the subject.

1st. Resolved and Ordered, That all the male inhabitants, capable of fatigue, be immediately employed on the Fortifications of this City, and as well all the Negro men in the City and County of New-York, in the manner hereinafter-mentioned, to wit: That the commanding officers of each corps draw out one-third of his respective corps, and also one-third part of all the male inhabitants capable of fatigue within the districts or beats of the Militia, whereof he is the commanding officer, to parade in the Common, at nine o’clock, to-morrow morning, without arms, but provided with as many intrenching tools as they are possessed of; and that they take care to have one-third of all the Negro men in their respective districts turned out, provided in the same manner; that they continue to have the third part of their respective corps, and one-third part of all the male inhabitants capable of fatigue, and also one-third part of all Negro men within their respective beats turned out every day, and so on from day to day to work on the said Fortifications until further order; that the commanding officer of each respective corps for the time being on any fatigue or day of labour may receive an able-bodied hired man in the place of any other person, or any servant or slave in the place of his master, when it is not the proper tour of labour of duty of such hired man, servant, or slave.

2dly. Resolved, That it be recommended to the General Committee of New-York to make immediate report of all the Provisions and Bar-Iron in Town; to prevent the exportation of either of those articles from the City and County of New-York till further order of this Congress, or the Committee of Safety, except such Provisions as the sub-Committee of the City of New-York have, or may have, given permits for before the receipt of this Resolve, which the said sub-Committee are at liberty to permit to be exported, but from the City of New-York only, and agreeable to the permits they have already given, if they think proper.

3dly. Resolved, That Dr. John Jones and Dr. Treat are hereby authorized to purchase all the Hospital Medicines and Stores and apparatus in this City which they shall think necessary in the premises, and that they make report of their doings to this Congress, or Committee of Safety; and that they take the direction and disposition of the Hospital stores in the possession of Mr. Commissary Curtenius.

4thly. Resolved, That the Provincial Congress issue immediate orders to the Committee of King’s County to order the inhabitants of that County to give assistance in fatigue to Colonel Ward, thereby turning out for the service as many of the male inhabitants, Negroes included, every day, to work at the Fortifications in that County as the Committee of that County and Colonel Ward shall think necessary; and that they take with them their spades, pick-axes, shovels, and hoes, and to begin the work on Friday next, and they be under the like regulations, as to the number of officers, pay, and provisions, as the Militia of the City of New-York.

5thly. Resolved, That the Marine Committee be, and are hereby, empowered to take the direction and management of keeping proper Look-outs, and by proper persons, to discover any number of Ships on the coast, or approaching or entering Sandy-Hook; and that every Committee, Officer, and person in this Colony, give them any necessary aid for that purpose which the said Marine Committee may require.

6thly. Resolved and Ordered, That the Colonels of the Regiments in Orange County, on the south side of the Mountains, do draft out of their Regiments at least one hundred men, in the following proportions, to wit: Sixty-five privates out of Colonel Hays’s Regiment, and thirty-five privates out of Colonel Lent’s Regiment, and as many more men out of these two regiments as will turn out volunteers for that service, to be immediately sent to this