of powder and lead ordered to Calvert. When a further distribution is made, we will supply you with your full share.

We are, &c.

To the Committee of Observation for Charles County.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO FREDERICK COUNTY COMMITTEE.

[No. 80.]

Annapolis, March 24, 1776.

SIR: We received your letter of the 11th instant, advising us what price sulphur bears in your County. We do no think ourselves authorized to exceed the price ascertained by the last Convention, which was six penee per pound; and, therefore, have to inform you we cannot advise the purchase of it at eight pence per pound.

We are, &c.

To John Hanson, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of the Middle District of Frederick County.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO DOCTORS HOWARD AND COALE.

[No. 81.]

Annapolis, March 24, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We hope to have a powder-mill erected early this spring; and as we must depend on our works for a supply of saltpetre, are anxious to know how much we have already in the Province, and what it may reasonably be presumed we may expect to be provided with by the middle or last of April; and, therefore, request you will immediately inform us of the quantity of crude nitre you have made, and what you can supply per week. We have great dependance on your works, from your abilities and assiduity, and the sums of money furnished you by the former Council of Safety to carry it on extensively.

We are, &c.

To Doctors Ephraim Howard and Samuel Coale, Elkridge.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COMMITTEES OF OBSERVATION.

[No. 82.]

Annapolis, March 24, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The great difficulty we find in providing blankets, for the regular forces raised for the defence of this Province, obliges us to apply to the Committees of Observation for the several Counties, earnestly requesting that they would use their endeavours to procure from the housekeepers in their respective Counties all the blankets or rugs that they can, with any convenience, spare; for which the Council will pay such price as the Committees shall agree, as well as any expense that may arise in collecting them together; and when you have procured any quantity, you will send them to Annapolis, to Colonel Small-wood, or, in his absence, to the commanding officer on the station, who will receive the same, and give orders on the Council for the payment thereof. We hope that the friends to our cause in your County will contribute everything in their power to the comfortable subsistence of the soldiery in this respect. It will be an act of great humanity, and render an essential service to the publick.

We are, &c.

To the Committees of Observation of the several Counties, respectively.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO KENT COUNTY COMMITTEE.

[No. 83.]

Annapolis, March 24, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: On the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, per Mr. Houston, we took the subject-matter thereof into our consideration, and resolved to send Houston to Philadelphia, with orders for all the powder and arms imported in the Wild-Duck, Captain Tibbet, to be sent to Chester, to your care, for the use of the Eastern-Shore.

We are much pleased with the commendable spirit which the Militia of your County manifested on the late alarm; but are concerned to hear they are so ill provided with arms.

The Council think it unnecessary to order the Minute Companies up from Virginia, as they will soon return from their station. We are much obliged to you for the assistance you have given Captain Veazey, in accommodating his company, and wish you to continue your good offices to him. We expected our Commissary would have furnished Captain Veazey’s Company with their rations of provisions before the date of your letter. Since then he has assured us he would immediately send a sufficient quantity of provisions to Chester for the company.

As soon as the arms and powder which we have ordered by Mr. Houston from Philadelphia, to your care, arrive at Chester, we request you would send immediately to us an account of the number of arms, that we may order a proper distribution to be made among the troops stationed on the Eastern-Shore.

Enclosed we transmit you our order, requesting you to send the powder therein mentioned to Queen Anne, Tal-bot, and Dorchester Counties; and also an order on the Treasurer of the Eastern-Shore for the payment of the carriage of the arms and powder from Philadelphia to Chester, as well as for the expense of sending the powder ordered to Queen Anne, Talbot, and Dorchester, and what arms we may also order to those Counties; though we desire you would not send the powder until we have given directions how the arms are to be distributed, that they may also be sent by the same conveyance.

We are, &c.

To the Committee of Observation for Kent County.

A Return of the Batteries in and near the City of NEW-YORK, their Cannon, with their weight of metal, and number of Men requisite to man them, as made to General THOMPSON, MARCH 24, 1776.

NEW-YORK, March 24, 1776.

REFERENCES.

(a) Near the Air-Furnace, on the bank of the North-River.

(b) A little to the northward of the first.

(c) To the westward of Trinity-Church, and very near it.

(d) Very near the Bowlmg-Green, or the King’s Statue.

(e) On Ten Eyck’s Wharf.

(f) On Long-Island, and nearly opposite the Fly-Market. *

(g) At the Ship-Yards.

(h) On Rutgers’s first Hill, just above the last-mentioned.

(i) At Horne’s Hook.

(k) On Bayard’s Mount.

Besides the foregoing, there is a breastwork or barrier at Peck’s, Beekman’s, Burling’s, and Fly Slips, as also at the Coffee-House, Old Slip, Coentie’s Market, and the Exchange, and one about midway of Broad Street, of this construction,            ; and the same are made in several of the streets leading from the North-River to the Broadway. There is also a line of circumvallation to be drawn from river to river, taking in the Independent Battery, on Bayard’s Hill, or Jones’s, where there is also a fortification to be erected, called Washington, to which may be added a redoubt round the Hospital; as also a work to be erected on the. Common, near the Liberty-Pole.

* In the rear of this there is to be a citadel, which will take up about five acres, and called The Congress