In Congress, Saturday, March 23, 1776.

The Congress met. And the Journal of yesterday was read.

Thomas Waring, duly elected and returned a Member of Congress for the Parish of St. George, Dorchester, in the room of William Sanders, Esq., deceased, attending, and declaring that he was willing to serve,

Ordered, That Mr. Waring do take his seat accordingly.

Resolved, That the Commissioners appointed yesterday for laying such obstructions to the navigation of the channels over Charlestown Bar, and in the harbour, as they shall judge necessary, be, and, they are hereby, authorized and required, to prepare proper Fire-Vessels, for the most effectual annoyance of any enemy that shall attempt to enter the said harbour.

Ordered, That Captain Lempriere be added to the said Commissioners.

Resolved, That all the Letters which have been put on board the Ship Port-Henderson, be forthwith brought from

may easily be complied with. An immediate answer is required; and we have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servants,

To Anthony Stokes, Esq.

GENTLEME: As we have already pledged our faith to release all the King’s officers, and others now in our custody, upon the enlargement of our captive friends, and we, holding it inviolate, are yet willing to perform our engagement. Should this exchange take place, such of them as choose to leave the Province may; and such as do not, may remain upon their parole of honour to refrain from all connection with the King’s vessels and soldiery. And we do now declare that we will neither make, or receive, any other terms.

By order of the Council of Safety:

WILLIAM EWEN, President.

To Captain Barkley and Major Grant.

SIR: I have the opportunity of acquainting you of my misfortune of being here; which is adding loss to loss. I also have to acquaint you of the disagreeable circumstance of Captain Andrew Lee having, by the Commodore’s orders, hove overboard some of your rice, and also have some of it on board now, which he intends to take away, and put on board some of the transports for Boston. But if in my power, I shall stop it for two days, till I hear from you, which I beg may be as socn as possible. I never intended being here, if it had been in my power to have clone otherwise; which would have been more pleasure to your most humble servant,

JAMES TAYLOR.

To George Houstoun, Merchant in Savannah.

LONDON, December 23, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I have been applied to by Messrs. Robert Grant & Co., Contractors to the Navy, for a proper person in your Province to supply the King’s ships with what provisions they may want when any of them come your way. I therefore mentioned you, hoping it may be of some advantage to you. But should the executing of it be disagreeable, or attended with any risk, you are at liberty to decline it; only, I should, in that case, wish you to recommend some person who would undertake it. Messrs. Robert Grant & Co. will write you themselves upon the subject.

I am, with esteem, dear sir, your most obedient servant,

JOHN SIMPSON.

To George Houstoun.

LONDON, December 23, 1775.

SIR: By the recommendation of Mr. John Simpson, (from whom we enclose you a letter,) we have taken the liberty to send you a copy of a contract with the Victualling-Board for supplying his Majesty’s ships on your station with provisions, in the name of Mr. Robert Grant, though on our joint account. We beg you will make the necessary supplies when demanded, and draw on us for your reimbursement; at the same time transmit us the vouchers.

The usual commission we give on such transactions is five per cent., which we hope will be agreeable to you. We shall be much obliged to you if you will, from time to time, advise us of the prices current with you, as we have several contracts to the northward, which, probably, might be supplied with some articles from your place; and if any opportunity for Boston, advise Charles Lyell, Esq., or Alexander Brymer, to the same purpose. You will please observe, that we have nothing to do with the Pursers’ necessary bills, only to give them money for them at the current exchange, if they apply for it, without putting us to any loss or expense whatever. You have form of a voucher enclosed.

To George Houstoun.

VICTUALLING-OFFICE, September 20, 1775.

Gentlemen: Having contracted with Mr. Robert Grant, of London, merchant, for furnishing sea provisions to such of his Majesty’s ships and vessels as shall touch at Georgia, and be in want thereof, we desire you will please to receive of him, or his agent, all such quantities of sea provisions as you may be in want of at the said place; and underneath is a copy of the contract made with the said gentlemen, for your information.

We are, gentlemen, your most humble servants,

To the Commanders of his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels at Georgia.

Extracts from Mr. Robert Grant’s Contract.

And it is further agreed, that I am to furnish rice in lieu of half the quantity of oatmeal that shall be demanded, after the rate of half a pound of rice in lieu of a pint of oatmeal; and the quantity of rice that shall appear by the vouchers to be supplied to his Majesty’s ships shall be paid for in the following manner, viz: Thirty-two pounds of rice shall be allowed to be equal, and shall be paid for at the same price as one bushel of oatmeal.

And I do also oblige myself to deliver weekly to the Admiral, or Com-mander-in-Chief of his Majesty’s ships at Georgia, or when the commanding officer for the time being shall require it, during the continuance of this contract, an abstract of all the provisions remaining in my stores, and likewise an abstract of the several species and quantity of provisions issued to each of his Majesty’s ships every week at Georgia.

LONDON, December 5, 1775.

DEAR SIR: The act now before the House for prohibiting all trade and intercouse with the associated Provinces, will effectually prevent our getting home any remittances from Georgia. All American vessels are to be seized after January. All vessels found going to, or in, any of the ports, are to be seized after the 1st of March; and all property whatever going to, returning from, or remaining in any of those ports after the 1st June. This being the case, you will readily see that it will be impracticable to charter vessels from hence to proceed to Georgia, load, and get away before March. The only chance left of our shipping anything will be from East-Florida; if, therefore, (and for this purpose nothing must be left unessayed,) you can, by any means, collect and lodge five hundred barrels of rice on the Florida side of St. Mary’s, we shall not only be able to throw a handsome sum into the hands of our correspondents, to whom e owe it, and much more, but shall make a handsome profit, and it is more than probable something extraordinary. As Tonyn is no friend of ours, it is not prudent that you be seen in the conduct of this matter. Make Mr. Egan acquainted with the plan, and let the whole be conducted in his name in that country; and as, from your resolutions, you are to have no intercourse with that Province, Egan’s name, and none other there, must appear with you.

You can easily collect the rice, I am sure; and if you conduct the business properly, it may be accomplished without the knowledge of an individual in your Province to whom you do not communicate it. In fact, as the scheme is feasible, practicable, and may be very profitable, I am come to the determination of chartering a small vessel, not to exceed four hundred and fifty or five hundred barrels of rice, and go out in her to St. Mary’s, East-Florida, to sail from hence in thirty days from the date hereof, and to load rice. But, for fear of the worst, it shall be in option to send her (in case only you find the former plan impracticable) to the West-Indies with lumber, so that, from this sketch of the matter, regulate and govern yourselves accordingly. A load of lumber you may surely get. To prevent suspicion, I shall charter the vessel in Egan’s name, and only appear in the business as his agent.

I am extremely anxious to get out; and as this is the only chance I shall have, nothing will prevent my putting it in execution; and as the risk we run of a failure is by no means equal to the advantages we may reap in case we succeed, you may depend upon what I now write.

The act recites, that so soon as any of the Provinces, or any part of a Province, returns to its allegiance, its trade shall be restored. You will therefore be best able to judge of the temper and disposition of our Province, and by which you will take care to regulate your conduct. As to purchasing of rice, (for, as you know, it is a perishable article,) we ought not to meddle with more than we have a prospect of getting off our hands. If, on the other hand, you find an opening for anything, buy largely-we owe money, and we must, we ought to pay it. I shall at this time say no more, than that you may once again, before you see me, hear from me by the Packet to sail the 16th for Virginia, North and South-Carolina.

LONDON, December 22, 1775.

DEAR SIR: Above is a copy of what I wrote you via Augustine, since which I can only inform you that the before-mentioned law received the Royal assent yesterday, and I have very good reason to suppose will be transmitted to every Governour and Commander on the Continent. I would, notwithstanding, send you the act, but cannot procure it! I refer you to Captain McKay, who will see it as soon as any person in your Province, and, I dare say, will communicate its contents most willingly. I confirm what I before wrote to yon, and you may expect to see me in the vessel, which I have already wrote you I would charter. I shall put off her sailing as long as possible, yet think and believe it will be in all the month of January; therefore you will purchase accordingly. I hope you will exert yourself in this business, in which case I have no doubt of success, and you may have and entertain the most sanguine hopes of the greatest advantages from the result. Rice will command, in all probability, twenty shillings per hundred, staves twenty pounds per thousand, and other things in proportion. Upon the whole, exert yourselves, risk something, and leave the rest to fortune. But remember rice. This is the article we ought to ship, and it is expected we shall do it. I say no more. As to my own affairs, I refer you, &c.

To Messrs. Kelsall and Spalding, Sunbury.