PENNSYLVANIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

In Committee of Safety, Philadelphia, March 1, 1776.

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, Robert White, Henry Wynkoop, Owen Biddle, Daniel Roberdeau, John Montgomery, Samuel Howell, James Biddle.

Upon application of John Nixon, for a sum of Money for the Committee of Accounts:

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq., in favour of John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, for ten thousand Pounds.

Resolved, That Mr. Govett purchase for the use of this Committee the following Military Books, viz: Sim’s Military Guide, Robinson’s Treatise of Gunnery, La Petite Guerre.

The time of the present Contractor for supplying the men on board the Armed Boats with Provisions being nearly expired,

Ordered, That the following Advertisement be published in the papers of this City:

“In Committee of Safety.

“All persons who are willing to supply the officers and men employed in the Naval Armament and Artillery of this Province, with the following Rations, viz: for each man per week, seven pounds of bread, or six pounds of flour, one-fourth at least to be in flour, if required; ten pounds of beef, mutton, or pork; the value of six pence in roots and vegetables; a sufficient proportion of salt and vinegar; three pints and a half of rum, or beer in proportion; are desired to send in their proposals to this Committee, on or before the 8th day of March, instant. The contract to commence on the 11th instant, and continue in force for three months, if the men are not sooner discharged.”

Mr. Nixon reports that the Bill sent Colonel Mifflin, the 30th November last, is returned, the Colonel having had an interview with Major Small, who informed the Bill could not be paid, as Mr. Franks, of this City, had directions to furnish the Officers taken prisoners with money; therefore Mr. Nixon is desired to return the Bill to Mr. Symes.

Morgan Bustead, not having performed any part of his Contract, with respect to his engagements with this Board, for the casting of Cannon,

Upon motion, Ordered, That his written Agreement be put into the hands of a Lawyer, in order to his being prosecuted for damages.

In Committee of Safely, March 2, 1776.

Present: Barnard Dougherty, Chairman, Daniel Roberdeau, James Biddle, George Clymer, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Samuel Howell, Samuel Miles, Owen Biddle.

Resolved, That the sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds be lent to Jacob Lorch, to enable him to erect a Powder-Mill, he having given bond, with security, for the same, to the Committee of Accounts.

Resolved, That John Brice be appointed First Lieutenant to the Armed Boat Warren.

The Committee of Correspondence of Bedford County, having drawn an Order on this Board for the payment of one hundred and sixty-one pounds of Powder, and one hundred and eighteen pounds of Lead, purchased by them,

Resolved, That an Order be drawn on John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Miles and Wister, for forty Pounds three Shillings and three Pence, the amount of said Powder and Lead; and that the same be taken proper care of by the Committee of Correspondence of said County, till the further orders of this Board.

Resolved, That this Board lend one hundred Fire-locks to Colonel Shea, to exercise his men. In case any of them should be damaged, the Colonel is to have them repaired at his own cost, and to deliver them to the order of this Board, on demand.

Agreeable to which Resolve, an Order was sent to Mr. Towers to deliver the said Fire-locks.

Abel Morris, having resigned his Commission as Ensign in the Second Battalion of Pennsylvania Troops, in the service of the United Colonies,

Resolved, That George Ross be appointed Ensign in said Battalion, in the place of said Abel Morris.

Resolved, That Mr. David Rittenhouse, the Engineer to this Board, be desired to make experiments in rifling Cannon and Musket Balls at the expense of this Board; and to this end, that he be allowed to employ any person or persons under him for that purpose; and that Robert Towers, Commissary, shall deliver to the order of Mr. Rittenhouse sufficient Ammunition for that purpose.

Matthias Keely, having engaged with Colonel Miles to make, one hundred Fire-locks for the use of this Province, and having delivered thirty-one Fire-locks to Mr. Towers, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Messrs. John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, in his favour, for seventy-five Pounds, towards the payment of said Fire-locks.

Resolved, That Colonel Hockley be desired to see all the Muskets made by Matthias Keely & Co., by order of this Board, proven with the weight of Powder equal to the weight of the Ball, and cause the Muskets so proven to be stamped with the letters PP.

By order of the Board Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Matthias Keely as much Powder as will prove one hundred Fire-locks, making by him for the use of this Province.

This day the Congress sent the following Resolve to this Committee:

“In Congress, February 26, 1776.

“Resolved, That the Committee of Safety for Pennsylvania, agreeable to the offer made by them of their service, of which the Congress have a proper sense, be authorized to distribute the Officers (prisoners in Lancaster) in such places within the Province of Pennsylvania, us to that Committee shall seem most proper, taking their parole; which if they refuse to give, the said Committee are empowered and directed to confine them; and that in executing this resolve, the said Committee have a regard to the resolution heretofore made by the Congress with respect to Prisoners and their residence.

“Extract from the Minutes:

“CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.”

In Committee of Safety, March 4, 1776.

Present: George Ross, Chairman, George Clymer, James Biddle, Owen Biddle, Samuel Howell, John Nixon, George Gray, Daniel Roberdeau, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Barnard Dougherty, Michael Swoope, Robert White.

Upon application of the Commissioners of Northampton. County, for a sum of money for the payment of Fire-locks, &c., making in that County for the use of this Province, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq., in favour of Peter Katheline, for three hundred Pounds, for the use aforesaid.

Upon application of Oswell Eve, for the payment of his Account for Powder delivered to Mr. Towers, Commissary, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Mr. John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, for seventy-nine Pounds twelve Shillings and six Pence, being the amount of the same.

Upon application of Jacob Baldwin and Thomas Palmer, for the payment of their Accounts for repairing Fire-locks belonging to Captain Le Marr’s and Captain Jenkins’s Companies, in the First Battalion of Pennsylvania Troops, in the service of the United Colonies, by order of the Board two Orders were drawn on Messrs Mease and Caldwell—one in favour of Jacob Baldwin, for four Pounds twelve Shillings; the other in favour of Thomas Palmer, for twenty-five Pounds nineteen Shillings and three Pence.

Upon application of Colonel Slough for the payment of George Eberly’s Account for subsisting John Brooks in the Jail of Lancaster County, confined there by order of this Board, an Order was drawn on Mr. John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, for eight Pounds, being the amount of said Account, and in favour of said Slough; which sum is directed to be charged to the Continental Congress.

Lieutenants Thompson and Webb appeared before the Committee, and gave information that a Captain Henry Yelverton Price had frequented the places of rendezvous of the crews belonging to the Armed Boats; that by words he endeavoured to discourage the service; that he had declared