A Letter was this day written to the Committee of Lancaster County, informing them that this Board have occasion for three hundred Rifles, and request they would apply to the Gunsmiths that have made the Muskets for the use of that County on the subject.

Resolved, That Mr. Morris be requested to purchase a sufficient number of logs for building two Piers for fixing the Boom to, for obstructing the navigation.

That Captain White and Mr. Morris contract with some persons to build the said two Piers.

Resolved, That Mr. Samuel McKinzie be appointed Surgeon to the Second Battalion of Pennsylvania Troops in the service of the United Colonies.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John M. Nesbitt, Esq., in favour of Lieutenant Hennessey, for four Pounds ten Shillings, for Wagon-hire, in bringing Seamen from Brunswick to this City.

Upon application of the Committee of Newcastle County for some nine-pound Cannon Shot, by order of the Board Robert Towers was directed to deliver four hundred, provided there is so many in his hands. At the same time he was directed to deliver to Captain Pryor two pounds of Gunpowder.

In Committee of Safety, March 31, 1776.

At a special meeting of the Committee at the Coffec-House,

Present: James Biddle, John Nixon, Owen Biddle, Alexander Wilcocks, George Clymer, Robert White, Joseph Reed, Thomas Wharton, Samuel Morris, Daniel Roberdeau.

Whereas Captain William Bradford and Captain Thomas Pryor report to this Board that Angus McBean made application yesterday to Nehemiah Maul for his Pilot-boat to go on board the Man-of-War, now in our bay, with assurance that he had the consent of this Committee, and that he (McBean) did guaranty said boat in the sum of one hundred and thirty Pounds in case he should be detained by the Man-of-War:

Therefore, Resolved, That Captain Thomas Houston immediately proceed down the River and remand the said Boat, McBean and Davidson, who are passengers on board, that they may answer to this Board for their conduct.

In Committee of Safety, April 1, 1776.

Present: George Clymer, Chairman, Alexander Willcocks, Samuel Morris, Jun., Daniel Roberdeau, Barnard Dougherty, James Mease, James Biddle, Thomas Wharton, Junior.

Resolved, That Nicholas Fitzsimmons be appointed Third Lieutenant to the Floating Battery.

Mr. Barnard Dougherty having represented it as impracticable for the Commissioners and Assessors of Bedford County, from their great distance, to contract with Workmen for making the number of Muskets as ordered by Assembly,

Resolved, That he be authorized to contract with Workmen in any of the back Counties for completing the number of Arms as ordered aforesaid, and that he draw on this Board for the payment of the same.

Mr. McBean being brought before this Board, and charged with endeavouring to go on board one of the King’s Ships, in Delaware-Bay, contrary to the direction of this Committee, upon application to them for that purpose, upon hearing his defence, and fully examining and considering the same,

Resolved, That Mr. McBean’s proceeding drown the River on his said design might have happened through a misapprehension of the verbal answer given by this Board upon his said application, as only implying a refusal to grant him their authority for that purpose, from which he inferred that he was at liberty to attempt it without such authority if he could effect it; and although this Committee are of opinion that his said design was ill-judged, and might have been attended with dangerous consequences, yet it does not appear that there is any ground to charge Mr. McBean with any evil intention to the prejudice of this country.

By order of the Board an order was drawn on Messrs. Mease and Caldwell, in favour of John Handlyn, for eighteen Pounds five Shillings and ten Pence, being the amount of his Account for repairing Fire-locks belonging to Captain Jones’s Company, and for repairing Fire-locks left by Colonel De Haas’s Battalion, and since delivered to Colonel Wayne and others.

Adjourned to five o’clock.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety agreeable to adjournment,

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, Daniel Roberdeau, Owen Biddle, James Mease, James Biddle, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Samuel Morris, Jun., George Clymer.

In Committee of Safety, April 2, 1776.

Present: James Mease, Chairman, Robert White, James Biddle, Owen Biddle, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Daniel Roberdeau, Samuel Howell, George Clymer.

Upon application of John M. Nesbitt, Esq., for a sum of Money for the payment of the wages of the Officers and Men employed in the Naval Armaments of this Province, by order of the Board an Order was drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq., in favour of said Nesbitt, for two thousand Pounds.

Resolved, That Major Meredith, Captain Peters, Mr. John Wilcocks, and Mr. De Haven, be empowered to contract with—Tomlinson for making publick the art of boring and grinding Gun-barrels, and instructing such persons as they shall require to be taught that art, and to give him a premium of fifty Pounds for communicating the same.

By order of the Board Robert Towers was directed to deliver Captain Proctor one barrel of Gunpowder for the use of the Artillery.

The Congress having sent to this Board, by Mr. Wilson, an information, in writing, against Samuel Sample, an inhabitant of Pittsburgh, supposing him to have some connections with Dr. Connolly, a prisoner in the Jail of this County, dangerous to the safety of America, and requesting this Board to take such steps as they think best for the publick service,—this Board did, in consequence of said request, send a letter this day by express to the Committee of Cumberland County, (enclosing a copy of the said intelligence and Resolve of Congress relative thereto,) desiring they would use their utmost endeavours to stop the said Sample, with his servant and a boy he took with him, and examine their clothes, saddles, &c., for any letter they may have; and if he, the said Sample, his servant, or boy, is found to have in their possession any letters or papers inimical to the liberties of America, that the letters or papers be sent immediately to this Committee, and their persons be detained in safe custody until the further orders of this Board.

In Committee of Safety, April 2, 1776.

At a special meeting this evening,

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, Samuel Howell, Daniel Roberdeau, George Clymer, James Mease, Alexander Wilcocks, Owen Biddle, Andrew Allen, Samuel Miles.

Resolved, That Mr. Nixon, Mr. Mease, and Mr. Roberdeau, be desired to look out for a small Vessel, proper to fit out as a cruiser in the Bay of Delaware against the Ministerial Armed Tenders, now obstructing the commerce of this Province, and that they make report of their proceedings as soon as possible to this Board.

In Committee of Safety, April 3, 1776.

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, James Biddle, James Mease, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Daniel Roberdeau, George Clymer, Samuel Howell.

Resolved, That the Letter received of Henry Fisher, of Lewes, be immediately sent to the Delegates of this Province, to be laid before the Congress; and the said Delegates be requested to represent it as the sense of this Committee, that if two or more fast-sailing Vessels, of small draft of water, were properly equipped, they might protect the