take care to have our place supplied by a sub-Committee to comply with the applications of the Commander-in-Chief, whenever the exigency of affairs shall require it.

Give us leave, sir, to express our approbation of the plan you propose for establishing good look-outs. And as you very properly judge it best that they be made out of the Continental forces, we can only assure you that, upon notice of the approach of danger, or on any other necessity for the assistance of the Militia, all the succours in our power to command shall be most cheerfully and speedily contributed.

We shall consider of a necessary signal on such occasions; which may, perhaps, be best settled when we know that which, besides expresses, is to convey intelligence to the Commander-in-Chief from the look-outs you propose to establish. The whole plan would, perhaps, be best formed in concert with New-Jersey, the vicinity of which will afford this city as speedy succour as the nearest Counties in this Colony. On this head we are ready, sir, if you should think it necessary, to appoint a Committee to meet you for settling the arrangement; especially as we cannot sufficiently thank you for the confidence you are pleased to place in us; we cannot think of taking so momentous a matter entirely upon ourselves.

We heartily wish it were in our power to inform you of the present state of the New-York Continental troops. The number of troops to be raised by us, and destined by Congress for the protection and defence of this Colony, is four battalions. Besides these, there is one battalion for the Canada service, directed to be commanded by Colonel Van Schaick, an inhabitant of the northern part of this Colony. This regiment was naturally to be recruited in that quarter. For this reason the moneys sent to us for that purpose, by Congress, we immediately sent to General Schuyler, who has the forming of that battalion solely under his direction.

With respect to the four battalions, Congress has thought proper to put them under our immediate direction, saving in the appointment of Field-Officers, the right of appointing out of our recommendation. The Field-Officers are all appointed, and a list of them is subjoined. We have issued warrants to all the officers under that degree. We have taken the necessary steps for filling up the battalions, and for enforcing a return of their present state, with which we will furnish you as soon as we are possessed of them. The list of those under the degree of Field-Officers is so mutable in its nature that it would answer no purpose to trouble you with it now. Their warrants are all conditional in their nature. If any of them are negligent, or unfortunate, in recruiting, they must give way to new appointments; for we are determined to fill the four battalions with the utmost expedition, and for this purpose we have ordered returns. When the arrangement is settled it shall be laid before you.

You cannot, sir, feel more sensibly than we do, at the prospect of a deficiency of arms, at a crisis when we are compelled by Great Britain to the last appeal, in which we must, without arms, necessarily prove unequal combatants. We should, therefore, esteem ourselves deaf to the most alarming call, should we not exert our every power to procure them.

When the affair of Lexington proclaimed the war, this Colony was extremely destitute of arms. Our brethren of New-England, who were first called on for the defence of American liberty, had purchased many arms from our inhabitants. Our Colony troops were supplied last year with arms at our Provincial expense; most of these still remain in the Canada service. These considerations, together with our ineffectual attempts to obtain foreign supplies, increase the difficulty of arming our battalions. We are not, however, without hopes of succeeding. We have made several contracts already with the manufacturers. We have published encouragement for people in that branch; we shall continue to make as many contracts for the purpose as we shall from time to time have in our power. We have also directed the Committees in the several Counties to purchase arms. The number already furnished by our Commissary is three hundred and eleven; he has still on hand a few. We have reason to believe many of our troops will come provided; and, upon the whole, we hope we shall not be very deficient in so material an article. Colonel Ritzema is authorized to send an officer into the different Counties wherein his officers have recruited, for the purpose of collecting from the Committees the arms that have been taken from the disaffected inhabitants. And as we have given repeated and pressing orders to the Committees to execute the Continental resolve for disarming Tories, we hope for some supply from that source.

Your information concerning the arms at Kingston is well founded; and we shall immediately order them either to this city, or to be applied for arming the troops raising in that quarter. We assure you, sir, we shall not fail to furnish you with the returns of men and arms as often as we shall be able to procure them.

We would beg leave, sir, to inform you that, since the commencement of hostilities, our situation and the publick exigencies have obliged us to submit to the burden of a great variety of departments, not properly within the sphere of a Provincial Congress—such as Paymaster, Commissary, &c., for the Continental service; in the course of which we have received and issued large sums of Continental money; and though our accounts are nearly ready to lay before Congress, they are so excessively voluminous that it will require some weeks to complete them. However, though the balance is not struck, we are sure it must be considerably in our favour. In the mean time, sir, we should think ourselves inexcusable were we not to inform you that we have not one farthing of Continental money in our hands; and that the publick service under our care is now suffering for the want of an immediate supply. We shall, without delay, apply to Congress; but we cannot have the necessary relief from that quarter so soon as the despatch of business requires it. We are, therefore, constrained to request of you the advancement of six thousand pounds, of which, if you please, you may estimate the subjoined advancements to the different commanding officers as a part, and for which we arc ready to give you a receipt; or if you think it best to advance the whole sum to us, we will debit the Congress with the moneys advanced to those gentlemen.

We are, sir, with the greatest respect and esteem, your most obedient servants,

To His Excellency General Washington.

Account of Moneys advanced to the Commanders of the Continental Troops at NEW-YORK, by the Provincial Congress and Committee of Safety of the Colony of NEW-YORK, viz:

List of Companies recruiting in the Counties of ALBANY, TRYON, and CHARLOTTE, and placed to the Fourth, or Colonel WYNKOOP’ S Regiment, viz:

Captain Cornelius Van Santvoordt, eighty-nine men, at Albany.

Captain Samuel Van Veghten, forty-seven men, including Officers.

Captain John H. Wendel, forty-nine men, including Officers.

Captain Gerrit S. Veeder, thirty-eight men.

Captain Herman Vosburgh, seventy men, including Officers.

Two Companies in Tryon County, recruiting; no return.

One Company in Charlotte County, recruiting; no return.

The following Companies are placed to the Second, or Colonel CLINTON’ S Regiment, viz:

Captain Griffin, complete; on duty in Suffolk, by order of General Heath.

Captain Rosekrans, seventy-seven men; at the fortifications in the Highlands.

Captain Davis, complete; on duty in Suffolk County.

Captain Jackson, complete; at the fortifications.

Captain Belknap, complete; at the fortifications.

Captain Swartwout, fifty men; at the fortifications.

Captain Childs, no return made; Dutchess County.

Captain Roe, nearly full; Suffolk County.