publick taxes. A very considerable commerce was also carried on from Providence; and several small towns in the Colony were also concerned in trade and navigation. Ship building was a great branch of business; in short, the inhabitants of the Colony derived their subsistence almost wholly from commerce.

The convenient situation of this Colony for receiving supplies from the other Colonies for the Continental Army near Boston, we suppose, was the principal reason why so great a number of the King‘s ships have been stationed in our bay; we having had for above seven months past, two ships of twenty guns, one of sixteen, a bomb ketch, and about eight tenders, who have made prizes of more vessels belonging to this Colony than have been lost by any other; have put almost a total end to commerce; have committed repeated depredations in different parts of the Colony; have kept our coasts constantly alarmed, and obliged the inhabitants to keep almost continually under arms.

The once flourishing town of Newport, by the loss of trade, and consequent cessation of all business, instead of being able to contribute to the expenses of the war, hath been reduced to so deplorable a state, that we have been obliged to grant money out of the general Treasury for the support of their poor; and many of the wealthy inhabitants have not only left the town, but the Colony. Conanicut and Prudence, lately the scenes of the most wanton and savage desolation and barbarity, are deserted. New-Shore-ham, from its situation, is rendered worse than useless to the Colony; and the other Islands will no longer be of service to any but the enemy.

The troops sent by this Colony to the Army near Boston, amounted to about one thousand seven hundred, inclusive of officers, of which two hundred and fifty are in Colonel Arnold‘s detachment in Quebeck. Many have entered on board the armed vessels fitted out by General Washington, particularly almost every officer and seaman in the brig commanded by Captain Martindale, unfortunately taken and carried into Boston, belonged to this Colony; and of the others, the greater part by far have reinlisted in the Continental service, so that very few of them have returned, or can return. We fitted out two armed vessels for the protection of our commerce and coasts, which carried upwards of one hundred men, one of which is now at Philadelphia, in the Continental service, with the greater part of her crew.

Above a hundred men have also been inlisted for the Continental Navy. We have also built and equipped two row-galleys, to carry fifty men each. Besides these extraordinary exertions, we were alarmed in October last with the arrival of a number of transports from Boston, destined to procure fresh provisions for the Ministerial Army. To prevent their obtaining supplies was an object of such great importance as obliged us to send a number of Minute-men upon the several Islands to defend the stock, which created a most enormous expense.

When the Assembly met in November, a regiment of five hundred men was ordered to be raised for the defence of Rhode-Island and the other Islands; notwithstanding which we have been obliged repeatedly to call forth our Minute-men. To prevent the great charge of which, we have augmented the regiment, ordered to be raised in November, to seven hundred and fifty men, exclusive of a company of artillery consisting of one hundred and five men, with their officers; and have also voted another regiment of seven hundred and fifty men to be immediately raised and equipped; besides two hundred and thirty-eight artillery-men for the management of thirty-four field-pieces ordered to be procured and placed in the several towns upon the sea-coast. We have ordered sixty cannon (eighteen and twelve-pounders) to be cast, and have already sent a vessel with a very valuable cargo, to purchase powder and other warlike stores, and are fitting out another, which will soon sail.

From the above representation of our situation, exertions, and losses, and the depredations of the enemy, which are not exaggerated, the exhausted state of the Colony, and its utter inability to maintain the present force established and voted, as well as to take any further measures to defend itself, will clearly appear. We need not observe to you the great importance of Rhode-Island, or the damages that would be sustained by the enemy‘s possessing themselves thereof—its harbours and the adjoining Narraganset Bay being greatly superior to any other in America; and its convenient situation with respect to the sea and the other Colonies, making it still more important.

We therefore request that you will give the earliest attention to this address; and have no doubt that you will take the most proper measures for defending the Colony; otherwise Rhode-Island, and the other Islands in the Bay, with the surrounding sea-coast upon the Continent, must be depopulated, and the Colony entirely ruined.

We submit the foregoing to your judicious determination; and are, with great respect and confidence, your Honours‘ most obedient and most humble servants.

Signed at the request and in behalf of the General Assembly,

NICHOLAS COOKE, Governour.

To the Honourable the Delegates of the United Colonies now convened in General Congress in Philadelphia.

GENERAL ORDERS.

Head-Quarters, New-York, April 27, 1776.

The riotous behaviour of some soldiers of the Continental Army, yesterday, and the evening before, has filled the General with much regret and concern; and lays him under the disagreeable necessity of declaring, that if the like behaviour should be practised again the authors will be brought to the severest punishment, if taken, or treated as a common enemy if they dare to resist. Men are not to carve out remedies for themselves. If they are injured in any respect there are legal modes to obtain relief, and just complaints will always be attended to and redressed. It should be the pride of a Soldier to conduct himself in such a manner as to obtain the applause and not the reproach of a people he is sent to defend; and it should be the business, as it is the duty of an Officer to inculcate and enforce this doctrine.

The honourable the Continental Congress having been pleased to order a Brigadier-General and six more Battalions to be immediately sent to Canada, his Excellency directs the Colonels or commanding officers of the Regiments of Stark, Reed, Wayne, Irvine, Dayton, and Winds, to prepare their corps for immediate embarcation. The Quartermaster-General will forthwith provide vessels, and the Commissary-General provisions; and General Sullivan will order every Regiment to embark, and sail with all convenient expedition.

The honourable the Continental Congress, in consideration of the four last-named Regiments being ordered out of the Middle Colonies, are pleased to direct them to be put upon the same pay with those already upon more remote service; which pay is to commence from the first day of May next.

Colonel Stark‘s and Colonel Reed‘s Regiments to be ready to be mustered to-morrow morning, at eight o‘clock, upon the Common, near the Park of Artillery.

All Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Soldiers, at present absent from the Regiments commanded by the Colonels Wayne, Irvine, Dayton, and Winds, are forthwith ordered to join their respective Corps.

Colonel McDougall‘s and Colonel Ritzema‘s Regiments to parade on Monday morning, at ten o‘clock, upon the Common, to be reviewed.

William Hains, of Captain Denton‘s Company, in Colonel Ritzema‘s Regiment, tried at a late General Court-Martial, whereof Colonel Baldwin was President, for “Desertion:” The Court finding the prisoner guilty of the charge, do sentence him to be whipped twenty-five lashes on his bare back. The General approves the sentence, and orders it to be put in execution on Monday morning, at the head of the Regiment.

Head-Quarters, New-York, April 28, 1776.

The Commanding Officers of Regiments and Corps are to be careful that the men are made perfectly well acquainted with all Orders that issue for the government of the Army; and are not to be less diligent in enforcing obedience thereto. Yesterday a number of Colonel Irvine‘s Regiment were found in different places firing their pieces, and wasting their ammunition, under pretence of not knowing they were acting contrary to Orders.

The Articles of War are to be read at least once a week,