who, for some time past, have been on board the ship Lady Gage, and lately deserted from thence, at Sandy-Hook, and put themselves under the protection of our guard at the Highlands of Neversink; their names are Henry Smith, Isaac Horton, and Stephen Daniels; by whose examinations it appears that one Thomas Gibson, living at the Fishkills, hath inlisted a number of persons in your Government for the King’s Army; that a boat was lately sent from the ships-of-war to Hempstead, on Long-Island, for provisions, and not returned when they left the ship two days past; that one Robert Hambleton, a schoolmaster, had inlisted a number of men now on board the King’s ships, and was gone to Westchester to inlist more, (Smith and Daniels, it appears, were inlisted by said Gibson.) Horton says he was impressed on board the Asia last month. These persons will soon be sent to you.

“By order of the Committee of Safety of New-Jersey.

“I am, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

“SAMUEL TUCKER, President.

“To the Honourable the Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety, New-York.”

A Letter and Recommendation from the Committee of King’s District, in the County of Albany, recommending Thaddeus Noble as a Gunsmith, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“King’s District, April 18, A. D. 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: Thaddeus Noble, gunsmith, of this District, has made application to us, the Committee of the said District, for our recommendation in his behalf to your Committee, as an able workman at his trade or occupation of gunmaking. Being willing to lend said Noble our assistance in such a necessary and laudable business at such a time as this, when muskets are so much needed to defend our natural rights and liberties against the potent power of Great Britain, we do accordingly hereby recommend said Noble as a workman at said business, so far as we are acquainted therein, and can inform that we have often seen of his said work, and that it has been generally to the acceptance of the publick. And as said Noble may not be able to procure all such materials as may be necessary for carrying on said business, if you, gentlemen, should contract with said Noble for making muskets, &c., if he should want money for any part of the business, we desire you to furnish him therewith to the amount of thirty pounds, if he requires that sum; and, on his failure, we will be accountable for the same; and any order that you shall have occasion to give from time to time in the premises, we shall readily obey. If you grant said request, please to let this Committee know, and the terms, &c.

“Gentlemen, we are your very obedient servants.

“In the name and behalf of said Committee,

“MATTHEW ADGATE, Chairman.

“To the Committee of Safety of the Province of New-York.”

The said Thaddeus Noble was called in to the Committee. They conversed with him on the subject of the said Letter, and he was desired to attend again at five of the clock in the afternoon.

The Committee adjourned to four o’clock, in the afternoon.

Die Jovis, 4to ho. P. M., April 25, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esquire, Chairman.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Scott, Mr. Randall, Colonel McDougall, Colonel Brasher, Major Stoutenburgh, Mr. Prince.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR SUFFOLK.—Mr. Tredwell.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Cuyper.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel Cortlandt.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Adrian Bancker.

Colonel McDougall informed the Committee that General Washington requested of the Committee a copy of all the late Resolutions of the Continental Congress relative to the Fortifications in the Highlands.

Ordered, That the Secretaries transcribe copies of the said Resolutions, and deliver the same to the General.

Captain Heman Allen attending, was admitted. He delivered a Letter from Major-General Schuyler, as to sundry demands of Captain Allen not within his department; also a Certificate from Richard Varick, the General’s Secretary, certifying the number of men he had in service last year, with some other matters relative thereto. He also delivered a Muster-Roil of his Company, and a number of Accounts for Blankets, the use of Arms, Clothing, and Money, by him advanced, Commissions and Moneys by him received and paid, &c.; whereby he claims a balance of upwards of three hundred and ten Pounds.

Ordered, That the said Letter and Accounts be referred to the Auditors.

Colonel McDougall informed the Committee that General Washington had permitted Lord Drummond and Doctor Peter Middleton to go passengers in a vessel they procured for that purpose, to Bermuda, on their parole of honour not to communicate any information or intelligence whatever, and in substance the same as the Affidavit hereinafter written; that the General submitted it to this Committee to take such Oaths of Secrecy of the Master, Mariners, and other passengers going in the said Sloop, as the Committee should think proper.

Thereupon the following Oath was administered to John Hedly, the Master, Thomas W. Kenny, the Mate, and to Nicholas Vineyard, Charles Le Tellier, and John Rosemary, Mariners of the Sloop Charming Polly:

“You do severally solemnly swear upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that you will not communicate any information or intelligence whatever, either by word or writing, to any person or persons whomsoever, in any place whatsoever, relative to the state of the Army or Navy of the United Colonies in America, or any part thereof, or of any Fortifications erecting for the defence of this City and Colony, or of any other part of America; that you will take every care and precaution to avoid speaking with any British vessel or vessels belonging to the British Navy, and that you will not take any person or persons on board of your vessel but such as shall have permission from General Washington, or this Committee.”

John McAdam and Henry Nicoll, two passengers intending to go on board of the said Sloop to Bermuda, and Robert Cheesly, a Servant to Lord Drummond, severally attended the Committee, and were respectively sworn in the words of the Oath above-mentioned, except the last sentence relative to taking passengers or other persons on board of the said vessel.

A Letter from General Washington, dated the 20th instant, which had been before read, was again read, and now filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“April 20, 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: I thank you for the polite and ready attention you paid to my requisition of the 17th instant. When the civil and military powers co-operate, and afford mutual aid to each other, there can be little doubt of things going well. I have now to request the favour of your information in what manner and in what time a body of two thousand or two thousand five hundred Militia might be collected from this Colony for actual service, upon any sudden emergency. Although we may not, and I trust in God shall not have occasion for their aid, common prudence does, nevertheless, dictate the expediency of a preconcerted plan for calling them in, that, in case of necessity, they may be drawn together in proper corps without tumult or disorder, and at the same time with the utmost expedition. This will not be the case if men are not regularly imbodied, and notified that they are to step forth at a moment’s warning.

“The idea which strikes me as the most proper to be pursued at present, is, to establish, out of the Continental forces, good look-outs on the heights and headlands, (at the entrance of the harbour,) who, upon the appearance of a fleet, shall make such signals as, being answered from place to place, shall convey the earliest intelligence to Head-Quarters, of the strength and approach of the enemy; these signals, for greater certainty, to be followed by expresses, and then, in case anything formidable should appear, for the Committee of Safety (if sitting, if not, to those to whom the power shall be delegated,) upon application from the commanding officer of the Continental forces, to order in one, two, or more battalions, as the exigency of the case may require; or, for greater despatch, such Militia, or part of them, as shall be allotted to this service by the Committee, might be assembled