General Ward get what he has sent for to pay the five regiments to the eastward till a fresh supply arrives, of which Congress is informed. General Heath, since my arrival here, has obtained a warrant upon the Paymaster for money to replace the sum which your Committee kindly lent him; and, to the best of my recollection, General Thompson told me that he also meant to do the same. These matters shall be inquired into.

“With great respect, I remain, gentlemen, your most obedient and most humble servant,

“GEORGE WASHINGTON.”

“To His Excellency General WASHINGTON, Commander-in-Chief of the AMERICAN Army.

“MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: In obedience to the orders given us, we have met and deliberated upon the several matters referred to us by your Excellency, and beg leave to report, that the following Signals be given upon the approach of any number of ships towards this Port, viz: Upon the appearance of any number of ships by day, from one to six, a large Flag is to be hoisted on the highlands of Neversink; upon the appearance of any number from six to twenty, two Flags; and for any greater number, three Flags. Those Flags to be hoisted upon Flag-Staffs, arranged there from East to West, at twenty yards distance from each other. The Signals by night to be given by an equal number of fires, arranged in the same order and at the same places. These Signals to be reported both by day and night on the heights of Staten-Island, by Flags and Fires, arranged in the same manner. The commanding officer in each of those departments to see that a good lookout be kept for ships both by day and night; and, upon their appearance, he is not only to give the Signals before-mentioned, but is, as soon as possible, to give intelligence by express to the Commander-in-Chief.

“We recommend that the day Signal be given by large Ensigns, with broad stripes of red and white; and that, upon the appearance of three Flags by day or three Fires by night, the country is to take the alarm, and communicate it as soon as possible, for the purpose of calling in the Militia.

Die Sabbati, 3 ho. P. M., April 27, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq., Chairman.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Mr. Sands, Colonel McDougall, Major Stoutenburgh, Mr. Evert Bancker, Colonel Brasher, Captain Denning.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Colonel Cortlandt,

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Van Brunt.

FOR SUFFOLK.—Mr. Tredwell.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Cuyper.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Bancker.

A Letter from John Dennis, Chairman of New-Brunswick Committee, with the three Prisoners referred to in the Letter of Samuel Tucker, President of the New-Jersey Committee, received on the 25th instant, was read and filed, in the words following, viz:

“City of New-Brunswick, April 23, 1776.

“SIR: By order of the President of the Committee of Safety for the Province of New-Jersey, I herewith send you three Prisoners, who deserted from the ship the Lady Gage. A letter containing their examination was sent you a few days ago; but when you receive their personal information, it will afford you more satisfaction than could be expected from a letter.

“I am, sir, your obedient humble servant,

“JOHN DENNIS.

“To the President of the Provincial Congress of the Province of New-York, or, in their recess, to the President of the Committee of Safety, New-York.”

Henry Smith, late of North-Castle, being examined, says: That one Thomas Gibson, who informed the examinant that he lived at Fishkill, came to the examinant at Joseph Golding’s, in North-Castle, and persuaded him to inlist; that he inlisted about the 1st of April; that, about a week afterwards, he left home, which is now four weeks ago; that the said Thomas Gibson also inlisted William West and John Lownsberry, (son of Henry Lownsberry,) from Cortlandt’s Manor; John Jones and Arthur Orson, (son of Joseph Orson,) from Sing-Sing; and Stephen Daniels and himself, (the said Henry Smith,) from North-Castle; that they travelled in the night, and lay by one day in the woods, and another day in Purdy’s Barn, about two miles beyond the White Plains; that he thinks Purdy knew they were in-listed, and going on ship-board; that they left the shore at the Narrows, on Long-Island, where a barge received them and carried them on board of the Lady Gage. That Jones and Orson deserted from the Lady Gage; that Daniels and the examinant came off together. That his father did not know that he inlisted. That Thomas Gibson promised him three Pounds fourteen Shillings bounty, twenty Shillings a month pay, besides clothing, and two hundred acres of conquered land. That there were about one hundred men on board of the Lady Gage, most of them country people and recruits, as he thinks, and some of them sailors. That he saw William Lownsberry on board of the ship; that two of the Gidneys are on board, one named Solomon; that some men of the name of Haynes are on board, and one Robert Sneadon; that he is a Sergeant on board; that one Barnes is there, said to be a Lieutenant; one Campbell, a Captain. That they had some guns brought from the Phenix; that they had only salt provisions of flour and pork on board. That he signed a paper which Thomas Gibson produced to him when he inlisted; that it contained nothing but names, to his knowledge; that he met Gibson at Joseph Golden’s; that James Travis is on board of the ship; that they tarried about a week at Daniel Denton’s, below Hempstead, and at a tavern in the town of Hemp-stead, before they went on board of the ship, and that Gibson supported them.

A Letter, or recommendation, from the Committee of the County of Ulster, dated the 4th day of April, 1776, signed by Johannes Hardenbergh, Chairman, was read and filed. They thereby (pursuant to the resolution of the Provincial Congress of this Colony) recommend Henry Wisner, Jun., Esquire, and Major Phillips, in partnership, as proper persons (having the convenience of a good stream) to erect Mills and carry on the manufacturing of Gunpowder.

Another Letter, or recommendation, from the Committee of Orange County, dated April 18, 1776, and signed by Elihu Marvin, Chairman, was read and filed. They thereby recommend Henry Wisner, Esq., and John Carpenter, as proper persons to erect and carry on the manufacturing of Gunpowder, and recommend a place at or near John Carpenter’s Saw-Mill as a proper place for building the same.

A Letter and application from Henry Wisner, Jun., relative to the Powder-Mill to be erected agreeable to the recommendation of the Committee of Ulster County, was read and filed. He thereby applies for the loan of the money resolved by Congress in such case to be sent.

A Certificate, or recommendation, from the Committee of Albany, dated March 30, 1776, signed by Abraham Yates, Jun., Chairman, was read and filed. They thereby recommend Henry Van Rensselaer and Sons, of Claverack, as proper persons for erecting a Powder-Mill for manufacturing Gunpowder at Claverack, at the distance of more than two miles from Hudson’s River.

The said John Carpenter in person, and the said Henry Van Rensselaer, Esq., in person, applied to the Committee for the sum of one thousand Pounds each, on behalf of themselves and their partners, according to the Resolution of the Provincial Congress of the 9th day of March last, in such case made and provided.

Resolved, That each of the said three Companies, applying, are entitled to the loan of one thousand Pounds, and that an order shall be issued to the Treasurer of the Provincial Congress for the sum of one thousand Pounds to each Company respectively, as soon as they give such security and enter into such contract as is mentioned in the said Resolution of the 9th of March last.

A Letter from the Committee of Albany was read, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Albany Committee-Chamber, April 11, 1776.

“SIR: Yours of the 1st instant, together with a copy of General Putnam’s letter of the 5th, directed to the Chairman