that said Committee would furnish them with a Chart of the Northeast branch of Patapsco River, from Whetstone Point; also the soundings or depth of the water between that Point and Gorsuch’s Point; also a plan of fortification and chevaux-de-frise, or other obstructions, to be placed in the River, together with an estimate of the expense.

The Council adjourns till ten o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, January 30, 1776.

Council met. Present the same Members as yesterday.

The following Advertisement was ordered to be published:

“BY THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

“All persons who are desirous to contract for supplying the Trqops raised in this Province with the Rations allowed by the late Convention, are requested to attend the Council of Safety, at the City of Annapolis, on the 15th day of February next, and deliver in tlieir proposals, which will be duly attended to. A ration, as settled by the Convention, to consist,” &c.

Ordered, That one hundred handbills of the same be immediately printed.

Mr. Purviance attended the Council, and reported that, according to the requisition of yesterday, the Committee had appointed persons for the purposes therein mentioned.

Instructions and Sailing Orders were given to Captain John Martin, of the Brig Friendship.

Mr. William Lux was requested to purchase up, for the use of the Troops in this Province, all the coarse Cloths in Baltimore Town; also, Blankets and Plush for Breeches; and make report of the quantity and price to the Council of Safety, with all convenient speed.

Mr. Lux delivers to the Council the following propositions:

“The Pilot-Boat Chatham is bound for Statia, with money to purchase goods, to the amount of three thousand Pounds, or more, to the consignment of Mr. Thomas Russell, who goes out in her. The boat is valued at three hundred Pounds; and each shipper is to pay in proportion to the amount of his property in case she is lost. Mr. Russell will take one hundred barrels light Flour, on account of the Province, at six Shillings per barrel, and they to pay their proportion of the value of the vessel in case of loss.

“LUX & BOWLY.”

Which was read and agreed to.

Instructions were accordingly given to Captain Thomas Russell.

Mr. George Matthews, Cannon Founder, in the neighbourhood of Baltimore Town, being requested to attend the Council of Safety, and give what information he could with regard to casting of Cannon, and the Cannon now in that place, informed that there were two twelve-pounders, six nine-pounders, six six-pounders, eight three-pounders, and two field-pieces—three-pounders; which, in his judgment and opinion, might be of some service, but not to be depended upon till they were bored again; that they had been unused a long time, and were scaly withinside of the guns; that there were seven or eight of the Annapolis guns left by Captain Stone, four-pounders, all good except one, which had lost a trunnion; might be made serviceable by having trunnions fixed on the outside with an iron hoop.

Mr. Matthews was also asked on what terms he would contract for founding cannon; thereupon expressed his opinion that, in his situation as a factor, he could not incur the expense necessary to be laid out in founding cannon and boring the same, unless he had a moral certainty that his owners should be no losers by undertaking the business.

That the wheel for boring cannon, and other apparatus, were expensive, and a work that would require some time before it could be brought to perfection, and that he did not think he could furnish forty eighteen-pounders in less than four months from this time. That he was going to Philadelphia, at the request of Mr. Alexander, in expectation of hearing proposals from Congress on the subject of founding cannon, and should be better able to judge whether it would be worth while to undertake the business, and would expect to hear from us on his return.

Council adjourned till to-morrow morning, ten o’clock.

Wednesday, January 31, 1776.

Council met. Present the same Members as yesterday,

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Mr. Hercules Courtenay two hundred and eleven Pounds and two Pence, currency, being the balance due him from this Province, as per Account filed.

Ordered, That a Letter, in the following words, be sent to the Brigadiers-General of this Province, respectively:

Baltimore Town, January 31, 1770.

SIR: We are desirous of knowing what number of muskets are in the hands of the Militia of your brigade, either belonging to the publick or to individuals. We request you will furnish us with an account of them as soon as you conveniently can, distinguishing to what companies they respectively belong, and those which are good and serviceable from what are unfit for use; and that you recommend to and earnestly admonish those of your Militia whose guns are out of repair, and whose circumstances will admit of it, to have them immediately put into good order; but that if the owners of any such guns cannot, from their poverty, repair them, and they are only defective in the locks, that you have the same repaired and rendered fit for use at the publick expense. Writing immediately to the Colonels and other inferior officers we recommend as the best method of gaining information in the above particulars.

We are, very respectfully, sir, your most obedient servants. (Signed by the Council.)

A conference was had with Mr. Alcock and Mr. Massenbaugh, on the subject of Fortifications.

The Council called on Messrs. Keener, Messersmith, and Reddrick, to know what quantity of Muskets they had made for the use of this Province in consequence of their contracts with Mr. Alexander.

Mr. Keener reported that he had made thirty; Mr. Messersmith that he had made twenty-seven, and repaired fiftyeight for the Ship Defence; Mr. Reddrick that he had made seventy.

Ordered, That Major Gist and Captain Ewing, or either of them, be requested to employ a skilful person to prove the said Muskets, or any others that may be hereafter made by the said Keener, Messersmith, and Reddrick, or either of them, under their aforesaid contracts; and that the said Major Gist and Captain Ewing, or either of them, be empowered to draw on the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County for Powder sufficient for that purpose.

Council adjourns till to-morrow morning, ten o’clock.

Thursday, February 1, 1776.

Council met. Present the same Members as yesterday.

Copy of Letter No. 7 sent to the Deputies of this Province in Congress.

Ordered, That the Company of Light Infantry, in the regular forces of this Province, be armed with Rifles.

Ordered, That Messrs. John Hanson, Junior, Charles Realty, and James Johnson, or any two of them, be requested to provide and furnish the said Company with good substantial and serviceable Rifles, necessary Bullet-moulds, and Powder-horns, and to draw the necessary orders on the Council of Safety, from time to time, to disburse the expense attending the same.

Ordered, That a copy of the Resolve of the late Convention, relative to the arming of the Troops, be transmitted to them, with a copy of the above Order.

Ordered, That the Clerk make out and send to the Justices of Baltimore County Court, a copy of the Resolutions of Convention relative to the payment of Levies.

Ordered, That the following agreement be entered, and a copy of the same be delivered to the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County:

“Messrs. Lux & Bowly have agreed with the Council of Safety to take one hundred barrels of flour on board the Pilot-boat Chatham, on account and risk of this Province. You are therefore not to stop her intended voyage by reason of that quantity of provisions being laden on board said vessel.”