Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Colonel Peter Waters nineteen Pounds one Shilling and three Pence, to discharge the pay of his Battalion of Militia, when on duty 9th March last.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Colonel George Dashiell thirteen Pounds four Shillings and six Pence, to discharge the pay of his Battalion.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Colonel George Dashiell thirty Shillings, for Boat hire, in removing Stock from an Island in Somerset County.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Colonel Thomas Contee thirty-three Pounds seven Shillings, for Muskets, purchased for Captain Stone’s Company.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Mr. Thomas Contee, for the use of Mr. William Allein, seventeen Pounds thirteen Shillings, for Boat hire for the Hornet and Wasp.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Captain John Day Scott thirty-eight Pounds and eight Pence, for Clothing for his Troops.

Copy of Letter No. 115 was sent to Mr. Richard Harrison, of Martinico.

Instructions were given to Captain Thomas Kell.

Copy of Letter No. 116 was sent to the Committee of Safety for the Colony of Virginia.

Copy of Letter No. 117 was sent to Thomas Smith and Thomas Bedingfield Hands, Esquires.

Commissions issued to Joseph Burgess, appointed First Lieutenant, John Norwood, Second Lieutenant, and Thomas Cornelius Howard, Ensign, of Captain Brice Howard’s Company of Militia, in Anne Arundel County.

Ordered, That the Arms, Accoutrements, Blankets, &c., mentioned in Letter No. 117, be put on board Captain Waters’s Boat, and sent to Baltimore Town, and from thence, with the other things mentioned in said Letter, to Chester-town; and that a commissioned officer and two privates guard the same.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Edward Timmons seven Pounds ten Shillings, for thirty Ramrods.

Ordered, That Major Gist send to the Committee of Observation for Kent County one ton of Musket Gunpowder, four tons of Lead, four hundred and fifty-four Cartouch-boxes and Belts, four hundred and fifty-four Bayonet-belts, and four hundred Gun-slings; and, also, sixty of the Guns and Bayonets now in the possession of Captain Nathaniel Smith’s Company of Matrosses.

Ordered, That Major Gist deliver the fifty-five stand of Arms which are in the Magazine at Baltimore Town, to Captain Nathaniel Smith.

Adjourned till Monday morning, ten o’clock.

Monday, April 15, 1776.

Council met. Present as on Saturday.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Mr. William Lux, Agent for the Ship Defence, eight hundred Pounds.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Captain John Allen Thomas sixty-one Pounds five Shillings and eleven Pence, being the balance of his general account.

Copy of Letter No. 118 was sent to Colonel Smallwood.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Tuesday, April 16, 1776.

Council met. Present as yesterday.

Ordered, That Mr. Isaac McHard supply Captain Samuel Smith with Bread, for the use of his Company.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Captain Thomas Ewing two hundred Pounds, on account of his Company.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Messrs. John Shaw and Archibald Chisholm twenty-two Pounds six Shillings and eight Pence, for stocking Muskets, &c., as per their account.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Mr. Richard Ridgely eight Pounds, currency, to pay an Express to Philadelphia.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Mr. Robert Collett thirty Shillings, for painting Gun-Carriages.

In consequence of intercepted letters received from the Committee of Safety of Virginia, (copies of which are inserted in the Letter-Book, and follow No. 120,) the Council appointed a deputation of two of their body, (Messrs. Carroll and Hall,) and requested William Paca, Esquire, to wait on the Governour with them, and desire a sight of his letter of the 27th of August to Lord Dartmouth; and in case the same could not be procured, to ask his parole that he would not leave the Province till the meeting of the Convention.

The gentlemen reported, that they waited on his Excellency accordingly, and desired a sight of the letter; to which he answered, that he had sent away the copy of that letter, with all his papers of consequence, last fall, and could not remember the particulars; but observed, we might be convinced there was nothing of a nature unfriendly to the peace of this Province, because the troops going southward were not ordered here. He asserted, also, upon his honour, that he had not endeavoured to influence the Ministry, by traducing the characters of individuals; some he had spoken well of, others he had recommended as sufferers. The gentlemen of Congress he had spoken of as acting in the line of moderation.

That they then informed his Excellency they were instructed to ask his parole that he would not leave the Province till the meeting of the Convention. The Governour complained of being unjustly suspected, gave them his letters from William Eden, Esquire, his brother, one of the Under Secretaries of State; also, from Lord Dartmouth; copies of which he gave leave to take, (and are inserted in the letter-book;) and desired time till the next day, twelve o’clock, to give his definitive answer.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Wednesday, April 17, 1776.

Council met. Present as yesterday.

Copy of Letter No. 119 was sent to Thomas Smith and T. B. Hands, Esquires.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Robert Reynolds thirty-two Shillings, for two cords of Wood for the use of the Council of Safety.

An answer was received from the Governour, by Letter addressed to the gentlemen who waited on him, (Vide Letter-Book, next before No. 120.) In answer to which, copy of Letter No. 120 was sent to his Excellency.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore deliver to Mr. Benjamin Harwood unsigned Bills of Credit of this Province to the amount of five thousand Pounds.

Permit was granted to William Jones, of the Sloop Sally, belonging to Mr. Robert Cummins, Victualler to the Troops, to pass and repass with Provisions to any part of this Province.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Messrs. Black and McConnell fifty-seven Pounds five Shillings and one Penny, for Clothing for the Troops.

Commissions issued to Richard Weems, appointed Captain, Gidean Dare, First Lieutenant, and Benjamin Harrison, Ensign, of a Company of Militia in Anne Arundel County.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Mr. Walter Hanson, of Charles County, thirty-five Pounds, currency, to defray his expenses in attending the Powder-Mills in Pennsylvania, or elsewhere, for instruction; which said sum Mr. Hanson agrees to refund in case he does not erect a Powder-Mill in this Province; but if Mr. Hanson should erect a Powder-Mill, it is left to the consideration of the next Convention whether the money aforesaid be returned or not. Mr. Hanson further agrees to give this Province the preference in the disposal of all Powder which he shall manufacture, provided he erects the said Mill.

Copy of Letter No. 121 was sent to the Deputies for Maryland in Congress, and also a copy of No. 122.

Adjourned till next day, nine o’clock.