Whereas the article of Salt is of great importance and necessity for the use of the inhabitants of this Colony, and the obtaining the same in the usual way of importation is rendered difficult and uncertain; it is therefore judged necessary to encourage the manufacturing thereof in this Colony:

Whereupon it is Resolved by this Assembly, That the sum of one hundred Pounds be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony to the persons or persons that shall erect proper Works and Vats for the making and manufacturing common Salt within this Colony, and shall actually make therein the first five hundred bushels of good merchantable Salt; and that the sum of eighty Pounds shall, in like manner, be paid to the person or persons that shall erect and set up proper Works and Vats within this Colony, and make and manufacture therein the second five hundred bushels of Salt; that the sum of sixty Pounds shall, in like manner, be paid to the person or persons that shall erect and set up proper Works and Vats within this Colony, and make and manufacture therein the third five hundred bushels of such Salt; and that the sum of forty Pounds shall, in like manner, be paid to the person or persons who shall erect and set up proper Works and Vats within this Colony, and make and manufacture therein the fourth five hundred bushels of such Salt: Provided, said several quantities of Salt be made and manufactured, and a certificate under oath, or proper evidence thereof, be produced by or before the 1st day of October, 1777.

And it is further Resolved, That as soon as any person or persons shall make and manufacture either of the afore-said quantities of Salt, and produce a certificate under oath, or other proper evidence thereof, shall be entitled to receive the premium for the same.

An Act for raising and equipping a body of Minute-men to be held in readiness for the better defence of this Colony, and for repealing an Act of the same title made and passed by this Assembly in DECEMBER, 1775.

Whereas the English American Colonies are threatened with the immediate exertion of Ministerial power and rage, and their utmost efforts are making to reduce us to bondage and slavery, by their own and foreign additional Troops, which may be daily expected to invade and attempt to lay waste this country with fire and sword; it is therefore of great importance for the salvation of this country that its inhabitants should be put into the best situation for self-defence and preservation:

Therefore be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That one-third part of the Second, Third, Fourth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Twentieth Reiments, and one-quarter part of the other Regiments of lilitia, or a number equal thereto, be forthwith inlisted or detached from the limits of the several Regiments in this Colony, to be held in readiness for the defence of this, or any of the adjoining Colonies. And that the same may be speedily effected.

Be it further enacted, That the Colonels, or chief officers of the respective Regiments, shall forthwith order the chief officer of each Company in their respective Regiments to convene their several Companies, and also give notice to, and request the attendance at the same time and place, of all others within the limits thereof who are obliged to keep arms, and who are between sixteen and fifty-five years of age; and being so convened, to inlist out of any of them, or otherwise, as soon as may be, the number, if he and they shall be able.

And, be it further enacted, That if a sufficient number shall not voluntarily offer and inlist as aforesaid, the Captain, or chief officer, with the advice and assistance of the other commissioned officers of such Company, shall forthwith detach and impress out of said Company of Militia, such number of able-bodied men as shall appear to be wanting of the inlisted men, to make up the complement aforesaid; and every man so detached shall be considered and holden in the same mariner and for the same purposes, and perform the same duties, as the Volunteers inlisting as aforesaid, on penalty of ten Pounds, to be forfeited to the Treasurer of this Colony, to be recovered by bill, plaint, or information, in any court proper to try the same; and the said Captains, or chief officers, of said Companies shall immediately execute said orders, and make returns of their doings to the chief officer of the Regiments; and thereupon the Field-Officers of each Regiment of Militia shall form into distinct Companies, consisting of about sixty-eight rank and file each, and shall thereupon, with the advice of the Captains and commissioned officers of the several Companies of their respective Regiments, nominate officers for said new formed Companies, viz: one Captain, two Lieutenants, and one Ensign, out of such as have borne, or do sustain commissions of equal rank, and make return of such choice, with a Muster-Roll of the Companies, to his Honour the Governour, who, on receipt thereof, is authorized to commissionate the proper officers accordingly.

And be it further enacted, That his Honour the Governour, with the advice of the Committee of Safety, be, and he is hereby, authorized to form said Companies into distinct Regiments, and especially appoint and empower such of the Field-Officers of the Militia to take command of such new formed Regiments as he shall think proper and expedient.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That each of such officers and soldiers shall completely equip themselves with a good musket and bayonet, half a pound of powder, two pounds of bullets fit for his gun, six flints, a powder-hom, cartouch-box, and also a good blanket and knapsack, to the acceptance of the Captain, and the same hold in constant readiness for service, for which they shall be allowed and paid a premium of forty shillings each; and the Captains of each Company shall procure a drum and fife for the use of the same, for which he shall be paid by the Colony, and at the end of the service said Captain shall secure the same for the use of the Colony. And it shall be the duty of the Captains and commissioned officers of said Companies carefully to attend to, and see that their said Companies are forthwith furnished with arms, and equipped as aforesaid; and to that end they are authorized and directed to call them together, and such part of them as they shall find needful, as often as, necessary, to examine their equipments, and see that they are furnished as aforesaid, and said Companies, when collected, may choose their non-commissioned officers; and if any of said Minute-men shall not be able to furnish his arms as aforesaid, and they cannot be otherwise obtained, such deficiency may be supplied by impressing the same; and any proper civil authority, on application of the Captain for that purpose, shall grant warrants accordingly, in which case such deficient soldier shall receive but half the aforesaid premium, and the owner shall receive such reward for the use of such arms so impressed as this Assembly shall judge reasonable, according to the nature and length of the service to which it shall be put, and if lost or damaged therein, then the value to be paid. And the powder and balls used in said service shall be paid for, or found by the Colony; and if it cannot otherwise be had, it shall be supplied by the towns. And said officers and Minute-men shall be allowed, for the time necessarily spent in meeting for the purposes aforesaid, at the rate of pay and billeting as allowed for the Troops heretofore raised by order of the Assembly.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the officers and soldiers of the Regiments and Companies, raised and formed as aforesaid, shall hold themselves in constant readiness to march at the shortest notice for the defence of this, or any of the adjoining Colonies, in obedience to the orders of the Captain-General of this Colony, and other their superior officers; and when they are called out into actual service, shall have and receive like wages and billeting allowance, and be subject to the same laws and regulations as those to which the other officers and soldiers, already raised and inlisted for defence of this Colony by order of the General Assembly, are entitled or subjected.

And be it further enacted, That the Regiments and Companies raised and formed as aforesaid, shall be exempted from military duty in any other Regiment or Company, and shall continue to be held under the aforesaid regulations during the pleasure of this Assembly, not exceeding one year from and after the first day of June next; and shall then be disbanded and returned into the Regiments and Companies of Militia to which they respectively belong, and be again subject to military duty therein, said inlistment or detachment notwithstanding: Provided, nevertheless, That the provisions of this act shall not extend to include or affect the Twenty-Fourth Regiment of Militia in this Colony.