Ordered, That it be transcribed, signed by the President, and forwarded.

The Committee on Prisoners, to whom the Letter from Monsieur Bellestre, of the 16th of March last, was referred, brought in their Report; which was read: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the sum of 3400 Dollars be advanced by the Treasurers to M. Bellestre, on his delivering to them his Bills of Exchange for the like sum, payable in gold or silver, in the Province of Canada.

The Petition of William Lindsay being presented to Congress and read,

Resolved, That Colonel Wayne be directed to discharge Robert, the son of said William Lindsay, who is inlisted in his Battalion.

The matters to this day referred being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Wednesday, April 3, 1776.

Resolved, That the Letter from General Washington, of the 24th of March, with the papers enclosed, be referred to a Committee of three.

The Members chosen, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Wilson.

A Memorial and Petition from Captain John Nelson was presented to Congress, and read: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the sum of 1000 Dollars be advanced to Captain Nelson for the use of his Company, he to be accountable.

Also, a Petition from P. Moore, in behalf of the owners of the Sloops Congress and Chance, Privateers, was presented and read.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to sell said owners four hundred pounds of Powder for the use of their Privateers.

The Committee of Claims, to whom the Account of Messieurs Price and Haywood was referred, brought in their Report: Whereupon,

Resolved, That there be advanced to Messieurs Price and Haywood the sum of 64,358.6 Dollars, on account of supplies to the Army in Canada, to be accounted for on the settlement of their Accounts; and that General Wooster be directed to forward the Accounts and Vouchers lodged in his hands.

The said Committee further reported, that there is due,

To the Township of Montague, in the County of Sussex, in New-Jersey, for Sleigh-hire, in forwarding the Prisoners from Canada, under the command of Captain A. E. Brasher, the sum of 45 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Nicholas Christopher.

Ordered, That the same be paid.

A Letter from H. Fisher, of Lewistown, to the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, together with a Resolve of said Committee, being laid before Congress, was read.

Resolved, That the Commanding Officer of the Battalion raised in Delaware Government be directed to send two Companies of said Battalion to Lewistown, there to remain in the service of the Continent till further orders.

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be directed and empowered to fit out, with all expedition, two Armed Cutters, for the service of the Continent.

Resolved, That blank Commissions for private Ships of War and Letters of Marque and Reprisal, signed by the President, be sent to the General Assemblies, Conventions, Councils or Committees of Safety of the United Colonies, to be by them filled up and delivered to the persons intending to fit out such private Ships of War for making captures of British Vessels and Cargoes, who shall apply for the same, and execute the Bonds which shall be sent with the said Commissions, which Bonds shall be returned to the Congress.

Resolved, That every person intending to set forth and fit out a private Ship or Vessel of War, and applying for a Commission or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, for that purpose, shall produce a writing subscribed by him, containing the name and tonnage or burden of the Ship or Vessel, the number of her Guns, with their weight of metal, the name and place of residence of the Owner or Owners, the names of the Commander and others Officers the number of the Crew, and the quantity of Provisions and warlike Stores; which writing shall be delivered to the Secretary of Congress, or to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Convention, or Council or Committee of Safety of the Colony, in which the Ship or Vessel shall be, to be transmitted to the said Secretary, and shall be registered by him; and that the Commander of the Ship or Vessel, before the Commission, or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, may be granted, shall, together with sureties, seal and deliver a Bond, in the penalty of five thousand Dollars, if the Vessel be of one hundred tons or under, or ten thousand Dollars, if of a greater burden, payable to the President of the Congress, in trust for the use of the United Colonies, with condition in the form following, to wit:

“The condition of this obligation is such, That if the above bounden  . . . . . . . . . , who is commander of the  . . . . . . , called  . . . . . . , belonging to . . . . . . , of . . . . . , in the Colony of . . . . . . . , mounting . . . . . , carriage-guns, and navigated by  . . . . . , men, and who hath applied for a commission, and letters of marque and reprisal, to arm, equip, and set forth to sea, the said . . . . . . , as a private ship-of-war, and to make captures of British vessels and cargoes, shall not exceed or transgress the powers and authorities which shall be contained in the said Commission, but shall, in all things, observe and conduct himself, and govern his crew, by and according to the same, and certain Instructions therewith to be delivered, and such other Instructions as may hereafter be given to him, and shall make reparation for all damages sustained by any misconduct or unwarrantable proceedings of himself, or the officers or crew of the said  . . . . . . . ; then this obligation shall be void, or else remain in force.

“Sealed and delivered in the presence of . . . . . .”

Which Bond shall be lodged with the said Secretary of Congress.

The Committee to whom the Instructions to the Commanders of private Ships or Vessels of War were recommitted, brought in their Report; which being taken into consideration, and debated by paragraphs, was agreed to, as follows:

Instructions to the Commanders of private Ships or Vessels of War, which shall have Commissions or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, authorizing them to make captures of BRITISH Vessels and Cargoes.

1. You may, by force of arms, attack, subdue, and take all ships and other vessels, belonging to the inhabitants of Great Britain, on the high seas, or between high water and low water marks, except ships and vessels bringing persons who intend to settle and reside in the United Colonies; or bringing arms, ammunition, or warlike stores, to the said Colonies, for the use of such inhabitants thereof as are friends to the American cause, which you shall suffer to pass unmolested, the commanders thereof permitting a peaceable search, and giving satisfactory information of the contents of the ladings, and destinations of the voyages.

2. You may, by force of arms, attack, subdue, and take all ships and other vessels whatsoever, carrying soldiers, arms, gunpowder, ammunition, provisions, or any other contraband goods, to any of the British armies or ships of war employed against these Colonies.

3. You shall bring such ships and vessels as you shall take, with their guns, rigging, tackle, apparel, furniture, and ladings, to some convenient port or ports of the United Colonies, that proceedings may thereupon be had, in due form, before the courts which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine causes, civil and maritime.

4. You, or one of your chief officers, shall bring or send the master and pilot, and one or more principal person or persons of the company of every ship or vessel by you taken, as soon after the capture as may be, to the Judge or Judges of such court as aforesaid, to be examined upon oath, and make answer to the interrogatories which may be propounded, touching the interest or property of the ship or vessel, and her lading; and, at the same time, you shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Judge or Judges, all passes, seabriefs, charter-parties, bills of lading, cockets, letters, and other documents and writings found on board, proving the said papers by the affidavit of yourself or of some other person, present at the capture, to be producd as they were received, without fraud, addition, subduction, or embezzlement.