thirty-six heavy cannon at New-London, which, from its situation, can be defended with one quarter of the number required for the defence of the bay, town, and harbour of Newport. And when the difference of the towns of Newport and New-London, in point of number of inhabitants, and value in point of importance to the United Colonies, and in the abilities of the two Colonies, of which they are part, to defend them, are considered, we think it will not admit a doubt from which place the twenty cannon wanted are to be removed.

We beg leave, also, to mention to your Honours some of the probable consequences of depriving us of those cannon. All the disaffected, all the lukewarm, and all the timid, cry out that this Colony hath been totally neglected by Congress, while every other Colony that is exposed is defended by Continental troops, which the most hearty in the common cause cannot deny. This, with the dangerous situation of the town of Newport, the capital of the Colony, containing upwards of thirteen hundred dwelling-houses, and between nine and ten thousand souls, hath produced a very great division, and was near overthrowing that Administration which had so greatly exerted the force of the Colony. The blow, however, was averted, and the most seasonable arrival of these cannon, with the decisive resolution of the town of Newport, hath given union, spirit, and vigour, to the Colony. Take them from us, and we cannot answer for the event; the town of Newport and the island of Rhode-Island are lost. A small part of that army now at Halifax may, in their way to the westward, effect their destruction without being detained three days. It will be impossible for the inhabitants to defend themselves; they will not even attempt it. There is danger that those people who are so desirous of reconciliation with Great Britain upon any terms, will gain the ascendancy, and of the Colony’s being lost to America. Leave us the cannon, and we can save Newport, which hath been, induced, in consequence of their arrival, to take such steps as must bring upon them the British arms, and who will be most cruelly treated in being deprived of them; we can keep possession of Rhode-Island, which is of great consequence to the in and trade of Taunton and Swansey rivers; and we shall be a united people, ready, with our lives and fortunes, to support the measures of Congress.

We submit this representation to your Honours, which will be delivered to you by John Collins, Esq., the First Assistant in this Colony, to whom we beg leave to refer you for further information, not in the least doubting that, upon full inquiry and deliberation, your Honours will consent that the cannon remain here until we can be otherwise supplied.

Signed, by order and in behalf of such members of the General Assembly as could conveniently be convened, by

HENRY WARD, Secretary.

Providence, May 20, 1776.

CAPTAIN HARDING TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL .

Fairfield, May 20, 1776.

HONOURED SIR: I received your favour of the 18th, wherein your Honour has been pleased to order me to cruise in the Sound until further orders, after I had taken the small sloop that was carrying the Tories to Long-Island. I have fixed her with two swivels, and put thirty men on board, to go to the Island in search after some Tory deserters that we heard lodged at such a place, which we went to and returned without making any new discoveries. After which I fixed out another small sloop, called the Discovery, to cruise to the westward, which has since returned. I am now about fixing out another small sloop that was taken from a Tory, that I have called the Life-Guard, to be commanded by Mr. Smedley, to cruise to the westward. As I have occasion of many necessaries for the brig before she can be fit for duty, I shall return to New-London, and there prepare her for a cruise; and after that return back to the westward and cruise, except I receive further orders from your Honour. The unnatural combination betwixt the Tories daily grows more and more open, and I shall shortly send your Honour some new discoveries that I have already made; they are first examined by me, which will detain me here two or three days. I have cited the Committee, and shall resign them to the Committee. ‘After I arrive at New-London, if I have a convenient opportunity, shall wait upon your Honour and Assembly.

I am, dear sir, your Honour’s most obedient and humble servant,

SETH HARDING .

To His Excellency Goveraour Trumbull.

WILLIAM WATSON TO COLONEL MOYLAN .

Plymouth, April 20, 1776.

SIR: In obedience to his Excellency’s commands of the 11th ultimo, I would acquaint you that the Norfolk and the Happy-Return, prizes taken by Commodore Manly, and brought into this port, are condemned. If his Excellency will please soon to appoint a day for the sale of these prizes, it may be of service to the publick, as many articles on board them are wanted for the use of the American Navy. The other two taken by Captain Coit, and those two taken by Major Tapper, and carried into Dartmouth, have not yet had their trial; Coifs by reason of my not having received the papers which were taken with them, and which were sent to Head-Quarters; Tapper’s by reason of his not attending the Court with the papers relating to them. The Court is adjourned to 15th May, by which time I shall endeavour to get every necessary preparation ready, and in the mean time must ask the favour of you to let me know where the papers taken with Coits two prizes are lodged, that I may procure them seasonably.

I am, sir, most respectfully, your very humble servant,

WILLIAM WATSON .

To Stephen Moylan Esquire, Secretary to General Washington, New-York.

GENERAL WARD TO GENERAL WASHINGTON .

Boston, May 20, 1776.

SIR: I am to inform your Excellency that yesterday af ternoon Captain Mugford, in the armed schooner Franklin, fell down in order to go out on a cruise, but got aground near Point Shirley, in the evening. Major Frazer’s little armed schooner went down at the same time with the Franklin, and anchored not far from her. About midnight a number of sail and other boats from the men of war attacked the two armed schooners; the people on board Major Frazer’s cut their cable and came up; Captain Mugford was very fiercely attacked by twelve or thirteen boats full of men, but he and his men exerted themselves with remarkable bravery, beat off the enemy, sunk several of their boats, and killed a number of their men; it is supposed they lost sixty or seventy. The intrepid Captain Mugford fell a little before the enemy left his schooner; he was run through with a lance while he was cutting off the hands of the pirates as they were attempting to board him; and it is said that with his own hands he cut off five pairs of theirs; no other man was either killed or wounded on board the Franklin. These are all the particulars which I have been able to collect, as but one man has yet come up from the schooner this morning.

I am your Excellency’s obedient, humble servant,

ARTEMAS WARD .

P. S. Mr. Mugford was not commissioned Captain of the Franklin, but Master; and as the other officers had left the schooner, he took the command.

VOTE OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ON INDEPENDENCE .

Monday, May 20, 1776.

Monday last the Freeholders and other inhabitants of this Town, being duly warned and legally assembled at the Meeting-House, made choice of Jonathan Brown and Samuel Fisk, Esquires, to represent them in the Great and General Court or Assembly of this Colony, to be convened at said Meeting-House, on Wednesday next. After which, oh the question, “Whether that, if the honourable Congress should, for the safety of the said Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they, the said inhabitants, will solemnly engage, with their lives and fortunes, to support them in the measure?”

It passed unanimously in the affirmative.