Owen Biddle, Daniel Roberdeau, Samuel Howell, Joseph Parker.

By order of the Board John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, were directed to pay Samuel Allen three Pounds, for the carriage of Arms from Carlisle, sent by Mr. Culbertson, and to be charged to account of Congress.

By order of the Board Captain Richard Peters was desired to deliver to Mr. Kirk two Gunlocks, receiving pay for them, they being for the use of Lieutenant Finney, to complete two Firelocks he got made for two men in Colonel Atlee’s Battalion in the service of this Province.

Captain Heysham and Mr. Watkins having declined serving as a Committee agreeable to their appointment by a Resolve of this Board of the 14th instant:

Resolved, That Captain Loxly and Mr. William Evans be a Committee to receive the directions of this Board to carry into execution the making of Carriages for the different Cannon that may be made or otherwise procured for the use of this Province, to employ in the said works such Tradesmen, competent to it, as are well affected to the common defence now making.

Resolved, That Mr. Robert Towers make up as soon as possible five hundred thousand Musket-Cartridges and three hundred rounds for each heavy Cannon now in use; that he fill up three hundred thousand of the former and one hundred of each of the latter.

Resolved, That a Commissary be appointed to purchase as large a quantity of salt Beef and Pork as he can procure, and to purchase such other articles of Provisions as he may be directed by this Board, in order to be stored for the supply of any Troops that may be assembled for the immediate defence of this Province.

Resolved, That Colonel Miles and Colonel Roberdeau be a Committee to draw up a list of necessaries that they may adjudge necessary for supplying a large body of Troops that may suddenly assemble for the defence of this Province.

Resolved, That Mr. Nixon, Mr. James Biddle, Colonel Cadwallader, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Mease, Mr. O. Biddle, and Mr. Wilcocks, be a Committee to draw up a Memorial to the honourable the Assembly, stating the conduct of this Committee in providing the Armed Boats with Ammunition and Military Stores, and their Orders and Regulations for the defence of this Province and the River Delaware, upon the late attempts of the King’s Ships to invade the same.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esquire, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of John Wilcocks, for five hundred Pounds, to be charged to the Gunlock Manufactory of this Province.

The Board adjourned to five o’clock.

Agreeable to adjournment, the following Members met, viz: George Clymer, Chairman, John Nixon, Owen Biddle, John Cadwallader, Samuel Howell, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Samuel Morris, Jun., Daniel Roberdeau.

Upon application of Lieutenant George Cuppaidge, prisoner of war at Lebanon, in Lancaster County, for leave to remove from thence to Yorktown, in the County of York:

Resolved, That he be removed accordingly.

Resolved, That Colonel Samuel Miles be requested to employ as many of the Provincial Troops under his command as he conveniently can, in cutting a quantity of Fascines, informing this Board, from time to time, of the number he may have procured.

In Committee of Safety, May 20, 1776.

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, Robert Morris, James Biddle, Thomas Wharton, Jun., George Clymer, John Cadwallader, Joseph Parker, Alexander Wilcocks.

An Order was this day drawn and signed by Robert Morris, Esquire, Vice-President, on John Nixon, Esquire, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of James Caldwell, for one hundred and seventy-four Pounds six Shillings and one Penny, being the amount of fifty-seven Rifles and Firelocks, with the expenses attending them, purchased by Samuel Culbertson, of Cumberland County, which is to be charged to Firelocks purchased for account of Congress.

John Ryan, a person taken some time since at Henlopen, and intended to have been exchanged for some person on board the Roebuck man-of-war, was this day brought to this City, Captain Craig, who went down with him and others, Prisoners, to exchange, not being able to get on board said Ship, she having gone to sea; and this Board having been informed that the said Ryan was well acquainted with the River and Bay of Delaware, and that he was otherwise dangerous to the safety of this Province:

Therefore, Resolved, That he (the said Ryan) be confined in the Jail of this County till he be discharged by Congress or this Committee.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esquire, and others, the Committee of Accounts, for ninety Pounds five Shillings, which, with one hundred pounds of Gunpowder delivered by Mr. Towers, the 10th instant, is in full for four hundred and sixty-one pounds of Saltpetre, manufactured in Lancaster County, and delivered to Robert Towers.

Resolved, That Captain White and Captain Hazlewood be requested to survey the Channel on the East side of the Bar opposite to Fort-Island, and make report to this Board, as soon as possible, of such survey, and of the narrowest part of said Channel.

Resolved, That Mr. Owen Biddle be requested to procure five or six Wagons, and send them to Doctor Coxe’s Iron Works, in the Jerseys, to bring with all possible expedition the Shot he made for account of this Committee.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on the Committee of Accounts for fifty Pounds, in favour of Thomas Nevill, Jesse Orne, Frazer Kinsley, and John Derry, towards the payment of Lead Weights to be collected by them for the use of this Province.

In Committee of Safety, May 21, 1776.

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, George Clymer, James Mease, Owen Biddle, Thomas Wharton, Jun., Samuel Howell, Samuel Morris, John Cadwallader, Daniel Roberdeau.

Upon application of Robert Towers, for payment of his Account for sundry Arms, Lead, Sulphur, &c., purchased and paid for by him on account of this Province,

By order of the Board an Order was drawn in his favour on John Nixon and others, the Committee of Accounts, for one hundred and ninety-seven Pounds fourteen Shillings and three Pence, being the amount of said Account.

Upon application of Mr. Henry Wynkoop for a sum of Money to purchase Firelocks, by order of the Board an Order was drawn in favour of Gerardus Wynkoop for one hundred Pounds, which is directed to be charged to the said Henry Wynkoop, for Arms to be purchased for account of Congress.

The following Memorial to Congress was this day drawn up, approved of, and delivered by Mr. James Mease to Mr. Robert Morris:

“In Committee of Safety, May 21, 1776.

“To the Honourable the Continental Congress: The Memorial of the Committee of Safety of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA, showing:

“That the General Assembly of this Province having appropriated large sums for the defence and protection of the same, and of the River Delaware, this Committee, who were intrusted with the application thereof, caused thirteen Armed Boats or Gondolas to be built, equipped, and manned, and have since built, fitted, and manned, a large Ship, Floating-Battery, several Guard-Boats, and a great number of Fire-Rafts, erected Fortifications on Deepwater-Island, raised a large Artillery Company for their defence, and sunk Chevaux-de-frise in the Channel of the River; that the Assembly have raised two Battalions of Riflemen and one of Musketry, stationed on the banks of the River Delaware.

“That the Committee perceive, after all these exertions, greatly surpassing, as they believe, any that have been made in this Continent at an expense merely Colonial, that this defence is still imperfect, and far unequal, in their idea, to the probable force that may soon be employed against this Colony. To give, therefore, additional security to this Province and City, and the navigation of the River and Bay of Delaware, the preservation of which must be of the highest importance to the common cause of the Colonies, this Committee conceive it necessary that some more Armed