to erect a system of rules and laws that will enable us to carry on military operations with more knowledge, certainty, and despatch.

I have paid Captain Grier six hundred dollars, agreeable to the order of Congress, which you will please to direct the Paymaster to deduct on settlement.

The shameful inactivity of our fleet for some time past; the frequent neglect or disobedience of orders in Commodore Hopkins; the numberless complaints exhibited to the Marine Committee against him, and also against Captains Saltonstall and Whipple, have induced the Congress, in consequence of a representation from the Marine Committee, to order them to repair immediately to this city, to answer for their conduct. I have accordingly written them to set out on the receipt of my letters, and to repair here by land as fast as possible. I hope soon to have our ships on a more respectable footing. No efforts of mine shall be wanting to accomplish so desirable an event.

I have sent the resolves to the Convention of New-York which relate to them. The prohibition on salted beef and pork, I have given orders to be printed in all the papers to the eastward.

The resolves respecting the Indians, I must ask the favour of you to forward to General Schuyler, with such directions as you shall judge necessary.

I am to inform you that the Congress have appointed Ebenezer Hancock, Esq., Deputy Paymaster-General for the Eastern Department. A carriage, with one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the pay of the troops in that department, will set out to-morrow.

June 16.—A wagon, with about twenty-two thousand dollars in silver and a quantity of Continental money, will set out to-morrow morning for Canada. I have given directions to call on you at New-York, and must request you will order a guard to proceed with it as fast as possible the rest of the way.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To His Excellency General Washington.

I request the favour you will please to give the necessary orders to the commanding officer in the Eastern Department, and to my brother, respecting the payment of the troops.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO COMMODORE HOPKINS.

Philadelphia, June 14, 1776.

SIR: Notwithstanding the repeated efforts and solicitations of the Marine Board to put the Continental ships upon a respectable footing, and to have them employed in the service for which they were originally designed, they are constrained to say that their efforts and solicitations have been frustrated and neglected in a manner unaccountable to them; and in support of their own reputation they have been under the necessity of representing the state of their Navy to Congress, and have informed them that there has been a great neglect in the execution of their orders; and that many and daily complaints are exhibited to them against some of the officers of the ships, and that great numbers of officers and men have left the ships in consequence of ill usage, and have applied to the Marine Board for redress. These, with many other circumstances, have induced the Congress to direct you to repair to this city. And in consequence of their authority to me, I hereby direct you, immediately on receipt of this, to repair to the city of Philadelphia, and on your arrival here to give notice to me as President of the Marine Board. The command of the ships will, of course, devolve, in your absence, upon the eldest officer, to whom you will give the command, with this direction, however, that he take no steps with respect to the ships until further orders. And I further inform you that, by this opportunity, I write to Captains Saltonstall and Whipple immediately to repair to this city.

As your conduct in many instances requires explanation, you will of course be questioned with respect to your whole proceedings since you left this city. I give you this notice that you may come prepared to answer for your general conduct. You will bring with you all the instructions you have hitherto received from the Naval or Marine Board, all letters and papers relative to the fleet, and your proceedings, journals, state of all the ships, those in and out of port, state of the stores of every kind, provisions, list of the effective and non-effective men, and, in short, everything relative to the ships under your command.

As your presence is immediately necessary here, I again repeat that, on receipt of this, and as soon as you can prepare, you proceed by land to this city, here to await the further orders of Congress.

I am, sir, your very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To Esek Hopkins, Esq., commanding the Continental ships at Newport or elsewhere.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN SALTONSTALL.

Philadelphia, June 14, 1776.

SIR: The present inactive state of the Navy of the United Colonies, the many complaints exhibited to the Marine Board against some of the officers of the ships, and the daily applications of both officers and men who have left the fleet in consequence of very severe usage, have constrained the Marine Board to make a representation of our Naval concerns to the Congress, which require a speedy reform. And in order that the true and just reasons of this very great uneasiness and inactivity may be fully investigated, it is necessary that the officers against whom complaints have been lodged should be fully heard.

I have it in command, therefore, from Congress, to direct you, immediately upon receipt of this, to repair to the city of Philadelphia by land, and on your arrival here to give notice to me as President of the Marine Board. The command of the ship will naturally devolve upon the next officer. And you are to bring with you an exact state of the ship under your command, the list of the men remaining, what number of effective and non-effective, the state of the stores of every kind belonging to the ship, and everything relative to your ship.

As you will be called upon in general to answer for your conduct since you left this city, I give you this notice that you may come prepared for that purpose. I am to repeat to you that Congress expect your immediate compliance with this order; and am, sir, your very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To Captain Dudley Saltonstall, of the Ship Alfred.

(Same to Captain Abraham Whipple, of the Ship Columbus.)

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO RICHARD PETERS.

Philadelphia, June 14, 1776.

SIR: I am to inform you that the Congress were yesterday pleased to appoint you Secretary to the Board of War and Ordnance, with a salary of eight hundred dollars a year. Should you accept the office, you will please to acquaint me with it; and that you may enter upon your duty as soon as possible, you will apply to the Committee, who will give you the necessary directions. The gentlemen on the Committee are Mr. J. Adams, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Rutledge. The nature and importance of the office are such that the most constant attendance and unremitting application are indispensably required in the execution of it.

I am, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To Richard Peters, Esq.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO MASSACHUSETTS ASSEMBLY.

Philadelphia, June 14, 1776.

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN: Your letter from the honourable President of the Council was duly received. The Delegates of Massachusetts-Bay, you may depend, will pay all the regard and attention in their power to the instructions you are pleased to honour them with.

In my letter of the 4th of June, which I hope came safe to hand, I enclosed you sundry resolves of Congress relative to supplying a part of your Militia for the defence of the common cause in the present critical state of our affairs. On the 11th instant, in obedience to the commands of Congress, I sent a second express to the several Colonies that were to furnish troops for the defence of New-York. This last was

*