Liverpool, man-of-war; in answer to which the President of Congress, in his letter of the 18th instant, informs this Board that Congress judges it improper to exchange men taken in the merchant ships and river crafts for seamen taken from the enemy’s ships.

In Committee of Safety, June 20, 1776.

Present: John Nixon, Chairman, George Clymer, John Cadwallader, Robert White, Samuel Howell, David Rittenhouse, Daniel Roberdeau, Alexander Wilcocks.

Instructions to Commodore Samuel Davidson were drawn up and agreed to yesterday, and delivered him this day, and are as follows:

In Committee of Safety, June 19, 1776.

SIR: The Committee have thought proper to appoint you Commodore-in-Chief of all the Provincial Naval Armaments in the river Delaware, which you are to notify to the officers of the Fleet by publishing to them your commission. It becomes necessary to give you some instructions to regulate your conduct in some points of this important trust.

And, first, you are by all possible means to establish such a proper sense of subordination in the Fleet, that all the orders you think necessary to issue be punctually and implicitly obeyed—a loose and relaxed discipline utterly enfeebling every military establishment, however respectable it may otherwise be in the circumstance of number and force.

Secondly. As it is the duty and inclination of this Committee to maintain the Fleet in a constant state of preparation to receive the enemy, you must immediately take an exact survey of its present condition, and whatever may be wanting in its equipments, to make report of to Captain William Richards, who is appointed and directed to supply all its deficiencies.

Thirdly. An attack from the enemy being highly probable, though the time uncertain, it is necessary that every part of the Fleet should have its proper stations assigned, in such way as to afford mutual support, and that the whole may act to the best effect.

Fourthly. You must particularly attend not only to the situation of the Fleet, but take great care that the officers and men are not absent from their respective vessels any length of time and at any great distance; but as it is probable that some of the officers of the boats may be desirous of coming up to this city, you may give leave of absence to them, but only to six officers at one time; and that no more than three of that number shall be Captains, who shall not be absent more than forty-eight hours at one time from their respective vessels.

Lastly. Should any accident or circumstance happen in the Fleet that has the least tendency to affect the service, you are to give the earliest information of it to the Committee of Safety, that they, if they have the means of remedy, may apply such as the nature of the case may require.

These being the principal matters that have occurred to the Committee, they confide in your prudence and discretion, which have directed their choice, to supply their omission in those numberless circumstances and situations in which you may be placed, earnestly recommending to you, however, that you endeavour to promote the utmost harmony between you and the officers of the Fleet and between one another, on which depends so much the success of every undertaking where men are to act in concert, and mutual assistance is required.

By order of the Committee:

JOHN NIXON, Chairman.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq., and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Thomas Nevill, for £200, to be charged to his account for purchasing Lead for the use of this Province.

Resolved, That Edward Bingley be appointed Captain to the Fire Brigantine in the service of this Province, and that he engage four men to navigate the said Brigantine.

The Commodore had directions this day to distribute fifty rounds of Gunpowder to each of the Armed Boats, taking receipts for the delivery from their Commanding Officers, and at the same time to take from them all the Powder they have now on board.

A Letter was this day written to George Bryan, Esquire, Naval Officer, desiring he would grant permits to the Captains of Vessels that may apply for Chevaux-de-frise Pilots to the Town of Chester, taking a qualification that they will take no Pilot further down the River than Chester, unless it be such Vessels as go down the Bay under convoy of Continental Ships of War, who are to be allowed Pilots on their producing a certificate from the Marine Committee that they are to be taken under convoy, and that Privateers will always receive the necessary papers from this Board.

In Committee of Safety, June 21, 1776.

Present: Robert Morris, Vice-President, John Cadwallader, Joseph Parker, Alexander Wilcocks, Samuel Howell, James Mease, George Ross, Daniel Roberdeau, John Nixon, George Clymer, Robert White, Thomas Wharton, Jun., David Rittenhouse, Samuel Morris, Jun.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esq., and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Samuel Morris, Jun., for £1,000, being towards the payment of Logs, &c., purchased by him.

Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Thomas Apty two pounds of Gunpowder for cleansing the Work-House of bad air, and to deliver to George Clymer, Esquire, six pounds of Gunpowder.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esquire, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of James McLene for £152 19s. 3d., being the amount of twenty Rifles and forty-three Muskets purchased by him in Cumberland County, which is to be charged to Arms purchased for account of Congress.

By order of the Board Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver to Colonel Atlee, or his order, as many Fire-locks and Accoutrements as he may have occasion for to complete his Battalion.

Resolved, That the Report of the Committee of Assembly appointed to inquire into the conduct of this Committee, on the 14th instant, be published in the different Newspapers of this City.

Adjourned to four o’clock, when the following Members met: George Ross, Chairman, Thomas Wharton, John Nixon, John Cadwallader, Alexander Wilcocks, James Mease, Daniel Roberdeau, Robert White, Samuel Howell, George Clymer.

By order of the Board an Order was drawn on John Nixon, Esquire, and others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of John Fulton, of Chester County, for £50, to be charged to his account, for purchasing Arms on account of Congress.

Resolved, That John Hazlewood, Esq., be appointed Captain and Superintendent of the Fire-Vessels and Fire-Rafts and to the Guard-Boats, and that he be allowed for his services thirty-six dollars per month and four rations, to commence the day of his first appointment, being the 28th of December last.

In consequence of a Resolve of the 19th instant, Robert Morris, Esquire, applied to Congress, and delivered the following memorandum to the Board, taken by him in Congress:

“In Congress, June 20, 1776.

“Robert Morris, one of the Delegates from the Province of Pennsylvania, reminded the Congress that the Assembly of said Province had adjourned on the 14th instant, without having been able to carry into execution the Resolves of Congress of the 3d instant for raising six thousand Militia for establishing a Flying-Camp.

“And then informed the Congress that their said Resolve not being directed in terms to the Committee of Safety, but addressed to the Colony, the said Committee were in doubt whether it would be expected from them to execute the said Resolve, as they are in recess of Assembly the Executive body of this Province. He also alleged, that if the Congress expected the Committee to proceed in this business, it would be necessary or advisable that they should recommend it expressly to them; for, under the present circumstances of the Province, he much doubted if they would be obeyed, unless so authorized; and added, that if the Congress did not see proper to take further order in this matter, he hoped the Committee of Safety would always be held blameless,