receive and take care of all the publick stores now on board said Schooner that belong to this Colony, and lay his accounts before this Court for allowance and payment of the same.

Resolve to fit out a Vessel of Observation; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That Captain Batcheldor be directed to hire and fit out a small Vessel, and employ a master and a suitable number of men to man her, for the purpose of cruising, obtaining and giving intelligence of the enemy's fleets, &c.; and when said Vessel is fit for the sea, the said Batcheldor is directed to send the master to the Council or Committee of Council, to receive such orders and instructions as will be necessary.

It is further Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and he is hereby, directed to pay out of the publick Treasury the sum of £50 to said Batcheldor, to enable him to carry this Resolve into execution, he to be accountable to this Court for the same.

Resolve for raising a Company of Matrosses to be stationed at SALEM; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That a Company of Matrosses, to consist of fifty men, including Officers, be raised and placed at Salem, to be under the direction of the Committee of Correspondence, Safety, and Inspection, at Salem, and to be upon the same pay and regulations as the Company of Matrosses stationed at Marblehead—said Company to be inlisted to serve till the last of December next, unless sooner discharged by this Court.

Resolve for supplying the Selectmen of BOSTON with eighty Pounds, &c.; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony the sum of £80, towards defraying the expenses incurred by removing persons to the Province Hospital at Boston, and supporting them while sick with the small-pox; and that Mr. Oliver Wendell be appointed to receive and pay said Moneys to the Selectmen of Boston, and be accountable to this Court for the same.

Committee for procuring Flour, directed not to purchase any more; JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That Deacon Elnathan Curtis, Gideon Wheeler, Esquire, and Mr. Benedict Dewey, the Committee appointed February 20, 1776, to purchase a quantity of Flour in the western parts of this Colony, not exceeding two thousand barrels, (and who have given information that they have purchased about fifteen hundred barrels,) be, and they are hereby, directed not to purchase any more on account of this Colony, until the further order of this Court; and that Captain Noah Goodman and Major William Pyncheon be, and they are hereby, directed to pay the moneys they have received from this Court to the several persons that have supplied them with Flour, and apply to this Court for any further sum that may be wanting to complete said payments, and account with this Court for the same.

Establishment for the Row-Galleys; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Whereas there are two Row-Galleys now building in this Colony, which are nearly ready for the Sea, but no establishment having been made for them, and a recess of this Court is likely soon to take place: Therefore,

Resolved, That the establishment for the Row-Galleys shall be the same with that for other vessels of war belonging to this Colony, and that the Committee for fortifying the Harbour of Boston be a Committee, during the next recess of this Court, to recommend to the honourable Council suitable persons to command said Galleys, which persons shall be commissionated by the honourable Council.

Resolve relative to Leaden Window Weights; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Whereas it is of great importance for the defence of this Colony, in the present struggle with Great Britain, that a sufficient quantity of Leaden Balls be immediately procured: Therefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the inhabitants of the several Towns in the Colony, that they spare their Leaden Window Weights for that purpose, and the Commissary-General is directed to receive and pay for all such Lead, and have it cast into Balls.

Resolve for supplying the Town of FALMOUTH with four Cannon, &c.; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Whereas a grant of ten Cannon was made by the last General Court to the Town of Falmouth, for the defence thereof, and only six have already been provided: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Commissary-General be, and he hereby is, directed to deliver to Samuel Freeman, Esq., or his order, four pieces of Cannon, either twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four-pounders, or any other sizes that he thinks can be best spared from the Cannon now in or near Boston, having one or two trunnions off; the said Freeman to get them properly fixed at the expense of the Colony as soon as possible. And the said Commissary is hereby directed to deliver the said Freeman, or his order, forty rounds of Shot for each Cannon, suitable for the same.

Resolve appointing Mr. DANIEL HOPKINS a Signer of Bills; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Ordered, That Mr. Daniel Hopkins be of the Committee to sign the Bills of Credit, in the room of Mr. Dalton, absent.

Captain and Lieutenants appointed for the Company of Matrosses at SALEM; JULY 2, 1776.

The House made choice, by ballot, of the following gentlemen as Officers for the Company of Matrosses to be stationed at Salem, viz: John Symonds, Captain; Richard Masury, First Lieutenant; Daniel Felt, Second Lieutenant.

Concurred by Council the same day.

Resolve relative to the Test Act; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That the Committees of Inspection and Safety of each and every Town and place in this Colony be, and they hereby are, directed to omit tendering the Declaration prescribed by an Act passed in the last session of the General Court of this Colony, commonly called the Test Act; and also to refrain from requiring the inhabitants of this Colony, severally, to subscribe said Declaration; and all proceedings against such persons as have already refused or neglected to sign the same Declaration, be stayed till the further order of this Court.

Resolve relative to the Form of an Inlistment for a Company to be stationed at SALEM; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Resolved, That the Form of the Beating Orders and Inlistment of the Company of Matrosses to be stationed at Salem, be the same with that ordered for the like Companies to be stationed at Gloucester, Falmouth, and the Gurnet; and that the person to whom said Beating Orders are or may be directed, cause said Company to pass muster before Timothy Pickering, Jun., Esq., as soon as possible after their inlistment.

Resolve to encourage the manufacture of Firearms and Cannon; passed JULY 2, 1776.

Whereas, notwithstanding the encouragement hitherto given by this Government for the manufacturing of Fire-arms, a sufficient number has not yet been obtained: Therefore,

Resolved, That for every effective and substantial Fire-arm which shall be manufactured in this Colony, with a barrel of three feet and nine inches in length that will carry an ounce ball, a good bayonet with a blade not less than eighteen inches in length, a steel ramrod, with a spring to retain the same, two loops for gun-strings, and the maker's name stamped or engraved on the lock, and which shall be delivered at Boston or Watertown, to Richard Devens, Esq., Commissary, on or before the 1st day of January next, there shall be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury to the owner thereof, the sum of £3 12s.: Provided always, That the owner of each Firearm which shall be received for