In Council of Safety,

[Philadelphia] November 18th, 1776.

Mr. [John Maxwell] Nesbitt to pay James Oellers £ 3364 4 0, for 128 Casks of Powder, delivered to Mr. Towers.

Mr. Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to Deliver to the Marine Committee of Congress 1500 Shot, for 24 pound'rs, 1800 Shot, for 18 pounders, & 500 Bar Shot, for 18 & 24 Pounders, taking their receipt for the same.

Mr. Nesbitt was directed to deliver Capt. John Rice 20 Blankets, for the Use of the Armed Boat Convention.

Resolved, That the pay of the Officers of the Armed Boats, in the Service of this State, be as follows, to commence from the first day of October last:

Adjourned to 3 o'Clock

Met at 3 o'Clock, Nov'r 18th, 1776.

Resolved, That the Armed Boat Convention, commanded by Capt. John Rice, be ordered down to Cape May, to p~otect the trade of this State, agreeable to a request from the Secret Committee of Congress.

The Following Instructions were delivered to Captain Rice:

In Council of Safety, Novem'r 18th, 1776.

Sir:

The Secret Committee of Congress have informed this board that the Continental Cruicers are so employed that they cannot afford the necessary protection to the Trade of this State; you are therefore ordered to proceed to Cape May. You are not to leave that Station when any of the Enemie's Vessells are at the Opposite Cape, and to use your best endeavours to protect all trading Vessells belonging to the United :States of America, and to the Islands of Bermuda or Bahamas, or fo any Foreign State, except under the Dominion of the King of Great Britain; and in case of their being in distress, you are to grant them all the Aid and Relief in your Power, and upon any number of the Enemie's Ships appearing off the Coast, you are to give Intelligence thereof to Mr. Henry Fisher, of Lewis Town, with the Course they Steer, and such other Circumstances relating to them as are of any importance to us; or if you should be able to transmitt the Intelligence by express to us more expeditiously than Mr. Fisher, you are to do it.

And you are, at the same time, to use your endeavours to make Capture of and distress such of the Vessells belonging to the enemies of these States as come in your way; but if it should appear to you that the Enemy are coming with a Fleet to invade this State, you are, in that case, Immediately to return with the Convention to Fort Island.

We confide in your discretion .to execute the foregoing orders, so as to answer the Intention of this board, and that you will perform such other service as the nature of your Station will require; we therefore shall omit.any further Instructions.

N.B. If .there are any vessels appear with an Ensign hoisted at the fore top Gallant mast Head, you may.conclude it is a trading Vessel, in the Congress' Service, and you may give her any advice or assistance Accordingly; That being their signal to the Light House: Save your Salt Provisions as much as Possible, & provide your men with Fresh, if to be had at as low a rate as of the Commissary here.