[Williamsburg] Wednesday 8th January 1777 —
Absalom Cabel is recommended to his Excellency the Governor and the honble the Council as a Proper Person to be appointed first Lieut of the Sloop Congress in the room of William Skinner who is appointed Captain. —
Ordered that Mr William Holt deliver unto John Thomas sixty Gallons of Spirits and one Barrell of Tarr for the use of the Protector Galley
Lieutenant James Meriwether inform'd the Board, that he had in his hands Twenty pounds which he received by Virtue of a Warrant from the Commissioners of the Navy for the purpose of recruiting Seamen and that it was not in his power to recruit Men. It is therefore Ordered that he Deposit the said Sum of Money into the hands of the Clerk to this Board and that he pay the same into the Treasury taking a receipt for it, and that the Bond Entered into by the said Meriwether Conditioned for his duly Accounting with the Board for the said Money be Cancel'd.
George Brett appeared before the Board and Agreed to make the following Alterations in a Galley which he is now Building for the use of the Navy of this Commonwealth, to wit, To add two feet in the Width, eighteen Inches in the Depth four feet Waste to be ceiled up to the Gunwale with five Gunports on ea.ch side and a Forecastle if the Board shall hereafter think proper to direct it. And It is also agreed that the said Brett be allowed till the last day of June next for the finishing the said Galley at which Time she is to be delivered completely finished in a Workman like manner, for which he is to be allowed at the rate of six pounds P Ton. —