A letter from Mr. M[atthew] Tilghman, dated Annapolis, 5 January, with sundry enclosures,... were laid before Congress, and read.

Resolved, That a letter be written to Mr. Tilghman, informing him, that the Hornet and Wasp are under orders to sail to the capes of Delaware, and that such vessels, as are ready to sail, may take the benefit of that convoy.

Resolved, That the Committee for fitting out armed vessels, be directed to give orders to the captains of the Hornet and Wasp, to take under their convoy, such vessels as are ready to sail.

Resolved, That a letter be written to General Schuyler by the president, informing him, that it is the opinion of Congress, he should proeed to have the conduct of Lieutenant [Jeremiah] Halsey enquired into, by a court martial, giving him previous notice to appear in his own defence, and that such sentence should be passed on him, as such court martial shall think just, and if the said Lieutenant Halsey shall decline to submit his conduct to such examination and sentence, that then all arrears of pay due to him be stopped; to enable him to give discharges to such officers as have quitted the service; to assure him, that we have great confidence in his attention to the public interest, and rely, that he will give to the proper officers in his deparment, such orders, as will procure indemnification to the public, for any embezzlement or waste of its stores, or monies; to empower him to remit to such of the troops, raised in the province of New York, as may re-inlist, any right we may have to stop wages for under cloths delivered to them; to desire he will communicate to Mr. Price ² the sense this Congress have of his friendly offices to General Montgomery, in favour of the American cause; to return him our thanks for the same, and assure him, immediate measures shall be taken for replacing the monies he has advanced; to notify to Colonel [James] Easton our approbation of his late services, and. that we shall retain in our minds a just sense of them.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the committee of safety of the province of New York, to appoint proper persons to enquire into the propriety and practicability of obstructing or lessening the depth of water in the narrows, or in any other place at the entrance of New York, or of any way of fortifying that pass, so as to prevent the entrance of the enemy; and also to enquire whether the depth of water in Hudson's river, below the battery, may not easily be lessened, so as to prevent large ships passing up, and to make an estimate of the expence, and report their proceedings in the premises immediately to Congress.