Ordered, That Col. [William] Moultrie be desired forthwith to detach one hundred men, with proper officers, from the colony regiments under his command, to take post upon Sullivan's Island, and there remain to cover the men who shall be employed on the works resolved to be erected upon the said Island.

Ordered, That Capt. [Simon] Tufts, in the colony scooner Defence, do forthwith proceed to Fort Johnson, and there take on board and thence convey to Sullivan's Island, such detachment from the colony regiments as the commanding officer shall order to embark; and there remain for the protection of the said troops, until further orders.

Ordered, That the commanding officer of the Charles-Town Company of Artillery do hold a detachment of that company, consisting of an officer and twenty-four men, with two field pieces and the necessary stores, in constant readiness to embark and proceed for Sullivan's Island, upon such signal to be given from the colony schooner Defence as shall be agreed upon between the commanding officer of the said schooner and Fort Johnson.

Read a letter from the Provincial Congress at Wilmington, North-Carolina, 2d Jan., 1776.

Also read a letter from our delegates to the Continental Congress, dated Philadelphia, 1st Dec., 1775.

Read a letter from Arch'd Bulloch, esq., dated Savannah, 9th January, 1776.

The following letters, written by direction of the Council, were laid before the board.

Charles-Town, Jan. 9th, 1776

Gentlemen ー your dispatches by [John] Halsal, under date of 6th instant, reached us but this morning.

It is our advice and desire that the cargo of the brigt. William may be immediately landed and put into safe stores, under your inspection, and that the vessel may be secured under the command of Fort Lyttleton; and if Mr. Groves, who we apprehen'd is chief owner of the brigantine, and projector of the intended illicit trade, is in any degree troublesome, you will do well to send him to Charles-Town, under a proper guard, in order that he may be deprived of power to go about and do more mischief against the public. For all these acts you shall be indemnified under the resolutions of the Continental Congress, and the resolutions of the Congress of this colony.

All reasonable allowances ought to be made to the master of the William, for his wages and and expences, until he is finally discharged ー and as for the scooner [sic seamen], if they will come to Charles-Town, and apply to us with authenticated accounts of their demands, they shall be paid all that is justly due to them. We desire you will keep the letters which were taken in the vessel unopened till we shall further consider this matter.

We shall pay into the hands of your messenger, according to your desire, the several sums of £275 2s. 6d., for charges of removing the brigt. William from Cockspur to Beaufort; £15 for an express, with our orders prohibiting exportation; and £20 for an express on the present service. We find no fault with the pay which you have stipulated for the light infantry, ー but the £30 for four seamen, for four days, may want explanation in your next letter.

If you will be at the trouble of engaging Capt. [Richard] Ham and his boat, in the particular service which you have mentioned, and of making an agreement with him, upon reasonable terms, such agreement will be confirmed by this board, and the vessel will be put under your direction.

If the vessel loading rice at Cockspur belongs to Carolina, as the William does, we recommend that by all means you send for and secure her, in the same manner as you did the other; but if she is not owned here, it would be improper at this juncture, to interefere with her, because we are now waiting for an answer to a letter which we have lately sent to the Council of Safety at Savannah, by the hands of two gentlemen of their board, delegated to treat with us on the subject of exportation. That answer will probably be final on the point of union and confederacy. Besides, the article of rice to Europe will admit of some excuse, ー very lame one in our opinion; but there can be no color nor pretence made in favour of indico. We shall write by this opportunity to the Committee of St. Peter's concerning exportation. We must not conclude without requesting you to return our thanks to the gentlemen who performed the service of securing the brigantine, and we are persuaded that your zeal and activity on that and other occasions will receive the approbation of Congress. In the meantime we beg you will accept our particular acknowledgements.

By order of the Council of Safety.

Henry Laurens, President.

The Committee for St. Helena, at Beaufort.

Charles-Town, Jan. 10th, 1776.

Sir ー We have before us your several dispatches of the 3d, 7th and 8th instant; and with pleasure we say that your endeavour to promote public service appears in every instance.

The saving of the cannon and military stores which are now at Frederica, from falling into the hands of our enemies, we have much at heart, and will readily go into the expence necessary for guarding Capt. [John] Joiner against such attempts as he apprehends may be made upon his person. We think, as the business may be all performed without the ceremony of an herald, he will be in no danger. We are at a loss for a proper boat; but hope that one may be procured in your district or Savannah. We are told, Col. Heyward's scooner, Minot, master, will very well answer the purpose. We make no doubt but that the colonel will hire her for the service, if Capt. Joiner will engage in the business, and will call upon Lochlan McIntosh, esq., at Cat-head, Altamahaw; that gentleman, we are assured, will give all the assistance in his power.

By order of the Council of Safety.

Henry Laurens, President.

Col. [Stephen] Bull.

Charles-Town, Jan. 10th, 1776.

Gentlemen ー We have before us your favours of the 3d and 6th instant. We think you have rightly determined in the several cases of the sloop from Rhode Island and that from Barbadoes. The duties on merchandize imported by the latter ought to be paid according to law, and the vessel to go away in ballast.

Capt. Darrell's brig may be loaded, if he pleases, upon public account. This offer was made to him, but did not meet with his approbation, and we learn that he is gone to George-Town.

Foreign coffee, sugar, and other foreign commodities may undoubtedly be imported and sold in this colony. Except wine from Madeira, and the Western Islands, and slaves from any place. See Art. 1 and 2, Continental Association, 24th ー, 1774.

We request you will cause the gunpowder imported in the brig to be properly examined as to its quality and contents, and very safely stored. We apprehend that from the imminent danger to which Charles-Town is exposed under displeasure of our enemies, and a positive order by the Continental Congress to defend it to the last extremity, as well as from recent demand from North Carolina for two thousand pounds weight of gunpowder, accompanied by a strong recommendation from our representatives at Philadelphia, it will be expedient and necessary to withdraw the whole two thousand and six hundred pounds from George-Town, which we shall determine upon in a few days.

The safety of the whole colony is the subject of our continued study... Charles-Town is in continued danger. 'Tis here a formidable attack is threatened, and may be expected to be soon made by ships of war. It is our special duty to make all possible provision for defence, and to have the proper means at hand.

By order of the Council of Safety.

Henry Laurens, President.

The Committee at George-Town.

The Council issued an order for the payment of £310 2s 6d to John Halsal, an express messenger from Beaufort, viz:

Said Halsal promising to deliver £290 2s. 6d. to the Committee at Beaufort.