Col. [Alexander] McDougall informed the Committee that the captain of the man of war had despatched a pilot boat with mariners and marines to the relief of the transport ship at the Hook.

The Committee are of opinion that notice thereof should be given to Lord Stirling by express.

Thereupon a draft of a letter to his lordship was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety,
New-York, Jany. 22d, 1776 ー 12 o'clock.

My Lord ー This minute the captains of the men of war have taken a pilot boat, and sent her down towards the Hook with mariners and marines on board from 20 to 25 in number.

If your party goes to secure the ship, they should secure the pilot boat first; or, in our opinion, there should be two or more boats with men, to contain at least 50 or more men in the whole, otherwise they may fail of success.

We have the honour to be [&c.]

By order of the Committee of Safety.

To the Right Honble. Wm. Earl of Sterling,
and in his absence to the Chairman of the
Committee at Elizth. Town.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted by Sampson Dyckman.

Col. McDougall informed the Committee that he had purchased the sloop Sally to be made an armed vessel, for the sum of £325, and requested an order for that sum.

Ordered, That Peter V. B. Livingston, Esqr. as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, advance to Col. McDougall the sum of £325 to enable him to pay for the sloop or vessel called the Sally, which he has purchased in pursuance of an order of Provincial Congress of the 20th day of December last past. And,

Ordered, farther, That the said Treasurer advance and pay to Commodore James Smith, on Continental account, the sum of £26 13s.4d. for 2 months' pay, in part of his pay while in the Continental service at Lake Champlain, and that Mr. Livingston take a receipt or receipts for the same.

The Committee took into consideration the necessity and advantage of having sundry small armed vessels to protect trade in this and the neighbouring Colonies, and also to seize transports with provisions intended for the ministerial army and navy, and to prevent the same from being exported by persons unfriendly to the measures of the Colonies.

Thereupon a draft of a letter to the Delegates of this Colony at [Continental] Congress, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety,
New-York, Jany. 22nd, 1776.

Gentlemen ー With the utmost anxiety we have beheld the supply of provisions collected last autumn on board the ship of war, by the means of small boats from Queens and Westchester counties, for the purpose of supplying the ministerial army at Boston. Our [Provincial] Congress, impelled by a desire to prevent so great a mischief, authorized Col. McDougall to equip a small armed vessel, to watch those and other dangerous supplies of the like kind.

We are informed by one of our Delegates that Congress will readily take this vessel into the Continental service; should it be so determined, her flag should be described to us, marine articles of war provided, with a toll of pay, and sent to us without delay. An acquaintance with the navigation in our neighbourhood, points out the necessity of immediately equipping three other small vessels of easy draft of water, sufficiently manned and provided both to attack and repulse the barges of the men of war with success, and constructed in such manner as to take shelter in coves and inlets out of the reach of superior force, and under cover of the musketry of the country. Those vessels will effectually scour the navigation of this port and its environs, and besides procuring offensive advantages, will prevent the above mentioned mischiefs. One of them should be stationed at Amboy, to watch the navigation from thence to Sandy Hook; another at Elizabeth Town, to attend that between Staten island and New-Jersey and the southwardmost parts of our bay; another on Hudson's river; and a fourth, the parts of the Sound to the eastward of this harbour, and they all might be occasionally used as express boats. The one already provided, is commanded by James Smith, who was commodore on the lakes the last summer with the rank of major. He has approved himself a man of worth in the naval service of the Continent, and as he has yet received no pay, we shall advance him some money on that score for his last year's service. Should the Congress approve of the proposed plan, we will cheerfully engage under their direction in the equipment of three more vessels; but to answer the good ends proposed, their order should be handed to us without delay. The vessels completely equipped, except the artillery and musquetry which we will supply, will cost about £600 each.

Egg Harbour is now known to our enemies as a place of debarkment for certain necessaries. We therefore think that a small redoubt should be there built, garrisoned always by a proper captain's guard, with barracks to contain 200 men, so situated as to command the entrance of the harbour, and provided with cisterns to take rain water. Cedar wood is plenty there, which will answer all the purposes of wood work; and to complete the defence, a galley to mount a six pounder in her stem should, we think, be provided.

We have no grape shot for our field pieces, six pounders, nor coals to manufacture them. We beg to be informed if we can be supplied with that article at Philadelphia? If so, be pleased to send two tons to Elizabeth Town without delay, to our direction, together with the amount of the cost, which we shall remit without delay.

We are, gentlemen, [&c.]

By order of the Committee.

To the New-York Delegates in
Continental Congress, Philadelphia.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted. ²

Joseph Woolcomb, mate of the ship Blue Mountain Valley, was brought before the Committee and examined. He says he was chief mate of the ship Blue Mountain Valley; that she is laden with hogs, provisions, &c. for Boston; left London 13 weeks ago; that he was sent up to New-York by the captain, to put some letters for England on board of the men of war, and to return; that the ship was to lie off and on 14 hours for him; that they have had bad weather; that 36 sail of transports with stores and provisions came out with them; that as many more transports were ready to sail; that they have had such weather that he believes many other transports are gone to the West Indies; that the Blue Mountain Valley is a sharp built ship, and would make as good weather on a winter coast as any ship; that two troops of light horse came out in transports with their vessel, and were to winter in the West Indies.

Ordered, That Mr. Woolcombe remain in custody in Capt. [Benjamin] Ledyard's room, for farther examination.