Mr. President laid before the Board the following letters which he had written by their order:

Charles-Town, 25th Jan., 1776.

Sir ー Your dispatches under the 31st ult., by the hands of E. Hadley, were laid before us on the 12th instant, the very day on which we received the first intelligence of a fleet of men-of-war on the coast. Yesterday we learned they were the Syren of 28 guns, the Raven of 16, and probably a transport ship dismasted in a gale of wind after they had left our Bar; and that they had joined the Tamar and Cherokee at Cockspur. We detained your messenger from day to day, in order to have written by him, if needful, and not otherwise, to call for the assistance of a few riflemen from your district.

We are informed that the commanding officer of that little fleet has denounced the destruction of Savannah, unless the inhabitants will supply him with provisions and lay down their arms. Our friends, on the contrary, have forbid all intercourse with him or his fleet, and are preparing for defence. We apprehend the Commodore's threats against Georgia may be calculated to amuse us, and accordingly we are proceeding in our endeavours to be prepared for making a successful resistance here, from an assurance of being attacked by those vessels immediately after they are victualled and refitted....

By order of the Council of Safety.

Henry Laurens, President.

Maj. [Andrew] Williamson.

The Council issued orders upon the treasury, for the payment of the following sums:

To Hon. Capt. [William Henry] Drayton, for pay to the
seamen, and other uses, on board the ship Prosper, to
be accounted for by him, 1000 00 0

On motion,

Resolved, That Mr. Alexander Elsinore, pilot, be taken into the pay of this colony, as pilot on board the ship Prosper, and that he be entered on the said ship's books accordingly, at the same rate as allowed to pilots on board King's [ships] that is thirty-five shillings currency per day.

Read a memorial, dated yesterday, signed by Peter Le Vien & Co., in behalf of themselves, and others, shippers on board the Brigantine William, John Mercier, master, from Georgia bound for London, which was removed to and is detained at Beaufort ー accompanied by the following papers, viz:

1. Copy of their petition to the Council of Safety in Georgia, dated Jan. 6th, 1776.

2. Certificate, signed by the chairman of the Parochial Committee at Savan nah,Jan.8th, 1776.

3. Certified copy of a resolve of the Council of Safety in Georgia, Jan. 8th, 1776.