Philadelphia, January 31st, 1776.
Sir,
We, the Captains of the Pennsylvania Arm'd Vessels, Beg leave to inform you, That the Fifteen th Article of the Regulations, made for the Government of the Province Fleet, has appeared to be a principal objection to many mens entering into the Service, as well as disscouraging to the Officers, and beg you to lay the same before the Honble the Committee of Safety. 2
We likewise beg that you apply to the Board for an Order to mount our Guns on Truck Carriage, being perfectly sensible of the great disadvantage we shall otherwise labour under (in time of action) mounted in the manner they are at present.
We are, Sir [&c.]
To Andrew Caldwell, Esqr, Commodore and Commander in Chief of the Pennsylvania Fleet, &c. &c. Philadelphia.
1. Hazard, et al., eds., Pennsylvania Archives, 1st series, IV, 706-07.
2. The Fifteenth article of the Regulations, adopted October 16, 1775 reads: "No Captain or other officer shall discharge any of the Boat's crew without leave from the Commodore, Committee of Safety, or Assembly, unless he ships an equal number to those discharged immediately." See Minutes of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, Volume 2, 482.
