The committee appointed to examine Capt. Melancton Lawrence delivered in the examination of said Lawrence, which was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

The examination of Capt. Melanchton Lawrence before a committee of the Congress on the 24th day of August, 1775.

That he was appointed, on the 24th April last, commander of the schooner Neptune, and believes she belongs to the Government. That he left Boston on the 23d of July last with despatches from Gen. [Thomas] Gage to Capt. [George] Vandeput; that he had orders from the general to put himself under the command of one Lieut. Evans, agent of the transports; that when he went on board of Evans' transports, he received from him two letters directed to one [James] Wallace, captain of the Rose man of war at Newport; that if Capt. Wallace gave him no particular orders to the contrary he was to cruize south, off Block island, until he heard from the said Evans; that he arrived at Newport in three days, and not finding Wallace, he stood out and fell in with the King Fisher, the captain whereof took him under his command and conveyed him into Rhode Island, where he found Capt. Wallace, to whom he delivered his letters; that he then ordered him to follow him and proceed to Block island, where they fell in with a fleet of transports and proceeded with the fleet to Fisher's isiand; that he was told by one, Col. [Abijah] Willard that he had planned the expedition to take the cattle from the islands; that cattle and sheep were taken off from Gardiner's and Fisher's islands, to wit: 36 head of horned cattle and 1,100 sheep from Fisher's island, as he was informed; from Gardiner's island, between 40 and 50 horned cattle, and between 1,800 and 2,000 sheep, as the examinant was informed; that the examinant did not assist in taking the cattle and sheep from either of the islands, nor received any of them except four sheep, which were sent aboard for the use of the men who were sent on board of this examinant by Col. Willard. That the examinant understood from Col. Willard, that the man on Gardiner's island was very sulky at first and refused to sell, but that afterwards he insisted that whatever they took away they were to give an account of; that he also understood from Willard, and from other circumstances he has reason to believe, that the man on Fisher's island was willing to sell cattle; that Evans, the agent, gave this examinant orders to take all vessels he might fall in with, and particularly those loaded with salt; that this examinant met with several vessels, particularly a brig loaded with salt, bound to Rhode Island, but did not take or molest them in their voyage: that he could not discover that there were any intentions of the army, or any part of it, to remove from Boston; but on the contrary, there was all the appearance of their intentions to stay, as they were strengthening their fortifications; that no troops had been sent from Boston to Quebec, but that he has understood that one Gamble, an officer, was gone to recruit there; that when this examinant, in May or June last, was on his return from here to Boston near the Hook, a sloop from Staten-Island came down with sheep, hogs and hay; that Capt. McDonald was on board the sloop, who insisted on their being taken on board the schooner; but upon his examinant's refusing to take them on board, they were sent back, though the said McDonald proceeded with him to Boston; and that the said McDonald at Boston informed him he was going to Quebec, and that he was on full pay; that Allen McLean also went passenger with this examinant to Boston, and returned to New-York with the examinant, when he brought Gen. [Frederick] Haldimand to New-York; that the said McLean brought with him a bag of money which he took ashore with him; that from papers which he left on board the examinant discovered from the contents of one of which subscribed by Gen. Gage, authorizing him to enlist a regiment of, he thinks Highlanders, in the Provinces for His Majesty's service; that at Tarpaulin Cove, he received a package of letters from Evans, directed to Governor [William] Tryon; and that Evans told him they were letters he had received from Gen. [James] Robinson [Robertson], which he delivered on board the Asia man of war, that this examinant is willing to declare on oath that he has at no time carried any provisions other than his own stores for the use of the vessel from this or any other port to Boston, though he has had opportunities to do it (except seven sheep, which were put on board of him by [James] Montague at the Hook).