Before the honorable George Ross Esquire Judge of the Court of Admiralty lately instituted in the province of Pennsylvania by the general Assembly thereof pursuant to the Recommendation of the honorable Continental Congress Came Joseph Reed Esquire Proctor for the Libellant and exhibited to the said Judge the Bill of George McAroy Commander of the private Sloop of War called the Congress who as well &c: against the Vessel or Schooner called the Thistle with her Tackle Apparel Furniture and Cargo and Prayed that the same might be read and filed and it is read in the words following to wit
To the honble George Ross Esquire Judge of the Court erected by the hone the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania to take Cognizance of and try the Justice of Captures of Vessels made pursuant to the Resolves of the Hone The Continental Congress and brought into the Port of Philadelphia
The Bill of George McAroy Commander of the private Sloop of War called the Congress duly commissioned under the hone Continental Congress who as well for himself as the Officers Mariners Seamen and all others belonging to & concerned in the sd Sloop in this behalf prosecuting in allhumble manner sheweth That the said Sloop was equippd victualled fitted out and armed at the Expence of Sundry persons Inhabitants of these United Colonies and the said George McAroy being duly commissioned authorized and appointed with his Officers Mariners and Seamen on board the said Sloop sailing on the high Seas between the first Day of April and the Day of exhibiting this Bill in this present Year within the Jurisdiction of this Court did discover pursue apprehend and as lawful Prize take the Vessel orSchooner called the Thistle commanded by Charles Roberts Burthen about seventy Ton together with her Tackle Apparel Furniture and Cargo belonging to an Inhabitant or Inhabitants of Great Britain And the said George McAroy doth farther charge that the said Vessel was employed in carrying Supplies to the Ministerial Army of Great Britain and taken upon the high Seas near the Shores of these Colonies Wherefore the said George McAroy prays this hone Court that the said Vessel or Schooner with her Tackle Apparel Furniture and Cargo may be adjudged and condemned as forfeited to the Use of the Captors thereof and those concerned in the said Sloop Congress according to the Resolutions of the Hone the Continental Congress and the Votes and Resolves of the Hone House of Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania in such Case and for such purposes lately made and provided ー
(signed) Jos Reed Pror for Libelt2
Philad: June 6. 1776
1. Records of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania, April 13-December 3, 1776, LC Photocopy.
2. Ibid., the Court of Admiralty condemned Thistle as a legal prize on July 1. Charles Roberts, master, appealed the condemnation and the decree was reversed on September 17, 1776, Revolutionary War Prize Cases, No. 1, Court of Appeal 1776-1781, NA.
