Colony of Massachusetts Bay

To the Honble The Council & House of Representatives of sd Colony in Genl Court Assembled at Watertown June 17th A. D. 1776

Gilbert Harrison of Georgia Mariner & late Master of the Sloop St John, burthen about 90 Tons and own'd by Messrs Codding, Morris, and himself, was taken by the Scarboro Man of War, on her passage from Santa Croix to Georgia, the Sloop was Loaded with fifty Barrels & Sixteen half Barrels of Gunpowder, Ten Cask of Nails, One large Bail of the best Paper, Twelve bolts of Ozenbrigs, Six Do of Duck, Twenty four Do of Canvas from No 1 to No 4, One large box of striped Checks, Seventeen packages of Coarse blew cloth & One hundred & seventy pounds of Coffe, which goods excepting the Gunpowder, was taken out of the Sloop and put on board the Scooner Volante,² which was retaken at Cape Cod in the Month of April last past by Capt Smith & others with the goods aforesd On board her. The Sd Gilbert was carried to Halifax in Nova Scotia, & there he was put on Shoar, from whence about five Weeks ago he made his Escape, And hearing the Volente with her Cargo was retaken, by sd Smith, and Monday & others, he travaild as fast as he could to Plymouth to lay in his Claim to the goods aforesd but did not Arive there but one Day before the Judge of Admiralty decreed sd Schooner & Cargo forfeited to the Captors who refused to Admit the sd Gilberts claim to the goods aforesd the Same not being Made five days before the time of Tryal Agreeable to Law, but as that was a thing impossible to be made by the sd Gilbert His only relief in the premise can be had from your Honrs If he had time he could clearly prove his property in sd goods, but at present being about thirteen hundred Miles distant from his Wife & children at Georgia he would be contented, to have so much Money out of the proceeds of sd Cargo, (wch is not as yet sold, being condemned but last Wednesday) as would procure him a Horse, & pay his expences to Georgia, or be otherwise reliev'd in the premises as in your Wisdom & goodness seem best, and as in duty &c.