[Williamsburg] Wednesday, June 26, 1776.
Mr. Blair, from the committee appointed to consider the reports made by the committees of Caroline and Spottsylvania counties respectively, in relation to divers vessels supposed to be British property, and as such seized by Captain [Richard] Taylor, commander of an armed vessel fitted out at the charge of this. colony, reported, that the committee had accordingly had under their consideration the said several matters; and that it appeared to them, from the several depositions taken before the said committee of Caroline county, that a moiety of the Sloop Olive is, and, at the time she was seized, was the property of a certain Harry Lyburn, an inhabitant of this colony, and that the other moiety belonged to Messrs. Dunlops & Crosse, merchants in Glasgow, but was claimed as the property of James Dunlop, a partner of that company, under a purchase him set up prior to the said seizure, as may more particularly appear by the said depositions, to which your committee beg leave to refer.
That it further appeared, that the said James Dunlop is a resident of this colony, and that, before the said purchase, he, as a partner of Dunlop and Crosse, owned one sixteenth of their moiety of the Olive. That it farther appeared, from the report of the said committee of Spottsylvania county, the papers therein referred to, and other evidence, that the sloops Lark and Speedwell, at the time of their being seized, were the property of Messrs. William Cuninghame and company, merchants in Great Britain; and that the sloop Susannah, at the time of her seizure, belonged to Messrs. Bogle, Somervell, and Company, merchants in Glasgow; that James Robeson, William Henderson, and William Reid, who reside in this colony, are in some small degree concerned as partners of the said William Cunninghame and company; and that Gavin Lawson, and Robert Gilmour, residing in America, have some interest in the sloop Susannah, as partners of the said Bogle, Somervell, and Company; but that, in case of confiscation, the five American owners aforesaid do not think it worth while to ascertain their respective small proportions, in order to entitle themselves to an exemption.
That it farther appeared, that James Lindsay, as skipper of the Speedwell, is entitled to credit with the said Cunninghame and Company for 75 l., being the amount of his wages; but that there is an unsettled account against him on the books of the said Cunninghame and company.
That it farther appeared, that the sails belonging to the sloop Speedwell were lodged in Mr. William Reid's warehouse some time before the capture, and therefore, not being below high-water mark, were not seized nor included in the inventory returned; and that, in like manner, all the furniture of the Sloop Olive, except standing rigging, one anchor, and cable, had been laid up in Mr. Dunlop's storehouse in Port Royal; only the articles contained in the said exception having been seized.
That it farther appeared, that, among the articles contained in the inventory of stores, &c. belonging to the sloop Susannah and the sloop Lark, are three negroes, viz. Davy and Ned, belonging to the former, and Priamus, to the latter; and that they had come to the following resolutions thereupon, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same were again twice read, and agreed to.
Resolved, That the pretended purchase of a moiety of the sloop Olive by the aforesaid James Dunlop, was fraudulent, and void; the same having been transacted with a view of screening the said sloop from confiscation, under the resolution of Congress of the 23d of March last.
Resolved, That the sloop Olive, together with her standing rigging, anchors and cable, be sold; and that the money arising from the sale after the expenses thereof are defrayed, be divided into thirty two parts, sixteen of which to be paid to the said Harry Lyburn, and one to the said James Dunlop; and that the remaining fifteen be sub-divided into three parts, two of which to be paid to the Treasurer, for the use of this colony, and the others to the captors,
Resolved, That the sloops Lark, Speedwell, and Susannah, together with their tackle, apparel, and furniture, slave, and slaves, to them respectively belonging, as contained in the inventory returned thereof, be sold; and that, out of the money arising from the sale, the expenses thereof be first discharged; and that there be then paid to James Lindsay so much as shall, upon liquidating his account, appear to be the balance due to him for wages, and that two thirds parts of the residue thereof be paid to the Treasurer, for the use of this colony, and the other third part to the captors.