I have in Obedience to Your Honors directions perus'd the long Memorial from the Committee of Deer Island respecting the Conduct of Nathan Jones & find the greater part of it to be a mixed medly of general Charges of said Jones Conduct in 1775 & of his unfri'endly Speeches and Actions before & after the Lexington Battle a principal part of the Complaint arises from his retaking his own Vessel from the hands of said Committee in July 1776 Where they all'edge She was placed by the order of Congress or the General Court The several papers purporting Depositions all relate to matters preceding August 1776 and it does not appear that Jones had any opportunity of Cross examining the Deponents and from some hints in the memorial the said Jones, had been already heard upon some or all of them before Henry Gardner Esqr Capt. Browne & Capt Hosmore ー That it appears by a Resolve of the General Court in November last that the Committee of Deer Island had liberty to Libel the Sloop in Controversy in the Maritime Court of the Eastern District and since that Time the said Sloop has been condemned in the said Court & an appeal has been made to the Superior Court to be held at York in said County the fourth Tuesday of June next. That since the passing the Treason Act and that for lesser offences against the State, the Rule of Conduct against suspected persons is particularly marked out and that therefore a Letter to the Committee of Deer Island inclosing Copies of said Acts and an exhortation to forgive and forget former injurys and a Vigilant eye on Suspicious persons in future will be all that is at present adviseable for the Council to do on the said Memorial

Read & Accepted. ²

Petition of John Curling ³ late Master of the Ship Capel for himself and behalf of his Son William a lad of about fourteen Years of Age; Also of John Bowes late Master of the Snow Ann and John Noble a Passenger in said Snow. Also of Daniel McKay late Master of the Brig John and also of Joseph Jackson late Master of the Brig desire, praying for permission to depart this State in a Brig whereof John Jones is Master bound for Cork.

Read & thereupon Ordered that the Prayer of the within Petition be so far granted that John Curling with his Son a lad about fourteen Years of Age be and they hereby are permitted to take Passage on board a Brig bound to Cork John Jones Commander provided Mr James Horlock (who lately had permission to go to New York) use his best endeavor to get a person released in lieu of the said Curling of equal Rank on his Arrival at New York & that the said Curling be not allowed to carry any Letters or written intelligence with him and the Committee of the Town from whence the said Brig is to Sail are hereby directed to see the Conditions abovementioned be complied with.

On Motion Ordered that Samuel Holten & Benjamin Austin Esqrs be a Committee to settle Capt [John] Ayres Account respecting the Cartel Vessel's Voyage to Rhode Island & report.

Petition of Matthew Lindsay of York in County of York in behalf of himself & Brigadier Moulton setting forth that he has a Vessel ready for a Voyage to the West Indies praying for Liberty to prosecute such Voyage.

Ordered that the said Schooner under the Command of said Matthew Lindsay be and hereby is permitted to proceed on a Voyage to the Island of Martinico or Guadaloupe in the West Indies loaded with Lumber & such other Merchandize as is not prohibited by Resolves of the General Court of this State provided the said Master give Bond with two Sureties in the Sum of One thousand pounds to import into this State Molasses Cotton Wool Linnen Woolen Cloth Salt or Military Stores to the Value of the nett proceeds of his outward bound Cargo within Three months, the Dangers of the Seas & Enemy only excepted ー The naval Officer for the Port of York upon such Bonds being given to him in the Name of the Treasurer of the State is hereby to clear out the said Schooner laden as aforesaid accordingly