The Congress proceeded to the determination of the prize ship Blue Mountain Valley, now lying at Elizabethtown Point, lately seized by Lord Stirling, with detachments of the Continental forces, and militia: And it appearing by the testimony of credible witnesses, upon their oaths, that the said ship, John H.Dempster, master, sailed from London some time last fall, laden with stores shipped by order of the right honorable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, bound to the port of Boston, or any one other port in America: The said cargo by the bill of loading, dated the 30th day of September, 1775, to be delivered unto the Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's forces in America, or to his order. And the honorable Continental Congress, having previous to the taking the aforesaid ship,

Resolved, That all transport vessels in the same service, having on board any troops, arms, ammunition, clothing, provisions, or military or naval stores of what kind so ever, and all vessels to whomesoever belonging, that shall be employed in carrying provisions or other necessaries, to the British army or armies, or navy, that now are, or hereafter shall be within any of the United Colonies, or any goods, wares, or merchandize, for the use of such fleet or army, shall be liable to seizure, and, with their cargoes, shall be confiscated.
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It is therefore Resolved, That the said ship Blue Mountain Valley, with such of her cargo, as was shipped by order of the said Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury directed, as by said bills of loading, to be delivered at the port of Boston, or elsewhere, unto the Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's forces in America, or to his order: shall be and is hereby confiscated to the use of the captors, pursuant to the general directions for distribution, resolved on by the said honorable Continental Congress.

Resolved, That the said ship and cargo be disposed of by any two agents or persons to be chosen, the one by Lord Stirling, and the other by the Committee of Elizabethtown.

Resolved, That all the necessary charge and expense, which have arisen, by guarding and securing said prize, and supporting the seamen, be first deducted out of the neat proceeds of such sales.

Resolved, That the amount of the sales of the ship and cargo (the expense and charge of guarding and securing the same, and supporting the seamen being first deducted and paid thereout) be divided among all the captors, as well those of the militia sent out by the Committee of Elizabethtown, as such of the Continental forces as were employed in that service under Lord Stirling: that the said distribution be made among the officers, privates, and to the vessels employed in the said captor, in such manner as is usually distributed in the neighbouring Colonies, agreeable to resolutions of the Continental Congress.

Resolved, That all such goods, wares, and merchandize on board said ship, belonging to the captain, mates, and seamen, as their, or either of their own private properties, be reserved for the proprietors thereof, and delivered to them free of all costs and deductions.

Resolved, That the captain and seamen belonging to said ship when seized, be suffered to go to any place they may think proper (his Majesty's fleet at army only excepted.)

And this Congressrecommend to the.captors of said ship, to make some gratuity to each of the seamen on board, to enable them to travel to some other parts in pursuit of business.