The Committee of both Houses, Appointed to take into consideration a letter from his Excellency General Washington, dated the 21st of March instant ー as also the report of a Committee, who, by Order of Court, had waited on his Excellency to confer on the subject matter of the removal of the ContinentalTroops now in this Colony, having attended the business assigned them Report as followeth.

As our Enemies are now withdrawn from the Town of Boston, and it appearing to your Committee that it is a metter of the utmost importance, to secure said Town Against the approaches of large Ships of war in future, That a Committee of both Houses be appointed as soon as possible to lay before this Court, a Sketch of the Harbour of Boston, and examine & Report, particularly The Number of passages there are for Ships into the same & what distance they are from the Capital ー what is the depth of water in, & the width of the Channel at eash passage ー what the height of the Land adjoining, and the distance therefrom ta the Oposite Side of the channel ー whether it is necessary to the best good of this Colony, and its

Capital, that all the passages to the Town of Boston should-be continued open ー What are the advantages, & what the disadvantages, that will result from stoping either of the passages thereto ー Which passage, if any, ought to be stoped ー Where can fortifications be erected, most easely to resist the enemy in their attempt to enter the harbour Aforesaid ー Whether such posts are on the main or on an Island or Islands, ー If on an Island whether a communication can be kept up between it and the main in case of a siege-whether those posts are commanded by any Neighbouring Hills If by any, by what Hill ー and whether, at All times, a Garrison at such posts can be supplied with Water.

And whereas this Colony is greatly weakned, by the distruction of our Fortifications & War like stores by our Enemies, and will be more so on the removal of the continental Army, as a large proportion of the Men &:Arms therein, are from this Government ー Your Committee are therefore of Opinion, that an application be immediately made to his Excellency General Washington, and request that he would further consider the exposed, and at present, the defenc[e]less state of this Colony, and if consistent with the general interest, he would continue here Six Regiments of the Continental Troops, for. the defence of this Government, instead of the Three or four Regiments, his Excellency hath informed this Court he intended to leave.

W Sever p ordr In Council March 25th 1776 Read & accepted & ordered that B Lincoln & Joseph Palmer Esq rs with such as the Honl House shall join, be a Committee for the purposes mentioned in the foregoing Report ー sent down for Concurrence Perez Morton D Secry

In House of Representatives March 25th 1776 Read & concurred & Mr Speake£Cooper Mr Brown of Boston & Deacon Nicholls are Join'd Sent up William Cooper Spkr Pro Tern