To The Honourable The Continental Congress.
The Memorial of Francis Hopkinson & John Wharton 

Humbly sheweth

That your Memorialists are Members of the Continental Navy Board for the middle Department, established by Congress with a Salary to each Member of Fifteen Hundred Dollars ⅌ Ann. That on the first Appointment of this Board it was deemed to be stationed at Philadelphia, the Capitol of the middle Department; but on that Citys falling into the Hands of the Enemy, your Memorialists open'd their office at Borden Town in the Jerseys where the 2 Continental Frigates had taken Refuge,¹ & to which the naval Stores had been removed by Order of the said Board. That notwithstanding your Memorialists found themselves divested of almost every assistant officer viz^t. Clerk & Treasurer, Superintendant of naval Stores, Commissary of Slops &c &c, yet we undertook to discharge all the Duties of these several Departments with unremitting Diff Diligence & daily Fatigue. The important Situation of our Fleet at Red Bank, then besieged by the Enemy,² & the Preservation of the Ships & Stores at Borden Town called upon us to exert ourselves for the public service in a Variety of ways not within the Line of our Duty as Members of the Navy Board—& we were not inattentive to the Call—

The Honourable the Marine Committee have now ordered your Memorialists down to Baltimore in Maryland, on Business chiefly respecting the Commercial Concerns of the States, as we understand: which we humbly conceive is not strictly a Part of our Duty. In Pursuance of this Order we are now on our Way to Baltimore, willing to do every thing in our Power for the service of our Country.—Your Memorialists beg leave to represent that a Salary of Fifteen Hundred Dollars, at a Time when all the necessaries of Life have risen to so extravagant a Height, is not sufficient to support us & our Families in that State of Decency to which the Importance of our Trust seems to require: That by ordering us to Baltimore our Expences must be very considerably encreased; being obliged to support ourselves there in the Characters of Gentlemen in public Office, & at the same Time provide for our Families at a Distance. In this Situation, we are confident in asserting, that so far from gaining any thing by our public Employ, we must inevitably have Recourse to our private Fortunes for the Support of ourselves & Families. 

It is with great Reluctance we are induced to address your Honours on this Subject, but as we look on many of our Exertions last Winter & our present Removal to Baltimore to be extra services, by which we must be considerable Sufferers, we take the Liberty of representing our Case to your Honourable House, & wait your such Determination on the Premisses as shall appear to you to be just & equitable. We have the Honour to be, with all due Respect Your Honours most devoted & most obedient humble serv^ts

York Town
29h. April 1778