In Committee of Safety.
Philad'a 11th May, 1776.
Thomas Slater, Master, &John Peckham, Mate of the Brig't Betsy, who came from Virginia with said Vessel to the Roebuck Man-of-war, and taken by Capt. Charles Alexander, Commander of the Continental Schooner Wasp, near New Castle, was by order of the Board Committed to Gaol there, to be kept in safe custody 'till the further orders of this Committee.
Resolved, That Robert Towers, Commissary, send to Wilmington by one of the Stage Boats, Capt's Bush or Taylor, three quire of Canon Cartridge Paper, & three hundred weight of Gunpowder, to replace that quantity lent to the Gondolas by the Committee of that County.
This Committee having made application to Congress for twenty pieces of heavy Canon, out of those taken at New Providence, for the defence of this Province, Robert Morris, Esq'r, deliver'd to the Board the following Resolves & Letter to Commodore Hopkins, Vizt:
In Congress, 7th May, 1776.
Resolved, That twenty of the heaviest Canon taken by Commodore Hopkins at New Providence, and brought from thence to New London, and since carried to Newport, be brought to the City of Philad'a and deliver'd to the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, for the defence and protection of the said City, to remain there during the pleasure of Congress.
Extract from the Minutes,
Signed Cha's Thomson, Sec'y.
Sir:
The Congress having by the foregoing Resolve, agreed to lend twenty of the heaviest Canon taken at [New] Providence & carried to Rhode Island, to the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania for the defence of this City, I have to desire you will immediately deliver the same to the person or Persons whom the said Committee send to receive and bring them hither. I am, Sir, [&c.]
Sign'd, John Hancock, Pres'dt.
To Commodore Ek. Hopkins,
Or in his absence,
To Dan'l Tillinghast.
In Marine Committee.
Philad'a, 10th May, 1776.
Sir:
You will perceive by the foregoing, that Congress have ordered Twenty of the Canon you brought from [New] Providence to be improv'd in Philad'a; And in order that the Benefit of that order may be realized as soon as possible, we direct that you order the said twenty Canon to be put on board the Fly, or any one other of your Vessels, and carried to New York, & direct the Commander of the Vessel to call on General Washington for his further proceeding, to whom we shall write on the subject; this to be effected in the best manner you can, but by no means to be done to the prejudice of more essential service. The Canon, however, must be sent as speedy as possible, by some conveyance that shall be Judged best.
We are &ca.
Signed Jno Hancock,
Robert Morris,
R. Alexander,
Joseph Hewes,
Sam'l. Huntington
To Commodore E. Hopkins.
In Consequence of the above Resolves & Letters of Congress, this Board came to the following Resolutions:
Resolved, That Mr. Thomas Richardson & Mr. Levi Hollingsworth do, as soon as possible, proceed to New London & there apply for the Canon, should they be at that place; If not, That they then go to Newport & procure them, and apply for the Fly or any other armed Vessel to Transport them to New York or Brunswick, by the Sound; or if the Navigation should be interrupted by the Enemy's Vessels, that they are then to procure the Canon to be conveyed by Land to some Harbour in Connecticut, & from thence to be conveyed in any proper Vessel. Upon the whole, they are to procure the Canon to be brought to this place at all events.
That any sums that may be wanted to effect this service they are to draw on this Committee
At a Special Meeting of the Committee of Safety, 1th May, 1776.
By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver the following ammunition, to be sent down to the Gondolas immediately, Vizt:
| Shot ー |
18 |
pounders, |
500 |
| |
24 |
do. |
240 |
| |
32 |
do. |
60 |
| Cartridges ー |
18 |
do. |
320 |
| |
32 |
do. |
25 |
Capt. [William] Greenway was ordered to receive the following Powder, Shott & Wadds, & carry them down in the Pilot Boats to the Gondolas, and deliver them to the Senior Officer, Vizt:
| From Rob't Towers, |
500 |
shot, |
18 |
pounders, |
| |
240 |
do. |
24 |
do. |
| |
60 |
do. |
32 |
do. |
| |
320 |
Cartridges, |
18 |
do. |
| |
25 |
do. |
32 |
do. |
| From Capt. [Thomas] Read, |
25 |
do. |
32 |
do. |
| |
164 |
do. |
24 |
do. |
And all the 24 & 32 pound shott on board his Ship or at Fort Island, Viz:
| From |
Capt. [Nathaniel] Falconer, |
a quantity of Wadds. |
| |
Capt. [Lambert] Wickes, |
ditto |
| |
Capt. Reed, |
ditto |
| |
The Batterys, |
ditto |
