The Petition and Memorial of Christopher Champlin of Newport in the Colony of Rhode Island ー humbly sheweth

That in July 1775 your Memorialist dispatched the ship Peggy William Barron Master to the Address of Captn St Croix of New York who contracted with Mr Jacob Watson and other Merchants to carry a Load of Wheat to Falmouth and a Market, with which she left New York the 4th September and on the 11th in a violent Hurricane lost two of her Masts with the Sails Rigging and Spars appertaining thereto, both Boats, Cabouse and all her Water except two hogsheads with other Damage, in which wrecked Condition the Master attempted returning to New York; but for Want of sails and Westerly Winds prevailing could only fetch Block Island Sound; from whence she was by a Pilot conducted to Stoning Town and from thence by an armed Schooner to Norwich in Connecticut, at which Place your Memorialist with upwards of £400 Sterling Expence repaired said ship and compleatly accquipped her to proceed on her Voyage agreeable to Charter party and had reladed 2000 Bushels of her said Cargo of Wheat on board: And in Obedience to your Honors Orders of November 15, 1775 presented the Committee of Norwich with Captn [Seth] Harding (who now commands a Continental Brig from New Haven) to take command of said Ship of whom they approved. At the same Time prayed Liberty for said Ship to proceed agreeable to your Honor's Orders. Whereupon the said Committee of Norwich on the 6th of December resolved she should not then proceed ー The River of Norwich in a short Time after closing with Ice your Memorialist was obliged to unlade and dismantle said Ship and pay her Seamen, by which Prohibition and the various Consequences attending it your Memorialist is deprived of near £450 Sterling Freight with a Heavy Charge of near 1300 Dollars fixed upon him exclusive of the Repair of said Ship; and the Freighters having protested against him for Nonperformance of the Charter party who a second time petitioned your Honors for Liberty to proceed which being granted the 9th of February and by Order of the said Freighters was by James McComb laid before the Committee of Norwich who prayed Liberty for the said Ship to proceed agreeable thereto; Whereupon the said Committee resolved on the 12th of March that your Honors general Orders of the 26th of February, prohibiting all Vessels from sailing to Great Britain, entirely superceded your particular Permission of the 9th February for the said Ship to proceed and therefore she could not be allowed to proceed; and in a few Days after was published your Honors final Prohibition of the 6th of March forbidding all commercial Intercourse with Great Britain and whereby your Memorialist is entirely cut off from any apparent Relief unless by the Rectitde of your Honors Impelled by the strongest Proofs your Honors have constantly shewn to alleviate and grant Redress your Memorialist has at much Expence come to lay his singular Case before you Praying he may have such Relief as the Wisdom and Equity of Your Honors shall judge adequate to the great Loss and Expence which is fixed upon him in Consequence of the singular predicament under which his Ship has been placed, and may further arise in Consequence of his not being able to fulfil his Charterparty the Freighters having since sold the Wheat at much Loss ー All which your Memorialist submits to your Honors and as in Duty bound shall pray ー

Philadelphia June 28. 1776