In Council of Safety,
[Philadelphia] Septem'r 26th, 1776.
Resolved, That Thomas Seymour, Esq'r, be appointed Commodore & Commander-in-Chief of all the Naval Armaments in the service of this State.
Resolved, That the members of this Board, or as many as Conveniently can, go down to Fort Island to-morrow morning to accompany Commodore Seymour to the Fleet; That Instructions be drawn up to deliver the Commodore with his Commission.
The following are the Instructions deliver'd to the Commodore, vizt:
In Council of Safety, Septem'r 26th, 1776:
The Council having thought proper to appoint you Commodore & Commander-in-Chief of all the Naval Armaments of this State in the River Delaware, which you are to notify to the Officers of the Fleet by publishing to them your Commission, It becomes necessary to give you some Instructions to regulate your Conduct in some points of this Important Trust.
And First: You are, by all Possible means, to establish such a proper sense of Subordination in the Fleet, that all the Orders you think necessary to Issue be punctually and implicitly obeyed, a loose and relaxed discipline utterly enfeebling every Military Es- tablishment, however respectable it may otherwise be in the Cir-' cumstance of number & force.
Secondly. As it is the duty and Inclination of this Council to Maintain the Fleet in a Constant preperation to receive the enemy, you must Immediately take an exact survey of its present Condition, and whatever may be wanting in its equipments to make report to Capt. Wm. Richards, who is appointed and directed to supply all its deficiencies.
Thirdly. An attack from the Enemy being highly Probable, tho' the time uncertain, it is necessary that every part of the Fleet should have its proper Station assigned, in such way as to afford Mutual Support, and that the whole may act to the best effect.
Fourthly. You must particularly attend not only to the situation of the Fleet, but take great care that the Officers and Men are not absent from their respective Vessels any length of time and at any great distance, but as it is probable that some of the Officers of the Boats may be desirous of coming up to this City, you may give leave of absence to them in such number and for so long a time as the service may admit, so that not more than one-third be absent at any one time or longer than Forty eight Hours, from their respective Vessels.
Lastly. Should any accident or Circumstance happen in the Fleet that has the least tendency to effect the service, you are to give the earliest Information of it to the Council of Safety, that they, if they have the Means of Remedy, may apply such as the nature of the Case may require.
These being the Principal Matters that have occured to the Council, they earnestly recommend to you however, that you endeavour to promote the Utmost Harmony between you and the Officers of the Fleet, and between one another, on which depends so much the success of every undertaking where men are to act in concert, and Mutual assistance required.
Resolved, That the Officers of the Fleet belonging to this State be allowed the same pay that the Officers in the Continental Service have, from the first of October next.
