Mr [Aaron] Loocock reported from the Committee to consider and report the Quantities and different Articles necessary to be imported from Philadelphia under the Direction of the Delegates of this State And he read the Report in his Place and afterwards delivered it in at the Clerk's Table where the same was read in the following words

That it is their Opinion application should be made to our Delegates at Philadelphia to endeavour to procure Two Frigates on the Continental Establishment to be stationed at this Port particularly during the winter when they can be of little service to the northward which with our own armed vessels may in a great measure secure our Trade by obliging the Enemy to keep so many Cruizers as will soone tire them out

That if our Delagates think proper to make this application your Committee would recommend that the said Frigates take in as Ballast One Hundred Tons of Bar Iron besides the following Articles

But if the Frigates cannot be spared to this State then your Committee recommend that a staunch Brigantine of about One Hundred and Fifty Tons be procured to mount Twelve to Sixteen Carriage Guns be properly manned and to bring as many supernumerary seamen as can possibly be procured in which the said articles may be shiped viz

Thirty Tons of small flatt Bar Iron for Waggon Tire
Ten Tons broad thick flatt ditto for Axes
Six Tons small square Iron
Four Tons thick square Ditto for machine or Mill Work,
Forty Faggots square Steel
Two Faggots German flatt Ditto
Ten Tons Plough-shear moulds half with a thick Land Side and Half for shovel Ploughs
One Groce Mill Saw Files
Four Groce Whip and Cross-cut Saw Ditto
Six Groce Hand Saw Ditto
Twelve Dozen Philadelphia made Club Axes
One Hundred and Fifty Barrels of well baked Ship Bread (Amounting to about nine Thousand and Five Hundred Pounds-Currency exclusive of the Brigantine)
If Cotton or Wool Cards can be procured a Groce of each
If Broad Hoes to be had reasonable Twelve Groce

Resolved That the Report be taken into immediate Consideration And the same being taken into Consideration accordingly

The First and Second Clauses were read to the House and severally amended and agreed to

While the House was in Debate upon the Third Clause of the Report

A Motion was made and seconded That the sense of the House should be taken whether the Members of the late Congress who had been appointed to the Places of Emolument before the Constitution was established have a Right to sit and vote in the present General Assembly without being re-elected

And the sense of the House (without a Question thereon) was That such members had an undoubted Right

The House then proceed in the Consideration of the Third Clause of the Report and the same being read after several amendments made thereto was agreed to And the Report as amended and agreed to is as followeth

That it is their Opinion application should be made to our Delegates at Philadelphia to endeavour to procure Two or more Frigates on the Continental Establishment to be stationed at this Port particularly during the Winter when they can be of little service to the northward which with our armed Vessels may in a great measure secure our Trade and protect our Coasts.

That if our Delegates succeed in this Application your Committee would recommeild That the said Frigate take in as Ballast One Hundred Tons of Bar Iron besides the articles under-mentioned

But if the Frigates cannot be obtained or if they should not be allowed to bring those articles then your Committee recommend that proper small Vessels be procured to bring the said articles of a light Draught of water armed with Carriage or Swivel Guns properly manned and with as many Supernumerary Seamen as can be procured or that the Delegates do take such other steps as they shall think expedient to procure the said Articles to be sent to this State as soon as possible And that Mr Archibald Gambell be recommended to the Delegates as a proper Person to assist them and that he be desired to follow their Directions in procuring the said Articles and forwarding the Vessel or Vessels in which the same are to be brought viz.

Sixty Tons of small flat Bar Iron for Waggon Tire
Twenty Tons broad flat thick Ditto for axes
Twelve Tons small square Iron
Eight Tons thick square Ditto fit for machine or mill work.
Eighty Faggots square Steel
Four Faggots German flatt Steel
Twenty Tons Plough-Shear moulds half with a thick Land side and half for shovel Ploughs
Twenty-four Dozen Philadelphia made Club axes
As many mill Saw Cross Cut and Whip Saw and Hand Saw Files and as many Wool and Cotton Cards as can be procured
Three Hundred Barrels of well baked ship Bread And
Five Hundred Reams of printing Paper