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Orders were this day sent to the Commanding officer of the Fleet & Artillery Company at Fort Island, to call every Boat & Soldiers to their stations, & each to prepare for immediate action, and to suffer no Officer or Man to leave their station without the Licence of this Board, or the Commanding officer.

Resolved, That Colo. Nixon & Capt. Whyte be desired immediately to go to Fort Island, and give every necessary advice to assist the Officers carrying the above orders into execution.

The Officers & Men of the Armed Boats now in Town, except Capt. Boy's, were this day directed to go immediately to their stations at Fort Island.

The Vice President having occasion to leave the Board, Mr. Clymer was appointed Chairman.

By order of the Board, Capt. Hazelwood was directed to send down the Fire Vessels & 2 Chains of the Fire Rafts, & to dispose of them in the most convenient situations, near Fort Island.

Upon application of the Commissioners of Lancaster County for a sum of Money for the payment of Firelocks, &c., making in that County for the use of this Province, By order of the Board an order was drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, in favour of William Webb, for the use of the Commiss'rs & Assess'rs of said County, for one thousand pounds, for the uses aforesaid.

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An Express having arrived last night from Port Penn, informing that two Ships of War, a Top Sail Schooner & three smaller Vessels, supposed to be tenders, were in sight of Port Penn, half past 11 O'Clock on Monday last; The Board, In consequence thereof,.. gave orders to Capt. Reed to order down the thirteen armed Boats under the command of the Senior Officer, with directions to proceed down the River, when they must concert the best method to attack, take, sink, destroy, or drive off the said Vessels if possible, but to be careful in exposing any of the Boats to Capture or destruction, and to send down the Fire Sloop Commanded by Capt. Gamble, with one other officer & 4 or 6 Men, with some bedding and

other necessaries; also a six or four oar'd Boat; & to acquaint the Officers & Men in the Fire Sloop, that for their encouragement in performing any Essential Service, this Board will reward them handsomely. At the same time the Commissary was directed to send down a sufficient quantity of Provisions for the supply of the people in this expedition; and upon application of the Board to the Secret Committee of Congress, an order was procured, directing Capt. Wickes to supply the Boats with as many Voluntiers as may offer, which order was sent to Capt. Reed.

The Vice Presid't leaving the Board, Mr. Clymer was appointed Chairman. By order of the Board, Robert Towers was directed to deliver to Colo. Sam'l Miles, for the use of the Provincial Troops under his Command-1000 pounds of Gun Powder and

2000 pounds of Lead, or as great a part thereof as is in store; and for the use of the associators of Chester County, to be conveyed there agreeable to Colo. Miles' direction, 20,000 Cartridges for Muskets; and to put on board the Shallop provided by the Commissary of Provisions, 30 Round of Cartridges of ammunition for each of the armed Boats, two-thirds of the Shot to be Cross Barr, if so many are in Store, and to put up 20 Rounds of Powder & Ball for two Guard Boats.

Resolved, That the Committee heretofore appointed to procure Pikes, do order to be made immediately an additional number of 1000 Pikes & 200 pitching axes for the use of this Province.

Resolved, That all Recruiting officers who may happen to enlist apprentices or Indented servants, not knowing them to be such, shall be entitled to receive the reasonable Expences attending their Enlistments.

Resolved, That the following recommendation be made public at the Coffee House of this City:

"In Committee of Safety.-May 7th, 1776.

"There being a very pressing necessity for a large Quantity of Lead for the public use, in the Defence now formed for the security of the Liberties of this Country, It is most earnestly recommended to all the Inhabitants of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, to send in to Robert Towers, Commissary, for this purpose, all such Lead as they may have in use in their Families and about their Houses, such as draught weights, window weights & Clock Weights, and it is hoped that this requisition will be chearfully complied with, when every individual considers that he thereby does Essential service to his Country, and that Iron weights may be procured to supply his private convenience-The Liberal Price of six pence per pound will be allowed"

Safety,

At a special meeting of the Committee of Safety, after 5 o'Clock, P. M., 7th May, 1776.

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Resolved, That four Members of this Committee be appointed to repair immediately to Fort Island, or on Board the Province Ship, with full and ample power to enforce such orders as have already been Issued, or may Issue from this Board, to the Commanding officer of the Naval armament of this Province.

Resolved, That said Members be authorized, and they are hereby authorized and empowered to suspend any Officer or Officers of said armament that shall refuse obedience to the orders of said Commanding Officer; That if any suspension shall take place in consequence of this Resolve, the said Committee be empowered to appoint the next in command, or some proper officer, to perform the Dutys of those that are suspended.

Resolved, That the said Committee, in Conjunction with the Commanding Officer, be fully authorized to Issue such further orders to the Fleet as they may think necessary, in Consequence of any further information they may receive respecting the motions of the Enemy.

Resolved, That Colo. Cadwalader, Mr. Wilcocks, Mr. Mease, & Capt. Whyte, be appointed the Committee to perform the above services, and they, or any three of them, are hereby appointed and authorized to act as aforesaid.

Resolved, That the Committee appointed this day to go to Fort Island, be authorized to direct two Row Boats to be constantly kept plying between Fort Island and the Pest House wharf, in order to give speedy Intelligence of any thing material that may happen.

That Mr. Owen Biddle be authorized to engage two Men with Horses to Ride express between this City and Province Island; that one to be station'd at the Island, and the other in this City, during the present alarm.

Resolved, That Mr. O. Biddle & Mr. Rittenhouse be requested to examine into the quantity & quality of shot now in store, and make report of the same to this Board.

That they contract with proper persons to supply this Board, for the use of the Province, with any quantity that they may think necessary to provide.

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Upon information of Capt. Richard Peters, that Capt. Procter has enlisted a certain John Malcom, a Lock Maker, employed in the Manufactory in this City, By order of the Board, Capt. Procter was directed to send up the said Malcom to Capt. Peters, to be employed in the said Manufactory.

Resolved, That Capt. Robert Hardie be, and he is hereby appointed Captain of one Tier of Fire Rafts, and that his Commis sion be dated the 27th March last.

By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Mich'l Hillegas, Esq'r, in favour of John Diesler, Peter Brecht & Jno. Reithmeyer, for £108 15, being the amount of 150 Cartridge Boxes, Belts, &es, made in Berks County, for the use of this Province, as certified by the Commissioners of said County, which ordered was this day deliv er'd Martin Housman.

By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver to Colo. Matlack, for two hundred Rifle Men, 23 Rounds of Powder & a proportionable quantity of Lead, and to deliver for the use of Capt. De Laney's Com'y 15 Cartridge Boxes, & Bayonet Belts.

Resolved, That the several Battalions of associators, be requested to parade on the Common this afternoon, to examine their arms & accoutrements, and see that every thing is in good order for action, If this Committee should find occasion to call them thereto-directed to the Commanding officer of the several Batt'ns of associators.

By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to send down to Chester for the use of the Provincial Troops, under the Command of Colo. Miles, sixty Firelocks.

Resolved, That Jacob Hiltsimer, who takes the above Firelocks down to Chester, be furnished with a Guard.

That Capt. Lloyd, or the Commanding officer of the Provincial Troops, furnish 6 Men for the above Guard.

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Resolved, That Capt. William Richards, be appointed Ships' Husband to the Naval armaments of this Province, and that he be allow'd annum for his services.

Resolved, That Mr. Rittenhouse be desired immediately to procure a quantity of Cartridge paper for large Canon.

Resolved, That Robert Towers, Commissary, deliver to Mr. Thomas Heinberger, or his order, twenty hundred pounds Salt Petre, to be manufactured into Gunpowder, taking a receipt for the same.

Upon application of Thomas Heinberger for a sum of Money to be advanced him to assist compleating the Powder Mill he is now building, and Jacob Antony appearing and offering to be bound with the said Heinberger for the repayment of the sum that may lent,

Resolved, That this Board lend the said Thomas Heinberger the sum of one hundred pounds, and that the Committee of Accounts pay him the same, they taking a Bond of the said Heinberger & Antony.

Resolved, That Mr. Rittenhouse & Mr. Owen Biddle be a committee to prepare Moulds for the casting of clock weights, and send them to some Iron Furnace, and order a sufficient number to be immediately made for the purpose of Exchanging them with the Inhabitants of this city for their Leaden Clock weights.

Resolved, That Mr. David Rittenhouse & Mr. Owen Biddle do engage immediately with proper Persons, to make the following quantities and qualities of shot, to be deliver'd to this Board with the greatest expedition, Vizt:

50 ton Round Shot, sorted to the different sized Canon now in use in this Province.

5 ton chain shot sorted.

5 ton Barr shot sorted. 10 ton Grape shot.

VOL. X.-36.

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