have been obliged to stand the unmerited reproaches of many individuals, as well as of some public bodies. After accumulated mor tifications, why they still continue to keep their seats, ought to be accounted for, lest they justly be supposed insensible to the feelings of Men of Honour, but it is necessary first to state the transactions which has principally given rise to this Address.

About the beginning of last month the Committee appointed Captain Sam' Davison Commodore, and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Armament, equipped for the defence of the River Delaware. The Motives to this appointment, at a Board of thirteen Members, when there was not one dissenting voice, were such as these:

1st. That during his Continuance in the Service as Captain of one of the Armed Boats, he was Conspicuous among the Officers for care and attention to his duty, and, while he maintained a strict discipline, he had the address to concilate the regard & affections of his Crew, and always kept his Boat well manned.

2nd. That having, on the Return of Capt. Davison from a short Voyage, in which he was spared from the service of their Province to go into that of the Congress, and while perfect harmony yet existed between this Board and all its Officers, & on a deliberate estimate of the comparative merits of each, given him, though a Younger Officer, the more important Command of the Floating Battery, in which the same superior good Conduct was observable, the Committee acted but consistently with themselves in elevating him to a still higher Rank.

3rd. A Clamour having been formerly excited against a superior Officer, because, as was said, he had not been of the Fleet, & some of the Officers have since declared they would Yield Ready obedience to any Commodore, if taken from their own Establishment, even though he should be the youngest among them, the present appointment, as it prevented the necessity of going out of the Fleet, was considered rather as Conciliatory than as administer ing cause of uneasiness and discontent; they were well aware of the obvious Military Maxim, to which they had Run Counter, of Advancing Men according to Seniority, but this Maxim, though perhaps proper in old establishments, where a long course of service in the lower classes are supposed to confer the necessary Qualifications for the higher, may and ought occasionally to be dispensed with in the formation of new ones, where there can be but a slender pretext for Qualifications; from this cause merit is to be sought out and prefer'd wherever to be found, though ambition should be disapointed, or delicacy offended. In many Instances have the Congress departed from this fundamental maxim, and their Country has been benefited by it. The Resistance of the Officers of the Armed Boats to this appointment, and their Indecent remonstrances are well known-they were countenanced and supported by Men whose decision on Publick questions influence in some degree the

public Opinion. Mutiny was justified and abetted, and disobedience triumphed over Authority. The Committee thought it their duty to adhere to the appointment they had made, the Conference of Committees interposed by the following resolution, agreed to immediately before their dissolution.

"That it be recommended to the Committee of Safety of this province, to confine the Command of Commodore Davison to the ship-of-war and floating Battery belonging to the Province, and to Issue no orders to the Captains or other officers of the Row Gallies, Fireships or Fire Rafts, through the said Commodore, until the Convention meets, and that it be recommended to the Captain and other Officers of the Row Gallies, &c., to pay all due obedience to the Committee of Safety, until that time, and until a New appointment shall take place."

The Board, astonished and surprised, would have remonstrated against it, not without Hope that on a fair and impartial state of the Question, those who, from the nature of their appointment, could have nothing in View but the publick hapiness, and who could not have been insensible of the benefit of good order and discipline, would have recalled this hasty determination, which may be so fatal to both, but the dissolution would not allow the neces sary time.

The Committee doubt not the purity of the intention which produced this Resolution, and by which their power in so important a Branch is so greatly mutilated, if not altogether destroyed; They well know the regard due to the Representatives of the People, & are disposed to submit to the recommendation, tho' wounded and dishonoured by it, But they would have it understood that the Continuance of many of their Board under such circumstances is of necessity, as no Body of Men can at present be appointed to supply their places, and as they perhaps may, fettered in their Authority as they are, still render some small services to their Country; they however think it incumbent on them to declare that many bad Consequences may probably proceed from a divided Command. Military Authority is not of a nature to be participated, and when attempted, the greatest mischiefs commonly flow from it. Should this unfortunately prove so in our case, the Committee are not responsible; they have performed theirDuty, and look forward with pleasure to the short period of a few weeks, which is to deprive them of the seats they have held, of late so much to the disatisfac tion of some Men, and uneasiness to themselves.

Resolved, That the Title for the Land purchased at Billingsport to erect Fortifications, by order of Congress, be made out in the names of George Clymer & Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, Continental Treasurers.

Resolved, That Colo. Miles be requested to order a Battalion of the Pennsylvania Forces to New Jersey, to encamp at Billingsport, VOL. X.-40.

And that the Men be employed in erecting Fortifications there be allowed 2 Gills of spirits per deim each, over and above their usual allowance, while they work on the said Fortifications..

Upon application of John Maxwell Nesbitt, Esq'r, a Commission was granted to John Hunn, Commander of the Schooner Security, of 30 tons Burthen, 8 Carriage Guns, & 11 Men.

Capt. Benj'a Loxley having made proposals for casting Brass Artillery for the use of this Province, as follows, Vizt:

"That the Furnace, Metal, Fuel, & other necessaries to be found, and every incidental Expence paid this Committee, and that he have such compensation for his trouble in superintending and Conducting the Business as shall be thought a reasonable equivalent thereto

to.

Resolved, That the said Proposals of Capt. Loxley, be agreed

By order of the Board, Robert Towers was directed to deliver Colo. Samuel Miles, or his order, what Rifles he has in store belonging to this Province.

Resolved, That Robert Towers, Commissary, be directed to get made Two ton of Rifle Powder, as soon as possible.

That the Cartridges he make up in future have an addition of three Buck Shot in each Cartridge.

In Consequence of Intelligence Just Receiv'd, Colo. Miles is requested immediately to march his Battalions to this City, & sus pend the sending a Battalion to Billingsport 'til further orders.

Upon application of James Craig & Wm. Erskine & Co., Owners of the sloop Chance, James Robertson, M'r., burthen 30 tons, 6 Carriage Guns and 34 Men, a Commission was granted to him, the said Capt. James Robertson.

Ordered, That the Commissary deliver to Capt. Loxley such of the Ordinance & Military Stores required for his Artillery Company as he can supply, & Capt. Loxley is authorized to procure the remainder on the most reasonable terms, and bring in his account to this Committee.

Adjourned to 4 o'clock, when the following Members Met:

GEORGE CLYMER, Chairman.

Samuel Morris,

Joseph Parker,

John Nixon,

Owen Biddle,

Samuel Howell,

David Rittenhouse.

Resolved, That the Continental Powder Mill be furnished with 10 ton of Salt Petre & 2 tons of Sulphur, and that Mr. Owen Biddle be directed to give orders for the delivery of the same.

Colo. Miles informing the Board that many of the Arms belong. ing to the Battalions under his Command are greatly out of order, The Chairman, by order, wrote to the superintendants of the Lock Manufactory to lay aside all other Work & apply them

selves to Repairing them. They are requested further to put all the Workmen in the City upon this Business.

Letters were this day wrote to the Colonels of the different Battalions of the Counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester & Lancaster, Requesting they would hold themselves in Readiness to March at an Hour's warning, with their Battalions, to this City.

Resolved, That Messrs. Parker & Owen Biddle have the Guard House at the Old Powder House removed to the New Magazine, And that Mr. Towers be authorized to Occupy the s'd Magazine as soon as he may think it suitable to Receive the public ammunition, and that an Officer's Guard be Mounted at the said Magazine, with orders that no Persons but the Commissary, and such as are employed under him, be admitted on the Lot without Special Orders from the Committee of Safety, unless they be Members of the Board.

Resolved, That Mr. Towers have the Laboratory enclosed with a Fence; And that the Officer of the Guard be directed that no person be suffered to come within it but the Commissary and such as are employed under him, but by special order of this Board; or such as are Members of this Board.

By order of the Board, Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to deliver Mr. Kinear 8 pieces of Russia Sheeting, for making Sails for the Gondola building by Capt. Williams.

Capt. West was directed to deliver Commodore Davison the whole Quantity of Ammunition that he now has on Board the Ammuninition Vessel.

By order of the Board, John M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, Paymaster, was desired to advance two Months' pay to Lieut. Emmes, of the Fire Brig't.

Lieutenants Boger & Ball having Refused to sign the Parole prepared for them, agreeable to the Resolves of Congress, & by this Board, of the 14th ult., Colo. Atlee had directions to order a disereet Officer and suitable Guard to proceed to Germantown, and take into Custody the said Boger & Ball, & convey them forthwith to

York Town, and deliver them to the Keeper of the common Gaol, provided they still persist in their Refusal.

Adjourned to 4 O'Clock, when the following Members Met:

JAMES MEASE, Chair'n.

Samuel Howell,

Alex'r Wilcocks,

Owen Biddle,

Thomas Wharton, Jun'r,

L

David Rittenhouse,

John Nixon.

Resolved, That the following Articles be procured for the use of this Province, vizt:

5,000 Wood Canteens.

5,500 Knapsacks.

In Consequence of the following Resolve of Congress, a Letter was wrote to Colo. Miles, requesting he would give orders for the most Speedy March of the Rifle Battalions to this City, And to Colo. Atlee of the Musket Battalion, desiring his attendance on this Board:

"In Congress, July 3d, 1776.

"The Congress took into Consideration the letter from the Convention of New Jersey; Whereupon,

"Resolved, That the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania be Requested to send as many of the Troops of their Colony as they can spare to Monmouth County, in New Jersey, to the assistance of the Inhabitants of that Colony, & to be subject to the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, the said Troops to be allowed the same pay and Rations as the Troops in the service of the Continent, from the time of their March until their Return.

"By order of Congress.

"Extract from the Minutes.

"JOHN HANCOCK, Presid't.

"Sign'd CHAS. THOMSON, Sect'y."

Colo. Atlee attended the Board, and informs that the Firelocks belonging to his Battalion are in very bad order; that upwards of 200 of them are now in the Hands of the Gun Smiths: that he will make Report to-Morrow Morning of defficiencies of Arms & Accoutrements in his Battalion.

Resolved, That all Officers Prisoners of War, in this Province, on coming into it, do, in future, wear their Uniform whenever they go abroad; And if any Officer shall be found hereafter transgressing this order, he shall be taken up and Confined.

The several Committees are earnestly requested to see this Regulation effectually carried into execution.