of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 257

directed to forward to you, and as I recollect was ordered not
to be made public. I am Gen^t
Y^r mo. obed^t Servant
Mat. Tilghman

[Baltimore Committee to Council.]

Baltimore 16 March 1776.
Gentlemen: As the powder and lead belonging to the
public was placed in different stores, and on the late alarm the
mode of delivering it out was very troublesome and uncertain,
besides being liable to much waste, This Committee thought
it necessary to direct the whole to be removed into one house
for the greater ease of having a guard placed on it, And that
it might be delivered properly and an acc^t kept regularly they
appointed M^r Gerrard Hopkins as a commissary of Military
stores, and as such an officer must be appointed we beg leave
to solicit your confirmation of M^r Hopkins, as he is capable and
desirous to officiate. It became more necessary to make this
appointment at the time, as the powder from Philad. was
coming in, and several other matters for the service of Militia
wanting, the whole of which can be executed by him.
We are Gentlemen, Your most hum Serv^ts
Will^m Lux Dep^y Chⁿ Jn^o Smith
W^m Buchanan Thomas Harrison
John Boyd Jn^o Merryman Jun^r
Jn^o Sterett.

C. S. C.

[Ennalls to Council.]

Dorchester County March 16, 1776
Gentⁿ Yours of the 2^d of February inclosing a Resolve of
the continental congress for collecting gold and silver in this
Province, together with your appointment of M^r James Murray
M^r Henry Steel and myself to collect the same in this county
came to my hands, which I immediately communicated to those
gentlemen, since which we have made applications to all the
principal men of the County of whom we apprehended there
was any chance of getting Gold or Silver, and I am sorry to
inform you the scarcity of specie is such that, we are only able
to procure (including our own small stock) about Five hun-
dred and twenty pounds which sum we can immediately get if
your honors are pleased to send us an order on the Treasurer
of the Eastern Shore for so much paper money to pay in
exchange for it, and will be pleased also to direct the same
Treasurer to receive the gold and silver of us, as we appre-

Original.