of the Council of Safety, 1776. 411

Wednesday, October 30^th 1776.

Council met. Present as on yesterday
Ordered That Western shore Treasurer pay to Ezekiel
Crane three Pounds, fifteen shillings for Am^t Acc^t
Ordered That said Treasurer pay to Captⁿ John Brooke
two hundred and sixty Pounds two shillings and nine Pence,
for Am^t Acc^t
Ordered That said Treasurer pay to Catharine Nixon fifteen
shillings for Am^t Acc^t
Commission issued to Benjamin Nicholson Esq^r appointed
Judge of the Court of Admiralty.
Ordered That Western shore Treasurer pay to Sam^l Raw-
lings ten Pounds for Am^t Acc^t
Warrant issued to Thomas Sprigg app^d a recruiting Serjeant
for Artillery men.
Ordered That Western shore Treasurer pay to Thomas
Sprigg sixty Pounds, for recruiting Service.
Ordered That said Treasurer pay to Captain Thomas Wat
kins two hundred and fifty Pounds for recruiting service.
Adjourned 'till next Day 10 ^o'Clk.

C. S. J.

[Cook to Plater.]

At Sea Ship Defence 30^th October 1776.
Hon^d Sir, And most worthy friend, from some of your last
Expressions to me, that you expected to hear from me often
and the Pleasure it gives me to write you, shall trouble you in
reading my scrawls. I wrote you on the 4^th Inst, by Capt
Walker in a Prize sloop, and the same day sent away a snow
which I hope both have got safe into the port of Annapolis
Yesterday at 4 P. M. took a small schooner with 40 hhd^s Run
and 3 hhd^s Sugar I cw' coffee, a few Barrells Limes &c. from
Dominica cleared out for Newfound Land, but from what the
Captain said, that he intended for America I have great reason
to believe he intended for New York to supply the Ministerial
Armey. He says that there was at Dominica two Briggs and
three Schooners that will sail in a day or two. I shall endeav-
our to fall in with them which may in some degree lengthen
our cruize.
This minute spyed a Sail, a ship to Leeward. I'm in hope
she'll prove a prize. Since I wrote the above have spoke the
Ship. She is a French Ship from St. Dominica for Marcelis
which proves to be no prize. I have not the least doubt of
doing something clever before I go in, altho' the time I can
stay out is not a great while with safety on account of my
water I have 42 days at half a gallon -p man p^r day but must

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