of the Council of Safety, 1776. 463

[Council to General Hooper.]

Sir. We received yours of the 15^th, and are truly concerned
to hear any disturbance should have happened in your county
about salt, we have wrote the Committee of Observation fully
on that head, to which we beg leave to refer. We send you
an order on the treasurer of the Eastern Shore for the sum of
fifty Pounds to be expended in provision for the guard. But
we think you keep rather too many to guard the small maga-
zine of Powder at Cambridge. We would have you discharge
the greatest part of them as soon as you think it can be done
with safety; we hope the fleet that sailed from the Hook on
Wednesday last will not come either into the Delaware or
Chesapeak Bays; if so all will be quiet we expect this winter.
Nov^r 20^th 1776
Brigadier General Hooper.

C.S.C.

No 17.

[Hollingsworth to Council.]

Head of Elk, 20^th Nov. 1776.
Gentlemen.
By Capt. Norris I have sent you a parcill of Armes, as tis
now a long time since I have heard from M^r Winters, I have
made so free as to trouble your Honours with them, have sent
the Bill Inclosed. I should have been down to Annapolis long
since had not the service (which my whole time has lately
been spent in) obliged my stay here, but I hope in a few days
to be so much at liberty as to have the Honour of waiting on
your Honnours, and flatter myselfe of giving satisfaction and
also to receive more full instructions relative to the large wall
pieces, your Honnours will observe that I have had two oi
them stocked one I thought fit to riffle, in order that you
might forme a Judgment, which would answer your purpos
best, the musket barells are such as the last 50 I sent to M^r
Winters which he acknowledges are excellent, the Bayonetts
are as good as I can get made, after many chainges and much
expence and trouble the finishing of them has been Intirely
out of my power, as it would require several Filers and an
over Looker to be with them, which I am by no means equal
to, as I am not of the Buisinis, and am call'd too much from
home. I have had 1/2 dozen finished by a young man who
ofers to undertake some and have sent them for your
Honnours Inspection among the 200, if they will do sopose I
can have some finished am going on as usual with the large &
Musket Barells and such Bayonetts as those now Sent and
have the Honnour to be, Your Honnours
Most obed^t Humb. Serv^t
H. Hollingsworth.
P. S. The arms are left at M^r Rook's Store.

C.S.C.