Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 694 97. 557

   the same will be of very Great Vse and Service to the Coun- Lib. H. D.

   trey and therefore Resolved and Ordered that the same be

   done accordingly and that Majr Hamond Capt Hill and Majr

   Dorsey Agree with Carpinters and Labourers (as Cheap as

   they Can) for the Speedy Effecting thereof and see to the

   Speedy Carrying on of the sd Worke.

    Mr Thomas ffielder being desireous to goe on in the State

   House Worke is therefore Recommended to Coll: Herman

   that he be Continued therein.

    Produced and Read the following Peticon being an Authen

   tick Copy taken from the Originall, Vizt

    To the honrble Capt Charles Wager Comodore and Com

   mandr in Cheife of the Virga and Maryland ffieet.

   Peticdn of We the Masters and Commandrs of Severall

   Masters of Mercht Ships of Considerable Countenance and

   Ships abt Burthen, belonging to and part of the sd ffleet Do Whitehall

   Sayling &ca humbly propose and Request the ifavour of Longer

   time than is now assigned Us to Load and get ready our

   respective Ships to sail with and undr yor Conduct & Convoy,

   it being morally impossible for us so to doe, and to Compleat

   our Lading by the time aforesd and that for these Reasons Vizt

    1: The Unseasonable Arrivall of the ffleet here in this Pro

   vince when soc many Runing Ships had been here Loaden

   and Carryed Away the Majr part of the last years Crop not

   having left Enough behind to Load one ffourth part of the p.

   ffleet.

    2: The great disappointmts that most of us have met with

   Since our Arrivall by Sickness, Mortality and the Runing

   away of our men through the Great Encouragemt that is given

   in Pensilvania.

    3: The Backwardness of the New Crop and Consequently

   the bad Curing of Tobo besides the generall want of Seasons

   for Shipping and defect of the Coopers in setting up the Cask

   so that very little new Tobo is yet Ready.

    4: The season of the year approaching wherein ifrequently Whitehall

   the Weather hath proved such as to ifrieze and stop up our

   Sloopes and Boates &ca in Creeks and Coves where they

   have been sent for Tobo many times for a month, Six Weeks

   or longr and thereby prevented from putting the Same on

   board the sd Ships.

    5: That our Sailing in March will be altogether as Advan

   tagious as if we Sayled now by reason our men will be then at

   Home time Enough to serve his Maty in the summer ffleet and

   the Customs soon Enough paid into the Kings Treasury.