372 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770.

Lib. C. B.

No. 20

Sheweth That your Petitioners some time in the Month of
June last past made a Contract and Agreement with Robert
Peter of George Town in the said Province Merchant for
the Sale and Delivery of One hundred Tons of Pigg Iron for
the Consideration of Five hundred and Twenty five Pounds
Sterling Sixty Tons thereof to be delivered to the said Peters
at Nanjemoy on the Maryland side of Potowmack River and
the other forty Tons at George Town on the said River and in
the aforesaid Province of Maryland.
That your Petitioners in Compliance with their said Con-
tract afterwards in the same Month of June Shipped on Board
the Sloop Nelly Sixty Tons of the said Iron to be delivered
at Nanjemoy as aforesaid and Forty Tons on Board the
Schooner Polly to be delivered at George Town as aforesaid.
That the said Two Vessels were afterwards Seized in Potow-
mack River with the said Pigg Iron on Board by Sir Thomas
Adams Cap^t of the Boston Man of War and are now carried
into the Colony of Virginia to be there tryed under the afore-
said Seizure in the Court of Vice Admiralty there. That your
Petitioners apprehend their Iron in the said Vessels is not
liable to Seizure or Condemnation or to any Tryal in the Vice-
Admiralty Courts of the said Colony of Virginia. That your
Petitioners propose and intend to plead to the Jurisdiction of
the Court of Vice Admiralty of the said Colony of Virginia.
That your Petitioners are apprehensive that the Charter of
the Province of Maryland under the Great Seal of England
may be necessary for that purpose and therefore pray your
Excellency to direct that the same may be delivered to your
Petitioners for the purpose aforesaid or that your Excellency
would make such further or other Order in the Premisses as
to your Excellency shall seem necessary and expedient for the
Relief of your Petitioners
And as in Duty bound they will pray &c.

To His Excellency Robert Eden Esq^r Lieutenant Governor
and Commander in Chief in and over the Province of Mary-
land.
The Humble Petition of James Christie Jun^r of Baltimore
County Merchant, Sheweth, That he is part Owner of a
Schooner Vessel called the Polly of about thirty Tons Burthen
that hath been employed for some time past in Trading up and
down Chesapeak Bay from one part of the Province to another
part of said Province. That the said Vessel being on her
Voyage from Baltimore Town to George Town on Potow-
mack in this Province loaded with Pigg Iron was lately seized
in Potowmack River bv Directions as vour Petitioner believes