372 Proceedings and Correspondence

April 29
Liber No. 78
p. 103

so laudible a Spirit in flying to Arms with Chearf ulness and Alacrity,
and we highly approve of the Steps you have taken to protect the
Inhabitants and their Property from the Ravages of the Enemy, we
shall most willingly render every Service within our Power, to enable
you to oppose the Enemy with Effect, and agreeable to your request,
we have delivered to Capt. Tilden two Pieces of Cannon one six
Pounder and a four Pounder; one hundred Stand of Arms with
Cartridges Boxes Bayonets &^ca compleat, ten Barrels of musquet-
Powder, one thousand Gun Flints, one and a half Reams of Cannon
Cartridge Paper, three hundred iron pound Shot, two Barrels of
damaged Powder These Articles exceed the Quantities ordered by
the General Assembly to the Eastern Shore, but in Consideration of
your exposed Situation, we have thought it proper to furnish them;
and have advised the Special Council of the Eastern Shore thereof,
who have the Disposition of the Military Shores allowed to that
Shore, which makes it necessary you should apply to that Board
for their Directions, while the Communication between us is topped
by the Vessels of the Enemy.

Ibid,
p. 104

[Council to Col. Edward Gaither.]

It is not in our Power to supply you with any Money from the
Treasury at present the Commissioners of the Tax are empowered to
draw their Order on the Collector in your Favor for such Sum of
Money as they may think necessary not exceeding two hundred
Pounds to enable you to proceed in the Execution of your Office, if
you have not already done it, you had better apply to them as they
have the Power of drawing on the Collector. We have long since
discontinued that Practice

Ibid.

[Council to Special Council of the Eastern Shore.]

We have this Moment received your Letter without Date by
Express, yours of the 17^th Ult. never came to Hand till the 30^th. In
answer to which we refer you to our Letter of the 2^d Instant. We are
concerned for the Mistake that has happened through the Inattention
of our Officer and have sent you a proper Proportion of Musquet
Powder. In Consideration of the exposed and defenceless Situation
of the Eastern Shore we have ventured to send you one hundred and
twenty five Musquets more than the Quantity allotted to that Shore,
fifty of which were delivered to Col Lloyd and are now in his Posses-
sion subject to your Order and Distribution The principal Cause of
our not having before complied fully with the Directions of the
General Assembly respecting the military Stores, was the Obstruction
of the Intercourse between us by the Enemy's Sloops of war for
some Time past, previous to which they could not have been sent
without imminent Hazard of falling into the Possession of the
Enemy's Cruisers and Barges, to which we may add the various Sorts