of the Council of Maryland. 637

That the Issuing Commissary deliver to four British Prisoners
taken by the French in Chesepeake Bay three Days Provisions.

[Council to General Washington.]

Col^o Blaine called upon us this Day on his Way to Elk. You may
rest assured that nothing within the Compass of our Power shall be
omitted to obtain and hasten to your Excellency Supplies of every
Kind. We have the Pleasure to send 500 Barrels of Flour by Capt.
Handy in the Schooner Dragon, also 48 pick Axes, 50 axes, 50
Spades and 140 Shovels

October 9
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 162

October g
Liber No. 78
p. 292

[Council to John Bullen, Esqr.]

Col^o Blaine desires to have a good Boat of about twenty Tons,
impressed, to go to Corsica to take in a Quantity of Beef to carry to
the Army; We request therefore that you will impress such an one,
or two, if one is not large enough

Ibid.

[Council to Doc^t Ephraim Howard.]

We are favored with your Letter of yesterday with the entrenching
Tools mentioned and desire you to continue making to the 2O^th In-
stant particularly more axes and some Hatchets. It appears to us that
the Spades and Shovels are of a Size too small and that the Pick
Axes, at one End, should be 4 Inches in Breadth. The Eye of the
Axes are also too small, not being capable of admitting a Helve of
sufficient size & strength.

Ibid.

[Council to James Calhoun, Esqr. & same to Colo Henry Hollings-
worth, except the P. S.]

We are just informed by Col^o Blaine that our Army must in a
very short Time suffer for Bread Provision unless great Exertions
are immediately made by this State to procure and forward 3000
Barrels, we therefore in the most strenuous and earnest Manner re-
peat our Order that you instantly use your utmost Endeavours to
have collected and deposited at the Places heretofore assigned, all
the public Flour within your District and that you give the most
unremitting attention to this Business, until it is accomplished. If it
should be impracticable to collect and deposit the above Quantity out
of the public Flour immediately, we request you to make every Effort
to borrow what may be deficient and to assure the Owners it shall be
replaced out of the public Flour of the like Quality. We shall not
permit any Flour to be exported out of the State, until our Army is
amply supplied, nor will General Washington suffer any Vessel to
go to Sea with that Article while the Army is in Want.
P. S. As it may be difficult for you to procure Flour Barrels im-
mediately, for the Money of the last Emission, without a Portion of

Ibid.
p. 293