332 Journal and Correspondence.

December

31
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 372

Tuesday 31^st December 1782

Present as on Yesterday. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to Nathan Baker
nine pounds, one shilling and eight pence specie agreeable to the Act
to adjust the Debts due from this State per Account passed. —

December

31

Liber No. 78
p. 402

[Wm Paca, in Council to Le Chevalier De Quemy.]

It is with great Regret we find ourselves under the Necessity of
informing you, that it is out of our Power to afford the Assistance
we promised in the proposed Cruize down the Bay, after the Enemy's
Barges. The Men belonging to our Barges, were engaged to serve
no longer than the first of January; and when we first had the Honor
of applying to the Commodore la Villebrune for the Pole Cat to
co-operate with our Force, we expected the Cruize would have ended
before their Time of Service expired; and afterwards, when we had
the Honor of addressing his Excellency the Minister of France upon
the Subject, and after the Arrival of the Pole Cat, we had every
Reason to hope the Men would reinlist, or at least, that they would
remain long enough to perform this Piece of Service; but to our
great Mortification, we find ourselves deceived. The Men, dreading
the Hardships they would be exposed to in this inclement Season,
in open Boats, positively refuse to reinlist, or to go as Volunteers
on the Cruize, and we have not the Power of compelling them.
Under these disagreeable Circumstances, we have nothing left but
to return our sincere Thanks to the Gentlemen of your Nation, who
have so generously afforded every Aid in their Power, for the Pro-
tection of our Citizens; and we beg you to be assured, Sir, that the
People of this State will retain a grateful Sense of the Readiness
and Alacrity with which your armed Vessels flew to their Assis-
tance on their Application for it. We could wish Sir, that it was
consistent with his most Christian Majesty's Service, that the Pole
Cat or armed Cutter, could be stationed at this Port, to cruize occa-
sionally down the Bay, for the Protection of our Commerce, and
could at this Time make a Stroke at the Enemy's Privateers, now in
the Chesapeake

Ibid,

[W^m Paca, in Council to The Honble General Assembly]

We have the Honor of laying before you, a Copy of our Letter
addressed to the Chevalier De Quemy, by which you will perceive
that there is an End to the proposed Cruize down the Bay. The
Disappointment, we believe, may be partly attributed to the bad
Conduct and Want of Zeal in some of the Officers, but principaly, to
most of the Barge Men's Enlistments expiring on to Morrow, the
first Day of January. As the Bill which is now before the Honble
Assembly, for the Defence of the Bay, will, probably, pass into a