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Law and determine the Equipment under the former Act, or if it
does not pass into a Law, the Equipment must, notwithstanding,
cease for Want of Funds; we propose to discharge all the Officers
of the Barges, and furlough the Men whose Enlistments were for
12 Months, and who have six Months yet to serve. This will save
a very considerable Expence to the State, and give us an Oppor-
tunity of making a new Appointment and Arrangement of Officers,
without being embarrassed by a Regard to former Systems. The
Wages which remain unpaid, and other Debts contracted on Account
of the Barges, amount to about six hundred Pounds; the Funds
appropriated by the Act for the Defence of the Bay, are considerably
more than sufficient to defray the Expence of the whole Equipment;
but the third Payment for British Property, sold in Virtue of the
Act to raise Recruits, and which was one of the Funds appropriated
for the Barges, is so circumstanced, that the Money cannot be imme-
diately obtained; for the Payment by the Purchasers is secured by
Bonds passed to General Smallwood, and it will require a good Deal
of Time to enforce such Payment. It will have a very happy Influ-
ence on a future Equipment, if the Barge Men and other Creditors
could be immediately paid, and if it should be thought proper to order
a farther Advance by General Smallwood, to the Amount of what
we have stated to be the probable Balance due. The third Payment
of British Property may be appropriated to other Purposes, and it
will be nothing more than a Change of Funds. When the late Ad-
vance was made by the General Assembly, there were then three
Months Wages due to the four Barges, and some other Expences
unpaid for three Months Equipment. One Month's Expence, on an
Average, including Wages, Stores, Hospital Supplies, and Charges
of a hired Vessel to carry Provisions and Stores, will amount, at
least to £1200. The Justice due to the Creditors on this Equipment,
the Public Interest, the Preservation of the Faith of the State, and
a Regard for the Honor and Dignity of your Executive, who were
your Agents in making the Contracts with the Creditors, require
that every Exertion be made to secure Punctuality of Payment.
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December
31
Liber No. 78
p. 402
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Wednesday January 1st 1783 —
Present as on Yesterday. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to John Muir for
the use of William Neill one hundred and sixteen pounds, six shil-
lings and eight pence specie out of the money appropriated for the
payment of Creditors of a particular description due him on a Cer-
tificate issued agreeable to the "Act to adjust the Debts due from this
State."—
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January 1
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 372
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