of a new or extraordinary Nature, I need not trouble your Lordship with any Remarks on them.

I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient

P. S. I have just heard that two of the Delegates (D: Franklin & M! Chace) have passed through Woodbridge this Morning in their Way to Canada, accompanied by a M: Carrol, a Roman Catholic Gentleman of great Estate in Maryland,' and a Romish Priest or two. It is Suggested that their Principal Business is to prevail on the Canadians to enter into the Confederacy with the other Colonies, and to send Delegates to the Continental Congress. It is likewise reported that a great Number of the Continental Troops have returned to Albany, not being able to cross the Lakes -Several Soldiers, Carriages, &c. having fallen in, and some Lives lost, by the Breaking of the Ice."

1 The John Carroll afterwards Archbishop of Baltimore. Dr. Franklin was at New Brunswick, March 27, and expected to reach Newark next day.-Franklin's Works, VIII., 178-80.

2 Governor Franklin was permitted to remain quietly in his house, shorn of power, for more than two months after the above letter. On May 30 he issued a proclamation, summoning the Assembly to meet on June 20. The Provincial Congress on June 14 declared this a contempt and violation of the resolves of the Continental Congress, ordered him under arrest, and stopped his salary. As the Governor was stubborn, they recommended the Continental Congress to remove him to some other colony. By the advice of the latter body he was summoned before the Provincial Congress for examination June 21, but refused to answer any questions, denying the authority of his inquisitors. The Continental Congress then ordered him to be sent to Connecticut, where he remained until November 1, 1778, when he removed to New York, having been exchanged.-4 Am. Archives, IV., V., VI., sub nom.; Whitehead's Perth Amboy, 191-200; Minutes of Provincial Congress, etc., 1756-6, sub nom. In a diary kept by James Craft, of Burlington, are these references to Governor Franklin:

', 1767, 6 mo., 20.

mo.,

Governor Franklin Guarded to Town by Col. Herd and his Militia. 21. To the Court House in this order: S. Bullen

18 Armed Men. [Coach.]{ B. Reed.

26. He sett off for Hartford in Connecticut, Guardel by 23 men to Prince Town and so on."-Hist. Mag., Oct., 1857, 301.-[W. N.]

Requisition of Jonathan Deare by order of the Committee of Safety upon Captain Heathcote Johnston, for four men from Middlesex County.

S?

[From New Jersey Manuscripts, Vol. II., No. 37.]

To Captain Heathcote Johnston

By an order of the Committee of Safety and Gen' Dickinson 100 Draught are ordered from Middlesex County to go to New York four of which men are to be Drafted from your Company to be at Woodbridge next Wednesday which men you are to have ready by that time. I am Sr Y Hble Serv

JONA DEARE.

Agreeable to the above order the men have been fairly Draughted and fell to the lott of Philip Kearny Francis Burke John Higgins and John Robs who are ordered to hold themselves in Readiness or find a man in their room

HEATHCOTE JOHNSTON.

Order in Council, approving a draft of a Commission for the Lord High Admiral of England, to proceed upon all seizures, etc., of ships taken from the Colony of New Jersey and other Colonies.

L. 8.

[From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 112.]

AT THE COURT AT ST JAMES'S THE 25TH
DAY OF APRIL 1776.

PRESENT

The King's most Excellent Majesty in Council.

Whereas there was this Day read at the Board, the annexed Draught of Instructions for the Commanders

of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels of War, with respect to the Seizing and proceeding after seizure of the Ships and Vessels belonging to the Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusett's Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensilvania, the three Lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, during the continuance of the present Rebellion within the said Colonies respectively His Majesty taking the said Draught of Instructions into Consideration, was pleased with the Advice of His Privy Council to Approve thereof, and to Order, as it is hereby Ordered, that the Right Honourable Lord George Germain, One of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, do cause the said Instructions to be prepared for His Majesty's Royal Signature.

Instructions for the Commanders of Our Ships and Vessels of War in consequence of An Act passed in this present Session of Parliament prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with the Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusets Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensilvania the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, during the continuance of the present Rebellion within the said Colonies respectively and enacting that all Ships and Vessels belonging to the Inhabitants of the said Colonies, together with their Cargoes Apparel and Furniture which shall be found trading in any Port or Place of the said Colonies or going to trade or coming from trading in any such Place shall be forfeited to Us as if the same were the Ships and Effects of Open Enemies and shall be so adjudged deemed and taken in all Courts of Admiralty and in all other Courts whatsoever and by Virtue of Our Commission granted under the Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date the 2 day of May 1776, Given at Our Court at St James's

the Second day of May 1776 in the Sixteenth Year of Our Reign.

1. That by Virtue of the above mentioned Act of this present Session of Parliament and of our Commission aforesaid The Commanders of Our Ships and Vessels of War are Authorized and required to set upon by Force of Arms and Subdue and take the Ships and Vessels of or belonging to the Inhabitants of the said Rebellious Colonies together with their Cargoes Apparel and ffurniture which shall be found trading in any Port or Place of the said Colonies, or going to Trade or coming from trading in any such place and all such other Ships, Vessels, and Goods as are or shall be liable to Confiscation by the several Statute Laws of the Realm or pursuant to the respective Treaties between Us and other Princes States-and Potentates or the Law and Usage of Nations but so as that no Hostility be committed nor Prize attacked seized or taken within the Harbours of Princes and States in Amity with Us, or in their Rivers or Roads within Shot of their Cannon, unless by permission of such Princes or States or of their Commanders or Governors in Chief in such places.

2. That all Ships carrying Soldiers, Arms, powder, Ammunition or any Naval or Warlike Stores or Provisions or other Goods, Wares, Merchantdizes or Effects to any of the said Rebellious Colonies for the Use Benefit or Advantage or on Account of the Inhabitants thereof shall be seized as prizes except Ships and Vessels retained or employed in our Service or Ships and Vessels laden with Provisions or other Stores for the Use of Our Fleets Armies or Garrisons or for the Use of the Inhabitants of any Town or place Garri soned or possessed by any of Our Troops or of any Colony or Province, County, Town, Port District or place which may or shall be proclaimed. by lawful Authority to be at the peace of His Majesty or except

1

as in the said Act of the present Parliament is excepted. 3. That our said Commanders of our Ships and Vessels of War shall bring such Ships, Vessels and Goods as they have seized or shall seize and to take to such Port of this Our Realm of England or some other Port of Our Dominions as shall be most convenient for them in Order to have the same legally adjudged in our High Court of Admiralty of England or before the Judges of such other Admiralty Court as shall be lawfully Authorized within our Dominions except as in ⚫ the said Act is excepted.

4. That after such Ships Vessels and Goods shall be taken and brought into any Port-The taker or one of his Chief Officers or some other Person present at the Capture shall be obliged to bring or send as soon as possibly may be three or four of the principal of the Company (whereof the Master Mate or Pilot to be always two) of every Ship or Vessel so brought into Port before the Judge of Our High Court of Admiralty of England or his Surrogate or before the Judge of such other Admiralty Court within Our Dominions as shall be lawfully Authorized as aforesaid or such as shall be lawfully Commissioned in that behalf to be Sworn and Examined upon such Interrogatories as shall tend to the discovery of the Truth touching the Interest or property of such Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels and of the Goods Merchantdizes or other Effects found therein and the taker shall be further Obliged at the time he produceth the Company to be Examined to bring and deliver into the Hands of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty of England his Surrogate or the Judge of such other Admiralty Courts within Our Dominions as shall be lawfully Authorized or others Commissioned as aforesaid all such Papers Sea Briefs, Charter Parties, Bills of Lading Dockets Letters and other Documents and Writings as shall be delivered up or found on Board any such Ship The