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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1776
Information being given to Congress, that a quantity of powder was arrived at ∥Great-∥ Egg Harbour; on board the sloopSally, of which 29 bl. a part was addressed to Congress by Mr. Parsons,the like quantity a part consigned to Mr. [Pelatiah] Webster and others in Philadelphia,besides a quantity, and a part to another gentleman ∥in said city:∥
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to get the powder addressed to Congress, brought to Philadelphia, and to purchase, for the use of the United Colonies, the other quantities of powder.
Resolved, That one ton of the powder arrived, be delivered to the committee for fitting out armed vessels, for the use of said vessels.
A letter from the committee of Lancaster, dated 3 January, ∥was received,∥ and read:1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I, folio 55.]
Also, a letter fromLewis Lhuilier de Rozierre an officer in Lisbon, dated October 23, 1775:
Resolved, That these letters, as well as the last received from Lancaster, and those formerly received fromMajor Bernard Lisbon, be referred to the committee of Correspondence.
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The Congress resumed the consideration of the memorial from the inhabitants of Newport, and the papers accompanying it; and, thereupon, ∥came to the following resolution:∥
Resolved, That the said memorial be referred to the consideration of the general Assembly of the colony of Rhode Island.
The Committee,appointed to fit out armed vessels, brought in to whom it was referred to consider how the shares of prizes, allotted to the captors, ought to be divided between the officers and men, brought in their report, which, being taken into consideration, was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That the Commander in chief have one twentieth ∥part∥ of the said allotted prize-money, taken by any ship or ships, armed vessel or vessels, under his orders and command.
That the captain of any single ship or armed vessel, have two twentieth parts for his share, but, if more ships or armed vessels be in company when a prize is taken, then the said two twentieth parts to be divided amongst all said captains.
That the captains of marines, lieutenants of the ships or armed vessels, and masters thereof, share together, and have three twentieth parts divided among them equally, of all prizes taken when they are in company.
That the lieutenants of marines, surgeons, chaplains, pursers, boatswains, gunners, carpenters, the masters' mates, and the secretary of the fleet, share together, and have two twentieth parts and one half of one twentieth part divided amongst teem, equally of all prizes taken when they are in company.
That the following petty warrant and petty officers, viz. (allowing for each ship, six midshipmen; for each brigantine,
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four midshipmen, and each sloop, two midshipmen, one captain's clerk, one surgeon's mate, one steward, one sailmaker, one cooper, one armourer, two boatswain's mates, two, gunner's mates, two carpenter's mates, one cook, one cockswain, two serjeants of marines for each ship, and one surgeon for each brig and sloop) have three twentieth parts divided among them equally, and when a prize is taken by any ship or vessel on board of which the Commander in chief is, or in company, then the Commander in chief's cook or cockswain to be added to this allotment, and have their equal shares with these last mentioned.
That the remaining eight twentieths, and one half of a twentieth, be divided among the rest of the ship or ship's companies, as it may happen, share and share alike.
That no officer or man have any share but such as are actually on board their several vessels, when any prize or prizes are taken, excepting only such as may have been ordered on board any other prizes before taken, or sent away by his or their commanding officers.
The Committee on General Schuyler's letters, &c. brought in their report, ∥which was read:∥
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed to Monday next.
A letter from General Schuyler, dated 30 December, enclosing copies of letters from General Montgomery and General Wooster, being received, were read.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Schuyler, dated December 31, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 153, I, folio 374. The letter of Wooster is on folio 378.]
Adjourned to Monday next at 10 o'Clock.
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