Maryland Council of Safety to Baltimore Committee

v4:1472

[No˙ 22.] Annapolis, February 22, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The repeated instances you have given of your readiness to co-operate with us in such measures as we have thought conducive to the interest and security of this Province under our present unhappy circumstances, have proved very acceptable, and the information communicated by Mr˙ Samuel Purviance, Jun˙, by your order, that you will assist in providing shot suitable for the cannon, for which we have the pleasure to hear you have engaged a number of workmen in making wheels and carriages, agreeable to our requisition, when at Baltimore, affords us real satisfaction. Confiding in your zeal and diligence, we request you will immediately employ some able and skilful person in supplying a sufficient quantity of ball proper for those guns; and as we are advised some of the shot furnished the ship Defence are not round, that you will be particularly attentive to the casting of them, and receive none but what are truly formed and fit for service. We have not yet been wrote to by Mr˙ Hughes, for a Proofmaster to try the cannon he agreed with the last Convention to furnish for the use of this Province, or had any satisfactory information in what forwardness they are; however, as we are anxious to expedite this business, and presume Mr˙ Hughes must have run some of them by this time, we have appointed Captain Fulford to approve them, and have wrote him upon the subject; and from a wish to have every thing in readiness against the guns are brought down, we desire you will immediately contract for fit and proper carriages for them, to be supplied as expeditiously as they can. We are, &c.

To the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County.