Letter from Jonathan Elmer

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In Committee at Greenwich, in Cumberland County, in New-Jersey, June 3, 1776:

Personally appeared before the Committee Mr˙ Joseph Lightburn, owner of the sloop Betsey & Ann, Benjamin Tucker master, from Bermuda; and on examination, says, that his sloop, now lying at Greenwich, was laden at, and cleared from, Turk' s Island, with seventeen hundred bushels of salt and two puncheons of rum, (as appears per cocket;) that their design is to exchange the cargo for corn, &c. By examining the papers of the master, they nearly correspond with what Mr˙ Lightburn relates. He further says, on examination, that the people of Bermuda are in the greatest distress for want of provisions; that many hundreds must inevitably die by hunger if not speedily relieved; that he had heard nothing of any prohibition of trade between the United Colonies and Bermuda when he left that place.

On motion, it was Ordered, That the Secretary immediately

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A true extract from the Minutes:

JONATHAN ELMER, President.

Attested:
THOMAS EWING, Secretary.