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Committee to provide for the erection of Powder-Mills

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Thursday, January 25, 1776.

In Committee of Safety: Present — Samuel Howell, Chairman, James Mease, Owen Biddle, Robert White, George Clymer, John Nixon, Thomas Wharton, Jun˙, John Cadwallader, Daniel Roberdeau.

By order of the Board, an Order was drawn on Messrs˙ Mease and Caldwell, in favour of Captain Jenkins, for twenty-seven pounds, six shillings and six pence, being for Bayonets, repairing Firelocks, &c˙, for his Company, in the Baltalion late Colonel Bull' s.

The Committee of Safety having resolved to increase the number of men in the pay of, and for the defence of this Province, Captain Proctor is hereby directed to inlist seventy Volunteers, who are to be instructed principally in the use and management of Artillery, but to be embodied in such manner, and employed, occasionally, upon such service, as may be hereafter determined by the said Committee.

It being highly expedient in the present exigency of our affairs to employ a number of Powder-Mills, in order to

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work up into Gunpowder the different materials that may be imported from foreign countries, or be procured at home by the publick encouragement lately offered,

Resolved, That Major Bayard, Captain Cowperthwaite, Christopher Ludwig, George Schlosser, and Joseph Wetherel, be desired to consider of proper places to erect suitable Works for the purpose, or to engage with owners of any Mill, or Mills, already erected for other purposes, to convert them to the making of Gunpowder, and to make report of their proceedings to this Board.

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