Providence (Rhode-Island) Town-Meeting

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At a Town-Meeting holden, by adjournment, in Providence, on the 5th day of August, A˙ D˙ 1775:

The Honourable NICHOLAS COOKE, Esq˙, Moderator.

Voted, That the Committee appointed to erect the Batteries at Sassafras and Fox Points, immediately proceed to build one Floating Battery, such as they shall think proper.

Voted, That the said Committee be, and they hereby are directed to consider the practicability and usefulness of building other Floating Batteries, as a further defence to this Town, and make their report thereon to the next meeting.

Voted, That the Engine-House, now standing by the Market-House, be removed to the Battery erected at Fox Point, for a Guard-House at that place.

Whereas, certain evil-minded persons, inhabitants of this Colony, and acquainted with the Creeks and Channels of the Narraganset-Bay, have made it their practice of late to assist our inveterate enemies by piloting their armed Vessels up the River from Newport towards this Town, with the known design of distressing the loyal and peace able inhabitants of the Colony, and piratically seizing their property, &c.:

Wherefore it is Voted by this Meeting, That the Deputies for this Town be, and they are hereby instructed to use their influence to procure an act of the General Assembly, for inflicting the severest punishment upon such atrocious offenders, as a means of discouraging such villanous conduct in future; and that such act be made to extend to all such persons who may be guilty of such practice on any part of the coast.

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Voted, That for the present Captain Samuel Warner be appointed to have the care of the Battery at Fox Point, and of all the Guns, Stores, &c˙, belonging to the same.

Voted, That his Honour the Deputy-Governour, Ambrose Page, Esq˙, Capt˙ Joseph Brown, and the Members of the Committee of Safety, in this Town, or the major part of them present, be a Committee to order when the Beacon shall be fired to alarm the country.

Voted, That the Committee appointed to erect the Beacon be requested to fire the same on Thursday the 7th day of this month, at the setting of the sun, and that they procure one thousand handbills to be printed, to advertise the country thereof, that proper observations may be made of the bearing of the Beacon from different parts of the country; and that they notify the country that the Beacon will not be fired at any time after the said 17th day of August, unless this Town or some part of the Colony should be attacked by our enemy, in which case the Beacon will be fired, and three cannon discharged to alarm the country that they may immediately repair to this Town duly equipped with arms, &c.

Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to Saturday next, at four o' clock, P˙ M˙; at which time I attended; and waited near two hours, but no other person except the Town Sergeant and Captain John Updike appeared.

T˙ FOSTER, Town Clerk.