Plan for Providing Fire-Arms for the Colony

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The Committee to draw a plan for providing Fire-Arms for a Colony stock, report as follows, viz:

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That for every good Fire-Arm manufactured in this Colony, made after the following manner, viz: A barrel three feet nine inches long, to carry an ounce ball, a good bayonet with blade eighteen inches long, iron ramrod, with a spring to retain the same, the maker' s name engraved on the lock, which shall be delivered at Exeter, to Nicholas Gilman, Esq˙, Receiver-General, on or before the 1st of May next, the owner of such fire-arms receive three pounds for each, of said Receiver-General, after having tried said gun in the presence of the said Receiver-General with four inches and a half of powder, well wadded, at the owner' s own risk. And that there be appointed one good man, well approved, in each County, to receive any fire-arms so made in said County, on the same condition, (as before-mentioned for the Receiver-General to receive them,) and the persons so appointed to receive the money for the number of guns so delivered.

Which Report being read and considered,

Voted, That the same be received and established as a resolve of this House.

And, Voted, That Colonel Evans, for the County of Strafford; Samuel Emerson, for the County of Grafton; Major John Bellows, for the County of Cheshire; and Deacon Nahum Baldwin, for the County of Hillsborough, be Receivers of Fire-Arms, according to the aforesaid Resolve.