Committee for appointing proper persons to instruct the Inhabitants of the different Counties in the Manufacture of Saltpetre

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Wednesday, January 3, 1776.

In Committee of Safety: Present — Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, John Nixon, James Mease, Robert White, Alexander Wilcocks, Samuel Morris, Jun˙, Owen Biddle, Daniel Roberdeau, Francis Johnson, John Montgomery, Samuel Miles, Samuel Howell, Henry Wynkoop, Anthony Wayne, Joseph Reed, Nicholas Fairlamb, James Biddle, John Cadwallader, George Clymer, George Gray, John Dickinson, Thomas Wharton, Jun˙, Edward Biddle.

Upon application of the Naval Committee of Congress, an order was directed to Robert Towers, Commissary, to deliver to their order eight hundred Swivel-Shot.

Upon application of the Commissioners and Assessors of Bucks County, for some Gunpowder to prove the Gun-barrels for the use of that County, an Order was directed to Mr˙ Towers, to deliver four pounds of Powder to the order of John Vandigriff.

Mr˙ Robert Towers, Commissary, was directed to apply to Mr˙ Dunwick, Blacksmith, for forty-six Firelocks, made by him for Chester County, and forty Firelocks, made by him for this County, and to deliver the same to Captain Samuel Nicholas, for the use of the Congress.

Resolved, That Mr˙ Reed, Mr˙ Cadwallader, and Mr˙ Wilcocks, be joined with Mr˙ Howell, Mr˙ Clymer, and Mr˙ Owen Biddle, as a Committee for appointing proper persons to instruct the Inhabitants of the different Counties in the manufacture of Saltpetre, and to do what other matters they may think proper, for the more speedy obtaining the making of that necessary article; and to fix upon the number of Handbills to be printed and distributed in the English and German languages, setting forth the process of extracting and refining Saltpetre, as published in Dunlap' s Paper of the 1st instant.