Money advanced to William Whetcroft, of Annapolis, to assist him in erecting a Rolling, Sheeting, and Slitting Mill

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Friday, January 12, 1776.

Convention met. All Members present, as on yesterday, except Mr˙ Samuel Chase, Mr˙ Jordan, Mr˙ Smith, and Mr˙ Gilpin. The Proceedings of yesterday were read.

The President communicates to the Convention several Resolutions of Congress, which were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr˙ Ware has leave of absence.

Adjourned till three o' clock.

Post Merediem. Convention met.

Mr˙ Hollyday brings in, and delivers to Mr˙ President, a Report from the Committee appointed to prepare and report a scheme for the emission of Bills of Credit, to defray the expenses of defending this Province, and other purposes therein mentioned, which was read the first time, and ordered to lie on the table.

A Report from the Committee appointed to receive Proposals relating to the establishment of Manufactories of any kind within this Province, was read and considered; and, thereupon,

Resolved, That six hundred Pounds, in Bills of Credit, out of the publick Treasury, be advanced to Mr˙ William Whetcroft, of the City of Annapolis, for the term of two years, without interest, he giving bond, with good security, to repay the same. The said William Whetcroft to contract to build and complete, within the space of six months, at his own risk, a Rolling, Sheeting, and Slitting Mill, within twenty miles of Baltimore town, or in any other part of the Province that this Convention shall appoint, and therefrom to supply the publick, and individuals, with Slit or Sheet Iron, at the price the same, at the time of sale there-of, can be purchased in Pennsylvania or Virginia, and that it shall never exceed the sum of thirty-five Pounds, common money, per ton. The said William Whetcroft also to slit, roll, or make into Sheet or Flatted Iron, any quantity thereof, the property of the publick, brought to the said Mill, at the rate of five Pounds per ton; and any quantity thereof, the property of private persons, being inhabitants of this Province, at the rate of six Pounds per ton, if brought to the said Mill.

Ordered, That no commission issue to Mr˙ John Thomas, First Major of the South River Battalion, in Anne Arundel County, he having declined that office, or to any of the Officers of Mr˙ John Burgess' s Company, or to Mr˙ William Gambrill, a Lieutenant of Mr˙ John Boone' s Company, during the sitting of this Convention, but that the same be referred to the Council of Safety.

The Convention proceeded to ballot for the rank of Counties and Colonels, when the rank was settled as follows:

Somerset 1; Cecil 2; Dorchester 3; Talbot 4; Queen Anne' s 5; St˙ Mary' s 6; Anne Arundel 7; Harford 8; Baltimore 9; Worcester 10; Prince George' s 11; Charles 12; Kent 13; Caroline 14; Calvert 15; Frederick 16.

In Somerset County: Colonel George Dashiell, of the First Battalion, 1; Colonel Thomas Hayward, 17.

Cecil County: Colonel Charles Rumsey, 2; Colonel John Veazy, 18; Colonel George Johnson, 30.

Dorchester: Upper Battalion, 3; Lower Battalion, 19.

Talbot: Colonel Christopher Birkhead, 4.

Queen Anne' s: Colonel Richard T˙ Earle, 5; Colonel Thomas Wright, 20.

St˙ Mary' s: Colonel Jeremiah Jordan, 6; Colonel Richard Barnes, 21.

Anne Arundel: Colonel John Hall, 7; Colonel Thomas Dorsey, 22; Colonel John Weems, 31.

Harford: Colonel Benjamin Rumsey, 8: Colonel Aquila Hall, 23.

Baltimore, 9.

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Worcester: Colonel Peter Chaille, 10; Colonel William Purnell, 24.

Prince George' s: Lower Battalion, 11; Upper Battalion, 25.

Charles: Colonel Josias Hawkins, 12; Colonel William Harrison, 26.

Kent: Lower Battalion, 13; Upper Battalion, 27.

Caroline: Colonel William Richardson, 14; Colonel Philip Fiddeman, 28.

Calvert: Colonel Benjamin Mackall 4th 15.

Frederick: Colonel Zadock Magruder, 16; Colonel John Murdoch, 29; Colonel John Stull, 31; Colonel Charles Beatty, 33; Colonel Baker Johnson, 34; Colonel Jacob Good, 35; Colonel Samuel Beall, 36; Colonel James Johnson, 37.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning, half after nine o' clock.