honor to give me the Command of the first division that landed, in which I succeeded with the loss of about 300 men; we were opposed by about 500 men, who, if they had behaved as they ought to have done, might have killed every man of us, for we were obliged to scramble up an Eminence, while the Enemy were upon the top of the hill, discharging their pieces at us and pelting us with stones; however, we succeeded in our landing and drove the Enemy before us.

The General did me the honor of thanking me in public for my behaviour, and mentioned me to Mr. Pitt, and has promised me that if a Vacancy of Lieut. Col. happens, he will recommend me to the King for it. We have since made our approaches and opened our batteries of 32 pounders this moruing in order to make a breach, but our wise Engineers have been mistaken in their distance, and find it impracticable till we get 200 yards nigher; till then we shall do nothing. We have a line of Circumvallation about the Citadel, so that not a man can come out, and hope in about ten days time we shall be in possession of it. We have lost since we came to the Island near 900 men, & the French 1000, which reduces their number to 1.200 by the accounts of deserters. This is all that has happened since we landed, excepting an unlucky accident that happened to General Crawford who was taken prisoner in a sortie the Enemy made upon our lines in a dark night; but they met with so warm a reception that they have not attempted it since.

We are alarmed here with a report that the Spaniards have assisted the French with 12 sail of the line, in order to relieve this place, but how true it is we do not know. *

*

*

Believe me to be your ever Affectionate brother WILLIAM SKINNER.

P. S. Lest you should not have heard of my promotion, I mention it now. I am Major to the R. Volunteers.

Letter from Governor Boone to the Lords of Trade, transmitting two public and two private acts of the New Jersey Assembly-had declined issuing new commissions to the government officers.

My Lords

[From P. R. O., B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 9, K. 15.]

NEW JERSEY P. Amboy June 5th 1761

I have the honour now to Send you the two Publick, & two private Acts of Assembly which I passed last Sessions, & which in my letter of the 8th of April I Gave your Lordships an Account of; after having waited the Printing them I was under necessity of Causing them to be copied, as the different Acts by the setting of the Press run into one another, & rendered It impossible for me to Affix separate Seals, this has been the Occasion of the Delay: I have the Honour also to Send your Lordships the Copies of the Minutes of Council & Assembly, & beg leave to Inform your Lordships that I have been applied to, to Issue here Commissions to the Respective officers, particularly to the Inferior Judges of the Supream Court, & to the Attorney General whose office is of little or no value, & his conduct during my administration Irreproachable; I declined however doing anything in these matters till they were on the self same footing as my self

I have the honour to be with the utmost

Deference & Respect My Lords

Your Lordships most Obedient & most

Humble Servant

THO: BOONE.

Commission of Josiah Hardy to be Vice-Admiral of New Jersey.

[From Book AAA of Commissions, Secretary of State's Office, Trenton, fol. 355.]

GEORGE the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c. To our Beloved JOSIAH HARDY Esq. our Captain General & Governor in Chief of our Province of NOVA CEESAREA or New Jersey in AMERICA Greeting We confiding very much in your Fidelity Care and Circumspection in this behalf do by these Presents which are to Continue during our Pleasure only, Ordain Constitute and depute you the said Josiah Hardy Esq. our Captain General & Governor in Chief aforesaid our Vice Admiral Commissary and deputy in the Office of Vice Admiralty in our Province of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey aforesaid and Territories thereon depending and in the maritime parts of the same & thereto adjoining whatsoever with power of Taking and Receiving all and every the Fees profits Advantages Emoluments Comodities and Appurtenances whatsoever due and belonging to the said Office of Vice Admiral Commissary and deputy in our said Province of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey and Territories dependant thereon and Maritime parts of the same, and adjoining to them whatsoever according to the Ordinances and Statutes of our High Court of Admiralty of England. And we do hereby Commit and Grant unto you the aforesaid JOSIAH HARDY Esq. our Power and Authority in and throughout our province of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey aforementioned and Territories thereof and Maritime parts whatsoever adjacent thereto, and Also throughout all and every the Sea Shores, Public Streams Ports, Fresh

Waters, Rivers, Creeks, and Arms as well of the Sea as of the Rivers and Coasts whatsoever of our said Province of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey and Territories dependant thereon and Maritime parts whatsoever of the same and thereto adjacent as well within Liberties and Franchises as without To take Cognizance of and proceed in all causes Civil and Maritime, and in Complaints Contracts Offences or Suspected Offences, Crimes Pleas, Debts Exchanges, Accounts, Charter Parties, Agreements, Suits, Trespasses, Injuries, Extortions, & Demands, and Businesses Civil and Maritime whatsoever Commenced or to be Commenced Between Merchants or between Owners and Proprietors of Ships and other Vessels and Merchants or others Whomsoever with such Owners and Proprietors of Ships and all others Vessels whatsoever Employed or Used within the Maritime Jurisdiction of our Vice Admiralty of our said Province of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey and Territories depending on the same, or Between any other persons whomsoever had made Began or Contracted for any matter thing Cause or Business whatsoever done or to be done within our Maritime Jurisdiction aforesaid, together with all and singular their Incidents, Emergencies, Dependencies annexed or Connexed Causes whatsoever wheresoever or howsoever, and such Causes Complaints Contracts and other the Premises abovesaid or any of them which may happen to Arise be Contracted had or done to hear and determine According to the Rights Statutes Laws Ordinances and Customs Antiently Observed.

[It is unnecessary to give the Commission in full, as it is, in all respects, similar to that given to Governor Boone which may be found at page 195. It concludes as follows:]

Given at London in the High Court of our Admiralty

of England aforesaid under the Great Seal thereof, the Thirteenth day of June in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty One, and of our Reign the First.

Seal of

Admiralty

of England.

GODF. LEE FARRANT
Register.

The above Commission of Vice Admiralty was Published at Perth Amboy, the 29th day of October 1761, And at Burlington in said Province the 31st day of the same Month.

Representation of the Lords of Trade to the King with the names of such persons as were thought proper to be inserted in the Commissions for trying pirates.

[From P. R. O. B. T., Plantations General, Vol. 41, page 73.]

JUNE 16th 1761

To the Kings most Exc! Majesty

May it please Your Majesty

In obedience to Your Majesty's Order in Council dated the 8th instant, We beg Leave humbly to lay before Your Majesty the Names of those Persons which We conceive proper to be inserted in the Commission to be pass'd under the Great Seal, for trying all such Pirates as are or shall be taken in any of Your Majesty's Plantations, as also which of those Plantations may be fitly comprehended within each Commission.