Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
Information being given that complaint is made with respect to the powder manufactured at Mr. O
Resolved, that Mr. Wisner, Mr. Paine, & Mr. R. R. Livingston be a committee to inquire into the defect and take measures to have it remedied.2 Extract from the minutes,
RTP had already taken an interest in Mr. Eve’s powder mill at Frankfort. According to his diary he visited it on Feb. 3, and then on Feb. 24: “I rode wth. Mr. Ward & al to Eves Powder Mill at Frankfort. He says he has made 20 C of Powder this week.” Then on Apr. 20: “Rode with Mr. Webster to the Paper mills at Schuylkill & Gristmill & Powder Mills at German Town & Frankfort.”
Robert R. Livingston reported to his brother John on June 15 that “Mr. Eves’s powder is in very bad repute,” but no official report to Congress seems to have been made by this committee. Congress did, however, pass resolutions on Aug. 28 and Sept. 2 concerning the inspection of domestic and imported powder (Letters of Delegates to Congress, 4:222–223).
Charles Thomson (1729–1824) was the first and only secretary of the Continental and Confederation congresses (1774–1789). A native of Ireland, Thomson came to America young and prospered in trade and in Pennsylvania provincial politics. Disappointed not to receive an office under the new federal government, he retired to his estate in 1789 and devoted the rest of his life to Biblical scholarship and translation (
DAB
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The Committee for Contracting for the Casting Cannon have attended to the proposals delivered them by Francis Lewis Esqr. & make you the following Answer vizt. that they have not advanced Money to any Person till some Cannon were made, but to assist you in carrying on the works they will immediately buy of you 100 Tons of Pigg Iron to ballast the Continental Frigates to be delivered where they are building & pay you £8 per Ton York Currency for the same. They will buy of you the Cannon for said Frigates Vizt. 24: 12 pdrs. 20. 9 pdrs. & 84 pdrs. provided that you can get them done by the time they are wanted. The Cannon must be made 16 diameters of the Shot long & stand Sufficient proof & they agree that you shall have 40£ Penn Currency per Ton for them delivered at the Frigates & we likewise agree to take of you 50 shot to each Cannon being the same bargain we made with the others & will give you the Same Price. We will likewise furnish the Powder to prove the Cannon as soon as it shall be wanted. Please to let us know immediately when you will undertake to get the Cannon ready, for it is necessary that they Should be made soon, tho we do not engage with you for more Cannon than for the two Frigates yet if you can make good Cannon especially of a large size you need not fear being employ’d.