extend the time, the difficulties confronting the carriers would be very great. I think it is clear that reasonable time should be given within which to comply with the act now, and at the expiration of two years, any company not filing a certificate that it holds its charter subject to the act, could be proceeded against, and the constitutionality of the act tested. I represent a large shipping interest, entirely in accord with the purposes of the act to regulate commerce as approved June 29, 1906, and this suggestion is made in the belief that the end in view will be better attained by a reasonable extension of time within which carriers desiring to do so may put themselves on a proper basis rather than by a court proceeding, before reasonable opportunity is offered within which to comply with the act. We are interested in the perpetuity of the principle that carriers shall alone be interested in providing the best and most expeditious transportation and that carriers should withdraw from any other line of business endeavor, but we wish this accomplished with as little embarrassment as possible to carrier companies, who desire to live within the law. This is a most important and pressing question, and I hope Your Excellency will pardon my presentation at such length of the views I entertain. I shall be glad to give any further or detailed information to you or to anyone you may suggest, and which information convinces me of the necessity of this extension of time. I remain, with great respect, Your obedient servant, WM. A. GLASGOW, Jr. Executive Offices, Washington, D. C. LETTERS AND PAPERS OF HENRY FISHER, OF LETTER FROM THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, TRANSMITTING, IN RESPONSE TO A SENATE RESOLUTION OF MAY 5, 1908, COPIES OF THE ACCOUNTS, PAPERS, AND DOCUMENTS RELATING TO HENRY FISHER, OF DELAWARE, ETC. MAY 8, 1908.-Ordered to be printed and lie on the table. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, MR. SECRETARY: I yesterday received from you a copy of a Senate resolution, as follows: Resolved, That the Librarian of Congress be directed to send to the Senate copies of all the accounts, papers, and documents relating to Henry Fisher, of Delaware, and the revolutionary forces, an active patriot in that colony, which papers, and so forth, were transmitted by the Secretary of State to the Library of Congress in nineteen hundred and three. Please find inclosed herewith the copies that have been drawn off in accordance with the resolution, as understood by the chief of our division of manuscripts. Please see his memorandum accompanying, which indicates the scope as he has so understood it. I send herewith such letters and papers of Henry Fisher, of Delaware, as have been located in the papers of the Continental Congress. I believe that this will include all. To find a mere mention of his name in a letter or account would involve the search through the entire collection of some 50,000 papers, and would yield no results commensurate with the undertaking. The papers will be open to the investigator at any time, under the rules of the Library. WORTHINGTON C. FORD, Chief of Division of Manuscripts. LEWES April 1, 1776 GENTLEMEN On Monday evening last a Man of War and her Tender came within the Pitch of our Cape and anchored, as you have been informed, by last express-the Pilot Boat stationed near Lewes Creek's mouth did not discover the Signal at the Light House, nor See the Ship that evening as it was near dark before she came to the Pitch of the Cape. And when the Alarm Guns were fired the People on Board the Boat, altho' they heard them very plain, imagined as they said that we were cleaning the Guns with a proof charge. Tuesday morning the Man of War's boat took the Pilot Boat, the Wind being very light and Northerly and Ebb Tide, but before they boarded her the hands in the Pilot Boat left her and Rowed on Shore at the Broadkill in their Skiff. The same day the Man of War with their Tenders and Boats took a small Sloop then laying in the Road belonging to Egg harbour in ballast the People of whom left her first in their Boats, they also took two Other small Sloops from Philadelphia. One to Synnepuxon the other to North Carolina and on Wednesday sent them on Shore in their own small Boats, Stripped and scuttled the afsd three Sloops and set them adrift by these people we learned that it was Captain Hammond of the Kings Ship the Roebuck, of forty four Guns. They made another Tender of the Pilot boat, sent her out, took a New England Sloop Bound to Philadelphia for Corn and that night laying to Near the Cape the hand at helm falling a Sleep let the Pilot Boat run on the Beach when the third Lieutenant their Pilot and two Sailors left her, went on the Cape and were taken on Thursday by our men. We stripped the Pilot boat of every thing of value and found Ten Musquets and five Pistols which had been hove over the side where the Boat lies. On Friday and Saturday they took nothing. On friday the Sloop Hornet appeared near Indian River and sent on Shore and got a Pilot, but we have not seen her since and the same evening the Brig Capt Barry came down under Cape May And on Sunday Morning, went out. The Ship and Tender put out to Sea also after the Brig but returned on Sunday evening into the Road. We have been Day and Night on Guard both on the Cape and at Lewes and Pilot Town. The Several Companies of Militia from all Parts of the County who live within twenty or five and twenty miles of Lewes came in as soon as they could be expected seemed all quite unanimous and hearty in the Cause determined to defend their Country. there has been near 1000 Men in at times the last Week so that we were obliged to discharge Many of them not having Occasion for half the Number. We prevailed on those who lived at a distance to leave some of the Best of their Arms (for Numbers of them want Firelocks) which are not to be purchased. On Saturday last Capt. Pope's Company of the Delaware Batalion of regular Soldiers came down from Kent all well equipped. How long the Ship intends to Stay here we cannot learn. If any thing Material should happen, I shall endeavor to let you know it. I am, Gentlemen, Your very humble Servant HENRY FISHER. P. S. from what I can Learn from the Prisoners that we have got you may dayly Expect Several Large ships, therefore, I hope, that you may be upon your Guard, as from what I can Learn that they Are to Come up your River. The Lieutenant and other Prisoners Will be sent up to you to Morrow by Land or Else it shall Caust me A fall. HENRY FISHER. LEWISTOWN April ye 2, 1776. Four OClock. To the Gentlemen that Keep the Stage Horses you are Requir'd to let the bearer Mr Sam' Edwards have them as he is one of the Station'd Pilots therefore Can Relate matters more Particular than I can Write. Cedar Creek April 2d 1776. 6 OClock Thomas Evans. Dover Tuesday 10 Minutes after Nine O Clock arive Cantwell Bridge Tuesday fifty two Minutes after one April 2d 1776. H. F. BATTELL MAT DELANY Wilmington Tuesday 38 Minuets After 7 Oclock Arived THOS KEAN. Endorsed: "Letter from H. Fisher with a resolution of 1 April, of the committee of safety of Pennsylvania. April 3, 1776." Addressed to the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia. Pr Mr Edwards. From the papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I. folio 113. LEWES-TOWN March 14th 1777 GENTLEMEN On Tuesday ye 11th after Night came into our Road two Ships and a Sloop Tender, one of them has not been in our Capes before, I take her to be a Forty or Fifty Gun Ship, the other a Frigate, the Sloop appears to have ten Guns; on Wednesday morning there appeared a third Ship, the Frigate and Sloop made Sail after her, they have not been seen since, last Evening the other Ship went out and at this time they are not to be seen from the Light House. I should have sent off this Express before, but did not know when they might be bound up the Bay and then should not have had the Horses. Our Council of Safety will not admit of a Guard when the Ships are in the Road, therefore I dont know when I may be sur |