[63] See Chapter I, The Naval Committee, page 48. It would seem that Congress, by its resolutions of November 25, intended to give colonial courts original jurisdiction in Continental prize cases. Washington did not so understand these resolutions. See his letter of December 14, 1775, to the President of Congress, and his letter of December 26, 1775, to R. H. Lee.
[64] Ford, Writings of Washington, III, 404; IV, 44, 45.
[65] Marine Committee Letter Book, Robert Morris, Vice-President of the Marine Committee, to John Bradford, Continental agent at Boston, February 7, 1777. The “Lee,” Captain Skimmer, was still in the Continental service in November, 1777, when the Navy Board was ordered to discharge Skimmer, and to take the “Lee” into the regular Continental navy, if she was adapted for it.—Marine Committee Letter Book, Committee to Navy Board at Boston, November 22, 1777.
[66] Marine Committee Letter Book, Committee to the three Commissioners, March 21, 1777.
[67] Journals of Continental Congress, April 9, 1778.
[68] Journals of New York Committee of Safety, April 24, May 10, 1776.
[69] The movements of these vessels may be followed in Force’s American Archives, Ford’s Writings of Washington, and the Journals of the New York Provincial Congress and Committee of Safety.
[70] Journals of Continental Congress, May 30, 1776; Force, American Archives, 5th, I, 1263; Journals of New York Provincial Congress, June 7, 1777.
[71] Journals of Continental Congress, May 31, 1775.
[72] Force, American Archives, 4th, III, 738.