288 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1776. 



" To the Inhabitants of the County of Chester. 



" Pursuant to the recommendation of the Committee of Safety 

 for the Province of Pennsylvania, to the Committee for Inspec- 

 tion for the County of Chester, Benjamin Brannan, Walter 

 Finnev, and John Beaton were appointed to attend the saltpetre 

 manufactory in the '.City of Philadelphia, in order to perfect 

 themselves in said art : We having complied therewith do hereby 

 give notice to all those whose public virtue and patriotic spirit 

 would excite them to such a valuable and necessary undertaking 

 at this crisis of time ; that attendance will be given at the house 

 of Benjamin Brannan in Darby,^ on the 23rd and 24th of Feb- 

 ruary ; at the house of Mr. Cochran in East Fallowfield on the 

 27th and 28th ; at the house of Mrs. Whitby [Withy] in the 

 borough of Chester, on the 1st and second of March ; at the 

 house of Mr Hood in Oxford, on the 4th and 5th ; at the house 

 of I\Ir. Miller in Birmingham on the 6th and 7th ; at the house 

 of ]\Ir. Powell in Newtown on the 8th and 9th ; at the house of 

 Mr. Bell in Kennet on the 12th and 13th, and at the house of 

 Walter Finney in New London on the 14th and 15th of said 

 month, in order to teach and instruct all persons who may please 

 to apply at the times and places above mentioned. 



"Benjamin Brannan, 

 Walter Finney." 



"N.B. The times and places in the North West district are 

 not yet appointed."^ 



The "North West district" was visited by Mr. John Beaton 

 the other member of the Committee of Inspection, who made his 

 appointments at six different places, and spent two days at each 

 place, in giving instruction in the art of making saltpetre. 



About the 4th of March the Chester County Committee peti- 

 tioned the Assembly for a change in the articles of the Military 

 Associations. The principal change asked for was, that the 

 Associators be furnished with Arms. The petition is signed by 

 Anthony Wayne as chairman of the Committee. 



On the 29th of March, upon application of Col. Wayne, an 

 order was drawn by the Committee of Safety in favor of the 

 Chester County Committee for £500, for purchasing Arms on 

 account of Congress. 



Under the apprehension of an attack being made by water, 

 every precaution was used to guard against it. Neither pilots 

 nor pilot-boats were allowed to pass the chevaux-de-frize, and 

 the persons specially appointed to conduct vessels through the 

 opening in that obstruction, were not permitted to go below 

 Chester. 



1 Now Upper Darby. ' Pennsylvania Packet. 



