In CONGRESS,
Philadelphia, July 28, 1775.
WHEREAS the safety and freedom of every community depends greatly upon having the means of defence in its own power, and that the United Colonies may not, during the continuance of their present important consent for Liberty, nor in any future time be under the expensive, uncertain, and dangerous necessity of relying on foreign importations of Gun-powder. And it being very certain from observation and experiment, that Salt-Petre is to be obtained in great abundance from most parts of this Northern Continent; that the surface of the earth, in long used tobacco warehouses and their yards, or of common tobacco houses is particularly and strongly impregnated with Nitre.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Provincial Conventions of the tobacco colonies, that as quickly as may be, they appoint one or more manufactoriess on each river, contiguous to thegreat
