The Pennsylvania people had already agreed to furnish these necessaries; the resolutions of the Congress were only in the nature of vouchers, and, twenty-four hours later, the first American fleet was found and fitted for service. Only the crews for the ships were needed, and these the committee had provided ready for the occasion, so all that was then required to man the ships was for the Congress to confirm the appointment of the officers. And this was done on the memorable date, Friday, December 22, 1775. The resolutions of the Congress shall be given in full, because it was upon this legal warrant that the American navy was founded. They were as follows: “The committee appointed to fit out armed vessels, laid before congress a list of the officers by them appointed agreeable to the powers to them given by Congress, viz: Esek Hopkins, esq. comander in chief of the fleet-- Dudley Saltonstall, Captain of the _Alfred_. Abraham Whipple, Captain of the _Columbus_. Nicholas Biddle, Captain of the _Andrea Doria_. John Burrow Hopkins, Captain of the _Cabot_. First lieutenants, John Paul Jones, Rhodes Arnold, ---- Stansbury, Hoysted Hacker, Jonathan Pitcher. Second Lieutenants, Benjamin Seabury, Joseph Olney, Elisha Warner, Thomas Weaver, ---- McDougall. Third Lieutenants, John Fanning, Ezekiel Burroughs, Daniel Vaughn. _Resolved_, That the Pay of the Comander in-chief of the fleet be 125 dollars per calender month. _Resolved_, That commissions be granted to the above officers agreeable to their rank in the above appointment. _Resolved_, That the committee for fitting out armed vessels, issue warrants to all officers employed in the fleet under the rank of third lieutenants. _Resolved_, That the said committee be directed (as a secret committee) to give such instructions to the commander of the fleet, touching the operations of the ships under his command, as shall appear to the said committee most conducive to the defence of the United Colonies, and to the distress of the enemy’s naval forces and vessels bringing supplys to their fleets and armies, and lay such instructions before the Congress when called for.” The thirteen United Colonies had at last a naval fleet, armed, equipped, and manned, and legally authorized to sail away on the secret expedition the committee had planned. But before Commodore Hopkins might up anchor and spread his canvas to the breeze there was one ceremony to be performed which, though not mentioned in any colonial law, was (and it still is) considered of the utmost importance. He must “put his ships in commission”--must “pipe all hands on deck,” and then “hoist in their appropriate places the national colors and the pennant of the commanding officer,” after which he must address the crew and “read to them the order by virtue of which he assumes command.” That is a most impressive ceremony, and it was now to be performed for the first time in the American naval fleet.