ships of Six Miles square Each, and comprehends more good land Than any other subject in His Majesties Dominions; But Renesslaer has not thought fit to Contend with The Massachusetts for the four miles; Presumeing it will Be His Majesties pleasure that a North and South Line Should divide both the Massachusetts and New Hampshire From the Government of New York, I have Extended the western boundary of New Hampshire as far West As the Massachusetts have done theirs, That is within Twenty Miles of Hudsons river. It will allso be for the peace and benefit of both Governments if it should Be His Majesties pleasure to determine the Northern As well as Eastern boundary of New York. That it May be ascertained how many Miles North of the City of Albany that Government extends. As it will In its Northern and Eastern boundary, Interfere with the Western boundary of New Hampshire Which will keep both Governments from extending Their settlements beyond their own boundaries, and be Easily submitted to, Before the Inhabitants have Improved the Lands; In virtue of Grants from Either Government.

It will be necessary to inform your Lordships that the Government of New York was Founded on a Grant made by the Crown to the Duke of York, and that it was to commence at the Sea and Run sixty miles North into the Country; which line Will cross Hudsons river about twenty miles South of the City of Albany.

Another difficulty I labour under in The administration of my Government, is, That while the appeals from both the Massachusetts Bay And New Hampshire were depending before His Majesty, The General Assembly of the Massachusetts Granted in the years 1735 and 1736 upwards of thirty New Townships, the Conditions of which Grants, were, That the Grantees should settle the said Townships within three years after the date of their respective Grants, But by the neglect of the Grantees The Conditions have been fullfill'd by few or none, and in Consequence of these Grants many of the Proprietors of these Towns, have petition'd to have their Grants Confirm'd by me, which I have offer'd to Oblige them in, on Condition of reserving to His Majesty the quit rents appointed to be reserved by My Instructions, and reserving allso all white pine Trees growing on said Lands fit for masting the Royall Navy, There being no reservation made of said pine Trees in the Grants made by the General Assembly of The Massachusetts. But hitherto none of the Grantees Will accept of my Grants on those Conditions, and if The original grantees and those possessing under Them Should still refuse, It will be for His Majesties Service That your Lordships take this matter under Consideration, and give me such directions therein, as may Put these

Tracts of Land under immediate improvement. As for the Intersected Towns formerly Complain'd of by The possessors holding under the Massachusetts I have With great difficulty Incorporated all such Towns to Their intire satisfaction, Except part of Northfield and that being a large Town, There is a sufficient Quantity of land lying within the boundary of the Massachusetts for a Township of more than six miles Square, That part which falls in New Hampshire has not more than four or five settlers on It, and without the Limits of Masons Grant, Which is the reason I apprehend those Inhabitants Have not applied to be Erected into a Township, There is allso about sixty thousand Acres of Land Situate on the Western side of Connecticut river, Which was purchased by private persons from the Government of Connecticutt, which that Government Had laid out to them by the Government of the Massachusetts Bay, as an equivalent for two Or three Townships which the Massachusetts purchased from the Connecticutt Government, This Sixty thousand acres is under no Improvement, and the proprietors not being obliged To any time, it will lay unimproved, and free from any quit rent, Unless I receive your Lordships Commands to lay it out into Townships, under the same Limitations with His Majesties other Lands adjoyning to it.

The map of the Province comes In a Long box directed to your Lordships, and as the French are our near neighbours to the Northward, I thought it not improper To add the great Lake Chamblea which is In part settled by the subjects of the French King, It is put down with as much exactness As the situation of our affairs would admitt of.

Since my Message to the Members of the General Assembly of October 4th 1750 which they have not thought proper To give any answer since to, There has Scarse Met a Quorum to enter upon business, though I have kept Them under monthly adjournments to this Time, and the Secretary has Constantly enquired from them whether they were Disposed To enter upon the affairs of the Province. From the present disposition They are in, I am persuaded unless I give Up the point of negativeing the speaker, and of the new Members they will continue The disputes, Untill they are compell'd by His Majesty's Commands to Own His Authority, I am —

My Lords Your Lordships Most faithfull Servant

B Wentworth The Right Honble the Lords Commissioners For Trade and Plantations.

[Thomlinson & Trecothick to Atkinson. Copy Captain Johnson.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. I., p. 166.]

The Atkinson Esq

London 3d Mar: 1752.

Sir Annexed is Coppy of our last since which we are favour'd with your Letter in Co with Mr Dan : Pierce relating to Mason's Right, which shall (if possible) be answer'd by this Conveyance - We have also reced your Favour of 30th Novem' & now Inclose you the Accounts of the Several Officers in the Canada Expedition with whom you were concern'd, the Ballance of their respective Accounts Amounting to £597. 12/ 7 & Lieut Gerrish £8,, 2,, 10d is carried to yours, which is drawn out, & but for the Hurry we are now in, had been render'd you by this Conveyance, but shall certainly come very soon & for the future annually we received of Mr Jones for your Accot the 4th Ultimo £147,, 10,,& have paid Mr How £11,, 13,, 4 being the Ballance of your Account with him - We note the Shoes sent you were too high priced: they were made by Hose of Lombard Street, who is reckon'd the best maker in England, & tho' we think him very dear we are forced to Employ him in most of our orders for private use the Boots you order'd were also made by him, & come

this.conveyance pack'd in a Box of Mr Wentworth's. you are charg'd for them 30/, & have credit for 27/ received the Wilmington from Mr Nelson - Your Candlesticks are made but having no Entry of Plate in this Ship, we are oblig'd to keep them for some other We are very sorry to find the Linnens were not to your Satisfaction which will not hereafter be the Case as we have fallen into another method of procuring Garletts, & all sorts of German Linnens, in ticular the former we now ship of the right Lloyd's Fabrick, & upon at least as good Terms as they are shipped by that or any other House, and before we wou'd venture to advise our Friends of it, have been at the pains of making a Tryall of them, & submitted them to the Examination of our Friend Chas Apthorp Esq' who advises us they are Superiour to those he Imported at the same time, & has order'd a large quantity this Spring that we hope in future to give full Satisfaction - We remain very Respectfully

Sir, Your most Humble Servants

Thomlinson & Trecothick

We paid some time since £20 on your Account to Cap" Hunking.

London 25th March 1752

Sir The foregoing is Copy of our last, since wch we have not rec any of your Favours inclosed is your Accot Curt with Mr Thomlinson as it stood 30th June last, when his Books were closed, the Ballance being £1258,, 8,, 7 in your Favour is transferred to the Credit of your Accot with us, wch is debited for the Goods shipp'd you? Briard, Hallowell & Winslow, as also for the Stock bo't & the Bills pd as you have been advised — the Ballance now due to you shall be invested in Stock the first favourable Opportunity - Your pair of Candlesticks come the Bearer in a Box of Mr Thomas Oxnaids who has promised his Care of them they cost as at foot £16,, 8/ 3a & we hope will please - We remain

A a

Sir your most Humble Servts

Thomlinson & Trecothick

a p' Table Candlesticks & Noss$ 46°z: 141dwt @ 7/4 engraving empd Arms & Crest 7/ pt of Debenture 2/

deduct drawback

17,, 2, 3 9,

17,, II, 3 I, 3,

16,, 8, 3

[A letter from Thomlinson to Atkinson, dated March 6, 1752, concerning Mason's claim, is printed in Vol. VI., p. 895. — ED.]

[Thomlinson to Atkinson. Copy Captain Johnson.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. I., p. 168.]

The Atkinson Esq

London 2d Mar: 1752.

Sir I have now before me your Letter of 29th Novem' respecting our Publick affairs, & I am sorry to find the Province Money is like to continue in my hands, when it ought to be applyed in one Shape or other, as I formerly wrote you, for the benefit of the Creditors of the Province, & I all along desired it might, & Expected pro[vince] orders & Directions thereon, & was in hopes all your Disputes (as you call them, but called Rebellion here) wou'd have subsided, in order that the Government of New Hampshire might have availed themselves of the benefit of this Money in one or other of the Ways I first proposed to you I observe that my Friends with you suppose "That I

find some way or other to make use of this money to my own advantage, & that is the Reason (as they are pleas'd to say) you have had no Determination of your affairs before this." I find my Friends (as you call them) are no Changelings I am very sorry they will continue obstinate beyond all Conviction Did not I write to you (as Secritary of the Province) as soon as I knew the money was to be paid me, desiring that the Government wou'd order the application of the money, as they shou'd find wou'd be most for the C & advantage of the Province, & as soon as I had reason to think they wou'd not, did not I apply to the Lords of his majestys Treasury, that they wou'd (in consequence of the discretionary power the Parliament had given them) order the application thereof, & told them that if I had known they wou'd not have done it, I wou'd not have reced the money then pray what cou'd I have done more than I have done to have got the money properly out of my Hands, & then as to my making use of this money for my own Interest-I hope those Friends of mine do not think I want Money to carry on my business, & as I am neither Stock-Jobber nor Usurer, I know no other way of making advantage of it. But by laying it out in the Funds, & then if any Difficultys or Troubles had arisen here, such Funds might have fallen 5 or 10 Cent in price & your Money at the same time might have been called for, & I must have been obliged to have sold out, & have set down with the Loss: 'Tis true as things have happen'd I might have made money of it, but I have in this affair been too Scrupulously nice, as I don't Care to run too great risques, or have I been accustom'd to have money in my hands called for, without being prepared to pay it, but however as you' are determin'd still to compell me to be your Banker, I will tell you all plainly that if I can find any method of making a certain advantage of this money or any part of it, without running too great a risque, I will Endeavour to do it, for as I am allways able and ready to pay you the whole Principal money due to the Province at the least proper Notice that is all that is Expected or required of me & that you have not yet had a Determination of your affairs here is by no means owing to any want of my Solliciting it, for I have frequently pressed the affair as far as I cou'd with any Decency, & am now Endeavouring to get it done, & am in hopes it will be soon done, & tho' I am no party in this Dispute (as you call it) or can the manner of doing it Effect me one way or other provided it is done Effectually to promote the Quiet, good order & Government of ye Province & yet I cannot help knowing what is to be done, & that will be Enforcing his Majesty's Instructions in the Strongest & most Effectual manner it can possibly be done in, for before that Instruction i prepared, the affair was most maturely & Solemnly considered