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appointed for the Newfoundland Station this year, to set me down at Boston before he proceeds upon his Station. His ship will, I believe, sail in 14 or 15 days.

I have petitioned the King in Council for II cannon of 24 lb. ball which number will compleat the Royal Battery at Castle William with suitable Guns, and for two Mortars with a proportion of ball, shells and all other stores except powder, which last it is a settled rule not to grant. Upon my apprizing Mr Sharpe Clerk of the Council of my Petition, I had the Discouragemt to hear that a fortnight before Mr Pelham had absolutely rejected a petition from the Province of Maryland. to have 300 Musquets replac'd which they had furnished the Soldiers rais'd for the Canada Expedition with, out of the Province stores, but upon my delivering it to my Lord President his Lordship was pleased to receive it very graciously and tell me it should be granted, and in order to give it the greatest Dispatch, he has referr'd it to the Board of Ordnance for an Estimate of the Ordnance stores prayed for, to be directly made out without making any report of their opinion upon the substance or fitness of the Petition as is the usual manner of those References and which frequently occasions delay and difficulties.

Upon getting this Reference from the Council of the Board of Ordnance, I delivered it myself to Sir John Legonier begging the favour of him to order it to be dispatch'd. The Easter Holydays have delayed it, but I am promis'd by the Secry. of the Board, that the Estimate shall be finish'd this day and be signed by Sir John and the Principal Officers of the Board in time to be returned into the Council Office on Tuesday next. I have taken Care to get the Freight of these stores included in the Board of Ordnance's Estimate which is not usual and I flatter myself with the Hopes of obtaining an absolute order for the delivery of them before I imbark, and for their being forthwith transported to Castle William at the Expence of the Crown. I thought it was most adviseable to postpone an application for the Pictures of the Royal Family in the Room of those which were burnt in the Council Chamber untill the Ordnance stores were

secured for the Province, being unwilling to run the least risque of that Application's interfering with the other more essential one, but as soon as an absolute order is passed for the stores I will apply to Mr Pelham for the Pictures.1

The Application for a reimbursement of the remainder of the stores bought by the Province for the New England Soldiers in the Expedition against Cape Breton, and made use of by Mr Knowles, stands still for the arrival of some evidence from Boston which Mr Bollan hath sent for to ascertain the value of them as does the Affair of the Townships controverted between the Province and Colony of Connecticutt and of the new Line claimed by the Colony of Rhode Island for Evidence from the Records of the two Colonies, which in my opinion is absolutely necessary to be procur'd if possible before those Matters are brot to a Decision before the King in Council, or at least to have a denial from the Assemblies of those Colonies to let the Massa. Agent in New England search and take copies of their Records in order to intitle the Province's agent here to produce copies of its own Records which cant be regularly admitted as Evidence in its own Case untill the Province is denied Copies of the Rhode Island and Connecticutt records upon the point in question. Mr. Bollan was in hopes of receiving those papers by the last ships. When he is furnished with 'em I am persuaded no Pains nor good Conduct will be wanting to establish the Province's just rights in these disputes which to me appear clear and evident and that the pretentions of both the Colonies are unreasonable and vexatious.

As to the Province's demands against that of New Hampshire on account of their maintaining Fort Dummer during the War Mr Bollan had obtained, before he brought over the money granted the Province by Parliament for the reimbursement of their Expences in the Expedition against Cape Breton, a Report from the Board of Trade in favour of it, but soon after Mr Bollan was imbarked for Boston the

1 Shirley's petition for additional levy money for his late regiment beyond that allowed in 1750 had been refused by Fox on April 25 (War Office, Class 4, 49, p. 157).

Agent of the Province of New Hampshire prepared a Petition to the King in Council to be heard against the Report, and an Order of Council was thereupon made that the Matter should stay untill the Lords or Council should call the Agents of both Provinces before them. It is necessary to stay a decent Time out of Respect to that Order, without moving by a Petition on the Part of the Province to have the hearing brought on. When that is done Mr Bollan will move it, and I hope there can be no danger of having the Report of the Lords Commissioners of Trade confirmed.

There is an appearance that the Settlement of a Line between the Province and N. York may soon be brought on. The finishing Memorial upon the Limits of Nova Scotia as claimed by his Majesty to extend as far as the Southern Bank of the River St. Lawrence hath been some months transmitted by Lord Holderness to the Court of France. I flatter myself that in the opinion of all His Majesty's Ministers the English right to the Limits which they claim (particularly with Respect to the Ancient Limits of the Province) is asserted in the clearest and most convincing Manner, even upon the Foot of the French Records and Histories which themselves have produc'd to maintain their Pretensions in their Answer to our first Memorial and that there is not the least Colour or Shadow of Argument or rather Sophistry which they have advanced left unanswered and unconfuted.

I can't conclude without observing that when the Supply for the Maintenance of Nova Scotia came on in the House of Commons to be debated it was not only unanimously voted, but with the most visible Satisfaction on the Countenance of every Member that was ever known there upon any such. occasion, most explicit strong declarations were made by the Minister in favour of its Support and of the Importance of it to the Nation and the Parliamentary Faith was plighted for it as much as could be done by his Declaration.... I am Sir Your most humble Servant

W. SHIRLEY.

SIR,

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOSIAH WILLARD 1

St. James's Street, May 16, 1753.

About a Month ago I wrote you word that I believed I should embark on board his Majesty's ship the Port Mahon, Capt. Montague, who has Orders to carry me to Boston, within 14 or 15 days; But the Ship I find, will not sail before the beginning of the Week after next; when the Captain hath given me an Assurance, he will be ready the day after my arrival at Portsmouth.

Last night I obtained a report of the Lords of the Committee of Council, in favour of my Petition for the Ordnance Stores, for Castle William, together with the Freight of them, at the Charge of the Crown, which Article, it is computed, will amount to about £300; so that the Province will receive them free of all Charges, except fees of Office and Clerk's Perquisites; Nothing remains to perfect the Affair but the reports being approved by his Majesty, which is esteem'd a thing of Course; If he appoints a Council before I go, I shall get the Order for the Immediate delivery of the Stores, which are all ready, and indent for them myself: If there should be no Council before my Departure, that must be left for Mr. Bollan to do: I will however endeavour to get the Board of Ordnance to fix upon a good Vessell here for the transportation of the Stores, before I go, that a Ship may be ready to receive them, as soon as they can be deliver'd.

I have also to add, that a strong Attempt being made to continue the act for laying the present Duty upon foreign Molasses &c which expires the Session after next, to a further long Period Mr Bollan hath petition'd against it, and succeeded so well in his Opposition, that it seems to me, he hath pretty nearly given that Act its Death wound; I shall refer you to him for a particular acct of the matter, But he is at present so busy in attending the House to oppose another Attempt making by the Sugar bakers here to put down all Original, Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 303.

Sugar houses in the Colonies, that you will scarcely hear from him by this Ship.

I hope to have a good sight soon of Boston and am

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His Majesty having received Information of the March of a considerable number of Indians not in alliance with the King, supported by some regular European Troops, intending as it is apprehended, to commit some hostilities on parts of his Majesty's dominions in America, I have the King's commands to send you this intelligence, and to direct you to use your utmost diligence, to learn, how far the same may be well grounded, and to put you upon your guard, that you may, at all events, be in a condition to resist any hostile attempts that may be made upon any parts of His Majesty's Dominions within your Government; and to direct you in the King's Name, that in case the subjects of any Foreign Prince or State, should presume to make any incroachment on the limits of His Majty's dominions, or to erect Forts on His Majesty's Land, or commit any other act of hostility, you are immediately, to represent the injustice of such proceed

1 P. R. O., C. O. 211, Entry Book. Printed: Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 6, 795. See Shirley's reply of Jan. 7, 1754, post, p. 18. The letter is a circular to the various governors in North America, and from it the Massachusetts Governor took the cue for his letter of January, 1754, to the Lords Commissioners of Trade, post, p. 26, in which he declares that a union of the Colonies is necessary for defense, and that the quota of men and money to be furnished by each colony should be fixed by the king. Holderness had succeeded Bedford as a Secretary of State in June, 1751, serving until March, 1761.

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