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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 37
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taken this opportunity of transmitting Copies of them as also
of a Proclamation issued by the Order of the late Ld. Proprietary
which the Gentn of the Council thought it might be proper to
submit to His Ldp's perusal & wait his answer before obedience
to Colo Lloyd's Instruction for requiring an Alienation Fine
upon every Devise be insisted on if His Ldp should be pleased
to confirm that Instruction of Colo Lloyd's perhaps you will not
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Letter Bk. I.
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think it improper to defer putting it in Execution for a year or
two till we can get the fees arising from Innholder Licences
(which amount to a very considerable Sum annually) appro-
priated to the Proprietary's use. The impracticability of
advancing the Quit Rents to Ten Shillings a Hundred Acres
Colo Lloyd has so fully acquainted You with that I presume it
would be superfluous for me to enlarge on that Topick or on
the inconveniences that must follow a Refusal of Land to
those who will not oblige Themselves to settle a certain number
of Persons on it within a time specified, while Land in Virginia
can be procured on much easier Terms than it is in Maryland
at present granted. That the Proprietors of Pensilvania pro-
cure such an advanced Price for their Land as was mentioned
in His Ldp's Instructions I find has been owing to their per-
mitting the Germans who were prevailed on at the first Settle-
ment of that Province to import themselves continually in very
large numbers to settle on & cultivate what Land they pleased,
but as their possessions were not secured to Them by patent,
when considerable improvements had been made, in 1732 or
thereabouts the Proprietaries made the demand of about £9
Sg Caution money & £4: 1s Quit Rent which rather than relin-
quish their cultivated Plantations, the Possessors submitted to
pay tho much disatisfied thereat; & that People will take up
Land in Pensilvania at so high a Rate at this time must be
accounted for from its being rendered much more valuable
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p. 21
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than any in Maryland by the great Demand for its Produce
which is owing to the vast increase of Inhabitants as well as
the surprising Exportation from Philadelphia.
Mr Taskers Reasons for having disposed of His Ldp's Land
at so low a Rate you will see in his Answer to a Lettr which in
pursuance of my Instructions I sent Him on that affair.
On consulting with the Gentn of the Council, whether it
would be proper to issue such Proclamation, as would prevent
the Possessors of Surplusage Lands contained in former Sur-
veys, procuring Grants of such Land, unless they would make
discovery of & take out Patent for the same within a certain
limitted time, I was advised to postpone it till His Ldp could
be informed that many Persons induced heretofore by similar
Proclamations after the elapse of such limitted time, made dis-
covery of Surplusage Lands, expecting one third of the Land
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p. 22
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