made. As I shall be under a necessity of meeting the Assembly
again in the winter I should be exceedingly obliged to you for
returning it if possible before that time that I may be prepared
for a Dispute which seems unavoidable I am &c —
[Sharpe to Board of Trade.]
Iune the 2d 1756.
Rt Honble
I do myself the honour to inform you that the Assembly of
this Province has lately granted the Sum of £40000 Currency
for His Majesty's Service, to be laid out & applied in the
following manner, £11.000 in Constructing a Fort or Forts
just beyond our Western Settlements & in paying cloathing
& victualing 200 Men that are to be raised to garrison the
Same & to patroll on the Frontiers. £3000 in presents or
otherwise to engage the Assistance & cultivate the Friendship
of the Southern Indians in case either of the Neighbouring
Colonies shall think proper to send Commissioners in Conjunc-
tion with some from this Province to treat with them. £1000
to be given as a Reward or Bounty to such as shall act offen-
sively against our Indian Enemies & produce their Scalps in
testimony of their having so done. And the Remaining
£25,000 in carrying on any Expedition that shall be under-
taken by this Province for His Majesty's Service in conjunction
with the Governments of Virga Pensa & North Carolina.
The last mentioned Sum is made payable to the Orders of the
Officer who shall command on any such Expedition but as the
Troops that have been raised in North. Carolina are all trans-
ported to New York & the Pensilvanians hitherto continue
averse to granting any farther Supplies it will remain in our
Treasury till the Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Forces
in America to whom I have writ thereon shall signify his
pleasure concerning the Disposal of it. The Number of Men
that are allowed for the immediate Protection of our own
Frontiers will I beleive be raised in a few Days, when I pro-
pose to proceed to the Western Parts of the Province to give
the necessary Orders for constructing the Forts & for putting
that part of the Country in a better Posture of Defence.
Some of our Back Inhabitants who lately advanced about 40
miles beyond Fort Cumberland fell in with some Parties of the
Enemy & returned with some Scalps, indeed they lost some
men but as considerable Rewards are now given to such
Adventurers or Voluntiers in all these Colonies I hope the
Love of Money if no other motive will incite many to follow
their Example, & thereby make the Indians more cautious how
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Letter Bk. III
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