London April the 7^th 1757.
Sir
By Acc^t from Ireland, Admiral Holbourn is sail'd with fifteen
of the Line & Transports on Board ab^t eight Thousand Land
fforces with a Large Train of Artillery & Warlike stores for
America, the Fleet was wind bound above six weeks at
Spithead. By Cap^t Iohnston for Patuxent River with The
Trade convoy'd, I answer'd seven Letters of yo^rs of 1756 with
his Lordships Instructions of that Date, confirming the sev-
eral Laws pass'd by you in the Sessions of Assembly Held
the 3^d of Feb^y 1756. with his Vice Admiral's commission &
divers other concerns, your requests to my Lord — Y^rs of the
16^th of Oct^r since rec^d you mention "after passing An Act for
his Majesty's service with five others, you had prorogued the
Assembly & that you Inclosed a Copy of the Act above men-
tion'd," I have rec^d none, however by the lournals of the Upper
house of th' Assembly Held the 14^th of Sep^tr & prorogued by
you to the 31^st of March, the Act nor the five others passed
can I apprehend meet with disaprobation, but this you'l know
on Arival of the Laws to my Lord; who well approves of yo^rs
conduct & gives him much satisfaction to understand that
from Fort Frederick you hear no Indian has been discover'd
near the Borders & that the Frontier Inhabitants were quiet &
easy; protected by Garrison Guard patroling between Poto-
mack & the Temporary Line. — His Lord^ps approves of y^r dis-
mission of M^r Edw^d Tilghman Rent-Roll-keeper of the Eastern
shore he has no exception to M^r W^m Thomas being in that
Office, save M^r Thomas's not residing on the shore, which he
observes will be very detrimental to his Affairs there bro^t &
left in the greatest confussion by the neglect of M^r Tilghman,
and only to be rectified by an assiduous, intelligent person
on the spot, for compiling the Rentals & charge of Rent to the
Tenants, the means for settling with the Farmers; besides, the
Rental Books passing from shore to shore he thinks is too
hazardous by water of their being lost or Damaged: thus cir-
cumstanced, he's of opinion it will be best to appoint M^r
Thomas into another Office, if he can't Reside on the Eastern
Shore or unless you can prevail on M^r Lloyd to exchange
Rent-Roll-keeper of the Western to the Eastern, as M^r Thomas's
Residence is on the Western shore, perhaps M^r Lloyd may
be for resigning the agency, if so Whether it would not be
greatly of advantage to my Lord's concerns instead of having
one Receiver General to have two, one Residing on each shore,
the circumstance of these Affairs he leaves to y^r Iudgement to
operate as opportunity serves, with notice thereof.