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436 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. III
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lectorship of Potowmack for Mr Ridout were not attended
with Success however we both think ourselves as much
obliged to you as if they had been effectual & in Compliance
with Mr Ridout's Request I beg you'll accept his most grateful
Acknowledgments. As there was no Ship about to Sail from
this Province when we received Advice of Mr Deacon's Death
Mr Ridout sent the Letters which I thereupon wrote to you,
two of them by Way of Virga & one to the Northward to be
transmitted by the first Vessel that should sail for any Part of
Great Britain either from Phila or N York, but I have since
learnt that a Scotch Ship sailed from Potowmack the very
Day or the Day after Mr Deacon died & I presume 'twas by that
means the Messrs Hansburys got such early Intelligence of it,
for Mr Wolstenholme who you must know is their Factor here
says they had a Correspondent in every Part of Great Britain
where Tobo Ships ever go who had engaged to send them
immediate Advice whenever they should learn from the Master
of any Vessel or otherwise that Mr Deacon was dead. Mr
Wolstenholme likewise says they had a Friend in the Treasury
who had promised to give them the earliest Notice & more-
over that old Mr Hanbury obtained a Promise of that Office in
his Favour many years ago, but as the Duke of Newcastle
did not mention this Circumstance when you made Applica-
tion to him I question the Truth of it because I think it would
have been a better Excuse for His not Complying with Your
Request than the Reason which His Grace was pleased to give
you. The Messrs Hanburys really managed exceedingly well
to take such an Opportunity of obtaining the Duke's Promise;
had they given the whole Sum that you mention out of their
Pocketts they would not have made a bad Bargain, besides as
they did not on this occasion make immediate Application
themselves, their Interest still stands good & I doubt not but
they will try it again the next Opportunity for tho they have
no other Factor they have many Correspondents in the Prov-
ince whom they would be glad to serve. At the time that I
wrote to Brother Phill & desired him to speak to you about
that other office in the Customs which I was informed had just
then become vacant in this Province by the Death of Mr Hough
the Surveyor of Pocomoke I had not the least Room to ques-
tion the Truth of that Report but the moment I was unde-
ceived I wrote again to him & was in hopes that my Letters
would have reached him soon enough to prevent any Applica-
tion being made by you for that Office. I am very sorry it
has happened otherwise because you have not only had a good
Deal of Trouble unnecessarily but His Grace might perhaps
think it a little odd, tho such Accidents I am assured have
often happened. It is not more than two years ago that some
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