Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 445

[Sharpe to Philip Sharpe.]

Annapolis 10^th Iuly 1760.
D^r B^r
I had the pleasure to receive a few Days ago the Letter
you were so kind as to write to me the 30^th of March wherein
you advise me of the several Bills being paid which I remitted
to you the 23^d of Sept^r last & am very much obliged to you
for Your management in placing out what money of mine
remained in Your hands so much to my Advantage. I shall
take it as a favour if in Your next You will let me know what
that Sum was, whether the Stock was purchased in my name,
whether the Interest is to be received annually or to be added
to the principal, & I shall be obliged to You if when the inclosed
Bills for £360 are paid you will be so kind as to Vest that
Sum likewise in Stock for my use. I am extreemly sorry that
my Brother William's Endeavours to Obtain the Collector-
ship of Potowmack for M^r Ridout proved unsuccessful, 'twas
unlucky he should have had such a Competitor for I find that the
Mess^rs Hanburies left no Stone unturned to obtain that Office
for M^r Wolstenholme, It gave me a good Deal of Uneasiness
when I discovered that the Intelligence which I sent You the
26^th of Dec^r relative to M^r Hough was false, but I was still in
hopes till I received Yours & my Brother William's Letters
the other Day that you would have received my other Letters
& been undeceived before Application could be made on M^r
Ridout's behalf for that Surveyorship of Pocomoke which not-
withstanding the Deputation issued in his favour I am afraid
he will never enjoy. I hope my Brother William excuses me
for giving him so much unnecessary Trouble & that he has
no reason to think the Duke of Newcastle was displeased
with him for obtaining the Warrant; otherwise I must never
take the Liberty to sollicit his Interest again on such an occa-
sion.
Brother William tells me that when he next saw the Duke
after M^r Wolstenholme's Deputation had been issued His
Grace was pleased to promise him that his Application on M^r
Ridout's behalf should not be forgot when another Office in
the Customs should become Vacant in this Province. In all
probability it will be many Years before that Event may happen,
but there is an office in what they call the Territory (which
according to Ld Baltimore's Charter is within the Limits of
Maryland) that one may expect will be vacated very shortly, I
mean the Collectorship of Newcastle on Delaware, (which
place as I said is within the Limits of Maryland as described
in the Charter, tho it is not at present nor ever will be under
this Jurisdiction being annexed to Pens^a) It is at this time
held by one M^r Till who is far advanced in Years & is as I