[Sharpe to Captain Norton.]
[Augt. 3 1761?]
Sir
Several Gentlemen in this Province who act as Agents for
Merchts in London & several of the Masters of Ships which
came from England last Spring under your Convoy having
represented to me by Petitions that it will be impossible for
them to load the Vessels with which they are respectively con-
cerned soon enough for them to fall down to Virga before the
20th of next Month & that unless You will be pleased to put
off the Day of Your Sailing till the 10th of Octr their Ships
must either lose the Benefit of Convoy or return to England
before their Cargoes can be got on board to the great Detri-
ment of the Merchants in England I take the Liberty to
inclose you the abovementioned Petitions hoping that you will
if possible agreeable to the Desire of the Petitioners put off
the Day of Your Departure &c.
[Sharpe to William Sharpe.]
Augst 4th 1761.
Dr Br
It was not till a few Days ago I had the pleasure to receive
the Letter You were so kind as to favour me with the 15th of
April notwithstanding it is now more than six Weeks since
our Fleet arrived & I understand that McMurray came a Pas-
senger in one of those Ships. It gave me much Satisfaction
to learn by a Letter which Mr Ridout received from His Cor-
respondent in March last that in Compliance with my Request
you had renewed Your Application to the Duke of Newcastle
on his Behalf & obtained for him the Office of Surveyor of
Bahama & Sassafrass but the Leicester Packett by which Mr
Campbell had transmitted his Deputation having been taken
by the Enemy his Correspondent was obliged to apply for a
Duplicate by which means he will I presume be charged with
double Fees. As there are no Perquisites belonging or
accruing to this Office he will not I suppose after the usual
Deductions for the Civil List &c. have been made receive
more than about £45 a year from it, nevertheless as there are
so few lucrative Offices held under the Crown in this Prov-
ince, it was I think more advisable all Risks considered for
him to apply for this than to wait in expectation of a better &
as he is sensible that had it been more valuable You would
have been equally sollicitous to procure it for him he thinks
himself as much obliged to you as if you had procured him the
Collectorship, & desires me to present you his grateful Ac-
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