550 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

several of the other Commissioners are of opinion that it would
be a much more certain Method to discover & ascertain a
Point fifteen miles South of Phila^a (when the Transit Instru-
ment for which we have applied to His Ldp & the Proprietors
of Pennsylvania arrives) by actual Mensuration than to rely
on Observations to be taken by the Earl of Sterlings Instru-
ment of no more than thirty Inches Radius which tho probably
an exceeding good one will not according to the Accounts given
us of it determine or certainly ascertain the Latitude of a Place
to less than half a Minute which you know being reduced into
yards on the Surface of the Earth is 1019 1/3 yds, I should
therefore be glad to know which method His Ldp thinks 'twill
be best for us to pursue in order to settle & ascertain the Point
whence this Line is to be begun; & the Commissioners are all
desirous to know whether His Lordship will choose to have
the Line in question I mean the North Boundary extended so
far Westward as the Meridian of the Fountain Head of the
North Branch or to the Meridian of the most Western Spring
that runs into the South Branch of Potowmack River. In the
inclosed Letter I have at the Instance of all the Commissioners
wrote to His Ldp for the Transit Instrument mentioned by D^r
Bevis & also for a large Reflecting Telescope with a Mic-
rometer thereto fitted, but if the Telescope of only a Foot
Radius or Focal Distance & Micrometer which I some time
ago desired you to send us is already shipt that will well
enough answer the purpose & in that Case His Ldp & the
Proprietors of Pennsylvania need not Order any Thing more
besides the Transit Instrument for Describing the North
Boundary. I am &c —

[Colville to Sharpe.]

Northumberland at Halifax 7^th Novem^r 1761

Sir
I am honoured with your Letter desiring a Convoy for the
Tobacco Ships of Maryland, which could not be got ready to
sail with the assistance; and agreeable to your desire I send
Captain Adams in the Diana of Thirty two Guns, for that pur-
pose. I am apprehensive he cannot reach Maryland time
enough to perform the desired Service; but had the Gentle-
men concerned made their application to me sooner, I should
have had the pleasure of serving them, with greater certainty.
I send you inclosed a Copy of the orders I have given to
Captain Adams, which would have been more explicit, had I
been acquainted with the Number of Vessels for which a Con-
voy is requested; however, I may reasonably suppose it equal,