Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 181

Counties into which this Province is divided & proper
measures taken for the Conveyance of Letters hither from
such Offices & hence thither every week the Revenue of the
Post Office would after some time be thereby increased &
Letters would be conveyed in a very few Days from one End
of the Province to the other. In that Case there might be an
Office kept at the several Places mentioned in the inclosed
List, many of which are noticed in the Maps of this Part of
America which have been lately published. It is not at present
in my power to transmit His Majesty's Post Master General
any such correct Map of Maryland with the Roads described
thereon as would be of real Use no actual Survey having been
as yet made of this Province but as soon as I can get such a
Map I will transmit a Copy to the Post Master General agree-
able to Your Lordship's Requisition & Your Lordship may be
assured that I shall on all occasions be ready to aid & assist
the Post Masters here as far as might be in my power. I am &c.

[Sharpe to Halifax.]

To The Earl of Hallifax. Annapolis the 20^th Oct^r 1764.
My Lord
In obedience to your Commands signified to me by one of
Your Ldp's Letters dated the 11^th of August last I am to
inform Your Ldp that I am persuaded very few if any of the
Inhabitants of this Province have been concerned in Vessels
employed in carrying on any illicit Commerce, but two small
Vessels belonging to the Grenades & Virginia were lately
seized here for trading without Registers & I am informed
that the Collectors of Pocomoke District has within these few
Days seized a Vessel with some foreign Molasses on board
which the Master concealed at the Time of making his Entry.
As there are a great many Rivers & Creeks within this Province
into which Vessels coming from Sea may run & unload, it
would not I think be in the Power of the Officers of the
Customs alone, were there many more than there are here
entirely to prevent all illicit Trade, but I am persuaded that
none of the Gentlemen who hold such Commissions here
would connive at an illicit Trades being carried on or let an
Offender when discovered escape with Impunity. I have
indeed been told by some of them that Pilot Boats & other
small Vessels from Virginia do sometimes come up the Bay &
trade without making Entry or obtaining Permits by which
means probably small quantities of Contraband Goods may be
imported & sold here, but as such Vessels run into Bye Places
where they may be unloaded in a few hours before an Officer
can be apprized thereof It is not as I have intimated in the

Letter Bk. III