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[Sharpe to Hillsborough.]
To Lord Hillsborough 14th May 1768
My Ld.
Being favoured with your Ldp's Letter bearing Date the
23d of Janry last requiring me to transmit to your Ldp. by the
first Opportunity a compleat Collection either in Manuscript
or Print of the Laws in force within this Government I shall
by the first Ship that may sail hence for London transmit your
Ldp a compleat Collection printed in one Volume of all the
Acts of Assembly that were in force here in the year 1763 &
will at the same time transmit a Collection of All the Laws
which have been made here since that time both which will be
authenticated under the Seal of the Province so late as July
1766 I transmitted to the Lds Commissioners for Trade &
Plantations a Copy of All the Laws of Maryland which were
then just published & another Copy to be lodged in His
Majesty's Council Office, both which I flatter myself were duly
presented. I am &c.
[Sharpe to Hillsborough.]
To Lord Hillsborough. 14th May 1768
My Ld
In obedience to His Majesty's Pleasure signified to Me by
the Lds Commissioners for Trade & Plantations in their Letter
bearing Date the Ist of August 1766 & to your Ldp's Favour
of the 20th of Febry last I am to inform your Ldp that altho
there are in this Province Persons who have been employed
in Europe in many of the Manufactures there carried on
scarcely any Manufacture of Consequence is yet established
here. Those who have Capitals large enough to carry on a
considerable Manufacture choosing rather to vest their Money
in Lands & Negroes or to engage in Trade as Merchants,
& even the Manufacturers that come hither from time to time
in order to settle here do not pursue the Business in which
they have been respectively brought up but become either
Planters or Farmers. A great many Families however through-
out the Province make both Linen & Woolen Cloathing for
their own Use, & in order to encourage the making Linen
Acts of Assembly have from time to time been made granting
Bounties to those Persons that annually produce to the several
County Courts the best Pieces of Linen manufactured by
White Inhabitants in the respective Counties. The Act under
which those Bounties are now paid was made three years ago
& is to continue in force till the year 1770 but it is not sup-
posed to have any great Effect nor do I apprehend the Inhabi-
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