Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 497

tants will think much of Manufacturing for themselves while
they can with the produce of their Lands purchase such Goods
as they may have occasion for. Besides the Bounty on Linen
the Legislature in the year 1719 intending thereby to encour-
age the Erection of Furnaces & Forges here for making Pig
& Bar Iron exempted such Labourers as may be employed
therein for the Term of four years from the Payment of all
Levies or Taxes which it is supposed has contributed much to
the Encrease of Iron Works in the Province & indeed the
quantity of Iron now made here is very considerable. There
have within these Twenty years been four Rope Walks set up
in different parts of Maryland, in each of which eight or ten
Hands are generally employed but since the War the Pro-
prietors are said to have made little profit by them. There
are likewise several Ships & other Sea Vessels built here
Annually for Sale or on Account of British Merchants but
this Branch of Business seems to be now on the Decline.
Should any Manufactures be established here I shall not fail to
return an Account thereof in Obedience to His Majestys
Commands.

Letter Bk. III

[Sharpe to Baltimore.]

To Lord Baltimore. Annapolis 15^th May 1768
My Ld
Having since I did Myself the honour to write to your Ldp
the 31^st of March last received Letters from Ld Hillsborough
containing sundry Requisitions I embrace this opportunity by
a Vessel now said to be at the Mouth of Potuxent on her
Departure for England to transmit my answers thereto under
Cover to your Ldp together with Copies of such my answers
& an Extract of one of Ld Hillsboroughs Letters by which
your Ldp will observe I am peremptorily required to commu-
nicate to him all Occurrences that may happen here & to
transmit to him from time to time all Acts & Proceedings of
Government & Legislature & of such Papers as have any
Relation thereto. As I have not fail'd to answer any Letters
I have received from the Secretaries of State or to give them
an Account of such Occurrences here as seem'd to be material
or extraordinary I am a little at a loss what farther was
expected & should be glad to receive your Ldp's Instructions
on the Subject of the Requisition now made & to know
whether I am for the future to transmit to the Secretary of
State or to the Board of Trade Copies of the Laws that may
be made here, Journals of the Proceedings in the two Houses
of Assembly & Copies of the Council Minutes, for All these
seem to be now demanded or how far would your Ldp choose

Letter Bk. V