with which the Persons employed to carry the Mail perform
that Duty in the Winter Season rendering a speedy Convey-
ance of a Letter from this Province by the Way of New York
very uncertain, but as many of the British Ships that trade to
this Province take their Cargoes on board at Places many
miles distant from Annapolis & the Time of their Departure
is often unknown & very uncertain, the Persons who load
them or live in the Neighbourhood will frequently have
Opportunities of sending home an Account of occurrences
here earlier than 1 can possibly transmit an Account thereof
to your Ldp but whenever any thing material or worthy
Notice happens in this Province I will as far as shall be in my
power punctually comply with your Ldps Requisition relative
to my advising you thereof in the most expeditious manner.
I am &c.
[Sharpe to I Hillsborough.]
To Lord Hillsborough. Annapolis 12th Septr 1768
My Ld
I am sorry to find by your Ldps Letter of the 11th of July
that the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in No
America have made further Complaints of Obstructions they
& their Officers meet with in the Execution of their Duty but
I flatter myself that no such Complaint can have arisen from
any Transaction or Proceedings within this Government where
I can venture to assure your Ldp the Officers do not meet
with the least Obstruction or Opposition & am persuaded
that if called upon they will respectively certify as much to the
Commissioners, nor will they I believe be thought the worse
of even by the Trading People here for discharging their
Duty & preventing every Attempt to carry on an illicit Trade.
In Answer to the latter Part of your Ldps Letter Permit me
to repeat the Substance of what I did myself the honour to
write to your Ldp the 4th Inst that every Officer of the Customs
who may apply on any Occasion for my Assistance might
depend on my supporting him to the utmost of my Power &
that it will not be owing to any Neglect or Backwardness of
mine if the Laws of Trade & Revenue are not strictly carried
into Execution within this Government. I am, My Ld. &c
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