Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1740. 1 99

19^th of October 1739 in the 13^th year of his Majestys Reign a
Copy whereof is hereunto annexed as also a Letter from his
Grace the Duke of Newcastle One of his Majesty's Principal
Secretarys of State signifying that it is His Majestys Pleasure
I should cause the said Declaration to be proclaimed in the
Places under my Government I have therefore thought fit with
the Advice of his Ldps Council of State to publish this my
Proclamation, notifying the said Declaration to all his Majestys
Subjects and strictly charging & requiring the several Sheriffs
of the respective Counties of this Province at the most publick
Places in their said Counties as soon as conveniently may be
with all Solemnity possible to proclaim and publish the same
And I do hereby further will and require the several Sheriffs
of this Province to give Notice to the Magistrates of their
respective Counties as soon as possible to meet and appoint
a Day for publishing his Majesty's said Declaration and this
my Proclamation and I do hereby command the several Sher-
iffs and all Others his Lordships Officers both Civil & Military,

Lib. C. B.

as also the Militia in the respective Counties to attend in the
handsomest Manner at the time so appointed for performing
the same. Given at the City of Annapolis this 11^th Day of
April in the twenty fifth year of his Lordships Dominion
Annoq Domini 1740

His Excellency is pleased also to lay before this Board the
following Letter received by him from his Grace the Duke
of Newcastle
Whitehall 5^th January 1739/40
Sir

His Majesty having thought fit to declare War against Spain
and being determined by all possible Means to distress and
annoy the Spaniards in the most effectual manner, and par-
ticularly by making an Attempt upon some of their most con-
siderable Settlements in the West Indies the King has been
pleased for that purpose to order a large Body of Troops
under the Command of my Lord Cathcart, a Major General
of his Majestys Forces to go from hence with a sufficient
Convoy of Men of War, to a proper Place in the West Indies,
to be appointed for that purpose, there to be joyned by the
Squadron under the Command of Vice Admiral Vernon now
in the West Indies, and by such a Number of Troops, as may
be raised in his Majestys Colonies and Islands in America
As it has been represented to the King that a very consid-
erable Number of Men may be easily had, upon proper
Encouragem^t in the British Plantations, and particularly in his
Majestys Colonies on the Continent of America, to serve in

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