416 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761.

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.

Ridout Esq^r a Member of the Council and the Upper House
of Assembly, and that he Attends in order to be qualified
who takes the several Oaths to the Government subscribes
the Abjuration and Test and takes the Oath of a Councillor
who thereupon takes his Place at the Board Accordingly.

p. 256

Read the Right Honble M^r Secretary Pitts Letter to the
Governor

Whitehall 23^th August 1760.
Sir
The Commanders of his Majesty's Forces and Fleets in
North America, & in the West Indies, having transmitted
repeated & certain Intelligence of an illegal & most pernicious
Trade carried on by the Kings Subjects in North America
and the West Indies as well to the French Islands, as to the
French Settlements on the Continent of America and par-
ticularly to the Rivers Mobile & Mississippi by which the
Enemy is, to the Reproach & Detriment of Government

supplyed with Provisions & other necessaries whereby they

are principally if not alone enabled to sustain and protract
this Long and expensive [war], And it further appearing
that large Sums in Bullion are also sent by the Kings Sub-
jects to the above Places in return whereof Commodities
are taken which interfere with the produce of the Brit-
ish Colonies themselves in open Contempt of the Author-
ity of the Mother Country as well as to the most manifest
Prejudice of the Manufactures & Trade of Great Britain:
In order therefore to put the most speedy and effectual stop
to such flagitious Practices so utterly subversive of all Law
and so highly repugnant to the Honour and well being of
this Kingdom It is his Majestys express Will and Pleasure
that you do forthwith make the strictest and most diligent
Enquiry into the State of this dangerous and ignominious
Trade, and you do use every Means in your Power to detect
& discover Persons concerned either as Principals or acces-
saries therein and that you do take every step Authorized
by Law to bring all such heinous Offenders to the most ex-
amplary and Condign Punishment and you will as soon as
may be and from Time to Time transmit to me for the Kings
Information full and particular Accounts of the progress
you shall have made in the Execution of these his Majestys
Commands to which the King expects that you do pay the
most exact obedience And you are further to use your utmost
endeavours to trace out and investigate the various Artifices
and evasions by which the Dealers in this iniquitous Inter-
course find means to Cover their Criminal proceedings &
to elude the Law, in order that from such lights, due and