Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 417

timely consideration may be had, what further provisions
shall be necessary to restrain an Evil of such extensive &
pernicious consequences. I am
Sir
Your most Obedient humble Serv^t
To the Governor of Maryland. W Pitt

Advised that the following Letter be sent to the several
Officers of his Majestys Customs within this Province

Sir
His Majestys Ministers having received repeated & cer-
tain intelligence of an illegal Trade being carried on by
many of the Kings Subjects in North America & the West
Indies as well to the French Islands as to the French Settle-
ments on this Continent particularly to the Rivers Mobile
and Mississipi by which it is said that the Enemy is supplied
with Provisions and other necessaries & thereby principally if
not alone enabled to sustain and protract this long and ex-
pensive War, and it having been likewise represented that
large Sums in Bullion are also sent by the Kings Subjects to
the abovementioned Places in return for which Commodities
are taken which interfere with the Produce of the British
Colonies themselves; The Right honourable William Pitt
Esq^r one of his Majestys principal Secretaries of State hath
thereupon by a Letter Dated the 23 of August last signifyed
it to me to be his Majestys express will and Pleasure that I
should forthwith make the most strict & diligent Enquiry

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.

into the state of the abovementioned dangerous and ignomin-
ious Trade, use every means in my power to detect and
discover Persons concerned either as Principals or Acces-
saries therein and also take every step Authorized by Law to
bring all such heinous offenders to the most examplary and
Condign Punishment. In order therefore that his Majestys
will and Pleasure may be most punctually obeyed within

this Province I have thought fit to communicate to you the

Contents of the Secretary of States Letter to which it is ex-
pected you will pay due regard so that no such Trade with
the Enemy may be carried on by any of the Inhabitants of
this Province or if you know any Person that have been
already concerned in carrying on such a Trade from Mary-
land I desire you will inform me and altho no Trade with the
Enemy should have been carried on from this Province
(which I hope is the Case) yet I desire you will by making
enquiry concerning the manner of carrying on this per-
nicious Trade of the Masters of such Vessels as may come
from either the West Indies or the Northern Colonies to
27

p. 257