478 Minutes of the Board of Revenue, 1768-1775.

Lib. No. 86

as also the Reasons which induced this Board to take off the
Reserve

p. 126

April 29^th 1774.
Genⁿ
I have this Day received a Letter from M^r John Hanson
Deputy Surveyor of Frederick County, by which I am in-
formed that he has Surveyed for John Swan, Walter Hanson
Jenifer & Andrew Scott, nine Tracts of Land to the west-
ward of Fort Cumberland, containing in the whole Three
Thousand Acres. As the Land Office has been shut for several
years and every Person in the Province, precluded the making
Surveys in that part of the Country; I must beg and insist,
on behalf of the Lord Proprietor that you do not make out
Patents for any of the above mentioned Lands, nor Patents
for any Lands Surveyed or to be Surveyed to any other
Person to the westward of Fort Cumberland, until his Lord-
ship's Pleasure be fully known, I have also received Informa-
tion that James Brooks, Robert Smith Jonathan Boucher,
Thomas Johnson Jun^r Anthony Stewart, James Tilghman,
David Stewart & others, have made or are actually now mak-
ing Surveys not only to the westward of Fort Cumberland,
but have located Warrants to the westward of a Meridian
Line drawn from the head of the North Branch of Potowmack
River to its intersection of the west Line, run between Mary-
land & Pennsylvania & even have proceeded in their Locations
to the Westward of the Allegany Mountains, against his
Majesty's express command by his Proclamation issued the
7^th October 1763. You must be very sensible that the Pro-
prietor's noble Predecessors have cautiously avoided giving
any Offence, by granting Lands to the westward of the Line

p. 127

settled between the Crown and Lord Fairfax, for altho' there
cannot be a doubt, but the Fountain Head of the South Branch,
was the Spot intended where the Meridian Line was to be set
off as the western Boundary of Maryland; yet, I presume,
they waited for a favourable Opportunity of bringing this
matter before the King in Council, when there would not be
the least doubt of his Majesty's Equity & Justice: That time
appears now not to be far off; for as the Pennsylvanians have
imprisoned an Officer acting under Commission from Lord
Dunmore, and his Lordship in return hath caused three Mag-
istrates acting under Commission from Governor Penn to be
arrested and carried to Williamsburgh; it is very likely that
these Steps may very soon bring the extention of those Gov-
ernments before his Majesty in Council, where only they can
be settled. Should this be the Case, it would be a favourable
time for the Proprietor to put in his Claim to all the Land lying
to the Eastward of a Meridian drawn from the head Spring of