The Lower House. 505

And after the word Maintenance in the 26^th Line Add for which
Collection the Several Naval Officers shall be Allowed after the
rate of Eight p Cent.
Signed p Order J Ross Cl. Up. Ho.

Which bill was read here and with the Amendments Proposed
passed for Ingrossing.
M^r Dulany from the Committee Appointed to [in] spect the pro-
ceedings of the Land Office And the Abuses. Brings in the following
Report.

By the Committee Appointed to Inspect the proceedings in the Land
Office and the Abuses therein August 5^th 1732.

Your Committee hath Inspected such Papers as they could come
at and was Informed would give any Insight into the Matter given
us in Charge and Also the Examination upon Oath (hereto annext)
of M^r George Noble Surveyour of Prince Georges County, whereby
it Appears that Several Land Warrants have been taken out of the
Land Office for Several Large Quantities of Land and Located on
Very great Tracts more than the Warrants Contained some of which
warrants have been renewed from time to time And others of them
returnable with all Convenient Speed; And the Locations continued
for Severall Years by Colour of the said Warrants Altho none of
them have been Actually Executed whether the said Warrants have
or have not been paid for, Your Committee have not Enquired, but
be that as it Will, Your Committee Conceives that such Practises are
Very Injurious to his Lordship, As well as the People, and a
very great Obstruction to the Settling the back parts of this Prov-
ince to his Lordship in Preventing Great Quantities of his back
wast Lands (now of no Use or Advantage to him) from being
taken up and paid for, And to the Inhabitants who would willingly
have taken up and paid for great part of the Lands under those

L. H. J.

Locations; Which they have been Deterr'd from doing for fear of
Engaging in Disputes with the Proprietors of the said Warrants, the

said Practises have had this, further Mischievous Effects (as your

Committee is Informed) that several People who would have Come
from other parts and taken up some of the said back Lands and
Settled on them, have rather Chosen and Settled in Virginia and
Other places, than Involve themselves in Disputes, of which they
could not hope Easily to see an End.
What Locations your Committee has seen are hereto Annexed
which Concern Lands only on this side the Bay, but Master Taylor
has Assured your Committee that People hath been hindered from
taking up Lands on the Eastern Shore by Locations on very great
Bodies of Lands there, without any Warrant to found such Loca-
tions upon & Affairs that he can prove the same to the next Assem-

p 426