ACTS OF THE ASSEMBLY PASSED IN JULY 1754

At a Session of Assembly begun and held at the City of Annapolis
the Seventeenth Day of July in the fourth Year of the Dominion of

the Right Honourable Frederick Absolute Lord and Proprietary of

the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltimore
&c.^a Annoqj Domini 1754 and ending the twenty fifth Day of the
same Month.
The following Laws were enacted and assented to by his Excel-
lency Horatio Sharpe Esquire Governor.

No. I An Act for his Majesty's Service.

Liber H. S.
No. 1

p. 152

Whereas the Right Honourable the Earl of Holdernesse, by his
Letter dated Whitehall, August 28, 1753, directed to his Excellency
the Governor of this Province, hath signified the March of a con-
siderable Number of Indians, not in Alliance with the King, sup-
ported by some regular European Troops, intending to commit some
Hostilities on Parts of his Majesty's Dominions in America, as it was
apprehended, and to instruct him to keep a Correspondence with the
neighbouring Governors, for preventing any evil Consequences from
such intended Invasion. And whereas, the Governor of Virginia hath
signified to his said Excellency, that the French, and their allied
Indians, have used many Violences on his Majesty's Subjects within
that Dominion, and that it further appears to this General Assembly,
that the French, with an armed Force, have dispossessed many of his
Majesty's Subjects of Settlements which they had made, and were
about to improve, within his Majesty's Dominions, and threaten the
March of many Men, with Artillery, and other Stores, for erecting
Forts, and Places of Strength, on the River Ohio, and the Branches
thereof, as well to prevent the British Nation from a Settlement
thereon, as a Trade with the native Indians to the Westward, which
at all Times heretofore they had enjoyed without the least Let or
Interruption. And further threaten any of his Majesty's Subjects
with Loss of Goods and Liberty, who they shall find trading on the
said River, or Branches thereof. And whereas, lately, an armed Force
of French, with many of their allied Indians, have marched into his
Majesty's Territories, inhabited by his Majesty's Subjects, and in a
hostile Manner attacked a smaller Body of his Majesty's Forces,
under the Command of Col. George Washington, and killed and
destroyed many of his Majesty's faithful Subjects, within the
inhabited Part of the Territory of Virginia, and near the Borders of
this Province, and done or caused many other Evils to be perpetrated
against his Majesty's Subjects, as well by them the said French, as

[Preamble.]