to the deputy surveyors: a letter was, in consequence, received, in August 1769, by a member of that board, from Benjamin Young, Esq. surveyor general of the Eastern Shore, in which he stated that several of the deputies there had refused to qualify under those instructions. The precise ground of their objection does not appear, as Mr. Young, instead of explaining it himself, introduces for that purpose a letter from one of those deputy surveyors, inveighing with great violence against the instructions, and more particularly against the oath, without stating the points in which the former were deemed exceptionable. Mr. Young apprehending that many warrants would go out of date for want of surveyors to execute them, and fearful that the evil might be attributed to him unless he could shelter himself under the authority of those who had issued those instructions, desires to know who those gentlemen are, in order that he may, in case of persecution by " the enemies to government," fly to them for support and redress; declaring at the same time that he does not perfectly know them, " never having had their names," but only knows them collectively as the board of revenue.     The board upon considering this and other communications upon the same subject, and upon a re-examination and comparison of the instructions in question with those under which the deputy surveyors had theretofore acted, find them in substance the same, except the 22d article (to which they affirm no real objections can lie) and also the oath therein prescribed; which latter " being solely intended to prevent " any undue measures being pursued by the said deputies to " the prejudice of the public," the board determine that no alteration ought to be made therein, or in the instructions.     It appears therefore, as I have said, that there were instructions to surveyors prior to those of the board of revenue, but from the disturbance occasioned by these it would seem that the preceeding ones had fallen into neglect, the surveyors not being bound by a special oath to their observance. The loss of those former instructions, since these are substantially the same, is of no consequence, except that we cannot ascertain their date, further than that it was subsequent to the rise of proclamation warrants. I shall now insert these and all remaining documents belonging to the ancient practice, and shall add to this last collection such miscellaneous passages and references, hitherto omitted, as may serve to throw further light on any part of the preceding enquiries. L l