Proceedings have been had on 24 of the remaining number so far as Warrants of survey in pursuance of the orders in Council for that purpose, but although by His Majestys Instructions the Warrants of survey are directed to be returned within six months after they are issued some of these have been issued above Eighteen months and no return yet made. Four Townships have gone through all the Forms and their Patents have passed the Great Seal; Three more lay before me ready for signing at the Time I received your Lordships Letter mentioning his Majestys Commands that no more Grants. should be made till His Pleasure should be signified to me.

The Proprietors of the Lands intended to be conveyed by those Patents have been made acquainted with the orders I have received, who do not seem to think themselves under any obligation to Mr Robinson whose Petition has been the cause of the present obstacle laid in their way, for they have been some time in Town to get their papers through the different offices and

Vou. Iv. 38

594 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

must now return home again without putting the finishing hand to the Patents which will lay them under the necessity of another - long Journey to this City. The remaining forty eight Fownships have never taken any other step than that of putting in a claim without prosecuting it, and I am persuaded that on examination of their*Pretensions, few, if any Settlers will be found on them. J have taken as much pains as I possibly could to come at the true State of those Townships, but cannot discover by any means, I have as yet made use of, that any Settlements have ever been made in the country supposed to be covered by these last mentioned claims but that the Land still remains in the same desert and uncultivated state in which it was at the first granting of those Charters.