No advantage could possibly arise to me but by keeping the Lands in my own hands the profits of whicheven in this case would be distant and precarious, The Expence immediate & certain ; By granting them in the manner already mentioned I flatter myself that I shall have the satisfaction of setting on foot manufactures highly beneficial both to this Province and Great Britain and my utmost ambition in carrying this Project into execution was to have His Majesty's approbation of my conduct in the attempt.

Having thus set down at large the steps which have been taken in regard to the Lands on the Connecticut River I shall now proceed to answer with as much brevity as possible the substance of Mr. Robinson's Petition who says that it is in behalf of himself and One Thousand Grantees. 3

That there was such a number of Grantees I will not take upon me absolutely to contradict because I can not do it with such certainty as could carry manifest proof with it, but by

598° CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

what I have already mentioned with regard to the settling this Part of the Country I am persuaded that there is not one half that number on the Lands and no longer ago than this morning TI was confirm4 in my opinion by two persons who came to make application for Lands in that Quarter, and I have likewise been credibly informed that there are in Robinson's Petition the names of agreat number of the Inhabitants of this Town and the adjacent Provinces, who never were upon the Lands or ever intended it, and had only purchased shares to dispose of them again. A few days before the Petitionrs left this Place I had some imperfect information of their Intention & endeavoured to get a sight of the Petition and the Names subscribed to it but could not succeed:in either as it was kept so very secret I thought it my duty togive what information I could of some Persons concerned in it to. the Lords Commrs for Trade and Plantations and wrote a Letter to the Board of Trade dated Dect 234 1766 a copy of which I have here inclosed for your Lordships Perusal as it states some Facts necessary to be known relative to the Petitioners.