That it will immediately produce the settlement of that large and valuable Tract of Country, and greatly increase His Majestys Revenue. The difficulties which have obstructed the grants of those lands for some years past being removed, will most effectually promote the grant of that Tract of Land, designed as I am informed for the Society for propagating the Gospel, and of other Tracts which the Trustees of the College and Church in this City have petitioned for.

These matters are mentioned my Lord with entire Sicniccion to your judgment and His Majtys pleasure by, My Lord

Your Lordp's most obedient and faithful servant, CapwatLapDER CoLpEN.

GOV. WENTWORTH TO LT. GOV. COLDEN.

Portsmouth New Hampshire : 10 Feby 1779 Sir

I have had the honor to receive your Letters of the 2* and 20th December last.

Inclosed are Depositons, which I beg Leave to present, relative to M* Wells Conduct. They are too plain and evident to leave a doubt of his having attempted to injure the King's Service, and to frustrate the Laws for preservation of pine Timber : his Subsequent assiduity to the like evil purpose is not less

622 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

Strange than unworthy--for a Judge to receive an alienation & take possession of the Effects of persons under criminal prosecutions at the Kings Suit, while the suit was yet pending, "whereby great cost is thrown on the public, altho said Persons were legally and most indisputably convicted--is an Event so singular and so totally destructive of the effectual Administration of the Laws, that it can Scarcely be parralleled, altho' the Return made by the Marshall of the Court on the Execution now in the Court at New York particularly specifys it of Mr. Wells. It is hence unnecessary to add any further Instance of prejudices excited against these Laws, as injuring the property of Landholders in general--or of " Spightful" -prosecutions--Those Calumnies, the first will be despised when duly considered, the second, my conduct does and shall refute: but attempting to mislead an Officer, countenancing open, daring Trespassers, & aiding, in throwing the charge of their prosecution, on the Crown ; are so, heinous in any Subject, but in a Judge so highly ruinous and dishonourable to the Service ; That I think it my Duty to the King, herein again to assure you, that every public Mischief must result, to the Department of Surveyor of Woods, if Mr.