without paying any such quit-rent to which they answered in the affirmative, and requested that I would not grant any lands on the Lake till I had laid their claims before His Majestys Ministers. On the other hand the reduced Officers, and disbanded soldiers, many of whom are now in actual Possession of large Tracts of those Lands, are greatly alarmed at these Claims, and desire to be protected in the Grants made to them by Lieu 1 Gov Colden, as they have vested their whole fortunes ;

in the settlements already begun on them, and must be reduced to beggary, on being dispossessed.

had the honor of informing Mr. Secretary Conway, soon after my arrival at New York from England that Lieut Gov Colden had declined showing me his correspondence with the Secretary of State's r

& the Board of Trade, which I was desirous of seeing, so that if any orders relative to the French claims have been transmitted they have not yet come to my hands. Your LordpP will see Office,

s

at one view how great a prejudice to the settlement of the

Prov ce the present uncertain tenure must

occasion, for several other persons who have obtained His Maj*y s sign manual for large Tracts are

desirous of taking them up on the sides of Lake Champlain, and have already gone so far, as to make actual surveys of the Lands, but are now discouraged from proceeding farther, lest after a great expense incurred they might be turned out of possession.