The whole of this very important business will, I am persuaded, be discussed by the Lords of Trade with that impartiality that has always distinguished their conduct ; I shall therefore avoid saying any thing more upon that subject or upon the Canadian Claims further, than, that I think it proper to observe that the proposition in your letter N° 43, that all the territory on the south side of the River St. Lawrence was the property of the five Nations, and therefore that every Canadian

Grant on that side of the River, was an encroachment on the British possessions, does not appear to me, from any information I have been able to collect, to be maintainable on any fair ground of argument

;

an observation which I think I am called upon

to state to you, lest by

my silence on that

subject I should appear to acquiesce in a proposition that, if adopted in the extent you state it, would strip one half of the King's new subjects of their ancient possessions and must spread an alarm that

may have very fatal consequences to the King's interest.

am, ettc.

Dartmouth.

;

FRENCH SEIGNIORIES ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

MINUTE OF MR. EDMUND BURKE ATTENDING THE BOARD OF TRADE. Thursday Nov 12th 1772

At a meeting of His Majesty's Comm Lord Garlies

;

rs

for

Trade & Plantations Present, Mr Gascoyne, Lord Greville

TJie Earl of Dartmouth, one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State,

attending

Mr. Edmund Burke attended

& moved their Lordships that he might be heard by his Council,