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CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

LORD DARTMOUTH TO GOV. TRYON.

[Lond. Doc. XLIII.]

Whitehall 10'1> April, 1773, No. 8.

Sir, The Lords of Trade having in a Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, statedseveral considerations and propositions respecting the claims of property, and possession of Landslying between the River Connecticut and a supposed similar curve Line at the distance of 20miles from Hudson’s River , His Maj’*y has been pleased, upon a Report from the said Committee,to approve the several propositions recommended by the Board of Trade, and I have received hisMaj’h s Commands to give such directions to you as may be necessary thereupon. But as the carryingthose propositions into effect depends upon the consent thereto of many persons having differentinterests in and claims to the Lands, and upon their acquiesence therein, and as there are I conceivemany Facts and circumstances which have never yet been stated, that if not attended to maycreate difficulties that will render the whole plan abortive, I think it lit, before I transmit to youHis Maj*y final Instructions upon so delicate and difficult a Matter, to state to you what thosepropositions are, and to desire your full and candid sentiments thereupon.

The objects that are stated to deserve attention in the consideration of this business are :—

First, those Townships lying in this district between the River Connecticut and the Line above-mentioned which were originally settled and established under Grants from the Govern 1 of Massa-chusetts Bay in virtue of their Ancient Charter.

Secondly, Those Grants of Land within the said District made by the Govern 1 oi New York pre-vious to the Grants made by the Govern* of N. Hampshire .

Thirdly, Those Grants which having been originally made by the Govern* of New Hampshire ,continue in the same state, or have been confirmed by Grants from New York as also those Grantswhich have since been made by the Govern* of New r York of Lands not within the limits of any ofthe Grants abovementioned.

On the ground of these considerations it is proposed: that all claims to Lands derived from theGrants of Townships heretofore made by the Province of Massachusetts Bay , should be establishedand confirmed, and the present proprietors quieted in their possessions and that all Grants whatevermade by the Govern* of New York within the limits of the said Townships being in their natureoppressive and unjust, should be set aside, but that the persons claiming possessions under thoseGrants should upon condition of their quitting such claim, receive grants under the seal of New rYork upon the like Terms and Free of all Expence, of an equal number of acres in some other partof the District lying between the Rivers Hudson and Connecticut , And that in cases where anyactual improvement has been made, the possessor should receive fifty acres of waste lands forevery three acres that have been so improved.

That all other Grants of Lauds made by the Govern* of New York within the district beforementioned antecedent to any Grants made by the Govern* of New Hampshire , be confirmed,provided it shall appear that possession hath been taken and improvement made thereon.

That all Towmships laid out within the said district, either by the Govern irs of New- Hampshire or New York , and which do not include Lands within the Limits of some antecedent Grants, beestablished as Townships, according to the limits expressed in their respective Charters, and thatall persons posessed of shares in those Townships, whether as original Grantees or by Inheritanceor conveyance, and upon which shares actual settlement and Improvement have been made, be