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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Thomas Lowndes to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Lowndes, Thomas, 1692-1748
February 16, 1729
Volume 03, Pages 9-10

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[B. P. R. O. B. T. South Carolina. Vol. 4. C. 48.]
THO: LOWNDES TO THE SECRETARY OF LDS OF TRADE

16th February. 1728. (-9)

Sr

Hearing that the Lords Commissioners for Trade are teazed by Pretenders to Merit in bringing about the purchase of Carolina I take the Liberty to transmit to you, a Copy of the Reasons which last year I drew, and which were presented to and approved of by the Speaker of the House of Commons and sixteen other Members, when the Demand was made for the Purchase Money in Parliament

The Proposal of attacking Fort Augustine and obstructing from Port Royal in South Carolina the Spanish Navigation was first made by me to a person of great Figure in the Administration in May next will be three years and was then licked. What service I have since done in Obviating any difficulty that might happen and in removing Obstructions that arose whilest the Bargain for Carolina was Negociating a Noble Lord of your Board (whose Justice and Honour are equal to his Title) will I doubt not readily vouch for me. And I have ample Testimony of the Pains I have since taken to keep Matters between the Crown and the Proprietors from being inflamed.

Colonel Lilly was too candid a Gentleman not to own publickly the assistance I gave him in drawing his Map of Carolina; I having the most Authentick Manuscript of that Country and of Port Royal in particular For as for poor Governour Rogers his is only an unnatural Fiction for there can be no such place as he represents Port Royal to be; till the nature of water is altered and the Globe new moulded.

I likewise inclose a Copy of a Letter from Governour Craven which I doubt not will give the Lords of Trade satisfaction, he being a Gent of known Honour, and I had a Liberty to do with it as I judged proper.

I beg leave to observe to you that it is my humble Opinion that the Spaniards make their clamorous Memns about the little Fort upon Allatamaha River to conceal their Intentions of getting from us by Treaty the Territory wee have upon the Gulf of Mexico. For the Bay of Apalachia is most certainly ours. And it is highly probable there is a good Harbour, either at the Entrance of the River Quitare or the River Flint. And the Country is esteemed very fertile and the Indians that did inhabit it are either chased away or killed. Of what use it may be to the Spanish

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Nation to have such a Concession or of what prejudice to us to grant it the Lords Commissioners for Trade are the best Judges

I am, Sir your most obedient and most humble servant
THO: LOWNDES.

16th Febry 1728/9

P. S.

There is I hear a great disposition in the rich Palatins and Germans about Leige to go to South Carolina; so a good Revenue may be made immediately to the King by Quitt Rent.