Whitehall, Nov 9th 1757.
Sir,
We have received your letters to us dated the 20th of January, 22nd of March and 30th May last, with the several publick papers referred to therein and shall enter upon the consideration of the Laws transmitted with the last of these Letters so soon as our Council shall have made his report upon them.
A few days ago we received the Report and opinion of the South Carolina Assembly concerning the Boundary Line between the two Provinces and as we are convinced how necessary it is for the Peace and quiet of both, that this matter should be settled as speedily as possible we shall lose no time in entring upon the consideration of it and laying our thoughts upon it before His Majesty.
What you say with respect to the reservation of a proper Tract of Country for the use of the Catawbas and allowing them a district to hunt upon in common with the white inhabitants may deserve our serious attention when the Boundary Line comes to be ascertained though we are rather of Opinion that the proper time for determining upon a matter of so great nicety and importance will be when we take up the consideration of Indian Affairs in general with a view to some general Plan of Conduct which however we are not as yet ripe for, not having before us the materials with which to form such a Plan, but as the detaining those Materials was one principal Object in the Appointment of Agents for Indian Affairs under the sole Authority of the Crown, we shall hope soon to receive from them such lights and information as may enable us to proceed upon this important business.
It gave us great pleasure to find that you had succeeded so well in prevailing upon the Assembly to grant proper supplys for carrying into execution the measures agreed upon at the meeting with Lord Loudoun at Philadelphia for the defence and security of the Southern Colonies, their behaviour upon this occasion as it must on the one hand afford you great satisfaction, so on the other it cannot fail of recommending them to his Majesty's further favour and protection and your conduct in this
point as well as in the measures you took in consequence of the express you mention to have received from Lord Loudoun has been very prudent and proper and will we are presuaded meet with His Majesty's Approbation. The Duty which you mention to have been laid in South Carolina upon Naval Stores imported from the Northward must in its consequence destruct the Commerce of His Majesty's subjects in North Carolina and have an improper effect thereupon and therefore we shall lose no time in enquiring into this matter and taking such measures as shall appear to us to be proper.We have laid the Petition of the Council for an allowance out of the Quit-Rents before His Majesty in Council and if it comes referred back to us which we presume it will, we shall attentively consider it and have a proper regard to what you say upon it.
The prohibiting the exportation of Provisions from the Colonies to neutral Ports has been provided for and regulated by an Act passed in the last session of Parliament which we hope you will have received and taken all proper measures for carrying it into effectual execution and that it will in no degree operate to the prejudice of the Commerce of North Carolina or at least as little so as can be expected from any general regulations of this kind which the exigencys of a State in the [time] of War render so necessary.