---

My Lords,

The Commissioners appointed for settling the Boundaries between this Colony and North Carolina having finished that tedious and troublesome affair, occasioned by thick woods and rivers they were obliged to pass, I have herewith sent your Lordships their Report with the Plans of the Line as it is now run and markt out. Your Lordships will find (for which there is a Protest and an Answer) that after the Commrs of Carolina had gone with ours a certain distance beyond their own Inhabitants, they refused to proceed any farther urging several reasons which I think little to the purpose, & might with equall force have been insisted on before they went so far: but one of our Commrs concurring with them,

they returned to Carolina, & Mr Fitzwilliam came back, leaving Mr Byrd & Mr Dandridge to discharge the more difficult part of the Duty, which they continued to do for six weeks after the separation, in which time they finished the remaining part of the Line up to the Great Mountains; and I dare to answer for it, with such exactness (as the surveyors were bound by oath to do) that I hope it will be allowed to be of equal validity with that part of the Boundary in which all parties were present. It remains that I beg your Lordships directions how the expence of this work shall be paid: I find that the Commrs and Surveyors sent out in 1711 on the same service, were paid out of the Quit Rents by a warrant from the Treasury and though they were then out only one month the Commrs had one hundred pounds sterling each and the surveyors 20s per diem a man; and the present Gentlemen expect a proportionable allowance, and they that concluded the line think and are thought to deserve more than he that left them and came home. There are also sundry considerable charges for men and Provisions; some with arms for their guard, chain carryers, markers and other necessary attendants. As these could not wait till their Payment was directed from England that, and the charge of the Provisions have been advanced out of the 2s per hogshead the whole will be above 1000£. I hope to receive your Lordships signification of His Majesty's Pleasure both as to the Quantum to be allowed to the several Gentlemen, and the fund for payment thereof two Commrs and two Surveyors were out sixteen weeks, and one Commissioner about nine weeks.

---