New Bern October 30th 1756—

My Lord,

Having not heard from your Lordship since my Letters of August 1755 and of last December, and February; it gives me some Uneasiness, lest what I wrote Should have been displeasing to your Lordship—if your dont think it prudent to do any thing in Settling your Line at present; and it seeming necessary for his majestys and your Lordships Interest, that the Line Should be continued between your properties, from Cold Water Creek (where the Commissrs. left off) to the westward, Since many Lands have been taken up and an Imaginary Line run Ex parte, which all say is very Erroneous; Since it cant be laid out by Commissioners, without again taking the Latitude; and I can do nothing without Instructions from his Majesty in Council, or from the Lords of the Treasury, in continuing that Line; and since upon settling the Boundary Line between the two provinces, which is now absolutely necessary to be fixed by his majesty; the distance between those two Lines must be Known, if the Provincial Line be fixed at 35º., and as it seems reasonable, that his majesty's Interest in this Province, and his Quit Rents, should be inlarged, since your Lordship has Chosen all your Lands in this Province: I have been thinking of a method, without mentioning the Latitude, of laying out the Line, in Case his majesty should be advised to fix it at 35º; or farther Southward. If it Should be fixed at 35º. his majesty should then have 34 minutes, and yr. Lordship 56, between that and the Virginian Line, which makes a degree and half, from 35º to 36º. 30'. As each degree contains 69 ½ English Miles; then 34 minutes will contain above 39 ⅓ Miles, which ought to be the distance between your Line and the Boundary Line; I should then propose that instead of fixing the Boundary Line by the degree of Latitude, that, as the End of your Lordships line at Coldwater Creek, is a Point fixed already by Commrs; that 40 English Miles Should be measured from that Point, in a direct South Line, and at that distance, to run the Line directly East to the Pedee, and west to the mountains; or in case his majesty should be advised to add somewhat More to this Province, to take in the Catawbas Towns, which to within a few Miles north and south of 35º, that they may be all in this Government, since we have granted Money to Erect a Fort to protect them, and Secure them in our Interest; and to raise and pay a Company to garison it, so that they ought not to be split between the two Provinces; then the most Southerly of their Towns, may be fixed within our Line; and the Line may be Run due east, from that place to the Pedee, without naming the Latitude, and due West from thence to the mountains; and at the same Time your Lordship may get an Instruction to me, to Continue the Line to the mountains, due West from Cold Water Creek, where the Commissioners left off; without mentioning the Latitude: which will Justify me, as the Line wont be continued upon my application: This I leave to your Lordships Consideration, as I have not Mentioned it to any, and have wrote this Letter in my own hand, and have inclosed it to my friend Mr. Smith, to deliver; that I may Know whether it gets Safe to your Lordships Hands. 

I could wish that the north east Bank of the Pedee was made the Boundary, from the Place the Line Strikes it, to the Sea at Wynjaw, upon giving more than an Equivalent to South Carolina, bay and the Savanna; by running a due west Line from the parralell of Charles Town to the Mississippi; Since it will be a great inconveniency to have our Produce from the yadkin carried through another Province, who will Tax our Commodities at pleasure; and Georgia will still be as longe as both the Carolinas, Extending from Amelia sound in 30º. 40', to 33º. 40', the Latitude of Charles Town; when both the Carolinas Extend only 2º. 50' from thence to 36º. 30'. But this his majesty will determine in Council; having wrote fully to the Board of Trade upon it.

I had no opportunity of meeting Mr. Corbin in the Court of Claims, Since I got your Lordships Letter; wherein you mention his having taxed me with having granted Patents on your Lordships Lands; He having not appeared at the Court of Claims Since, until this Session. When I taxed him with it, he deny'd that he had wrote any Such Letters, That he had only mentioned to yr Lordship, that in Case the Line was not Continued to the Westward, from the Place where the Commissioners left off, that Such Grants might be made; upon which I produced yr Lordships Letter to the Council wherein Your Lordship mentions his Charge against me, and your desire that if I had done so, I might resume the Grants; He still denyd the Charge, and Said he would Satisfy me, by producing the Copy of his Letter; I told him that he might shew me a false Copy, unless he upon oath attested it to be a true Copy, nor Could I allow it to be an Evidence against your Lordships Letter; this he refused to do, I then desired he would make out his Charge, or give it under his Hand that he had made no Such Complaint; this last he refused to do, nor would give any Proof or mention any Person who had got any such Grant; upon which I appealed to the Council for my Justification; and they signed the inclosed paper to find your Lordship. You may be assured I will do every thing in my power to preserve your Lordships Right; being under too many Obligations to you to act Knowingly against your Interest.

I am with the greatest Respect My Lord

yr Lordships

Most Obedient and

Most Humble Servant

Arthur Dobbs

No. Carolina—
New Bern 30th. Octr. 1756
Govr. Dobbs—