By an Account received from the Secretary in the Province it appears, that on the 1st August 1740, about Seventy Freeholders of the Northern Part of the Province, delivered in the Town Court of Savannah their Claims of Lots under the Tenures which were Advertized the last Year in the South-Carolina and London Gazettes.

That on the 15th of the same Month, as many or more appeared in the said Town Court of the said Occasion, and that on the 27th of the same Month divers more delivered in their Claims likewise.

The Trustees are informed by their Secretary in the Province, that in pursuance of their Orders he had just finished an authentical Account of the State of the Colony with respect to the Number of Inhabitants in the several Towns and Villages, the Number of Houses and the Settlements made, the Progress which the several People had made in the Cultivation of their Lands, and their Ability or Inability to support themselves, and in case were the last appeared the Reason of it; the Proportions of the different sorts of Soil as near as could be computed, and an Account of the several Produces which by Experience or Appearance could or might be raised for trade. And the Trustees are daily in expectation of receiving from him the said Account. But by the several Accounts before received they are enabled to give, though an imperfect one, the following State of the Settlements, viz.

The Town of Savannah is about Ten Miles up the River Savannah, were are (besides Warehouses and Huts) at least One Hundred and Thirty Houses in the Town; as these for the sake of Air, and to prevent the spreading of any Fire, are Built at some Distance from each other, they make several spacious Squares and wide Streets. There is a regular Magistracy settled in the Town, which the Trustees are obliged to be at the Expence of Supporting, 'till the Colony arrives at sufficient Strength to do it. There are in the Town a Court-House, a Store-House, a Goal, a House for the Trust Servants, a Wharf, a Guard-House and some other Publick Buildings; a Church is at present Building and a Clergyman is settled there. The Town is excellently situated for Trade, the Navigation of the River being very secure and Ships of Three Hundred Tons can lie within Six Yards of the Town and the Worm does not Eat them.

About Four Miles from Savannah, inland from the River, are the Two Villages Highgate and Hampstead, which lie at about a Mile distant from each other: The People settled there apply themselves chiefly to Gardening, and supply the Town of Savannah with quantities of Greens and Garden stuff.

By the Account of Mr. Thomas Stephens, who at his Father's request was sent over to assist him in his Business of Secretary in the Province and continued with him there some short Time, he states, that there are Twenty Plantations within Twenty Miles

round Savannah, which have each of them from Five to Thirty Acres of Land Cleared.

About Fifteen Miles from Savannah is a Village called Abercorn; about Twenty Miles further up the River is the Town of Ebenezer were the Saltzburghers are settled with Two Ministers, one of whom computed that the Number of his Congregation in June 1738 consisted of One Hundred and Forty six. Therefore as the Infants could not be reckoned in the Computation, and as Seven more have since been sent and settled with them, it is believed the Number has been increased; especially since the Town is so Healthy that by a Letter sent to the Society for Propagating Christain Knowledge by the Rev. Mr. Bolzius one of the Ministers at Ebenezer, dated the 26 June 1740, he declared, That in a Year's Time one Person only had died, which was a Child of Four Years old. The People are Industrious and Sober, they raise not only a sufficient quantity of Corn and other Produces for their own Subsistence, but they sell great quantities to those at Savannah who have not been so careful of their own Plantations; they have great Herds of Cattle, and are in so Thriving a Condition that not one Person has abandoned his Settlement, or sent over the least Complaint about the Tenures or the Want of Negroes. On the contrary they in a Body Petitioned against the use of Negroes, and their Ministers have declared, that their Signing that Petition was a voluntary Act; And at their desire another Embarkation of their Countrymen, who are willing to go from Germany and join them, is designed to be sent with all convenient speed. About Ten Miles from hence, and upon a River running into Savannah is a Place called Old Ebenezer were is a Cow-pen and a great number of Cattle for the use of the Publick and for Breeding.

At a considerable distance from hence is the Town of Augusta before described, which with the great resort of Traders and Indians, is in a thriving Condition, and is and will be a great Protection to both the Provinces of Carolina and Georgia against any Designs of the French.

In the Southern Part of the Province is the Town of New Inverness upon the River Alatamaha where the Highlanders are settled.

And about Twenty Miles from hence on the Island of St. Simons near the Sea is the Town of Frederica with a regular Magistracy, as at Savannah, supported at the Expence of the Trust; strong Fortifications round the Town are almost finished, and at the South East Point of the Island are Barracks for Three Hundred and Thirty Men.

There are Settlements on the Islands of Jekyll and Cumberland which lie at a small distance from each other to the Southward of Frederica, and on the last Two Forts are Built, one of which

was described before, and the other was finished in April 1740 upon the South End of the Island. It commands the Inlet of Amelia Sound, is strongly Pallisaded with Flankers, and is Defended by Eight Pieces of Cannon.

Barracks are Built upon this Island for Two Hundred and Twenty Men with Storehouses, which were finished in October 1738. There are Six Forts in the Province, and a Battery of Cannon erected to secure the Harbour of St. Simons, under which Ships may safely lie.

The Indians, from the Presents which they have Annually received from the Trustees, and from the Justice and Humanity with which they have been treated, are secured in the British Interest, notwithstanding the Arts both of the French and the Spaniards to seduce them: By this South-Carolina has been free from those Wars, in which (as the Preamble of his Majesty's Charter sets forth) they had frequently suffered, and so late as in the Year 1715 had been laid almost Wast with Fire and Sword, and by the Security which South-Carolina received by such a Frontier as Georgia is to it, very large Tracts of Land have been Cultivated in the Southern Part of that Province, which no Person would venture to settle on before, and a great quantity of Rice raised thereon.

As the People in Georgia sent on the Charity were supported to enable them to raise their own Provisions in the first Place on the Lands they should Clear, and to convert the Timber they should cut down in Clearing those Lands into Lumber, which they might to their great Advantage Transport to the Sugar Colonies, and further to raise Silk, Wine and Oil, for which the Climate was very proper, it was hoped from thence they would gain a comfortable Subsistence, and be of service to their Mother Country in raising such Produces, which at prevent are purchased from Foreigners with Ready Money.

Having thus stated the Plan laid down for the Trustees by his Majesty's Charter, the several steps taken by them for the Execution of that Plan, with their Yearly Progress therein, the several Obstructions from unforeseen Accidents which have checked that Progress, with the present Condition of the Colony, according to the latest and most authentick Accounts from thence, they submit the whole to the Wisdom of this Honourable House, being intirely disposed to follow any Directions that shall flow from thence. And as they have no other View but the Service of their Country, by making this Colony as useful to the Interest of Great-Britain, as by it's Situation and Climate it's capable of being, they heartily with the Trust in abler Hands that those important Services might not be defeated thro' their Inability.

By Order of the Trustees,

Benj. Martyn, Secretary.

APPENDIX.

Number 1.

To the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of GEORGIA. Gentlemen,

N Writing this Answer to a Letter I had the Honour to receive from you, dated the 29th Instant, wherein you desire to know my Sentiments of an Undertaking to raise Raw Silk in your new Settlement in Georgia; of the Probability of succeeding therein; the proper steps to be taken to bring that Work to Perfection, and my Opinion of the Nature, Quality and Use of the Raw Silk produced in Carolina: It is a great Pleasure to me, that from Experiments which I made some Years ago, I can now besides my Opinion, give you some Information concerning that Silk which may be depended upon.

The Value and Usefulness of the Undertaking will appear as soon as we consider that all the Silk consumed in this Kingdom, is now of foreign Growth and Manufacture, which Costs the Nation very great Sums of Money Yearly to purchase; and that the raising our Supply thereof in his Majesty's Dominions in America would save us all that Money, afford Employment to many Thousands of his Majesty's Subjects, and greatly increase the Trade and Navigation of Great-Britain.

It appears to me as Beneficial to the Kingdom, attended with as little Hazard or Difficulty, as much Wanted, and which may as soon be brought to Perfection in a proper Climate as any Undertaking so Considerable in itself, that I ever heard of. I therefore think that there is a very great Probability of it's succeeding, if such proper Methods are pursued, and such Assistance afforded to the poor People at their first setting out, as are necessary to Settle, Instruct and Encourage them.

The Silk produced in Carolina has as much natural Strength and Beauty as the Silk of Italy (which is commonly called fine Silk) and by the several Experiments I have tried with it, I am satisfied that it might be made to answer the same Purposes that Italian Silk now does, if it be reeled in short Skains, a fine clean and even Thread: To effect which if some experienced Persons are at first sent to Teach the People, the Work will soon be made

F

easy to the meanest Capacity, and the value of the Silk will be thereby greatly increased.

As for my own Part, if at any Time you should think I can be of use to promote so good a Work, I shall be ready to execute your Commands as far as I am able; and always remain,

Gentlemen,

Old Jaory, Jan. 31, 1732.

Your most Obedient,
Humble Servant,

Tho. Lombe.

Number 2.

Extract of a Letter from South-Carolina Gazette dated at Charles-Town, 22d. March 1732.

ON Tuesday the 13th Instant I went on Board a Canoa in Company with Mr. Geo. Ducat and Mr. John Balantine, with Four Negroes, and about 10 o'Clock we set out from Mr. Lloyd's Bridge for Georgia, and passing by Port-Royal on Wednesday Night, we arrived on Friday Morning an Hour before Day at Yamacraw a Place so called by the Indians, but now Savannah in the Colony of Georgia. Sometime before we came to the Landing the Centinel challenged us, and understanding who we were, admitted us on Shore. This is a very high Bluff Forty Feet perpendicular from High Water Mark: it lies according to Capt. Gascoigne's Observation in the Latitude of 31d. 58m. which he took off Tybee an Island that lies at the Mouth of the Savannah River. It is distant from Charlestown S. W. according to Course and Windings of the Rivers and Creeks about 140 Miles, but by a Direct Course 77, allowing Suillivant's Island to be in the Latitude of 32d. 47 m. from Augustine N. E. and by E. about 140 Miles, and by the Course of the Rivers is distant from Fort Moore 300 Miles, but upon a direct Line but 115 Miles N. W. and by W. This Bluff is distant 10 Miles from the Mouth of the Rivers on the South side, and Purrysburgh is 24 Miles above it on the North, and is so situated that you have a beautiful Prospect both up and down the River. It is very sandy and barren and consequently a wholsome Place for a Town or City. There are on it 130 odd Souls, and from the Time they Embarked from London to the Time I left the Place, there Died but two sucking Children and them at Sea. When they arrived there was standing on it a great quantity of the best sort of Pine, most of which is already cut down on the spot were the Town is laid out to be Built. The Land is barren about a Mile back, when you come into very rich Ground; and on both sides within a quarter of a Mile of the Town is choice good Planting Land.