To the Council of Trade, 25 July 1711, My Lords:
- - - - As to the project of the Iron mines, concerning which I received the signification of your Lordships' pleasure in a letter from your Secretary the 29th of January last, I have in my former given your Lordships an account how that design was laid aside by the Assembly, and have offered my thoughts how it may be made more beneficial for her Majesty's service and the Trade of Great Britain, upon which I hope to receive your Lordships' further commands. - - - - [The Council of Trade informed Spotswood in their letter of 29 January that any legislation establishing an iron works must contain a suspension clause which meant the whole project could be overturned in London at any time without any recourse by the Virginians. People who say that Spotswood was engaged in iron mining and smelting in 1714 overlook this statement of the Council of Trade which made it prohibitive for any one or any group of individuals to engage in iron mining or smelting.]
To the Council of Trade, 15 October 1711, My Lords:
- - - - The Baron de Graffenried, Chief of the Swiss and Palatines' Settlement there [New Bern, North Carolina], is also fallen into their hands and carryed away a Prisoner - - - -
To my Lord Dartmouth, 15 October 1711, My Lord:
- - - - The Baron of Graffenried, Chief of the Swiss and Palatines’ Settlement there [New Bern], is also fallen into their hands and carryed away prisoner - - - -
To the Council of Trade, 28 December 1711, My Lords:
- - - - Accordingly, as soon as the [Tuscaruro] Deputys arrived, I entered into Conference with them, at which the House of Burgesses were present, and after they had offered their reasons that delayed their coming in, and expressed their readiness to assist us against the Indians concerned in the late Massacre, and their desire to continue in a strict Friendship with all her Majesty's Subjects, and more especially by interposing for the delivery of the Baron de Graffenried out of the hands of the Enemy, upon my desire, having given proofs of their good disposition to peace, As the Baron owns in the letters then before the House of Burgesses, and acknowledged his liberty to be owing to the good offices of those Indians, I had reason to expect the like Sincerity in performing the Articles of this Treaty - - - - The shortness of their crops, occasioned by their [North Carolina] Civil Dissensions last Summer and an unusual Drowth that succeeded, together with the Ravages made by the Indians among their Corn and Stocks, gives a dreadful prospect of a Famine, Insomuch that the Baron de Graffenried writes he shall be constrained to abandon the Swiss and Palatines' Settlement, without speedy Succours, the people being already in such despair that they have burnt their own houses rather than be obliged to stay in a place exposed to many hardships. - - - -
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.