To the Board of Trade, 15 May 1712, My Lords:
- - - - This Excursion of the people into North Carolina, as well as into the Lands of the other Neighboring proprietors, will be very much furthered by a general Opinion lately revived that there are gold and silver mines in these parts towards the Mountains, And because in the grants to the Proprietors the share of the Crown in Royal Mines is ascertained, and no such declaration made for those found in the Lands held incidentally of her Majesty, people propose to themselves a greater advantage by seeking after them in the former. For this reason, I am told, some persons who formerly had, or fancyed they had made such discoverys here, were discouraged to prosecute them and died with the secret; but not that the same opinion is revived and the humour of making discoverys become more universal I humbly offer to Your Lordships consideration whether so great a profit as may redound from the discovery and working of such mines ought to be lost for want of a Declaration what share her Majesty expects out of them. I found by the grant to the Company that first settled this Colony, the Crown reserved the 5th part of all Silver and gold mines, and that accordingly the ancient Patents express the same. Since the dissolution of that Company the soil reverted to the Crown, the patents conveyed to the Patentees of the Land a due share of all Mines and Minerals, but what that share is has never yet been determined, and in the Act of Assembly concerning the granting of lands passed in the year 1706 (but now repealed) the Form of the patents there established gave entirely to the Patentees all Mines and Minerals without any reservation, and though Your Lordships made some alterations in the draught of the bill before it passed here into a law, yet I don't find that part of it was questioned or altered, and some patents granted by my Predecessors while that Law was in force have the same Clause in them, but upon the repeal of that Law I altered the form of the patents to this particular and made them conformable to the former, Viz., by granting with the Land (a due share of all mines, &c.) believing that share ought most properly to be determined by the Crown. Wherefore I hope Your Lordships will be pleased to move her Majesty for a speedy declaration what share is expected if any Royal mines are found in the Land already patented under her Majesty's Grant, and whether if any such be discovered on lands not yet patented, I ought to grant those lands to any private person who makes the discovery.. The ascertaining of this will encourage people to make discoveries on the Queen's Land, and if found, will keep them where they may bring more profite to the Crown than by runing on the like projects in the lands of any of the Neighboring proprietors, and since by the Charter to the Proprietors of the Northern Neck there is only reserved to the Crown the 5th of all gold and 10th of all Silver Oar, Your Lordships will not I hope think it unreasonable to propose to her Majesty's more imediate Tenants in the other parts of this Colony no greater proportion be demanded of them. I am the more desirous of some speedy directions herein, because I have great reason to believe there are Mines lately discovered here, and I would willingly promote, as far as I am able, anything that may be for the service of her Majesty and the good of this Country. [to be continued]
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