Sir, [President Matthew Rowan]
We take the first opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your several letters to us dated 14th February 28th May and 28th June last and of the public papers transmitted with them.
The method you took of calling His Maj. Council together and taking the oaths upon the death of Mr. Rice appears to us to be right and proper and we doubt not of your faithful and diligent execution of the important trust devolved upon you until Mr. Dobbs whom His Maj. has appointed his Governor shall arrive and hope that the person whom you
have made choice of to execute the office of Secretary until His Majesty shall appoint one will be no less attentive to his duty in a place which appears to us to require great diligence and ability.Your endeavours to put the Militia upon a better foot show a proper regard and attention to the interest and security of the Province and we should be glad to receive from you a particular account of their strength and numbers and in what manner they are train'd and disciplined.
So We bid you heartily farewell and are
Whitehall Decr 5th 1753.
[From the Board of Trade]