And on the 23d of February 1748-9, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations _again reported_ to the Lords of the committee of the privy council, that they had "fully _set forth the great utility and advantage of extending our settlements beyond the great mountains_ ("which _Report has been approved of by your Lordships_").--And as, by these _new_ proposals, there is _a great probability of having a much larger tract of the said country settled than under the former, we are of opinion, that it will be greatly for his Majesty's service_, and the _welfare and security of Virginia, to comply with the prayer of the petition_." And on the 16th of March 1748-9, an _instruction_ was sent to the Governor of Virginia to grant 500,000 acres of land _over the Allegany mountains_ to the aforesaid Mr. Hanbury and his partners (who are now _part_ of the company of Mr. Walpole and his associates); and that instruction sets forth, That "_such settlements will be for our interest_, and the _advantage and security of our said colony, as well as the advantage of the neighbouring ones_;--inasmuch as our loving subjects _will be thereby enabled to cultivate a friendship, and carry on a more extensive commerce_ with the nations of Indians inhabiting those parts; _and such examples may likewise induce the neighbouring colonies to turn their thoughts towards designs of the same nature_."--Hence we apprehend, it is evident, that a former board of trade, at which Lord Halifax presided, was of opinion, that settlements _over_ the Allegany mountains were not against the King's interest, _nor_ at such a distance from the sea-coast, as to _be without_ "the _reach_ of the trade and commerce of this kingdom," nor _where_ its authority or jurisdiction could not be exercised.--But the _Report_ under consideration suggests, that two capital objects of the proclamation of 1763 were, _to confine_ future settlements to the "sources of the rivers which fall into the sea from the West and North-West," (or, in other Words, to the _Eastern side of the Allegany mountains_) and to the three new governments of Canada, East Florida, and West Florida;--and to establish this fact, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations recite a part of that proclamation. But if the _whole_ of this proclamation is considered, it will be found to contain the nine following heads; viz.[1] [1] Vide the Proclamation in the Appendix, No. 1. 1st, To declare to his Majesty's subjects, that he had erected four distinct and separate governments in America; viz. Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada. 2d, To ascertain the respective boundaries of these four new governments. 3d, To testify the royal sense and approbation of the conduct and bravery, both of the officers and soldiers of the King's army, and of the reduced officers of the navy, who had served in North America, and to reward them, by grants of lands in Quebec, and in East and West Florida, without fee or reward.