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fitable, all which will apeare by the said agreement hereafter incerted, and the next following report made in answer to the last mentioned order.
Report of the Committee on the said order of 8 September, 1654.In obedience to your Honours reference of the eighth instant, whereby wee are ordered to consider how the business of the surveys might be carried on with most exspedition and least charge to the Commonwealth, wee, having met severall times about the same, together with many other officers of the army, called in for their assistance and councill, did then peruse and consider as well what hath been formerly done in this affaire, as what is at present in doeing. And doe finde—
That allthough the way of surrounding each parcell of forfeited lands, with deduction both of the unprofitable and unforfeited land, and of paying fourty-five shillings per thousand acres for the neat forfeited and profitable land only, doeth much excell the preceeding way of surrounding whole barronyes at forty shillings per thousand, both in respect of rate and usefullness of such admeasurement, yet there hath been exhibited unto us against the said present way of survey, severall defects and inconveniences: the heads whereof are briefly as followeth:
1st. The admeasurement by surround of great parcells is more uncertaine and nice than that of small, and the proof or examination of the one is much more difficult and chargeable then the other.
2dly. The not paying for the measuring of included unprofitable land will be such a byas to the surveyor's judgement, as may tempt him to returne the same for profitable.
3rdly. This survey contributes nothing to preserve the memory of the ancient bounds of barronies, parishes, &c., nor to order and regulate the intended plantations. Besides these there are some others which we think more materiall to be insisted uppon, namely,
4thly. That when great parcells, such only as the present surveyes are like to returne, shall be delivered out unto whole troopes or companyes, such wrongs or shortness as shall happen unto any particular members of them uppon the finall subdivision will be without any visible remedy or reliefe.
5thly. It will be hard for any particular person to pass a grant even for what he shall receive, without the true knowledge of the quantity, quality, and bounds of the same, which the present survey cannot aford.
