14 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



New Hampshire directed a survey to be made 

 oi Connecticut river, for sixty miles j and three 

 lines of townships, to be laid out, on each side. 

 The application for lands constantly increased, 

 and new surveys were made. So rapid was the 

 progress, that during the year 1761, not less 

 than sixty townships, of six miles square were 

 granted on the west of Connecticut river. The 

 whole number of grants, in one or two yearsi 

 more, amounted to one hundred and thirty eight; 

 and their extent, was from Connecticut river, to 

 what^was esteem.ed twenty miles east of Hud- 

 son's river, so far as that extended to the nortlv 

 ward ; and after that as far west as the eastern 

 shore of Lake Champlain. The cultivation of 

 the country, and the number of the settlers, in- 

 creased with a surprlshig rapidity ; and Went- 

 wojth had an opportunity to accumulate a large 

 fortune, by the fees and donations which atten- 

 ded the business, and b}^ a reserve of five hun- 

 dred acres, which he made in every township 

 for himself. 



The government of New York, wishing to 

 have- the profits, and intending to have the dis- 

 posal of the lands, was alarmed at these pro- 

 ceedings. Charles the second, in 1664, and 

 1674, mode an extraordinary grant to his broth- 

 er, the duke of York ; containing among other 

 parts of America, " all the lands from the west 

 side of Connecticut river, ta the east side of 

 Delaware bay." This grant was inconsistent 

 with the charters, which had before been grant- 

 ed to Massachusetts, and Connecticut; and 

 Beiiher of them, admitted it to have any effect, 

 ■^kh regard to the lands which they had settled , 



