of
this State south of the sources of the Penobscot River, and it is
believed that no part of it lies within territory of which the British
Government has ever been in the actual possession since the treaty of
1783. A portion of this road only has yet been opened, and I have no
information that any part of it has been opened over territory _claimed_
by the British, although it is contemplated to extend it to the
Aroostook when it can be done consistently with the public interest. The
second road described in the resolve of March 30, 1831, is wholly within
the undisputed limits of this State.

A report of the recent proceedings of the land agent in making these
roads and disposing of the timber on the lands of the State has not been
received, and his late sickness and death have rendered it impossible at
this time to obtain a detailed statement of all that has been done in
his official capacity. But it can not be presumed that he has in any
particular exceeded his instructions (copies of which are herewith
transmitted[20]), or, in the discharge of his official duties, taken
any measures or authorized any acts to be done which could justly be
considered as a violation of any known provision of the existing
arrangement between the Governments of the United States and Great
Britain in regard to the disputed territory.

With high consideration, I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient
servant,

SAML. E. SMITH.

[Footnote 20: Omitted.]

_Sir Charles R. Vaughan to Mr. McLane_.

WASHINGTON, _December 23, 1833_.

Hon. LOUIS McLANE, etc.:

The undersigned, His Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
the note of the Secretary of State of the United States, in answer
to the representation which he was called upon to make respecting
proceedings of the States of Massachusetts and Maine in the disputed
territory.

To understand correctly the bearings of the roads which those States
have resolved to construct requires a more accurate knowledge of the
topography of the country through which they are to pass than the
undersigned possesses, but he will not fail to transmit a copy of
Mr. McLane's note, together with its inclosures, to His Majesty's
lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick. In the meantime the undersigned
begs leave to observe that the letter from the executive of Maine states
that one of the roads surveyed and located lies, for the gr