182 | From The Board Of Trade

    Sir675

    We have received your Letter to Us of the 12th. of October676 inclosing heads of a Bill for raising a Sum of money by Lottery to compleat an additional Hall, for the use of Harvard College in Cambridge, and tho’ We are still of Opinion that Lotteries in the American Colonies ought to be countenanced, and are fully convinced that the too frequent practice of such a mode of raising money will be introductive of great Mischief, Yet in consideration of the General propriety and Utility of the Service to be provided for by this Bill, We have no Objection to your passing it into a Law, desiring at the same time, that it may be understood, that such a permission shall not be drawn into precedent in any other Case whatever.

    We are, Sir, Your most Obedt. humble Servants

    Whitehall Decr. 24. 1762

    Sandys

    Soame Jenyns

    John Yorke

    Exd.

    L, LbC CO 5/920, p 148.

    The Board of Trade considered No. 164 on 20 Dec. 1762 and permitted an exception to made in Harvard’s case. JBT, 11: 317. However, the final cost of the new building, £4,821 7s. 2d., was met by the General Court without recourse to a lottery bill. Hollis Hall was completed in Dec. 1763 and dedicated by FB on 13 Jan. 1764. Acts and Resolves, 17: 442-443; FB, Warrant to Harrison Gray, Boston, 4 Jan. 1764, Mass. Archs., 58: 487.