that there has been every Year, since the passing of this Act, more Furs exported from New-York, than in the Year immediately before the passing of this Act. It is not probable, that the greatest Difference between the Exportation any Year before this Act, and any Year since, could so much alter the Price of Beaver, as it is found to be this last Year. Beaver is carried to Britain from other Parts besides New-York, and it is certain that the Price of Beaver is not so much altered here by the Quantity in our Market, as by the Demand for it in Britain. But as we cannot be so well informed here, what occasions Beaver to be in greater Demand in Britain, we must leave that to be enquired after in England. However, we are fully satisfied that it will be found to be for very different Reasons from what the Merchants alledge.

The Merchants go on and say, Whereas on the other Hand, this Branch of the NewYork Trade, by the Discouragements brought upon it by this Act, is almost wholly engrossed by the French, who have already by this Act, been encouraged to send proper European Goods to Canada, to carry on this Trade, so that should this Act be continued, the New-York Trade which is very considerable, must be wholly lost to us, and center in the French.- -Though New-York should not furnish them, the French would find an

other Way to be supplied therewith, either from some other of his Majesty's Plantations, or it might be directly from Europe.

Many of the Goods which the Indians want being as easy to be had directly from France or Holland, as from Great-Britain.

This is easily answered, by informing your Excellency, that the principal of the Goods proper for the Indian Market are only of the Manufactures of Great-Britain, or of the British Plantations viz. Strouds, or StroudWaters, and other Woollens, and Rum. The French must be obliged to buy all their Woollens (the Strouds especially) in England, and thence carry them to France, in order to their Transportation to Canada. The Voyage to Quebeck through the Bay of St. Lawrence, is well known to be the most dangerous of any in the World, and only practicable in the Summer Months. The French have no Commodities in Canada, by reason of the Cold and Barrenness of the Soil, proper for the West-India Markets, and therefore have no Rum but by Vessels from France, that touch at their Islands in the West-Indies. New-York has, by Reason of its Situation, both as to the Sea and the Indians, every Way the Advantage of Canada. The New-York Vessels make always two Voyages in the Year from England, one in Summer and another in Winter, and several

Voyages in a Year to the West-Indies. It is manifest therefore, that it is not in the Power of the French to import any Goods near so cheap to Canada, as they are imported to NewYork.

But to put this out of all Controversy, we need only observe to your Excellency, That Strouds (without which no considerable Trade can be carried on with the Indians) are sold at Albany for 107. a Piece: They were sold at Monreal before this Act took Place, at 137. 2s. 6d. and now they are sold there for 251. and upwards: Which is an evident Proof, that the French have not, in these four Years Time (during the Continuance of this Act) found out any other Way to supply themselves with Strouds, and likewise that they cannot trade without them, seeing they buy them at so extravagant a Price.

It likewise appears, that none of the neighbouring Colonies have been able to supply the French with these Goods; and those that know the Geography of the Country, know it is impracticable to do it at any tolerable Rate, because they must carry their Goods ten Times further by Land than we need to do.

We are likewise assured, that the Merchants of Monreal lately told Mr. Vaudreuil their Governor, that if the Trade from Albany be not by some Means or other encour

aged, they must abandon that Settlement. We have Reason therefore to suspect, that these Merchants (at least some of them) have been practised upon by the French Agents in London; for no doubt, the French will leave no Method untried to defeat the present Designs of this Government, seeing they are more afraid of the Consequences of this Trade between New-York and the Indians, than of all the warlike Expeditions that ever were attempted against Canada.

But to return to the Petitioners, They conceive nothing can tend more to the withdrawing the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the English Interest, than the Continuance of the said Act, which in its Effects restrains them from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York, and may too probably, estrange them from the English Interest, whereas by a Freedom of Commerce, and an encouraged Intercourse of Trade with the French and their Indians, the English Interest might in Time, be greatly improved and strengthened.

It seems to us a strange Argument to say, that an Act, the whole Purport of which is to encourage our own People to go among the Indians, and to draw the far Indians through our Indian Country to Albany (and which has truly produced these Effects) would on the contrary, restrain them from a free Com

merce with the Inhabitants of New-York, and may too probably estrange them from the English Interest, and therefore that it would be much wiser in us to make use of the French, to promote the English Interest; and for which End, we ought to encourage a free Intercourse between them and our Indians. The reverse of this is exactly true, in the Opinion of our Five Nations; who in all their publick Treaties with this Government, have represented against this Trade, as The Building the French Forts with English Strouds: That the encouraging a Freedom of Commerce with our Indians, and the Indians round them, who must pass through their Country to Albany, would certainly increase both the English Interest and theirs, among all the Nations to the Westward of them; and that the carrying the Indian Market to Monreal in Canada, draws all the far Indians thither.

The last Thing we have to take Notice, is what the Merchants asserted before the Lords of Trade, viz. That there has not been half the Quantity of European Goods exported since the passing of this Act, that used to be.

We are well assured, that this is no better grounded than the other Facts they assert with the same Positiveness. For it is well known almost to every Person in New-York, that there has not been a less, but rather a