being restrained to one Company. This Company is obliged to pay heavy Duties in France upon the Importation of Beaver, or any other Furr; for which reason they always fix a Price upon Beaver, and their other Furrs, in Canada; and the Indian Traders of Canada being restrain'd from selling to any but the Company's Agents there, they cannot raise the Price of Indian Goods as the Price of European rise, or as their Profit on the Goods they sell to the Indians is lessen'd.

The Merchants of New-York allow our Indian Traders double the Price for Beaver, that the French Company allow their Indian Traders, the Price established by the Company for Beaver, in Canada, being two Livres, or eighteen Pence Sterling, the Pound-weight; and the current Price of Beaver in New-York being five Shillings New-York Money, or three Shillings Sterling the Pound-weight. Therefore it plainly follows, that our Indian Traders could undersell the French Traders, tho' they were to give as great a Price for European Goods as the French do, and did transport them at as great Charge, because of the double Price they have for their Furrs in New-York.

But as our Indian Traders not only have a double Price for their Indian Goods, but likewise buy the Goods they sell to the Indians, at half the Price the French Indian Traders

do, the French Traders must be ruin'd by carrying on this Trade, in Competition with the English of New-York. And the French Indian Traders had been ruin'd before now, if they had not found means to carry their Beaver to Albany, where they got double the Price they must have sold for in Canada.

It may be objected, against this Argument, That the Canada Company as soon as they find that the Traders cannot sell at their established Price, will allow a greater Price. But if we consider the Duties the French Company is obliged to pay to the King, they cannot allow so great a Price as the English can at New-York. And if it should be insisted, That the French Company may obtain a Remission of those, yet if the clandestine Trade with Albany be entirely stopt, the French Traders will be ruin'd before such Remission can be obtain'd, and their Trade I will be at an end.

My Inclination led me to show what Advantages not only the Indian Trade would reap by extending our Frontiers as far as the Lakes, but likewise the British Trade in some other Branches, which the Parliament of Great Britain seem to have much at heart, viz. Naval Stores; for the Soil on both Sides of the Mohawks River being as rich as it is possible (I believe) for any Land to be,

will be found the most proper for raising of HEMP, of any Part of America, and the whole Country round it being full of the largest Pines, the royal Navy is as likely to be well provided with MASTS there, and at as cheap a rate as any where else. But I have already too far presum'd on your Excellency's Patience.

Cadwallader Colden.

To this it may not be improper to add the following Original Letter.

From J. A. Esq; to Mr. P. C. of London, shewing the Success of the Measures taken at that Time.

SIR,

New-York, 1740.

He

If you should be at the Pains to read these printed Papers, it will be a Pleasure to you to hear of the Success of the Measures taken by Governor Burnet for redeeming the Indian Trade out of the Hands of the French. has succeeded far above our Expectations. Governor Burnet, through his earnest Application, and at first chiefly with his Money, Credit, and Risque, erected a Trading-House and Fortification at the Mouth of the Onondagues River, called Osneigo, where the Province of New-York supports a Garrison of

Soldiers, consisting of a Lieutenant and twenty Men, which are yearly relieved.

At this Place a very great Trade is carried on with the remote Indians, who formerly used to go down to the French at Monreal, and there buy our English Goods, at second Hand, at above twice the Price they now pay for them at Osneigo; whilst, at the same time, the French were chiefly supplied by one Gentleman at New-York, who almost entirely engrossed the Indian Trade of this Province, and thereby acquired a very great Estate and Influence. But the prudent Steps taken by our late worthy Governor, to open a free Trade, was the Cause of the Engrosser's losing his.-The Probability of doing this, was the principal Motive of our applying to the King, which is shown by these printed Papers.

The Indian Trade, to the great Advantage of this Province, is now divided into several hundred Hands, and there have been for many Years past upwards of one hundred young Men of this Province, who have gone yearly among the Indians, to supply them. with our Goods.

By this means, at a modest Estimate, I am assured, that the Indian Trade of this Province is now far above five times as much as when Governor Burnet began to put his Scheme in execution.

And this is not all the Advantages reaped thereby, but a much more considerable one to this, and all the other English Colonies is, that not only our own six Nations, but also many far and remote Indian Nations are drawn off from their Dependance on the French, and made, by Trade and Intercourse, dependant on the English; by this means a great Security and Protection is acquired by the English, in case of a War with France; and by this Trade our Settlements in this Province are extended up to the Onondagues Carrying-Place, which is now well attended with Waggons, for the more commodious transporting of Goods to trade in the Lakes.

And they are now settling on the Branches of Sasquehanah River; and from the western Branches of this River, there is but a small Land-Carriage to Allegheny, a Branch of that great River Misissippi; which Branch extending a thousand Miles from its Mouth, where it enters the said River; and which joins so near to our Settlements, as is above taken notice of, opens us a Trade to that vast Country, called by the French Louisiana, which they possess on the Misissippi.

I am, Sir, Your humble Servant,

J. A.