the Bill.

On the other hand, the Preamble of the Act sets forth, That it was found by Experience, that the French of Canada, by means of Indian Goods brought from that Province, had not only almost wholly engrossed the Indian Trade, but had in great Measure, withdrawn the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the Inhabitants of that Province, and rendered them wavering in their Allegiance to your Majesty; and would, if such Trade were not prevented, altogether alienate the Minds of the said Indians, which would prove of dangerous Consequence to the English Interest in America.

And Mr. Burnet, your Majesty's Governor of New-York, informs us, That, since the passing of this Act, several of the far Indians had come to Albany to trade; That some of them came above one thousand Miles, and are now incorporated with the Five Nations: That he had likewise Intelligence of more far Indians that design'd to come to Albany, which he conceives to have been a good Effect proceeding from this Act: And likewise adds, That he did not doubt but the Cheapness of Goods in Albany would induce the Indians to trade there, rather than with the French at Montreal; and that the Traders of Albany began to be sensible of their Error in sharing a Trade with the French, which they now perceive they can keep wholly to themselves.

Upon the whole, being doubtful of some of the Facts alledged by the Merchants, and considering how far the British Trade may be affected by this Act, on the one hand; and how much the Security and Interest of your Majesty's Colonies in America may be concerned, on the other, we are humbly of Opinion, That no Directions should be sent to New-York, upon the Subject-Matter of this Act, till Mr. Burnet shall have been acquainted with the Objections of the Merchants thereto, and his Answers and Observations received thereupon. For which end, if your Majesty shall be graciously pleased to approve of this our Proposal, we shall forthwith send him Copies both of the Merchants Memorial, and of what Objections they have made before us to the Subject-Matter of this Bill.

Which is most humbly submitted. Signed,

Whitehall,
July 14, 1724.

The Report of a Committee of the Council held at New-York, November 6, 1724.

In Obedience to your Excellency's Commands in Council, the 29th of October, referring to us a Petition of several Merchants in London, presented to the King's most excellent Majesty, against renewing an Act passed in this Province, entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and rendering it more effectual to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French; as likewise the several Allegations of the said Merchants before the Right Hon. the Lords of Trade and Plantations, we beg Leave to make the following Remarks.

In order to make our Observations the more distinct and clear, we shall gather together the several Assertions of the said Merchants, both in their Petition, and delivered verbally before the Lords of Trade, as to the Situation of this Province, with respect to the French and Indian Nations, and observe on them, in the first Place, they being the Foundation on which all their other Allegations are grounded. Afterwards we shall lay before your Excellency, what we think necessary to observe on the other parts of the said Petition, in the Order they are in the Petition, or in the Report of the Lords of Trade.

In their geographical Accounts they say, "Besides the Nations of Indians that are in the English Interest, there are very many Nations of Indians, who are at present in the Interest of the French, and who lie between New-York and the Nations of Indians in the English Interest.——The French and their Indians would not permit the English Indians to pass over by their Forts."

The said Act "Restrains them (the Five Nations) from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York.

"The Five Indian Nations are settled upon the Banks of the River St. Lawrence, directly opposite to Quebeck, two or three Hundred Leagues distant from the nearest British Settlements in New-York.

"They (the Five Nations of Indians) were two or three Hundred Leagues distant from Albany; and that they could not come to trade with the English but by going down the River St. Lawrence, and from thence through a Lake, which brought them within eighteen Leagues of Albany."

These Things the Merchants have thought it safe for them, and consistent with their Duty to his sacred Majesty, to say in his Majesty's Presence, and to repeat them afterwards before the Right Hon. the Lords of Trade, though nothing can be more directly contrary to the Truth. For there are no Nations of Indians between New-York and the Nations of Indians in the English Interest, who are now six in Number, by the Addition of the Tuscaroras. The Mohawks (called Annies by the French) one of the Five Nations, live on the South-side of a Branch of Hudson's-River, (not on the North-side, as they are placed in the French Maps) and but forty Miles directly West from Albany, and within the English Settlements, some of the English Farms upon the same River being thirty Miles further West.

The Oneidas (the next of the Five Nations) lie likewise West from Albany, near the Head of the Mohawks-River, about one Hundred Miles from Albany.

The Onondagas lie about one Hundred and Thirty Miles West from Albany. And the Tuscaroras live partly with the Oneidas, and partly with the Onondagas.

The Cayugas are about one hundred and sixty Miles from Albany.

And the Sennekas (the furthest of all these Nations) are not above two hundred and forty Miles from Albany, as may appear by Mr. De L'Isle's Map of Louisiane, who lays down the Five Nations under the Name of Iroquois.

And Goods are daily carried from this Province to the Sennekas, as well as to those Nations that lie nearer, by Water all the Way, except three Miles, (or in the dry Seasons, five Miles) where the Traders carry over Land between the Mohawks-River and the Wood Creek, which runs into the Oneida-Lake, without going near either St. Lawrence-River, or any of the Lakes upon which the French pass, which are entirely out of their Way.

The nearest French Forts or Settlements to Albany, are Chambly and Monreal, both of them lying about North and by East from Albany, and are near two hundred Miles distant from it. Quebeck lies about three hundred and eighty Miles North-East from Albany. So far is it from being true, that the Five Nations are situated upon the Banks of the River St. Lawrence, opposite to Quebeck, that Albany lies almost directly between Quebeck and the Five Nations. And to say that these Indians cannot come to trade at Albany, but by going down the River St. Lawrence, and then into a Lake eighteen Leagues from Albany (we suppose they mean Lake Champlain) passing by the French Forts, is to the same Purpose as if they should say, that one cannot