lying to the Southward of Cape Finnistre.-To these places are exported, Wheat, Rye, Flour, Indian Corn & Beeswax; and the returns are in Specie, Bills of Exchange and large Cargoes of Salt. Sometimes the Vessels employed in this Trade take in a Load of Wines and Fruit, and call at some of the Outports in England for Clearances agreeable to Law.-The Trade is Carried on in Ships belonging to British Subjects and navigated conformable to the Acts of Trade.

Value of For

The Annual Amount of the Commodities exported eign Exports from hence to Foreign Countries is on an average, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling; and the foreign Imports on an Average One Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling. Besides the Trade to the Foreign Ports in Europe, Ireland there is every year a great Quantity of Flax seed and Lumber and some Iron sent to Ireland, in ships generally belonging to that Kingdom, which come out annually with passengers and Servants, as also Linen, Beef and Butter.

Exports to

To Gibralter

The Province hath likewise some Trade with Gibral and Minorca ter and Minorca, the Cargoes out generally consist of Grain, Flour, Provisions of other Kinds, Lumber, Naval Stores, and Rice. As they are British Ports, it has ever been the practice here to allow enumerated Goods to be shipped to them, the Master of the vessel giving the enumerated Bond at the Naval office.-The Returns are Specie, Bills of Exchange and Salt.

Question No. 10.

What Methods are there used to prevent illegal Trade, and are the same effectual ?

vent illegal

Trade.

Answer

Means to pre- At this port there is generally one of His Majesty's Ships of War, stationed near its principal entrance, excet during the Four Winter Months, when she is obliged on account of the severe Weather and the Ice to come to the Wharf. The Custom House officers are Eight in Number; viz. The Collector, Comptroller, Surveyor, and Searcher, Land Waiter, Tide Surveyor and Three Tide Waite:s; There is also a Naval officer. The Tide Waiters are mostly employed on Board of Vessels that arrive with dutiable goods, so that there are but three

other out door officers to look after the business of a very extensive Harbour, lying on two sides of the Town, which is situated on a point between two large Rivers.

As all Articles of Commerce, Provisions and Fuel are conveyed to Town by Water in a Number of Small Boats, from Landings that lay on each side of both entrances to the Port, the strictest attention of the officers of His Majesty's ship, or the Vigilance of the Collector & Comptroller, (who speak favourably of their present Outdoor officers) cannot altogether prevent the illegal Trade in a port situated as this is; there can be no doubt therefore but that Assistance different from what the Officers have at present, would be very necessary, and tend much to the increase of His Majesty's Revenues in this Province.

Question No. 11.

What is the Natural produce of the Country, staple Commodities and Manufactures, and what Value thereof in Sterling Money may you annually Export ?

Produce Sta

ties and Man

Answer.

L

The Natural produce & Staple Commodities of this ple Commodi- Province are Wheat, Indian Corn, Oats, Rye, Pease, ufacturcs. Barley and Buck Wheat, Live Stock, Masts & Spars, Timber & Lumber of all sorts, Furrs, Skins, Beeswax, Iron Ore, Pork, Beef, Flour, Pot & Pearl Ashes.-And its Manufactures are, the making of Pig and Bar Iron, Distilling of Rum and Spirits, Refining of Sugar, and making Chocolate; from Molasses, brown Sugar and Cocoa imported.-The Making of Soap and Candles, Hats, Shoes, Cordage and Cabinet Ware, Tanning Malting, Brewing & Ship Building.

Articles

Value of those The Annual Amount of the above mentioned Articles Exported. Exported (Hats excepted)' is on an average Four Hundred Thousd Pounds Sterling.

1 In Feb. 1731 the Master Wardens and Assistants of the Company of Feltmakers of London petitioned Parliament to pass a law to prevent the Inhabitants of the American Colonies exporting Hats of American Manufacture to any place whatsoever, as the foreign Markets were then almost altogether supplied from the Plantations as well, also, as Great Britain to the great prejudice of the Trade. This petition was referred to a Special Committee who reported the Evidence in which the number of Beaver Hats then Manufactured in New York & New England was estimated at 10,000 yearly; In Boston there were 16 Hatters one of

Question No. 12.

What Mines are there?

Mines.

Answer.

There are few Mines yet discovered in the Province. -One of Iron Ore in the Manor of Livingston in the County of Albany belonging to Robert Livingston Esquire,-Another of Iron also in Orange County, the property of Vincent Matthews Esquire and one in the Manor of Philipsburgh in the County of Westchester lately leased for 99 years (pursuant to the Royal Order) to Frederick Philipse Esquire.-It is called a Silver Mine, but from the small Quantity of Silver the Ore has hitherto yielded, may perhaps more properly be classed among the Richer sort of lead Mines.-The Works belonging to the First are carried on to great advantage.

Question No. 13.

What is the Number of Inhabitants, Whites & Blacks?

Answer

Number of By the last account taken in 1771, the number of

168,007

Total Number of Inhabitants in 1771

Supposing the Increase from 1771 to 1774 to have been no more than the average Proportion of the Increase between 1756 and 1771, there must be added

whom was stated to have commonly finished 40 hats a week. The Exports were to the Southern Plantations, the West Indies and Ireland.

A law was accordingly passed the same Session (5. Geo. II. c xxii.,) “to prevent the Exportation of Hats out of any of His Majesty's Colonies or Plantations in America and to restrain the number of Apprentices taken by the Hatmakers in said Colonies" &e All such exported hats were declared forfeit ; the exporter subjected to a fine of £500 and every Master, Mariner, Porter, Carter, Waggoner, Boatman &c aiding and assisting him became liable to a fine of Forty pounds; any officer of Customs passing an Entry for such Export was to be fined also £500. No person was to make Hats in the Colonies unless he served seven years to the Trade & no master could take more than two apprentices. This law continued in force in this country as long as it belonged to Great Britain and is still applicable to the existing Colonies. This explains the exception above made in Gov. Tryon's Report.

Are the Inhabitants increased or decreased within the last Ten years; how much and for what Reasons ?

Increase of inhabitants.

13 was

Answer.

The number of Inhabitants in 1771 as appears in No.

By the returns in 1756 from which year to 1771 no
Census was taken, the numbers appear to have been

168,007

71,232

Which shews the Increase from 1756 to 1771 to be Admitting the Increase for the succeeding three years to be no more than the average proportion of this number which is much less than the Proportion at which it ought to be rated, there must be added for the Increase from 1771 to 1774

14,244

Increase of Inhabitants from 1756 to 1774 a Period of

85,476

18 years

Hence by taking the proportion of the last mentioned number it is found that the Inhabitants of this Colony are increased during the last Ten years according to the lowest Calculation 47,480. Causes of the The reasons commonly assigned for the rapid populaInhabitants. tion of the Colonies, are doubtless the principal causes of the Great Increase in this Province.

Increase of

The high price of Labour, and the plenty and cheapness of new land fit for Cultivation, as they increase the means of subsistence are strong additional Incitements to Marriage, and the people 1 Incorrect: ought to be 14,240. 2 Ought to be 182,217.

entering into that state more generally and at an earlier period of life than in Europe, the Proportion of Marriages and Births so far exceeds that of populous Countries, that it has been computed the Colonies double their Inhabitants by natural Increase only in Twenty years.

The increase in this Colony has been nearly in same proportion, but it cannot be denied that the accession to our own numbers by Emigrations from the neighbouring Colonies and from Europe, has been considerable, tho' comparatively small to the number thus acquired by some of the Southern Colonies.

Question No. 15

What is the Number of Militia and under what Regulations is it constituted?

the Militia.

Regulation

under which it,

Answer

Numl cr of The White Inhabitants amounting to 161,102, the Militia may be supposed to consist of about Thirty two Thousand. A law is passed annually or every two years for reguis constituted. lating the Militia; The act now in force directs That every Man from Sixteen to Fifty years of age (a few excepted) shall inlist himself with the Commanding Officer of the Troop of Horse, or Company of Foot in the place where he resides. That the Militia armed and equipped (as the Law prescribes) shall appear and be exercised twice a year —And imposes fines on both Officers and Soldiers for every neglect of Duty, with other less material provisions relative to the service The Officers are all appointed by the Governor, and the whole Militia is under his Command and subject to his Orders, agreeable to the power vested in him as Captain General of the Province by the Royal Letters Patent or Commission.

As no Act relative to the Militia was passed during the last Session of the General Assembly, the above regulations will cease on the first day of May 1774, when the present Militia Law expires by its own Limitation.

Question No. 16.

What Forts and places of Strength are there within your Government, and in what Condition?