Forts and pla Answer. The City of New York the Metropolis, is protected ees of strength. by a Fort and a Range of Batteries at the Entrance of the East River or Harbour, in good order and capable of mounting about One Hundred pieces of Ordnance.Albany and Schenectady are defended by Forts, and both places incircled by large Pickets or Stockades, with Blockhouses at proper Distances from each other, but which since the peace have been suffered to go to 'Decay and are now totally out of Repair. The Western Posts are Fort Stanwix, and the Forts at Oswego and Niagara; the two former are Dismantled; a few men only are kept at Oswego.-Niagara is occupied by a Garrison of the King's Troops. The Northern Posts are, Fort Edward which is abandoned.-A few men only are kept at the Works at the South End of Lake George to facilitate the Transportation to the next Posts, which are Ticonderoga and Crown Point; these are both Garrisoned by His Majesty's Troops, but since the fire which happened at Crown Point, only a small guard is kept there, the principal part of the Garrison being withdrawn and posted at Ticonderoga. Question No. 17. What number of Indians have you and how are they inclined? Number of how are they Answer The Indians who formerly possessed Nassau & Long Island, and that part of this Province which lies below inclined. Albany, are now reduced to a small number, and are in general so scattered and dispersed, an so addid to wandering that no certain account can be obtained of them.-They are remnants of the Tribes-Montocks an others of Long IslandWappingers of Dutchess County-Esopus, Papagonck &c in Ulster County-and a few Skachticokes. These Tribes have generally been denominated River Indians and consist of about Three hundre Fighting Men-They speak a language radically the same, and are understood by the Delawares being originally of the same Race. Most of these People at present profess Christianity, and as far as in their power adopt our Customs-The greater part of them attended the Army during the late War but not with the same reputation as those who are still deemed Hunters. The Mohawks the first in Rank of the Six Nation Confederacy tho' now much reduced in Number, originally occupied the Country Westward from Albany to the German Flatts, a space of about 90 miles, and had many Towns; but having at different times been prevailed on to dispose of their Lands they have little property left, except to the Northward, and are reduced o Two Villages on the Mohawk River and a few Families at Schoharie. The lower Mohawks are in Number about One Hundred and Eighty Five, and the Upper or those of Canajoharie Two Hundred and Twenty one making together Four Hundred and Six; this nation hath always been Warm in their attachment to the English, and on this account suffered great loss during the late War. The Nation beyond and to the Westward of the Mohawks is the Oneidaes; the Villages where they reside including Onoaughquaga are just beyond the Indian Line or Boundary established at Fort Stanwix in 1768,' and their property within that Line except to the Northward has been sold-This Nation consists of at least Fifteen Hundred and are firmly attached to the English. The other Nations of that Confederacy and who live further beyond the Indian Line are the Onondagaes, Cayouges, Senecas and Tuscaroras and are Well inclined to the British InterestThe whole Six Nations consist of about Two Thousand Fighting Men, and their number of Souls according to their latest Returns are at least Ten Thousand; the Seneca Nation amounting alone to one half that number. Question No. 18. What is the Strength of the Neighbouring Indians? Strength of the Neighbouring Indians. Answer The Indians North of this Province near Montreal, with those living on the River St. Lawrence near the 45th Degree of Northern Latitude form a Body of about Three Thousand five Hundred. They are in Alliance with and held in great Esteem by the rest, are good Warriors, and have 1 See Ante p. 587 for this Paper & Map. behaved Well since they became allies to the English previous to the Reduction of Canada. The Tribes of Indians within the Province of Massachusetts Bay and the Colonies of Connecticut & Rhode Island &c. are under similar circumstances with those denominated River Indians and the Stockbridge Indians living on the Eastern Borders of New York may be considered as within it, as they formerly claimed the Lands near Albany, and still hold up some claim in that Vicinity, They served as a Corps during the late War and are in number about three Hundred. Of the Susquehana Tribes many are retired further Westward, among which are some not well affected to the British Government They are all dependants and allies of the Six Nations. Total number within the Within the Department of Sir William Johnson His Northern De- Majesty's Superintendant of Indian Affairs there are partment. Twenty Five Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Fighting Men, and may be about One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Indians in the Whole, extending Westward to the Missisippa. Question No. 19. What is the Revenue arising within your Government, and how is it appropriated and applied? Revenue Answer. The Revenue of the Province arises as follows-First from the Duties on articles imported viz. Slaves-Wines, Distill'd Liquors, Cocoa, and all European and East In a Goods from the British Islands in the West Indies- lso a Duty of Two per Cent. on certain species of Goods sold at Public Auction or Outcry, and from Lycences granted to Hawkers and Pedlars. The annual amount of the several Duties on an average of the last Five Years is £5000 Currency. Secondly from the Interest of £120,000 in Bills of Credit emitted by a Law of the Colony passed the 16th of February 1771 and put out on Loan at 5 per cent, by which a clear Revenue until 1776 is to be paid into the Treasury of 5602 From the year 1776 One Tenth part of the Principal Sum is to be paid yearly into the Treasury until the whole sum of £120,000 is paid, So that this Branch of Revenue decreasing annually in that proportion, will totally cease in 1785. Application of the Revenue. The Revenue arising from the Articles under the first Head as it is grounded on Laws annually passed, (except the Duty on Goods sold at Au tion granted for three years) is appropriated by annual Laws towards payment of the salaries of the Officers. of Government, and other necessary Expences for the Public Service enumerated in such Laws. And the Interest Money arising from the Loan above mentioned, which is the Second Branch of Revenue, is annually applied in furnishing necessaries for His Majesty's Troops quartered in this Colony, for which there is usually granted £2000 Currency, and the Residue is occasionally applied to the payment of Debts contracted by the Province, such as repairs to the Fort & Batteries, the Governor's House, the making of gun carriages &c. A Third Branch of the Revenue is the Excise on spirituous Liquors. Particular Ap propriation of Strong Liquors By a Law passed the 8th of March 1773 This Fund the Excise on is appropriated for Twenty Years as follows-The sum of £800 (part of £1000 to be raised by the Excise in the City and County of New York) is to be paid Annually for Twenty years to the Governors of the Hospital now erecting in the city of New York for the support of that Institution, and the remaining sum of £200 is for the First Five years to be paid to the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce, for encouraging a Fishery on the Sea Coast for the better supplying the Publi Markets of the City, and during the remaining Fifteen Years this sum is appropriated for repairing the Public Roads. By the same Law the sums which shall be raised by the Excise in the other Counties subject to this Duty, are directed to be appropriated for the same period of Twenty years towards repairing the Highways and defraying the necessary Charges of the respective Counties. The whole produce of the Excise Fund before the passing of this Law usually amounted to about £1450 per annum. Question No. 20. What are the ordinary and extraordinary Expences of Government? vernment. Answer. Ordinary Ex- The ordinary Expences are the Sallaries allowed by pense of Go- the Province to the Officers of Government, which exclusive of the Salary of the Governor now paid by the Crown, amounted in 1773 to the sum of and will continue nearly the same while the sala- Expenses. ment are the allowance for the necessaries with which the Troops quartered in the Colony are furnished usually amounting to And the Expences arising from the settlement of the Boundary Lines of the Colony, Repairs to the Fortifications & the Governors House,-Carriages and Utensils for Guns, Barracks &c. which in the year 1773 amounted to For payment of Expresses and other small contingent articles of Expence there is annually allowed Question No. 21. £3120. 2. 2000.-. 1807.11.4 100.-. What are the Establishments Civil & Military within your Government and by what Authority do the Officers hold their Places, What is the annual value of each office Civil & Military, how are they respectively appointed and who are the present Possessors? lishments. Answer. Civil Estab- The Civil Establishments in this Province consist either of the Officers whose salaries are paid by the Crown; or of such Officers as receive their Salaries by virtue of a law annually passed by the Provincial Legislature. |