Читать книгу Papers Relating to an Act of the Assembly of the Province of New-York - Great Britain. Board of Trade - Страница 13

Mr. Sharp attending, as he had been desired, with several New-York Merchants, their Lordships took again into Consideration the Order of Council of the 30th of April, mentioned in the Minutes of the first of May last, referring to the Board their Petition against the Renewing an Act passed in New-York, in November, 1720, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and rendering of it more effectual to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French. And Mr. Sharp, in behalf of the several Merchants, acquainted their Lordships, That he conceived this Act, tho' its Intention of gaining the Indians to the English Interest might be good, would have quite a contrary Effect, because, if the Trade with the French was prevented, and the Merchants should discontinue that with the Indians, (as he was informed they would) the French might lay hold of this Opportunity to furnish themselves with Goods from Europe, and supply the Five Nations of Indians, and thereby gain them to their Interest: And this, by reason of their Situation, would not be in the Power of the English to prevent: That they 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. Laurence, and from thence through a Lake, which brought them within eighteen Leagues of Albany.

And that the French having made Settlements along the said River, it would be in their Power, whenever they pleased, to cut off that Communication.

That this Act had been so great a Discouragement to the British Trade, in general, that there had not been, by far, so great a Quantity of Beaver, and other Furs, imported into Great-Britain since the passing the said Act, as there was before; nor half the Quantity of European Goods exported.

That several Merchants who had sent over to New-York considerable Quantities of European Goods, had received Advice from their Correspondents, That should another Act of the like Nature be passed, they could not find a vent for them, and desired they would send no more.

Upon the whole, Mr. Sharp desired, in behalf of the Merchants, that Mr. Burnet might be directed not to pass any Act of the like Nature for the future.