THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
The Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of Trade
(October 20, 1699)
Bellomont, Earl of in: New York
Colonial Documents
(London Documents: XII?), Vol. IV, pp. 587-596.
pp. 590.
590 |
NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS. |
be sure the seasons of the year must be watch'd when there are floods in the River, and then I am confident those trees may be safely floated especially if the water be so deep at the foot of the fall as I was told, for then the depth of the Water will break the fall of the Trees, besides there is an art to save one of those great trees from breaking with it's fall by binding lesser trees, about it.
I have been the more particular in this account of the conveniences for Naval Stores and Trees fit for Masts for the King's ships, because I intend it shall be the last time I will trouble your Lordships on this subject, unlesse you approve of and incourage it. But if your Lordships like the things, and will send me your commands about it, I will proceed with the few soldiers I have to work with all the vigour I can, and hope you will order recruits for the four companies forthwith, if you think it best to prosecute this designe by degrees, but if your Lordships be satisfied of it's faisibility I hope you will send 800 men to make up the 1000 men proposed. Tho' I fear our four Companys will not afford 200 men able to worke.
On the road as I was returning hither from Rhode Island, I was met by an expresse from Albany with a letter from Mr Livingston and Colonel Schuyler which goes (No 4) and inclosed was a message sent by our Indians, which message is (No 5) it seems the remote Western Indians, where I formerly writ to your Lordships, Monsieur de Tonti had built a small fort, and had a French garrison, have lately killed and scalp'd five of our remotest Indians called Sinecas, upon which they came to Albany to complain; Your Lordships will see by Mr Livingston's and Colonel Schuyler's letter they seem to advise my complaining to the Governor of Canada of this Act of hostility done upon our Sineca Nation; but I do not think that proper at all, for should I apply to him by way of complaint, it would be construed a recognition of the French King's Sovereignty over the Western Indians, and the French are subtill and sharp enough to make that use of it hereafter should I give 'em such an advantage. I wish your Lordships would please to write to the Governors of Pensylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Carolina to indeavor by all means to ingage those Nations of Western Indians in a Trade with them. I am sure it is a shame for them to suffer the French to prevail so with those Indians, when they have infinitely the advantage of the French in all respects as to Trade. For the French supply those Indians all they way from Canada which is about 700 miles, and the greatest part of the way by land too. I would willingly have a conference with those Governors about opening a Trade with those Indians, and I would have Philadelphia to be the place of our meeting, because it is most in the Center: But then I must have the King's leave for so doing because that by the King's instructions I am not to leave my Government under the forfeiture of half my Salary and perquisites for that time. If your Lordships approve of this, and will send me the King's leave; I believe those Governors would readily give me the meeting this next summer at Philadelphia.
Mr Parmiter the Naval Officer at New Yorke having severall times complained to me by letter from thence, of the insufficiency of the Revenue Act there, which gave the Merchants advantages against the King, I advised him to write his Remarks on the Act and send them to me, which he had done; his letter on that subject goes (No 6) and his Remarkes (No 7) and thô I formerly sent your Lordships the written Laws of New Yorke passed the last Session of Assembly, yet I now send them printed, because Mr Parmiter has made some little marks on the Margin of the Revenue Act, which stands first in the Booke of Laws; The said Book of Laws goes (No 8th) I beg your Lordships will please to direct the carefull perusall of that and
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