our security have already consumed large sums and require further, and we have this Year, as well as formerly been at no little charge in order to engage the Six Nations to enter heartily into his Majesty's Service; but in this representation we do not design a retrospect upon former Services, it may be sufficient to declare that our late Exertions have so exhausted us that all our public Funds and Incomes are now mortgaged and anticipated, and we have been obliged to raise a Sum of Money by private Subscription for the purchase of Bread for our Forces, and to defray the Charge of transporting Provisions, Stores, etc. otherwise our Men must have been greatly distress'd, or forced to disband, but such is the present Scarcity of Specie that we should not have been able to have procured even the Sum necessary for that end, if Bills of Exchange on London had not answer'd as well in New York where Cash is plenty, as to have sent the Money for the above Uses: We think it proper to observe to You that no Expedition can be carried on by this Province but what must subject it to greater Inconveniences and Charges than it would the southern Governments, for we being no Provision Country, it is they that receive a benefit by the rise of Provisions, which such Expeditions always occasion, and our Cash must be remitted unto them for all we have Occasion for, and in the present Expedition we are under this disadvantage that all our Supplies must go by the Way of Albany, and be transported from thence to our Camp at a very great Expence, which nothing but Cash or sterling Bills will defray; but notwithstanding these very great Expences, this Province is much more distress'd by the loss or absence of so great a Part of our labouring Inhabitants, by reason of which our Trade languishes, and Lands lye uncultivated.

We have supplied for the general Good many more Men than all the other Colonies together, especially for his Majesty's Regiments, when some of them exceed this in Numbers, but this has not prevented the Governor of Halifax from sending over to us this Week about 20 recruiting Officers, who are now beating up in this and other

Towns for recruits at a time when we have been obliged to impress substantial Householders for the defence of our Frontiers, and other Services, We have already sent that Province 1500 Men, but it seems 1700 more are wanted to fill up the Regiments there on that Establishment, and tho' we suppose the Order for raising the Men in America was well design'd, we are yet of Opinion, and would desire Your noticing it, that as we are a new Country, and have so much Land to be given away to Settlers, or disposed of for a trifling Consideration, the Means of Subsistence is easily come at, and every Young fellow who inclines may without one farthing venture upon a family and the Charges consequent, which in old Countries cannot be done, so that every Man gone from the Province has really carried a family with him; moreover tho' it must be acknowledged a present saving is made to the Crown of the Charge which the transporting Men would amount to, yet in the end the Nation are losers, for the Means of Subsistence lying so open to the Industrious in a new Country occasions great Multiplication of Inhabitants, and consequently so great an Increase of the Consumption of the Manufactures of Great Britain, that if this is taken into the Scale, it will certainly turn it in favour of sending over what Garrison Soldiers may be thought necessary to be kept up in America; besides our People are not calculated to be confined in Garrisons, or kept in any particular Service, they soon grow troublesome and uneasy by reflecting upon their Folly in bringing themselves into a State of Subjection, when they might have continued free and independent. We therefore depend upon Your representations that those Fortresses which may be erected for the Defence of his Majesty's Territories may be garrisoned by his Majesty's Regulars, rather than by American Troops, tho' in the Pay of the Crown.

We have no inclination to compare our services with that of any other Colonies further than is necessary to sett our own Merit in a just light, and if this Comparison carries any reflection upon particular Governments we are not the faulty Causes. New York was obliged by the original Contract

to supply 800 Men in the present Expedition, 300 of which Connecticutt has furnished them, but tho' the other Governments have added above thrice their Proportions they have contented themselves with making a small Grant to one of the Colonies concern'd, notwithstanding they will be most benefitted by the reduction of Crown Point, as almost the whole of the Indian Trade has and will center with them.1 We have no disposition for stopping the Current of his Majesty's Favours, may they continue to be diffusive through the Provinces, but hope we may be excused in saying that we think no Government can lay a better Claim to his Majesty's Bounty and Favours than ourselves. We have from the Beginning defended our Country free of Charge to the Crown. We have always chearfully complyed with the Demand of his Majesty, and have more than once saved the Province of Nova Scotia, and for many Years past protected others to which we are the Frontier; and have once and again made considerable Conquests for the Crown. The Province of Virginia have [sic] been a great while almost entirely free from any military Charge, their Frontiers are not so exposed as ours, the Mountains being a Barrier; but notwithstanding since the late Encroachments of the Enemy on their Territory, his Majesty has graciously made them the Object of his paternal Care, and assisted them with his Troops and Treasure: We know not in what light their late Conduct may appear in to his Majesty, but we flatter ourselves that our Men must appear in a very advantageous one, and from former Experiences of his royal favour and bounty we are naturally lead to presume upon its being still afforded to us, and doubt not of Your making Use, etc.

1 Shirley's plans for the future of America were broad, and the colony of Massachusetts had begun to realize their extent and their cost. So long as Shirley could obtain a reasonable proportion of the expense from London and was successful of himself or by deputy in the field, Massachusetts and all New England stood behind him. Failing these essentials, his popularity began to wane, and particularly so if the advantage of victory was to fall to New York while New England continued to pay a large share of the expense.

for procuring the present relief we stand in such absolute Need of.

Endorsed:

A Representation of the Case of

the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1

SIR,

Camp at Oswego, Sepr. 28th, 1755.

In my Letter of the 19th Instant I acquainted you, that I was in hopes of being in a Condition to proceed to Niagara in a few Days: I had accordingly made preparations for embarking, and Yesterday a Supply of dry Provisions arriv'd here, with certain Advices that it would be speedily follow'd by a further large Quantity: But the immoderate Rains, and tempestuous Weather upon the Lake, which had continu'd thirteen Days successively, have so much retarded our Works, and increas'd the Number of the Sick; and the Albany Men and Indians, who are best acquainted with the general Course of the Weather here, and State of the Lake, have made such strong Representations to me concerning the Winter's being too far advanc'd for the Men to go now to Niagara in Battoes, that I found there was a considerable Uneasiness among the Officers, who had compos'd the late Council of War, at my Intention to proceed thither; I therefore thought it proper to convene them again in Council for their further Opinion, and Advice; a Copy of which, Sir, I have inclos'd; 2 and acknowledge I

1 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. A transcript is in the Library of Congress and another is among the Parkman Papers in the Mass. Hist. Society. See also Shirley to Sir William Johnson of equal date in Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 159.

2 The Council referred to was held on Sept. 27. Shirley presided, and there were eight other members exclusive of William Alexander, secretary. Shirley presented a statement of existing conditions, and the Council determined against proceeding to at

am, for the Reasons there given, as well as several others, in Sentiment with them, that it is more adviseable to employ our whole Strength here the Remainder of this Season in finishing the necessary Barracks for the Men, and Works

tack Niagara or Frontenac. The Minutes of the Council are printed (1 Penna. Arch. 2, 427). Its conclusions follow:

The Council after fully debating what his Excellency laid before them, acquainted him that Several matters of Consequence had occurred to them, which they conceiv'd ought to be made a part of the State of our present situation, and desired his leave to have them entered on the Minutes of this Council, which his Excellency consented to, and are as follows, Vizt.: Major Bradstreet declared that from his own Observation, and the Intelligence he had received since his residence here, he is persuaded that about 1650 Canadeans, went at several times this summer from Cadaraqui to Niagara in order to proceed to the Ohio; a great part of which for want of Provisions, must as he judg'd now be on their return to Canada; that a great Number of French Traders every year go from Canada to trade with the Indians living near the French Settlements at Fort Detroit, and to the Westward of it, who at this Season of the Year generally return home to Canada; That their Passage home is by the way of Niagara, and that it is very probable that they and all the French Troops will stop as long as their Provisions will admit of at Niagara, to defend it against the Attempt intended upon it, of which they doubtless have intelli

gence.

That we have but few proper Battoe Men here, nor is it possible to have a sufficient Number of them to Conduct the Battoes to Niagara, as the People of the Country who understand the management of them are chiefly employed in bringing our Provisions to us from Skenectady, and in carrying Provisions to the Army at Lake George, so that very few of the Albany Men are now with us. That the Soldiers cannot conduct the Battoes to Niagara thro' so ruff Water, as is now generally five days in six upon the Lake.

The Council, after mature advisement upon the several before mentioned matters, declared that they were unanimously of opinion that tho' from our advices, there appears to be a great probability of a sufficient Quantity of Provisions arriving here in a short time, they ought not to be depended upon, until their actual arrival, especially as since the last Council, we have had frequent Alarms of Indians in scalping Parties being in this Neighbourhood, one of which had killed and scalped three of our Men who were at Work near the new Fort building on the opposite side of the River, and had carried off two Prisoners, who may find Op