colden’s report on the lands in the province of new-york.

255

It may be objected that the length of Long Island and distance to Albany may be less than what isvulgarly computed : That New Jersey extends 20 miles on one side Hudson’s River : and that someMountainous places, within my computation will yield no quitrent in this age but if it be consideredthat Staten Island is not within the Computation that the settlements extend 30 miles beyond Albany ,and that many settlements are twenty miles from the river and some thirty miles, it will be grantedthe Quitrents will at least amount'to the sum above mentioned.

In the last place it may be objected, that the Kings Ministers design the Quitrents for other uses,but if it be considered of what consequence it is to free the Kings Officers of that immediate depen-dance on the humours of an Assembly, they are now under for their daily support, I believe it willbe thought more for His Majesty’s service to apply the Quitrents to the support of the Administra-tion in this Province, than to the uses the Quitrents have been hitherto applied.

Note.— Appended to the copy of the preceding, in possession of the N. Y. Historical Society , isthe following memorandum, in the hand-writing of Lieut . Governor Colden -

Mat 6th, 1752.

It is now twenty years since I delivered the above Memorial to Col. Cosby, soon after his arrival.I question whether ever he read it. I have reason to think he gave it to the person in w T hom hethen confided who had no inclination to forward the purposes of it. It had no other effect than tobe prejudicial to myself.

The computations of what the lands would have at that time produced at 2 s 6 d p r hundred acres Ibelieve were made within bounds. The settlements are greatly increased since that time more thanin fifty years before it so that I make no doubt they will produce six thousand pounds a year, takingiu a reasonable Quitrent for the house lots in the Cities of New-York and Albany .

I forgot to mention that it appears from the Records that numbers of house lots were granted underthe yearly Quitrents of one shilling two shillings &c or some such small rent which I believe is nownever paid.