515

GOV. tryon’s report on the province of new-york.

Vessels employed in this Trade take in a Load of Wines and Fruit, and call at some of the Outportsin England for Clearances agreeable to Law.—The Trade is Carried on in Ships belonging to British Subjects and navigated conformable to the Acts of Trade.

The Annual Amount of the Commodities exported from hence to Foreign Countries is on an average,Value of For. ® ne Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling; and the Foreign Imports on an Ave-s Exports ra g e Q ne jj un d re d Thousand Pounds Sterling.

Besides the Trade to the Foreign Ports in Europe, there is every year a great Quantity of Flax seedExports to a ud Lumber and some Iron sent to Ireland , in ships generally belonging to that Kingdom^which come out annually with passengers and Servants, as also Linen , Beef and Butter.

The Province hath likewise some Trade witli Gibralter and Minorca , the Cargoes out generally con-To Gibraiter s * st °*’ Grain, Flour, Provisions of other Kinds, Lumber, Naval Stores, and Rice. —As they“" li Ml,lorcu - are British Ports, it has ever been the practice here to allow enumerated Goods to be ship-ped to them, the Master of tiie vessel giving the enumerated Bond at the Naval Office.—The Returnsare Specie, Bills of Exchange and Salt .

Question JVo. 10.

What Methods are there used to prevent illegal Trade, and are the same effectual ?

. Answer

At this Port there is generally one of His Majesty’s Ships of War, stationed near its principalMeansiopre. entrance, except during the Four Winter Months, when she is obliged on account ofTrade. essl the severe Weather and the Ice to come to the Wharf. The Custom House Officersare Eight in Number; viz. The Collector, Comptroller, Surveyor, and Searcher, Land Waiter,Tide Surveyor and Three Tide Waiters; There is also a Naval Officer. The Tide Waiters aremostly employed on Board of Vessels that arrive with dutiable goods, so that there are but threeother out door officers to look after the business of a very extensive Harbour, lying on twosides of the Town, which is situated on a point between two large Rivers.

As all Articles of Commerce, Provisions and Fuel are conveyed to Town by Water in a number ofSmall Boats, from Landings that lay on each side of both entrances to the Port , the strictest attentionof the officers of His Majesty’s ship, or the Vigilance of the Collector & Comptroller, (who speakfavourably of their present Outdoor officers) cannot altogether prevent the illegal Trade in a portsituated as this is; there can be no doubt therefore but that Assistance different from what the officershave at present, would be very necessary, and tend much to the increase of His Majesty’s Revenuesin this Province.

Question JVo. 11.

What is the Natural produce of the Country, staple Commodities and Manufactures, and whatValue thereof in Sterling Money may you annually Export?

Answer.

The Natural produce & Staple Commodities of this Province are Wheat, Indian Corn, Oats , Rye,Produce s,a Pease > Barley and Buck Wheat , Live Stock, Masts & Spars, Timber & Lumber of all sorts,& SdwS'Furra, Skins, Beeswax, Iron Ore , Pork, Beef, Flour, Pot & Pearl Ashes.—And its Manu-ufaciurM ' fixtures are, the making of Pig and Bar Iron, Distilling of Rum and Spirits, Refining ofSugar , and making Chocolate; from Molasses, brown Sugar and Cocoa imported.—The Making ofSoa P and Candles, Hats, Shoes, Cordage and Cabinet Ware, Tanning, Malting, Brewing & Ship

Building.