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Question No. 18.
What is the Strength of the Neighbouring Indians 1
Answer
The Indians North of this Province near Montreal, with those living on the River St. Lawrence nearstrength or the 45 th Degree of Northern Latitude form a Body of about Three Thousand five Hundred,bourin They are in Alliance witli and held in great Esteem by the rest, are good j Warriors, and
" have behaved Well since they became allies to the English previous to the Reduction of
The Tribes of Indians within the Province of Massachusetts Bay and the Colonies of Conecticut &Rhode Island &c. are under similar circumstances with those denominated River Indians and theStockbridge Indians living on the Eastern Borders of New York may be considered as within it, asthey formerly claimed the Lands near Albany , and still hold up some claim in that Vicinity. Theyserved as a Corps during the late War and are in number about three Hundred.
Of the Susquehana Tribes many are retired further Westward, among which are some not wellaffected to the British Government—They are all dependants and allies of the Six Nations.
Within the Department of Sir William Johnson His Majesty’s Superintendent of Indian Affairs thereTotal number are Twenty Five Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Fighting Men, and may be aboutNoXrllV One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Indians in the Whole, extending Westward to the
per Intent. Missisippa.
Question No. 19.
What is the Revenue arising within your Government, and how is it appropriated and applied ?
Answer.
The Revenue of the Province arises as follows—First trom the Duties on articles imported viz.
Slaves_Wines Distill’d Liquors, Cocoa, and all European and East India Goods from the
British Islands in the West Indies —Also a Duty of Two per Cent, on certain species ofGoods sold at Public Auction or Outcry, and irom Lycences granted to Hawkers and Pedlars.
The annual amount of the several Duties on an average of the last Five Years is £5000 Currency.Secondly from the Interest of £120,000 in Bills of Credit emitted by a Law of theColony passed the 16‘>> of February 1771 and put out on Loan at 5 per cent, bywhich a clear Revenue until 1776 is to be paid into the Treasury of - - 5602
From the year 1776 One Tenth Part of the Principal Sum is to be paid yearly into the Treasuryuntil the whole sum of £120,000 is paid, So that this Branch of Revenue decreasing annually inthat proportion, will totally cease in 1785.
The Revenue arising from the Articles under the first Head as it is grounded on Laws annuallyApplication of passed, (except the Duty on Goods sold at Auction granted for three years) is appropriated11.0 Revenue. by anuual Lawg towards paym ent of the salaries of the Officers of Government and other
necessary Expenses for the Public Service enumerated in such Laws.
And the Interest Money arising from the Loan above mentioned, which is the Second Branch ofRevenue, is annually applied in furnishing necessaries for Plis Majesty’s Troops quartered m thisColony, for which there is usually granted £2000 Currency, and the Residue is occasionally appliedto the payment of Debts contracted by the Province, such as repairs to the Fort & Batteries, theGovernor’s House, the making of gun carriages &c.
A Third Branch of the Revenue is the Excise on spirituous Liquors.