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STATE or THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK.
Governments of Quebeck, Montreal and the three Rivers are about Ten thousand Fighting menIncluding Thirty Two Companys of Regular Forces.
Spaniards none.
17. The Metropolis of New France is Quebeck a well Fortified Town being inclosed in a verystrong wall & has a Strong Fort scituated on a Rock, being the sea Port on the North side ofRiver S‘. Lawrence. About Sixty Leagues S° West thereof is Montreal on the same side of theRiver which is regularry fortify’d & Surrounded with a strong stone wall, having Batteries within& a Large Trench round the North, East & West Sides thereof & to the South is the River .
About Seven Leagues South from Montreal is a village called Chambley scituated on a Riverrunning out of Corlaers Lake which is by the French called Champlain, & emptys it self into theRiver S*. Lawrence at Soreil there is a good Strong Stone Fort at the side of the River at the upperend of a Bason.
The French have also a very Strong Fort to the west of Crown point, at the side & South east endof Corlaer’s Lake beforementioned called by the French La pointe au la Chevleures, about Seventymiles to the Northward of our farthest Settlements, built in the year 1736, for a retreat when theFrench at any time should come to disturb or Annoy our Frontiers, either in our Province orNew England . This Fort is scituated on a Rock having a very Strong Cittadel Arch’d withStone three Storys high, the wall thereof is about Seven feet thick, it commands the Entrance intothe Lake beforementioned from the Southward & has four Regular Bastions, to the Southward is aLarge plain. They Likewise by that means Extend their Limitts, having encroached upon Landbelonging to his Majesty.
They have also a Strong Fort at Cadaruchque at the North East End of the lake Ontario which emptys it self in the River S ‘. Lawrence, made there not only in order to entice the SixNations of Indians to their Interest & to have an awe over them, but also for a retreat to the French when at any time they should attack or Annoy the Six Nations & likewise to prevent the said SixNations from going to Canada in time of War.
They have also a strong Fortification at Niagara which is at the South west end of CadaruchqueLake, below the falls of that name about three Leagues, where there is a Carrying place, it bordersnear the Six Nations which in a great Measure commands the Indian Trade from the Westward &overawe the Sinnekes.
They have severall Settlements & Forts as above observed of Less note among the Upper Nationsof Indians on the chief passages as the Indians come from their hunting in order to IntercepFurr Trade & to keep an awe & command over them.
Albany 4 th Febrr 1737 | 8