enable His Majesty effectually to take such Measures as may be most likely to put an immediate Stop to the present Disorders, but will also take into their most serious Consideration what further Regulations and permanent provisions may be necessary to be established for better securing the Execution of the Laws, and the just Dependance of the Colonies upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain. G. R. Resolution of House of Lords for Address in Answer to His Majesty's Message 7th Mar. 1774. HOUSE OF LORDS 7th March 1774 Ordered, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, to return His Majesty the thanks of this House, for His Majesty's Gracious Message and for the Communication His Majesty hath been Graciously pleased to make to this House of several Papers relative to the present State of some of His Majesty's Colonies in North America. To assure His Majesty that this House truly sensible that the Peace and good Government of the Colonies and the preventing any obstructions there to the Commerce of this Kingdom are objects of their most serious Attention, will enter upon the Consideration of these Papers with an earnest desire to make such Provisions as upon mature Deliberation shall appear necessary and expedient for securing the just Dependance of the said Colonies upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain, and for enforcing a due Obedidience to the Laws of this Kingdom, throughout all His Majesty's Dominions. Resolution of the House of Commons for Address in Answer to His Majesty's Message 7th March 1774. Resolved That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, to return His Majesty the Thanks of this House, for His Majesty's Gracious Message; and for the Communication His Majesty hath been Graciously pleased, to make to this House, of several Papers relative to the present State of some of His Majesty's Colonies in North America. To assure His Majesty, that this House will, without Delay, proceed to take into their most serious Consideration His Majesty's said most Gracious Message, together with the Papers accompanying the same; and will not fail to exert every Means in their Power, of effectually providing for Objects so important to the general Welfare, as maintaining the due Execution of the Laws, and securing the just Dependance of His Majesty's Colonies upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain. Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Earl of Dartmouth, transmitting answers to inquiries relative to the present state and condition of His Majesty's Province of New Jersey. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 177 (195).] BURLINGTON March 28th 1774 Right Honble the Earl of Dartmouth My Lord, The Assembly having sat from the 10th of November to the 11th Instant; during which Time (as I have no private Secretary to assist me in my Business) I had it not in my Power before to answer the Queries or Heads of Enquiry transmitted to me in your Lordship's Circular Dispatch of the 5th of July last. I have, however, Since their Prorogation lost no Time in answering them, and I now Send my Answer by this Opportunity. Had I not been disappointed in getting some Materials which had been promised me by Some of the Gentlemen of the Council' it would have been fuller, but I am in hopes that, as it is, it will prove Satisfactory, as I think I have omitted no material Point. I shall however endeavour to have an exact Map made of the Colony & to collect all the Materials which may be necessary to enable me to give a perfect Account of its Present State. A History of it was published in 1765 by M Smith, one of His Majesty's Council, which if His Majesty has not before Seen may Serve to afford, with the Observations Sent herewith, a better Idea of the Nature of the Government, People &c. than can other wise be obtained. I have therefore Sent one of them herewith. The Laws and Proceedings of the last Session are copying; when finished I shall transmit them to your Lordship. I have obtained from the Assembly a Supply for the Kings Troops Stationed in this Colony. I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Regard, & Respect My Lord, Your Lordships most obedient Heads of Enquiry relative to the present State & Condition of His Majesty's Province of New Jersey in America and the Governor's Answers thereto. 1. What is the Situation of the Province under your Government, the Nature of the Country, Soil and Cli 1 See Duer's Life of Lord Stirling, 111. mate, the Latitudes & Longitudes of the most considerable places in it, Have those Latitudes and Longitudes been Settled by good Observations, or only by common Computations? and from whence are the Longitudes computed? Answer. New Jersey is Situated between New York & Pennsylvania, and lies about 75° West Longitude from England, and between Latitude 39° and Latitude 41° 21' 37"-There are Several Chains or Ridges of Hills in this Province, but of no great Consideration; many of them are capable of Cultivation to near the Summit. The Soil of at least one fourth Part of the Province is said to be poor and barren Sand, in respect to Tillage, which Part, however, abounds with Pines and Cedars, and some few Tracts of Swamp capable of being made Meadow. The Upland is of various Kinds, some parts a Stiff Clay, others a Gravel, but in general tolerable good Wheat Land, tho' seldom equal to the Soil in many Parts of England; the greatest of that which is sandy produces good Rye and Indian Corn.-The Climate is very variable, often in the extreme. I have known the Weather change 19° Degrees in one Hour by Farenheit's Thermometer. Within the same Year the Thermometer in the shade has been at 97° and at several Degrees below 0.—Amboy the Capital of East Jersey, is in about 70°, 30' West Longitude from London, and one Degree East Longitude from Philadelphia, and nearly in Lat. 40°, 30'. Burlington, the Capital of West Jersey, is in about 74° 40′ West Longitude from London; and in about 40°, 10' North Latitude.-These are the Common Computations, and I believe that neither the Latitude nor Longitude of those Places have ever been taken by actual Observation. 2. What are the reputed Boundaries, and are any Parts thereof disputed, what Parts and by whom? Answer, New Jersey is bounded on the West & South West by Delaware River and Bay; on the South East & East by the Atlantic Ocean, the Sound which separates Staten Island from the Continent and Hudson's River; on the North by the Colony of New York, according to a Line lately Settled by Commissioners appointed by the Crown, beginning at a Rock on the West side of Hudson's River, marked by the Surveyors in 1769 as found to be in Lat. 41°, and running North Westerly to the Mouth of Mahacamack found by the same Surveyors to be in Lat. 41° 21', 37".Since the late Settlement of the Northern Boundary by Commissioners, there are no Parts disputed with any other Colony, except Staten Island, which is in the Possession of the Government of New York, but seems to be clearly within the Grant from the Duke of York to the New Jersey Proprietors. But the Proprietors having lately incurred a great Expence in getting their Northern Boundary settled, and by which they were deprived of a considerable Tract of Country that they had always before thought themselves just ly entitled to, are discouraged at present from prosecuting their Claim to Staten Island. The Generality of the People, however, who are settled on it, are, I am told, so conscious of the Justness of the New Jersey Claim, that they take Care to obtain a Proprietary Right to their Lands, as well as a Grant from the Government of New York. It's Situation is much nearer to New Jersey than to New York, and it would be every Way more convenient for the Inhabitants were they annexed to N. Jersey. As the Commissioners have fixed the Northern Boundary of this Province on the Delaware in Lat: 41°, 21' 37" (instead of Lat. 41° 40' mentioned in the D. of York's Grant) a Dispute is likely to arise between the Proprietors of the Eastern and the Proprietors of the Western Division concerning their Partition Line. This Line was formerly run from Little Egg Harbour on the Ocean to Cushietunk |