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Show 142 At B A N Y P A P n R 5 continued. French from Canada. The fort at the mouth of the Vi'ftllitlll], would guard that river, the Ohio, and Cutava river, in cafe of any attempt from the French of Millifiippi. (Every fort ihould have a [mall fettlement round it; as the fort would protect the fettlers, and the fettlers defend the tort.) - -*- -- The difficulty offettling the firitEI/g/M) colonies in America, at to great a dilhrice from England; mull- have been vaftly greater than the fettling thefe pt‘opofed new colonies : for it would be the interel't and advantage of all the prefent colonies to fupport thefe new ones; as they would cover their frontiers, and prevent the growth of the French power behind or near their prefent fettlements; and the new country is nearly at equal dif'tance from all the old colonies 5 and could eafily be aflifted from all of them. ' And as there are already in the, old colonies, many thoufands offamilies that are ready'to fwérrm, wanting more land; the richnefs and natural ad- vantage of the Ohio country would draw molt of [A2 B.T;] PLAN jar twoW‘g/Zcrz: Cola/2211. 14;; probable that in time they mul‘t be firbjeétcd to the Britifh crown, or driven out of the country. Such fettlements may better be made now, than fifty years hence, becaufe it is ealier to fettlc our- {elves, and thereby prevent the French fettling there, as they them now to intend, than to remove them when {trongly fettled. If thefe fettlements are poftponed, then more forts and ftronger, and more numerous and expenfive garrifons mul't be ef'tablifhed, to fecure the country, prevent their fettling, and fecure our prefent frontiers; the charge of which, may probably exceed the charge of the propofed fettlements, and the advantage nothing near fo great. The fort at Ofwego {hould likewife be firength- ened, and fome armed half-gallies or other fmall vefl'els, kept there to cruife on lake Ontario, as propofed by Mr. Parana/1 in his paper laid before the commiflioners at the Albany treaty 1'. Ifa fort was alfo built at Tirondequat on lake Ontario, and a fettlement made there near the lake fide, where the lands are {aid to be good, (much them thither, were there but a tolerable profpeét of a fafe fettlement. So that the new colonies would foon be full of people; and from the advan-. tlements would help to defend both forts on any tage of their fituation, become much more terrible emergency *. better than at Ofwego ;) the people of fuch fet; to the French fettlements, than thofe are now to us. The gaining of the back Indian trade from the French, by the navigation of the lakes, 66C. would of itfelf greatly weaken our. enemies {Tit being now their principal fupport, it {eems highly probable I [See his Work above quoted, Vol. II. p. 234.. et/Eg. e! z‘éz'd. p. 179. et/eq. E.] * [This whole propofal was neglefled, though theFrmrl: thought a. Confiderable fettlement very praéticable, in order to get at the Claim. See Governor Panama/l, Vol. II. p. 236. Dr. Franklin alfo failed in another propofal for fettling to the fimtb of the Ohm E.] 777 |