If the British Government should be disposed, in Time to come, to set up and maintain a publick, honest and just Trade with the _Five Nations_, or any other Tribes, thereby to attach them to us, to promote their true Interest, with other valuable Ends, that might thereby be answered; this Objection perhaps would arise, _viz._ That such a Proceeding will be a very great Expence to the Publick, for our Trade cannot be safe, unless it be protected by a considerable Force. A Fort must be built, and a Garrison of 50, 60, or perhaps 100 Men, with their proper Officers, must be maintained at each Place where the Trade is set up; therefore the Advantage would not countervail the Cost. To this I reply, If such Garrisons should be thought necessary in the Places where a Trade is set up, to be a Guard to it, the Charge would nothing like equal that of an Indian War, which perhaps it might prevent. But further, I apprehend that the Charge of such Garrisons might be spared; and that, instead of being necessary, they would prove very injurious to the Design; and that it would be a very wrong Step to be taken in that Affair. All who are in any good Measure acquainted with the _Indians_ know, that they are extreamly jealous, lest any Incroachments should be made upon them; and it is not strange it should be so, considering what has past over them. And if a Number of armed Men were placed among them, and Forts built for the Defence of our Trade, they would be suspicious that something hostile was intended, and we should not be able to remove the Suspicion. They would behold us with a jealous Eye, and perhaps take Measures to frustrate the whole Design. The most effectual Way to induce them to trust us, is to trust them; and they will be ready enough to protect our Trade if we desire it, and shew that we confide in them to do it. And when a little Experience has taught them how advantageous such a Trade would be to them, they would be ready enough to do it for their own Advantage. If therefore we should desire them to admit a Trader into one of their own Forts, or to build a Fort at our Charge in some convenient Place for such a Design, and to take Care that our Trade be safe; this would tend to convince them, both of our Friendship to, and of our Confidence in, them; and they would not only be pleased with it, but also ambitious to shew us that we may safely trust them: And were I to be the Truck-Master, I should esteem myself much safer in their Protection, than in a Garrison of 100 _English_ Men: For if such a Garrison should be placed among them, they themselves would suspect some ill Design carrying on against them; and the _French_ would infallibly tell them, that tho’ we pretended Peace and Friendship, yet our Design in the End is to dispossess them of their _Country_.