Besides these Difficulties in the Transportation, the _French_ labour under greater in the purchasing of the principal Goods proper for the _Indian Market_; for the most considerable and most valuable Part of their Cargo consists in _Strouds, Duffils, Blankets_, and other _Woollens_, which are bought at a much cheaper Rate in _England_ than in _France_. The _Strouds_ (which the _Indians_ value more than any other Cloathing) are only made in _England_, and must be transported into _France_ before they can be carried to _Canada_. _Rum_ is another considerable Branch of the _Indian Trade_, which the _French_ have not, by reason they have no Commodities in _Canada_ fit for the _West India_ Market. This they supply with _Brandy_, at a much dearer Rate than Rum can be purchased at _New-York_, tho' of no more Value with the _Indians_. Generally, all the Goods used in the _Indian Trade_, except _Gun-Powder_, and a few Trinkets, are sold at _Monreal_ for twice their Value at _Albany_. To this likewise must be added, the necessity they are under of laying the whole Charge of supporting their Government on the _Indian Trade_. I am not particularly informed of their Duties or Imposts, but I am well assured, that they commonly give six or seven hundred Livres for a Licence for one Canoe, in proportion to her Largeness, to go with her Loading into the _Indian Country_ to trade. I shall next consider the Advantages the Inhabitants of _New-York_ have in carrying on this Trade. In the _first_ place, the Ships that constantly use the Trade to _England_, perform their Voyage to and from _London_ twice every Year; and those that go to _Bristol_ (the Port from whence the greatest part of the Goods for the _Indian Trade_ are exported) frequently return in four Months. These Goods are bought much cheaper in _England_ than in _France_: They are transported in less Time, with less Charge, and much less Risque, as appears by the _Premio_ for Insurance between _London_ and _New-York_, being only _Two per Cent_. Goods are easily carried from _New-York_ to _Albany_, up _Hudson's River_, the Distance being only 140 Miles, the River very strait all the way, and bold, and very free from Sandbanks, as well as Rocks; so that the Vessels always sail as well by Night as by Day, and have the Advantage of the Tide upwards as well as downwards, the Flood flowing above _Albany_. It may therefore be safely concluded, that all sorts of Goods can be carried to _Albany_ at a cheaper Rate than they can be to _Quebeck_, which is also three times further from the _Indian Country_ than _Albany_ is. To put the Truth of this out of all dispute, I need only observe what is well known both at _New-York_ and _Albany, viz_. That almost all the Strouds carried by the _French_ into the _Indian Countries_, as well as large Quantities of other Goods, for the Use of the _French_ themselves, are carried from _Albany_ to _Monreal_. There has been an Account kept of nine hundred Pieces of Strouds