In Obedience to your Majesty's Commands, signified to us by your Order in Council of the 30th of _April_ last, referring to us the Petition of several Merchants of _London_ trading to _New-York_, setting forth "The great Discouragements that have been brought upon the _British Trade_ by an Act passed in _New-York_ the 19th of _November_, 1720, entitled, _An Act for the Encouragement of the_ Indian Trade, _and rendering of it more beneficial to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of_ Indian Goods _to the_ French. And that as the said Act is now expir'd, the said Merchants are informed the Government of _New-York_ either have, or are about passing an Act to revive and continue the same; and therefore pray, that a stop may be put thereto." We humbly take leave to represent to your Majesty, That we have been attended by the Petitioners, who informed us, that they have found this Act, by Experience, to be so great a Discouragement to the _British Trade_, that there has not been, by far, so considerable a Quantity of Beaver, and other Furs, imported into _Great-Britain_, from _New-York_, since the passing the said Act, as heretofore, nor half the Quantity of _European Goods_ exported thither; in consequence whereof the Price of Furs is raised _Five and Twenty_ and _Thirty per Cent._ to the great Prejudice of several _British_ Manufactures. They likewise affirmed, That it was impracticable to hinder the _French_ from supplying the _Indians_ with _European_ Goods: For tho' _New-York_ should not furnish them, the _French_ would find another way to be supplied therewith, either from some other of his Majesty's Plantations, or, it might be, directly from _Europe_. That it was of dangerous Consequence to force this Trade into a new Channel, many of the Goods which the _Indians_ want being as easy to be had directly from _France_ or _Holland_, as from _Great-Britain_. They further added, That it was not likely the Act, in question, should produce the Effects expected from it, more particularly that of securing the Five _Indian_ Nations firmly to the _British_ Interest; because, if the _French_ should once get a Supply of the Goods necessary for the _Indian_ Trade, from any other Place, as the Five _Indian_ Nations are settled upon the Banks of the River of _St. Lawrence_, directly opposite to _Quebeck_, two or three hundred Leagues distant from the nearest _British_ Settlement in _New-York_, the Vicinity of the _French_ would furnish them with the Means of supplying even the _Five Nations_ with these Goods, and consequently of alienating their Affections from the _British_ Interest. And that there was no Prospect of obtaining a Trade with the _French Indians_ by this means, because the French would always be able to prevent their Passage cross the Lakes and River of _St. Lawrence_ to our Settlements. These were the most material Objections made by the Merchants against the Bill. * * * * *