The Governour with the Advice of the Council in this Province (and in no other Colony, as I have been inform'd, on this Continent) us'd for many years past, 'till about eighteen Months ago, upon the representation of the Captains of his Majesty's Ships of War to the Governour that their Ships Companies were short of their Complement, and their desire that the Governour would furnish 'em with men to make it up, to Issue an Impress Warrant directed to the Sheriff or Sheriffs of the County or Counties where the Seaport Towns lay, out of which the Governor thought proper to raise the men, to impress such a number of Seamen for his Majesty's Service, as the Council advis'd him to-Inhabitants of the Province, Fishermen, Mariners belonging to Coasting and outward bound Vessels being always excepted out of the Warrant. And this Practice was for several years thought, as I believe it really prov'd, a considerable Protection to the Inhabitants and Mariners above excepted against being impress'd, and generally supply'd the King's Ships with a sufficient Number of Seamen, if not their full Complement.

But since the commencement of the War with France, it has been found to drive away the other Seamen out of the Province into the neighbouring Colonies of New York and Rhode Island (but chiefly the latter) where they were shelter'd from Impresses, and ship'd themselves on board the Privateers and trading Vessels sailing out of those Harbours; by which means the Trade and Navigation of this Province, especially of the Town of Boston, was laid under great Difficulties, not only for want of Sailors to mann their Ships, but through the extravagant Wages that were exacted from the Merchants and Traders by means of the scarcity of Seamen; and what added to that was that whilst the Government by their Impresses on Shoar drove the foreign Seamen there out of the Province, the King's Ships in the Harbour impress'd out of all inward bound Vessels, whereby the Province was drain'd of Mariners both ways: This Government however went on to issue out Impress Warrants when his Majesty's Service requir'd it, 'till about two years ago, the Officer to whom an Impress Warrant for manning the

Wager was directed (in my absence at Louisbourg) permitted the Purser and a midship-man with the Boatswain and others of the Ship's Company to assist him in the Execution of it, whereby two Seamen really not liable to be impress'd, were kill'd in such a manner, as that the Judges were clearly of Opinion it was an aggravated Murther, for which the Boatswain and a Boy which were taken (the two Officers, who from what I have heard, or at least the Purser, were most guilty of the Murther, making their Escape) were condemned; since which unhappy Affair, Attempts to impress on Shoar are so odious to the People, that they have raised a Tumult, and his Majesty's Council seem determined not to advise any more Impress Warrants to be issued; so that now the King's Ships coming into this Harbour, unless restrain'd from it by proper Orders, will in all probability carry off the Mariners not only out of the inward but outward bound Vessels, without any Distinction of foreign Seamen, Inhabitants or Coasters; especially as they may come very short of their Complement from the West Indies since the late Act of Parliament for prohibiting the impressing of Seamen there; whereby this Province may be hurt beyond measure through continual Impresses almost to the utter ruin of their Trade and Navigation. And I must here observe to your Grace, that impressing out of the Coasting Vessels trading to this Town, which receives great part of it's Supplies of Provisions, and almost all it's Fuel by these Vessels, is in a particular manner mischievous to the Inhabitants by cutting 'em off from these Supplies whilst any of the King's Ships of War lie here, and in the Winter Season might endanger the starving of the poorer Sort; and I would observe, that even when the Coasters were generally exempted from being impress'd, yet the Appearance of a Man of War in the Harbour ever deterr'd 'em from venturing to come into it, 'till the Commanders of the King's Ships have given a publick Assurance under their hands that their Officers should not impress out of Coasting Vessels, and this Town in the mean time has often suffer'd.

Having thus laid before your Grace the State of this Prov

ince with respect to Impresses of Seamen made here for manning his Majesty's Ships of War, and the Difficulties which it's Trade and Navigation suffers on that account, and is in danger of farther suffering, unless reliev'd by proper Orders and Regulations for that purpose; I shall not presume to say what I think would be the proper Orders; But only take the Liberty to observe to your Grace that so long as Seamen shall continue to be impress'd here for his Majesty's Service, it seems to me, that no Regulations of those Impresses can effectually relieve this Province, unless some method is at the same time found to oblige the other Colonies, especially the neighbouring ones of Rhode Island, New York and Pensilvania to furnish their proportion of Mariners for the King's Ships either by cruizing before their Harbours, or some other proper Method.

I am with the most dutiful Regard,
My Lord Duke,

Your Grace's most Devoted
and most Obedient Servant

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Endorsed:

Boston 31st Decr. 1747

Governr Shirley

B 8th Apl

Sent to the Lords of the

Admiralty.

15 April 1748.

W. SHIRLEY.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY, JR., TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE 1

MY LORD DUKE,

In Obedience to your Grace's Orders I beg leave to inform you that my Father intreats your Grace's Favour in recommending my Brother to his Majesty for Leave to serve as a Voluntier in Flanders in the ensuing Campaign.

My Brother has a Company in the Regiment under my Father's Command, and was sent hither by him in the Month of November last Express with Dispatches on the Service of the Government; As he is too young to expect at present any higher Rank in the Army than what he now enjoys, the only End of his making this Request to your Grace is that he may have an opportunity of instructing himself in his Duty and of qualifying himself in the best manner for the Discharge of the Commission he is honour'd with: As the Garrison at Louisbourg is well supply'd with Officers on the Spot, my Father apprehends that his Majesty's Service there will not suffer by my Brothers Absence from the Regi

1 B. M., Additional Manuscript 32714, 54. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. See Shirley to Newcastle, Aug. 31, 1747, ante, p. 397. It was John Shirley for whom the military experience was sought.

GEORGE CLINTON TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY

[Extract']

Feb. 17, 1747/8.

SIR,

I have now Your Excellency's favour of the 13th instant touching the State of the Indians, which I take much to heart, and shall do every thing in my power to preserve their fidelity in the British interest, of which I have the strongest assurances from Col. Johnson (now with me) that they are well inclined provided they are supported, and notwithstanding so great an expence has incurr'd at the suit of the Crown, to engage them heartily in the war upon the occasion of the Expedition; yet I am determined to promote His Majesty's service with them, as far as lies in my power, rather than let them revolt to the French, who are extreamly industrious by their emissaries to withdraw them from their dependence; nevertheless I hope and expect this Province will contribute largely thereto, in ease of the Crown, when it is consider'd what beneficial consequences must accrue to all the Colonies, and particular to this, by their being stedfast in our interest. The Assembly of this Province are now mett, and I hope with such tempers as will excite them to promote the common cause; and as I have the greatest inclination to bring the Agreement into execution, I have strongly recommended that matter to them, with their concurrence to your Alterations, in my speech, which I have inclosed; and I heartily wish the design may be carryed on with success.

I can put no confidence in any succour by sea, not knowing how the Fleet in the West Indies may be otherwise disposed, however willing Your Excelly. and myself may be to join

1 Docts. rel. to Col. Hist. of N. Y. 6, 426. George Clinton served as Governor of New York from 1741 to 1753. The son of Francis, Earl of Lincoln, he had influence at London and had served in the British navy before entering upon his term as Governor. He returned to England with the rank of Admiral and died. in 1761. Governor Clinton is said to have made about $400,000 during the twelve years of his governorship.