men by Nation, are Englishmen by their Interest, having embarked their whole Estates in the Prosperity of this Colony.

The Proprietors hopeing they have fully answered the Petitions Remonstrance, wherein they humbly Submitt to Yo! Lordships Judgment, now crave leave to Acquaint your Lordships, that they and y Propriet of West New Jersey had before this Complaint arrived Unanimously agreed to Surrender the Government of both Provinces to his Maj, Under such termes, and Conditions as they are advised are proper, and this Remonstrance now makes necessary, for preservation of their Civil Rights, which proposalls they are ready to deliver to yo! Lordships, and doubt not yo' Lord'pps Approbation of them.

Signed by Order & on behalfe of y Proprietors of the Province of East-New-Jersey. 9 x 1700.

WM DOCKWRA,

Secr & Reg!

Jeremiah Basse to the Lords of Trade.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Bundle E & F, 51.]

Mem! from Mr Bass, desiring a copy of the answer of ye Proprietors of East New Jersey to the Remonstrance of ye sd Province

To

THE HONORABLE THE LORDS COMISS OF TRADE AND FORREIGNE PLANTATIONS

May it Please your Lordshi

Being informed by some of the Proprietors that they have not onely put in an Awnswer to the Petic'on

preferred by the Inhabitants of the Province of East Jersie against them but that they have also (on termes) proposed to Surrender the Government to his Majesty. I would in the behalfe of the Saide Inhabitants humbly Request of your Lordships that a Coppy of the saide Awnswer &c. may be deliuered that On their behalfe I may endeavor to procead to proue by Oath the Allegations in the saide Petition If by them denied And be enabled to make any reasonable Objections against the Saide termes of Surrender If inconsistent either with the Interest of his Majesty or the Propertys of the Saide Inhabitants, & your Orators on their behalfe Shall humblie &c. J. BASS

Secretary Popple to William Dockwra, asking for the transmission of the proposed surrender of the gorernment of East Jersey.

ST

[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprietors, Vol. 26, p 338.]

To Wm Dockwra Esq

The Answer of the Proprietors of East New Jersey to the Remonstrance and Petition of the Inhabitants of that Province having been read to the Lords Commission's for Trade and Plantations. Their Lord's have Commanded me to dessire you to lay before them the Proposals relating to the Surrender of the Government both of East and West New Jersey which you mention in the end of the said Answer That they may have the whole matter before them, in order to their Considering the Same and Reporting thereupon as they shall find necessary.

Report of Colonel Roemer to the Earl of Bellomont, on the Harbor of New York.

[From N. Y. Col. Doc'ts., Vol. IV., p 836. Translated from the Dutch.]

My Lord.

Pursuant to your Excellcies verbal order of the 7th of December 1700, to measure the distance across the Narrows and to sound the depth of water there, as well as in a second arm of Hudson's river, called the Coll, between Staten Island and East Jersey, and to ascertain whether any ships and bombketches could come around by Amboy and consequently attack the city of N. York: item, to select a couple of places both at the Narrows and the Coll, where suitable fortifications could be erected, and the enemy thereby be forestalled in his undertakings, I on measuring the same, have found the distance between the heights (hoof den) to be one and mile English in breadth from shore to shore.

In regard to the depth of water, I find across from Long Island to Staten island 4. 4. 4. 44: 6. 11. 12. 13. 12. 9. 6. 6. and 5 fathoms right under the shore of the aforesaid Staten island. By the second sounding from Staten Island to Long Island of a mile farther south, where the river is narrowest, I find right under the shore, 5, 6, 12, 14 and 15 fathoms in the deepest part of the channel; this depth then falls off immediately to 6, 2 and 14 fathom of water where there is a Bar (riff) + which, with a point northerly towards N. York, runs into Long Island and westerly 1-6 part across the Narrows, and S. S. E. towards Sandy Hook runs past Long Island hook where it shoots around E and E by North (Oen O by N)

Now for the fortification of the Narrows, I am of opinion that there ought to be, both on Long, and Staten Island, a sufficient Battery with a good Redoubt on each height, inclosed with proper lines of defence communicating with the respective Batteries, and that each be furnished with 30 guns carrying 18a24 lbs ball. In regard to the other branch of the Hudsons river, called the Coll, between Staten Island and East Jersey, I have sounded it from Amboy up to Tompsons point and Elizabeth town and find from Amboy to the above named points 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 fathoms of water, it then become shallow with a very crooked Channel + having no more than 11a12 feet of water at spring tide, so that a ship can indeed come up as far as Tompson's point aforesaid, but with difficulty, because the river runs narrow and crooked. In order now, to hinder the approach of any vessel, I am of opinion that it can be effected by the erection of a battery on Schutter's island 12 or 13 miles from New York; with this, it is impossible for any ship, sloop or boat to run up or down.

I consider myself bound particularly to submit to your Excell the great importance of Sandy Hook, and entertain that opinion, because reason and the Rules of War agree, that an enemy must always be kept as far off as can possibly be done, that a good block house and other fortification ought to be erected on the aforesaid Hook, as they would be very useful there, the channel and entrance being very narrow, and vessels on that account must pass immediately under this Hook, whilst the East banks lie sheer by and over the Hook running up to the North and East, and it is therefore very dangerous. For these reasons a good Blockhouse and Fort of 50 guns might answer, and prevent any enemy coming by water into my bosom, and oblige him to stand out to sea on a dangerous coast.

Further and lastly, an inclosed battery of 12 or 13 guns ought to be erected at the narrowest part of Hellgate, to prevent the entrance of an enemy at that point also.

All this being done, I am persuaded an enemy will bethink himself a hundred times before he will undertake any attack on New York.

(Signed)

New York January 13th 1700

W. W. ROEMER

Mr. Edward Randolph to the Lords of Trade.

[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprieties, F 69, Vol. 5.]

MR RANDOLPH'S ABSTRACT of some papers, setting forth the Misdemeanours & male Administration of Govs in ye Proprieties & Charter Govnts in America. 19th Febry 1700

(Extract.)

EAST & WEST JERSEY.

1701

The Proprietors have right to the Soyle, but not to the Governm of those Provinces, The Quakers are now contesting for Coll Hamilton their present Govern! tho' not allowed off by his Maties Orders in Councell, as the Law directs; The Countrey is too large, and the Inhabitants too few to be continued a Separate Governm therefore East Jersey ought to be annexed to N: Yorke, and West Jersey to Pensilvania, and the three lower Countyes which will make a considerable and usefull Governm