that Staten Island is not within the Computation that the settlements extend 30 miles beyond Albany, and that many settlements are twenty miles from the river and some thirty miles, it will be granted

the Quitrents will at least amount to the sum *

ve mentioned.

In the last place it may be objected, that the Kings Ministers design the Quitrents for other uses, but if it be considered of what consequence it is to free the Kings Officers of that immediate dependance on the humours of an Assembly, they are now under for their daily support, I believe it will

be thought more for His Majesty's service to apply the Quitrents to the support of the Administration in this Province, than to the uses the Quitrents have been hitherto applied.

Note.

--Appended

to the copy of the preceding, in possession of the N. Y. Historical Society, is

the following memorandum, in the hand-writing of Lieut. Governor Colden-

--

May 6th, 1752. It is now twenty years since I delivered the above

I question whether ever

he read it.

Memorial to Col. Cosby, soon after his arrival.

I have reason to

think he gave

then confided who had no inclination to forward the purposes of it.

person in whom he had no other effect than to

it to the

It

be prejudicial to myself.

The computations of what the lands would have at that time produced at 2 s 6 p r hundred acres I believe were made within bounds. The settlements are greatly increased since that time more than in fifty years before it so that I make no doubt they will produce six thousand pounds a year, taking in a reasonable Quitrent for the house lots in the Cities of New-York and Albany. I forgot to mention that it appears from the Records that numbers of house lots were granted under the yearly Quitrents of one shilling two shillings &c or some such small rent which I believe is now (1