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172 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. II.
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tunity of monopolizing the Trade with the distant nations &
has secured to them a short & easy Communication between
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p. 62
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their northern & Southern Colonies, as they are Masters of
Ontario Lake by means of their strong & well garrisoned Fort
thereon named Cataracui, & the nature of the adjacent Country
renders a Road to Niagara by Land impracticable they have
not hitherto given themselves much trouble to render that place
more defensible than nature has made it imagining for the two
Reasons just mentioned that the English wd never attempt its
Conquest however strongly its vast Importance might invite
them thereto. At present we have only a Trading-House
distinguished sometimes by the Appellation of Oswego Fort
on Ontario Lake where perhaps 50 or 60 Men from the
N York Independant Companies may now be posted, but by
wt I can find the French may make themselves Masters thereof
at a very small Expence & without much difficulty just when
they please unless some of the Indians should insist on its
being a place of neutrality as they did during the last war
between the two Crowns, should the Indians appear less
desirous of reserving the place to the English at present (which
indeed I am somewhat suspicious will be the Case) I appre-
hend the French will immediately dispossess us thereof as soon
as they hear of your Arrival & that they have something to
fear on Accot of their late acquired possessions on the Ohio.
This as it seemed to me a matter of Importance I was unwilling
to delay communicating till I shall have the pleasure of waiting
on you wch as I am impatient of doing I hope I shall be able to
accomplish soon after this shall have reached yr hand in the
mean time I beg leave to assure you Sir that I am
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p. 63
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[Sharpe to Dinwiddie.]
Annapolis feb. 27.
Sr
I take this Opportunity of acquainting you by Capt Rosse
that I was advised Tuesday Eveng of Gent Braddocks Arrival
by a Lett from Sr Ino St Clair dated at Fredericksburg the 22d
Inst. I have now writ to the Genl excusing myself for not
waiting on him at present by reason our Assembly are now
sitting they passed a Vote yesterday for £10000 for the Service
I cannot learn that any Scheme is yet fallen on for raising the
money but am not without hopes that a Bill will be prepared in
such a manner as to obtain the Concurrence or Approbation
of all the Branches of the Legislature, this a few Days will
determine & enable me to inform you of the Issue of our
Meeting. In Obedience he says wth your Desire Capt Steven
has writ to inform me that Mr Dick has contracted for 200
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