Remained with me to Lay their Conduct before the King's
Minister, which I have accordingly done, but could have
wished they had Enabled me to have done it more to their
own Honor.
Altho' I did not think it right for me to order payment for
the Expcnces Incurred by You in Travelling on the King's
Service, I imagine on Your Application at home, those
Expences may be Allowed out of the Monies granted to the
Provinces; As the other Colonies have constantly paid the
Travelling Charges of their respective Governors, it would
have been a bad precedent in me to have ordered payment
for Yours.
I Cannot send you the original Letters from Lord Loudoun,
& the other Generals, as all the Vouchers are mentioned in
the Warrant, to be Lodged with Colonel DeLancey ; but I
have Caused Exact Copies to be taken of them, which I here-
with Enclose to You.
I now Come to Your Letter of the 13th regarding the pro-
hibition of Exporting Provisions from Your Province wherein
You seem to think that there are none of the Merchants there
concerned in the Illicit Trade, or if there were, that Even a
General Embargo, could not prevent their sending Vessells to
the Enemy, as they would not scruple to send them out with-
out any Clearances, or furnish their Masters with fictitious
ones.
This I can hardly think they would venture to do, if a
General Embargo was Laid, and that the Officers of the Cus-
toms did their Duty; but as You are the best Judge of the
Dispositions of the People, and that You must know whether
there is any ground to Suspect that Provisions are sent from
Your Province to the Enemy's Settlements, I shall not Desire
a General Embargo, if the prohibition You have already Laid,
has the desired Effect ; altho' I Cannot help Informing You
of the Certain Intelligence I have received of some Merchants
on this Continent, particularly those of Pensylvania & New
York, having Entered into Schemes for Supplying the
Havannah with Provisions, by the way of Providence, and as
the Quantitys demanded were very Large, I fear more than
the People of those Provinces which I have mentioned would
have been Concerned therein.
I am, with great Regard,
Sir
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
Jeff: Amherst
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