86 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98.

             P.     R. 0. Inhabitants there) as he did other places, thô our Fleet was

          Maryland, 9. in the Countrey.

                   The Bay being wide and the Men of War but just. arrived,

                  and he going away in the night, was the Cause that his

                  Majesty's Frigats did not come up with them. With humble

                  Submission I think that except there be some Navall Force to

                  secure this whole Bay, it is morally impossible to doe it, for

                  every River and Creek are Harbours, and most people have

                  landing places at their plantations. To make teneble Forts

                  would cost a great deal of money: for I reckon that one good

                  one would not be built under 4000ti sterling, and that could

                  but secure one River if it did that: And to keep it in repaire

                  wou'd be more chargeable than in England, for all Buildings

                  decay sooner here, And for his Majesty or the Countrey to be

                  at any Charge in making of woodden Platforms or Batterys (as

                  they here call them) or Stone ones either, I think it so much

                  money thrown away, for I have seen some of these sort of

                  Foolish fortifications spoiled before even they were finished.

                  To have Forts of such Fortifications may be of dangerous

                  consequence, by incouraging not only an Enemy who may so

                  easily seize them, but also a Rebellion when they may be

                  Masters of them with so little hazard. And Forts and Forti

                  fications will very little or not all hinder the illegal traders:

                  but a small Navall Force, especially if a Fireship be one, or

                  at least Materials for making Brigantines or Sloops, fire

                  Vessells, will I think hinder them, keep the Country in awe,

                  and protect them from Privateers or Pirats. I have endeav

                  oured (according to my duty) to hinder illegal trade, in doing

                  of which, I have mett with very great difficultyes, especially in

                  the Courts and Assembly. And in No 4 is a Copy ol an

                  Addresse to his Majesty about the Navigation Bonds &c, as

                  also a paper from the Committee of Grievances with two others.

                   The security that they complaine of is because I have

                  ordered the Collectors and Naval Officers not to take such

                  poor and common Securities as was formerly used; and the

                  oath is that the Masters and others who take an account of

                  Ships loading, give an account upon Oath of the Number of

                  Hogsheads, and great quantity of bulked Tobacco, paying no

                  duty for them, which I think is a fair step for their running

                  Tobacco, when in England. A great means to prevent illegal

                  Traders, and securing his Majesty's Customs; would be, that

                  a few certaine places were appointed for all Ships and Vessels

                  to load and unloade at: And when I had the honour to serve

                  his Majesty as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, I endeavoured

                  to bring them to it by degrees, as by making a Law for Ports-

                  People in these parts having been used to live so separately,

                  it's a very difficult thing to bring them at once to cohabit,