eleven thousand sixteen square miles, or seven millions fifty thousand two hundred and forty acres, being something more than one-fifth of the whole giant; indeed, if the Southern boundary was to be continued quite through to the Western extremity of the Province in the aforesaid Latitude of 39° 43' 42", one-fourth of the whole Royal Grant to Pennsylvania would be lost. But as Pennsylvania reaches about fifty-one miles West of Maryland, it is presumed that there at least the Province should run South to the fortieth degree, and then West to the end of five degrees from Delaware, after which the aforesaid quantity of seven millions fifty thousand two hundred and forty acres will be still deficient of what it was the gracious intention of Government to grant to William Penn, and it may be submitted to his Majesty's goodness, whether this deficiency ought not to be made good somewhere. It is not easy to ascertain what proportion of the Province is cultivated, but, on the whole, it is a much larger proportion than in any other Colony of the same age in North America, the country being, in general, very fully settled as far as the quality of the lands and purchase from the Indians will permit, The lands are held by the inhabitants under patents from the Proprietaries, and yearly quitrents of various denominations, the highest one Penny per acre; a great part only a half Penny, and many of the old patents, under small acknowledgments in Corn or Wheat, &c.

4. What Rivers are there, and of what extent and convenience in point of Commerce?

Answer. The principal Rivers in this Province are only two, viz: the Delaware and Susquehannah, into which several smaller Rivers empty themselves, which may, with some expense, be made very useful for inland navigation. The small Rivers which communicate with the Delaware are the Brandywine, Schuylkill, Neshaming, and the Lehigh, commonly called the West Branch of Delaware. The only considerable River communicating with the Susquehannah, is the Juniata, which rises in the Alleghany, or Appalachian Mountains, and runs an Easterly course to its confluence with that River; and about forty miles higher, the Susquehannah divides itself into two large Branches, one of which takes its rise in the Western part of this Province, and the other in the Northwestern parts of New-York, and runs from thence through the Northern parts of this Province, in a general course nearly Southwest. There are also within the Western limits of this Province several Rivers which rise in the Appalachian Mountains and empty into the Ohio, and these are called the Alleghany, Kiskemenetas, Monongahela, and Yauhogany, which are navigable for small boats, and only useful for inland navigation. These Rivers, being generally shallow, and not having tidewater, are of no use in point of Commerce, except the Delaware, which is a fine deep River, the tide rising in it from five to seven feet, and is navigable for Ships of six hundred tons burthen, to the extent of about one hundred and forty miles from the Ocean.

5. What are the principal Harbours; how situated; of what extent; and what is the depth of water, and nature of anchorage in each?

Answer. This Province having but one outlet to the Sea, which is the River Delaware, there is properly but one Harbour, and that is the River itself, and may be said to be about forty miles in extent, viz: from what is called the Bite of New-Castle, to the North end of the City of Philadelphia; in which extent the depth of water in the channel, at low water, is from three to seven fathom. The bottom of the River being, in general, muddy and free from rocks, the anchorage is very safe and good.

6. What is the Constitution of the Government?

Answer. By the Royal Grant, made by King Charles the Second to William Penn, the Proprietaries for the time being are appointed Governours-in-Chief, but they have generally acted by the Deputy Governours, commissioned by them, and approved of by the Crown. By the Constitution there are only two branches of the Legislature, viz: the Governour, and the Representatives of the people, who are elected annually on the first day of October; but all laws passed by them are subject to the repeal of his Majesty in Council, within six months after they are presented to them. By the Proprietary Charter of Privileges, the Assembly sit on their own adjournments, but are liable at any time to be convened by the Governour's Writ, when the publick exigency requires it. The Governour has a Council, consisting when full of twelve members, which is only in the nature of a Privy Council, and has not a Legislative capacity. By Act of Assembly the President and Council, upon the death or absence of the Lieutenant Governour, have the exercise of all the powers of Government, except that of Legislation.

7. What is the Trade of the Province; the number of Shipping belonging thereto; their Tonnage; and the number of Sea-faring Men, with the respective increase or diminution within ten years past?

8. What quantity and sorts of British Manufactures do the inhabitants annually take from hence; what Goods and Commodities are exported from thence to Great Britain, and what is the annual amount at an average?

9. What Trade has the Province under your Government with any foreign Plantations, or any part of Europe, besides Great Britain; how is that Trade carried on; what commodities do the people under your Government send to, or receive from foreign Plantations, and what is the annual amount thereof at an average?

10. What is the natural produce of the country, staple Commodities and Manufactures, and what value thereof, in sterling money, may you annually export?

For a minute and precise answer to these last four heads of inquiry, I beg leave to refer to the copy of a Report made by the Deputy Collector of his Majesty's Customs, for the Port of Philadelphia, from the Custom-House Books, herewith transmitted.

11. What methods are there used to prevent illegal Trade, and are the same effectual?

Answer. There is but one Port for the lading and unlading Goods within the Province of Pennsylvania, which is that of Philadelphia, where there is a regular Custom-House established, and a number of subordinate Officers, as Surveyors, Searchers, and Tidesmen, kept in pay, whose duty it is to prevent illicit trade. A Schooner, well manned, belonging to the Customs, is employed in cruizing up and down the River Delaware, to examine all vessels corning into, or going out of Port, and there generally is at least one armed vessel of his Majesty in the same service. The seizures made from time to time shew that these precautions do not effectually put a stop to the practice of smuggling; however, there can be no doubt but that they have a very considerable effect in checking the progress of that kind of trade.

12. What Mines are there?

Answer. There are no Mines in this Province except Iron Ore, though in two or three parts of it there have been found some appearances of Copper Mines, but the attempts hitherto made to discover any quantity of Ore have proved expensive and fruitless.

13. What is the number of Inhabitants, Whites and Blacks?

Answer. From the best information and estimate I have been able to procure, there are in the Province of Pennsylvania three hundred and two thousand souls, of whom three hundred thousand are Whites, and two thousand Blacks.

14. Are the Inhabitants increased or decreased within the last ten years; how much, and for what reasons?

Answer, There has been a great increase of inhabitants within the last ten years. This is evident from the numerous grants of lands and new settlements which have been made within that period; but it is impossible for me to say, with the least degree of certainty, how great that increase has been, as I have not been able to procure any materials on which I can form a judgment. The population is owing to the annual importation of German and Irish servants and passengers, and the natural increase of the inhabitants, who marry earlier, and more generally, here than is usual in Europe.

15. What is the number of the Militia, and under what regulations is it constituted?

Answer. No Militia has ever been established in this Government.

16. What Forts and places of defence are there within your Government, and in what condition?

Answer. Since the conclusion of the last war no Forts