HISTORY OF VERMONT. 531 



New York,' of the French proceedings. He 

 wrote to Mr. Van Dan;, president of their 

 council, on the subject ; informed him that the 

 Massachusetts assembly had voted to bear their 

 proportion of the txpence of a messenger 

 to Canada, to forbid the works, and urged 

 him to engage the opposition of the six nations. 

 New York, at that time agitated with internal 

 controversies, pair* very Httle attention to the 

 business. Oi. February the fourth, 1732, Van 

 Dam laid Belcher's letter before his council : 

 With a singular weakness and want of spirit, 

 they advised him to write to the commissioners 

 of Indian aifairs at Albany, and make inquiry 

 whether the land belonged to the confederates 

 or to the river Indians. Their passiveness on 

 this occasion was the more unaccountable, as 

 the British crown at that time supported four 

 independent companies at an annual expence of 

 75001. sterling, for the protection of that pro- 

 vince. Thus were the French suffered to ad- 

 vance nearly two himdrcd miles towards Alba- 

 ny ; and to erect a fortress, which would ena- 

 ble them in any future war, to make their as- 

 saults with safety and success, on the frontiers 

 of New York, Massacliusetts, and New Hamp- 

 shire.*- 



While the English and French colonies 

 appeared thus suspicious, and preparing for each 

 ether, both of them enjoyed the substantial a-id 

 uninterrupted blessings of peace. The pacliic 

 disposition of the European courts at that time, 

 and the mutual interests of the colonies, made 



• 



• .SD.>kh.'s Hist. New Yoife. 



