The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-07
be recorded in the general court. or county

within your government . and whether they
be trained bands, or standing forces
.4nS7uer All our freemen are bound TO he
trained every month. in their particular
counties which we suppose, and don n.u: h
mistake in the calculation. are near eight
thousand horse There are more, but i, is
too chargeable for poor people. as we are to
exercise them.
What castles and forts are within your
government, and how situated; as also
what stores and provisions they are iurnised
withall!
.fnsqvsr. There are five forts in the
Country twoin James River, and one in the
three other rivers, of York Rappahannock,
and Potomcck but God knows We have
neither skill or ability to make or maintaia
them for there is not r,r as far as my en-
curry can reach. ever Was one engineer in
the Country so that we are at continual
charge TO repair urSkilful and inartfic,ai
buildings ofEat nature There is not above
thirty great and serviceable guns this we
yearly supply with powder and shot as
far as our utmost abilities will permit us.
z. What number ofprivatee,s do frequent
your coasts and neighboring seas what their
burthen are, the numbers of their men
and guns, and the names Of their Comman
ders?
.Ans7ver. None to our knowledge, since the
q. WHAT is the strength of your border
ing neishbors. be they Indians or others. By
sea ana land what correspondence do you
keep with your neighbors
AnS7ver. We have no Europeans seated
nearer to US than St Christophers or MeXi-
CO. that we know of. except some few french
that are beyond New England. The Indi
ans. our neighbours, are absolutely subjected.
so that there Is no fear of them. A. tor Cor
respondence, we have none with any Europe
an strangers /; nor is there a possibility to
have ii with our own nation further than our
traftick concerns.
g. What arms, ammunition and stores
did you find upon the place, or have been
sent you since, upon his majesty's &C
count-when received--how employed
what quantity OF them is there remaining,
and where (?
.4nszver. When | came into the Country,
l found one only ruuated fort, with eight
great guns, most unservlceable. and all dis
mounted but four, situated in most I'M
healthy place. and where, if an enemy knew
the soundngs, he could keep cut of the dan
ger of the best guns IN Europe His males
~. in the time of the Ouch war, sent us
thirty great guns. most of which were lost in
the snip that brought them. Before or since
TINS, we never had one great or small gun
sent us, since my Coming hitler nor, be-
ieve, in twenty years before All that have
been sent by his sacred majesty, are still
in the country, with a few more we lately
bought.
10. What monies have been paid or APP
pointed tobe paid by his majesty, or levied
within your government, for and towards the
buying OF arms. or making or maintain
ing OF any Notifications or Castles, and how
have the said monies been expended /!
-4nS7ver Besides those guns mentioned,
we never had any monies of his majesty to
wards the buylng Of ANN hition or building
OF forts. What monies can be spared out OF
the publick revenue, we yearly lay out in
ammunition.
IL What are the boundaries and con-
tents OF the land, within your government
.6ns9ver. AS for the boundaries of our
land. 1t was once great ten degrees in lat
itude but now it has pleased MS majesty
to Confine us to half degree.t knowing.
ly, speak this. Pray God it may he for MS
majesty's service but much fear the con
trary.
10. What commodities are there of the
production, growth, and manufacture of
your plantation and particularly, what
materials are there already growing, or
may be produced, for shipping IN the same9
HnS70er. Commodities, Of the growth of our
country, we never had any. but tobacco,
WHICH IN tnlS yet Is considerable, that II
yields his majesty great revenue bur of
ia'e, we have begun to make silk, and 50 ma
ny mulberry trees are planted, and plant
ing, that if we had skilull men, from Ma
pies or Sicily. to teach us the art of making
1t perfec ly, in less than half an age we
should make as much silk IN All year, as Eng
land did yearly expend three score years
since; but now we hear it is grown to great
er excess, and more common and vulgar
usage Now, for shipping, we have admra-
bic masts, and very good oaks bur for
iron ore, dare not say Their is sufici-
ent to keep one iron mill going for seven
years.
Is. Whether salt petre is or may be pro
duced, within your plantation and il so.
at what rate may it be delivered in Eng.
land
.4ns7Ocr. Salt petre, we know of none in
the country.
IL What rivers, harbors or road, are
there in or about your plantation and govern
ment. and Of what depth ami soundngs are
they
.HHS7oer Rivers, we have four, rs | named
before, all able, safely and sever;tl.y. 70 bear
and harbour thousand ships Of the greatest
burtheu.
IS What number Of planters. servants and
slaves aud how many parishes are there i'm
/ your plantation?
| .9Hs7oer We suppose and am very sure
we do not much misconnt, that there is in
| Virginia, above inriy thousand persons, men,
women and children F.; and IF which, there
! are two thOrstrd bI,cL .y,,-.,s s,., ,t-,.....t