The existence of New York as a proprietary province, belonging to James, Duke of York, terminated in 1085, when, Charles II. having died without leaving legitimate issue, James, his brother, succeeded to the sovereignty. This was an event of considerable importance, not alone for New York, but also for the colonies of New England and New Jersey. New York at once lost its separate status as a proprietary province, and became, like the New England and New Jersey possessions of Great Britain, an ordinary province of the crown. Governor Donga n, identified with so many conspicuous measures of change and progress in New York, now originated the proposition for uniting the colonies of New Jersey, New York, and New England under a single government. k* By reason of the different proprietorships of the various colonies, no uniform rule of import or export duties prevailed. An article heavily taxed in New York might be free in New Jersey or Connecticut. The customs at New York suffered greatly, and trade was thrown into much confusion by reason of vessels running over to the New Jersey shore of the river and there unloading their goods. These were gradually smuggled into Now York, and sold at a price below that of articles which had honestly passed the custom-house. Dongan, therefore, urged the expediency of consolidating all the king's colonies from the Delaware to and including Connecticut and Massachusetts. " 2 Despite some local opposition this was done, and in 1688 Sir Edmund 1 The representatives of Connecticut contended for a straight line between the two extreme points, fifty-three miles apart, because the old monuments and marks upon the line were generally removed, and the original line could not be traced with any certainty by reference to