CADWALLADER COLDEN ON THE TRADE OF NEW YORK; 1723 [Lond. Doc. XXII.]

The Trade of New York is chiefly to Britain & the British Plantations in the West Indies; besides which we have our wines from Madeira & a considerable Trade with Curacoa; some with Surinam & some little private Trade with the French Islands The Trade to the West Indies is wholly to the advantage of this Province the balance being every where in our favor so that we have money

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remitted from every place we trade with, but chiefly from Curacoa and Jamaica, these places taking off great quantitys of Flower for the Spanish trade

The Trade to Barbadoes is more considerable

than to any one of the rest Provisions being carried thither not only for the supply of that Island

but likewise for Transportation to the Spanish coast while the Assiento Factors were settled there, & to the French Islands, so that tho' we consume more of the produce of that Island in Rum Sugar

& Molasses than of all the others put together we have money frequently remitted from thence on The Trade to Madeira is to our Loss this Province consuming more wine from thence, than can be purchased with our commodities which obliges the Merchant either

Bills of Exchange for England

to send money or to pay the Ballance of Bills of Exchange for

London

But whatever advantages

we have by the West India Trade we are so hard put to it to make even with England, that the money imported for the West Indies seldom continues six months in the Province, before it is remitted for England The Current Cash being wholly in the Paper Bills of this Province and a few Lyon Dollars