REPORT OF HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM TRYON, ESQUIRE, CAPTAIN GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEF IN AND OVER THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK AND THE TERRITORIES DEPENDING THEREON IN AMERICA, CHANCELLOR AND VICE ADMIRAL OF THE SAME ON CERTAIN HEADS OF ENQUIRY RELATIVE TO THE PRESENT STATE & CONDITION OF HIS MAJESTY'S SAID PROVINCE. [

Lond. Doc. XLIV. ]

Question No 1

What is the situation of the Province under your Government, the nature of the Country soil and Climate

the Latitudes and Longitudes of the most considerable places in it

:

:

have those Latitudes

and Longitudes been settled by good Observations, or only by common Computations, and from whence are the Longitudes computed? Answer.

The Province of New York is situated on the Atlantic Ocean which washes its Southern shores simationof The Colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire, lying to the East, e Quebec to the North, and New Jersey, Pensylvania and the Indian Country to the West. The Face of the Country is everywhere uneven, with all the variety of Soil to be found any where Nature of the i n the Northern Parts are lowlands enriched by the overflowing of Rivers, but little of this Country and soil. The soil in general S ort lies within seventy miles of the City of New York the Metropolis :

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its

much thinner and lighter in the Southern than in the Northern Parts and having been longer under Culture and subject to bad Husbandry, is much more exhausted. The Province extending nearly Four Degrees and a half of Latitude the difference of Climate ciimate. between the Southern and Northern Parts is remarkable. In Summer the Heat is sometimes excessive, and in general much greater than in England Melons and many other things are raised here by the natural warmth of the Climate which in England will require the aid of Hot Beds and Glasses The Winter in all parts of the Province is more severe than in England, tho' the Latitude of London is about ten Degrees more North than the City of New York Even in the Southern Part