The Gt)vernors present acquainted his Excellency that they had severally made appHcation to their respective Assemblies for the e&tablishment of the common fxmd proposed, but had not been able to prevail upon 'em to agree to it, and gave it as their unanimous opinion that such a Fund can never be established in the Colonies without the aid of Parliament. They likewise declared that having found it impracticable to obtain in their respective governments their proportions expected by his Majesty towards defraying the expense of his service in North America, that they were unanimously of opinion that it should be proposed to his Majesty's Ministers to find out some method of compelling

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them to do it and of Assessing the several Governments m proportion to their respective abilities, their- shares of the whole money already furnished and which it shall be thought proper for them further to furnish towards the General expence of his service They also assured the General that they would still continue to use their utmost endeavours to raise all possible supplies but were unanimously of Opinion that the Kings Service in the Colonies and the carrying on of the present Expedition must be at a stand unless the General shall think proper to make use of his credit upon the Government at Home to defray the expence of all the Operations under his direction

The Members of the Council likewise agreed that it was highly necessary to send some person with full powers from the General to treat with the five Nations of Indians and to secure them and their Allies to the British Interest and that Coll Johnston was the flattest man to be employed in that Business and for that purpose that the Sum of jESOO Sterl should be paid into his hands to be laid out by him in such Commodities as he should judge most proper for the Northern and Western Indians J6500 of which should be employed for the five Nations and their Allies and ^£300 for the Western Indians to be given at Oswego.