allowance as shall be most advantageous to the Company, and for greater security, the Colonists and their servants shall be bound under certain penalty, to provide themselves with good guns and other arms for their defence, in order to be, with the garrison in time of need, a watch against any general attack, without the Director, colonists or any other person whatsoever, having the power of enlisting any soldiers, be they few or many, at the Company's expense.

Vol. I. 21

162 NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS. Further, inasmuch as tlie respective colonies were allowed by the Freedoms, to commission one or two persons, to inform the Director and Council, at least every twelve months, of the state and condition of their Colonies, the same is again confirmed. The Director and Council shall cause the Colonists and freemen to settle, first of all, on the Island Manhattes and point out to them as much land as they shall be able to cultivate, either in planting tobacco or grain or any other crops to which the soil is adapted, and from which they will expect to be able to derive the largest profit. And for the promotion of agriculture there, it is deemed proper to permit, at the request of the Patroons, colonists and other farmers, the conveyance thither of as many Negroes as they are willing to purchase at a fair price ; and the Director and Council shall notify the Assembly hereof every year, when further order shall be taken regarding the transport of Negroes thither. And although it is proposed, for the greater encouragement of the population, to reserve the trade with the Indians exclusively to the Patroons, Colonists and free farmers resident there, without permitting any import merchants {pcrmissie merders) to carry on any interior trade with said Indians, it is, nevertheless, resolved, as regards this, to adhere to the existing practice, but the Director and Council shall take information hereupon, to serve as advice to the Assembly.