Queries relating to His Majesty's colony & Plantations in America.

What is the Situation of the Province (Colony) under your Government, the Nature of the Country, Soil and Climate? What are the principal Rivers Lakes and Harbours their situation & extent & what convenience do they afford either of navigation, fishing or otherwise? The Latitudes and Longitudes of the most considerable Places in it, or the Neighbouring French or Spanish Settlements Have those Latitudes & Longitudes been settled by good Observations, or only by common Computations, and from whence are the Longitudes computed? <These Words only to Virginia, No. & So Carolina and Georgia.>

2. What are the Boundaries? Have those Boundaries been settled and ascertained, and by what Authority? <Continent only> If any Ports thereof are disputed, by whom? When did the Dispute arise and what Steps have been taken, or, in your Opinion ought to be taken to fix the true Boundary Lines.

3. What is the present State of the Trade of the Province, the Number of Shipping belonging thereto, their Tonnage and the Number of Seafaring Men, with the respective Increase or Diminution within ten Years last past, and to what Causes is that Increase or Diminution to be ascribed. Are any Trade works or manufactures sett up or abt. to be set up in the Province under your Govt. which are or may prove hurtfull to Great Britain? If there are any such how may they be suppressed diverted or restraind.

4. What Quantity and Sorts of British Manufactures do the Inhabitants annually take from hence?

5. What Trade has the Province under your Governt. with any foreign Plantations or any part of Europe, besides Great Britain? How is that Trade carried on, and what Commodities are sent to or receiv'd from such foreign Countries or Plantations?

6. What Methods are there used to prevent illegal Trade and are the same effectual; if not, what Method may be proper, in your Opinion, to be taken for obtaining so desirable an Object?

7. What is the natural Produce of the Country Staple Commodities and Manufactures. What Value thereof in sterling Money may you annually export, and to what Places? What Regulations have been at any time made for preventing Frauds & Abuses in the Exportation of the Produce or Manufacture of the Province Island Colony and at what time did those Regulations take place?

8. <Continent & Jamaica only> What Mines are there. Have those Mines been opened and worked, and what may be the reputed Produce?

9. What is the Number of Inhabitants Whites and Blacks?

10. Are the Inhabitants increased or decreased within the last ten Years; how much and for what Reasons?

11. What is the Number of the Militia, Under what Authority & Regulations is it established; what is the Expences of it and how is that Expence defray'd?

12. What Forts & Places of Defence are there within your Government, in what Condition, and what Garrisons are kept therein; What is the annual Expence of maintaining each Fort, and out of what Fund is it paid?

13. <continent only> What is the Number of the Indians Inhabiting those parts of America lying within or Bordering upon your Province. What Contracts or Treatys of Peace & Friendship have been made with them and are now in force? What Trade is carried on with them and under what Regulations, and how have those Regulations been established?

14. What is the Strength of your neighbouring Europeans French or Spaniards, and what Effect have those Settlements upon His Majesty's Colonys and more particularly upon that under your Governmt.

15. What is the Revenue arising within your Government; when was it established and by what Laws or other Authority? To what Service is it appropriated. How apply'd and disposed of, and in what Manner are the Accounts audited & passed?

16. What are the Establishments Civil & Military within your Governments; By what Authority do the several Officers hold their Places, what are the Names of the present officers, when were they appointed & what is the reputed annual Value of those Offices, what Salaries & Fees have they; by what Authority are their Salaries & Fees paid and under what Regulations?

17. What is the Constitution of the Government in General, & particularly what Courts are there establish'd for the due Administration of Justice; when were those Courts established, and under what Authority; What are their Rules of Proceeding, and how are the Judges and other subordinate Officers appointed.

Plans. General.
Circular Letters to all His Majesty's Govrs. in America transmitting Heads of Enquiry for their Answers thereto.

April 28. 1761.