The children's rooms have been under the charge of an experienced supervisor since September ist, 1906. Large numbers of books have been discarded and replaced, an instruction-class of assistants-in-charge of the rooms has been formed, and much has been done to systematize the work of administration. Since November ist the supervisor has passed upon 75,000 book order slips, recommended 35,000 purchases, read 500 juvenile books and prepared a list of 2,500 standard titles. In the same period 42,113 children have been registered at the branches and 200 "story hours" have been held. During the year the number of books for the blind has been increased from 2,204 to 2,768 and the number of pieces of music from 670 to 994. Notable additions have been made in Braille type, both American and foreign. The work done through travelling libraries shows an increase in circulation of 270,416 volumes or about 57 per cent. The number of stations served has been 675, including 251 schools, 55 play-centres and playgrounds, 37 fire-engine houses, 13 Sunday Schools, 20 social settlements, 31 clubs of various kinds, and 97 home libraries. The books requested through inter-branch loans numbered 27,494, of which 20,656 were secured and sent, involving 71,511 separate calls by messenger. Three additional exhibitions have been added to the travelling series prepared by the Print Department and several to those in the wall cases. Evening lectures under the auspices of the Board of Education have been given in the Tompkins Square, Tremont, I35TH Street, And Hudson Park Branches, and also in the reading room of the о/бтн Street Branch after the destruction by fire of the neighboring building of Public School 86 on March 4, 1907. These embraced three series of five to ten lectures each, one in the Autumn, one in the Winter, and one in the Spring, at each library. Use of assembly rooms in a number of branches was also granted to several associations for educational purposes, such as the Tuberculosis Exhibition and its accompanying lectures given at Tompkins Square, Ó7TH Street, I25TH Street and Hudson Park. The results of the inventories show a net loss from the shelves of 3,859 volumes during the year, as against 7,904 last year, a decrease of 4,045, or over one-half. 408 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR The meetings of the staff have been held as usual at various branches through the year and have furnished opportunity for profitable discussion of library problems and other topics of interest. The department heads and other members of the staff have given faithful and earnest service and I take pleasure in calling attention to their loyal zeal and interest. Very respectfully, J. S. BILLINGS, Director. REPORT OF THE BRITISH BOARD OF TRADE AND Printed from a contemporary transcript made probably for the Earl of Bute in the middle eighteenth century; the Report dated 18 November, 1702, was printed from the same volume in the Bulletin for May, 1906; besides the two reports for 1702 and 1703 the volume contains a report dated 30 November, 1704, of about the same length as that for 1703 and a report dated November, 1707, of over twice this length. To The Right Honourable The Lords Spiritual May it please your Lapps. In obedience to your Lordships order of the 22, of november Last, re<juiering us to Lay before your Lordships ane account of the State of the Trade of this Kingdom, We humbly represent that by a like order of the 7th November 1702, We did Lay before your Lordships such several particulars in reference to Trade and Her majesties plantations (as they have a necessary dépendance on each other) as had been for some time past, or were then, most especially under our consideration, the substance whereof as it may relate to what has been transacted by us, is as follows. [Then follows a summary—1500 words—of the 1702 Report, which was printed in full in the Bulletin for May 1906.] Since which time we have Continued our care for the Encouragement of Trade and for the Safety and good government of the plantations in reference thereunto, as far as in us Lyes by corresponding constantly with the Several Governors, and in representing to Her maty what might be wanting for their preservation and defence. Upon occasion of Letters received from Colonel Dudley Governor of the Massachusets province in New England, We have represented that in pursuance of Her majesties Commission and Instructions Constituting him Captain General of all the forces, fforts, and places of Strength within the Colony of Rhode Island, a Charter Government in New England and of the Narraganset Country adjoining. He repaired thither attended with members of the Councill of the Massachusetts-Bay and in presence of the Governor and seven of the Council of Rhode Island, He published Her Majesties said Commission as likewise his Commission under the Seal of the admiralty Constituting him vice admiral of the said Colonies, and of the ports and places thereunto belonging; Whereupon the Inhabitants showed little respect to Her majesties authority. That when he acquainted them that he would proceed to review the militia and reform the defects of it, and in order thereunto Desired the names of their officers He met with an obstinate refusall and declaration that they would rather chuse to Loose all at once than by pieces as they Expressed themselves. That he nevertheless Gave out warrands to the major of the cheif Town to muster the two Companies of militia there, intending to have administred the oaths to the officers But the major alleged that he was oblidged to observe the directions of the Governor and Council or of the General assembly of that Colony, and the said Governor and his Council Insisted that by their Charter the power of the militia was one Branch of the priviledges granted to them as a Body politic and intermixt with the power of Civil Government not regaurding what Colonel Dudley observed to them, Viz, That the militia is by act of Parliament vested in the Crown, and that it is Her majesties undoubted prerogative to dispose thereof as Her maty shall think fitt. That the said people used their outmost Endeavours with the nighbouring Country of the Narragansets to oppose Her majesties Commission, and bring every thing there into Confusion. That Rhode Island Consists of more than 2000 men fit to bear arms; That there are in it several persons of very good Estates, ability and Loyalty; But that the Quakers and their friends haveing got the sole power into their hands, would not admit such persons into any places of trust nor would those persons (as things now stand) take any part of the Government into their hands, expecting that the present missrule may cease, And that they shall be brought under Her majesties immediat Government, which the greater part of the people very much desyre. Upon all which we Did Humbly represent to Her Majesty that this Colony being of importance to the Trade and navigation of England by its situation, ought to be secured by the best wayes and means against the attempt of an Enemy, to which they Lye Exposed. And we do not conceive how the same can be otherwise effectually done than by the Legislative power of this Kingdom, as we have intimated for other proprieties, without prejudice to the freehold and property of any particular person, Which we humbly offer to your Lordships consideration. In the mean tyme we observe that in July 1694. The then Attorney and Solicitor General did report in the lyke case to His late Majesty That upon an Extraordinary Exigency happening Th[r]ough the default or neglect of a proprietor, or of those appointed by him, or though his or their Inability to protect or defend the province under their Government, and the inhabitants thereof in times of War, or immenent danger, His majesty might constitute a Governor of Such province or Colony as well for the Civil, as military part of the Government. And for the protection and preservation thereof and of his Subjects there, Which we take to be a case not differing from the present state of Majestys Colony of Rhode Island, And we did therfor most humbly Submit it, whether it might not be for Her majestys Service and the Security of this Plantation dureing the War, That a Governor should be accordingly appointed by Her majesty, In which case we have humbly Represented that Her majestys Governor of the MassachusetsBay Being in the nighbourhood of Rhode Island might very properly Execute that'Commission, as well for the Civil as military power And whereas we humbly Instanced in our Last Report to your Lordships that we had prevailed with the proprietors of East and west new Jersey to Surrender their pretended Right to Government into Her majesties hands, We have since Continued our Endeavours of the lyke Kind towards others, by means whereof Mr. Penn has also been induced to propose a surrender of his Government of Pennsylvania, and has accordingly offered to us—proposals in the words following viz t Proposals to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations about the Surrender of the Government of My Province of Pennsylvania ist. That the Government of the province of Pennsylvania and Territories continue to be the same Distinct Government under the Crown that it hath allwayes been and now is. 2nd. That the Laws and Constitutions thereof be confirmed by the Queen except such few as I shall object against. 3rd. That a Patent pass to me and my Heirs for the three Lower Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, called the Counties annexed, or Territories of Pennsylvania, according to a Grant begun by the late King James, and had been finished had he stayed one week Longer at Whytehall, as may appear by a bill drawn in Pursuance of his Warrant signed William Williams Attorney or solicitor General. 4th. Since my first Expedition Cost me ¿10500 and that my Government has stood in twice as much, and since that Government was the best part of the consideration I had from the Crown, haveing bought the Land of the natives over and over. And that the sole is only made of any value to me upon my own Interest, and their and my charge that engaged, and that from henceforward my Shop windowes will be shut down and my market over (my case and that of my province haveing peculiarities distinct from all others). The motive to treat being over by my Surrender of my Government and since that will disable me to pay the debts the whole has Contracted upon me and my Estate, by Loosing the benefit and the prospect of return the peoples Justice might afford me, and my posterity as their Governor; and since My Prosperity, as it is called and distinguished by an English Scale, while but a wild and uncultivated one, and never to be otherwayes but at my Cost, which is nyntie nyne parts in a Hundred besides the fall it will give to the present Settlements (that rise 50 per Cent on my Last arriveal there) and an abundance of seen and unforeseen prejudices that may follow to me and mine and those |