Benjamin Franklin [1756 
of the French and French Indians of Canada, on the 
back parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and 
the Carolinas; and the frontiers of such new colo- 
nies would be much more easily defended, than those 
of the colonies last mentioned now can be, as will 
appear hereafter. 
2. The dreaded junction of the French settle- 
ments in Canada with those of Louisiana would be 
prevented. 
3. In case of a war, it would be easy, from those 
new colonies, to annoy Louisiana, by going down the 
Ohio and Mississippi; and the southern part of 
Canada, by sailing over the Lakes, and thereby 
confine the French within narrow limits. 
4. We could secure the friendship and trade of 
the Miamis or Twigtwees (a numerous people con- 
sisting of many tribes, inhabiting the country be- 
tween the west end of Lake Erie, and the south end 
of Lake Huron, and the Ohio), who are at present 
dissatisfied with the French and fond of the English, 
and would gladly encourage and protect an infant 
English settlement in or near their country, as some 
of their chiefs have declared to the writer of this 
memoir. Further, by means of the Lakes, the Ohio, 
and the Mississippi, our trade might be extended 
through a vast country, among many numerous and 
distant nations, greatly to the benefit of Britain. 
s. The settlement of all the intermediate lands, 
between the present frontiers of our colonies on one 
side, and the Lakes and Mississippi on the other, 
would be facilitated and speedily executed, to the 
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