^■^^m^m

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fyjmi/m

Robert E. Gross
Collect ion

A Memonal to the Founder
of the

i

Business Administiration Library
Los Angeles

ANNALS

OF

COMMERCE,

MANUFACTURES, FISHERIES, AND NAVIGATION,

BRIEF NOTICES OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES CONNECTED WITH THEM.

CONTAINING THE

COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

BRITISH E:\IPIRE AND OTHER COUNTRIES,

l-aOM THE EARLltiT ACCOUNTS TO THE MEETING OF THE UNION PAULIAMENT IN JANUARY 1801 J

AKD COMPntHEKDlNe THE MOST VALL'ABIX I'ABT OF THE LATC MP.. AKDMSOX'S HISTORY OF COMMERCE, V.Z. FTOM TIIS YCAU )!»t
TO THE END OF THE REICN Of CKOnCE ir, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &(.

WITH A LARGE APPENDIX,

CONTAINING

• HROKGLOGICAL TABLES OP THE SOVEREIGNS OF EUROPE, I A CnROXOLOGICAL T.»BLE OF THr PnirHJ OP rnp.V, AC. and

TABLES OF THE ALTERATIONS OF MONEY IN ENGLAND AND A COMMERCIAL AND MANH FACTU RAL GAZF.T lEKR OP TUB

SCOTLAND, 1 UNITED KINCDO.M OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IIIEIAND;

WITH A CENEUAL ClIRONOLOGICAI, INDEX.

The Antieiit Part composed from the most authentic Original Historians and Public Records,

printed and in Manuscript ; and the modern Part from Materiuh of unquestionable

Autheniicittj (mostly unpublished) extracted from the Records of Parliament,

the jiccounts oj the Custom-house, the ]\lint, the Board of Trade, the

Post-office, the East-Lidia Compaiu/, the Bank of England,

cSt. cS-c.

Bi/ DAVID MACPIIERSON.

IN FOUR VOLVMES.

VOL. IH.

P HI N T E D F O II

nCilOLS AND SON, W. J. AND J. RICHAUDSON, J. STOCK DALE, J. WALKER, WILKIE AND ROBINSUR,

SCATCHERD AND LETTERMAN, G. ROBINSON, WYNNE AND SON, DARTON AND IIARVKT,

CLARKE AND SONS, CADELL AND DA VIES, LACKING TON ALLEN AN D CO. J. M A W jM AN,

J. HARDING, BLACKS AND PARRY, J. HOOKER, AND J. ASPERNK,

LONDON;

AND FOR MUNDELL AND SON, EDINCURGII.
1S05.

(■i:;};iii.aen, raixtro jrv jiisoei

THE THIRD VOLUME CONTAINS

(THE CONTINUATION OF PART II)

The Commercial Transactions of the British Empire and other
Countries, from the Union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland
to the End of the Reign of George II, King of Great Britain, &c. ori-
ginally written by the late Mr. Anderson, who related the Events of
this Period chiefly from his own Observation, and now re-edited, with
the Retrenchment of Superfluous Matter, Avith Additions, and with
Amendments.

AND

(PART IK)

Tiie Commercial Transactions of the British Empire and other
Countries, from the Commencement of the Reign of his present Ma-
jesty, George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland, to the End of the
Year 178'2; composed from Materials of unquestionable Authenticity
(mostly unpublished) extracted from the Records of Parliament, the
Accounts of the Custom-House, the Mint, the Board of Trade, the
Post Office, the East-India Company, the Bank of England, c^c. &Co

ANNALS

OF

COMMERCE.

A. D. 1708.

The old law of the firfl year of King James I, for garbling fpices and
drugs in London, (which wc did not judge worth while then to recite)
being in length of time found to be not only ufelefs for the mofl: part'
but often prejudicial, was now repealed : and an equivalent given to
the city of London for the profits formerly made by the garbler's office
by laying a tax of 40/yearly, to be paid to the chamberlain of London
by all brokers, who, if ading as fuch without regular admittance, were
now to forfeit L25. Neverthelefs, the lord mayor, aldermen, and com-
mon council may, if they fo judge fit, appoint a perfon to be garbler ;
who,attherequeftof theowner of any fpices, drugs, &c. garbleable, and
not otherwife, (hall garble the fame, for fuch fee as the lord mayor,' &c.'
lliall appoint.

In this fame year, the Britirti revenue being under the management
of fo able and upright a lord-treafurer as the earl of Godolphin, the
credit of the public was on fo good a footing, that it was judged a'dvif-
able to avail the nation thereof, by reducing the rate of intereft on the
debt of two millions due to the Eaft-lndia company. This was done
by a ftatute for afluring to the Englifli company trading to the Eaft-
Indies, on account of the united flock, a longer time in the fund and
trade. — And for raifing thereby Li,2co,oco for her majefiy's occa-
fions.

Vol. III. A

2 A. D. 1708.

Hereby the united company now advanced Lr, 200, coo without any
additional interefl ; lb as for the whole capital, now confifling of
L3, 200,000, they fiiould thenceforth receive of the public but 5 per
cent interefl:, or Li 60, cool, per annum : ' On condition, that the term
' of their exclufive trade to India ihould be prolonged for fourteen
' years and an half longer ; that is to fay, whereas, by the law of
' 1698, they were to be redeemable upon three years notice after 171 1,
' and repayment of principal and interefl:, their redemption was now
' prolonged to three years notice after Lady-day 1726. And for en-
' abling the company to make good this loan to the public, they were
' by this aft impowered to borrow as far as Li, 500,000 on bonds, over
' and above what they were legally impowered to do before, and alfo
' to make calls of money from their proprietors. The proprietors of
' the L7200 in feparate trade, may ftill continue fo to trade till Mi-
' chaelmas 1 71 1 , when the united company may, on three years notice,
' pay the fame off; whereby their privileges of trading fliall be folely
' veiled in the company. By this ad, that part of the ad of the 12th
^ of King William, which laid a duty of 5 per cent on goods exported
' to India, was to ceafe from Michaelmas 171 4. And, in order that a

* fpeedy and complete union between the old and new companies might
' be effeded, in purfuance of the indenture tripartite of the year 1702,

* the final determination of all matters in difference between the faid
'■ companies, and the completing of their union was hereby referred
' to the carl of Godolphin, lord high treafurer of Great Britain, as his

* lordfliip fliould think fit, by an award in writing, under his hand and
' feal : the whole to be completed, and the old company's charter to

* be furrendered, by Michaelmas 1708; after which, the company's
' flile and title to be, T'be united company of merchants of 'England trading
' to the Ea/I-Indies.' [6 yfnn. c. 17.]

It is almofl: needlefs to remark, that much clamour was raifed againfl
this renewal of the exclufive privileges of trading to India, as was natu-
rally to be expeded, and had always before happened on every fuch re-
newal. Many pamphlets were publifhed for inducing the legiflature to
lay that trade open ; or, at leaft, to let Briflol, Liverpool, Hull, and
other great trading towns, into a proportionable fliare of it. It was plauf-
ibly faid, that it was hard, London alone fhould engrofs all this vaft
commerce, whereas the Dutch Enfl-India company comprehended fix
of their towns therein, in the year 1602, when that company was firft
fettled on its prefent eflablifhment. But the (at leafl equally plaufible)
anfwer was, that, as it is a transferrable flock, every perfon in the three
kingdoms might freely purchafe fhares therein. It is alfo needlefs far-
ther to remark, that the like clamour was afterward renewed, as oftea
as the legiflature was applied to for a farther prolongation of their ex-

4

A, D, 1708. 3

clufive privileges ; and this, probably, will continue to be the cafe in
any future application for the like purpofe.

To complete all that is needful to be known concerning the union of
the two Eaft-India companies, we fhall here farther note, that the fol-
lowing regulations were in confequence thereof made, viz.

I) For every Lioo old ftock, there was given Lioo : 8 : 10 flock in
the united company.

II) Twenty-five one half per cent was made a call on the proprietors
of the old company, for enabling them to be joined to the united one.

III) The remaining debts owing to, and effects of, the old company
were vefled in truflees for the benefit of the proprietors of the old com-
pany, who were fuch at the time of uniting with the nev/ one.

By a ftatute [6 Ann. c. 22] for continuing feveral duties therein men-
tioned, upon coffee, &c. ; and for fecuring the credit of the bank of
England, &.c. ; it was, amongfl many other points, enaded, ' that dur-

* ing the continuance of the governor and company of the bank of

* England, it fhould not be lawful for any body-poUtic, ereded or to be
' ereded, other than the faid governor and company of the bank of

* England, or, for other perfons whatfoever, united or to be united in
' covenants or partnerfhip, exceeding the numbor of fix perfons, in that
' part of Great Britain called England, to borrow, owe, or take up any

* fum or fums of money on their bills or notes, payable on demand, or
' in any lefs time than fix months from the borrowing thereof The
reafon afhgned for this enading claufe, was, ' that fome corporations,

* (notwithftanding the law of the 8th year of King William, {c. 19]

* by colour of their charters, and other great numbers of perfons, by
' pretence of deeds or covenants, united together, had prefumed to bor-
' row great fums of money, and therewith to deal as a bank, to the ap-
' parent danger of the eftabliflied credit of the* kingdom.'

This claufe was principally aimed at the mine-adventure company,
who, contrary to law, had fet up for banking, and iffued calh-notes, &c.
as has been already related.

This year the illand of Minorca, with its commodious haven of Port-
Mahon, and its flrong fort of St. Philip, belonging to Spain, was fubdu-
ed by the Britifh forces, commanded by Major-general Stanhope. By
pofleflion thereof, (as Mr. Burchett, in his Naval hiflory obferves,)
' we have the advantage of a goodly harbour, which, during the war,

* was exceeding ufeful to us, (as it may hereafter be on the like occa-
' fion) in cleaning and refitting fuch of our fliips as were employed in
' the Mediterranean : and not only magazines of ftores were lodged
' there for that purpofe, but fuch officers were appointed to refide on
' the place as were judged requifite.'

The French king intending this year an invafion o^ Scotland, for fup-
porting the pretender's claim, there enfued a great demand, or run,

A2

4 * A, D, 1708.

as it is ufually termed, on the bank of England : and the credit there-
of being fo nearly connedcd with that of the exchequer, the Lord-trea-
furer Godolphin, for applying an effecftual remedy thereto, fignified to
the diredors of the bank, that the queen would, for fix months, allow
an interefl of 6 per cent on their fealed bills, which till then bore only
3 per cent. Moreover, his lordihip, and the dukes of Marlborough,
Newcaftle, and Somerfet, and fundry other lords, offered to advance to
the bank confiderable fums of money : by which encouragement, and
their making a call of 20 per cent on their capital, the bank was en-
abled to weather that llorm, and to preferve their credit.

In the fame year, a Hke ftatute for the regifter of deeds, conveyances,
wills, deviles, mortgages, &c. in the eaft-ridingof Yorkfhire, was made,
as had been made for the weft-riding of the fame county four years
htforc, and for much the fame reafons as were alTigned for that ; only
the necelfity of fuch a regifter is, in the prefent act, expreffed fomewhat
llronger. It is therein faid, ' that the lands in the eafl-riding, and
' in the town and county of the town of Kingllon upon Hull, being
' generally freehold, they may be fo fecretly transferred or conveyed

* from one perfon to another, that fuch as are ill-difpofed have it in
' their power to commit frauds, and frequently do fo, by means where-
' of feveral perfons, who through many years induflry in their trades

* and employments, andlDy great frugality, have been enabled to pur-
' chafe lands, or to lend' monies on land fecurity, have been undone in
' their purchafes and mortgages, by prior and fecret conveyances, and
' fraudulent incumbrances ; and not only themfelves, but their whole
' families thereby utterly ruined. All the provifions and claufes in this

* ad:, were hereby extenfled to the honor^, manors, lands, and tenements,
' in the weft-riding of that county, the two former ads relating to if

* being found defective m feveral particulars.' [6 yJ/in. c. 25.]

Loud complaints being at this time made againft the London pawn-
brokers, on account of*their grinding the faces of the poor by the ex-
travagant ufury they took for pledges or pawns, even the moft mode-
rate of them taking at leafl 30 per cent, and fome twice as much, an
application was made to the .crown for a charter to incorporate a num-
ber of perfons of credit*, which they obtained this year, under the name
of the charitable corporation for lending money to the indullrious, but
neceflitous, poor at a moderate interefl. Yet, as their capital was but
L30,ooo, they did not fufficiently extend their fcheme until the year
171 9, when feveral gentlemen of fortune came into it. Their condi-
tions for lending were .only 10 per cent, viz. 5 per cent as for mere in-
tereft, and the other 5. per cent for fupporting the expeufe ot the cor-
poration, fuch as houie and ware-houie rent, falanes of oiBcers and fer-^
vanis, &c. In 1725 they obtained from the crown a firiher augmen-
tation of their capital, and foon after another : and their direttors pre-

A. D. 1708. 5.

ceeded to borrow large fums of money for tlie fupport of their fcheme.
But, in a few years after, a difcovery was made of many and great
frauds committed by their fervants, fuch as, loans on fiditious pawns,
embezzlements, SiC. which occafioned a parliainentary inquiry; the re-
fult of which was, that by fuch frauds and mifmanagements, the corpo-
ration had not efFeds fufficienr to pay even but a fmall part of the mo-
ney they had borrowed at intereft of a great number of perfons, many
of whom were thereby reduced to great diftrefs ; the whole amounting
to L487,895 : 14 : 10}, to anfwer which, there remained no more in
money and other effects, than L34,I50 : 13 : i~, excepting what might
be recovered from the debtors of the corporation, which (fays the flatute
after-named) was then uncertain. Hereupon, the houfe of commons-
expelled fuch of their members as were directors thereof; moft of whom
had, in other refpeds, retained till then fair charaders. And, in the
year 1733, the parliament, [6 Geo. II, c. 35] granted a lottery for
L5co,ooo for the relief of fuch of the fufferers as fhould appear to five
maflers in chancery, therein named, to be objeds of compallion ; out
of which L25 per cent was deduded, and in the following year diftri-
buted amongft the fufferers, amounting, after all the expenfe of this
lottery was deduded, to 9/9 per pound of their lofs, by an ad of the
8th of King George II. r. 1 1. in 1734. Since which time, that ill-con-
duded corporation retains nothing but its empty name.

1709. — The general naturalization in England of foreign proteftants,
lias been varioufly reafoned upon by many perfons, in different periods. In
the beginning of the year 1709, a bill was ordered into the houfe of com-
mons for that end ; in favour of which, it was argued, that very great
benefits would thereby accrue to Britain ; that the king of Pruffia, by
inviting the French refugees to fettle in his dominions, had fertilized a
barren and ill-peopled country, improved its trade and manufadures,
and increaled his own revenues, &c. The preamble of the ad, [7 Arm,
c. 5.] for naturalizing foreign protellants, therefor, obierves, that,
whereas the increafe of people is a means of advancing the wealth and
ftrength of a nation; it was therefor enaded, — I) that all perfons born
out of the ligeance of her majelly, who fhall take and fubfcribe the
oaths, and the declaration of the 6th of this reign, fhall be deemed, adr-
judged, and taken to be her majefty's natural-born fubjeds : provided
they fhall have received the lacrament of the Lord's lupper in fome
proteftant or reformed congregation within this kingdom of Great
Britain within three months before their taking the faid oaths, and
fhall produce a certificate figned by the perfon adminiftering the faid
facrament, and attefied by two credible witnefles.

II) That the children of all natural-born fubjeds, though born our
of the ligeance of her majefty, her heirs, and fuccefTors, fhall be deemed,

6 A. D. 1 709.

and adjudged to be natural-born fubjeds of this kingdom to all intents,
conftrudions, and purpofes whatfoever. And,

III) The like naturalization of foreign proteftants fhall take place in
Ireland.* This law was faid to have been made with a particular view
to the proteftant Palatines brought this year into England.

For, in May in this fame year, near 7000 of the poor Palatines and
Swabians, who had been utterly ruined, and driven from their habita-
tions near the Rhine by the French, were, in compaffion of their mife-
ry, brought over to England, and were foon after followed by more ;
but without any fettled or concerted plan for their eflablilhment any
where. Had they been all immediately tranfported to fome of our A-
merican continental colonies, as fome propofed, they would before now
have proved a confiderable addition to our ftrength in thofe parts.
Others propofed to fettle them in the New foreft of Hampfliire, where
land might be parcelled out for them by fhares or lots. It was doubt-
lefs an ill-conducled, though well-meant affair. However, being land-
ed, there was a neceffity of keeping them from perilhing. A fufficient
number of tents was ereded for them on Blackheath, and near Camber-
well, and a brief was granted for a colledion for them throughout
Great Britain. Some of them were taken into private families ; 500
families of them were fent into Ireland, where L24,ooo was granted by
parhament for their fupport ; 3000 of them were at length fent over to
New-York, and fettled upon Hudfon's river ; many of whom being
badly received there, removed to Pennfylvania, where they were mofl
kindly entertained by the quakers, which afterwards proved the means
of drawing thither many thoufands of German and Switz proteftants,
whereby Pennfylvania is fmce become by far the moft populous and
flourilhing colony (for its ftanding) of any in Britifh America.

During all this reign, the bank of England was found extremely con-
venient and ufeful in fupporting the national credit : the better, there-
for, to enable that corporation to be farther beneficial to the public, as
well as to themfelves, by affifting in raifmg the fupplies for the current
fervice of the year 1709, the bank was encouraged to propofe to the
houfe of commons a fcheme for circulating L2, 500,000 of exchequer
bills : in which year, the whole fupply voted, amounted to above feven
millions. An acl: of parliament, therefor, piafled in this year, ' for en-
larging the capital flock of the bank of England, and for raifing a far-
ther iupply to her majefty for the fervice of the year 1709 ; wherein
the ad for the firft eflablifliment of the bank, and all the fubfequent
ftatutes are in part recited. And that the bank continues to permit new
fubfcriptions for the doubling of their prefent flock of L2, 201, 171 : 10,
by felling their faid additional flock at the rate of L115 for every Lioo
fubfcribed.' [7 Ann. c. 7.] The whole was fubfcribed for between the

• This cluufe is farther explained by the ad 4 Geo. II, c. 21. A.

A. D. 1709. 7

hours of nine in the morning and one in the afternoon on the firll day
of opening the fubfcription books. This was by foreigners efteemed a
proof of the great wealth of the nation, more efpecially as near one
miUion more would have been fubfcribed on the fame day, had there
been room for it, fo great was the crowd of people coming with their
money to the books. But, hke the Eaft-India company, the bank
hereby obhged themfelves to advance to the government L40o,ooo,
without any additional allowance of interefl for that fum, which made
their original capital of Li ,200,000, at 8 per cent, amount to Li ,600,000
at 6 per cent interefl, to commence from the ifl of Augufl 171 1, be-
ing their original yearly fund. And as the bank had 6 per cent per
annum, difcount was thereby allowed them on the faid L4oo,ooo till
the I ft of Auguft 171 1, for the money they were fo to pay in : and the
advance of 15 per cent on the fale of this additional flock, enabled them
to make this payment of L40o,ooo to the public.

Thus the bank capital, a part of which was only temporary, till now

was _____ L2, 201, 171 10 o

Which being now doubled, became - 4,402,343 o o

And by the L400,ooo now farther advanced, 400,000 o o

The total was now to be, at 6 per cent interefl, 4,802,343 o (

In confideration of which fum of L40o,ooo,. fo
lent without any additional interefl, their exclufive
privileges as a bank were hereby prolonged to one-
year's notice after the I ft of Auguft 1732. But by
the fame ftatute the bank obliged themfelves to
pay off and cancel all the exchequer bills which had
been before ilFued, amounting, with their intereft at
6 per cent,* to - - - - 1,775,027 17 lo^

So that the total capital of the bank, by this ad,
was -._-__ 6,577,370 17 lo-j

By this acb of parliament, the bank was to remain an eftablifhed cor-
poration (notwithftanding the ads of the 5th and 8th of King William)
and all their former privileges were now confirmed, as alfo their origin-
al annual fund of Li 00,000, until the whole Li, 600, 000 fliould be
paid off; and alfo the annuity of Lio6,5oi : 13 : 5 after mentioned ;
and till all the exchequer bills, to be made forth purfuant to this ad,
fhould be called in, as herein after mentioned, and payment made of
the allowances for circulating the fame. Then, and not before, the
corporation was to ceafe and determine. The faid Lio6,5or : 13 : 5
was to be the intereft, at 6 per cent, of the faid L 1,775 ,027 : 17 : lo^.

* Notwithftanding the rcduftion of the intereft received from the government from t'tght to y* per
cent, the bank continued to make a dividend of nine per cent to the proprietors. M.

S A. D. 1709.

The bank to be allowed 3 per cent per annum for circulating the faid
2y millions of exchequer bills, which were alfo to be at a like intereft
of 3 per cent, or 2d per Lioo per Jay, except when they fhall be in the
exchequer, or in the hands of the receivers or colledors of any taxes,
cuftoms, &c. payable to her majefty. The bank might make calls on
their members for enabling them to circulate the faid exchequer bills.
The bank m.ight make dividends to their members, of their principal
or capital flock, (as they afterward did of the faid Li, 775,027 : 17 : lo-^-),
which principal flock, however, fhall always remain at leaft equal to all
the debts they (hall owe; otherwife, the particular members receiving
fuch dividends (hall be anfwerable, fo far as fuch dividends fliall ex*
tend. The reft of this long ad relates to the duties and taxes to be
raifed for a fund for paying the intereft on the above principal fums.

About this time, and probably in imitation of the bank of England,
the government of France projeded a royal bank for the circulation of
their mint bills. But the fcarcity of money in France rendered the
fcheme abortive.

By a printed paper in the author's colledions, taken from a report to
the houfe of commons, we have the following accurate account of the
revenue of the cufloms of Great Britain for the year 1709, viz.

The grofs amount of the cuftoms was - L2,3I9,320 o o

From which dedudt,

Salaries and incidents, £152,184 12 i

Drawbacks on foreign goods, 717,190 17 2

Bounty-money for corn export-
ed, - ' - 36,027 I 4

Allowances for damages and over-
entries, - - 57»°75 15 oi

Portage paid to mafters of fhips, 3,358 19 6

565,837

Net amount of the cuftoms in the year 1709,* L 1,353,483 o o
In D' Avenant's report to the commiflioners of accounts, [part i. p.
^2. London, 17 12,] he gives the importation of tobacco from America
into England, at a medium often years, ending in 1709, viz.

Imported pounds weight, on a medium, yearly, 28,858,666

Exported, on .a like medium, - - 17,598,007

Confumed at home, (pounds weigh*'), - - 11,260)659

This yeac the Britifti houfe of commons took the African trade into
their coniideration, and in a grand committee, refolved, that, as that
-trade was more efpecially necelfary for the Britilh American planta-
tions, it ought to be free to all her majefty's fubjeds, in a regulated^

* S«e the year 17 15.

A, D. 1709. 9

and not an exclufive, company. Yet when a bill for that end was brought
into the houfe, it met with fo many objedions that it was dropped for
this time.

The regulations, which had been legally made in the year 1698 in
the trade to Africa, had not given f;\tisfa(ftion to the feparate traders,
on account of the company's bad condud, which made thofe feparate
traders apply for fuch a law ; as they alfo did in the year following,
with equal fuccefs, after many hearings of the company, as well as of
the feparate traders, the parliament finding it extremely difficult to ob-
viate and remove the objedions ftarted on either fide, in relation to that
commerce.

We have, in this year 1709, a third inftance of the legal regifi;ering
of deeds in England, being a law made for regiftering deeds, convey-
ances, and wills, and other incumbrances, made of, or affeding, any ho-
nors, manors, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, within the county of
Middlefex ; the preamble to which runs in fuch a flrong and juft fi.rain,
as feems well to merit the ferious confideration of both the landed and
monied interefts in every other county of England, viz. ' whereas, by

* the different and fecret ways of conveying lands, tenements, and he-

* reditaments, fuch as are ill-difpofed, have it in their power to commit
' frauds, and frequently do fo, by means whereof feveral perfons (who

* through many years indufl;ry in their trades and employments, and
' by great frugality have been enabled to purchafe lands, or to lend

* monies on land fecurity) have been undone in their purchafes and

* mortgages, by prior and fecret conveyances, and fraudulent incum-

* brances ; and not only themfelves, but their whole families, thereby
' utterly ruined.' Therefor it was now enaded, that a memorial of
all deeds, 8cc. and of all wills and devifes in writing fhould be regifter-
ed hy the proper officers thereby appointed, for the fee of only one
{billing. And every deed or conveyance, which fliould thereafirer be
executed, fhould be adjudged fraudulent, and void againfl; any fubfe-
quent purchafer or mortgagee for valuable confideration, unlefs fuch
memorial thereof be regiftered, as by this ad is direded, before the re-
giftering of the memorial of the deed or conveyance under which fuch
fubfequent purchafer or mortgagee fliould claim : and the like as to
memorials of wills not regiftered. The preamble declares this ad to
have been made at the humble requeft of the juftices of the peace, gen-
tlemen, and freeholders, of the county of Middlefex. [7 Ann. c. 20.]

Notwithftanding the evident utility and fafety of a general regifter for
all England, an attempt for it, many years after this time, was unac-
countably rejeded.

1710. — By an ad of parliament, [8 Ann. c. 12] the entrance into the
port of Liverpool having been long experienced to be fo dangerous and
Vol. III. B

lo A, D. 1710.

difficult, that great numbers of ftrangers and others have frequently loft
their lives with fhips and goods, for want of proper land-marks, buoys,
and other diredions into it, and more efpecially for want of a conve-
nient wet-dock or bafon therein, the parliament laid a duty, for 21
years from midfLimmier 1710, on the tonnage of all fhips trading to
and from Liverpool to any part of Britain and Ireland, as well as to and
from foreign countries, for making a wet-dock, &c. And it has fully
aniwered the ends thereby propofed, the wet-dock in particular, having
been long fince completed, to the great emolument of that mofl: mer-
cantile and opulent town, which has long ago become the third port
(after London and Briftol) of Great Britain, whether the number of its
flout merchant fhips, or of its opulent and reputable merchants be con.-
fidered.

Under the year 1 704 we have briefly laid open the proceedings of
Sir H. Mackworth and his tools, of the mine-adventurers company, to
the great hurt of many perfons and families : the proprietors and credi-
tors of that company having this year petitioned the houfe of commons,
a committee of that houfe was appointed to make ftridt inquiry into
the fame. The refult was, that it appeared they had loft L8 8,000 by
banking, and had fquandered away great fums on Sir H. Mackworth's
other projects. Therefor the houfe of commons, on the 31ft of March
1 710, refolved, iieimne contradiceiite, that it appears to this houfe, that Sir
Humphrey Mackworth is guilty of many notorious and fcandalous
frauds, and indired pradices, in violating the charter granted to the
faid company, in breach of his truft, and to the manifeft wrong and op-
preffion of the proprietors and creditors of the company. And the like
is voted againft William Sheres, the company's fecretary, and Dykes,
their treafurer. And that a bill be brought in for preventing them
from leaving the kingdom, or alienating their eftates. This arch hy-
pocrite, pretending great zeal for religion, and the tory party, was
thereby fcreened from any farther cenfure or fuffering by the new mi-
niftry, who, foon after this, got into power: and the bill was dropt by
the adjournment of parliament. And, notwithftanding all the difgrace
thrown upon Sir Humphrey Mackworth, he had the effrontery to appear
again at the head of this company with new propofals, in the year 1720,
though then, and ever fince, little better than a mere bubble.

The ftatute intitled aJJ'rzn patiis et cervifia, i. e. for fettling the aflize
of bread and ale, [51 Hen. Ill] being now obfcure, and alio become
otherwile impradhcable for modern times, the poorer fort of people,
more efpecially, had fince been deceived and opprefTed by an almoft
total negled, in many places, of the due aflize and reafonable price of
bread ; for remedy thereof, and that a plain and conftant rule and me-
thod might henceforward be duely obferved and kept, in making and
aflizing the feveral forts of bread made for fule, it was now enaded,

A. D. 1710. n

that fo much of the ftatute of the 51ft year of King Henry III as
relates to the aflize of bread, be repealed. And that from the ill of
May 1 710, the court of the lord mayor and aldermen of London and
its liberties, or the lord mayor alone, by the order of the laid court ;
and the mayor, bailiffs, aldermen, or other chief magiftrates, of any
other city or town corporate ; and two or more juflices of the peace, in
fuch places where there fhall be no fuch mayor, &c. fliall refpetlively,
and from time to time, afcertain and appoint, within their refpedive
jurifdidions, the aflize and weight of all forts of bread, to be fold by
any baker or other perfon whatfoever, having refped to the price which
the grain, meal, or flour, whereof fuch bread fliall be made, fliall bear
in the feveral public markets, in or about the city, town-corporate,
burgh, or place, where fuch aflize fliall be fo fet, making realbnable al-
lowance to the bakers for their charges, pains, and livelihoods ; the faid
aflize to be fet in avoirdupois weight. Moreover, it was enaded, that
none fliall make for fale any forts of bread, but white, wheaten, and
houfehold, and fuch other fort and forts of bread as fliall be publicly li-
cenced and allowed by the magiftrates in London and elfewhere. All
which feveral forts of bread fliall be made in their feveral refpedive de-
grees, according to the goodnefs of the feveral forts of grain whereof
the fame ought to be made ; and the affize and weight of the faid
white, wheaten, and houfehold, bread made of wheat, fliall be fet andaf-
certained according to the table annexed, (being a table of the alTize
of bread, in pounds, ounces, and drams, avoirdupois weight, refpeding,
or in proportion to the price of the bufliel of wheat, and the baking,
from a penny loaf to an eighteen-penny loaf, of the faid three forts of
flour, viz. white, wheaten, and houfehold.) And to the intent that this
law may be effedually complied with, every baker fliall fairly imprint
or mark on his loaves, the fort, price, and weight of fuch loaf, or fuch
other mark as the faid magiftrates fliall dired ; who are alfo hereby
authorized, from time to time, to limit, dired, and appoint, in what
manner each fort of bread fliall be marked ; or to make any other rea-
fonable rules and orders for regulation of bakers, and the aflize of bread.
And bakers contravening this law, and the magiftrates reafonable re-
gulations, on the confeflion of the party, or on the oath of one or more
credible witnefs or witnefles, before any of the faid magiftrates, fliall for
every fuch offence forfeit the fum of 40/ to the informer. Which con-
vidion fliall be certified to the general cjuarter-fefTions, to be there en-
tered upon record. But the profecution of fuch olfence fliall be com-
menced within three days next after the offence committed. And the
offender may appeal to the next quarter-fefllons, when, fliiling of his al-
legations, he fliall pay cofts ; as, on the other hand, the informer Ihall
do to the baker^ if he fail in his allegations. Bakers, mixing any other
grain in their bread than the three forts herein mentioned, fliall forfeit

B 2

12 A. D. 1 710.

loj; and any magii'trate, wilfully omitting the performance of his duty
herein, fhall forfeit the like fum. Any of the within-named magiftrates
may, in the day-time, enter into any baker's houfe or (hop, for fearch-
ing, weighing, and trying, his bread, which, if deficient either in weight,
due baking, or not being duely marked, or of a worfe quality than is di-
refted by this ad, may be feized and given to the poor ; and the baker,
making refinance, fliall forfeit 40/] This aft fhall not affedt the privi-
leges of the two Englifli univerfities, and fhall continue for three years,
and till the end of the next feflion of parliament. [8 Ann. c. 18.]

The due aflize of bread being lb neceffary for our manufadurers and
artificers, as well as for all other people, this abflrad of fo good a law,
fince made perpetual, feemed proper to be now exhibited.

By two ads [7 Ann. r. 26 ; 8 Ann. f. 21] for better fecuring her ma-
jefly's docks, fliips of war, and flores, commiflioners were appointed to
treat for the purchafe of fuch lands, tenements, &c. as fliould be judged
proper for better fortifying Portfmouth, Chatham, and Harwich, i. e.
for enlarging and ftrengthening their fortifications. And proper juries
were to be fummoned for afcertaining the jufl value of all fuch lands as
fhould be wanted for thofe purpofes. We fhall hereafter fee that this
good plan has been fince enlarged, and alfo farther extended to Ply-
mouth and Milfordhaven, and greater quantities of ground have been
purchafed for extending and improving the fortifications of Portfmouth,
Chatham, and Plymouth ; which, neverthelefs, are, by moft good judges
of fortifications, fiill thought, in fome relpeds, infufficient, confidering
the great danger the navy and the royal flores would be expofed to,
were an enemy vigoroufly to attack Portfmouth, Plymouth, or Chat-
ham.

The czar of Mufcovy's rapid progrefs againft Sweden had now well-
nigh ruined that kingdom ; for he not only reduced part of Finland,
all Carelia, and the ifle of Oclt-l ; but, what was much more valuable
than them all, the flower of all the Swedifli dominions, the rich, com-
mercial, and e..xtenfive country of Livonia, with the cities and po-ts of
Riga, Revel, Narva, Pernau, &c. all which Ruflia retains to this day,
thereby, in the opinion of many, difcompofing the balance of power
and of commerce in the North.

In this year General NichoUbn, with a force from England, jointly
with the New-England forces, attacked and cafily reduced a part of
Nova-Scotia, and particularly the fort of Port-Royal, which had been
yielded to France by the peace of Ryfwic, changing its namiC to thcit of
Annapolis-Royal, which it fiill retains, being alfo afterward confirmed
to us by the peace of Utrecht. It flands in the bay of Fundy, on the
edge of a fine harbour or bafon, capable of receiving 1000 fhips, with
good anchorage in all parts of it. This port was the rendezvous of
French privateers in time of war, and of the French Indians for invad-

A. D. 1710. 13

ing the eaftern frontiers of New-England ; and therefor of the greater
importance to be fecured to us.

According to D' Avenant's New dialogues, publifhed in 1710, [K ii,
p. 74] there was coined in England between the years 1659 and 1710,
in gold and filver, the fum of 1.21,419,307.

The fame author [ibidem, p. 95] fays, he is credibly informed, ' that

* the bank of Amlterdam contains no lefs, in eftedlual gold and filver,
than L36,oco,ooo fterling.

1 7 1 1 It having been found inconvenient, that any perfon fhould, at

the fame time, be in the diredion of the bank of England and of the Eaft-
India company, the parliament this year, in an ad; of [9 Ann. c. 7]

* for enabling and obliging the bank of England, for the time therein

* mentioned, to exchange all exchequer bills for ready money upon de-

* mand, inferted a claufe to difable any perfon to be governor, deputy-

* governor, or diredor, of the bank of England, and a diredor of the

* Eail-India company at the fame time.'

The former laws for eflablifhing the pofl-offices in both kingdoms
of England and Scotland were repealed ; and one general poft-office, as
alfo one general poft-mafter, was now appointed for the united king-
dom: and chief letter-offices were ereded at Edinburgh, DubUn, New-
York, and the Weft-Indies. At the fame time the poftage of letters
was increafed, viz. what paid before but 2d now paid 37/, and for double
letters 6d, 8cc. * and for the port of all and every the letters and

* packets by the carriage called the penny-poft, eftablilhed within Lon-
' don, Weftminfter, Southwark, and parts adjacent, and to be received

* and delivered within ten miles from the general letter-office in Lon-

* don, one penny,' which is the firft mention of a penny-poft in the
ftatute-book. [9 Ann. c. 10.]

By this ad, the amount (grofs) for one year, ended at michaelmas
1710, of the poft-office, was - - Liii,46i 17 10

Dr. D' Avenant's New dialogues make the net
amount, on a medium of the three laft years, to be ^(),(>(ij\ 19 10^

By an ad for preferving white, and other, pine trees, growing in her
majefty's colonies of New-Hamplhire, the Maflachufet's-bay, and Pro-
vince of Maine, Rhode-ifland, and Providence plantation ; the Narra-
ganfet country or King's-province, and Connedicut in New-England,
alfo in New-York, and New-Jerfey, in America, for the mafting of her
majefty's navy ; it is enaded, ' that whereas there are great numbers of

* thofe trees growing in the faid provinces, near the fea and on navigable

* rivers, which may be commodioufly brought into this kingdom for that.

* fervice : for the better prefervation thereof, no perfon after the 24th of

* September 171 1, in any of the faid colonies fliall prefvme to cut, fell,
' or deftroy, any of thofe trees fit for mafts, not being the property of any

14 A. D. 17 1 1.

* private perfon, if fuch tree be of the growth of 24 inches diameter

* and upwards, at 12 inches from the earth, without the queen's U-
' cence firft obtained, under the penalty of Lioo fterUng for every of-

* fence. And whereas the queen's furveyor-general, or his deputy, is

* authorized to mark with a broad arrow all fuch trees as are, or here-
' after fhall be, fit for the royal navy, and to keep a regifter of the fame,

* none others but he or his deputies (hall prefume to mark fuch trees
' as aforefaid, though growing on common lands, under the penalty of

* L5 for every fuch offence.' [9 Ann. c. 17.]

This law, the firft of the kind for mafts, has proved extremely ufeful
for mafting the royal navy, and thereby alfo has faved much money
formerly fent to Norway for that purpofe.

By an a6l of parliament for licencing and regulating hackney-coaches
and chairs, (as alfo for new duties on ftamps, leather, fait, &c and other
purpofes), 800 coaches, paying 5 /"weekly, and 200 fedan chairs, at \of
each yearly, within London, Weflminfter, and Southwark, and the
weekly bills of mortality, are enaded to be under the manaeement of
five commiflioners. One mile and a half for i/fare, and two miles for
1/6, and above two miles ?/, and fo for a greater diftance in proportion,
for coaches: and for chairs, the rule to be, that they {hall have the
fame money for two thirds of thofe diftances. [9 Ann. c. 23.] By the
loth of Queen Anne, 100 more chairs were added: then in all to be
300. The duties to commence from midfummer 17 15, and to continue
from thence for 32 years. For raifing two millions by a lottery. ' And

* whereas the proprietors and inhabitants of the iflands of Nevis and St.

* Chriftophers in America, had fuftained very great lofles by a late in-
' vafion of the French, and it became neceflary to give fome encourage-

* ment to the fufferers for reiettling their plantations, the fum of

* 1.103,003 : II : 4 was allowed to fuch proprietors as refettled in thole
' two iflands, in proportion to their lofi^es, by debentures to be ilTued
' by the commiflioners for trade and plantations, at 6 per cent intereft.'
It appears by an ad, [10 Ann. c. 34] that thofe debentures amounted
to one third part of the whole lols of the fufferers. Moreover, by an
ad of the 5th year of King George I, for relief of fuch fufl'erers in thofe
two iflands as had refettled in either of them, the diftribution of the
above fum is farther regulated ; and by one of the 8th of that king,
their principal fum unpaid, and the large arrears of intereft thereon,
joined together, had an intereft of 3 per cent fettled on them.

By another ad of parliament, for relief of the creditors and proprie-
tors of the company of mine-adventurers of England, &c. it appears,
that the company had, through the great expenie of working their
mints, &c. contraded debts which they were altogether unable to pay ;
whereby, and by the dil'putes arifen amongft their niembers, and be-
tween the company and their creditors, the working of their mines was

A. D. 171 1. 15

^ almoft totally interrupted : and whereas their mines are fo valuable,
that, were they ertabliPaed under good management, great profit would
accrue to the public, it was therefor enacted, that all grants, contrads,
bargains, &c. to any perfons by that company, fince they firft ftopt
payment in the year 1707 of their bills or bonds, be declared void;
and that all new (hares in their flock, above the 6012 allowed by their
charter, be alfo made null and void, and the proprietors of them be
only deemed creditors of the company for the value thereof. The mo-
ney advanced on the call made in the year 1708, to be allowed in the
prefent call, and the furplus to be turned into flock. All bargains for
ore or lead, &c. fince the company ftopt payment, to i-emain good.
The creditors of the company are hereby made members of, and part-
ners with, the company's 6012 fhares. A deputy-governor and 12 di-
rectors to be annually eleded for managing the company's affairs.
Shares to be transferable. After the death of the duke of Leeds, the
prefent governor for life, a governor to be annually eleded agreeable to
the charter : and no member to be eleded governor above one year
in four. The company may call in 40/" per fhare, for carrying on the
bufmefs of the mines. [9 ylnn. c. 24.] This ftatute was made in con-
fequence of the union between the creditors of this company and the
proprietors of the fliares, agreed at a general meeting, which, however,
was not futficicnt to keep tliis ill-conduded company from finking,
though frefli propofals were afterwards publiflied for farther payments
on each fliare, in order to carry on the mines vigoroufly. To fay all
in one word, Sir Humphrey Mackworth and his affociates carried their
artifices to the very utmoft ; and inftead of hurting the oppofites in
party, drew in all the zealots of the party difaffeded to the eftablifhed
conftitution, to the undoing of many innocent perfons and families.

The cities of London and Weftminfter, and parts adjacent, being
principally fiipplied with coals by fea, from the counties of Durham
and Northumberland, and the town of Newcaftle upon Tine ; and in
confideration that the having them cheap tends greatly to the improve-
ment of the manufadures, and to the increafe of the commerce and
navigation of the kingdom, by breeding many thoufands of fkilful ma-
riners, the parliament pafTed an adl to diflblve the prefent, and prevent
the future, combination of coal-owners, lighter-men, mafters of fliips,
and others, to advance the price of coals, in prejudice of the navigation,
trade, and manufactures, of this kingdom, and for the farther encour-
agement of the coal-trade. And, as for the relief of the poor, and ad-
vancing the duties on coals, it is neceffary the fame fhould not be mo-
nopolized, it was enadcd, that all contrads between coal-owners, light-
ermen, fitters, mafters of ftiips, crimps, coal-fadors, &c. for engrolling
of coals, or for reftraining any vvhomfoever from freely felling, buying,
loading, or unloading, navigating or difpofing of coals, in fuch mannpr

i6 A. D. 1711.

as they lawfully might, (hould be deemed illegal, null, and void, to all
intents and purpofes. And that if any coal-owners, lighter-men, &c.
fhould hereafter be knowingly interefled or concerned in sa\y fuch con-
trad, he fhould, if a coal-owner, forfeit Lioo, if a fitter, L50, if a (hip-
mafler or owner, L20, and the Uke fum for every oflacer, clerk, agent,
or fervant. Fitters, or other perfons vending or delivering coals, were
to give ample figned certificates to every {hip-mafter, every voyage,
containing the day and year of fuch loading, the mailer's and fhip's
name, and the exad quantity of coals, with the ufual names of the Se-
veral collieries out of which the coals were wrought or gotten, and the
price paid by the mafi;er for each fort of coals that fuch fitter hath fold
and loaded on board fuch Ihip. Such certificate, on the fliip's arrival
at London, to be regiftered at the cocquet-office appointed by the lord
mayor, or at the cuftom-houfe of any other port. And whoever Ihall
refufe to give fuch certificate, or give a falfe one, or not regifler fuch
certificate in forty-eight hours after the flilp's arrival at London, or
other port ; or if the perfon keeping the regifler negle£t for twenty-
four hours to make fuch regifi:er, or make a falfe entry thereof; or re-
fufe to fliew fuch entry ; in each of thofe cafes, the party offending
fhall forfeit Lio. Lighter-men, fhip-mafters, crimps, or coal-fadtors,
receiving fabrics or gratuities from coal-owners, either by the year or
chaldron, for contrading, buying, vending, or difpofing, of any particu-
lar fort of coals, in preference to other forts, or for the loading of any
fhip, or for the difpofal of the coals from any fuch fhip before other
fhips, or who fhall knowingly fell any fort of coals as a fort which they
really are not -, for every fuch offence fliall forfeit L50. Offenders dif-
covering within three months the coal-owners, &c. concerned in fuch
offences, fliall be indemnified, and receive the reward due to any other
difcoverer. Any number of flfips, above 50, remaining laden in the
port of Newcaftle or other port, bound for London, above feven days,
unlefs detained by contrary winds, or want of repairs or convoys, or
fome other unavoidable caufe, every mafler of fuch fhip fhall forfeit
L50. Every crimp, hulband, and coal-agent, vending coals to his own
agents, partners, or fervants, &c. in trufl for his or their own benefit,
fliall forfeit L50. This a£t to be in force only for three years, and
to the end "of the next felfion of parliament. [9 jim. c. 28.]

From the judicious Mr Wood's Survey of trade, we learn, that upon
a medium of four years, viz. from 1707 to 1710, both included, the
exports of merchandize to foreign parts exceeded the imports L2, 389, 872,
or, in other words, England annually gained fo much by foreign com-
merce.

In Dr. D' Avenant's report this year to the commifTioners of public
accounts, the proportion of the amount of the cufloms received at the

A* D. lyii.. ty

port of London, to the amount of the cuftoms of all the out-ports, was
as Li, 268,095 was to L346,o8i, which is confiderably above three and
a half to one.

The new Britifli miniftry had laid a plan in the fpring of the year
171 1, by the felicitation of General Nicholfon, for the attack of Pla-
centia in Newfoundland, and, which was of ftill more importance, for
the conqueft of Quebec and the reft of Canada, from France. Troops
were early enough brought over from Flanders to Portfmouth, and in
April 171 1 a powerful armament failed from Portfmouth, and in May,
from Plymouth; the fleet of 12 fhips of war and 50 tranfports, com-
manded by Sir Hovendon Walker, and the 6000 land forces by Briga-
dier Hill. At Bofton in New-England they were detained till the 30th
of July, to fupply themfelves with provifions, &c. which, it was faid,
they ought, for difpatch, to have carried with them from England ; fo
that they failed into the river St. Laurence confiderably too late in the
year ; while General Nicholfon, with 2000 provincials, and 2000 Pala-
tines and Indians, proceeded over land to Albany. When they had got
a little way up the river St. Laurence, they met with very tempeftuous
weather ; and being driven among rocks and fmall iflands, it was not
without the greateft hazard that the Ihips of war efcaped being loft ;
but eight tranfports were caft away, with the lofs of about 800 men,
officers, foldiers, and failors, and many of the other ftiips were miferably
ftiattered : wherefor it was determined to return to England, which
they accordingly did in Odober the fame year, without having made
any attempt on the French at Placentia.

The Englifti African company now petitioned the houfe of commons
for leave to bring in a bill for the confirmation of their exclufive char-
ter. But the petitions from private traders, as well as from the Britifli
American colonies, for laying that trade quite open, effedually fruftrat-
ed the company's petition. Yet nothing farther was done at this time,
in relation to the African trade, except that the houfe of commons ad-
drefled the queen, to dired that care fliould be taken of the forts, &c.
on the Guinea coaft, until farther provifion fliould be made.

The new prime minifter of Great Britain, the earl of Oxford, now
created lord treafurer, upon his acceflion to power, faw it to be hisintere/i
to put an end to the war with France and Spain as foon as poflible,
and was now adually treating of a feparate peace with thofe powers.
Yet, as he could not prudently avoid carrying it on, at leaft for the year
171 1, and until he could more firmly fix himfelf in power, he judged it
principally neceflary to find means to quiet the minds of the monied
people by reftoring the public credit, which was at this time much af-
lefted by the late great change in the miniftry, and had'occafioned a
run upon the bank. And as the bulk of the monied men, and of the

Voi.IIL C

i8 A. D. 171 1.

proprietors of the national funds, were averfe to his new meafures, it
was his great aim to bring them into good humour.

There happened at this time to be a very large arrear of navy, vic-
tuaUing, and tranfport debentures, and aUb of army debentures, &c.
without any eftabliflied fund for putting them into a regular courfe of
being difcharged : for this reafon principally, as well as on account of
this change in the miniftry, they were at a large difcount, whereby the
diftruft, which the proprietors had before generally entertained of the
new miniftry, was greatly heightened : if therefor a fund could be efta-
bliflied for the regular payment of the intereft of that large arrear, and
at the fame time plaufible means could be devifed to give the creditors
the hope of farther advantages by a new and alluring commerce, he
prudently thought he ftiould obtain his principal end. We muft here
previoufly obferve, that fome of our adventurers to Spanifli America, in
Queen Elizabeth's time, as well as the late buccaneers, had raifed in the
minds of people the higheft ideas of the advantages of a trade thither ;
which were farther heightened by obferving the vaft riches which France
had brought home from thence, fince the duke of Anjou had ruled in
Spain: moreover, it was remembered, that fo early as the 21ft year of
King James I, a company, or aflbciation, was propofed in the houfe
of commons for a Spanifti Weft-India trade : in the reign of King
William alfo, as well as in the former part of the prefent reign, during
Lord Godolphin's miniftry, there had been much difcourfe of an expe-
dition to the Spanifti Weft-Indies, in conjundion with the Dutch, in
order to make fome permanent fettlement there for commerce. Fur-
thermore, certain fchemes were handed about and pubUflied for making
fettlements, by force, in the South feas of America, in contemplation of
the vaft plenty of gold, filver, and rich drugs, &c. there to be found,
and of the immenfe profit made by the Spaniards on the European
merchandize fent thither ; which confiderations, joined to the feeblenefs
of the Spanifli government in thofe parts, were plaufible allurements for
a nation of fo enterprifing and commercial a genius as ours, to ftrive for
Iharing fuch advantages at firft hand. Moreover, to make the new mi-
niftry's feparate negociations with the enemy to be the better reliftied,
it was induftrioufly given out by their emiflaries, that Great Britain was
to have a conceflion from Spain of four ports in the South feas, on the
coafts of Peru and Chili, for the fecurity of her commerce there. But,
without enlarging farther on fuch romantic fchemes, we fliall now ob-
ferve, that tlie new prime minifter procured an ad of parliament of the
9tli year of Qi^ieen Anne, for making good deficiencies, and fatisfyiiig
the public debts ; and t>r erecting a corporation to carry on a trade to
the South feas ; and for the encouragement ofthefiftiery; and for li-
berty to trade in unwrought iron with the fubjeds of Spain ; and to re-
peal the ads for regiftering feamen.

A. D. 17 II' 19

This ad firfl Hates the deficiencies and debts unprovided for, viz. the
navy debt, office of ordnance debt, tranfport debt, army debentures, de-
ficient tallies and orders on coals, fubfidies to the eledor of Hanover
and duke of Zell, with the intereft on fuch of them as carried intereft,
and alfo monies advanced on feveral duties on goods imported for the
fervice of the year 1710, and L5 00,000 to be raifed for the fervice of
the year 171 1 ; which altogether amounted to L9,47i,325, the intereft
whereof, at 6 per cent, was L568,279 : 10. For the payment whereof
this ad makes perpetual the duties on wines, vinegar, tobacco, Eaft-
India goods, wrought filks, whale-fins, and fundry other duties which
were appropriated for Umited times for other purpofes, and in the
meantime the deficiency of this yearly fund was to be made good by
the treafurer of the navy. The furplus, if any, to go towards paying
off the above capital, hereby made redeemable on one year's notice af-
ter chriftmas 17 16. The faid yearly fund to be payable weekly, and to
commence from chriftmas 171 1.

I) And to the intent that the trade to the South feas may be carri-
ed on for the honour and increafe of the wealth and riches of this realm,
her majefty is hereby impowered to incorporate all the proprietors of
the faid debts, in the ufual ftile and form. This ad allows the compa-
ny L8000 per annum for charges of management. And, for better fe-
curing the privileges of the bank of England, this new company ftiall
not borrow money on their bills or notes on demand, nor at any lefs time
than fix months : neither fliall they difcount bills of exchange, nor any-
other bills or notes whatfoever ; nor ftiall keep any books or cafti for
any perfons or corporations, excepting their own alone.

II) And whereas it is of the greateft confequence to the honour and
welfare of this kingdom, and for the increafe of the ftrength and riches
thereof, and for vending the produd and manufadure, goods and mer-
chandize of, or brought into, this kingdom, and the employment of the
poor, that a trade ftiould be carried on to the South feas and other
parts in America, herein after mentioned, which cannot fo fecurely and
fuccefsfully be begun and carried on as by a corporation with a joint
ftock, exclufive of all others. For the better encouragement of the
members of the faid intended company, be it enaded,

III) That this company fliall, from the ift of Auguft 171 r, be vefted
for ever in the fole trade and traffic, unto and from all the kingdoms,
lands, iflands, cities, towns, ports, creeks, and places, in America, on the
eaft fide thereof, from the river of Aranoca to the Ibuthermoft part of
Terra del Fuego ; and on the weft fide thereof, from the fouthermoft
part of the f lid Terra del Fuego, through the South feas, to the north-
ermoft part of America ; and into, unto, and from all countries, &c.
within the faid limits, which are reputed to belong to the crown of

C 2

20 A. D. 171 1.

Spain, or which ihull hereafter be found out or difcovered within the
faid Hmits, not exceeding 300 leagues from the continent of America,
between the foutherraoft part of Terra del Fuego and the northermoft
part of America ,on the weft fide thereof, except the kingdom of Bra-
fil, and fuch other places on the faid eaft fide of America as are now
in the adual pofleflion of the crown of Portugal, and the country of
Surinam in the poflefTion of the ftates-general of the United provinces ;
it not being intended, that the fole trade to any part of the eaft fide of
America, now in the adual pofteftion of the crown of Portugal or the
ftates-general, fliall be granted by this ad : but it ftiall be and remain
lawful for all her majefty's fubjecfts to trade and traffic thither, as fully
and freely, in all refpeds, as they might or could do, if this ad had not
been made.

IV) None ftiall trade within thofe hmits, but the company, their
agents, and fadors.

V) The queen may, in her intended charter of incorporation, im-
power the faid company to make laws for the good government of their
trade, &c. and to inflid reafonable penalties, by imprifonments and
mulds, for any breach thereof.

VI) Forfeiture of fliips and merchandize, and double their value, for
any but the company, or thofe licenced by the company, trading to,
or frequenting, any part of their limits ; one fourth to the crown ; one
fourth to the informer ; and one half to the company.

VII) The company to be the fole owners and proprietors of all
iflands, forts, towns, and places, which they ftiall hereafter diicover
within their limits ; to hold the fame of the crown, in free and com-
mon foccage by fealty, on the annual rent of an ounce of gold, if de-
manded.

VIII) All prizes of ftiips and merchandize, taken by the company,
iliall be their fole property : for which end, they may feize by force of
arms the perlbns, with their fnips and goods, trading within their
limits.

IX) The company's bonds ftiall charge as well their annual fund, as
their other ftock, effeds, and eftate ; and ftiall be aflignable by indorfe-
ment. And it ftiall be felony to counterfeit their common-feal or bonds,
or to alter or utter the fame knowingly.

X) The company not to fail into any of the before-named limits
beyond Terra del Fuego, except only through the ftraits of Magellan,
or elfe round the faid Terra del Fuego ; nor ftiall fail from thence into
any part of the Eaft-lndies ; neither ftiall they return to Great Britain
or to any other part of Europe, Afia, Africa, or America, by any other
way except through the faid ftraits of Magellan, or by Terra del Fuego
aforefaid : neither ftiall they trade in the goods of India, Perfia, or
China, nor in any other commodities of the countries within the limits

A. D. 171 r. 21

of the Eaft-lndia company. Nor fhall this new company's Ihips fail
£irther weft from the fliores of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California, or any
other (hores contained between Terra del Fuego and the northermoft
part of America, than 300 leagues ; under forfeiture of (hips, merchan-
dize, and double the value : one third to the crown, and two thirds to
the Eaft-lndia company.

XI) And forafmuch as nothing can more conduce to the increafe of
the ftrength and riches of this kingdom, and the breeding of able fea-
men, than preferving and enlarging the fiftiery, the queen may, in her
charter to this company, diredt a flock of 20/ upon every Lioo of the
capital ftock of the company, to be kept apart, and always employed
for carrying on, improving, and enlarging, the fifliery of this realm, or
any other fifliery ; fo as none other of the queen's fubjeds be excluded
the fifliing trade. And fo as no calls of money for the fiftiery, or for
any other parts of the company's trade, be made but by order of a ge-
neral court, on a fortnight's notice.

XII) Neither the governors nor diredors of thi? company fliall be
capable of being fuch in the bank, nor in the Eaft-lndia company, at the
fame time.

This is the fubftance of this famous ad, which was then, and' is ftill
generally called the earl of Oxford's mafterpiece ; although it be never-
thelefs extremely plain, that the main of his fcheme was borrowed from
the memorable ad [8, 9 Gul. Ill, c. 19] for doubling the capital of the
bank of England in the year 1697 ; the trade to the South feas, and that
of the fiftiery, being the only new. thoughts, by way of allurement or
fweetner.

The royal charter was dated the 8th of September 171 1, incorporat-
ing the fubfcribers of thofe debts by the name of the governor and
company of merchants of Great Britain trading to the South feas and
other parts of America, and for encouraging the fiftiery. It recites the
ad of parliament, and grants that the company fliall have a court of di-
redors, and appoints the manner of their proceedings in that court, and
their general courts, their manner of eledions, qualification of the eled-
ors, and eleded, &c. needlefs to be particularly here recited : that
defaulters in payments of calls, and all other debtors to the com-
pany, ftiall not be permitted to transfer their ftock, nor to receive their
dividends, without the confent of the court of diredors : that the com-
pany may appoint courts of judicature in their forts, fadories, and fet-
tlements, for determining caufes mercantile and maritime, with an ap-
peal to the queen and council ; may raife a military force for the de-
fence of their forts and fettlements, as v/ell as for acquiring others with-
iii their limits. And by an ad of parliament of the loth of Queen
Anne, in 171 2, all the powers, privileges of commerce, 8cc. were made

22 A. D. 1711.

perpetual to the company, notwithflanding any redemption of their
fund.

Upon the eftabUlhment of this company with a proper fund, their
ftock advanced very confiderably in price, and continued gradually to
rife : whereupon, the company's general court, in confequence of the
queen's afTurance of aflifting them with a fufficient force for eftablifh-
ing their trade to the South feas, refolved to prepare a cargo for the year
171 2, of L2oo,ooo value.

Accordingly, in July 171 2, L20o,ooo was iflued in bonds, under the
company's common feal. Yet, although a ceflation of arms was, in
this fame year, agreed on with France and Spain, the company did not
however judge matters ripe for fending out any fliips this year, the peace
with France not being adually figned till the 31ft of March 171 3, nor
with Spain till the 2d of July following.

In November 171 1, the prices of the public flocks were as follows,
viz.

Eaft-India flock, - 1244- South fea flock,. - 774-
Bank flock, - ^t Royal African flock, 4-5-

The late total change of the Britifh miniflry had by this time made
new and flrange alterations of things, formerly in good efleem. Thus,
for one inflance, the general naturalization of foreign proteflants, which
had been enadled not quite three years before, and by that a6l was de-
clared to be a likely means of advancing the wealth and flrength of a
nation, and which had been attempted to be repealed in the preceding
year, when the bill was rejeded by the houfe of peers, was now, by an
ad of the loth of Queen Anne, totally repealed; and the reafon for that
repeal is therein affigned to be, ' becaufe divers mifchiefs and inconve-
' niences have been found by experience to follow from the fame, to

* the difcouragement of the natural-born fubjeds of this kingdom, and
' to the detriment of the trade and wealth thereof.'

That great numbers of fober and induflrious fiibjeds are the main
flrength and wealth of a nation, will fcarcely be controverted by any
who underlland the true and folid interefls of nations and communities.
The inflance of the king of PrufTia inviting the French protellant refu-
gees to fettle in his dominions, as quoted in the former llatute, and their
general admilTion into the United provinces, in both which countries
they have been of immenfe benefit to their protedors, have flrongly
verified the above pofition in the firll flatute.

In Holland, fays Dr. D'Avenant, in the fecond part of his Difcourfes
m the public revenues and trade of England, London^ 1698,/. 117th,
' there is reafon to think, that the national ftock of that flate is increaf-

* ed near 8 millions fince the war ; in regard that by the wifdom of their
' conflitution they invite dayly to them, and increafe in number of in-
' habitants.'

A. D. 1 7 1 1 • 23.

To what difficulties, and even diftrefles, have we very lately been re-
duced, from a real want of men for our fleets and armies ? Yet it ftill
appears, from the difpolition of even great numbers ofperfons ofknow-
lege and abilities in our own days, that the old prejudices, if we may be
allowed to call them fo, againll a general naturalization are not as yet
eafily to be overcome.

A fpirit of gaming prevailed at this time in fmaller private and un-
lawful lotteries, under the denomination of fales of gloves, fans, cards,
plate, &c. alfo offices for infurances on marriages, births, chriftenings,
fervices, &c. and dayly advertifements for fuch were publifhed in the
newfpapers ; and alfo, for the improvement of fmall fums of money :
a claufe therefor was infertedin an ad of the loth year of Queen Anne,
(intitled, an act for laying additional duties on hides, fkins, &c.)
whereby a penalty of L500 was enaded on any perfons fetting up fuch-
offices, lotteries, &c.

The African company's affairs being much in diforder, an ad was
now pafTed ' for making effedual fuch agreement as {hould be made
' between the royal African company of England and their creditors.'
' For the benefit of their creditors, it was enaded, ' that two-thirds or

* more of them, in number and value, might on or before the 20th of
' December 1712, under hand and feal, confent to allow them a fpace
' of time for payment of their debts, or to make any other agreements
' with them refpeding their debts ; which agreements by two thirds, &c.

' as above, fhould bind all the reft of thofe creditors, faving always the
' queen's duties.' On this occafion, there were feveral refolutions of
the houfe of commons, which in part teftify the great importance of
this trade, for fupplying our fugar and other American colonies ; as,
that this trade ought to be free for all the queen's fubjeds, in a regulated
company ; that forts and fettlements on that coaft are neceflliry, which
forts fliould be maintained out of the trade; that contrads and alliances
are neceffary to be maintained with the natives; that the plantations
fhould be fupplied with a fufficient quantity of negroes at reafonable
rates ; that a confiderable ftock is neceffary for carrying on that trade ;
and, that it is neceffary that an exportation of at leaft Li 00,000 in
merchandize, be annually made from Great Britain thither. The firfl
fix of thofe refolutions were confirmed, but the feventh was rejeded ;
and a bill was thereupon ordered into the houfe, yet it did not fucceed.
An ad of parliament was paffed, ' for continuing the trade and cor-
' poration capacity of the United Eaft-India company, although their
' fund fhould be redeemed.' It having been enaded by the ftatute of
the 6th of Queen Anne, ' that upon payment to the company of the
' L3, 200, 000 due by the public, upon three years notice after lady-day
' 1726, the benefit of their trade fhould ceafe and determine ; yet, upon

• the company's humble petition, and to the intent that they and their

24 A. D. 1712.

' fucceflbrs may be the better encouraged to proceed in their trade, and
' to make fuch lafting fettlements for the fupport and maintenance
' thereof for the benefit of the Britifh nation;' it was now enaded,

* that not only the provifo in the above flatute for the redemption and

* determination of the duties on fait and ftamps, and of 5 per cent on

* imported Eaft-India goods, and their yearly fund, but hkewife of the
' benefit of the trade and of the corporation, is hereby repealed and
' made void ; and that the faid duties and fund fhall continue, and the
' faid United company, and their fucceOTors, fliall have and enjoy fuch
^ part of their yearly fum of Li 60,000 as they Ihall hereafter be intitled
' to, and all the benefit of trade, franchifes, privileges, profits, and ad-
' vantages, whatever, granted to the company by former flatutes and
' charters : provided, that, at any time, upon three years notice after
' lady-day 1733, and repayment of the faid L3, 200,000, and of the faid
' yearly fund of Li 60,000, then the faid duties and fund fhall abfolutely

* ceafe and determine.' [10 Ajine, c. 28.]

We muft here remark, that although the title of this ftatute may feem
to imply a perpetuity in their exclufive trade, even although their fund
fhould be redeemed, as they themfelves alleged in the year 1730, when
petitioned againft to the parliament, as will be feen, yet the body (or the
enabling claufes of this adl) does not clearly imply fo much: but, on the
contrary, declares, ' that the company fliall be fubjed, neverthelefs, to
' the refi:ridions, covenants, and agreements, of former ads and charters
' now in force ; and alfo fubjed to the general provifoes or conditions
' of redemption above named.'

But in the very next ftatute, fave one, of this fame feifion of parlia-
ment, the enading claufe in behalf of the South-fea company is unex-
ceptionably clear, viz. ' an ad for continuing the trade to the South
' feas, granted by an ad of the laft fefflon of parliament, although the
■• capital fl:ock of the faid corporation fliould be redeemed.' This ad,
after reciting the former one, for the eftablifliment of the company,
adds, ' and whereas fome doubts may arife concerning the power of re-
' demption intended by the faid ad and charrer, which might tend to
' difcourage the faid company in expending fuch large fums of money
' as are neceflary for new fettlements, and fettling a trade there, for the
' future benefit of Great Britain ; for explanation thereof, be it enad-
' ed, that at any time, upon one year's notice after chriflimas 1716,
' upon repayment of the principal fum due to the company, then all
' the impofitions and duties fliall and may be difpofed of by parliament,
' and the yearly fund fliall ccafc and determine. But the laid corpora-
' tion, by the name aforefaid, after fuch redemption of the faid yearly
' fund, fliall continue for ever, and have perpetual fucceflion; and fliall

* hold and enjoy all forts, fadories, and acquifitions, that they fliall ered

* within the limits prefcribed ; and fliall have the fole benefit of trade

A. D. 1712. 55,

'• in and to the South feas, and fuch other power of trade in the fifhery

* as by the faid adl is direded, and all other benefits, powers, privileges,
' and advantages, as if no fuch redemption were had or made.'

In a reprefentation of the Eaft-India company to the houfe of com-
mons, againft laying additional duties on calicoes, muflins, cottons,
tea, coffee, and drugs, that company alleged, ' that they annually ex-
' ported to the Eaft-Tndies about Li 50,000 value in woollen goods and

* other Englifli produ(5l.'

The king of France granted a patent to Mr. Crozat, hisfecretary, for
15 years, of the whole commerce of ' all the lands in North- America,
' lying between New-France on the north, Carolina on the eafl:, and
' New-Mexico on the weft, down to the gulf of Florida, by the name

* of Louifiana, fince named the province of Miflifippi.' In the preamble
to this famous patent the king fays, ' that having in the year 1683,
' given orders to the Sieur de la Salle to make difcovery of the faid coun-
' try above defcribed, he fucceeded fo well, that it was now beyond
' doubt that a communication may be pradicable between the bay of
' Mexico and New-France, by certain vaft rivers. This obliged us im-
' mediately on the peace of Ryfwick to fend thither a colony and gar-
' rifon, which has maintained the pofleffion we took, in the faid year
^ 1683, of lands, coafts, and iflands fituated in the gulf of Mexico, be-
' tween Carolina on the eaft, and old and new Mexico on the weft. But,
' war breaking out again in Europe, v/e have not been able till now to

* render that colony fo advantageous as we hoped for.' The bounds
now granted to Crozat were, ' from the mouth of the river Miflifippi,
' in the bay of Mexico, to the lake Illinois northward ; and from New-
' Mexico on the weft, to tlie lands of the Englifli of Carohna eaftward ;

* with all rivers, ports, creeks, ifles, &c. by the name of Louifiana ;. the

* province, however, to depend on the general government of New-

* France, and be deemed a part thereof. Crozat to enjoy the fole trade
' of all exportations to, and importations from, this province for 1 5 years;
' as alfo all mines, minerals, &c. paying a fifth of thefe to the king,
' and an immunity during that term from cuftom outward and home-
' ward, &c.'

This is the whole of the French king's title to the pofl'eflion of the
vaft country, which, by virtue of his plenary power, he was pleaied to
call his own. Under the year 1698, we have related his firft attempting
a lettlement there ; but as it was only at the mouth of the river Mifli-
fippi, it properly and folely belonged to Spain to oppofe it, as being
within the limits of Florida. From thence France, on any rupture with
Spain, may greatly annoy the Spanifli dominions in old and new Mexico,
&c. But when, in the above grant to Crozat, Louis clearly proclaimed
his plan of joining Louifiana to New-France, and thereby hemming in
the Englifli continental colonies between the Miflifippi and the iea eaft-

Vol. III. D

26 A. D. 1 7 12.

ward, \That name (hall we give toourEnglifli counfellors atfucb a time,
who fupinely (if not treacheroufly) fufFered fuch a grant to pafs un-
oppofed, when the charters of our king, Charles II, to the lords pro-
prietors of Carolina granted to them all the lands diredtly weft: to the
South feas, which confequently included the country on both fides the
river Miftifippi * ?

We may, under this year, note, that Erafmus Philips's State of the
nation, in refped to her commerce, debts, and money, {zd edition, p. 25]
makes ' the balance of England's trade, one year with another, to have
' been in our favour, on an average L2, 881,357 from 1702 to 1712 ; fo
' that, allowing a great abatement for falfe entries, here is room enough
' for the greateft fceptic to admit of a large balance, over and above the

* neceflary expenfes of the warf.

Before we enter upon the formal conclufion of the commercial part
of the treaty of Utrecht, we ftiall briefly exhibit the fubftance of the
new treaty, concluded on the 29th of January 1713, of mutual guaran-
tee for the proteftant fucceflion to the crown of Great Britain, and for
the barrier of the ftates-general of the United Netherlands. The ftipu-
lation in cafe either ftiould be attacked, was, on the part of Great Bri-
tain, 10,000 foot to the afliftance of the ftates, and by the ftiates 6,000
foot to the afliftance of Great Britain ; alfo, 20 fliips of war by either
party. And in cafe of fudden and imminent danger, each party was
obliged (being required by the other) to augment their fuccours, and
to declare war againft the aggreflxjr ; and even to join all their forces by
land and fea to thofe of the party attacked. This treaty repealed one
of the fiime kind, made in the year 1709.

We have the beft authority for obierving, that the copper manufac-
ture of England was by this time brought to the greateft degree of per-
fedion ; it being exprefsly fo declared in a ftatute of the 12th of Queen
Anne, for making perpetual the ad made in the 13th and 14th years
of the reign of King Charles II, intitled, an ad for the better relief of
the poor of this kingdom, &c. by which, an expired claule of an ad of
the 9th and loth of King William, enading, ' that any of his majefty's

* fubjeds may export from England, copper-bars imported from foreign
' parts ; and, upon exportation, fliall draw back all duties, or vacate the
' lecurities, faving the half of the old fubfidy, as is ufual in other com-
' modities,' was now revived, in the words following, viz. ' which

* Qii. Kad Clmrles more riglit to make gifts of Eii^Lirii!, tlie halancc of trade was not near fo high
the coiiiitry hclongiii^' to the native Americans than in any one of the years here condefcended on, ex-
Louis had ? The Spaniards fay that neither of them cept 1712, when it was 1^3,114,174, wliereof
had any title to a foot of land in America ; and the Ldoo.oty wasbulHon. But the average of the ten
aboriginal natives with much more truth affirm, years ending with chrillmas 1712 was L2, 178,955,
that all the white people (witli the exception of includingthe bullion exported, which vvasL464,059
the Penfylvanians and veiy few others) are intrud- on the average of thofe ten years : and that being
crs, robbers, and murderers. M. dedufted, the real balance was about Li, 7 14,896.

\ By Sk Charles Wlu't worth's Slate of the trade of M. 3

A. D. 1712. 27

' claufe being expired, and forafmuch as the copper manufadlure of this
' kingdom is brought to fuch perfedion, that there is more made than
* can be expended here and in the plantations ; be it therefor enacl-
' ed, &c. provided neverthelefs, that no drawback be allowed on the
' exportation of any copper, but fuch as fliall be imporred from the
' Eaft-Indies and the coafl: of Barbary only.'

1713. — We are now come to a remarkable epocha of commercial hif-
ftory ; for, in the nth of April, new flile, in the year 1713, Queen
Anne's plenipotentiaries at Utrecht figned her treaty of peace, and alfo,
at the fame time, a treaty of navigation and commerce, with France ;
and ratified the fame in four weeks after. Much has been written and
publilhed againft the conditions of this peace, which that queen's new
minifters, for their own fafety, were determined to conclude.

But as commercial matters alone, and fuch points as are nearly con-
nected therewith, are our proper province, we fhall content ourielves
with briefly remarking, on what is properly the treaty of peace.

I) That though the French king yielded to the queen of Great
Britain, to be polTefTed by her in full right for "ever, the bay and flraits
of Hudfon, and all parts thereof, and within the fame, then pofTefFed by
France, yet leaving the boundaries between Hudfon's Bay and the north
parts of Canada, belonging to France, to be determined by commifTaries
within a year, was, in effed:, the fame thing as giving up the point alto-
gether ; it being well known to all Europe, that France never permits
her commiflaries to determine fuch matters, unlefs with great advantage
to her. Thofe boundaries therefor have never yet been fettled, though
both Britifh and French fubjeds are, by that article, exprefsly debarred
from palling over the fame, or thereby to go to each other by fea or
land. Thofe commiflaries were likewife to fettle the boundaries between
the other Britifh and French colonies on that continent ; which likewife
was never done.

Comniiiraries were alfo to fettle, according to the rule of juflice, the*
fatisfliclion to be given to the Englifh Hudfon's Bay company for the
damage done to their fettlements, fliips, perfons, and goods, by the hof--
tile incurfions and depredations of the French, in time of peace. And
this too was never efFe61ua!ly done.

II) St. Chriflophers was the more eafily yielded to the queen, as the
French had before been expelled from it.

III) But although all Nova-Scotia and Acadia, with its antient boun-
daries, were yielded to Queen Anne for ever ; as alfo the city of
Port-Royal, now called Annapolis-Royal, and the fubjeds of France were
thereby excluded from fifhing in the feas, bays, &c. on the coafts of
Nova-Scotia ; yet thofe antient boundaries were never yet juflly afcer-
tained by France ; and the ambiguous term, antient boundaries, wasj
doubtlefs, purpofely contrived by France, for her future defigns;. and,,

D 2

28 A. D. 1 7 13.

mftead ot the true limits of Nova-Scotia, they ftill pretended, that only
the peninfula called Acadia was thereby intended to be yielded up, and
not what we called Nova-Scotia, which is properly bounded by the
Ocean, and the bay and river of St. Laurence quite up to Canada ;
which river, we contended, was the antient boundary between Nova-
Scotia and New-France or Canada.

IV) But the ifland of Cape-Breton, which was always deemed a
part of Nova-Scotia, and which is better Ctuated for the fifhery than
any other part of it, and for the French to interrupt our fifhery and
the communication between Newfoundland and our continental colonies,
was yielded to France ; as alfo all the other iflands in the mouth of the
bay and of the river of St. Laurence, whereby the French were permit-
ted to fortify as they (hould judge proper.

V) Though Newfoundland, with the adjacent lefler iflands, and
the town and fortrefs of Placentia, and whatever elfe the French poi-
fefled there, were yielded to Britain ; yet thereby, neverthelels, the
the French were permitted to ered: ftages made of boards, and huts,
neceflary and ufual for drying their fifli during the fifhing feafon. The
French therefor had liberty to catch fifli, and to dry them on the fliore,
ftretching from Cape-Bonavifta to the northern point of the ifland, and
and froni thence running fouth by the wefl:-fide as far as Point Riche ;
thus, having all the advantages of Newfoundland, (which ifland, it is
well known, can never be made a profitable colony or plantation) with-
out the expenfe of holding forts and garrifons, wifely left to Great Bri-
tain alone.

VI) The French of Canada were to give no hindrance nor moleft-
ation to the five nations of Iroquois Indians fubjed: to the dominion of
Great Britain, nor to the other natives of America who are friends to
the fame. Yet it is notorious what violence the Canadians and French
Iiave fince committed againfl; thole Indian nations, fubjeds of the crown
of Great Britain, and what arts, at other times, they have pradiied to
drav/ them off from their allegiance.

By the ninth Article, France agrees to the intire demolition of all the
fortifications, and of the port, of Dunkirk, and all its fluices, moles, &c.
within five months ; and that they fliould never be reftored nor rebuilt
on any pretence whatever.

The articles of the treaty of navigation and commerce between Great
Britain and France are 41 in number; mofl: of which being in the cul-
toniary form, we fliall pafs over : but we could not omit our animad-
verfions on the 8th and 9th articles, as they were fo extraordinary in
thcmielves, and as they occafioned fo great a ftir and uneafinefs at that
time, as to bring the whole treaty of commerce to mifcarry then, and
ever fincc.

A. D. 1 7 13. 29

"■ Article VIII) That all the fubjedts of the queen of Great Britain
and of the moft chriftian king, in all countries and places fubjed to
their power on each fide, as to all duties, impofitions, or cuftoms
whatlbever, concerning perfons, goods, merchandize, fliips, freights,
feamen, navigation, and commerce, fhall ufe and enjoy the fame pri-
vileges, liberties, and immunities, at leafl, and have the like favour in
all things, as well in the courts of juftice, as in all fuch things as relate
either to commerce, or to any other right whatfoever, which any fo-
reign nation, the moft favoured, has, ufes, and enjoys, or may here-
after have, ufe, and enjoy,

IX) ' That within the fpace of two months after, a law fhall be made
in Great Britain, whereby it {hall be fufficiently provided, that no
more cuftoms or duties be paid for goods and merchandize brought
from France into Great Britain than what are payable for goods and
merchandize of the like nature, imported into Great Britain from
any other country in Europe ; and that all laws made in Great Bri-
tain, fince the year 1664, for prohibiting the importation of any goods
and merchandize coming from France, which were not prohibii;e«i
before that time, be repealed : the general tarif made in France, on
the I 8th of September, in the faid year 1664, ftiall take place there
again, and the duties payable in France by the fubjeds of Great
Britain for goods imported and exported, fliall be paid according
to the tenor of the tarif above mentioned, and ftiall not exceed the
rule therein fettled, in the provinces whereof mention is there made ;
and in the other provinces the duty ftiall not be payable otherwife
than according to the rule at that timic prefcribed ; and all prohibi-
tiona, tarifs, edicts, declarations, or decrees, made in France fince
the faid tarif of the year 1664, and contrary thereunto, in refped
to the goods and merchandize of Great Britain, ftiall be repealed.
But whereas it is urged on the part of France, that certain mer-
chandizes, that is to fay, manufadures of wool, fugar, fiiked fifti, and
the produd of whales, be excepted out of the rule of the above-men-
tioned tarif, and that likewiie other heads of matters belonging to this
treaty remain, which, having been propofed on the part of Great Bri-
tain, have not yet been mutually adjufted ; a fpecilication of all which
is contained in a ieparate inllrument, fubfcribed by the ambafiadors
extraordinary and plenipotentiaries on both fides ; it is hereby provid-
ed and agreed, that, within two months from the exchange of the rati-
fications of this treaty, commiflaries on both fides fliall meet at London,
to confider of, and remove, the difficulties .concerning the merchan-
dizes to be excepted out of the tarif of the year 1664; and concerning
the other heads, which, as is above faid, are not yet wholcly adjufted.
And, at the fame time, the faid commilTaries fliall Uke\v'iie endeavour
(which feems to be very much for the intereft of both nations) to have

30 A. D. 1713.

' to have the methods of commerce, on one part and on the other, more

* thoroughly examined, and to find out and eftabUfh juft and beneficial

* m-.ans on both fides, fiar removing the difiiculties in this matter, and

* for regulating the duties mutually. But it is always nnderftood and
' provided, that all and fingular the articles of this treaty do, in the
' meanwhile, remain in their full force ; and efpecially that nothing be
' deemed, under any pretence whatfoever, to hinder the benefit of the
' general tarif of the year 1664, from being granted to the fubjeds of

* her royal majefi:y of Great Britain, and the faid Britifli fubjeds, from

* having and enjoying the fame, without any delay or tergiverlation,
' within the fpace of two months after a law is made in Great Britain
' as above-faid ; in as ample manner and form as the fubjects of any na-
' tion the mofl favoured might have and enjoy the benefit of the afore-
' faid tarif; any thing to be done or difcufled by the faid commiflaries
' to the contrary in anywife notwithfl:anding.'

When thefe two articles came to be known by the merchants of Great
Britain, they were received with the utmofl: furprife and indignation ;
and the clamour was loud and univerfal, infomuch, that it occafioned
a famous weekly paper to be publifhed, (the joint work of a number of
eminent merchants) with the title of the Britifh merchant, or commerce
preferved *, in defence of our commerce with Portugal, and againfl:
confirming the 8th and 9th articles by law. There were alfo fundry
feparate tracts publifiied on the fiime fide. On the other hand, thofein
power found tools to jufi:ify their condud ; and particularly Daniel
Defoe, who publifiied a weekly reply, called Mercator, or commerce re-
trieved. But the former having truth and fads on its fide, clearly
evinced to the world, that a compliance with thofe two articles would
eflfedually ruin the commerce we carried on to Portugal, the very befi;
branch of all our European commerce f. That the 8th article put
France on an equal footing with Portugal, or any other of our befi:
allies, in point of commerce : but that the 9th article ftruck more
diredly at the very root of our Portugal trade; feeing, by introducing
the tarif of 1664, the wines and brandies of France would be poured
in upon us, inllead of thofe of Portugal ; though the later took oft
great quantities of our woollen, iron, linen, &c. manufadures, and
thereby fent us a large yearly balance of money over and above all the
wines, oils, and fruits, which we took from them.

On the other hand, by agreeing to the two articles, and to the tarif
of 1664, France would probably gain annually from Great Britain above
a million fterling, not only from the vafl: confumption of their alluring

* Since collefted, and publidied in 3 vols. 8vo. /I. ctive, how .nn opinioii fhoiild fo long hav.- prevail-

f It has been fince difcovered, that there may ed, that the trade of fo fmall a country as Poitu-

be better branches of European commerce than gal ihou'd be the mod valuable of all our branches ,

<iat of Portugal. Indesd, it is not eafy to con- of commerce. M,

A. D.I 713- 31

wines and brandies, but of numberlefs other articles of filk, lace, linen,
needle-work, and paper, befide fruits, &c. which the authors of the Bri-
tilh merchant made out thus, viz.

Our imports from France, upon agreeing to thofe two articles, would

annually amount to _ _ - _ Li, 7 12,559 7 *^

And our exports thither would not exceed - 270,181 14 n

Annual balance againft, or lofs to, Great Britain Li, 442, 377 12 i

while, on the other hand, the French had fo effedually contrived the
exclulion of our woollen and iron manufadures, and almofl every other
Britifli produdion, that our fhips would have had very little to do in
the French ports but to load home their commodities.

This is, in brief, the fum of this mercantile controverfy. When it was
brought into parliament, it was fo apparent that our trade with France
had ever been a ruinous one, and that if, in confequence of accepting
the 8th and 9th articles, the Britifh parliament Ihould confent to reduce
the high duties and take ofFthe prohibitions fo prudently laid on French
commodities, it would effedaally ruin the very beft branches of our
commerce, and would therefor deprive many hundred thoufand manu-
fadurers of their fubfiftence ; which was alfo fupported by petitions
from many parts of the kingdom : that, although a great majority of
that houfe of commons was in other refpeds clolely attached to the
miniftry, the bill for agreeing to the two articles was rejeded by a ma-
jority of nine voices, after the mofl eminent merchants had been heard
at the bar of that houfe, to the great joy of the whole trading part of
the nation, and of all other impartial people. Thus the commerce be-
tween us and France has ever fince remained in a kind of a ftate of pro-
hibition on both fides, efpecially with refped to the principal points.
Though it is much to be feared, that by the clandeftine importation of
French liquors, cambrics, fruits, embroideries, lace, &c. we are ftill
confiderable lofers on the balance with that nation ; as they will take
few or none of our manufadures, and but little of our produd:; tobacco,
lead, tin, coals, and fome few other inconfiderable articles, excepted.

Ill as our miniftry managed at this time in refpe<5t of commerce, we
ought to do them the juftice to acknowlege their circumfped:ion in re-
gard to the two articles of the treaty with King Philip of Spain, viz. part
of article 8th. ' Neither the catholic king, nor any of his heirs and
' fuccellbrs, fhall fell, yield, pawn, transfer, or by any means, or under
' any name, alienate from them and the crown of Spain, to the French,
' or to any other nation whatfoever, any lands, dominions, or territories,
' belonging to Spain in America : on the contrary, that the Spanifli
' dominions there may be preferved whole and entire, the queen of

3^ A. D.I 713.

' Great Britain, engages to endeavour to give afllftance to the Spaniards,
' that the antient limits of their dominions in the Weft-Indies be
' reftored and fettled as they ftood in the time of the catholic king,

* Charles TI.'

Article X) ' That all and Angular the fubjeds of each kingdom of
' Great Britain and Spain, (hall, in all countries and places, on both
' fides, have and enjoy, at leaft, the fame privileges, liberties, and im-

* munities, as to all duties, impofitions, or cuftoms whatfoever, relating
' to perfons, goods, and merchandize, {hips, freight, feamen, navigation,
' and commerce ; and fliall have the like favour in all things as the fub-
' jeds of France or of any other foreign nation the moft favoured, have,
' poffefs, or enjoy.'

By the faid tenth article, Spain yielded for ever to the Britifh crown
the full and entire property of the town, port, and caftle of Gibraltar,
' but without any territorial jurifdidion, or any open communication

* by land with the country round about ; whereby abufes and frauds

* may be avoided by importing any kind of goods : yet, as the com-
' munication by fea with the coaft of Spain may not at all times be
' fife and open, and thereby it may happen that the garrifon and other

* inhabitants may be brought to great ftraits ; and as it is the intention
' of the catholic king, that only fraudulent importations of goods fhould
' be hindered by an inland communication ; it was therefor now provid-
' ed, that in fuch cafes it may be lawful to purchafe, for ready money, in
' the neighbouring territories of Spain, provifions, 8cc. for the ufe of the
' garrifon, fo as no merchandize be imported by Gibraltar into Spain ;
' otherwife they fhall be confifcated.' We may here, however, oblerve,
that had Gibraltar had a fmall territory annexed to it on the land fide,
the Spaniards could not have fince eredled the fort on the ifthmus, fo
near the town, as to prove fome obftrudion to fhips from anchoring in
time of war farther up the bay.

The eleventh article with Spain yields to the Britifh crown the pro-
perty of the ifland of Minorca, with the port and forts of Port Mahon,
for ever.

But with refp-3d to Gibraltar and Minorca it was exprefsly ftipulated,
' that in cafe it fliall feem meet hereafter to the crown of Great Britain
' to grant, fell, or alienate, the propriety of either, the preference of
' having the fame Ihall always be given to the crov/n of Spain before
' any others.'

The twelfth article grants ' to her Britannic majefty, and to the com-
' pany of her fubjeds appointed for that purpofe (the South-fea com-
' pany) as well the fubjeds of Spain as all others being excluded, the
' contrad for introducing negroes into feveral parts of the dominions
' of his catholic majefty in America (commonly called, E/pado de eloffiento
* de negros) at the rate of 4,800 negroes yearly for the fpace of 30 years

I

A. D. 1713. ^7,

' fucceflively, beginning from ifl of May 17 13, on the lame conditions
' on which tlie French company had formerly enjoyed it*.'

It is faid, that the Britifh minifters at firfl: demanded a free trade for
Great Britain to Spanifh America ; but that was a mere illufion, fince
it would have inflamed the jealoufy of all the reft of Europe. Yet fure-
]y, confidering the fervice they had done to King Philip, they might
have obtained a more favourable alliento ; fince it was confefled, that
all former aflientifts had adually been lofers, although on as good terms
as the prefent afliento, excepting only the annual fliip, which King-
Philip allowed to the South-fea company, for the term of 30 years, of
500 tons burden, Spanifli meafure, wherewith they were to trade to
Spanifli America ; but of which the catholic king referved one fourth of
the gain, befides 5 per cent on the other three fourths. Thus did our
minifters, in this refped: at leaft, fuffer us and the South-fea company to
be outwitted by the Spanifli minifters : it was univerfally known, that the
Portuguefe company firft, and next the French one, were undone by their
afliento contrads for fupplying the Spanifli Weft-Indies with negroes ;
and this fugar-plumb of an annual trading fliip, granted to our company,
was too much clogged with difficulties to prove of any certain advantage,
more efpecially confidering how much the court of Madrid had it in
their power to fufpend the licence for any fuch annual fliip, &c. as they
often pradlifed, and to feize on the company's effeds in America at
pleafure.

Part of the fifteenth article : ' and whereas it is infifted on the part of
' Spain, that certain rights of fifliing at the ifland of Newfoundland do
' belong to the Guipufcoans, or other lubjeds of the catholic king ;
' her Britannic majefty confents and agrees, that all fuch privileges as ■
' the Guifpufcoans and other people of Spain are able to make claim.
' to by right, fliall be allowed and preferved to them f .'

In the meanwbfle the earl of Oxford, lord high treafurer of Great
Britain and governor of the South fea company, in a general court of
that company, on the 2d of June, 1713, acquainted them, that her ma-
jefly had prefented the company with the afliento contrai^t ; and had al-
io procured for them t\vo licences from the king of Spain, for two fliips
of 600 tons each, for carrying merchandize the firft year to the northern
ports of the Spanifli Weft-Indies, befides the annual fliip of 500 tons.
Whereupon the company, flufhed with fuch pompous appearances,
iflued L200,ooo more in bonds, for carrying on their trade with vigour:
and her majefty lent two of her own fhips, to be the two firft licenced

* Here it was intended to infert the South fea company's afficnio contraA. But as all that com-
pany's mercantile concerns are long ago laid afide, it is needlefs to enlarge on a fubj'.-ft not likely to
be ever renewed, y^,

\ This point lias never yet been tlcarlv aO-Crtained, and pro'iab'y never will. yf.

Vol. III. ' E

34 A. D. 1713-

fhips for carrying over the company's goods, fadors, and fervants. But
yet the court of diredlors were not a little furprifed to find, that the
queen had referved to herfelf, or to her afligns, another quarter part of the
alliento ; befide her grant of 74- per cent to Don Manuel Manafles Gil-
ligan, the Spanifli agent at her court, out of the clear profits of the an-
nual fhip : yet fhe afterward refigned her quarter part of the afliento to
the company, on condition that they fhould, befides the above grant to
Gilligan, aflign 21-^ per cent of the clear profits of the annual fhip to
perfons whom fhe would afterward name, who were then laid to be
Lord Eolingbroke, Lady Mafham, and Arthur Moore, Efq. Such were
then the wild and ill-grounded expedations from this new trade ; yet,
on better advice, the queen gave up entirely to the company her part
of the fuppofed profits, to the no fmall mortification of the above and
other courtiers, as was then commonly reported, and generally believed.

On the 30th of April 171 3 the houfe of commons, after reading
the feveral petitions of the feparate traders to the coaft of Guinea with-
in the limits of the royal African company, once more refolved, that
the trade to Africa ought to be free and open to all the queen's fubjeds,
under fuch proper regulations as fhould fubjed that trade to duties for
maintaining its forts and fettlements. Yet a bill for this purpofe was
foon after dropped in the houfe of peers.

Peter, the czar of Mufcovy, in completion of his plan for a new em-
porium at St. Peterfburgh, now removed the bulk of the commerce of
Archangel thither, and alfo tranfplanted 30,000 people from his antient
capital city of Mofcow, and obliged more of his bojars (or nobles) to
ered palaces therein, as he alfo did one for himfelf, making St. Peterf-
burgh henceforth his ufual refidence.

The great importance of the filk manufadures of England, at this
time, eminently appeared from a petition to parliament by the weaver's
company of London in behalf of thofe manufudtures. They therein
fet forth, that by the encouragement of the crown, and of divers ads
of parliament, the filk manufadure is come to be above twenty times
as great as it was in the year 1664: and that all forts of black and col-
oured filks, gold and filver ftufFs, and ribands, are now made here as
good as in France. That black filk for hoods and fcarves, not made
here above 25 years ago, hath amounted annually to above L300,ooo
Avorth, for feveral years pafl:, which before were imported from France;
which increafe of the filk manufadure hath caufed an increafe of our
exportation of woollen goods to Turkey, Italy, &c.

This petition was purpofely levelled againft the 8th and 9th articles
of the commercial treaty with France, the ratification of which propof-
fd by parliament would, in place of our filk manuflidure, have intro-
duced an inundation of French filks, ribands, embroideries, &c. where-
V>y our Spitalfields and Canterbury looms would have flood flill, and our

A.D.I 713. 35

moft profitable tr.ide in woollen goods, &c. with Portugal, would have
been utterly loft.

Daring the two lad wars with France the manufaclarers of England
did irreparable damage to the French, by imitating them in, and even
out-doing them in, many of their beft manufactures, wherewith they
had before iiipplied almoft all the reft of Europe. Neceflity, indeed,
firft prompted our people thereunto, in which they were much alhfted
by the French refugees, as we have obferved more at large under the
years 1685 and 1692.

By the treaty of Utrecht, between France and Portugal, the former
yields up all pretenfions to the lands of Cape-Nord, fituated between the
river of Amazons and that of Japoc or Vincent Pinion. And the
French king thereby declares, that both fides of the river Amazons, as
well Ibuth as north, belong to Portugal ; and he defifts from any claim
to navigation on the river Amazons, and from all right to any other
domain of his Portuguefe majefty, as well in America as in all other
parts of the world. Neither ftiall the French of Cayenne pafs the river
of Vincent Pinfon for traffic, nor ftiall buy flaves in the territories of
Cape-Nord. Nor, on the other hand, ftiall any Portuguele go to trade
at Cayenne. Of all which, the queen of Great Britain is hereby confti-
tutcd guarantee. As this fliort treaty fhews that France, at that time,
made pretenfions to fome part of that continent, lb it may hereafter be
ufeful to illuftiate fome commercial point or concern in that part of the
world.

By the treaty between France and the king of Pruflia at Utrecht,.
Louis recognifes the king of Prullia's title and dignity as a king, and
acknowleges him fovereign lord of the principality of Neufchatel and
Valengin, to which Louis grants the fame commercial privileges as are
enjoyed by the reft of the Helvetic nation ; and, in his grandfon's name,
he confirms to him' the upper quarter of Gelderland ; which cellion,
however, at firft alarmed the Dutch not a little, on account of their trade
on the Meufe, and their communication with Maeftrecht, Liege, Huy,,
and Namur. But there was no remedy.

On the o-ther hand, the king of Pruftia thereby renounced all right to
the principality of Orange.

By the loth article of Louis's treaty with the duke of Savoy, it was
ftipulated, that the ordinary commerce of Italy, between France and
that duke, be managed by the way of Suza, Savoy, and Pont de beau
Voifin, and Villa-Franca ; each paying the duties and cuftoms on both
fides, and the French ftiips paying the antient duty, called the duty of
Villa Franca.

In the French king's treaty witli the ftates-general of the United
Netherlands, at Utrecht, he engages, by the 32d arti' le, not to claim

E2

36 A. D.I 7 13-

nor accept any other advantage, either for hitnfelf or his fubjeds, in
commerce and navigation, whether in Spain or in the Spanifh In-
dies, befide that which he enjoyed during the reign of the late King
Charles II, or that fhall be likewife granted to every other trading na-
tion.

By their proper treaty of commerce, navigation, and marine affairs
with France, (conlifting of 44 articles, befide a feparate one,) which
was to laft for 25 years; the 9th article grants equal liberty to the
Dutch as to the lubjeds of France, to carry merchandize from the Le-
vant to Marfeilles, as well by their own fhips as in French fhips, with-
out being fubjedl: to the 20 per cent, unlefs in cafes where the French
themfelves are fubjeft to it. By the loth, the Dutch may freely im-
port faked herrings into France, without being liable to repackage.
By the 19th, contraband goods are defer ibed to be all forts of fire-arras
and military utenfils ; alfo faltpetre, horfes, faddles, holfters, belts, &c.
But by the 2cth, wheat and other corn, pulfe, oil, wine, and fait, were
not to be deemed contraband goods, nor were any other things, in ge-
neral, which tended to the nourifhment of life, but fliall remain free,
as other merchandize, and may be tranfported even to enemies, except-
ing to towns adlually befieged or blocked up. By the 29th, privateers
fhall give 15,000 livres tournois, fecurity for their not committing dif-
orders, &c.

The refl of the articles relate to a multitude of points ufual in all
other treaties of commerce, concerning mutual liberty of commerce,
reception in their ports, captures, contraband goods, tolls, damages,
fearching fhips for contraband goods, arrefls, imports, pafFports, goods
belonging to either party found in enemies fhips, feizures, &c. and
therefor needlefs to be particularized. But the feparate article flipu-
latcs, ' that the impofition of 50 fols per ton, laid in France upon the
' fhips of foreigners, fhall entirely ceafe for the future with refped to
' all Dutch fhips arriving in France, either loaded or in ballalT: ; except-
' ing only in one particular cafe, viz. when Dutch fliips fhall load mer-
' chandize in one port of France, and tranfport them to another port
' of France to unload them.'

In July 1 71 3, there \vas a temporary or provifional contrad figned
at Utrecht between Great Britain and the flates-general, refpeding the
commerce of the Spaniih Netherlands, now unn'eceflary to be fpecifi-
ed.

To conclude all that relates to the famous grand alliance againfl:
France, the Britifh miniflry, by their feparate peace, having left and
abandoned the emperor and empire to fliift for themfelves, it was eafy
to guefs they vvould not long hold out againfl the power of France and
Spain. The emperor, therefor, for himfelf, in March 1 714, (N. S.)
concluded, at Ra^adt, a peace with France (the French king being em-

A. D. 1713. 37

powered all along to treat for his grandfon) on as good terms as could
well have been expeded in his then fituation, being obliged to leave
Landau and Strafburg in the pofleffion of France, and to confent that
Arras, Douay, and Lifle, fhould alfo remain to France, and to reftore to
the eledors of Cologne and Bavaria every thing they before enjoyed.
And, in September following, a folemn treaty of peace was concluded
at Baden between the emperor and empire and the French king,
which confirmed what was ftipulated by that of Rafladt, relating to the
frontier towns iia Alface and the Netherlands, and to the reftoration of
the above eledors, as alio recognizing the electoral dignity to the houfe
of Brunfwic-Lunenburg ; confirmed the former intercourfe of com-
merce between France and the empire, and the rights, commerce, and
privileges, of the imperial cities and Hanfe towns ; as alfo what the em-
peror then pofTefFed in Italy, the neutrality of which country was alfo
confirmed. But nothing is remarkable therein, in relation to commer-
cial hifl:ory.

This year the former treaties between the ftates-general of the
United provinces of the Netherlands, and the burgomafi:ers and com-
mon council of the free and imperial city of Lubec, for the preferva-
tion of the freedom of commerce, were renewed for fifty years ; to
which defenfive treaty and confederacy, any other of the Hanfe towns
were permitted to accede. This treaty was occafioned by the wars
then raging between the northern potentates bordering on the Baltic
fhores.

In confequence of an a.&. of parliament [12 ^n/i. c. 1 1] for raifing
Li ,200,000 for the public fervice, by circulating a farther fum in ex-
chequer bills, &c. the bank of England undertook the circulation of
that fum in exchequer bills, for which they were to have L3 per cent
per annum. And, to enable the bank to perform that circulation, by
exchanging the bills for ready money on demand, this ad allows them
L8000 yearly, over and above the L45,ooo allowed them annually by
the 9th of the queen, till all the prefent and former exchequer bills
fhall be paid off and cancelled ; for which end the bank might call in
money from their proprietors, which might be called additional flock.
The bank likewiie was to continue a corporation, till all fliould be paid
off and cancelled. Secondly, on twelve months notice, after the iR of
Auguft 1742, and re-payment of the yearly fund, and of the original
capital of Li ,600,000, then the corporation of the bank was to ceafe
and determine*.

* It is worthy of notice, that Sicily, which ap- prife oa the one hand, and of (loth and fiipei'lli-

jiarently was tiie original mother of all the fugar- tion on the ot'-.er, appears in a reprefentntion

canes, which have (locked the Weft-Indies, ufually to the board of trade by the merchar.ts trading

received fiigars at this time from Britain. Thisre- to Sicily, dated eyth Ot.obcr 1713. M.
niaikable effeft of indullry and commercial enter-

38 i\. D.I 7 14.

1714. — In the beginning of the year 171 4 the queen's declining
flate of health, and the great uneaflnefs of the men of property on the
apprehenfion of her death, occafioned a confiderable fall in the prices
of the public funds, viz. bank llock from 12^ to 116 ; South- fea flock
from 94^ to 85. There was alfo, for fome days, a great run on the
bank : yet national credit very foon returned to its former ftate, and
even gradually advanced higher than before ; though, at the death of
that princefs, the national debt amounted to about 50 millions of money.

Upon the petition of Mr. Whifton and Mr. Ditton, fupported by the
opinions of the great Sir Ifaac Newton and Dr. Halley, in the year
1714 the Britifti parharaent pafled an ad [12 Ann. Je[f. 2, c. 15] for
providing a public reward for the difcovery of the longitude at fea.
The preamble obferves, that * it is well known by all that are ac-
' quainted with the art of navigation, that nothing is lb much wanted
' and defired at fea as the difcovery of the longitude, for the fafety and
' quicknefs of voyages, the prefervation of fhips, and of the lives of
' men: and whereas, in the judgment of able mathematicians and na-
' vigators, feveral methods have already been difcovered, true in theo-
' ay, though very difficult in pradlice, fome of which, there is reafon to
' cxped:, may be capable of improvement, fome already difcovered may

* be propofed to the public, and others may be invented hereafter.
' And whereas fuch difcovery would be of particular advantage to the

* trade of Great Britain, and very much for the honour of this king-
' don : but, befides the great difficuky of the thing itfelf, partly for the
' want of fome public reward as an encouragement, and partly for want

* of money for trials and experiments neceffary thereunto, no fuch in-
' ventions or propofals, hitherto made, have been brought to perfec-
' tion.' It was therefor now enaded, that the lord high admiral, the
fpeaker of the houfe of commons, and fundry other great officers, by
virtvie of their offices, and feveral other perfons, fliould be commiflion-
ers for trying and judging of all propofals, experiments, and improve-
ments, relating to the fame ; who, being fatisfied of the probability of
fuch difcovery, fhould certify the fame to the commiffioners of the
navy, who were empowered to make out a bill for any fum, not exceed-
ing L20CO, which the commiflioners for the longitude fhould think ne-
cefHiry for making the experiments. And the ultimate reward ofiered
to the difcoverer of the longitude, if he determines it to one degree, or
60 geographical miles, was Li 0,000, if to two thirds of a degree, Li 5,000,
and if to half a degree, L2o,ooo, &c.

All that needs farther to be faid on this moft important fubjed, is,
that part of the L2000 has been already expended on fruitlefs experi-
ments ; and that many are of opinion the longitude never can be
found. But who can pronounce with certainty on a fubjed of this na-
ture, fmce many ufeful difcoverics have, at different times, been made
on other points of great importance, when leafl expeded ?

3

A, D. 1714. 39

Another flatute made in the fame feffion, [c. 16] for reducing the
rate of intereft without any prejudice to parUamentary fecurities, has
the following preamble, viz. ' Whereas the reducing of interefl: to ten,
' and from thence to eight, and thence to fix, in the hundred, hath frcm
' time to time, by experience, been found very beneficial to the ad-

* vancement of trade and improvement of lands ; it is become abfo-
' lutely necefiTary to reduce the high rate of interefl: of 6 per cent to a

* nearer proportion with the interefl; allowed for money in foreign

* fiates.' It was therefor ena6ted, that from the 29th day of Septem-
ber, 1 71 4, no perfon Ihould, diredly nor indiredly, take for the loan of
monies, goods, or merchandize, above the value of L5 for the forbear-
ance of L 100 for a year; and that all bonds, contradls, and aflurances
whatfoever, made after that day, for payment of any principal or mo-
ney to be lent, or covenanted to be performed upon, or for any ufury,*

* whereupon, or whereby, there fliall be referved or taken above the rate

* of L5 in the hundred, fliould be utterly void. That all perfons who

* fhould after that time receive, by means of any corrupt bargain,
' loan, exchange, chevizance, ftiift, or interefl: of any wares, merchan-

* dize, or other thing whatever, or by any deceitful way or means, or

* by any covin, engine, or deceitful conveyance for the forbearing or

* giving day of payment, for one whole year, for their money or other

* thing, above the fum of L5 for Lioo for a year, fliould forfeit for

* every fuch offence the triple value of the monies or other things fo
' lent, bargained, &c. And all fcriveners, brokers, folicitors, and driv-
' ers of bargains for contrails, who fliould, after that day, receive above
' 5/ for negotiating the loan of Lico for a year, or above 12(7 over and
' above the ftamp-duties, for renewing the bond or bill for loan, or for
' any counter bond or bill concerning the fame, fliould forfeit for every
' fuch offence L20, with cofls of fuit, and fuffer imprifonment for half
' a year.'

Another fl:atute of the fame feflion, [c. 1 8] for preferving all fuch
fliips and the goods thereof, which ftiall happen to be forced on fliore,
or flranded, upon the coafls of this kingdom, or anv other of hermajef-
ty's dominions, confirmed the ftatute of the third of King Edward I, con-
cerning wrecks at lea, which enads, that where a man, a dog, or a cat,
efcape quick (alive) out of the fliip, neither that fliip nor barge, nor
any thing in them, fliall be adjudged a wreck; but the goods fliall be
faved for the proprietors, &c. And alfo a ftatute of the 4th of that
king, that if any lay hands on the wreck, he fliall be attached by fufli-
cient pledges, and the price of the wreck fliall be valued and delivered
to the next town. And whereas great complaints have been made by
both Britifli and foreign merchants, that their fliips, being unfortunatc-

* The word u/ury is ftill retained in this aft as the legal term for a fair iiilcrcil of money, tLough in
common acceptation it applies only to iutcreft above the lawful rate.

40 A. D. 1 7 14.

ly run on fhore near home, have been barbaroufly plundered, and their
cargoes embezzled; and when any part thereof has been faved, it has
been fwallowed up by exorbitant demands for falvage. It was now
enaded, that the fheriffs, juftices of the peace, and magiftrates of port-
towns, alfo conftables, tything-men, and officers of the cuftoms, Ihall,
upon application made to them by the concerned, command the con-
ftables to fummon as many men as neceffary for aflifting in the prefer-
vation of fuch fhip in diftrefs, and the goods thereof; and if any queen's
fhip or merchant-lhip be riding at anchor near the wreck, their afllft-
ance fliall be demanded ; or, negleding fuch affiftance, the commander
ot fuch {hip (hall forfeit Lioo to the proprietors of the fhip in diflrefs.
Secondly, for the encouragement of fuch as (hall affift, the colledors of
the cuftoms, and the commander of fuch fliip, and all others ailifting,
fliall be paid a reafonable reward for the fume from the proprietors.
And, in default of fuch reward, the faid ftiip or goods, fo laved, fliall
remain in the cuftody of fuch officer of the cuftoms until all charges
be paid, and fuch reafonable gratification given, or fecurity for it, of
which three neighbouring juftices fliall adjuft the quaiitum to be paid.
Goods, not claimed by the right owners in twelve months, fliall be fold,
and perifliable goods immediately ; and the value of both fliall be lodg-
ed in the exchequer till claimed by the right owners. Perfons entering
a diftrefl'ed fliip without proper leave, or obftructing the faving of fliip
or goods, or, when faved, defacing the marks of fuch goods, fliall make
double fatisfaction, or be lent to an houfe of corredion for twelve:
months : and fuch perfons, fo entering the fliip without leave, may be
legally repelled by force. Any perfon, carrying oft' goods without leave,
fliall forfeit triple the value. Making holes in any fhip in fuch diflrefs,
or ftealing the pump thereof, or otherwife contributing to its deftruc-
tion, fliall be felony without benetit of clergy.

Provifo, for faving the right of the crown, or of patentees, or of lords
of manors, to any wreck, or to goods that fliall be flotfam, jetfam, or
lagan, (i. e. floating, thrown on land, or lying on the fliores,) within
their refpedive jurifdidions.

By an ad of the 4th of King George, this ftatute was made perpetual:
and for effedually j^reventing wilfully cafting away, burning, or other-
wife deftroying, fliips by the owners, mafters, or mariners, it was hereby
enaded, that perfons fo doing to the prejudice of underwriters of poli-
cies of infurance, or of merchants lading goods in fuch fliips, fliall fufter
death.

Yet, we are truely forry to remark, that, notwithftanding this good
law, there have been frequently very barbarous infradions of it, more
efpecially on the farther fouth-weftern fliores of England, which feem
to want a ftronger enforcement : although this ad direds it to be read

A. D. 1 7 14. 41

fo'ir times yearly in all the parifh churches and chapels of all fea-port
towns on the fea-coafts of the kingdom.

As we have formerly obferved, that the pofl-office revenue is, in
fome fort, a kind of politico-commercial puUe or tell of a nation's prof-
perity, we fliall here exhibit a ftate thereof for fome years paft, as the
materials have fallen in our way.

The author of the Royal treafury of England, (oSiavo, 1725, /». 307),
fays, ' that, when an ad of parliament paffed in 1660, for eftablifhing a
' general pofl-office in England, it then brought in a revenue of L2 1 ,000
' per annum *.'

The rates of poftage continued the fame till the eiid of 1710 : we have
no'ted, under the year 171 1, that on a medium of three years, 1708-10,
the net income was Ls6,664, (according to D'Avenant's New dialogues,)
but, by the printed report of the commiflioners of the equivalent, 171 8,
to the houfe of commons, that medium then amounted to L62,ooo for
England, and L2000 for Scotland.

From lady-day, or the beginning of 171 1, an addition of one third
to the poftage of home letters was made by a& of parliament, as it re-
mains to this day ; and, on a medium of four years, to lady-day 1715,
the net revenue was _ _ . _ 11,90,223

Now deduding the revenue at the relloration, - 21,000

69,223
Alfo one third for the increafe in 171 1 , by the additional poft-
age. ______ 23,000

And the net increafe of this revenue, fince the relloration, is L46,ooo

Only deduding about L2000 for Scotland ; which dedudion is proba-
bly more than compenfated by the additional expenfe arifen from the
great increafe of franked letters.

About this time the emperor Charles VI firfc granted commiflions
to (hips fitted out at Oftend, for trading to Eail-India, whereby great
quantities of India goods were brought to Europe, which very much
interfered with the commerce of the Englifli and Dutch companies ;
moft of which interloping fhips, as well as their commanders and fecret
projedors, were, nevertheleis, procured from England and Holland,
Some fhips, under that prince's commiffion, were fitted out from Lif-
bon and Leghorn. All which moved the Englilh and Dutch compa-
nies to make loud complaints at the court of Vienna, though for fome
years without any redreis.

* I piefume, bemoans, iici ■,

Vol. IIL ; I'

42 A. D. 17 14.

On the 9th of June 1714 the houfe of commons addrefled Queen
Anne, that her quarter part of the affiento contrail with Spain might
be appHed to the difcharge of the national debts ; but on the i8th, (he
anfwered, that fhe had given the fame up to the South-fea company.
And the fame year the queen granted two other fhips of war to ac-
company and efcort the other two fhips, which fhe had before granted
for carrying out the company's goods, fadtors, &c. The ports where
that company had leave to trade, and to fettle factories, were Panama
in the South fea, and Portobello, Carthagena, and Vera Cruz, on the
North fea, Buenos-Ayres on the Rio de la Plata, and the port of Ha-
vanna in the ifle of Cuba, befides their inland fub-fadories in New
Spain, &c. and their agents at Jamaica, as well as at Cadiz and Madrid
in Old Spain. So here was a mofl pompous and fpecious out-fet. And
the queen's grant of her quarter part of the afliento not having been
formally conveyed to the company before her death. King George I
confirmed that grant on his acceffion to the crown, as alfo that of the
four fhips, which failed to America in the beginning of the year 1715."}

Neverthelefs, in the debates in parliament, it already too plainly ap-
peared, that, from the explanations made by the court of Madrid to
their treaty of commerce with Britain, fince figning the treaty af
Utrecht, it was not very probable that we fhould be able to carry on an
advantageous trade with the Spanifh Weft-Indies, as matters then
flood.

The acceffion of the prefent royal family of Hanover to the Britifh
throne, by the death of Queen Anne, gave great fatisfadion to the bet-
ter part of the nation of all ranks, and efpecially to the monied and
trading interefls, who thereupon affumed new life and vigour : and al-
though difaffedlion foon after broke out into an open rebellion, yet that
being alfo foon and eafily quelled, our general commerce and manufac-
tures have continued, very fenfibly, to increafe ever fnice that happy
period. Our mercantile fliipping, not only in London, but in moft of
our other fea-ports, have alfo vifibly increafed, as in Briflol, Liverpool,
Glafgow, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and in many other ports of Britain
and Ireland ; and for a never-failing confirmation of the great increafe
of the commerce of thofe cities and towns, let the vafl increafe of the
fuburbs of London and Dublin more eminently fpeak fince that pe-
riod ; as well as of Briflol and Liverpool, and of fundry inland manu-
facturing towns to a great degree alfo; fuch as Manchefter, Birming-
ham, &c. And the like may be faid with refpecl to our American co-
lonies. Where liberty and property are inviolably preferved, and the
eftablifhed form of religion firmly fecured, while, at the fame time, fuch
as difTent from it, of all perfuafions of proteflants, are made eafy and
fafe under the protedlion of the laws ; what can poffibly hinder fuch a
country and people from growing rich and powerful ? on the other

A. D, 1714, 43

hand, while, for want of heirs of the qxieen's body, the fpurious preten-
fion of one bred up in the perfecuting bigotry of a very different reli-
gion from ours, and yet favoured by* too many at home, as well as en-
couraged by certain foreign potentates, hung over our heads, it is not
to be wondered at, that in the later part of that queen's reign, a general
diffidence and uneafinefs prevailed among all ranks, till the legal fettle-
ment of a proteftant fvicceflion, with a numerous royal family, took
place. And where fuch a general uneafinefs long continues, commerce
will gradually languifh, many perfons will at length leave fuch a coun-
try to feek for fweet content and liberty elfewhere ; and as the people
will thereby decreafe, fo will likewife their manufactures and {hipping.
But, thanks to kind providence, the reverfe is now, and long has been,
our happy condition.

1 71 5 King Louis XIV of France dying in this year 1 71 5, we

fliall only briefly note, that, as during his long reign, he had done much
hurt to his country, by driving out of France fo many induftrious ma-
nufacfturers, artifans, and merchants, whom neceflity prompted to pro-
pagate their arts and fkill in the countries, to which they had retired
for fhelter : fo, on the other hand, in his reign foreign commerce and
plantations were confiderably improved by the French : he alfo greatly
improved and increafed his marine, fo that it fometimes proved a match
for the joint fleets of both the other maritime powers of Europe. And
although in this work we have nothing particularly to do with his un-
jufl; invafions of his peaceable neighbours, any farther than as it affeded
the general ftate of commerce either in his own kingdom or elfewhere ;
yet we cannot avoid remarking, that his perfecution of his protefl:ant
fubjeds nearly depopulated a confiderable part of his country, and alfo
greatly leflened the former vaft confumption of French manufadures
in foreign countries, as we have elfewhere remarked : his foreign wars
alfo confumed great numbers of his people, infomuch that it is doubted
by many, whether France would not upon the whole have been hap-
pier, more populous, and richer, had Louis folely cultivated the arts of
peace and manufadures, and thereby not only would have increafed
his own people, but would have likewife drawn* thither great numbers
of foreigners ; inftead of having, by his unjufl conquefts, extended his
dominions on almofl every fide ; and would thereby have alfo increafed
his maritime fl.rength, and his American plantations.

Be this as it may, we fliall only farther note, from Voltaire's Age of
Louis XIV, ' that during his whole reign, he expended eighteen thou-
' fand millions of French money, which, on an average, comes to 330
' millions yearly of prefent money;' or about fourteen millions fterling
per annum, one year with another.

In Mr. Wood's Survey of trade, {p. 51) he gives us the balance of
commerce in our favour, for the years 171 3 and 17 14, on a medium

F2

44 A. D. 1 7 15.

of the two years, viz. our exports, on a medium, exceeded our imports
L2,i03,i48 yearly.

About this time, pig and bar iron began to be made in Virginia of
a very good quality ; and it is faid to be fince much improved.

By an ad of theBritifh parliament of the ift year of King George I,
for enlarging the fund of the bank of England, relating to exchequer
bills, &c. it was enaded, that after the redemption of the bank's origi-
nal fund, andlikewife of the fund created by this ad, for farther circu-
lating exchequer bills ; then, and not till then, the corporation of the
bank fhould ccafe and determine. This was commonly called the ag-
gregate fund, though not applied to conftitute a part of the general fink-
ing fund for leflening the national debts, till the ad of the 3d of King
George, c. 8.

By an ad of parliament of this ill year of King George I, for en-
larging the capital flock and yearly fund of the South-fea company, and
for fupplying thereby L822,032:4:8 to public ufes; and for raifing
Li 69,000, &c.

The capital flock of the South fea company, which till now was

L9.177.967 ^5 4
Had an addition made to it from the navy-ofHce
treafurer, of - - - - 822,032 4 8

Whereby the capital was, after midfummer 1715,
made up - - - - 10,000,000 o o

"Which additional flock confifted of the following particulars, viz.

?For half a year's interefl on their capital of
hg,iy'j,^6j : 15:4 from chriflmas 1714, to mid-
fummer 171 5.
^^ ^^^ ^ 7 More thereof in full for the half-year, ended at

300,000 OOj-,.n ,• r ■, y 1 ^

J cbrutmas 1715, on the mcrealed capital.
8 000 o o I ^""^ '■^^^'' ^llow^i^ce for charges of management
) for one year, ended on the 25th of December 171 5.

L583.339 o 8

1 Laflly, there was an addition of ftock made trans-
238,693 4 o >-ferable for the ufe of the public, as the treafury
■ y fhould dired.

L82 2,o32 4 8 as above.

By thefe additions there was alfo an addition of L49,32i : 18 : 8 to
the company's yearly fund, which thereby was made up L6oo,ooo per
annum, at 6 per cent.

A. D. 1715- 45

Yet, notwitliftanding the provifion hereby made for the year 171 5,
the company might ftill proceed to receive the duties arifing by fah,
candles, clerks, apprentices, &c. by virtue of the act of the 9th of Queen
Anne, whereby they were enabled to make their dividends for this year
1715 in money; and that we may end this point here, though fomewhat
out of its place, the company's general court in May 171 6, made the two
half-years dividends for the year 17 16, in the flock aforefaid ; the divi-
dends for both half-years being made at midfummer 1716, by add-
ing 6 per cent in flock to each proprietor's account, for the two half-
years dividends, (9th and 10th) to chriftmas 1716.

In this fame year, the South-fea company's firft annual fhip was
launched, and named the Royal Prince, in honour of the prince of
Wales, (fince King George II) governor of that company, who, on
that occafion, was magnificently entertained on board her, with all his-
court. This fhip's firft voyage was in 171 7, and her fee ond voyage,

1723-

A printed paper now appeared, giving the net anaount of the cuftoms
of England, for the fifteen immediately preceding years ; which was as
follows, leaving out the odd fhillings and pence, viz.

Anno 1700, - - ■ - ~ - 1.1,379,460

1701, - - - - 1,637,809

1702, . _ - - - _ 1,285,605

1703, - _ - . - 1,206,349

1704, - - . - _ - 1,401,390

1705. - - - - - 1,139.277

' 1706, --_-__- 1,311,856

1707, - _ - _ _ 1,192,081

1708, - ... - 1,351^536

1809, - - _ - . 1,353,483

1710, _ _ _ _ 1,208,292

171 1, - -._-.. 1,253,598

1712, ----- 1,315,423

1713, - - - - 1,541,17c

1714, - . _ . 1,714,139

Total in 15 years, L20,29i,468

The cuftoms, on a medium, for one year, - Li ,352,764

Here we may naturally obferve, that the years 1701, 171 3, and 1714,
confiderably exceeded any of the other eleven ; and yet 1704, aprofper-
ous year of war, fomewhat exceeded the year 1700, a year of peace,
but an uniettled and threatening one. And, laftly, that the net amount
of the year 1709, exadly correfponds with that given in to the houfe of
commons in that year, which fo far confirms the authenticity of the
account.

46 A. n. 1 7 15-

Upon a petition of the agent for the planters and merchants of Caro-
lina, and of the other inhabitants of that colony, reprefenting the op-
preflion of the lords proprietors, and their negledl of defence agaiiifl the
Indians, &c. the houfe of commons addrefled the king to fend them
relief: and a bill was this year brought into the houfe of commons, for
the better regulation of the charter and proprietary governments in
America, and of his majefty's plantations there ; the principal fcope of
which was to reduce all the proprietary charter governments into regal
ones. Ever fince the proprietary colonies began to be very confiderable,
(i. e. fmce the death of King Charles II, and more efpecially fince the
revolution in i688,) the miniftry forefaw the great confequence it would
be of to the crown and kingdom, to buy off the proprietors of colonies,
before they fhould grow too powerful ; and frequent treaties were held
with them by the minifters of the crown for that end; particularly with
the truely great Mr. William Penn, for the purchafe of his fine province
of Pennfylvania. His demand was L20,ooo and Queen Anne, in
council, referred that demand to the lords commiffioners of trade
and plantations ; whofe report was referred by the queen to the
lords commiffioners of the treafury ; foon after which an agreement
was made with Mr. Penn for L 12,000 for the province : but he being
foon after feized with an apoplexy, which difabled him to execute
the fome, a flop was put to that bargain, till by the queen's order a bill
in parliament fhould be prepared for that end. While that bill was
de^jending, Mr. Jolhua Gee and others, who were mortgagees under Mr.
Penn, petitioned the houfe of commons for relief; wherein they repre-
fented, that Mr. Penn having purchafed of the Indians their title to that
country, he had by his induftry and at great charge improved it, and
cftabliflied confiderable colonies therein, whereby he had very much
impaired his eftate in Europe ; and that, in the year 1708, to clear a
debt contraded for fettling and improving the faid colonies, he had bor-
sowed of the faid mortgagees L6,6oo, to whom he mortgaged the pro-
vince and all his powers of government. How beneficial it would have
been for the public to have then paid oflf the mortgagees, and have pur-
chafed that province, fince fo vaftly increafed in people and value, is
now (almoft too late) feen by every one.

Lord Baltimore, as v/e have ken under the year 1661, (though at this
time only firfi: reprefented to the legiflature, by the young lord's guard-
ians) in his petition reprefented the great expenfe his great-grandfatlier
had been at in fettling his province of Maryland ; and that he and his
three brothers and two fifters, (lately become protefiants, the famHy
having always been papifis till now) had no way of providing for them-
frlves but out of thofe feveral branches of the civil government of the
province, which by a bill for the better regulation of the charter and
l>roprietary governments in America, and for the encouragement of the
trade of this kingdom and of his majefty's plantations, were intended

A. D. 1 7 15. 47

fo be taken away ; the amount whereof was at leaft L3,ooo per annum *.
And, as the Indians in this province were very inconfiderable, the white
people therein being now much more numerous and ftronger than they,
they therefor humbly hoped, that Maryland might be excepted out of
this bill.

A petition was Ukewife prefented by the agent for his majefly's pro-
vinces of Maflachufet's bay and Connedicut. With relation to MafTa-
chufet's bay, it was reprefented, that it had its charter from King James I
in the i 8th year of his reign, afterward confirmed by King Charles I
in the 4th year of his reign, by virtue whereof, the governor and com-
pany of the Maflachufet's bay had power to appoint their own officers,
civil and military, with other privileges therein mentioned : that in the
reign of King James II, their charter was vacated, at the fame time that
many corporations in England were disfranchifed : that after the revo-
lution King William refl:ored the charter, only referving to himfelf the
appointment of a governor, lieutenant-governor, fecretary, judge of the
admiralty, and the attorney-general; and that this is the charter which
the province now enjoys. Hereupon it is humbly obferved, that the
charter of this province being on the fame footing with the corporations
in England, it feems equally hard to divert them of it, as it would be to
disfranchife the corporations at home. That this province has given a
valuable confideration to the crown for their charter, viz. the fubduing
and planting a wildernefs, at a vafl: expenfe, and with the lofs of many
lives ; whereby they have added a large territory to the crown, and
thereby alfo greatly increafed the trade and commerce of Britain. That
this province is not within the reafons fuggefled in the bill, for they
have not excercifed arbitrary power; neither indeed can they : for the
principal officers before mentioned, being appointed by the crown, are
fuch a check on the government, that it is entirely out of their power
to opprefs the fubjedt. Moreover, they have not neglefted the defence
of the inhabitants ; on the contrary, they have well defended both them-
felves and their neighbours in a long French and Indian war ; and their
ordinary charge for guards, garrifons, guard-fliips, &c. has been L35,ooo
one year with another. And though thereby the province has contracft-
ed a debt of Li5o,ooo yet they do not complain; nor are they,
burdenfome to the crown, but are paying it off yearly by degrees
Moreover, if this charter fhould be taken away, no compenfation can be
made for it : whereas, in the cafe of proprietary governments, an equi-
valent may be given to the proprietors, as it feems is intended : but
here it cannot be, becaufe the privileges here are not vefted in particu-
lar perfons, but in the body of the people. Thus, it is like to happen,
that the proprietors of Carolina, &c. on whofe accovmt alone this bill is
brought in, may come off well enough, while the charter governments

* They are faid to be now (1762) above £9,000 a year. A.

48 A. D. 1 7 15.

in New-England, which have done nothing amifs, (hall be the only fuf-
ferers : it is therefor humbly prayed, that this province may ftill enjoy
its privileges, by being excepted ovit of the bill.

With refpecl to the Conneclicut charter, which was alfo intended to
be taken away by this bill ; it had, like other charter governments, a
grant from the crown, whereby they were empowered to appoint all their
own officers, civil and military, for the adminiftration and execution of
juftice : the lirfl; planters, entirely confiding in the royal charter for the
fecurity of their liberties therein granted, did, at a vaft; expenfe and
great peril, fubdue and plant a wildernels, whereby they have increafed
the dominions of the crown, as well as the commerce of Britain: they
have, in all times fince, defended themfelves againfl the enemy ; and
have impartially adminiftered juftice to thefubjed: and when public
meafurcs have been concerted for the common good of the colonies,
they have cheerfully joined inthe expenfe. Moreover, they have never
to this day coft the crown fo much as one Ihilling. They have fl:ri6lly ob-
ferved the acts of trade and navigation. They have been always dutiful
to the crown ;, and, if their charter be taken away, no equivalent can be
given for it ; (for the fame reafons alTigned in the Mailachufet's bay
petition.) It is therefor humbly hoped, that the colony of Connecfticut
may be excepted out of the bill.

Petitions were alfo prefented in behalf of the duke of Beaufort and
Lord Craven, both minors, to be heard by council againftthe bill, they
being confiderable proprietors in Carolina and the Bahama iflands ;
and from the agent for the colony of Rhode ifland and Providence
plantation in New-England. The foregoing petitions, which contain
much of the hiftory of the firft planting of thefe colonies, were referred
to the committee to whom the bill was committed.

Yet, notwithftanding all the buftle occafioned by this bill, it was in
the end dropped ; although it is moft certainly and obvioufly of the laft
importance to the public, that the proprietary colonies, ftill exifting as
fuch, ftiould be bought otf and vefted in the crown; fince the longer
they remain proprietary, the more valuable they conftantly grow to the
proprietors, and the more difficult itwill prove to buy them out. This,
doubtlefs, the legiflature will hereafter duely confider in afeafon of pro-
found peiice and tranquillity. The foregoing petitions and allegations
of the charter colonies are much more difficult to be anfwered, for
the reafons therein exhibited. And this was probably one main reafon
tor dropping the bill ; which, doubtlefs, was a well intended one, though
Uable to fome objedions, which may hereafter be obviated. What will
■jwfterity fay of theprefent age? but that, in refped to the large proprie-
tary governments of Britifti America, we were fupinely negligent of the
national intereft ; when it (hall be found, that the proprietors have fo
vaft an income thereby, as to render it impradicable to buy them out,

A. D.I 7 15- 49-

without either laying too heavy a burden on the public, or elfe ufing
compulfive means, which are inconfiftent with our conftitution.

By the treaty of peace, concluded at Utrecht this year between King-
John V of Portugal and King Philip V of Spain, the later cedes to the
former, by the fixth article, the territory of the Sacrament, lituated on.
the northern bank of the river of Plate, in America ; but lo as that no
other nation of Europe fhall be permitted to fettle in or trade to it.
Yet, in the next article it is ftipulated, that the king of Spain may ne-
verthelefs offer an equivalent for the faid colony, if agreeable to his
Portuguefe majefty ; provided it be made within one year and an half.
All other conquefts on either fide are by this treaty to be mutually
reflored.

So greatly does the colony of New-England abound with naval ftores
of almofi; all kinds, that in a letter from a New-Englander to the board
of trade and plantations (printed in this year, 171 5) concerning the New-
England trade, it is aflerted, ' that one fleet only from New-England
' brought home 6000 barrels of pitch, tar, and turpentine, to London,

* and that millions of trees are rotting in the woods, for want of encou-
' ragement to colled them. Mails,' fays this author, ' we have the fineft

* in the world : of hemp we have hitherto raifed but little ; but our foil
' is very proper for it : our woods afford all forts of fliip-timber and

* plank : {hips of late we build very well, both for beauty and ftrength :
' our country abounds with iron ore ; but we have not yet got into the
' way of making enough for our own fupply. Wherefor, to prevent
' our fetting up in New- England manufactures that will interfere with
' Great Britain, it is highly necellin-y to employ the New-Englaiid
' people as much as poflible in making naval ftores for their mother
' country, left we fhould hereafter be obliged to depend on the plea-
' fure of the Danes, Swedes, and Ruflians, for leave to fet a fl-et to fea ;
' to whom we pay ready money f )r their naval ftores, which, bv the
' war in the north, have rifen near 50 per cent on us. That, in the
' great Scarcity of woollen goods from England about nine years ago,
' the New-England people, not being able to pay 200 per cent advance
' thereon, fet up a very confiderable manufadure, ftill in being, for

* ftuffs, kerfeys, linfey-woolieys, flannels, buttons, &c. Copper alio, New-
' England has the beft in the world, &c.' Herein, even lo early as this
time, we find our fugar colonies complaining of New-England's grcaf
trade to the Dutch colony of Suiinam, which they now fuppjied with
vaft nimibers ofhorfes, and with provifions, fifh, &c. and, in return,
took their melafTes, which they made into rum. The reft of this piece
pleads for a royal charter for incorporatiiig a bank of credit, lately ered-
ed at Bofton, from which they promiled great things to the colony, be-t
fides one per cent to the crown.

Vol. III. G

50 A. D. 1715.

Such elTays are to be cautioufly confidered, as being almoA; always
exaggerated, becaufe generally calculated for certain partial ends or pur-
pofes. His plan in general is undoubtedly good : and we have before
feen, that our legiflature has encouraged it: nevcrthelefs, as our colonies
on the continent come to grow populous, it will beimpoffible altogether
to prevent their entering upon manufactures interfering with thofe of
the mother country ; and the moil that can fairly be effeded feems to
be, to ftudy as much as poffible to fet thofe people upon raifing the raw
materials of new productions, and particularly naval ftores. As for their
having copper and iron, it feems to be doubtful, whether it can ever
prove protitable for the mother countiy. The former we have feen, by
good authority, to be in great plenty with us at home ; and, with regard
to iron, we fli'all hereafter fee how far the Britiih legiflature has judged
proper to encourage it. Tin and lead mines have not as yet made their
appearance in Britifli America.

In December Mr. Bubb, the Britifli minifler at Madrid, concluded a
new treaty of commerce with the king of Spain, containing, however,
nothing very particular. By the firft article Britifli fubjedls were to pay
no higher duties in the Spanifli ports than thole they paid for the fame
merchandize in the reign of the catholic king, Charles II. The fecond
confirms the treaty made by the Britifli fubjeds with the magiflrates of
.St. Andero, in the year 1700. By tliC third, they may, as formerly ufed,
gather fait at the ifland of Tortuga. By the fourth and fifth, Britifli fub-
jeds were to pay no higher duties than Spanifli fubjedls paid in the fame
place : and they fliould enjoy all the rights, privileges, &c. which they
enjoyed before the lafl: war, and by the treaty of 1667 ; and the fubjeds
of both nations fliall mutually be treated as thofe the moft favoured in
commercial matters. The fixth and feventh abolifli innovations on
either fide, and confirm the treaty of Utrecht. [Political Jl ate of Great
Britain, V. xi.]

1 7 16 — Notwithftanding what we have juft feen of the fuperabund-
ance of naval fliores in New-England, and particularly of timber, yet we
find, in the year 1716, Mr. Shute, governor of the Maflachufet's bay,
comphnning to their afle;nibly, ' that, notwithftanding a law pafled in
' Great Britain for encouraging naval fl;ores for the navy royal, and for
' the prefervation of white pine trees in x\nierica, for mafls, yards, &c.
' great' fpoils are dayly committed in the king's woods, by cutting down
' and putting to private ufes fuch timber as may be proper for the navy
' royal.' He therefor recommends pafling a new law in New-England,
as well as putting the old ones in flirict execution, for this great end.

In the former part of this year, 1716, the duke of Orleans, regent of
France during the minority of Louis XV, was lb ill advifed as to raife the
value of a luuis d'or from 16 livres to 20, and of a crown from 3-V and

A. D. 1716. ^T.

4 Iivres to 5 livres. Thus he got one fifth part of the value of thofe
coins, gulhng the people with a belief (but with the wifer fort, with only
a pretended one) that they were no lofers thereby, becaufe they receiv-
ed back from the mint the fame number of livres they had paid in ;
although they only received back four ounces of filver inflead of five.
This occafioned great quantities of old fpecie to be hoarded up, to the
confiderable obflrudion of the circulation of money. For this malady
a new expedient was fallen upon, viz. the eredion of a general bank,
whole bills bore 5 per cent interefl ; for this bank paid only the new
raifed fpecie, though they received both new and old fpecie : as the coins
were fo flucluating in value, and the bank bills were invariable, people
for that reafon carried all their money to the bank. This was allure-
ment fufficient for the duke-regent to feize on fo vaft a treafure : the
bank therefor on a fudden was made to flop payment ; though the
quantity of gold and filver coin then in France was computed to be near
400 millions of livres, or near 17 millions of flerling money. And thus,
the king's treafury was filled by the ruin of his people. In like fort,
though not quite as yet in fo violent a degree, were the public debts
paid off in France : the capital was retrenched and the interefl reduced
by edids, without the confent of the creditors ; infomuch, that fome of
the public fecurities fell 50 per cent, others 80 percent, and fome 90 per
cent : which fad ftate of things produced innumerable bankruptcies.

There was coined in the tower of London, from Auguft. 171 5 to
Augufl 1716, Li,452,i55 in gold; and but L7,ooo in filver; [Boyer's
ToUtkal jlate of Great Britain, for Augujl 171 6] and it was reckoned,
that near two thirds of that gold was from French louis d'ors melted
down.

No redrefs being obtained for the invafion of the privileges of the
Englifh Eaft-India company, a proclamation was ifiued by the prince of
Wales, guardian of the realm in his father's abfence, flridly prohibiting
his majefty's fubjefts from trading to the Eafi:-Indies under foreign com-
mifiions, contrary to the privileges of the Englifh Eafl-India company :
and alfo from ferving on board fuch foreign fliips.

Some controverfies having arifen this year concerning Vhe trade of
Great Britain into the countries within the Baltic lea, we find in a pe-
riodical paper, formerly well known by the name of Boyer's Political
flate of Great Britain, for the month of November 1721,* the total
value, at prime cofl, of all nierchandize either imported or exported,
between GreatiBritainf on one fide, and Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
the Eafl country, (i. e. Pruflia and Livonia) and Ruflia, on the other,
during the faid year 1716^ viz.

* It coiiCfts In all of 60 volumes 8vo, and extends from id January 17101031(1 Deccii.ber 1740. A.
\ The impi.rts and exports of Scotland are uot included in this llalement. M.

G 2

52

A. D. 1716.

Imported in the vear 1716, into Great Britain,
From Denmark and NForway, in mafts, timber, pitch

and tar, hemp, &c. - - - - L 73,896 *

From the Eaft country, chiefly in mafts, hemp, &c. 103,635
From Sweden, chiefly in iron, pitch, tar, mafl:s, &c. 136,959
FromRuflia, chiefly in hemp, pitch, tar, mafts, &c. 197,270

Total imported 5 r i ,760

Exported from Great Britain, viz.

To Denmark and Norway _ _ - - 60,317

To the Eaft country ----- 65,293

To Sweden ----- - 24,101

ToRuflia ----- - 1 13.154

Total exported 262,865

Total balance, or lofs to Great Britain - - - L248,895

Excepting fomefew commodities from Pvuflia and Pruftla, as rhubarb,
and fometimes raw filk from Perfia, cavear, &c. all other articles got
from thofe northern parts are fince this time difcovered to be had from
our own American plantations ; as iron from New- York and Pennfyl-
vania, timber of all kinds from moft of our continental colonies, pitch
and tar from the fame, as alfo hemp and flax. Raw filk, increaling
apace, from Carolina and Georgia. Our legiflature have indeed enacted
fundry bounties on feveral of thole commodities already with good ef-
fed ; and, we hope, will give earneft attention more and more to fuch
important purpofes. We will not, however, anfwer for the precife ex-
actnefs of the above account ; but fear the general balance is increafed
againft us fince that time, more efpecially with refpedt to Ruflla f .

Mr. Bubb, the Britifli minifter at Madrid, in behalf of the South-fea
company, now concluded a treaty by way of an explanation or emenda-
tion of the afllento contract for negroes : but as that trade has been long
fince laid afide, we fliall not detain our readers with what is elfevvhere
in print, and may likewiie probably be of very little information or ufe
to any at this time, or perhaps at any other period of time. Only we
may jnft remark, that the annual fliip allowed, was ftipulated to be of
650 tons, Spanifti meafure, from the year 171 7 to the year 1727.

1717. — The Dutch Eaft-India company's privileges were now pro-
longed for forty years.

An unnatural rebellion of free and proieftant fubjeds, in behalf of a
pojnfh pretender, and againft a moft humane and indulgent proteftant
king on the throne of Great Britain, being happily fupprtflt^d, the mi-
ni ftry and parliament determined to take advantage of a time of tran-
qullUty to reduce the intereft on the public debts, preparatory to the

* Tlie odd fliiUings and pence are thrown out. y1.

f T)>is account may be compared with that of the year lyoi. yl.

gradual reduction of the principal, for which good purpofe the reduc-
tion of the legal interefl of money from 6 to 5 per cent in 1714, had
indeed paved the way ; as did alfo what is ufually called the natural in-
tereft of money, or that rate of intereft at which money might now
be borrowed on good private fecurity. In order that this good and great
end might be attained with fuccefs and fecurity, the government treated
with the bank and South-fea company, to whom a great part of the
national debt was due, and brought them to agree, not only to the re-
ducftion of the intereft on their own refpedive capitals from 6 to 5 per
cent, but that the bank fhould advance to the public, when wanted,
L2, 500,000, and the South-fea company the fum of L2, 000, 000, at 5 per
cent interefl, to be in readinefs for paying oiT inch of the proprietors
of the orders of four lotteries of the reign of Queen Anne, and of other
redeemable annuities, as fhould demand their principal money to be
paid to them, rather than accept 5 per cent inftead of their prefent
intereft of 6 per cent. This falutai-y fcheme was effeded in confequence
of three feveral ads of Parliament. [3 Geo. /, cc. 7, 8, 9.]

By the firfl, intitled, an ad for redeeming the duties and revenues
which were fettled to pay off the principal and interefl on the orders
made forth on four lottery ads, &c. commonly called the general fund,
the two companies were impowered to borrow money on their common
feals, or to make calls on their proprietors, for enabling them to advance
to the public the two fums above fpecified : the redudion of intereft to
commence from michaelmas 1727, for which intereft a new annual fund
was hereby eftablifhed, and has ever fince been called the general fund,
amounting to L724,849 : 6: lOj. Hereby meafures were fo well con-
certed by the government, that all the proprietors of thofe redeemable
duties acquiefced in the redudion of their intereft from 6 to 5 per
cent, without borrowing any part of the ftipulated fums to be advanc-
ed by the bank and South fea company.

For by the ad [<r. 8] for redeeming feveral funds of the bank, pur-
fuant to former provifoes of redemption, &c. the bank's willingnefs
to accept 5 per cent intereft for all the debts due to that corporation
was declared, inftead of their then allowances, and to advance the above
L2, 500,000 if called for : and the bank was hereby to deliver up
L2, 000, 000 of exchequer-bills ; for which they were to have an annui-
ty of Li 00,000 redeemable on one year's notice, after chriftmas 1717.
This is called the aggregate-fund, firft eftablifhed by an ad [i Geo. I, c.
12] though not particularly applied to leflening the national debts till
now. Hereby alio the bank was to have 3 per cent per annum and id.
per cent per diem inftead of of 2^. formerly allowed for circulating the
fum of L2,56i,025, being the remainmg exchequer-bills, till fully can-
celled, from chriftmas 1717 : fo that the whole capital of the bank was
hereby increafed to L5,375,027 : 17 : 10, viz.

54 A. D. 1717.

The original capital ftock was - - Li, 600,000 o o
The exchequer-bills, cancelled by the 7th of Queen

Anne ----- 1,775,027 17 ic

And now by exchequer-bills cancelled - 2,000,000 o o

Total bank capital - L5 ,375,027 17 10

But their original capital of L 1,600,000 was to continue at fix per
cent intereft to the ifl of Auguft 1742.

The next ad [c. 9] was for redeeming the yearly fund of the South-
fea company at fix per cent, and fettling on them a yearly fund at five
per cent, redeemable by parliament, &c. as before mentioned, viz.

The South lea Company's preient capital being 10 millions,

And their prefent annual fund being L6oo,ooo. their fund was now
reduced from fix to five per cent, i. e. from L6oo,ooo to L5oo,ooo
from midfummer 1718, befides their yearly allowance of L8, 000 for
charges of management. The company were alfo hereby impowered
to borrow money on their common feal, either for the purpofes of this
act, or for carrying on their trade, or other necefiary occafions, at fuch
intereft as they fhould think fit, and for any time not lefs than fix
months : and although their fund might be redeemed, on one year's no-
tice, after midfummer 1723, yet their trade and corporate capacity was
hereby to continue for ever. This was, in the ftile of the exchequer,
called the South-lea fund.

By all thefe favings, viz. by one per cent on the funds before men-
tioned, and by one penny per cent per day, faved for the future on the
exchequer-bills hereafter to be circulated, a good foundation was laid for
the famous finking fund, amounting then to L323,434 : 7 : 7^- per an-
num. Moreover, for the greater conveniency of the proprietors of the
lottery-orders and other debts at the exchequer, hereby ranged under
this new general fund, they were brought from the exchequer to the
bank, and ereded into a transferrable ftock, at five per cent intereft.
The yearly laving or furplus, called the finking fund, was hereby to be
folely applicable to the difcharge of the principal and intereft of fuch
national debts as were contraded before chriftmas 1716. As by the
ad c. 7, the moiety of the original bankers debt, which had been fixed
at fix per cent by the ad 12 Gi/l. III. c. 12, and which moiety was
thereby properly made the whole debt on the public to be redeemed,
amounting to 1.664,263, was included in the redemption from fix to five
per cent. And as alinoft all the other public debts comprehended in
that ad, called the aggregate-fund, were either lubfcribed into the South-
fea company in the year 1720, or have fince been paid off or annihilat-
ed, we have the more concifely defcribed them, as they now exift no
more. ,

A. D. 1717. 55

N. B. By a claufe in the faid act [c. 7] the duty of 6d on every
piece of forty ells of Britifh-made linen exported, which had been laid
on by the tonnage and poundage aft, was taken off; ' the faid manufac-
ture' (fays this a6l) ' employing many thoufands of the poor of this
kingdom.'

Thus out of the three fimds, called the aggregate, the general, and
the South fea fund, was formed the finking fund ; being purely the
favings out of thofe funds by the feveral redudions now and afterwards
made in the rates of interefl: and allowances ; and as thefe have at dif-
ferent times been lefTened, and annual or other payments have been
made to the creditors of the public out of the finking fund, it has pro-
portionably increafed *.

We fhall only farther remark on this firft famous reduction of the
interefl on the national funds, and the eflablifhment of a fund for far-
ther leffening the public debts, that inflead of lowering the prices of the
feveral flocks at market, it was feen, that, by michaelmas in the year
1717, they had confiderably rifen in price ; and particularly that South-
fea flock, which, at lady-day 17 17, was but at ico|^ per cent, got up to
Illy per cent by michaelmas.

The regent of France having, in the year 171 6, erected the firft
public circulating bank that had ever been in France, by the perfuafion
of Mr. John Law, a native of Edinburgh ; whereby he propofed mighty
matters for the advancement of the commerce and manufactures of
France: ' which kingdom,' fays the preamble to the patent for that bank,
very juftly, ' by its fituation and fertility, wanted nothing but a folid
' credit to eflablilh therein the mofl flovtrifliing commerce. Where-
' for the Sieur Law has now authority granted to him and his company,
' for 20 years, to iffue notes, as a pitblic bank, with abfolute protection

* for the cafh of foreigners, even though their country (hould be at
' war with France. The crowns or money of this bank to be always
' of the fame weight and finenefs, and their notes to be always payable

* on demand. This bank might keep cafh for merchants, and difcount
' bills of exchange, &c.' This bank, of which the regent called himfelf
the protector, was principally projected by Mr. Law for the grand pur-
pofe of paying off the public debts of France, being above 1500 mil-
lions of livres, or about 70 millions fterling, by drawing its creditors
into the newly-projefted Mifhfippi or India company ; for which end,
the Sieur Crozat was brought to refign his patent of the country of Mif-
fifippi, granted to him by the name of Louifiana, in the year 171 2.
T^he regent therefor now erected a company of commerce by the name
of the company of the Weft, commonly called the Miflifippi company,

* It was becaufe the hint for this finking fund was probably taken from thr'"e of Holland in the yt tir
1655, and the pope in the year 1685, that the fuccefs of thofe foreign fchemes of finance Iiashctn no-
ticed in our work, ^,

S6 A. D. 1 717.

with the fole trade thither, and alfo the trade of beaver to Canada, for
25 years : and great pains were taken to fpread all over France pomp-
ous accounts of the country of Mifliiippi, fr(jm north latitude 29, up to
the country of Canada, or New France, in north latitude 40.

Mr. Law was appointed chief director of this company, into which all
the national debts were intended to be brought, being now at 60 to 70
per cent difcount ; this being an exad copy of the earl of Oxford's
fcheme for the South-lea company in the year 171 r. In December
1717, the capital ftock of this Mifliiippi company was fixed at 100 mil-
lions of livres, with four per cent intereft. In the meantime, as the
bank was to co-operate with this company for the fa'd grand fcheme,
the king diredted all the receivers of his revenues to make their receipts
and payments in bank bills only. As the public debts wtre taken in
at par, it might have been expected that the creditors would have readi-
ly come in ; yet it was fome time before they could get 1 00 millions
fubfcribed, where we will leave them for the prefent.

This new company for Louifiana would not fliil to give grounds of
jealoufy to Great Britain, its territory lying behind our American plan-
tations, and New Orleans, its capital, having already 600 houfes.

There being a confiderable fcarcity of filver coin in England, by rea-
fon our gold coins were rated too high in price, and the great Sir Ifaac
Newton being confulted thereupon by the lords commiflioners of the trea
fury, he advifed the redudion of guineas from 21/6 to 21/, which was
accordingly done, by approbation of the houfe ot commons, who ad-
drelFed the king for this purpofe : at which rate they have remained
ever fince ; whereby, in fome meafure, the filver coins, which before
had been exported in exchange for gold, were kept at home. Guineas
were originally coined only for 20/" in filver, and lo were the old broad
pieces of King Charles I, though at this time palling for Li : 3 : 6.
But now the cafe is going to be the reverie, occafioned by the vafl ex
portations of filver bullion to the Eaft-Indies, whereby filver is become
Icarcer, and gold is become more plenty, by the profit of bringing gold
from India and China. For filver ever has, and probably ever will, hold
the prerogative of being the fixed ftimdard, gold being always va-
lued by filver, but not filver by gold. It was aflerted, that our Ealt-ln-
dia company had exported in one year near three millions of ounces
of filver to India, which was more than was imported from all parts.

In the fame year, there was a treaty of alliance concluded between
Great Britain, France, and the fi;ates-general of the United Nether-
lands, for the guarantee of the treaty of Utrecht ; and particularly for
maintaining the order of fiiccefiion to the crowns of England and
France thereby eftabliflied ; and for the demolition of the ports of
Dunkirk and Mardyke. {Colle£lion of treaties, V. iv,p. 39, ed. 173 2. J

A. D. 1717. 57

Article IV) ' For the entire deflrudion of the port of Dunkirk: the
' great pafTage of the new lluice of Mardyke, which is 44 feet wide,
' Ihall be demolifhed from top to bottom, and the httle fluice fhall be
' reduced to 16 feet in breadth. The jettees and fafcine-work to be alfo
' demoUfhed : it being hereby the intention of the contrading parties,

* that no more jettees nor fafcine-work fliall ever be again made on the

* fhore of this coaft, for any port or haven at Dunkirk, or at Mardyke,
' or at any other place whatever within two leagues from either of
' thofe two places. The demolition of the jettees or piers on both fides
' of the old canal, or port of Dunkirk, fhall be entirely finifhed and
' made level with the ground all the way from the lowefl ebb as far
' as within the town of Dunkirk : and if there fhall remain any pieces

* of Fort-blanc, Chateau-verd, and Bonne efperance, they fhall be totally

* laid flat to the ground.'

Never furely were articles flronger worded for the entire execution of
this part of the treaty of Utrecht : and the three contradling parties alfo
mutually agree to guarantee this as well as the other articles relating to
the order of fuccefTion, by refpedively contributing, viz. the two crowns
each 8000 foot and 4000 horfe, and the flates 4000 foot and 2000
horfe, in cafe either of the allies fhould be attacked by any other po-
tentate, or be diflurbed by intefline rebellions, or on any other pretext
whatever. And in cafe the faid fuccours be not fufHcient, the allies
fhould agree in concert to furnifh a greater, and, if the cafe ihall re-
quire it, they fhall declare war againft the aggrefTors, and affifl one an-
other with all their forces. Jlrticles VI, VII) But, by the feparate ar-
ticles, the guarantee and fuccours are both limited to the territories of
the refpedive allies in Europe only.

This year the South-fea company's flrfl annual fliip, the Royal Prince,
failed for La Vera Cruz.

About this time, and for fome time backward, there were great com-
plaints againft the Swedes for the unjufl captures of many Britifli mer- '
chant-fhips and their cargoes, though in time of peace ; and for fliel-
tering Britifh rebels, contrary to treaties, and particularly to that of
the year 1700, with this very king of Sweden. Yet matters could not
be fettled during his life ; but he being killed the following year, at the
fiege of Fredericklhall in Norway, an accommodation was foon after
concluded with his filter and fucceffor Ulrica Eleonora.

The right of Britifh fubjeds to cut logwood, (or, as the opaniards
term it, Campeachy wood) came again this year on the carpet *, and
the lords commifTioners of trade and plantations, in a reprefentation to
his Britannic majefty, afferted, and proved beyond contradidion, the
right of his fubjeds to cut logwood in the bay of Campeachy. This was

• See above in the vear 1662.

Vol. III. H

58 A. D. 1717.

occafioned by the Spainifh ambaflador extraordinary, the marquis de
Monteleone having deUvered a memorial againft the Britifh fettlement
in the ifle of Trift, and on the Laguna de Terminos in the bay of Cam-
peachy, where they continued to cut logwood : declaring, ' that if, in
' the fpace of eight months, they do not leave the place, they Ihall be
' looked on and treated as pirates.' That board reprefents to his ma-
jefty, * that fince a trade of fo great importance to our navigation and
' the American colonies is in danger of being loft, we have again care-
' fully perufed the books and papers in our office, and have received
' from the merchants and others the fuUeft information we can hope
' to obtain, which hath taken up much time. And we now humbly
' crave leave to lay before your majefty the paft and prefent ftate of
' this trade, with the arguments that formerly engaged your majefty's

* royal predeceftbrs to protedl and fupport the fame ; to which we {hall
' add fome obfervations, and the reafons that induce us to conclude,
' your majefty's fubjedls have now as full and ample a right to this
' trade as to any other liberty or privilege that has been allowed by the

* crown of Spain, and enjoyed by them, by virtue of any treaty what-

* foever.

' Firft, logwood is one of the productions of the province of Yuca-
' tan, where the Spaniards are pofTefted of San Francifco de Campeaqhy,

* its capital town and port (which has been thrice taken by the Englifh)
' and of two other inland towns, Merida and Valladolid, having but
' few inhabitants : but the reft of the province, before the Englifh
' logwood-cutters were fettled, was in a manner wholely defolate and un-
' inhabited. It is, however, allowed, that the Spaniards had from time
' to time cut wood in feveral parts near their own fettlements : but,
' during the hoftilities in the Weft-Indies before the year 1667, they
' deferted that employment, being frequently interrupted by the priva-
' teers, both by fea and land ; who, by degrees, becoming acquainted
' with the coaft, and with thofe parts where the wood grew, that were
' moft remote from the Spaniards, at laft fell into the trade, and laid
' the foundation of their future eftabliftiment near Laguna de Termi-
' iios, and Trift and Beef iflands. For, notwithftanding the treaty of

* Madrid, concluded by the earl of Sandwich in the year 1667, was
' principally intended to adjuft our commerce with Spain in Europe,
' yet a general, firm, and perfedt, amity being thereby concluded, it was

* Conftrued to extend to America as well as to Europe ; wherefor many
' ot the Britifti privateers were then induced to quit their former courfe,
' and to fettle with the logwood-cutters in the Laguna de Terminos :
' fo that in the year 1669, their numbers were confiderably increafed,
' and great quanties of wood were tranfported both to Jamaica and

* New-England. ,

A. D. 1717. 59

* The American treaty, for reftraining depredations in thofe parts,

* concluded in 1670, encouraged feveral others of the privateers or fea-
' men to fall into this employment of cutting wood, to which, it was

* now generally fuppofed, they had a right by the faid treaty.

* And Sir Thomas Lynch, then governor of Jamaica, tranfmitted to

* the lords of the council, his reafons for encouraging this trade, viz.

* I) That the Engli{h had done fo for divers years.
' II) It was in defolate and uninhabited places.

' III) That it feems a pofleffion granted by the American treaty.
' rV) It might give a right to feclude the Dutch and French, if we

* fliould break with Spain.

' V) The Spaniards had not, to that time, made any complaints of it,

' VI) This employ makes the reducing of the privateers more eafy.

' VII) And, that it will employ 100 fail of fhips annually, and bring
' in more to his majefty's cuftoms and the nation's trade than any co-
' lony the king hath.

' Although at firft they found the Idgwood by the fea-fide, they were
' afterward forced to go four or five miles up into the country for their

* refrefhment, where they planted Indian provifions, and built houfes to

* keep themfelves from the fun and rain. That, in all the time of their
' working, they had never feen any Spaniard, or other perfon, although
' they had gone fix or feven miles farther into the country, to kill deer,
' &c. That Sir Thomas Lynch, governor of Jamaica, in 1672, wrote all

* this to the earl of Arhngton, fecretary of ftate ; and that this kind of
' pofleffion is held in the Weft-Indies to be the ftrongeft that can be,
' viz. felling of wood, building of houfes, and clearing and planting the
' ground. That the depofitions of many Englifh concerned in this log-*
' wood trade were, in fubftance, as follows, viz. that our king's fubjeds
' have been ufed, for fome years, to hunt, to fifh, and to cut logwood,
' in divers bays, iflands, and parts of the continent, not frequented or

* poflefl^ed by any of the fubjedts of his catholic majefty, and without
' any moleflation; which cutting of logwood there, had been approv-
' ed of by the committee of the king's privy-council. Which allow-
' ance gave frefh vigour to the logwood-cutters : although about that
' time the Spaniards began to interrupt them, and to difpute their right
' to that liberty which they had fo long quietly enjoyed. For it is an
' undoubted fad, that from the publication of the treaty of 1667, until
' about two years after the cpnclufiou of the American treaty in 1670,
' the logwood-cutters had never been in the leaft difturbed, either
' diredly or indiredly. Nor does it appear, that the Spanhh governors
' took any umbrage at, or made any complaint about, it ; much lefs did

* they pretend to an exclufive right, or that it was contrary to the laws
' of their commerce. That the Englifti who were fctt'ed at the Laguna
' de Terminos, in refentment for the Spaniards having taken two

H 2

6o A. D. 1717.

' Englifli ftiips which had logwood on board, feized on a Spanifli bark
' at the f;\Id Laguna, bound to Tabafco : yet the governor of San Fran-

* cifco de Campeachy, in vindication of the firft hoftihties of the Spa

' niards, complained of by Sir Thomas Lynch in 1672, took not the
' lead notice of thofe Englifli fliips having logwood, nor of our cutting
' logwood, nor of our being for ibme years fettled on the faid Laguna,

* nor did he aflign any other reafon for making thole reprifals, but our

* having taken the faid Spanifli bark. That the Englifli having been
' in poheflion of the Laguna de Terminos prior to the American trea-
' ty of 1 670 ; and the 7th article of that treaty running as follows : it
' is agreed, that the king of Great Britain fliall have, hold, and always
' poflefs, in full fovereignty and propriety, all the lands, countries,
' iflands, colonies, and other places, be they what they will, lying and
' fituate in the Weft-Indies, or in any part of America, which the faid

* king -of Great Britain, or his fubjeds, now hold and poflefs ; info-
' much, that they neither can nor ought hereafter to be contefted or
' called in queftion for them upon any account, or under any pretence
' whatibever. That by the queen regent of Spain's cedula, in June
' 1672, declaring fuch to be pirates v/ho fliould make invafion, or trade
' without licence, in the ports of the Indies, it does not appear, that
' cutting of logwood was then efteemed an invafion. Yet, by virtue of
' this cedula, it was at length carried to that height, that, if our fliips
' had but any logwood onboard, they were coiififcated without remedy,
' although the faid cedula was inconfiftent with the American treaty,
' and made ex poft facto, after the ratification of that folemn treaty.
' That although in 1680 the Spaniards violently diflodged our log-
' wood-cutters from the faid ifland of Trift, and the Laguna de Ter-
' minos, yet in 1682 our trade to and from thofe parts was greater
' than ever. That, excepting two or three months after the aforefaid
' aflault in 1680, it is well known to the Spaniards, that we have been

* ever fince polilired of thofe parts where we cut logwood. That a
' claufe in the firft article of the treaty of commerce at Utrecht de-
' termines this conteft relating to the cutting of logwood beyond all

* pofllbility of difpute for the future, viz. after the confirmation and ra-

* tification of the American treaty of 1670. It follows:

' Without any prejudice, however, to any liberty or power which the
' fubjetts of Great Britain enjoyed before, either through right, fuf-

* ferance, or indulgence.

' If therefor this comprehenfive claufe, which relates only to the
' Weft-Indits, confirms, iecurcs, and re-eftabliihes, thofe liberties, which
« the fubjeds of Great Britain enjoyed in America before the treaty in

* 1670', it neceflarily follows, that they having then enjoyed the liberty
« of cutting logwood without any interruption, as hath been fully prov-
ed, either through right, fuftcrance, or indulgence, they are again in-

A. D. 1717. 6r

* titled by this (Utrecht) treaty to the fame liberty, in as plain and

* exprefs words as can be ufed or imagined. And that your majefly
' may be more fully apprifed of the importance of this trade, the fame
' will be efte6lually demonftrated by the following account of the quan-
' ties of logwood imported fince the war, viz. In the year 17 13, 2189
' tons, 15 cwt. In 1714, 4878 tons, 14 cwt. In 1715, 5863 tons, 12
' cwt. and in 1716, 2032 tons, 17 cwt. being, one year with another,
' 3741 tons; which cannot be cpmputed at lefs than L6o,ooo per an-
' num, though the price at prefcnt be reduced from L40 to L16 per

* ton : whereas, before your majefty's fubjeds were fettled there, it was
' worth Lioo per ton.

' Nor is this trade lefs neceffary than beneficial to your majefty's do-

' minions, by reafon of the great encouragement it gives to our feamen

' and {hipping. Upon the whole, therefor, we are humbly of opinion,

' 17?, that the fubjeds of this your majelly's kingdom, for fome years

' before, as well as after the American treaty of 1670, did enjoy an un-

' interrupted liberty of cutting logwood in thofe parts of the bay of

' Campeachy not inhabited by Spaniards ; either through right, fuf-

' ferance, or indulgence : 2dly, that the Hiid American treaty did ella-

* blifh a right in the crown of Great Britain to the Laguna de Termi-
' nos, &c. thofe places, at the time of the treaty, and for fome years
' before, being adually in poffeffion of the Britifh fubjeds : ^dly,
' that the royal cedula, iffued out by the court of Spain, was a viola-
' tion of that treaty, forafmuch as the carrying on the trade to the La-
' guna de Terminos M'as thereby interpreted an invafion, and the log-
' wood-cutters accounted pirates. And that your majefty's fubjeds
' having been at leaft lufFered to enjoy the liberty of cutting logwood,
' as aforelaid, before the conclufion of the American treaty, although
' your majefty fliould not infift on your right to the Laguna de Termi-
' no5, yet that the fame liberty is abfolutely granted and confirmed by
' the treaty of commerce made at Utrecht. And we do farther think
' it our duty to reprefent to your majefty, that, although the faid
' Spanifti ambaflador ieems to declare in his memorial, that no attempt

/ ftiould be made to diilodge your fubjeds, fettled on the Laguna de

' Terminos, in a lefs time than eight months from the date of his me-

' morial, yet they were dillodged and taken prifoners in the fame

* month the memorial was delivered, as appears by feveral affidavits.'

All which is humbly fubmitted by

(Signed) Suffolk, J. Molcfivortb,

J. Chetwynd, D. Fiiltney,

Whitehall, Sept. 25, 1717. Charles Cooke, M, Bladen.

171 8. — In March 1718 the South-fea company's fecond great annual
fhip was launched, and named the Royal George, in honour of his majefty
King George I, the company's governor. But the commerce of that

6a A. D. 1 718.

company was completely ruined in its infancy by the war with Spain,
which began this year: and their efFeds,fadors,and fervants, in the Spanilh
Weft-Indies were feized and detained, contrary to the affiento-contrad,
whereby they ought to have had eighteen months time allowed them for
the removal of their effeds, &c. which the company's agent at Madrid
reprefented in very ftrong terms to the cardinal minifter, whofe anfwer
was, that the company (hould be indemnified whenever peace fhould be
concluded ; yet the fame was never efjedually performed : and though
this war was but of a ihort duration, the company, neverthelefs, fuffered
confiderably by it ; and toward the clofe of this year, reprefented to his
Eritannic majefty their various grievances, which were in fubftance, viz.

I) That whereas in refpedl to the queen's two fhips, the Bedford and
Elizabeth, laden for the company's account, by virtue of two cedulas
granted by the king of Spain in the year 171 4, the former to Cartha-
gena, and die later to Vera Cruz, yet the Bedford's cargo was confifcat-
ed, on the pretext of over-tonnage, though it afterward appeared upon
remeafurement, that its cargo was under the ftipulated tonnage. Yet
the obtaining a fufpenfion of the fale of that cargo, till the company
could appeal to Europe, coft an exceflive fum to the Spanifh officers, be-
fides the lofs of their market, &c.

II) That the cargo of the Elizabetb had an alcavala (or duty) laid on
it at Vera Cruz, to a very great amount, though the king of Spain had
exprefsly fpecified that it fhould pay no duty whatever, on condition that
he fhould enjoy 10 per cent out of the profits thereof : which impofition
he afterward confirmed and extended to all the company's future annual
fhips, though contrary to the 42d article of the afliento contrad.

III) The king of Spain's fufpending the company's new (hip the Royal
George from failing this year, after having on board a cargo of near
L3oo,ooo value, which was thereby much damaged, was a very great
lofs to the company.

IV) By laying exorbitant duties on the company's (hip permitted to
load fruit at the Canaries for the Spanifli Weft-ladies.

V) By laying duties on the purchafers of the company's negroes.

VI) By conniving at, and permitting, many negroes to be imported
■clandeftinely by others, contrary to the afliento contraft.

VII) By obftruding the company's officers from loading homeward,
eitlier tobacco or cacao, likewife contrary to the afliento.

VIII) By falfe meafuring of the company's negroes, and denying
juftice therein.

IX) In delaying juftice in law-fuits againft the Spanifh officers, for
extorting exorbitant fees for the negroes imported by the company.

X) By obliging the company's fadors at Panama to pay the duties
on (laves coniifcated and indulted, contrary to the ufage of former
aflientifts.

A. D. 1 718. 63

XI) For compelling the company's fadors at Panama and the Havan-
na, to pay a duty of fix pieces of eight for the burial of each negro,

XTI) In denying the company's factors at Buenos-Ayres the lands fli-
pulated by the affiento contract to be affigned them for raifmg cattle,
provifions, &c. and for their negroes.

XIII) Extorting extravagant port-charges there, for the company's
fhips, and obftruding their purchafing goods there : with other abufes
at that port, and at Panama.

XIV) The Spanifh guarda-cofta fhips flopping the company's affiento
(hips, and taking from them fundry things not contraband.

For thefe and fome other grievances and defects in the affiento con-
trad, the company prayed his majefty to procure redrefs, which he was
gracioufly pleafed to promife, when the differences with Spain fhould be
adjufled.

N. B. By the feizure of the company's effedls on the breaking out of
this war, they are faid to have been lofers above L2oo,ooo, which was
never effedually made good.

In this fame year, the Dutch colonifts at Surinam in Guiana are faid
to have begun to plant coffee ; which was then thought to be much bet^
ter than either the coffee of Martinico or Jamaica.

About this time, according to Bifhop Huet, (in his Memoirs of
the Dutch commerce) the Dutch fent annually to the countries within
the Baltic fea no fewer than loco or i 200 fhips to load the bulky com-
modities of thofe northern countries, with which they fupply many
other parts of Europe ; fo vafl then was, and in a great meafure ftill is, ,
their trade to Denmark, Sweden, Ruifia, Pruffia, Livonia, &c. within
that fea.

The felling or buying of chances, and parts of chances, of tickets in
the ftate-lotteries of Great Britain, being at this time in general praftice,
a claufe in an ad: of parliament for continuing certain duties on coals
and culm, &c. prohibited fuch pradices : and alfo all undertakings re
fembling lotteries, or being on the footing of a ftate-lottery, were ftrid--
ly prohibited, under the penalty of Lioo, over and above all penalties
enjoined by former ads of parliament againfi; private lotteries.

The Oftenders fiill continuing their trade to Eaft-India under the
emperor's protedion and commiffions, an ad of the Britifh parliament,
of this 5th year of King George, palled, for the better fecuring the law-
ful trade of his majefty's fubjeds to and from the Eafl-Indies, and for
the more effedual preventing all his majefty's fubjeds from trading thi-
ther under foreign commiffions ; whereby it was enaded, that where-
as it IS of great importance to the welfare of this kingdom, that the
trtule to and from the Eaft-Indies be regulated according to ads of par-
liament and the royal charters; and that, particularly by an ad of the
9th ef-Ktag William. Ill, the Eafl-Indies fhould not be vifited nor.

64 A. D. 1718.

frequented by any Britifh fubjeds other than fuch as might lawfully
trade thither, under the penalties therein fet forth ; and that the goods
laden from India fliould, without breaking bulk, be brought to fome
port in Great Britain to be unladen. Notwithflanding which reftric-
tions, and the proclamation of the year 1716, feveral Britifli fubjeds,
not intitled under the faid laws, have prefumed to trade to India in
foreign and other fhips, to the diminution of his majefty's cuftoms, and
the trade of this kingdom ; wherefor the contraveners are hereby de-
clared liable to all the penalties of the laws in being. And, moreover,
the Eafl-India company is hereby authorized to feize on the perfons of
all fuch Britifh fubjeds as fhall be found within their limits, and to fend
them prifoners to England : and that all or any Britifh fubjeds, ading
•under a commiffion from any foreign potentate, fhall forfeit L500 for
every fuch offence. This ad was farther continued, by the 5th of Geo.
II, c. 29, for feven years from the ifl of May 1732, and to the end of
the then next fefTion of parliament.

A bill, in the houfe of peers, for continuing a duty on the trade and
navigation of this kingdom, and for repairing Dover harbour, met with
much oppofition. The merchants alleged, that this harbour had, for
many years part, been a burthen to the trade and navigation ; although
its fituation was fuch, that whenever the wind blows hard from the fea,
i. e. from fouth-eafl to fouth-wefl, the entrance of the pier is fo choak-
ed with fmall ftones, wafhed in by the wind and fea, that very often, at
high water, a hoy of 2,0 tons cannot get in or out, and the packet-boats
are liable to the fame misfortune. That the charges on our navigation,
called petty port-charges, were fo high, that a fhip of 250 tons paid
each voyage L30 fterling, of which at leafl L6 : 5 was for the repair of
this pier and harbour. That the mouth of the pier is but too feet in
breadth, and the channel much narrower, occafioned by a lodgment of
ftones : and at the pier-heads the tide runs fo flrong diredly acrofs it,
that it is both difHcult and dangerous to get in or out, feveral fhips hav-
ing been loft in the attempt. That the execution of the ad for this
duty had already cofl upwards of L2o,ooo, although it be much the
fame as before. Neither can it be made of any advantage to any but
fifher-boats and fmall veffels ufing the place. Yet the fame duty was
continued, though hitherto to very little purpnfe.

The pirates in the Wefl-Indies, and efpecially among the Bahama
iflands, being at this time a great obltrudion and detriment to the
Britifh commerce, the king's fhips, and the proclamation for furrender-
ing themfelves by a limited time, had the defired effed ; and the peace-
able navigation of thofe feas was reftored.

In May 171 8, new louis d'ors and new filver coins were coined in
France, which were to pafs for conliderably more than their intrinfic
value, much to the detriment of the commerce of France ; and all the

A. D. 1718. 6$

t>ld monies, heavier than this new coin, were called in. And to make
this foolifli and wicked fcheme appear fomewhat uniform, the prices of
gold and filver bullion were hereby to be accommodated thereto. Fool-
ifh it was, becaufe the monied part of the world was too wile not to
take advantage thereof, to the detriment of the Hate; and wicked, as it
brought great mifery upon many thoufands of individuals. And in the
fame monrh and year the king, or rather the duke regent, by letters
patent, ordained the capital of the bank to confift of 1200 fhares, of
1000 crowns each. Yet in the fame year the king took this bank into
his own hands, and publifhed, ' that he had paid off all the proprietors
' of the faid Li, 200,000 capital, which fum, as a farther fecurity for the
' future juft management of this now royal bank, he had lodged with the
* gi-neral cadi thereof;' yet this fuppofed fum was not in actual cafh,
bur only in aclions of the MilTillppi company belonging to the king.
This was a part of Mr. Law's fcheme for bringing about an union of the
bank with that company, for the execution of his grand proje(fl of pay-
ing off the public debts by getting them fublcribed into this company.
It was no difficult matter for intelligent men to forefee the ruin of the
bank, from the moment of its being called royal, and to foretell, what
foon after happened, the ruin of vafl numbers of opulent and honour-
able families, not only, though principally, in France, but in other parts
of Europe, rafhly venturing deep into this projecl, formed under an ab-
folute government, which, by a dafh of the pen, could undo every thing
at pleai'ure. When the old coins were thus called into the mint, it was
direded, ' that there fhould be permitted to be therewith brought into
' the mint, two fifth parts in flate bills, becaufe, fays this extraordinary
"* edid:, the difreputation of thofe ftate bills has proved an obftrudion to
' commerce and to the circulation of money.' The other wife reafon
for this edidl was, ' that by thus ftamping an higher value on the gold
' and filver coins of France, gold and filver from other countries would
' be brought thither in greater abundance.' The new-coined and over-
valued crowns of fix livres were now ordered to be paid and received at
that price in the bank. Yet all this was reverfed towards the end of the
following year by arrets, which gradually reduced the new gold and
filver coins to very near their intrinfic value ; as the court law the vaft de-
triment, which enhancing the nominal value of the new coins had done to
the crown as well as to commerce. Four millions per annum were al-
lotted for the interefl: of fuch public debts, being ico millions, as had
been already fubfcribed into the Miflilippi company; and, for a farther
allurement, that company had the entire farm of tobacco granted to them
for nine years ; whereupon they fet about tranfporting great numbers
of artificers, planters, labourers, and ibldiers, to Louifiana : and a great
ftir and bufl:le was artfullv made in order to allure people to become
Vol. Ill, ^ I

66 A. D. lyiS.

adventurers in the flock of this company, already arrived at the price
of I 20 per cent.

It was found, that the allowances granted by former laws relating to
the duties on fait, upon exportation of filhi, much exceeded the duty it-
felf on the fait ufedin curing the filh ; for remedy whereof, it was now
enacted, [5 Geo. I, c. iB] that the curers of firti for exportation, inftead
of all former allowances, fhould be permitted to ufe either foreign or
Bricilh fait, without paying any duty, excepting the cuftom on importa-
tion of the foreign fait ; and that fait intended to be ufed in curing fifh^
Ihould be warehoufed, and the proprietor fhould make oath ot the
quantity, and that it is intended for curing fifh for exportation only :
and after the fifhing feafon, the remaining fait to be again warehoufed,
and the proprietor to give an account of the quantity of fifh exported,
on which the fait was ufed, and the remaining fait to be delivered over
to other peifons, for the fame end : perfons not giving true accounts
\;pon oath, forfeit L40, 8cc. then follow the allowances to be made by
coUedors of the fait duty to the exporters of fifh, viz. on pilchards, cod,
ling, and hake (wet or dry) faimon, white and red herrings, and dried
fprats, certain allowances therein fpecified, either by the barrel or the
hundred weight, or elfe by the number of fifh, with their fize, &c.
needleis herein to be fpecified ; it not being our intent to particularize
every law relating to the regulation of merchandize, but only tq take
notice of any great or remarkable alteration, like this of the allowances
on falted fifh exjxirted.

1719 — The ifland of St. Lucia in the Weft-Indies has at fundry
times been inhabited by both Englifh and French planters at the fame
time: about this time the Marefchal d'Etrees fent a colony thither, but
our ambafllidor at Paris remonftrated againft it with fuch fpirit and fuc-
cefs, that the French court fent orders to evacuate that ifland for the
prefent.

For the farther execution of Law's wicked fcheme of draw-ing in the
numerous proprietors of the national debts of France to be paid with
the Miffifippi ftock and royal bank notes> he was in the beginning of
the year 171 9 made diredtor general of that bank, in the fame year
creating, in different months, no fewer than 1000 millions of livres,
(i. e. between 40 and 50 millions fterling) in new bank notes ; lefs (fays,
the royal arret) not being fuf!icient for the various operations of the
royal bank ; though in fad this fum was more than all the banks in
Europe could circulate.

In the meantime, ftill the more to inveigle mankind. Law perfuaded
the regent to unite the French Eaft-India company to this new Miflifippi
or weftern company. The preamble to this edid ftiews the very bad
ftate of their Eall-India company's affairs, viz. that notwithftanding the
fums of money, fliips, &c. beflowed on the Eaft-India company fxoni-

3

A. D. 1 7 19. 67

time to time, and their many privileges and immunities fince their firfl
eredllon in the year 1664 ; yet, inftead of increaling their commerce,
they had totally abandoned their navigation, and were now about to fell
their exclufive privileges to fome private perfons for certain allowances ;
though they might as well have made their commerce profitable to their
proprietors and to the kingdom, as the Eaft-India companies of other
nations have done. That though the original fund was not large enough,
yet their diredlors injudicioufly lavifhed it away, borrowing money af-
terwards at 10 per cent intereft. Nay they even paid L5 per cent per
month for the intereft of the bullion they procured for their eaftward
cargoes, which fwallowed up all the profits of the voyage. That King
Louis XIV ftill continued his kindnefs to that company ; but the Eaft-
Indians complaining that the company did not pay either principal or
intereft of their juft debts, and that they had not fent one fliip to Surat
in 16 years time, they being greatly in debt there, from whence cottons
and alraoft all the fpices and drugs of India and Arabia are brought ;
the fubjeds of France, to their immenfe lofs, are compelled to buy of
llrangers thofe and other Indian wares, not only for home confumption,
but alfo for carrying on the trades of Senegal and Guinea ; though at
triple the prices they would otherwife have coft. Neither is their trade
to China better conduded than that to India. For retrieving, therefor,
the commerce and honour of France in India, by paying the company's
debts (of many millions) there, the king hereby nullities the privileges of
. that company, and unites them to this weftern or Miflifippi company,
which will thereby be much ftrengthened. Thus, having before joined
the Senegal company to the weftern one, this newly-confoUdated com-
pany will have the four quarters of the world to trade in. For thefe
caufes we have thought proper to unite thofe companies, and have grant-
ed this now united company the abfolutely exclufive commerce from
the Cape of Good Hope eaftward, to all the reft of Africa, and to Per-
fia, India, China, Japan, and the ifles, even to the ftraits of Magellan
and Le Maire ; they hereby enjoying all the forts, ifles, &c. of the
old company, and paying all their debts. How different has the condi-
tion of the French Eaft-India company fince been from what it was at
the time we are treating of ?

Moreover, fays the king's edid, befides the 100 millions of pubHc
debts, already fubfcribed into the weftern company's capital, there fhall
now be a fubfcription, in ready cafh, of 25 millions of new adions, each
to confift of 550 livres. And this newly-^united company fhall hence-
forward be called the India company.

In July 1719, 25 millions more of ft;ate bills were fubfcribed into this
new India company's capital, which was by this time run a great way
above par, and, by the vaft number of adventurers in that ftock, the
dirty (Ireet called Rue Quinquempoix, was dayly crowded beyond

I 2

68 A. D. 17 19.

meafure. We may here remark, that a great part of the firft ftock of*
this company was fubfcribed by the king and government alone, which,
by the mad running np of the ftock, was afterward fold out at 1000 per
cent and upwards ; and thereby put near 200 millions into the king's
coffers : the like was pradifed by Law on the company's own behalf,
thereby enabling them to pufli their fchemes yet farther. In Augufl
17 1 9, for the farther promoting of flock-jobbing, the lafl 50 millions
of India flock had every fhare fplit into 100 fhares ; which brought in
the very dregs of the people to be adventurers: whereupon the flock
rofe to 500 per cent, which again fell to 445 on the bare rumour of the
Sieur Law's indifpofition, and rofe again to 610 on his recovery. In
the fame month the king's arret granted the company the general farm
of all the revenues, and prolonged their exclufive term to the year 1770 :
in confideration whereof the company agreed to lend the king no lefs
than 1200 millions of livres (or about 50 millions flerling) for paying
off all the public debts. For this general farm the company agreed to
pay 52 millions yearly *, of which the company was to retain annually
^6 millions, as the interefl of the 1200 millions lent to the king, for
which vaft fum they were to take fubfcriptions at 3 per cent. In the
meantime, the bank was ordered to iffue 25 millions, in their notes, to
the India company, to be fent to Louifiana inftead of coin, for carrying-
on an extenfive commerce there ; a wretched means for that end in lieu
of cafh : the company at the fame time agreed to pay to the king 50 mil-
lions for the fole privilege of the coinage of money for nine years to
come. By another arret, the pubUc creditors were permitted to take
adions or fliares of India ftock in payment of their feveral debts ; and
thus the pubUc debts were all paid off. The people of France eafily
fwallowed the bait, fondly believing all the fine ftories which Law and
his emilTaries artfully gave out ; and the ftock in a few weeks more ran
up to 1200 per cent, when 150 milHons more were added to their capi-
tal, by three feveral fubfcriptions at 1000 per cent, to enable them to
make good their loans to the king ; which 150 millions were permitted
to be fplit into fuch fmaller parts as they fhould take out fubfcriptions
for, whereby the market in Rue Qiiinquempoix was well fupplied.

A falfe appearance of an unufal plenty of money was now obferved
at Paris, whereby all things rofe in price, and lands near Paris were fold
at 50 years purchafe ; and a wife purchafe it was to fuch as fold out their
ftock at 1200 per cent, which they very properly termed realizing their
ftock. By fuch means, Mr. Law's credit was arrived at the higheft
pitch ; his levee was crowded with perfons from moft parts of Europe,
prefFmg for fubfcriptions, which now bringing in fo much cafh to the
company, they were enabled to lend the king 300 millions more, at

* This was 3{- millions more than was paid for the general farm by Lambert, whom therefor thq
king now dcpi ived of it, though fix ycais of his grant were unexpired, yf.

A. D. 1 7 19. 59-

3: per ceiit. Many were the arts made ufe of for keepiaj up the price
of the now unwieldy ftock ; fuch as, an arret to enable the company
to employ part of their capital for the improvement of manufadures,
fifheries, &c. ; alio, for improving their tobacco farm ;for fupp lying the
king with all the hemp he Ihoiild want for his navy ; and many other
devices too tedious to enumerate. The king, moreover, engaged,
not to ere6t any other company in France but this. And the company,
on their part, engaged not to take in any more new fubfcriptions *, nor
to increale their capital ftock. The payments for the new fubfcriptions
were to be by ten inftallments, each at a month's diftance ; but the new
fubfcriptions foon made the old ones fall, for want of money to pay in
on thefe laft ; the firft payment of which laft new ones was currently
fold at 200 to 300 per cent profit ; and yet the old ones were equally
good as thofe of the laft fubfcription : but the quantity of the capital
ftock, being now 300 millions, made the old fubfcriptions fall in price :
the company therefor, in order to keep them up, declared they would
pay 900 per cent for them, which immediately raifed them to 1200 per
cent; and the laft fubfcriptions were about 1300 per cent. Now 300
millions of that ftock, at the price of i 200 per cent, amounts to 360,000
millions of livres, or about 18,000 milUons fterling f.

From the beginning of November 1719 till about the middle of
December following the French India or Milfifippi ftock was in its
meridian glory : during which time, moreefpecially, and for fome time
before and after, the city of Paris was crowded with ftrangers, and with
foreigners from difterent nations, who haftened thither for dealing in

* This was neceffary in order to keep up the Portugal - - - C

price of (he former ones. yi. Italy, Sicily, and Venice • - lo

f Which fum is perhaps near 180 times as niUL'h Turkey in Europe ... 8

as all Europe contained of current ca(h, fuppofing it Rnflia - - - . 6-

I amoii

ut to lOO millions fterling: for, as to what is Poland

4

ihut up in banks, and particularly the bank of Am- Sweden, Denmark, and Norway

Iterdam, (faid, by fome, to amount to j6 millions)

It is not properly the current coin of the country, lOo

though it anfwers in commerce as well as if it were. So that the utmoft, we think, we can reafonably

being but a mere depofit of credit. Yet it is con- fuppofe the current caftii of Europe, amounts to

fefled to be very difficult to arrive ai a juft diftri- loo milhons fterhng ; and pofiibly many may con-

bution of the fuppofed ico millions of current jecture, we have allowed moil nations, efpecially the

calh amongft the feveral nations of Europe, more northern ones,too much, andfomeperliaps too little.

efpecially as we have not met with any former at- Our judicious readers will not be Uartled at our al-

tempt for fuch a proportional diftribution thereof, lowing Spain and Portugal fo I'mall a currency of

by any author whatever. Yet although, with re- cafh, who fupply the reft of Europe with filver and

i^ard efpecially to fome countries of Europe, we gold ; nor for allowing France fo much, when the

be quite upon mere conjefture, we (hall, however, annual expenfe of that kingdom is ducly conlider-

though with diffidence, venture at it in round ed, as well as that of Britain and Ireland ; the

fums, viz. other nations may be varioudy reafoncd upon with

Britain and Ireland (millions fterl. money) l6 rcfpedt to tlie quantum of their calh, from vari-

France .... . i8 ous confiderations : as, from the quantity of their

The 17 provinces of the Netherlands IZ commerce and manufadures, from the numbers of

Germany, Hungary, and Switzerland - y their people, from their ffii^,ping, the number and

Spain - ... 8 magnitudeof their trading cities, 5i.c. ^.

70 A. D. 1719.

this ftock ; infoniuch, that it was currently believed, there might then
refide at Paris half a million of ftrangers more than ufual, and that
1 200 new coaches were fet up. Nothing to be feen but new and
fplendid equipages, new houfes, and finery in apparel ; lodgings fcarce-'
ly to be had for money ; and the higheil prices given for provifions,
&c. in that city. Yet, in a few more months after, the very reverfe
of all this was feen to be the miferable condition of both city and
country.

By an ad for fettling certain yearly funds, payable out of the
revenue of Scotland, to fatisfy public debts in Scotland, and to dif-
charge the equivalents claimed on behalf of Scotland, &c. it was enadt-
ed, that, for obviating many doubts and difficulties, which the commif-*
iioners of the equivalent found too hard for them to fettle, arifing from
the doubtful and various conftrudion of the 15th article of the union
of the two kingdoms, the fum of L248,55o : o : 97 fhould be a capital
flock, transferable, attended with an annuity, or annual fund, of
Li 0,000, out of the excife and cufloms of Scotland, as alio L600 per
annum allowed for charge of management, out of thole revenues. The
king was hereby empowered to incorporate the proprietors thereof, who
fhould have perpetual fuccellion, &.c. Yet the faid ftock is to be re-
deemable by parliament. [5 Geo. I. c. 20.] The ftock remains to this
day transferable, and its diredors meet weekly at their office in Lon-
don, being 13 in number, eleven refiding in London, and two refiding
at Edinburgh. Their charter is dated nth Geo. on the 21ft of No-
vember 1724. They pay their proprietors 4 per cent per annum.

By this fame ftatute, L2000 per annum, out of the revenues of cuf-
toms and excife in Scotland, was allotted for ever, to be wholely applied
towards encouraging and protedling the fifheries and fuch other manu-
fadures and improvements in Scotland as may moft conduce to the
general good of the united kingdom, according to the tenor and true
meaning of the r5th article of the union. Provided however, that up-
on payment by parliament of L4o,ooo, the faid annuity of L2000 fhall
ceafe and determine.

The irredeemable debt being at this time thought a dead weight on
the public, the miniftry and parliament were extremely delirous to get
rid of as much of it as they could, at a reaionable rate : a bargain was
therefor now ftruck with the South-fea company ; whereby, in the firft
place, the blank pay-tickets, and the prizes of the lottery of the year
17 10, which were irredeemable annuities for 32 years from 17 10, were
now to be turned into redeemable principal fums at 5 per cent intereft,
by an ad of parliament of the 5th of King George, for redeeming the
fund appropriated for payment of the lottery tickets, which were made
ioith for the fervice of the year 17 10, by a voluntary fubfcription of
rjie proprietors into the capital ftock of the South-fea company, &c. It

A. D. 1719- 7^

was hereby, In fubftance, enaded, ' that whereas the nation at prefent

• pays Li 35,000 per annum for 23^ years to come, at chnftmas 1718,

* to the proprietors of that lottery,'

They were now to have an offer of 1 1 ^ years purchafe in South fea
flock, - - Li, 552,500 o o

And they being i ~ year in arrear, they had an of-
fer of ftock for the fame, being _ - _ 168,750 o o

Total South fea flock propofed to be given, Li, 72 1,250 o o

And the government propoling to make, in all,^
an increafe of L2,5oo,ooo to the company's capital,
by that company agreeing to advance the refidue in
money for the public fervices, the fame would be 778.750 o o

L2,5oo,ooo o o

The interell of which lafl fum, at 5 per cent,
■would be, ___.--- Li 25,000 o o

To which add, for charges of management, - 2000 o o

So there remained L8000 yearly faved, (as they
then termed it), at the difpofal of parliament, which
laving they made out to be worth L20o,ooo, - 8000 o o

Li35,ooo o o

And as the company's general court in December 171 8 had ordered
an increafe of one half per cent to the dividends on their capital for the
three fucceeding half years, over and above the 2^ per cent for each
half year, allowed by the public, in order to keep up the old dividend
of 6 per cent per annum, the increaied capital of L2,5oo,ooo fliould
alfo enjoy that benefit, which for i^ year would be L37,5oo. This iafl
fum was propofed to be deduded out of the above L778,750.

Neve rt Ileitis, many proprietors of the lottery 17 10 refuted to accept
thofe conditions : lb that of the Li35,ooo, there was only faDfcrioed
into the South-fea company, _ _ - L94,329 j 2 o

Which, at i2i years purchafe, made in capital
flock, __._--- 1,202,70:2 8 o

And, in that proportion, the company was oblig-
ed to advance only _ _ - _ . 544,142 o 10

So the total capital added to the company, by this
fcheme, was but _ . - - - Li. 746, 844 8 10

yt A. D. 1719.

And the company's allowance from the government for their pra-
portion of the above L37,5oo was 1^26,202:13:4. Laftly, as
L2,5oo,ooo was to L2000, Co was Li,746,844 : 8 : 10 (the real aug-
mentation of the company's flock) to L1397 = 9-6, the real annual fum,
due from the public, for charges of management for the faid additional
capital.

Thus, however, the South-fea company's capital flock was increafed
to Li 1,746,844 : 8 : 10 from chriflmas 171 8, and their whole annuity
to L5 87,342 : 4 : 5. By this ad alfo the whole South-fea capital was
made redeemable, on one year's notice after midfummer 1723, on re-
payment of their capital. This tranfadion with the public unfortu-
nately laid a foundation (together with the fad example of the Miflifippi
•flock) for the madnefs of the fucceeding year 1720, of which we are,
■by and by, to give an account. In the meantime, in July 1719, by
way of prelude, the South-fea company opened a fubfcription for the
fale of 1.520,000 of their flock, (part of the above addition to their ca-
pital) which they now fold at the price of 1 14 per cent, whereby they
gained L72,8oo.

A bill was brought into parliament for rendering the laws concern-
ing the importation of naval flores from the Britifh American planta-
tions more extenfive, by extending it to all forts of timber from thence.
For, whereas in our trade thither, it fometimes happens, that the crops
-of tobacco, fugar, &c. fall fhort, many fliips in that cafe are obliged to
come home to Great Britain dead-freighted ; and fome remain there a
whole feafon, waiting for the next crop ; it was therefor imagined by
the houfe of commons, that, if encouragement were given for bringing
timber, &c. from our plantations, our fhips would be fure of a cargo ;
whereby the demand from our northern colonies for Britilh manufac-
tures of all kinds, would be greatly increafed, and their people divert-
ed from farther attempts at manufacT:ures of their own, interfering with
thofe of Britain and Ireland. But the people of the northern colonies
were lb furprifed and dilappointed by fome claufes put into that bill,
that, rather than they fliould fland part of it, they were very glad to
have it dropped altogether. Such, for inflance, as, that none in the
plantations fhould manufa6hire iron wares of any kind, out of any fows,
pigs, or bars, whatfoever, under certain penalties : by which claufe,
fays an ingenious author, on this occalion, in behalf of the colonies,
no fmith in the plantations might make fo much as a bolt, Ipike, or
nail ; whereby the colonies mull have been brought into a miferable
condition ; the fmith being, above all other trades, abfolutely neccflary
in all other employiiients there. Amongfl the reft, that of fliip-build-
ing would have hereby been utterly deftroyed, although by that article
\hey make a gitat part of their returns for the purchafe of Britifh ma-
nufactures. The houfe of peers added another claufe, that no forge,

A. D. 1719. ^'i^

going by water, or other work vvhatfoever, fhould be eredled in any ot'
the plantations, for making fows, pigs, or cafl iron, into bar or rod iron.
This fecond claufe, fays the fame author, mufl have ruined all the
iron works in the colonies, to the great lofs of their proprietors, and
have given the French a fair handle to tempt them into their fettle-
ments which join to ours. The chief oppofers of the manufadure of
iron in our American plantations, were the proprietors of our iron
works at home ; and our author adds, (what is probable enough, or
rather within bounds) that the iron manufacture of England, which
is deemed the third of the kingdom, employs 200,000 perfons : that
the wafte and deftrudion of the woods in the counties of Warwick,
Stafford, Worcefter, Hereford, Monmouth, Glocefter, and Salop, by
thefe iron works, is not to be imagined ; and that, if fome care be not
taken to preferve our timber from thefe confuming furnaces, there will
not be oak enough left to fupply the royal navy, and our mercantile
(hipping : that within thefe 60 years Ireland was better flocked with
oak timber than we now are ; but the iron works, lince fet up there,
have in a few years fwept away the wood to that degree, that they
have not fmall fluff enough left to produce bark for their tanning, nor
timber for common ufes ; infomuch that at prefent they are forced
to have bark from England, and building timber from Norway, &c.
and to fuffer their large hides to be exported untanned to Holland,
Germany, &c. : that about 20,000 tons of iron are annually imported
to England from foreign parts, over and above what is made at home,
for which we pay ready money; and at L12 per ton, comes to
L240,ooo, paid annually to foreigners ; and the boards and other tim-
ber which we take of them, come to L20o,ooo more : whereas, our
own plantations would be paid for their iron and timber in our own
manutaclures, thereby evidently bringing a double benefit to the na-
tion : that they have iron-ftone all along the continent, from the
fouthernmofl part of Carolina, to the northernmoft part of New-Eng-
land, in great plenty ; and no part of the world abounds more with
prodigious quantities of wood, nor with more rivers and flreams : that
the Swedes have laid near 25 per cent additional duty on their iron ;
and that the interruptions of our trade in the Baltic had greatly diftrefl-
ed our iron manuficlurers for want of iron : that by the naval-flore
laws, now in force, which comprehend only pitch, tar, and turpentine,
fuch great quanrities thereof are produced and imported from our
plantations, as enables us to export great quantities thereof to the
Straits, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Bremen, and Hamburgh : that tak-
ing timber and iron, as well as hemp and ffax, from our own planta-
tions would employ a vafl many fhips and people : that iron, in par-
ticular, is a commodity of univerfal ufe, and certain in all parts of the
Vol. III. K

74 A. D. 1719.

world, and therefor as much to be valued as gold or filver : that the
Dutch lupply Portugal, the Straits, and Turkey, with great quantities of
iron ; and had we a full fujiply of it from our plantations, we might
not only ballad our fliips with it, but export great quantities to thofe
countries, and even to Africa and India: that hemp, another mod
neceflary naval ftore, may hereafter be fo enhanced by the czar of
Ruffia, from whofe ports we are principally fupplied with it, as to at-
tempt, like the Swedes, to oblige us to receive it by his own fhipping,
and at his own prices : finally, our greateft fecurity and riches flow
from our American plantations : and, were they encouraged to raife
all the naval ftores we want, how greatly would our riches be increafed
as well as our navigation, people, and power. Our author, however,
concludes, that negro flaves in our plantations fhould not be permitted
to work in manufadures there, (as certainly many do), but be kept to
their original intent for planting and drudgery : and alfo that the in-
creafe of woollen, &c. manufadures there, interfering with thofe of our
own, fhould be reftrained as much as poffible.

Thefe are points of the laft importance to our commercial intei-efls,
wherefor wc have enlarged the more upon them, in fundry parts of this
work.

A convention was renewed and enlarged this year between his majef-
ty of Great Britain and the free and imperial city and republic of Ham-
burgh, concerning the trade of herrings, &c. viz.

Article 1) Hamburgh grants permiflion for the free importation of
herrings caught on the Britiflr coafls, upon paying the fame duties of
entry as are ufually paid for Flemifh or Dutch herrings.

II, and III) The BritijQi herrings fliall be brought into warehoufes,
and fliall be opened in the fame manner as thofe of Holland are.

IV) The fenate fliall appoint two appraifers and two packers, who
fhall take an oath of fidelity every year.

V) If the proprietors or their factors come in perfon, they fliall have
liberty to fell their herrings to any inhabitants indifferently : and if they
cannot difpofe of them in eight days,- to the inhabitants, they may af-
terwards fell them to whomfoever they will, or may fend themwhither-
foever they pleafe.

VI) When the proprietors fend their herrings to fadors, they fhall be
at liberty to choofe their fadors either from among the laudable Eng-
lifli company (i. e. of merchant-adventurers) refiding in the town, or
among the burghers.

VII) His Britannic majefty's fubjeds fliall always enjoy the fame
privileges and advantages in the herring trade, as are, or fliall be, grant-
ed to the fubjeds of the ftates of the United provinces.

VIII j His Britannic majefty's fubjeds may alfo bring to Hamburgh,
falmon, fl:ockfifh, cod, and all other forts of fifli, either dried, fraoaked,

A. D. 1719- 75

or in barrels, paying the cuftomary duties. And, in like manner, the
inhabitants and burghers of Hamburgh (hall have free liberty to trade,
according to their antient cuftom, to the provinces of the Britifli king-
doms ; and may carry their merchandize thither, and truck or exchange
the fame for thofe forts of fiili and other goods.
Done at Hamburgh, ^tb February 1719 *.

It was at this time computed, that from the year 171 1 to 171 9 (both
years included) being nine years, there had been exported from Eng-
land to Eafl-India, in foreign filver bullion, the fum of L3,786,oo5,
which on a medium is, one year with another, L42o,667 annually.

Captain Bariow was lent out by certain private adventurers f , for the
difcovery of a north-weft paflage to China, &c. through Hudfon's bay.
But this proved a moft unfortunate attempt ; for neither he nor any of
his company were ever heard of. Yet a part of the wreck of his fliip
was faid to be found in that bay, in the latitude of d^t degrees north.
{Ellis's Voyage to Hudjoii's bay, /. 78, ed. 1748.]

About the clofe of this year a pamphlet appeared with a propolal
for a fettlement to be made in the country of Guiana, in South Ame-
rica, by the South-fea company, upon a plan which the anonymous au-
thor alleges he had laid before King William 30 years before. His
pamphlet is intitled an Hiftorical account of the voyages and adven-
tures of Sir Walter Raleigh (frpm whom he fays he is defcended.) But,
in our humble opinion, this kinfman of that great man could not have
touched upon any part of his adventures which does lo little honour to
him as that wild fcheme ; of which we have faid enough in its place,
next to the projed of a north-wefl paflage, this unaccountable whim of
a fettlement in Guiana has at different times employed our fpeculative
fchemers to the lead purpofe.

In this 5th year of King George I a patent was granted to Sir Tho-
mas Lombe for the fole and exclufive property, for 14 years, of that
wonderful machine for filk-throwing, fometime before erected by his
brother on the river Derwent, at Derby, by mills, which work three ca-
pital engines. This arnazingly-grand machine contains 26,586 wheels,
and 97,746 movements, which work 73,726 yards of organzine filk
thread every time the water wheel goes round, being thrice in one mi-
nute, and 318,504,960 yards in one day and night. CTne water wheel
gives motion to all the other movements, of which any one may be flop-
ped feparately, without obflructing the reft. One fire engine conveys

* Mr Wich, the rcfidtiu at Ilaiiiburgl,, wlio f Accordnig to Dr. Foiilcr, lie and'Capiai:!
iK-gotiated tliis .trtafy, wrote home in Odobc-r Knight weic- ient out together by thi.- Hucllniv's

1719, that clie qu.ih'ty of tlie ■ hcrliiigs impoited bay coirpany. \_Di/b:-vfr:es tr ''i '•, • :S" ■^''

this year from Gieat Bri'Liiiii La<i provi J . xcced- tie £,iig!^/h tran/fa-ioti.] J\i.
ingly good M. ■

K 2

76 A. D. 1 719.

warm air to every individual part of this vaft machine, containing in all
its buildings half a quarter of a mile in length. The model of it is faid
to have been taken by Mr. Lombe from the original in Piedmont, un-
der the difguife of a common workman, by fecretly drawing the plan
on paper. Thefe engines have faved a great deal of money to the na-
tion, which they formerly paid for organzine, or thrown, filk to the
Piedmontefe, altogether with ready money. And (that we may take
in all this matter together) the 14 years being run out before Sir Tho-
mas Lombe could make fufficient advantage thereof, upon his applica-
tion to parliament in the year 1732, Li4,ooo was granted to him from
the public, as a confideration for the eminent fervices he has done the
nation, in difcovering, introducing, and bringing to full perfedion, at
his own great expenfe, a work foufeful and beneficial to this kingdom :
provided, however, that his majefly may and lliall direft proper perfons
to view the faid three engines, and to take an exact model thereof, to
be depolited in fuch place as he fhall appoint, to fecure and perpetuate
the faid art for the advantage of this kingdom. This ftatute mentions
' the great obftrudion to this undertaking by the king of Sardinia, in
' prohibiting the exportation of the raw filk which the engines were
' made to work'. [5 Geo. I, c. 8.]

iy20. — We now enter upon the year 1720 ; a year remarkable, be-
yond all others, for extraordinary and romantic projed:s, propofals, and
undertakings, both private and national ; as well refpeding commercial
concerns, as the great internal interefts of two of the moft potent king-
doms of Europe ; which, therefor, ought to be had in perpetual re-
membrance, not only as being what never had its parallel, nor, it is to
be hoped, ever will hereafter ; but likewife, as it may ferve for a per-
petual memento to the legiflators and minifters of our own nation, never
to leave it in the power of any hereafter to hoodwink mankind into fo
fhameful and baneful an impofition on the credulity of the people,
thereby diverted from their lawful induftry !

We have feen in the preceding year, to what extravagant lengths the
famous Law had led the duke-regent of France, in order to get clear off
the public incumbrances, by giving the unhappy proprietors of the
French national debts what, in the end, proved little better than nothing.
And wc are forry to bt? obliged to add, that we have in part alfo already
feen our own Britifli parliament and miniitry approaching too near,
though not inteiuionally, to fuch unjufl: and vifionary fchemes for lef-
fening the Britifli national debt, by liftening to the propofals of crafty
projedors, calculated for deceiving and hoodwinking the proprietors of
thofe debts, by altering or changing the names, fliape, and pofition, of
them, too much refembling, what is vulgarly called, flight-of-hand, ra-
ther than for any folid leflening of thofe incumbrances, as if any other
method whatever, confidently with national juilice and honour, could

A. D. 1720. 77

leflen our incumbrances, but a clear and in\'iolable finking fund, the
confequence of the frugal favings from the redudion of intereft ; and
avoiding of all needlefs expenfe, more efpecially in times of fettled
peace ; and from the increafe of foreign commerce proportionably in-
creafing the public revenue. All other methods are an impofitionupon,
and a difgrace to, a nation enjoying liberty and property. Other me-
thods were, however, at this time adopted, to the ruin of many honour-
able, and, till then, wealthy, families, to the advancement of many low
and obfcure perfons, and to the great temporary detriment of our com-'
merce.

The grand point, as already obferved, which the Britifh government
had now in view, was the redudion of what are called the irredeemable
annuities, created at divers times in the reigns of King William and
(Xieen Anne, mofl of them for 99, fome for g6 and 89 years, and others
for fhorter terms, amounting in all to very near L8oo,ooo per annum.
And the managers of the South-fea company having been fo fuccefsful
in taking in the greatefl part of the annuities of the lottery of 171 o, the
miniftry encouraged the diredors of that company to make their pro-
pofals for reducing them all into a redeemable ftate. It is now become
unnecefTary to relate a great deal of what paiTed on this fubjed. In
January that company at firft propofed to the houfe of commons to
give L3, 500, 000 to the pubUc, for the privilege of taking in all the faid
irredeemable debts, and alfo the redeemable debts then at the exche-
quer and bank, moftly bearing 5 per cent, either by purchafe from the
proprietors or by fubfcription, into their capital flock. This projed ex-
citing the jealoufy of the bank of England, the diredors of the later on
the very fame day offered above five millions for the fame privilege.
This rivalfliip proved in effed the bane of the whole plan : for a fecond
propofal of the South-fea company amounted to no lefs than L7,567,50o,
in cafe all thofe debts fhould be fubfcribed, and in that proportion for
any part of them ; and alfo propofed farther, to pay to the ufe of the
public one year's purchafe of all fuch of the long irredeemable an-
nuities as fhould not be brought into their capital. The bank made a
fecond propofal, more advantageous to the public in fundry reipeds,
and therein obliged themfelves to give L1700 bank ftock for every
Li 00 irredeemable long annuity. Let any one of common underftand-
ing confider one moment, how it could be pollible for either company
to perform what they now propofed, fo as not to be lofers themfelves,
without egregioufly deceiving and injuring the proprietors of thefe
debts ! Was it not therefor mofl; unaccountable in any Britifh parlia-
ment and miniftry to give encouragement to propofals of lb obvioudy
pernicious a nature ?

It feems, that, upon the king's arrival from Hanover in November
1719, this fchemc was laid before the miniflry by the managers of the

78 A. D. 1720.

Soiuh-feu company ; who, fluflied with their late fiiccefs, aimed at no
lefs than incorporating all the funds of the bank, the Eaft-India com-
pany, and the exchequer, into their own capital. But, though that was
not rcUflied, the very rumour of fome fuch fcheme railed their flock to
I 26 per cent at the {hutting of the books for chriftmas 171 9. In con-
clufion, the South-fea company's lafl propofal was accepted in parUa-
ment, and a bill brought in for enabling that company to increafe their
prcfent capital flock and fund by redeeming fuch public debts and in-
cumbrances as are therein mentioned ; for railing money to be applied
for lefTening feveral of the public debts and incumbrances ; for calling
in the prefent exchequer-bills remaining uncancelled ; and for making
forth new bills in lieu thereof, to be circulated and exchanged upon
demand at the exchequer.

The oppofers of this bill in parliament in vain urged, (what afterward
proved but too true) that it was calculated for the enriching of a few,
and the ruin of many : that it countenanced the pernicious pradice of
ftock-jobbing, thereby diverting the proper genius of the people from
trade and induflry : that the artificial railing of South-fea flock lb
high while the bill was depending (viz. to 319, per cent) was a danger-
ous bait for decoying the unwary to their ruin, by a falfe profpeft of
gain, to part with what they had gotten with labour and induflry, for
imaginary wealth : that it would give foreigners an opportunity of
perhaps tripling the great fums they already pofleffed in our funds, and
would thereby drain the kingdom of its treafure, when they fliould
realize their flock : that a national bargain fhould be wifely made,
with more advantage to the public than to individuals ; but this fcheme
was quite the reverie ; llnce, if South-fea flock fhould be kept up at
300 per cent, its old members would gain above thirty million.s, whilfl:
the public were to avail themfelves of but a quarter part of^that fum :
that although neither of the propoials of the two rival companies were
lit to be received, yet that of the bank was fairer, as they declared
plainly what they would give the long annuitants in their flock. But
if, neverthelefs, the South-fea company's propoials ihould be accepted,
the rile of their flock fhould be limited, for preventing the pernicious
effects of flock -jobbing in fo high a degree as was like to happen. To all
which, and much more, laid againfl the fcheme, it was anfwered by the
miniflerial advocates, that neither the miniilers nor the company could
forefee this great rife of the flock : for had its price remained as it was
when the bargain was flrfl flruck, viz. at 137 per cent, the public would
have been the greater gainer : that the miniflry had nothing in view,
but eailng the nation of part of its prefent heavy load of debt, and put-
ting the remainder in a method of being gradually dilcharged ; and
iallly. that it v^as but reafonable, that the company fl;iould enjoy the pro-
fit of the rile of flock procured by their own prtident conduct, &c.

A. D. 1720. 79:

It is to little purpofe now to enlarge on the methods then taken by
the South-fea company's managers, for enabling them to execute (o vaft
a fcheme : fuch as, making their dividend warrants at chriftmas 1719
to carry intereft till chriftmas 1720, fums under L20 only excepted ;
obtaining an act of this fame feffion, for making forth new exchequer-
bills, not exceeding one million, at a certain intereft, and for lending
the fame to the ,South-fea company at an higher intereft, &c. taking in
four money-fubfcriptions for the fale of their flock which they propoj-
ed to gain by the fcheine ; which large money-fubfcriptions were par-
ticularly intended for enabling the company to pay off the holders of
fuch of the redeemable debts as fhould choofe to take their principal
money, inftead of fubfcribing the fame into that company ; and alfo for
paying the above great fum to the public for the privilege of this
fcheme ; which lafl: fum was deftined by this ad to be applied, in the
firfl: place, to pay off all fuch debts, not included in the company's new
capital, as carried 5 per cent intereft, and afterward to pay oft' part of
the company's capital at 5 per cent. They were alfo hereby empower-
ed to make calls of money on their members, or to open books for fub-
fcriptions, or to grant annuities redeemable ; or by fuch other methods
for raifing money as their general courts fhould dired ; fuch as loans on
contrads, bills, bonds, or obligations, under their common feal, or on
the credit of their flock, which hereby was all to be reduced to 4 per
cent redeemable at midiummer 1727. And the additional allowance
for management was to be in proportion to that allowed for their old
capital. Not lefs than one million to be paid the company at any one
time : but theia* trade and privileges were to continue for ever.

The debts propofed to be taken in were,

I) Irredeemable long annuities, per annum L666,82i 8 ^^

Ditto fhort nnnuities, - 127,260 0 1 '

Making together - - - L794,o8i 14 4'

The long annuities originally did not, in general, coll the proprietors
above fixteen years purchafe ; fo that the proprietors had already been
over-paid their principal with legal interefl, and yet, after fo many
years elapfed, their preibnt market price was coniiderably- more than
what was originally paid for them at the exchequer ; and therefor they
were now deemed an incumbrance on the public equal to their current
value, and were to be juflly confidered in that light only.

For thefe long annuities the company obliged themfelves to allow the
proprietors twenty years purchafe ; and fourteen years purchafe for the
fhort annuities : but the main fallacy was, that the company was not
limited in the price they were to put on their flock to be given to
them, ^l^hereas, on the contrary, the bank's fecond propofal obliged .

8o A. D. 1720.

themfelves to oficr Li, 700 bank flock for every L 100 per annum of
long annuities, and in like proportion for the (hort ones.

Total fo valued was . _ _ L15, 118,072 11 o

II) The redeemable debts at the exchequer and bank, carrying 5 per
cent intereft, amounted to Li 1,779,660 : 1 1 : 3|- ; and thofe at 4 per
cent to L4, 766, 82 1 : 15 : 9^. So that if all the public debts aforefaid,
amounting to L3i,664,554 : 18 : i^^, had been fubfcribed, the South-fea
company's capital ftock would have been increafed to the fum of
L43,4ii,399:6: ii;^.

The South-fea diredtors, who were alio, by commiffion, truftees for
taking in the public debts, opened their firft money-fubfcription on the
14th of April, for the fale of two millions of their flock at 300 per cent,
the market price that day being 325. Some of the diredors feemed to
diflike this method, as copying too clolely the Miffifippi proceedings :
yet the junto of managers judged it advifeable, for keeping up the price
of llock. And fuel) was the concourfe of perfons of diflindion to that
fubfcription, that it was increafed to L2, 250, 000, and thereupon it foon
fold for double the price of the firft payment, which was L60, and the
llock rofe to 340 per cent.

Their next mafter-piece was in a general court, where now were
feen many of the highefl rank and quality, to vote a dividend of 10 per
cent in flock for midfummer half-year 1720, as well to the new fub-
fcribers as to the old capital. This dividend was one great caufe of the
enfuing calamities, by occafioning too high an opinion of the value of
the fcheme.

At the fame general court it was refolved to grant money-loans on
flock, as far as L5oo,ooo (fecretly enlarged to L90o,ooo) for four
months at 5 per cent. There were alfo at this time large premiums given
by the agents of the managers for the refufal of flock at very high
])rices. Mosc money was afterward lent out both on flock and on fub-
fcription-receipts. On the other band, the diredors were conflantly fo-
licited for more fubfcriptions, loans, &c. And to fo great a height was
the fren/.y already got, that the bare refolution of the court of directors,
oil the 28th of April, to receive the irredeemable annuities into their
ilock influenced many of the proprietors of thofe annuities actually to
viepolit their annuities at the South-fea houfe, and implicitly to fub-
icribe the fame, before they knew what terms they were to have for
them : fome of whom, nevertheleis, were the loudeft afterwards in the
clamours againfl the diredors.

On the 30th of April a fecond money-fubfcription was taken for one
million of llock at L400 per cent price ; and this fubfcription was, in
like fort, increafed to Li, 500, coo.

On the 1 9th of May the direclors declared the terms for the irre-
deemable fubfcribed to be,

For the long annuities, thirty-two years purchafe, and at that rate

A. D. 1720. 8r

they gave them L700 (lock, for each Lioo annuity, at 375 per cent, its
vakie being - - - - - L2,625oo

And they gave them in bonds and money to the amount
of - - - - - - 575 o o

The total, as they were thus valued, was - L3,200 o o

For the other long annuities, called 14 per cents, they gave for

each L98 per annum, the fame ftock, valued as above L2,625 o o

And in bonds and money - - - 5 1 1 o o

Total - - L3,i36 o o

And in this proportion for any greater or lefler fum of thofe
annuities.

For the {hort Irredeemables, called 9 per cents, which, as well as
the blank and prize tickets of lottery 1710, they valued at feventeen
years purchafe, they gave the following terms, viz.

The 9 per cents for every L90 per annum, had L350 flock at 375
percent - - - _ _ Li,3i2 10 o

And in bonds and money - - - 217 10 o

Total - - Li,53o o o

For prizes of lottery 171 o for every Lioo per annum they had L400

flock at 375 per cent, which is - - - Li,5oo o o

And in bonds and money - - - 200 o o

Total - - Li, 700 o o

For blank tickets of lottery 1710, for every L98 per annum, L350

{lock at 375 per cent, which is - - - Li,3i2ioo

And in bonds and money _ - _ ^^^ jq q

Total - - Li, 665 o o

Confidering the frenzy of this time, it mufl be confefled, that thefe
terms to the irredeemables were tolerably fair, had the fubfcribers been
allowed th^ immediate difpofal of the Hock now allotted to them,
which was far from being the intention of the junto. We mufl here
alfo remark, in favour of the diredors, that they gave fix days time to
thefe firfl fubfcribers to declare their acceptance or non-acceptance of
the terms *. So that in this, and mofi: of the other tranflidions relating
to this great and unparalleled affair, the fubfcribers, efpecially in the for-

• The ftock being above 500 per cent on the 25th of May was a great temptation to accept. A.

VoL.m. L

82 A. D. 1720.

mer part of the madnefs, were equally acceflary to their own future
lolfes with the conduftors of the fcheme ; all ranks and clafles of per-
fons eagerly forwarding their own ruin, through an exceflive thirft of
gain ; for, the numerous dealers in South-fea flock and fubfcriptions,
by dayly continuing to buy, in the hope of their ftill rifing higher, of
which rife they themfelves were the principal caufe, did undoubtedly
lay a temptation in the way of the managers for ftill growing more ex-
travagant in the conditions of their future fubfcriptions *. This, never-
thelefs, was by no means a fufficient vindication of the court of direc-
tors, who, as fworn truftees for the proprietors, ought to have either
flopped the unreafonable rife of flock, or elfe have difqualified them-
felves, and by a public declaration to the world have teftified their ab-
folute difapprobation thereof. Neither indeed was the board of trea-
fury, who framed the famous ad, to be at all juftified, for not laying
effedual reflraints therein againft even the bare poflibility of any un-
reafonable rife of flock.

The firfl fubfcnption f ^^^^,340 18 9 of the^annuities for long
of the irredeemable debts ^, ^ ^ ^^ '^^^ annuities,

amounted to - L a„d 15,988 4 o of the lottery 17 10.

By the dayly rife of South-fea flock, the fame and credit of the lead-
ing directors and managers rofe in proportion. Addrefl'es were made to
them from perfons of high rank ; and, in teflimony of miniflerial ap-
probation, feveral of the diredors had the hereditary honour of baronet
conferred on them. Yet, very foon after, there happened fuch fudden
fludluations in their flock, fometimes even in the fpace of a few hours,
as might have given clear indications of its precarious value, notwith-
flanding the various arts dayly pradifed to keep it conflantly ri{ing.
For, though on the 2d of June it got up to 890 per cent, yet that vail
price bringing many fellers the day following to Change-alley (now
become a fecond Rue Quinquempoix), it fell before night to 640, and
yet the fame evening rofe again to 770. On the 6th it was at 820, but
by the 14th fell to 710. Many were obliged to fell out their flock to
enable them to make their fecond payment on the firft money-fubfcrip-
tion ; and fome began to have their eyes opened by the judicious cal-
culations of Archibald Hutchefon and others. Thefe alarming confi-
derations obliged the managers to lend out great fums of money on
Sputh-fea flock at 400 per cent. Thofe loans anfwered a double pur-
pofe, 1./?, by locking up lb much flock as was fo pawned, and zd/j, by

* The author of tin's work remembers dfftlnft- tors mtrnded foon to open their ttiird fubfcription

ly, that farther on in this fummer a ccitnin direc- at i,ooc per cent, he facetioufly reph'ed, True/y

tor (Mr. Ed n, long fiiice dead) being a(l<cd gentlemen J'eem tojirive to talk us into fome fuch price,

by a gentleman lit Garraway's coflFcehoufc, wlie- whether -we luill or net. A.
tlicr the report waa true, that the court of dircc- 4

A. D. 1720, 83

fupplying the borrowers with the means of iDuymg more ; fo that,
though the price of the ftock was fomewhat under 800 per cent, the
junto ventured fo far out of their depth as to take a third money-fub-
fcription, for the purchafe of flock at 1000 per cent in ten different
payments of L 100 each, for five milhons of ftock : crowds of people at-
tended at the South-fea houfe, loudly calling for a new fubfcription, and
even named the faid price of loco per cent. And, in a few days, their
firft payment of Lioo rofe to L400. Of the five millions now paid in
for the firfl; payment, the managers lent out in one day three millions,
for fupplying the ftock-market with cafh. A few days after the mid-
fummer fliutting of their books, the price of South fea (lock for the
opening of them was at 1000 per cent and upwards, including the 10
per cent midfummer dividend.

Whilfl South fea flock was thus in its meridian glory, the frenzy in
part affected the other two great companies by raifing them greatly
above their juft value, viz. Eaft-India ftock to 445 per cent, and bank
flock to 260 per cent. This rife was partly occafioned by the fellers
out of South-fea flock, and alio out of the bubbles, (as they were juflly
termed) or numerous lelTer flocks, at very high prices ; who thought
their money fafer in the flocks of thofe two great companies. The ad-
vanced prices of all thofe flocks, greater or lefler, of every kind,
were computed, about midfummer 1720, to amount to about 500
millions flerling ; or about five times as much as the current cafh of all
Europe. And if the yearly rents of all the lands and houies in Great
Britain do not exceed fourteen millions, and the utmoft value thereof,
houfes and lands together, do not exceed fixteen years purchafe on an
average, or two hundred and twenty-four millions of money ; then here
was above double the value of the fee-fimple of all the immoveable
property of the nation in this chimerical traffic ; while the real and fub-
flantial traffic of many of the dealers therein was for many months in a
great ineafure fufpended, or at lead much negleded.

On the 4th of Augufl the fecond fubfcription of the irredeemable
annuities was taken at the South fea houfe, viz.

Li 25,392 17 6 long annuities.
18,750 o o nine per cents,
and 14,906 6 o of lottery 1710.

ly?. The long annuities, all but the 14 per cents, had L400 South fea
flock, and L400 in bonds and nwney for each Lioo per annum, thofe
annuities being now valued at ;^6 years purchafe. 2d/y, And for every
L98 per annum of the L14 per cents, they gave L420 in flock, and
Li 68 in bonds and money. 3,//^, For every L90 per annum of the
nine per cent annuities, they allowed L200 flock, being ly^ years pur-
chafe. 4.tb!y, For every Lioo per annum of the prizes of lotteiy 1710,
they gave L.200 flock, and L150 bonds and money, which was i y{ years

L 2

84 A. D. 1720.

purchafe. s^hly, For every L98 per annum of the blank tickets of
1 710, they gave L210 ftock, and L35 in bonds and money, being like-
wife at the rate of i 7^ years purchafe.

At the fame time there was fubfcribed Li4.393,788 of the redeem-
able debts, every Lioo being taken in or valued at 105, and, on the
I2th of Auguft, South-fea flock being about 910 per cent, the midfum-
mer dividend included, they declared their valuing ftock at 800 per
cent for thefe redeemables fubfcribed. But, although thefe redeem-
able proprietors were about 16,000 perfons in number, they were
not allowed the choice of withdrawing their fubfcriptions, after the
price was now declared ; which made a moft grievous clamour foon af-
ter upon the fall of the ftock.

Many ways were now found neceflary by the junto to keep up the
price of South-fea ftock, after thus taking in the proprietors of the pub-
lic debts at fuch extravagant rates ; fuch as giving credit for fix months,
at 4 per cent intereft, for the third payment of the firft fubfcription,
and the fecond payment of the fecond money-fubfcription, in order to
keep a plenty of cafti in the dealers hands, &c.

But of all the rafh proceedings of the managers during the execution
of their fcheme, none proved more quickly fatal than their obtaining
of the government, on the i8th of Auguft, tl Jc'ire facias againft thofe
airy projeds called bubbles, which, at this time, were become very nu-
merous, and had greatly advanced in their prices, even after an a6t of
parliament of this fime feffion [c. 17] had pafled for fupprefling them,
intitled, an a6t for better fecuring certain powers and privileges in-
tended to be granted by his majefty by two charters for aflurance of
ftiips and merchandize at fea ; and for lending money upon bottomree :
and for reftraining feveral extravagant and unwarrantable practices
therein mentioned, as well as a royal proclamation for enforcing the
laws againft them : infomuch, that Change-alley, Uke the Rue Quin-
quempoix at Paris, was dayly crowded from morning till night, as well
as the coftee-houfes, with dealers in thofe bubbles; many of whom,
having obfolete and forfeited charters, vmdcr that pretext took large
money fubfcriptions for carrying on what they had no right to do.
Others of them grafted new and additional projedts on their obfolete
charters, originally granted for very different purpofes. A third fpecies
of bubbles, and the moft numerous, did not even pretend fo much as
to any fuch obfolete charters, or other authority whatever. It is indeed
very true, that the traffic in thefe did greatly promote luxury, idlenefs,
and extravagance, in the middling and lower clafles of people, divert-
ing them from their wonted induftry and frugality. But the great mif-
take of the South-fea managers concerning thofe bubbles was their be-
lief that their traffic obftruited the rife of South-fea ftock ; whereas, on
the contrary, it was quickly found, that the trade in them was aflifting

A. D. 1720. 85

in keeping up the price of South-fea flock : for, very many of the lower
people, not being at firft able to purchafe South-fea flock, ran greedily
into the bubbles, and even into fmaller fliares or parts of them ; and,
having foon gained confiderably therein, they very often came afterward
into South-fea ftock and fubfcriptions. And thus thofe lefTer currents
or rivers were a conftant fupply to the great South fea ; but this the ma-
nagers did not perceive till it was too late.

It appeared, by an inquiry of the houfe of commons in February
preceding, that this new humour of new projcds or bubbles had been
on foot for two or three years pafl ; as alfo appeared by a petition in
January 171 8 for a charter for infuring fliips and merchandize, figned
by near 300 merchants and gentlemen, and that a million of money
had been previoufly fubfcribed for it. Another petition, about the fame
time for a grand filhery company, was figned by feven peers of the
realm, and many merchants and gentlemen. A third petition was,
in May 17 19, by the focieties of the city of London for the mines-royal,
the mineral and battery works, under certain obfolete charters of Queen
Elizabeth and King James I, for mines, &c. for a hke patent to infure
fhips and merchandize, for which Li, 15 2, 000 had been fubfcribed.
Thefe were, in the main, the fame perfons as thofe in the firft petition :
they petitioned a third time, on the 8th of January 1720 [N. S.J, only
as fo many private gentlemen and merchants, (dropping their claim by
the obfolete charters) and were in the end fuccefsful by their prefent
name of the Royal-exchange alTurance company, their capital confifling
of L50o,ooo. That fame day, another body of petitioners applied for
a patent for infuring fhips and merchandize, with a fubfcription of two
millions, and were incorporated alfo in the end, by the name of the
London afTurance company. This lafl company had at firfl: two fepa-
rate fubfcriptions, which were afterwards united. Their capital at pre-
fent confifls of 36,000 fhares, on each of which L12 : 10 was originally
paid. This was the original rife of the prefent two very ufeful and
flourifhing infurance corporations, who alfo are empowered to lend
money on bottomree ; and each of them afterward obtained charters
for infuring from lofs by fire. Yet neither of them are by the flatute,
nor by their confequent charters, exclufive in any refpe6l relating to
private perfons, who may and flill do pradice infurance on fhips and
merchandize as formerly ; but with refped to all other corporations
they are both exclufive; excepting, however, the Eafl-India and South-
fea companies, both which corporations may flill continue to advance
money (fays the flatute) by bottomree on their own fhips.

A third petition of a different body of people was prefented to the
king on the 2ifl: of January 1720 [N. S.] for an infurance charter, which
did not fucceed. And,

On the 8th of the fame month three Englifh peers, two bifhops, and an

86 A. D. 1720.

Irifli peer, with many eminent gentlemen and merchants, petitioned the
king, that they miglit be incorporated for purchafing and improving
forfeited and other eftatcs in Great Britain : for granting annuities for
hves ; and for iufuring lives: feeing (continues this petition) this
will unite, by intereft, many of the king's fubjeds againft the pretender
■and his adherents forever. In order to which, feveral of the petition-
ers have fent perfons into Scotland for purchafing the forfeited eftates
there, and have fince, by a voluntary fubfcription to the governor and
company of undertakers for raifing the Thames water in York-build-
ings, raifed a joint flock of Li, 200,000 flerling : upon the credit of
which eftates they propofe to grant annuities for, and to infure on, lives,
for the benefit of fuch of his majefty's llibjects as are ftraitened in their
fortunes by the redudion of intercll : but they did not defire any exclu-
five charter. The fame day alio, another fet of gentlemen in vain
.petitioned for the very fame purpofe.

When thofe petitions for infurance, &c. came to be referred to, and
confidered by, the crown lawyers, they were oppofed by counfel on the
other fide, the grand fifliery fcheme alone excepted, viz. the infurance
petitioners, by the numerous friends of the private infurers, and by the
amicable fociety for a perpetual infurance on lives, with benefit of fur-
vivorfhip ; which fociety, their counfel fet forth, was incorporated in the
5th year of Qiieen Anne, (1706) conftituting any number of perfons,
not exceeding 2000, to be a body politic, for raifing a joint flock, for
the relief of widows and orphans, by granting policies on lives, with
annual payments during fuch lives ; on the deceafe of which lives a cer-
tain fum is paid as a dividend to the proprietors of fuch policies ; and
alleging, that thefe petitions for infurances would prejudice their interefls.

The petitioners for purchafing the forfeited eflates were advifed by
counfel to withdraw their petition, as they might fafely tranfad all they
wanted to do, by virtue of the powers of a charter of the 27th of King
Charles II, for raifing the Thames water in York-buildings ; which
charter thefe petitioners had purchafed of the old patentees for L7,ooo,
together with all the benefits of a private ad of parliament of the 2d of
William and Mary, for incorporating the proprietors of the water-works
in York-buildings, and for encouraging, carrying on, and fettling, the
faid water-works.

The two firfl: petitions for infurance were, as already noted, approved
of, and the crown lawyers reported, that a fifhery charter, under proper
regulations, might be very beneficial to the nation. The fifhery had
been farther favoured by a refolution of the houfe of commons, on the
27th of April 1720; that the undertaking propofed to be carried on by
the name of the Britifii fifhery, wherein the fea ports and royal burghs are
concerned, may be fuccefsfully carried on, and thereby prevent great
fums from going annually out of the nation j may fecure a valuable

A. D. 1720. 87

trade, and may, vipon any emergency, furnifh Teamen to man the royal
navy ; and therefor highly deferves encouragement. Neverthelefs, no
charter was at this time granted for the fifhery ; owing to the improba-
bility, if not impoflibility, of any company being able (unlefs an exclu-
five one) to carry on a profitable fifliery : fince, if private undertakers,
being on the northern coafts, are not as yet able to beat the Dutch out
of the fifliery, it is highly improbable, that a joint-flock company, which
is never fo frugally managed as private adventurers manage their own
money, fliould prove fuccefsful ; of which we have a more recent proof
at prefent, notwithflanding the mod unparalleled parliamentary encou-
ragements.

The two infurance companies were both incorporated on the fame
day, the 24th of June 1720, the ftatute in favour of them having had
the royal ailent 14 days before ; each having power to purchafe lands,
8cc. of Lioco yearly : but no perfon can be either a diredtor or pro-
prietor of both companies at the fame time. Each company's capital
not to exceed Li, 500, 000 : may make calls on their proprietors, with-
out limitation : may create bonds under their common feal, for advanc-
ing money on parliamentary fecurity ; but for not lefs than fix months
time. Each corporation to pay L3oo,ooo for difcharging the king's
civil lift debts*. No other corporation Ihall infure but thefe two; yet
private infurers may ad as before : may be determined by the king's
charter, if found inconvenient to the pubhc ; in which cafe no other
corporation fhall ever be ereded in their ftead with the like privileges.
They both have very confiderable capital ftocks, and therefor may
reafonably be prefumed a greater fecurity to our merchants than pri-
vate infurers can be fairly admitted to be, how juft and honourable
foever their principles and charadler, and how large foever their for-
tunes in general may be : a lift being on this occalion laid before the
attorney- general of 150 private infurers who had failed in but a
few years paft f . It was then alfo urged in behalf of infurance com-
panies having large capitals, that the merchants of foreign nations in al-
liance, or at peace, with us would now probably be induced, in great
numbers, to make their infurances at London ; and thereby bring an
additional benefit to the kingdom. As both the infurance companies
have continued pundually and inviolably to fuftain their credit and re-
putation, this juft com.mendation of both of them fell naturally in our
way.

The adl of parliament before mentioned, for enabling the king to in-
corporate thofe two infurance companies, was alfo exprefsly for reftrain-
ing feveral unwarrantable pradices therein mentioned; feveral fuch

* Part of the L300,ooo was afterwards remitted to each of the companies. A.
t Few of tliefc infurers liad underwritten more than Ljo ; a fum which •, ould be thought cfi.
temptibly cautious in the prefent day. M,

88 A. D. 1720.

projects of different kinds having, fince the 24th of June 171 8, been fet
on foot in London and other parts of the kingdom, as alio in Ireland,
Avhich manifeftly tend to the common grievance of the fubjed ; the
contrivers whereof, under falie pretences of pubUc good, have prefumed
to open books for public fubfcriptions for the fame, and have drawn.
•unwary perfons to fubfcribe large fums to fuch undertakings, paying
down only fmall proportions thereof, which yet upon the whole do
-amount to very large funis ; in many cafes afting as bodies politic, by
transferring fhares, &c. Others ading under charters granted for quite
different purpofes, and others under obfolete charters, become void by
non-ufer or abufer, &c. : which dangerous projedls relate to feveral fifh-
cries, &c. wherein the trade, commerce, and welfare, of the people are
concerned. For the fupprellion and prevention of which mifchievous
pradices, it was enacfted, that, from the 24th of June 1720, all fuch un-
dertakings and attempts fo defer ibed as aforefud, and all other undertak-
mgs tending to the common grievance, and all public fubfcriptions, re-
ceipts, payments, aflignments, and transfers, for fuch matters, fliould be
forever deemed illegal and void, and be liable to fuch fines and punifli-
ments as the laws dired. And perfons ading as brokers for others, or
for themfelves, either in buying or felling, fliould forfeit L500, and
be incapable of acting afterwards as fuch. But this ad: did not extend to
undertakings fettled before midfumnier 1718*. Laftly, the two infur-
ance corporations, hereby eftablifhed, are exprefsly reilrained from lend-
ing money to the crown on parliamentary funds, except on the credit of
ads of parliament.

The more to inforce this ftatute, the king, on the very day he pafl^ed
it, viz. on the i ith of June 1720, iffued a proclamation, fl:rid:ly enjoin-
ing the obfervation of the later part of it relating to thofe projeds vul-
garly called bubbles ; whereby it might have been expeded, that they
would have all flirunk to their original nothing in a moment. For a
few days, indeed, fome check was thereby given to that frantic traffic :
yet, maugre all authority, it foon revived, and even increafed more than
ever, and while they dayly advanced in price, every one was a gainer,
whereby the lower clafs of people fell into luxury and prodigality, as
well as their betters. From morning till evening, the dealers therein,
as well as in South- fea flock, appeared in continual crowds all over Ex-
change-alley, fo as to choke up the paffage through it. Not a week
day paffed without frefli projeds recommended by pompous advertife-
ments in all the newfpapers, thereby fwelled enormoufly, direding where
to fubfcribe to them. On fome 6d per cent was paid down ; on others
i/per cent ; and fome came fo low as 1/ per thoufand at the time of
fubfcribing. Some of the obfcure keepers of thofe books of fubfcrip-

* Sundry undertakings not incorporated, fuch as the feveral fire-infurance offices, the feveral fub-
fcriptions to the South-fea company, &c. were laved harmlefs by thie claufe. ^.

4

A. D. 1720. 89

tion, contenting themfelves with what they had got in the forenoon by
the fubfcriptions of one or two miUions, (one of which the author parti-
cularly well remembers) were not to be found in the afternoon of the
fame day, the room they had hired for a day being fhut up, and they
and their fubfcription books never heard of more. On others of thofe
projeds 2/i and 2/6, per cent were paid down ; and onfome few ic/'per
cent were depofited, being fuch as had fome one or more perfons of
known credit to midwife them into the alley. Some were divided into
fhares, inllead of hundreds and thoufands, upon each of which fo much
was paid down, and both for them and the other kinds, there were
printed receipts ligned by perfons utterly unknown. Perfons of quality
of both fexes were deeply engaged in many of them, avarice prevailing
at this time over all confiderations of either dignity or equity ; the gen-
tlemen coming to taverns and cofFee-houfes to meet their brokers, and
the ladies to the (hops of milliners and haberdafhers for the fime ends.
Any impudent impoftor, while the delufion was at its greateft height,
needed only to hire a room near the alley for a few hours, and open a
fubfcription book for fomewhat relative to commerce, manufacture,
plantation, or fome fuppofed invention, either newly hatched out of his
own brain, or elfe ftolen from fome of the many abortive projects, of
which we have given an account, in former reigns, having firlt adver-
tifed it in the newfpapers the preceding day, and he might, in a few
hours, find fubfcribers for one or two millions, and in fome cafes more,
of imaginary flock. Yet many of thofe very fubfcribers were far from
believing thofe projeds feafible : it was enough for their purpofe that
there would very foon be a premium on the receipts for thofe fubfcrip-
ions ; when they generally got rid of them in the crowded alley to
others more credulous than themfelves. And in all events, the projec-
tor was fure of the depofit-money. The firft purchafers of thofe re-
ceipts foon found fecond purchafers, and fo on, at ftill higher prices,
coming from all parts of the town, and even many from the country.
And fo great was the wild confufion in the crowd in Exchange-alley,
that the fame project, or babble, has been known to be fold at the
fame inftant of time 10 per cent higher at one end of the alley than at
the other end. Amongft thofe many bubbles, there were fome fo bare-
faced, and palpably grofs, as not to have fo much as the fhadow of any
thing like fealibility. The infatuation was at length fo flrong, that one
project was, in the newfpapers, advertifed thus : for fubfcribing two mil-
lions to a certain promising or profitable defign, which will hereafter be
promulgated.

We can well remember one of thofe named globe-permits, which
came to be currently fold each for 60 guineas and upwards in the alley,
which neverthelefs v/as only a fquare bit of a playing_ card, on which

Vol. III. ' M

90

A. D. 1720.

was the imprefllon of a feal in wax, being the fign of the globe tavern
in the neighbourhood, with the motto or infcription of fail-cloth per-
mits, TwithoLit any name figned thereon), the pofleflbrs thereof being to
be hereafter permitted to fubicribe to a new fail-cloth manufadory, pro-
jeded by one who was then known tp be a man of fortune, though af-
terward involved in gi'eat calamities and difgrace.

Thefe inftances, out of hundreds more that might be produced, are
fufficient to difplay the frenzy of the time : when the taverns, cofFee-
houfes, and even vidualling-houfes, near the Exchange were conftantly
crowded, and there was known to be much extravagance therein. The
very advertifements of thole bubbles were fo many, as to fill up two or
three fheets of paper in fome of the dayly newfpapers for fome months.
Yet, all men were not infatuated : and one advertifement in a weekly
newfpaper well enough burlefqued the madnefs, in the following flrain.
' At a certain (fham) place, on Tuefday next, books will be opened for
' a fubfcription of two millions, for the invention of melting down faw-
' dud and chips, and calling them into cleaia deal boards without cracks
' or knots!'

Before we return to the remainder of the execution of the grand
South-fea fcheme, we fhall, as an ufeful warning to pofterity, here ex-
hibit a more complete catalogue than any we have feen, of the flocks,
fubfcriptions, projeds, or bubbles, of this unparalleled time, with their
highell prices in Exchange-alley, before the fatal fcire facias had (like
the touch of Ithuriel's fpear) reduced them ail to their proper fize and
value !

J) South-lea flock -
Ditto I ft money-fub-
fcription, at 300 per cent
2d do. at 400 per cent
3d do. at 1 000 per cent
4th do. at 1 000 percent
Eaft-India capitalftock
L3, 200,000

Bank of England ca-
phal, then L5 ,559,995
14/-8 - - - -

This was the bank's
nominal or transferable
capital : yet the govern-
ment adually owed them

Origin

al money paiJ in or due.

f.-

J".

d.

100

0

0 —

120

0

0 —

80

0

0 —

100

0

0 —

200

0

0 —

100

0

0 —

96

^3

5'- —

£■ s.

d.

1000 0

0

750 0
600 0

0
0

440 0

0

245 0

0

445

26c

no more than L5, 37 5, 02 7
1 7/1 of, (till the year
I722,whentheypurchaf-
ed4 millions of theSouch-
fea company) whereby
Li 00 bank flock, as due
from the public, was now
really no more than L96
13/57- So that all its
advanced value mull and
did arife from the profits
of banking !

Royal African flock,
old capital L4oo,ooo, ad-
ditional one Li, 600,000

II) Million-bank,
Ljoo.ooo

York -buildings com-
pany, Li, 200,000 -

Luftring company,
10,000 fhares, valued at
Li, 2 00,000, not worth
one farthing, - - -

Englifli copper compa-
ny, ------

Welch copper compa-
ny, worth nothing at all,

Royal fifhery company,
worth nothing,

(N.B.— TheHudfonV
bay company's capital
being fo final 1 as about
Li 1 0,000 was engrofTed
by fo few, that it was not
known what its price was
at that time.)

III) Note alfo, that be-
fides the great legal com-
panies, whofe flocks were
ufually tranfadled in Ex-
change-alley, there were,
and flill are, fome whofe

A. D. 1720. 91

Original money paid in or due. Higheft prices fold for in 1720.

£• s. d.

23 o o —

100 o o

10 o o

5i o o per fhare

500 per fhare

4^ o o per cent

100 o per cent

£-

d.

200 o o

440 o o

3°5 ° o

120 00 per fliare

105 00 per fhare

95 o o per cent

25 00 per cent

M 2

92

capitals are too fmall to
come thither, and do
therefor vary but Httle in
price ; fuch as, the New-
river company ; the Lon-
don-bridge water compa-
ny; the Shadwell, Hainp-
flead. South wark, and
Chelfea, water companies.
Alfo the Sunfire-office
infurance : fundry alfo of
obfolete joint-ftock cor-
porations, fo far funk and
deferted, that their flock
at this time bore no price
at all : fuch were.

The mine-adventurers
company of England,

The fword-blade com-
pany,

The frame-work knit-
ters company, and

The charitable corpo-
ration for pledges.

IV) For local and par-
ticular purpofes, viz.

For making the river
Douglas navigable, -

For frefh water brought
to Liverpool, - - -

Temple - mills brafs-
works, -----

Fifh-pool, for bringing
frefh fifh by fea to Lon-
don (Sir Richard Steele's)
Harburg company (for
bringing commerce thi-
ther from Hamburg,
and for a lottery there,
1,500,000 nominal ca-
pital) -----

A. D. 1720.

Original money paid in or due. Higlieft prices fold for in 1720^

£. s d.

£•

500 per fhare
10 o c —
10 o o

70 o o per fhare

2000 per fhare

250 o o per fhare

160

o o >

per fliare
before any
money
paid.

15 o o percent |i2o o o percent

Puckle's machine gun,
called the defence, -

Another Harburg fub-
fcription, (Burges's) inef-
fedual.

V) Prqjeds or bub-
bles, having neither char-
ter nor adl of parliament
to authorize them : none
of which were under one
million, and fome went
as far as ten millions ;
very many whereof are
diftindly remembered by
the author of this work,
how ridiculous and im-
probable foever they may
now feem to many not
acquainted with the in-
fatuation of that year,
viz.

The Orkney fifhery,

Globe permits, (for
fubfcribing fome time or
other, to a projed for a
fail-cloth manufadure)

For building fhips to
let to freight, - - -

For raifing hemp and
flax at home, - - -

Another, in Peniifyl-
vania, - _ - - -

Improvement of land,
(Sir John Lambert's)

For a whale fifhery
(by do.) - - - -

National permits for a
fifhery, (Geo. James's)
50,000 permits, at L6
each, - - - - ,.

A. D. 1720. 93

Original money paid in or due. Higheft prices fold for in 1720.

400 per ihare

£•

25 o o per fliare

1 o o per ihare
026 per fhare

2 10 o per fhare
500 per fliare
010 o per cent

500 per fhare

800 per fhare.

250 o o

70 o o

15 o o

I 10 o

28 o o

20 o o

3 10 o

T Each permit
/ before any
r" money paid
60 O O \ down.

94

Salt to be made at Ho-
lyhead, (two millions),

For fettling the Baha-
ma iflands, (L6000 had
actually been paid in on
this projedl, in which
many eminent perfons
were fufFerers, as appeared
by their petition to parlia-
ment, Feb. 1 723-4, which
was rejeded, becaufe it
would have brought end-
lefs petitions of that fort,
for redrefs of fuch griev-
ances), - - - - -

The grand fifiiery, (fo
named), - - - _

A bottomree compa-
ny, --.-.-

Weftley's audions, (i.
e. adions), for buying
and felling of flocks, -

General infurancefrom
fire, Li, 200, 000

Royal-exchange affur-
ancc, L5oo,ooo, valued
at L2, 500,000 - - -

London afllirance com-
pany, .36,000 fliares, Li 2
lof each, valued at
L3,6oo,ooo once,

A. D. 1720.

Original money paid in or due Higheft prices fold for in 1720.

£. s. d.

500 per fhare

300 per fliare

010 o per fhare

100 per fhare

710 o per fliare

026 per fhare

Sundry payments
Ditto

>C- s. d.
15 o o

40 o o

500
300

100 o o

800

250 o o per cent
175 00 per fhare

, were fold at
.'ery near as high,

N. B — Some of thefe foregoing bubbles, we may fee
above fix times the money paid in on them : others
and all fhamefully and madly raifed. It would be endlefs to hunt for
the prices of many more, which were the mere embryos of a few days,
though they drew in many unwary perfons to their undoing. We (half
therefor content ourfelyes with exhibiting a bare liflof them in the fol-
lowing catalogue, viz. i

A. D. i720» 95

VI) Fiflieries.

1, Cawood's North-fea fifhery.

2, Britifh fifhery.

3, A royal fifhery, for ten millions.

4, 5, Two more Greenland or whale fifheries.

6, A grand American fifhery.

7, Garraway's or Pillan's fifhery.

8, The free fifhery.

9, A coral fifhery.

10, Wrecks to be fifhed for on the Irifti coafl.

11, Another Greenland fifhery.

12, Orkney fifhery.

VII) Salt.

1 , Another fait projedt, befides one already mentioned.

2, Rock-falt project.

3, Saltpetre to be made.

4, Salt-pans in Holy ifland, two millions.

VIII) Infurances.

1, Saddler's-hall infurance, afterward united to the royal-ex-

change ditto.

2, Infurance of horfes and other cattle, two millions.

3, Infufance and improvement of children's fortunes.

4, Infurance of houfes and goods in Ireland, with an Englifli

earl at the head of it.

5, Infurance againft lofTes by fervants,

6, Friendly fociety for infurances.

7, Britifh infurance, fo called.

8, Shales's infurance.

9, Infurance againfl theft and robbery.
I o, Ditto for infuring feamen's wages.

IX) For making fire-engines.

X) Remittances of money.

1 , General remittance and infurance of debts.

2, Stogdon's remittances.

XI) Water companies.

1 , An engine to bring frefh water into the town of Deal, in Kent.

2, A projedt to bring water by a new canal from St. Albans to

London.

3, Another, from Rickmanfworth to London.

4, To make faltwater frefh.

XII) Sugar.

1 , Refining of fugar.

2, Bleaching or whitening coarfe fugar, without fire.

XIII) For building hofpitals for baftard children.

96 A. D. 1720.

XIV) America.

1 , For fettling the ifland of Santa Cruz in America.

2, — Ditto, for the iflands of Blanco and Sal-Tortuga in Ditto.

3, Trade to the river Oronoko.

4, Ditto to Nova-Scotia, two millions.

5, Ditto to the Golden iflands, Sir Robert Montgomery's.

6, Ditto for importing naval ftores from Nova-Scotia and Vir-

ginia.

7, Ditto for walnut-tree from Virginia, two millions.

8, Ditto for hemp and flax from Pennfylvania.

9, Ditto for beaver fur, two millions.

ID, Ditto for pitch and tar fi-om America and Scotland.

1 1 , Ditto for importing and exporting tobacco, four millions.

XV) Buildings.

1 , Building and rebuilding houfes in England.

2, For purchafing grounds to build on in London.

XVI) Lands.

1 , For meliorating lands.

2, For improving lands in Great Britain, four millions fubfcribed.

3, Ditto in Flintfliire, one million fubfcribed.

4, For improving the breed of horfes, and the improvement of

glebe and church lands, &c.

5, Planting madder.

6, Improving gardens.

7, For purchafing and improving lands.

8, Ditto for a royalty in Eflex.

9, Ditto for fenny lands in Lincolnfhire.

10, Ditto for improving tillage and cattle.

1 1 , Another for the breed of horfes.

12, Another for purchafing the forfeited eflates, (Sir James Hal-

let's,) L 1,200,000 fubfcribed.

13, For the corn trade.

XVII) For erefting turnpikes and wharfs.
XVIII) For dealing in hops.
XIX) For building fliips againft pirates.
XX) For buying naval and victualling ftores, for the ufe of the

royal navy.
XXI) Oil-bubbles.

1, An oil-patent, with land fecurity.

2, Rape-oil fubfcription.

3, Beech-oil, Aaron Hill's projed.

4, For making oil from poppies.

5, Ditto from fun-flower feed.

6, Ditto from raddifti feed. z

A. D. 1720. 97

XXII) For the corn trade.

XXIII) For drying malt with hot air.

XXIV) For improving malt liquors, four millions
XXV) For recovering feamen's wages.

XXVI) For working tin places, or whited iron plates*.
XXVII) Harbours and rivers.

1 , For repairing Morifon's haven.

2, For an engine to take up ballaft.

3, For making the river Dee, in Chefliire, navigable.

4, Ditto for the river Douglas.

XXVIII) For cleanfing and paving London flreets, two millions
XXIX) Supplies for London, viz.

I, For fupplying London with fea-coal, three millions

2, with cattle.

3, with hay and draw.

4, paving its flreets, two millions

XXX) Weft's permits for buying and felling ftocks.
XXXI) Hemp, flax, and their manufadtures, viz.

I , For planting hemp and flax in Scotland and Ireland, and
making fail-cloth, cordage, &c.
2, and 3, Two other different fail-cloth fubfcriptions.

4, For the Holland and fail-cloth manufadlures.

5, For the cambric and lawn manufadures.

6, Sail-cloth in Ireland.

XXXII) For the filk and cotton manufadures, viz.

1 , For railing filk-worms.

2, Another for planting mulberry trees, and breeding filk-

worms in Chelfea park, by Sir Richard Manningham,
where 2COo of thofe trees were adually planted, and many
large expenfive edifices were ereded ; the remains where-
of are fcarcely now to be feen.

3, For making muflin.

4, F'or improving the cotton, and the filk and cotton, manu-

fadures.

5, Another for improving the filk manufadure.

XXXIII) Metals, mines, and minerals, viz.

1, For inaking iron and fteel in Great Britain, four millions.

2, For improving Englifn iron and fteel.

3, For extrading filver from lead.

4, For improving the tin mines of Cornwall and Devonfliire.

5, For tranfmuting quick-filver into a malleable and fine metal.

6, For fmelting lead.

* Tills manufadure, which we formeily had entirely from Germany, has fi nee the year 1720 bceii
brought to great perfection in Monmouthfhire and elfewhere in England, the Englirti tin-plates being
>io\v more durable and beautiful than any foreign ones. ■/!>

Vol. Ill, N

98 A. D. 1720.

7, For milling lead.

8, For improving Mr. "Wood's iron works and manufadures.

9, For improving the lead mines in Gloucefterfhire.

10, For importing Swedifh iron.

1 1 , For improving Englifli copper and brafs.

12, For improving the Derbyfhire mines.

13, Ditto for the Jamaica mines.

14, For improving the Britifli alum works.

15, For making iron with pit-coal.
XXXIV) For making china-ware and delft-ware.

XXXV) For importing a number of large jack-afles from Spain, in
order to propagate a larger kind of mules in England,
for which purpofe marfh lands were treating for near
Woolwich. A clergyman, long fince dead, was at the head
of this bubble.
XXXVI) For trading in human hair.
XXXVII) Ditto in Flanders' lace.
XXXVIII) For fattening hogs.
XXXIX) For preparing tobacco for making fnufF.

XL) For purchafing, or recovering, eflates illegally detained.
XLI) For a more inoffenfive method of emptying or cleanfmg

neceffary houfes.
XLII) For better curing the venereal difeafe.

XLIII) A fubfcription advertifed, and adually opened, for an un-
dertaking, which fhall in due time be revealed.
XLIV) For importing timber from Germany.
XLV) Ditto from Norway.

XL VI) For a trade to his majefty's German dominions.
XLVII) For the exportation of our woollen manufacture, and the

importation of copper, brafs, and iron.
XLVIII) For the more effedual making of Colchefler bays.
XLIX) For employing the poor. (Lawr. Braddon)

L) For employing poor artificers, and furnifhing merchants

with money.
LI) For lending money to merchants to pay their duties ; for
purchafing government fecurities ; for granting annuities
for lives ; and for building (hips to let to freight.
LII) For lending money on flocks, annuities, &c.
LIII) Another ditto for lending money at interefi.
LIV) Another ditto for the encouragement of the induflrious.
LV) For making glafs bottles.

LVI) For making coach glafles and looking glafles, two mil-
lions.
LVII) For making pitch, tar, turpentine, &c.
LVIII) For making pantiles.

A. D. 1720. 99

OX) For making foap.
LX) For making Joppa and Caftile foap.
LXI) For making Manchefter fluffs, cottons, and tapes.
LXII) For a grand difpenfary, three millions.
LXTII) For a wheel for a perpetual motion.
LXIV) For loading and entering goods at the cuftom-houfe.
LXV) For trading in, and improving, certain commodities of this

kingdom, three millions.
LXVI) For a trade to Barbary. (Jezreel Jones's)
LXVII) For making pafteboard and packing-paper.
LXVIII) Another for the paper manufadure.
LXIX) For making {larch.
LXX) For building and rebuilding houfes throughout England,

three milUons.
LXXI) For furnifhing funerals.
LXXII) Another for buying and felling lands, and lending money

• at interefl, five miUions.
LXXIIl) Loan offices for encouraging the induflrious.
LXXIV) For the clothing, felt, and pantile, trades.
LXXV) Infuring, and increafing, children's fortunes.
LXXVI) For importing oils and other materials for the woollen

manufadures.
LXXVII) For paying penfions to widows, &c. at a fmall difcount,

two millions.
LXXVIII) For employing poor artificers, furnilhing merchants, &c.
with watches.
LXXIX) For infuring maflers from the lofTes fuftained by fervants,

three millions.
LXXX) Timber from Wales.

Although this be the largeft colledion of the bubbles of this year,
yet I am perfuaded there are fome omitted, which I have not been able
to recoiled : fome may poflibly think this colledion of them too prolix ;
vet I apprehend, that to many readers they may be a curiofity, and to
pofierity an ufeful memento : and it is even poflible, that out of fo many
as confiderably above 200 fuch abortive ones, fome improving genius
may hereafter luckily render fome of them pradicable and ufeful ; as
has been the cafe already with refped to the tinned-plate manufadure,
&c. yet of all the above numerous projeds, only four, properly fpeaking,
exiftat prefent, viz. the two allurance companies, by legal new char-
ters, the York-buildings company, (if it may be laid Hill to exift) and
the Englilh copper company, its charter being found legal.

Many of the above bubbles were indeed lb nonfenficpl and abfurd, ap-
pearing even from their very titles, as it might be imagined^ could only
draw in the mofi: ignorant part of the people ; vet even thole had a very

' ' N 2

loo A. D. 1 7 14,

confiderable run, much money being got and loft by them : and as for the
great bulk of them, there were almoft incredible numbers of tranfac-
tions in them dayly and hourly, for ready money, and moftly at very
advanced prices ; as may partly be conceived by thole whofe higheft
prices we have let down. Moreover, great numbers of contrails were
made for taking many of them at a future time ; and alfo for puts and
refufals of them, at very high prices ; more efpecially in the York-build-
ings company ; in the temple mills, brafs manufadure ; in the two
copper companies, &c. in the books of one of which, viz. the Welch
copper company or bubble, long fmce come to nothing, I have feen
fome hundreds of contrads regiftered, according to ad of parhament,
at very extravagant prices. And it is much to be lamented, that per-
fons of high rank and dignity placed themfelves at the head of many
of thole even illegal projeds : lb great was the infatuation of this time.

The fual writs oi fc'ire facias at length were iflued, on the i8th of
Auguft, againft the following pretended companies, viz. the York-build-
ings company, luftring company, the Englifli copper and Welch cop-
per companies, exprefsly by name, and in general againft all other
projeds promulgated contrary to law ; and the crown lawyers were di-
reded to profecute all fuch as had opened books of fubfcriptions, and
all who fubfcribed to them, or who made or accepted any transfer in
them.

It was apprehended by many thinking people, that the general infa-
tuation might laft till winter, when, it was imagined, it would infenfibly
fubfide of itfelf. But the earneftnefs of the South-fea junto to obtain
the fiire facias brought it fooner to an ilTue, though very differently
from what they alfuredly expeded. The publication of it by autho
rity, in the London gazette, inftantly ftruck fo general a panic amongft
the condudors of all the undertakings, projeds, or bubbles, that the
fuddennefs as well as greatnefs of their fall was amazing. York-build-
ings ftock, for inftance, fell at once from 300 to 2co ; and in two days
after, neither it nor the other three undertakings, exprefsly named in
the fcire facias, had buyers at any price whatever. The more bare-
faced bubbles of ail kinds immediately fhrunk to their original no-
thing: their projedors (hut up their offices, and fuddenly difappeared; and
Exchange-alley with its coffee-houfes were no longer crowded with ad-
venturers, many of whom having laid out their fubftance in thole airy
purchafes, now found themfelves utterly undone; while, on the other
hand, fuch as had dealt in them to great advantage, became extremely
fhy of owning their gains. This ftate of things, however calamitous it
might appear, was but the prelude to the grand calamity which foon
enfued by the fall of South-fea ftock and fubfcriptions. For when the
fcire facias came abroad, that ftock was at 850 per cent for the opening
of the books in Auguft, including the midfummer dividend ; but, from
that time foward, it gradually declined in price, though with niany

A. D. 1720. loi

great fluduations, occafioned by the various arts and endeavours
of the junto to keep it up; fome of the particulars whereof have, in
part, been mentioned already. At the opening of their books, on
the 22d of Auguft, the flock was at 820 per cent ; and tv/o days after,
the diredors opened a fourth money fubfcription for the purchafe of
Li, 250,000 Ifock at 1000 per cent, whereof 200 or (20 per cent)
was paid down ; the remainder to be in four equal half-yearly payments
of L200 each, though afterward altered to eight different payments of
Li 00 each. This fubfcription was alfo much crowded, and was com-
pleted in three hours time, and fold that fame evening at 40 per cent
advance, but this advance was not lafting ; for though the managers
now lent out large fums of money, for fix months, on their flock, valu-
ing it only at 400 per cent, and at fo moderate an intereft as 4 per cent,
yet the flock could not be kept up to 800. Moreover, the lafi fubfcrib-
ers of the public debts, both irredeemable and redeemable, began to
murmur on account of the high prices at which they had fubfcribed in-
to the flock ; and alfo becaufe their flock was not as yet brought into
their names, but artfully poftponed from time to time. Numbers alfo,
who had contraded for flock for the opening of the books, at much
higher prices than the flock now fold at, joined in thofe complaints, of
whom not a few were perfons of high rank and quality : all which
was not a little heightened by the numerous fufferers by the lefTer flocks
and bubbles. The court of diredors now faw their miflake, but too
late, in procuring the fcire facias, but inftead of healing and moderate
meafures, they, on the 30th of Augufl, in order to raife the expcclations
of men to the highefi pitch, declared, that 30 per cent in money fnould
be the dividend for the half year which would be due at chrillmas fol-
lowing ; and, to fill up the meafure of their extravagance, that, for the
next fucceeding twelve years, not lefs than 50 per cent in money
fhould be the annual dividend on their flock. However romantic
this lafl declaration may at prefent feem, it was but barely cor-
refponding with the price of their two lafl money fubfcription s.
Had all the remaining public debts been taken in at the price of the
lafl fubfcription, and had the four fets of money fubfcribers duely
made good all their payments, and, moreover, had the company been
able to fell all their remaining flock at 1000 per cent, or higher, antl
their loans of money had all been duely repaid, upon thefe fuppolitions,
the company might poflibly havebeen able fb have made fo vafl a dividend,
for at leafl part of the twelve years ; but that would have been attended
with the certain and grievous future lofs in their principal as well as in-
tereft. However, even this pompous declaration was able only for two
days, viz. till the ift of September, to raife the ftock from 780, to 810,
from which lafl day it gradually funk to the 8th of tha. month, when
it was at 680 : whereby it plainly appeared, that none believed the divi-
dends could prudently and rationally take place. Yet, on the 8th of

10.2 A. D. 1720.

September, a general court, crowded with perfons of diftindion, gave
.thanks to the court of diredors for their prudent and fkilful manage-
ment ; and even fiilfome commendations were added by fome members
of both houfes of parUament. Thofe panegy rifts then told the diredtors,
' that they had laid afleep all our domeflic animofities, and had re-
' conciled all parties in one common intereft, (i. e. money-getting) that
' they had increafed the fortunes of the monied men, whilft they had
' been the means of doubling the value of land-eftates.' It was indeed
true, that for a few months, fuch as had fold out at high prices, eagerly
-coveting to purchafe land with the money, occafioned lands to be fold
at 35 to 40 years purchafe ; and fome for fomewhat more, as happened
at Paris the year before ; which might have been warning fufficient to
our fchemers. Yet, in the fpace of a few weeks after, thofe very per-
fons were for hanging up all the court of diredors. On the 20th of
September the ftock was fallen to 410, when a general court agreed to
reduce the term of the laft fubfcribers of the public debts to the price
of 400 per cent, as alfo of the 3d and 4th money-fubfcriptions from
1000 to 400 per cent. It was alio hinted that the bank had agreed, or
would agree, to take a quantity of their ftock at 4C0 per cent, in pay-
ment for L3,775,ooo redeemable debt, for which the South-fea company
was to pay off the bank. This was afterwards called the bank contrad,
the very furmife of which had run up South-fea ftock on the 1 2th of
that month to 675, which, however, fell the next day to 550. It was
afterward denied to have ever been executed as a legal contract ; but
had only been difcourfed of between fome minifters of ftate and the
two companies : but though it never took place, it certainly drew in
many new purchafers of ftock, to their great lofs, and, for that reafon,
occafioned much noife and fcribbling, though long fince buried in obii-
vion. The frailty of the whole South-fea fcheme now hereby alfo
plainly appearing to all, the ftock, on the 2gth of September, had fallen
10 175 per cc!it ; and their bonds were at 25 per cent difcount ; where-
upon there appeared great uneafmefs and clamour among the monied
men, which produced a great demand for cafli at the bank, and a greater
one on the private bankers, who had generally lent out much of their
cafli on South-fea ftock and fubfcriptions, whereby feveral very fubftan-
tial ones were obliged to ftop payment for fome time. And now, juft
when drowning, all people began ferioufly to refled on the calamities
brought on F"rance, but a few months fooner, by the famous Miflifippi
ftock or bubble ; and to draw a melancholy parallel ; which refledions,
made a few months fooner, would have faved many a worthy family
from diftrefs : great clamour was alfo raifed on account of contrads
at high prices, for the 3d and 4th money fubfcriptions pcrformable on
delivery of the company's receipts, though no receipts had ever been if-
i'.ied for them. At a general court, on the 30th of September, the
iuppofed contrad with the bank was again mentioned as a positive
agreement, at 400 per cent for South-fea- ftock. which now, therefox.

A. D, 1720. 103

from 130 rofe to 320, but could by no methods be kept fo high: the
fafcination was over, and therefor it fell dayly, more efpecially when ic
was known after all, that the bank contrad was no reality, but a mere
temporary, and very unjufl, expedient to quiet the clamours of the
people.

At this general court, alfo, the redeemable debts, before taken in at
105 for 100, were now reduced to 100; and, inftead of the former al-
lowance of flock at 800 per cent, they were now allowed flock at 400
per cent, with the midfummer dividend of 10 per cent in flock.

The fecond fubfcription of irredeemables was made equal to the firfl ;
and the third and fourth money fubfcriptions were reduced to 400 per
cent in flock : and the 10 per cent in flock was allowed to them all.

It was then thought very hard on the bank (if ever really intended)
to be forced into a bargain fo difadvantageous, merely for helping their
rivals out of the mire. And now, towards the clofe of this year of mar-
vels, were feen the great loffes of many families of rank, and fome of
great quality, and the utter ruin of merchants before of great figure,
and alfo of certain eminent phyficians, clergymen, and lawyers, as well as
of many eminent tradefmen : fome of whom, after fo long li-\nng in fplen-
dour, were not able to fland the fhock of poverty and contempt, and died
of mere heart-break; others withdrew to remote parts of the world, and
never returned.

Many expedients were at this time flarted, for the relief of the fuf-
ferers by South-fea flock; among others, an ingraftment of 18 mil-
lions of that flock into the other two great companies, 9 millions into
the bank, and 9 millions into the Eafl-India flock ; which occalioned
warm debates in the general courts of thofe two companies, who at length
agreed to it. Yet, though an ad of parliament, of tlie 7th of King
George, confirmed it, it was never carried into execution. The South-
fea company alfo, in their diflrefs, petitioned the king for a grant of
that part of the illand of St. Chriflophers, in the Weft-Indies, which
France had yielded to us by the treaty of Utrecht ; as alfo of the coun-
try of Nova-Scotia, which, they alleged, would be very much to the
advantage of their trade, and to the king's revenue : but, though they
did not fucceed therein, they proved fuccefsful in their applications to
have a remiflion by the legiflature of the entire fum they were bound to
pay for taking in the national debts : whereby the public was deprived
of all the benefit hoped for from that fcheme, except reducing the ir-
redeemable debts into a ftate of redemption. This remilfion however
was thereby granted ; with a provifo, that from midfummer 1722 two
millions of the company's capital ftock fliould be annihilated, for the
benefit of the public. Yet, by the adl of the 9th of that king, which
divided their capital into two equal moieties, the faid two millions ca-
pital ftock was again reftored to the company from the term of mid-
iummer 1722.

104 ^^' ^' 1720.

We mufl again return back to the French ftock-jobbing or bubble
.iflairs of this year 1720. In February, an arret came out for uniting
their bank to their India company, (now eftsbUflied in perpetuity) as
we have already feen the later united to the Miflifippi company, and the
appellation of Miflifippi funk in the more general name of the India
company. The arret fets forth, ' that, as this bank is royal, the king
' is bound to make good the full value of its notes or bills ; and that,
' as there is a great connection between the operations of this bank
' and thofe of the India company, he commits to the later the go-
' verument and profits of the bank during their term of fifty years.
' Hereby alfo the king fells to the company the fifty millions of India
' flock, belonging to him, for nine hundred millions:' (i. e. 1800 per
cent) ' The king alfo hereby declares,' (though it was foon after feen
how far fuch declarations were to be relied on,) ' that he will ne-
' ver draw on the bank till they have the value firft brought in to them
' by his receivers-general, &c. Nor fhall the company be obliged
' to advance any money hereafter for his fenice on any pretence what-
' ever, farther than what their cafhier Ihall previoufly have of his raa-
' jefty's in his cuftody.'

This jundion of the bank to the India company haftened the down-
fal of both. It was faid, that this bank had already iffued notes to the
amount of one thoufand millions*, which was more paper than all the
banks in Europe are able to circulate : for that of Amfterdam is ra-
ther a depofit of credit than a proper circulating bank. And, to make
this bank the more reputable, the receivers of the king's revenue were
•direded to take bank-notes of their fub-receivers : and it was farther
ordered, that all payments of one hundred livres and upwards fhould be
made in bank-notes ; fo that, for a fhort fpace, they began to have great
credit, whereby they fell into difcounting merchants bills, and lending
money on jewels, plate, &c. and alfo on mortgages. All thele, however,
proved too little, under fo defpotic a government. For, though by fuch
methods, and by altering the nominal value of the coin, &c. they
thought to fupport public credit, yet its bottom being rotten, thofe
compulfive means were highly improper for cflablifliing credit, which
ever mufl be as free as common air, and plainly argued the want
of folid fecurity. For, as nothing but the inviolable fecurity and
freedom of property can ever create a confidence in people for eftablifli-
ing a permanent paper credit ; who could polfibly, for any long fpace,
confide in a bank which had only the bare parole d'honeur of a mo-
narch, who, at his pleafure, can, and frequently does, alter the .value of
private property, and who may at once lay his iron hands on the whole
cafii of the bank ? Louis XIV had tried every means, but the only
true one, winch human art could devife tor creating a real public

* .Mout forty millions flcrlincr, as the ciicliancre then W2s. ^-1.

A. D. 1720. 105

^credit in France, from obferving what immenfe advantage ic had
been of to England m the wars of King William and Queen Anne,
whereby we were become the wonder and envy of the reft of Europe,
yet he could never effed it ; becaufe, agreeable to his nature and to
his arbitrary government, he falfified the moft folemn of his own edids
whenever his necellities pinched him ! By another edid of the fame
month, the king enjoins, that no perfon keep in his houfe or poffellion
above five hundred livres in current coin, under the penalty of ten
thoufand livres. All which violent methods are declared in thofe ar-
rets or edids, to be, ' for the good of his fubjects, to make provifions
' cheap, to fupport public credit, to facilitate circulation, and to increafe
' commerce and manufactures !'

In March came out a moft extraordinary arret of the council of ftate,
for fixing the price of the adions (or ftiares) of the India company at
9000 livres each ! many arrets in thefe times appeared for altering the
nominal value of the gold and filver coins of France, fometimes to an
higher, and at other times to a lower value, which tended to no other
end but getting rid of the public debts, and filling the king's coffers,
without any regard to the immenfe lofles which fuch proceedmgs brought
on his impoveriilied fubjeds.

Yet the India (or MilTifippi) ftock ftill continued to advance in price
by entire hundreds per cent, even in one day's time : and whilft that
ftock continued rifing, great were the encomiums beftowed on the duke-
regent ; and his tool, Mr. Law, was deemed an infallible oracle ! — Whofe
fcheme of fatisfying the public creditors, by giving them the general
farm of the revenues, was by his agents faid to referable the bank of
St. George at Genoa ; and, like it, would be the ftaff" and ftay of the
ftate ! When the faid India ftock was got to the price of 2,050 per
cent, it produced, for a few months, the following ftrange paradoxical
effeds in France, viz.

The ftate-bills, which before had been at 6;^ per cent difcount, got
up to 20 per cent above par. — The king got rid of 1,500 millions of
public debts, in a few weeks, without paying any money ! — And, by
remitting certain burthenfome taxes on the people, the royal revenue
had been increafed fome millions !

The king now abfolutely prohibited all the ecclefiaftical communities
and hofpitals of France from putting out their money at intereft any-
where but in India ftock. Notwithftanding all thefe, and many other
extraordinary meafures, the immenfenefs of its capital at length could
not fail to bring down its price : for the prevention whereof, fundry
means were tried, fuch as giving the company the fole property of the
ifland named Belleifle on the fouth-weft coaft of Bretagne, and after-
wards the trade to the ifle of Hifpaniola, &c.

Vol. III. O

ic6 A. D. 1720.

The (lock of the India company ftill fluduating, Mr. Law caufect
fundry pamphlets to be pabliflied, for illuflrating its vafl benefits to the
proprietors of it ; and the impoflibihty of the king's ever doing it any
prejudice. What followed fo very foon after puts one in mind of Ben
Jonfon's comedy of Bartholomew fair, where, for promoting the trade
of cut-purfes, the chief of their gang gets on a flool, and iings a ballad
againfl cut-purfes.

For, on the 21ft of May the king's fatal arret comes out, whereby,
under pretence of his having reduced the value of his coin, it was de-
clared neceffary to reduce the nominal value of his bank-notes and the
India flock, viz. the former to one half, and the later from q,ooo livres
per action to 5,000 livres. It is eafy to conceive the calamity, which
this reduction produced throughout France ! The bank-notes inflantly
lofl: their currency. Mr. Hutcheibn, an author of credit, obferves, that
the French crown in bank-money, which, in September 1719, was worth
^od flerling in exchange to London, was now worth about 3^ payable
in French bank-bills ! To prevent mm alts, the guards were placed
everywhere. The parliament remonflrated to the king the fatal confe-
quences thereof; which occafioned the following arret, viz. ' the king
' being informed, that his reduiftion of bank-bills has had an effed
' quite contrary to his intentions, and has produced a general confu-
' fion in commerce : and being defirous to favour the circulation of
' the faid bank-bills, for the conveniency of fuch as give or take them
' in payment : and, having heard the report of the Sieur Law, he
' has ordained, that bank-bills be current on the fame* footing as be-
' fore the above arret, which he hereby revokes.'

On the 29th of May, however, Mr. Law found it prudent to refign his
office of comptroller-general of the finances, by the interpofition of the
parliament of Paris with the duke of Orleans ; whereupon it was thought
needful to allow him two Switz officers as his guard ; and commiflaries
were appointed to infped: his accounts. Sundry other means were now
ufed to keep up the tottering tumbling public credit. And, as many of
the ftate creditors had lately been paid off with bank-notes, which were
now become troublefome to circulate, by reafon of their vafl; quantity,
rhefe were now taken in by a new fubfcription of 1,000 millions on the
town-houfe of Paris, at 21 per cent, or 25 millions of annuities.

And, for leflening the number of adlions in the India company, the
king gave up 100 millions which belonged to him, and the company
alfo funk 300 millions which they held in their corporate capacity. But,
on the other hand, in order to make a dividend to the proprietors of
3 per cent on the nominal value of 12,000 livres per (liare, they made a
fort of call of 3,000 livres per fhare, payable in fix months. Sundry
other flight-of-hand tricks were now put in pradice, to hoodwink the
people, and, if poflible, to retrieve their good opinion of India flock,.

A. D. 1720. 107

upon which a new company of infurance was now ingrafted for that
end : and every three or four days arrets came out, contradiding, re-
peaUng, or altermg, the preceding ones ; fo that no fewer than ten fuch
came out during the month of June this year ; the fubftance whereof,
and of the proceedings of France for three years pafl:, relating to their
India or Miflifippi trade and company, and their royal-bank, we find
principally in a large colledion of arrets, memorials, &c. publiflied at
Paris, in 1720, by authority, in two quarto volumes, which we have
abridged as much as poffible ; whereby a general knowlege may in
part be gathered of that madnefs in France, which had in this year in-
fedled all the other monied countries of Europe !

The cruel redudion of the value of French bank-notes, the reduc-
tions of their India flock, and the confequent general confulion, — the
numberlefs alterations, within the fpace of a few months, in the nomi-
nal value of the coins of France : all thefe obliged wife and provident
perfons to fend their effeds into other countries, left they fhould be gra-
dually reduced to nothing ! For preventing thereof an ordinance came
out on the 20th of June, whereby the king enjoined all his fubjeds to
bring back their efFeds, upon pain of forfeiting double the value ; and,
on like forfeiture, ftridly enjoined them not to inveft their money in
the ftocks of foreign companies ! Than which ordinance nothing fure-
ly could more effedually alarm the people.

Merchants and others now refufing to take their bank-notes in pay-
ment, an arret came out, prohibiting anyperfon whatever from refuf-
ing them, under forfeiture of double the value ! Yet, on that fame day,
the run or demand on the bank was fo great, that another ordinance
of the king came out, importing, ' that he being informed of the tu-
' mult at the bank upon account of paying their notes, he has thought

* fit tofufpend the payment of the faid notes till farther orders *: ftrid-

* ly forbidding all perfons whatever to meet or affemble together on
' any pretence whatever.' And guards were placed, on this lamentable
occalion, at fundry pubUc places in Paris, where merchants and others
concerned in India flock, bank-notes, and bills of exchange, ufcd to af-
femble in great numbers, whereby they were difperfed.

In July many arrets came abroad, for railing the fallen credit of India
flock, though to no purpofe. And, on the 30th, an an-et appears for
again raifing the nominal value of the French coins, and, for lefTen-
ing the number of bank-notes, 600 millions thereof were now turned
into India ftock, at 9,000 livres per fliare. And although this was but
an airy manner of payment, it was however efteemed better than bank-
notes, which had no currency at all Other great fums in bank-notes
were ereded into annuities at 2 per cent per annum, and into life-an-
nuities at 5 per cent.

* There was not cafii in the bank to pay the fiftictli part of them. y/.

O2

io8 A. D. 1720.

On tlie ifi: of September the duke-regent of France publiilied a ge-
neral flate of the pubhc debts of France at the death of King Louis XIV,
amounting to upwards of 1,977 niilHons of hvres, and their interefl: to
very near 90 millions per annum : inflead of which great fum (near
100 millions flerling), the king (fays this ftatement) now owes fcarcely
340 millions.

N. B. Of the firft vafi: debt the India company had paid off 600 mil-
lions by difcharging fo many bank-notes, which the king muft have
otherwife paid, or funk : and that bank was thereby entirely at an end
and fliut up. The reft, by different chicaneries between the regent and.
Law, were wiped off.

That general ftate farther acquaints the public, ' that fmce the duke
' of Orleans's acceffion to the regency, the royal finances have been
' augmented above 83 millions of livres per annum. And yet,' (be-
lieve it who can), ' the people have within that time been eafed of
' taxes or impofis to the amount of upwards of 52 millions per annum !'
Be this as it may, he certainly got rid of fo much national debt, to the
ruin of thouiands of families, by the ways before mentioned. We fhall
only add, concerning the vail French India capital ftock, that it gradu-
ally dwindled in value till it fettled in their prefent Eaft-India company ;
which, by dint of appUcation, &c. has fince made fo great a figure, as
well in India as in Europe, fo as greatly to interfere vi'ith the interefts
of the other European nations trading to the Eaft-Indies ! And that the
regent's chief inftrument, Law, being now obliged to leave France, died
in obfcurity, without having acquired any thing very confiderable for
himielf ; though he had it once in his power to have been the richeft
fubjed in Chriftendom i

We return now farther to confider the unfortunate fituationof the pro-
prietors of the Britifh national debt.fubfcribed into the South-fea company
in the year 1720, and of the purchafers of South-fea ftock by money-
fubfcriptions at high prices. Toward the clofe of that year, thefe began
clearly to perceive the fad ftate they were reduced to by their own cre-
dulity, as well as by other caufes already noted ; and that all the fchemes
propoledfor raifmg the ftock to its former high price were perfedly
vifionary.. Their main refource now was, by the alliftance of the legis-
lature, to obtain an equal or fair diftribution among them, of the un-
divided South-fea ftock, as far as that would go : yet even that was at-
tended with fundry difficulties, needlefs to be enlarged on at this dif-
tance of time. The redeemable creditors who had fubfcribed, and alfo
the money fubfcribers, were indeed in a fad way. Neverthelefs, to en-
large on all the reafonings of thofe, as alfo on thofe of the long-annuity
proprietors, would require more room tlian is confiftent with our gene-
ral fcope ; as the pieces publiftied on that occafion, which we have
bound up, confift of fundry confiderable volumes of feveral fizes. We

A. D. 1720, 109

ihall therefor content ourfelves with firft exhibiting a brief flate of the
whole South-fea capital flock, as it flood at Chriftmas 1720, viz.

The old capital flock before midfummer 1720 Li 1,746,844 8 10
The flock of the irredeemable debts fubfcribed 12,069,349 2 6
The flock of the redeemable debts fubfcribed - 13,986,690 2 8

Total South-fea flock at chriflmas 1720, (in
which however a fmall millake of L400 was
afterward found, whereby its true amount
was L37,8o2,483: 14) - - L37,8o2,883 14 o

And next, we (hall, as briefly as poffible, fet down the quantity of
flock allowed at different times, to the feveral fpecies of new proprie-
tors of South-fea flock, in confequence of the very badly executed
fcheme we are now treating of, viz.

I) To the redeemable proprietors, flock was at firfl allowed at 800
per cent, but afterward reduced to 400 : fo that Lioo redeemable debt
had in South-fea ftock L25, to which add the midfummer 10 per cent,
is - - - - - - - - - L27100

2. The firfl additional third, by a&. of parliament,
3ifljulyi72i - - - - - - - 9 3 4

3. The fecond additional third, by general court, Sep-
tember ifl, 1721 - - - - - - - 1245

L48 17 9

4. The addition of a fixteenth part, by general court,

1 2th April, 1723 - - - - -311

Total South-fea flock allowed for Lioo redeeniables

fubfcribed ______ L51 i8 10

II) The four money-fubfcriptions, though at firfl at different prices,
had at length flock allowed them at 400 per cent, and had afterwards
the very fame feveral additions as the redeemable debts ; fo that for
every Lioo they had paid down they were in all allowed L51 18 10

Whereby it will appear, that thefe two defcriptions of proprietors
had much harder terms than any of the others.

III) The irredeemable debts fubfcribed were, in all, allowed viz.

Long annuities in the firfl fubfcription had for every Lioo per an-
num, L700 South-fea (lock, and with the 10 per cent dividend in flock
for midfummer 1720, made L770 j and with two of the three addi-

no A. D. 1667.

tions made to the redeemables, as before exhibited, viz. the fecond ad-
ditional one third, and the additional one lixteenth, made their ftock
amount to- - ___-_ L 1,090 16 8

And they had, at fubfcribing, in bonds and money - 575 o o

Total ftock and money in the firfl fubfcription Li,665 16 8

In the fecond fubfcription of thofe fame long annuities they were
at firft allowed ftock at 800 per cent, w^hich was afterward reduced
to 400 per cent, and, with the midfummer 10 per cent, amounted
to ___-_-__- L880 o o

And the legiflature having direded this fecond fubfcrip-
tion to be made equal to the firft fubfcription, valuing
the ftock at 150 per cent, that addition in ftock amount-
ed to - - - - - -__ 203 6 8

Li, 083 6
And the two above additions, as made to the firft fub-
fcription, in ftock, amounted to - - - - 451 7

Total ftock allowed for Lioo per annum in the fe-
cond fubfcription ; but no bonds nor money were
given on this fecond fubfcription - £1,543 ^4 4

The L98 per annum annuities, called fourteen per cents, had in the
firft fubfcription L700 ftock allowed them, which, with all the before-
mentioned additions, amounted to - - Li, 090 16 8

And in bonds and money - - - - 51100

Total ftock and money for L98 per annum, firft

fubfcription, ______ Li,6oi 16 8

And their fecond fubfcription in ftock, with the fame additions, but
no bonds nor money - _ _ _ _ L 1,474 5 6

The firft fubfcription of the nine per cents had, in all, for every L90
per annum in ftock ______ L545 8 4

And in bonds and money - - - - 217100

Total for L90 per annum, in the firft fubfcription L762 1 8 4

And their fecond fubfcription had L699 .-7:2 ftock, and L2, called
odd money, in money. ^

A. D. 1720. Ill

For the prize-tickets of lottery 17 10, Lioo per annum, firft fubfcrip-

tion, had in all in South-fea flock - - L623 6 8

And in bonds and money _ _ - - _ 200 o o

Total in the firft fi.ibfcription _ - _ L823 6 8

And their fecond fubfcription had in all L755 : 1 1 flock only.

The blank tickets of lottery 1710 had for every L98 per
annum ______ L545 8 4

And in bonds and money _ _ _ _ > 253 10 o

Total flock and money in the firfl fubfcription - L898 18 4

And their fecond fubfcription had L827 16 o in ftock.

And in odd money - - 200

Total fecond fubfcription - L829 16 o

Thus it plainly appeared, that all the irredeemable debts fubfcribed.
were put upon a much better footing than the redeemable ones, and
the money fubfcribers, who certainly were very hardly ufed.

IV) The old capital flock before midfummer 1720 had, beyond all
other fpecies of proprietors, the very befl terms granted to them, viz.
tlie 10 per cent dividend for midfummer 1720 : likewife the additional
third, (or L33 : 6 : 8 percent) to the ftock, by the general court on ifl
September 172 1 : alfo the additional one fixteenth part, (or L6 : 5 per
cent) on the 12th April 1723: whereby Lioo of the old South-fea
proprietors ftock was increafed, at midfummer 1723, to L155 : 16 : 8.

And thus at length men were forced to fit down (though not con-
tented) with their refpedive lofles ; though a fecret committee of the
houfe of commons in the l^eginning of this year made feveral large re-
ports againft the condud of the diredors, and indiredly againft others
in very high ftations, fome of whom were expreisly included in the
laws made for mulding thofe diredors, and for fequeftrating their
eftates, and thofe of fome of their principal fervants ; more efpecially
their treafurer, in whofe breaft many important fecrets were by the
crowd fuppofed to be lodged, particularly againft a noble lord then in
power, who neverthelefs was well known to be hitherto no way mcHned
to avarice. Men's lofTes indeed, and the writings of the party Icribblers,
occafioned many people at that time to believe, that the icheme itfelf
contained fecrets of very great importance ! Bribery, corruption, and.
robbing of the public, were fafhionable words at this time, and helped-

112 A. D. 1720.

to fill up pamphlets and newfpapers : and many of thofe, who had very
lately mofl obfequioufly courted and (hamefuUy flattered the unhappy
diredors, were now the loudeft for the mod fevere punifhments. It is
however but too true, that the direclors, or rather the junto of mana-
gers, for making their fcheme go more eafily down, made confiderable
largefTes, at the company's coft, to many perfons of influence ; and that
in the execution of their whole fcheme they had much too great a lati-
tude allowed them. That the fiditious fale of flock, prior to pafllng
the adi of parliament ; their lending out above eleven millions of the
company's money on flock and fubfcriptions, without an adequate fe-
curity ; their taking fo enormous a leap as from 400 to 1,000 per cent
in the price of their flock for the third and fourth money -fubfcrip-
tions ; their making private additions to the money-fubfcriptions, for
the benefit of friends ; and the fuftering fuch friends to withdraw thofe
fubfcriptions on the fall of flock ; their giving away large fums of the
company's money for the future refufal of flock at high prices, in or-
der to raife it to thofe prices ; their laying out great fums of the compa-
ny's money, for buying up flock for the fame end ; their making many
alterations, additions, and erafements, in fums and names on the faid
loans, &c. were all utterly unjuflifiable ! Yet, with refped to the bulk
of the miniflry and parliament, there is fome reafon to think, that their
liflening to the propofals of the South-fea directors proceeded purely
from a defire of acquiring reputation by getting rid of part of our na-
tional burdens ; though (as already obferved) neither that nor any other
fcheme, inconfiftent with the ftridefl national faith, ought to be coun-
tenanced. This was, we apprehend, the real flate of that whole affair,
notwithflanding the idle clamours of many who pretended to find out
miraculoufly occult myfleries therein. Avarice had at that time deep-
ly infeded perfons of all ranks, whereby they contributed not a little to
favour the South-fea managers, and to forward their own fubfeqixent
lolles. Several of the diredors themfelves were fo far innocent as to be
found poorer at the breaking up of the fcheme than when it began ; and
many of them had the befl of charaders till that infatuation : and the
inventory of all their eflates (exclufive of antecedent fettlements) did
not much exceed a million of money ; which among fo many perfons
was little more than L30,ooo each, on an average.

Mariy foreigners, then in our funds, were confiderable lofers by the
South-iea fcheme, whereby a balance (though not a very reputable one)
was faid to be in our favour, nationally fpeaking. The laudable canton
•of Berne is however faid to have been a very confiderable gainer, in their
public cajiacity, by this fcheme. The amount of all the value of the
contrads regiftered at the South-fea houfe, purfuant to ad of parlia-
ment, was 119,917,862. On which there was L2,ooo,ooo and upwards

A. D. I 720. 1 13

paid down, and the balance remaining due thereon was L7, 884, 137, be-
fides the many contrails never regiftered ; and the many others made
on account of the lefler Hocks and bubbles, whofe nominal amount was
then guefled by obferving people, when at their highefl; prices, to ex-
ceed 300 millions. And fuppofing all theincreafed South-fea capital of
1^37,802,883 : 14 to have been negotiated at 1,000 percent, the amount
would have been 380 millions more. If, moreover, all the entire bank,
and Eaft-India capitals had been negotiated at their then advanced
prices, that would have amounted to 284- millions more. The whole
amounts to above 700 millions. Yet, as this lafl fuppofition is fcarcely
to be admitted, we fhall rather flick to our former fuppofition of 500
millions being nearer to the nominal value of them all.

The unaccountable frenzy in flocks and projecls of the year may by
fome be thought to have taken up too much room in this work : but
we are perfuaded that others will approve of perpetuating, in fuch a
work, the remembrance of them, as a warning to after-ages !

We fliall fum up all relating to the deceitful arts of raiting Sonth-fta
flock by new and extravagant highfubfcriptions, by a fenfible, familiar,
and mofl plain, fimile, written at this time by that ingenious gentle-
man, Archibald Hutchefon, efquire, (long fince dead) whofe fair and
candid calculations on this fubjedl, and on our general national debts,
make up a moderate folio volume, viz.

' A having a Lioo ftock in trade, though pretty much in debt, gives

* it out to be worth L300, on account of many privileges and advan-
' tages to which he is intitled. B, relying on A's great wifdom and in-

* tegrity, fues to be admitted partner on thofe terms, and accordingly
' brings L300 into the partnerfliip. The trade being afterwards given

* out or difcovered to be very improving, C comes in at L500 ; and af-
' terward D, at Liioo. And the capital is then completed to L2000.
' If the partnerfhip had gone no farther than A and B, then A had got,
' and B had lofl, Lioo. If it had flopped at C, then A had got, and C

* had lofl, L200 ; and B had been as he was before : but D alfo coming
' in, A gains L400 and B L200 ; and G neither gains nor lofes : butD
' lofes L600. Indeed, if A could fliew that the faid capital was intrin-
' fically worth L4400, there would be no harm done to D ; aftd B and
' C would have been obliged to him. But if the capital at firfl was
' worth but Lioo, and increafed only by the fubfequent partnerfhips,

* it mufl then be acknowleged, that B and C have been impofed on in
' their turns, and that unfortunate thoughtlefs D paid the piper.'

Thisfimile is too obvious to need explanation : A plainly reprefenting
the original South-fea capital, as B and C do the firfl and fecond fub-
fcriptions for ftock, and D the third and fourth fubfcriptions. This

Vol. IIL P

114 A. D. 1720,

came not out till the cloie of the year 1720, when every one too late
faw the general deception ; but we remember many who were then of
opinion, that, had it been publiflied before the two fliameful fubfcrip-
tions at each Lioco per cent had been refolved on, it might have pre-
vented fo wild a meafure.

The infedion of new projecls communicated itfelf in that fame year
of v/onders into the cool and phlegmatic country of Holland, where fun-
dry new fubfcriptions for iniurances of fliips, merchandize, &c. were fet
on foot, not only in their greater cities, but even in fome inconfider-
able ones. Thofe idle fubfcriptions, however, were not carried to any
great and prejudicial height amongfl fo wary a people, who foon return-
ed to their proper vocations.

We had in that fame year a feemingly-judicious view of the iron ma-
nufadure of England, from a ftate of it publifhed by Mr. William
Wood *, who was then a great iron-proprietor. He obferves very juftly,
' that the iron manufadure is, next to the woollen manufacture, the

* mofl confiderable of all others in this nation. That we then ufed
' about 30,000 tons of iron per annum : of which (for want of a fuffi-
' cient fupply of cord-wood) we are forced to buy of our neighbours
' about 20,000 tons, with ready money; which, at Lio per ton, is
' L200,ooo per annum. That we have iron-ftone enough, and may be
' able to fupply ourfelves with cord-wood to make the greateft part of,

* if not all, the iron we want, by planting and railing copices on

* wafle and other lands of fmall value, and relerving a certain quantity
' of acres to grow for timber-trees.' Yet, as all this was faid with a
view to introduce the account of his iron-partnerfhip, amongfl the pro-
jeds or bubbles of that year, it muft be read with caution. Mr. Wood
had then a leafe of all the mines on the crown-lands of thirty-nine
counties, whofe furnaces were well fupplied with pit-coal ; fome of the
beft iron-works in the kingdom ; feveral forges for refining and drawing
iron out into bars ; alfoa flitting-millfor rolling, flitting, and preparing,
the iron for its feveral ufes in manufi\dure ; furnaces for making pig-
iron, pots, rails, and baniflers, backs and hearths for chimnies, and all
other forts of caft-iron, both with charcoal and pit-coal.

It being found by experience, that filver plate, made according to the
old flandard of eleven ounces and two penny-weight of fine filver,
(which was altered to eleven ounces ten penny-weight, by the ad
8 Gul. III. c. 7) is more ferviceable and durable than that made by the
later flandard, the old flerling flandard of eleven ounces two penny-
weight of fine filver in a pound weight (troy) was reflored by ad of
parliament.

* * This is the fame Wood, who afterwards undeitook the coiiuigc of copper halfpence for Ireland, yl.

A. D. 1720. 115

Hereby alfo it was made felony to counterfeit the receipts for fub-
fcriptions, and alfo of the dividend warrants of the Soiith-fea company,
or any endorfements thereon.

In the fame famous year 1 720, the Turkey company made a mofi; rea-
fonable complaint to parliament, againfl fome part of the Flnglifh trade
to Italy, as then managed bv our Italian merchants : an ad was there-
for pafled for prohibiting the importation of raw-filk and mohair yarn
of the produd or manufadure of Afia from any ports or places in the
Straits or Levant feas, except from fuch ports or places as are within the
dominions of the grand fignior. [6 Geo. I. c. 14.] It feems our Italian
merchants at Leghorn frequently purchafed of the French thofe goods,
which they had brought from Turkey, in return for French woollen
goods fent to Turkey ; thereby encouraging the French woollen manu-
facture, and difcouraging our own. In this application the Turkey com-
pany declared, that they then confifted of 200 members, ail of whom
traded feparately for themfelves, and bought and fold without limita-
tion.

We have an authentic view of the ftrength of the royal navy of Great
Britain at this time, 1 720, in Secretary Burchet's Naval hiflory, publifh-
<;d this year, viz.

7 fliips of - 100 guns,

13
16

90

80

23
19

70
60

47

50

[25 of the line of battle.

23
9

25

40

30
20

182 fhips, carrying 9,940 guns ;
«xclufive of thofe neceflary for others of lefler dimenfions ; as fire-fhips,
bomb-veflels, ftore-fhips, floops, yachts, hoys, &c. wliich, he fays, amount-
ed to 50 more. We may fafely fubjoin, that fince then our royal navy
is greatly increafed, as well in the bulk and conftrudion, as in their
number and flrength.

The favourite projed of France, in refpeft to North- America, being
to join their colony of Canada to that of Louifiana, and alfo to obtain a
port in the Ocean ; they, for thofe ends, began very early after the treaty
of Utrecht to extend their limits on that continent ; and though the
15th article of that peace had abfolutely excluded them from moleiling,
or encroaching on, the five Indian nations of the Iroquois, as being

P2

1 16 A. D. 1720.

peculiarly fubjed to the Britifli crown ; yet they this year feized on
the moft important pals of Niagara, and fortified the fame, whereby
they were able to command the lakes, and to form a plan for extending
their power to the Ohio river, and to carry their chain efforts and fet-
tlements thence down to the Miffifippi river ; and this fort they held
till the year 1759. In the meantime, they had by many arts debauch-
ed thofe five Indian nations fo far, that they were brought to murder
our people fettled among them in great numbers.

In a treaty of peace, concluded this year between Denmark and
Sweden at Frederickftadt under the mediation of George I king of
Great Britain, it was flipulated, that, upon the crown of Denmark re-
linquifliing all former pretenfions on the crown of Sweden, the Chips of
Sv/eden, in pafling the Sound, or either of the two Belts, fhould thence-
forth pay to Denmark the fame toll as is paid by Great Britain and the
United Netherlands ; Sweden thereby renouncing all exemption from
the faid toll. So that by this treaty, there was thenceforth to be no
longer any difference of nations in palling into or returning from the
Baltic ; all paying a like toll for fhips and cargoes *.

1 72 1. — While Archangel was the only ftaple port for the Ruflian naval
commerce, the foreign merchants ufually refidedat Mofcow, and only tra-
velled thence in rhe fummer feafon to Archangel, where they had their
warehoufes and factors : this method continued till the year 1721, when
by order of the czar Peter the Great, the feat of commerce was tranf-
ferred from Archangel to his new emporium of Peterfburgh, (now
grown a very confiderable city) which obliged the foreign ti-aders to re-
move their fadories to it.

According to a quarto pamphlet, (publiflied by the noted William
Wood 1 721) entitled, the State of the copper and brafs manufadures
in Great Britain, about 30,000 pepole were then fuppofed to fubfift by.
thofe manufadures. He alio remarks, that thofe metals were refined by
pit-coal alone. ' We have' (fays he) ' plenty of lapis calaminaris for
' making brafs. Copper ore is found in many counties of England,
' Wales, and Scotland : and this nation could fupply itfelf with copper
' and brafs, of its own produce, fufficient for all occafions, if fuch du-
' ties were laid on foreign copper and brafs as would difcourage their
' importation, and at the fame time encourage the fale of our own
' metal.'

After all the ftir, without doors by pamphlets and newfpapers, and
within doors by a fecret committee of parliament, all that could be
done for the South-fea company, was ift, By an ad of parliament of

* The amount of goods imported into Eng- Charles Whitworth in his Stale of lie trade of

land in the year 1720 was L6,090,o83 ; and the Great Britain, from which I propofe to extraft

total of the exports, not including coin and bul- tlie totals of every tenth year to the conclufion of

lion, was L6,9 10,85)9 j as they are ilated by Sir the reign of George II. M.

A. D. 1721. 117

the 7th of King George, to reftrain their fub-governor, deputy-governor,
directors, treafurers, and accountant*, from going out of the kingdom,
and for difcovering their eftates. 2dly, By another aft of the fame
year, they were difabled from ever after enjoying the faid ofBces, &c.
3dly, Another of the fame year was for railing money on their eftates,
and on thofe of Mr. Aiilabie and Mr. Craggs fenior, towards making good
the lofles fuftained by their mifmanagement in the year 1720; out of
which they were however allowed certain funis for their maintenance.
4thly, By another ad of the fame year, for making feveral provifions to
reftore the public credit, which fuffers by the frauds and mifmanage-
ments of the late diredors of the South-lea company and others ; be-
fides what we have already noted, of remitting to that company all the
beneiic the public was to have reaped by the company's privilege of
taking in the public debts, and the putting the redeemables and the four
money fubfcriptions on an equal footing, the borrowers on ftock and
fubfcriptions in that year were hereby to be releafed, on paying 10 per
cent to the company ; from which 10 per cent they were afterward alfo
releafed. Hereby alfo all unperformed contrads for any kind of ftocks
and fubfcriptions, made during the year 1720, were direded to be re-
giftered by a fixed time, and in the meantime all law fuits thereon were
to remain fufpended ; which gave immediate eafe to very many perfons
concerned therein. By this ad likewife, two millions of the company's
capital was to be funk from midfummer 1722, for the benefit of the
public. And the fecret committee, after a farther report, (of very little
ufe or confequence) broke off all farther inquiries.

On the ift of September, in this fame year, the additional L33 : 6 : 8
per cent in ftock was made to the feveral proprietors already mentioned.

Peace was concluded at Madrid on the 13th of June 1721, between
Great Britain and Spain, whereby the peace of Utrecht was in general
confirmed, and the South-fea company were reftored to the exercife of
the afhento contrad for negroes, &c. and the full value of all that had
been feized was ftipulated to be refunded to them. The antient limits
of both nations in America were confirmed, and the freedom of the cod
fifhery at Newfoundland.

In confequence of the peace, the South-fea company in the fame
year fent out their great and rich annual fhip to the Spanifh Weft-Indies,
i. e. to Porto Bello and Carthagena ; which, however, from various
caufes, did not anfwer the great hopes at firft conceived of that voyage.
The difficulties perpetually ftarted by the court of Madrid, the avarice
of the company's own fervants,and of the Spanifh officers in America,
were much more the occafion of this voyage not proving advantageous,
than any want of prudent concert in planning or defigning it.

* This laft was afterwards left out of the bill. A.

I i8 A. D. 1721,

A delinuive treaty of peace was alfo concluded this year between
Sweden and Ruflia : whereby the former was obliged to confirm or
yield to Ruffia (what had been before conquered) the very be ft jewel of
the SwcdiHi crown, viz. Livonia, together with Efthonia, Ingria, Care-
lia, and the town of Wyburg, whh the ifles of Oefel, Dragoe, and
Moen. The czar, on the other fide, reftorcd a part of Finland to the
king of Sweden, and alfo agreed to pay him two millions of rix-dollars,
and that the Swedes fliould be permitted annually to buy corn to the
amount of 50,00c rubles, at Riga, Revel, and Wyburg, free of cufioms.
In point of commerce, alfo, the Swedes were to be treated as the moft
favoured nation.

This treaty was a fevere check to the commerce, and a very confider-
able diminution of the territory and power, of Sweden, which fhe has
never fince been able to regain.

This year an attempt was made in the parliament of Ireland to erect
a public bank in that kingdom : but it was rejeded (it was faid) purely
for want of a fufhcient currency of cafh for circulating bank-notes
there ; and perhaps for fome other more fecret reafons.

The ufe of printed Indian calicoes in Britain, both in apparel and
household furniture, was at this time become fo univerfal, as to be a great
detriment and obrtrudion to the woollen and filk manufactures of the
kingdom. This had occafioned fundry riots and tumults of the weavers
in London, &c. It was therefor found neceflary to redrefs a grievance,
wherein fo many thoufand families were deeply interefted. An ad of
parliament was therefor pafFed, to preferve and encourage the woollen
arid filk manufadures, &c. which abfolutely prohibited the wear thereof,
under the penalty of L5 for each offence on the wearer, and of L20 on
the feller. [7 Geo. /, r. 7].

And by an ad for employing the manufadurers, and encouraging
the confumption, of raw filk, and mohair yarn, buttons or button-holes
made of cloth or other ftuff, were abfolutely prohibited. [7 Geo. J,
c. 12.]

The Oftenders ftill perfifting to trade to theEaft-Indies, the Britifh par-
liament pafled an ad for further preventing his majeily's fubjeds from
trading to the Eaft-Indies under foreign commiffions, 8cc. prohibiting
the importation of tea from any part of Europe, over and above all for-
mer rellrainrs laid on Britifli fubjeda from reforting or trading to ihe
Eaft-Indies under foreign commilTions, with fundry other new additional
reftraints and penalties. [7 Geo. I, c. 20.] And by the Dutch placarts,
it was made death for any of their fubjeds to be concerned therein.

In an ad for raifing a fum not exceeding Lsoo.obo, (charged on the
civil lift revenue) Sec. there is a claufe for dilchargiag ihe two afiTurance
companies, eftablilhed by charters in the year 1720, (viz. the Royal-ex-
change and the London alTurance companies) from fo much of the

A. D. I 721. 119

fum of L3oo,ooo, which each of them was obhged to pay to the kins,'s
ufe, as now remained unpaid ; in confideration of the difficulties which
thofe two corporations laboured under.

According to the Britt/J} Merchant [K ii. p. 220, ed. 172:] the Bri-
tifli filk manufadure amounted to L7oo,ooo per annum in value more
than it was at the revolution ; we importing, till that period, annually
from France to the value of 1.500,000 in wrought filks of all kinds.

He adds, what was alfo well known, that till then there was little elfe
made in England but brown paper ; whereas now there are two thirds
of all the white paper we ufe made at home.

The increafe of the French fifhery on the banks of Newfoundland,
and in the neighbouring parts, was fo great about this time, that, as the
fame author [F". ii. p. 290] alleges, they employed yearly upwards of 400
fail of Ihips therein, from St. Malo, Grandville, Rochelle, St. Martin's,
Bayonne, St. Jean de Luz, Sibour, &c. whereby they not only now
fupplied themfelves entirely with fidi, which they formerly had from
England, but like\vife rivalled us much in the fifh trade to Spain and Italy.

According to Egede, a Danifli author, and zealous miflionary to Old
Greenland, the Greenland company of Bergen in Norway now fent out
a colony to refettle Old Greenland, after a large Norwegian colony had
been deftroyed, or otherwife loft, in that country fome hundreds of yeare
before. Mr. Egede, who went with this new colony, relates, that they
found there fome marks of old habitations and of antient tillage. He
thinks that the old Norwegian colony muft have been deftroyed by the
flivage natives, or by an unufual peftilence ; and that the country was
forgotten by the Danes and Norwegians till the year 161 9, when fome
fruitlefs attempts were made from Copenhagen, to find out the country
where that old colony had been fettled.

After all, it is much to be doubted, whether there be commercial ma-
terials in that moft cold and barren country, fufficient to induce any
European nation to be at much expenfe in planting there, peltry and
fifh oil being probably its only product, and the country being very thin
of inhabitants, and thofe too very miferable ones. We accordingly
hear nothing farther of the fuccefs of that frefti attempt for colonizing
in it till the year 1736.

There were employed this year in the whale fifhery to Greenland and
Davis's flraits,

From fundry parts of Holland - 251 fhips.

From Hamburgh - - - 55

From Bremen - - - - 24

From the ports in the Bay of Bifcay - 20
From Bergen in Norway - - 5

* Total 355 fhips.

I20 A. D. 1721

This iin-, which was pubhflied at London at this time, probably, in
pan, encouraged the new South-fea court of diredors to propole a
whale fifliery to their general courts, which however they did not final-
ly agree to till three years after.

The preamble of an act of parliament of the 8th year of King George I,
ft3r giving farther encouragement for the importation of naval flores,
&c. declares,

That, in confequence of former legal encouragements, it is found by
experience, that great quantities of good and merchantable pitch and tar
have been imported from the BritiOi plantations in America, which
liave been found ufeful for the fervice of his majefly's navy; and that
it is ncceii'ary to give farther encouragement therein ; fo as the tar be
clean and merchantable, as herein farther direded, for making cordage.

Moreover, it being probable, that the owners of large trads of land
in America and in Scotland, lying near the fea or on navigable rivers,
would be induced to fow the fame with hemp, if farther encouragement
were given for that purpofe : it was therefor enaded, that the pre-
mium of L6 per ton of hemp, fo raifed and imported, be farther con-
tinued for fixteen years, and be free of all cuftoms whatever.

And whereas great quantities of v/ood and timber, and of the goods
commonly called lumber, (of many feveral forts of wood therein enu-
merated) have ufually been imiported into this kingdom from foreign
countries at exceflive prices, whereby foreigners have found opportuni-
ties to export the coin of the kingdom : and it is well knovv'n, that the
faid commodities, being of the growth and produd of the Britifh plan-
tations in America, may be furniftied from thence ; for encouragement
thereof it was enaded, that the faid timber goods be exported, duty-free,
from the plantations, for 91 years to come : excepting marts, yards,
and bowfprits, touching which, duties and premiums are afcertained by
former ads in that behalf.

The commiffioncrs of the navy muft have the pre-emption or refufal
of the hemp, for 20 days after landing, for the ufe of the navy-royal.

The laws already made for the preservation of white pine trees in his
majefty's colonies in America, for mailing the royal navy, being found
infi;fficient, it was novv' enaded, that no pcrfon fhould prefume to cut,
fell, or deftroy, any white pine tree in the American provinces, named
in former ads of parhament, (to which Nova-Scotia was now added),
without the king's licence firfl; obtained, under the feveral penalties for
the various fized trees herein fpecified.

In this year (according to Keyfler's Travels) the famous fine porce-
lain of Saxony was brought to perfedion, being the invention of one
Eottichcr, a chymift, who died in the year 1719. But he carried it no
farther than to the white fort, the art of making brown and blue por-
4

A. D. 1722. 121

celam not being found out till this year. This able author adds, that
the invention of the Saxon porcelain was owing to alchymy.

In the fame year Captain Scroggs, from Churchill-i-iver fort in
Hudfon's Bay, failed upon the difcovery of a north-well paffage from
that bay to China, &c. as far as latitude 64° 56', where, as he reported,
the land fell off to the fouthwardof weft : fuch of his people, as went up to
the top of a mountain, reported, that they fiw nothing to obftrud their
going farther. This was a lame account, (fays Mr Ellis's voyage, annis
1746 — 7) for why then did he not proceed * ?

Copper ore having been lately found in the province of New- York ;
it was now, by an ad [8 Geo. I, c. 18] to prevent the clandeftine run-
ning of goods, &c. made an enumerated commodity ; i. e. it was made
liable to the like reftraint of being firft landed in fome port of Great
Britain, as fugar, tobacco, &c. are, before being re-exported. The antient
Peruvians had the ufe of copper tools, before they were conquered by
the Spaniards ; but this was the firft difcovery of copper in any of the
Britifh colonies of America.

The vaft increafe of buildings in the great weftern fuburbs of Lon-
don requiring a greater iupply of frelh water than the prefent works
could furnifh, an adl of parliament, of the 8th year of King George I,
for better fupplying the city and liberties of Weftminfter and parts
adjacent with water, authorized the Chellea water company, new-
ly ereded, to dig bafons, refervoirs, &c. for bringing water from the
river Tham.es to a place near Chelfea, and to convey the fame (by an
ingenious engine) to another refervoir in Hyde-park, whence it is con-
veyed in pipes to feveral ftreets and houfes : and the crown was em-
powered to incorporate the undertakers, as was accordingly done in this
fame year.

The filk manufacture of England being brought to great' perfection
in all its branches, fo as to equal the fineft fabrications of any foreign
nation, the Britifh legiflature now judged it proper to enadt new encou-
ragements to fo noble a manufadure, by an aft [3 Geo. 1, c. 15] for
encouraging the filk manufadures of this kingdom, and for promoting
its exportation to foreign parts, by granting the following bounties
thereon for three years to come, viz.

For ribands and fluffs of filk only, for each pound avoirdupois Lo 3 o
Silks and ribands of filk mixed with gold or filver - 040

Silk fiockings, gloves, fringes, laces, ftitching or fewing filk 010
Stuffs of filk and grogram-yarn - - - -008

Silk ftuffs mixed with incle or cotton - - -010

Stuffs of filk and worfted - -- - -006

* Scroggs was not very anxious for difcovcring a paffage. See Forjler's Voynga in the North,
^.387 of Enxlijl] tranjldtiou. M-

Vol. hi. Q

122 A. D. 1722.

This encouragement was founded on the confideration of raw and
thrown filk payina; a confiderable duty on importation. And by a fub-
fequent ftatute [9 Geo. I, c. 8] the mixed manufactures were not to be
intitled to the bounties, unlets at leafl; two third parts of the ends or
threads of the warp be either all filk, or mixed and twifted with filk.
Both thefe ftatutes have fince been farther prolonged.

By this well-judged datute for the encouragement of the Britifh ma-
nufadures in general, the feveral duties whatfoever, payable thereon at
exportation, were to ceafe and determine, (though they were flill regu-
larly to be entered at every cuftomhoufe)," excepting fuch for v/hich a
fpecial provifion is therein after made, viz. alum, lead, tin, tanned lea-
ther, copperas, coals, wool-cards, white woollen cloths, lapis calaminaris,
flvins of all forts, glue, coney-wool, hare's wool, hair of all forts, horfes^
and litharge of lead.

Moreover, for the further encouragement of Britifli manufactures, by
promoting the importation of drugs, &c. ufed in dying ; all fuch were
(u)ion being duely entered) to be duty-free (faltpetre always excepted) ;
but on re-exportation of thofe foreign dying fluffs, they were to pay the
feveral duties therein fpecified ; left their being fuffered to be exported
duty-free fliould prove a benefit to the manufadures of foreign nations.
Hereby alfo half the duty on beaver fkins (now with other furs made
an enumerated commodity) was to be drawn back on re-exportation :
And the duty on the pepper of our own Eaft-India company, for home
confumption, which was before in all 2/ per pound weight, was now
reduced to 4^ per pound weight.

By an ad of parliament of this year, for paying off and cancelling
one million of exchequer bills, and giving eafe to the South-fea com-
pany, in refped to their obligation to circulate exchequer-bills, &c. and
for relief of the fufferers at Nevis and St. Chriftophers, &c. farther
time was allowed to the South-fea company for repaying to the public
the n^illion of exchequer-bills formerly lent to them (and which was
accordingly repaid the year following), and alfo fundry other regula-
tions were made concerning exchequer bills, not material to our I'ubjcd.
Therein alfo there was an mtereft fixed, at the rate of 3 per cent yearly,
on the united principal and laige arrear of intereft due to the fufferers
of Nevis and St Chriitophers by the Ftench in Queen Anne's war.

By the authority of another ad of this year, to enable the South-fea
company to difpofe of the effeds in their hands, &c. they fold to the
bark of England four millions of their capital ftock, attended with
5 per cent interefl, or a yearly interefl: of L200,ooo; whereby the
whole South-fea capital flock was reduced to L3J5, 802,483 : 14 *. Iriere-
upon the bank took in a fubfcription for fale of tins new ingrafted ftick
£t 118 per cent, whereby, in their corporate capacity, they gained

* An error of L400, as already iioled, was difcovcred in the lubfcriptions. A.

A. D. 1722. 123

1.610,169 : 10 bank flock : and the flock, thus fold at 18 per cent ad-
vance, amounting to L3, 389, 830 : lO, produced in money the exad:
fum due to the South-fea company, being L4,ooo,ooo. The whole bank
capital due from the public hereby amounted to £9,375,027: 17 : 107,
of which capital the fum of L 1,600, 000 was intitlcd to 6 per cent in-
terefl till the year 1742 ; the reft, with all the remaining South-fea ca-
pital, was to be reduced to 4 per cent after midfummer 1727.

By an abftrad of the public debts, by Archibald Hutchefon Efq.
for the year 1722 (publifhed in 1723) it appears,

That the grofs amount of the pofl-oflice annual re-
venue was - - _ - - - L2oi,8o4 I 8

There was to be deduded for frank covers to 1
letters _ _ . _ £33,397 12 3 J- 103,793 13 8

For the expenfe of management 70,396 i 53

The pofl-ofiice's net produce at michaelmas 1722 £98,01 080

By an acSl of parliament of this year, to prevent the mifchiefs by
forging powers to transfer any ftocks, &c. it was made felony to forge,
or procure to be forged, any letter of attorney for transferring any
flocks or fhares of corporations eftablifhed by ad of parliament, or to
receive any dividend thereon, or to perfonate any real proprietor. This
law was occalioned by a fraudulent letter of attorney for transferring
fome South-fea ftock in the year 1720, though not difcovered till four-
teen months' after. Whereupon the South-fea general court, after much
debate, refolved (upon a ballot of 1,457 "^'^^^^ againft 160) ' that every
' proprietor who has had, or fhall have, ftock transferred to him in the
' company's transfer-books, be intitled to the fun:i fo transferred, upon
' his producing a receipt for the fame, witnefFed by the clerk attending
' the transfer-books, provided there appears no fraud on the part of the
* purchafer.'

In December 1722 the German emperor, Charles VI, firft granted
his charter for an Eaft-India company at Oftend, before only connived
at by him : whereupon a capital of fix millions of florins was fubfcrib-
ed, and ftiips were now more openly lent out, which returned with car-
goes of Eaft-India nierchandize, to the great lofs of the Englifli and
Dutch Eaft-India companies in the fales of their goods ; both which
nations now therefor loudly complained thereof. The Dutch more
efpecially and moft vehemently infifted, and plainly made it appear,
that the grant was diredly repugnant to the treaty of Munfter, whereby
the king of Spain, then fovereign of the Netherlands, obliged himielf
and his fucceflbrs, as fuch, never to extend their navigation or cum'-
merce in India beyond the limits then agreed upon, viz. the Spa-
niards not to fail to India from Europe, and the Dutch only thither by
3 0^2

124 A. D. 1722.

the Cape of Good Hope ; that therefor the Auftrian Netherlands, as
well as Arragon, Naples, Sicily, and other fubjects of the Spanifh crown,
were thereby barred from trading to India ; and that the emperor, as
fovereign of the ten Netherland provinces, is likewife bound hereby ;
fmce the maritime powers conquered thofe provinces for him, merely
on the footing of his right to the Spanifh monarchy, and he could hold
thofe provinces no otherwife than the kings of Spain held them. By
the 26th article alfo of the barrier treaty, this fame emperor ftipu-
lated, that every thing relating to commerce fhould remain as flipulated
by the treaty of Munfter. That, on the part of England, it was clear,
that by the 8th article of the treaty of Madrid, between England
and Spain in 1670, Spain flipulated, that the king of Great Britain and
his fubjeds lliould enjoy every benefit granted to the Dutch by the
Munfler treaty ; and confequently hereby, as well as by the barrier
treaty, the Englifli company, as well as their fovereign, have an un-
doubted right to oppofe this Oftend trade to India.

And the Britifh legiflature, in order to prevent his majefly's fubjeds
from fubfcribing, or being concerned in encouraging or promoting any
fubfcription, for an Eaft-Tndia company in the Auflrian Netherlands,
and for better fecuring the lawful trade of his majefly's fubjeds to and
from the Eafl-Indies, enaded, that every Britifh fubjedl who fhould
fubfcribe to the flock of the Oflend company, fhould forfeit the fame,
and triple the value thereof; one third to the crown, and two thirds to
the Englifli Eafl-India company. Britiflu fubjeds found in India, unlefs
lawfully authorized, or within our Eafl-India company's limits, are here-
by declared guilty of an high crime and mifdemeanor, and liable to fuch
corporal punifliment or imprifonment, and for fuch time, as the court
where they fhall be tried fhall think fit, &c. [9 Geo. I, c. 26.] Yetthefe
warm arguments did not as yet efledually prevail.

This year the king of Great Britain made a grant of the iflands of St.
Lucia and St. Vincent, in the Weft-Indies, to John duke of Montague ;
whereupon that public-fpirited nobleman fent over two governors for
thofe iflands, with fifty-one other officers, and 425 fervants, with all
kinds of ftores, provifions, artillery, &c. in fix fhips, under convoy of a
king's fliip, very completely fitted and provided for fuch a new colony.
But they had no fooner begun to clear the ground for a fort in St. Lu-
cia, in December 1722, than they had notice from the governor of Mar-
tinico, that his exprefs orders from his mafter, the French king, were to
diflodge them by force, unlefs they withdrew from the ifland in fifteen
days time ; for which purpofe 2000 men were landed from Martinico,
and 500 from Guadaloupe. And as the Englifli were by ficknefs and
defertion reduced to 70 men fit to bear arms. Governor Uring judged
it prudent, on due confultation, to abandon the iflands on the 14th of
January following ; it being alfo now flipulated with the French com-

A. D. 1722. 125

mander, that the French forces fhould, in hke manner, leave St. Lucia
in its former neutral ftate, till there fhould be a final decifion made be-
tween the two crowns. Upon which one obvious remark is fufhcient,
viz. that either certain previous flipulations fhould have been made
between the two crowns for the duke's people to be permitted to fettle
on thofe ifles, or elfe a much greater force fliould have been fent to
proted them. St. Lucia being lb near to Martinico, the French would
probably hazard even a war with Britain, rather than let us polTefs and
improve it, lince thereby we fliould have been enabled farther to fecure
our Leeward iflands ; feeing no confiderable armament could be made
at Martinico but what would be prefently known at St. Lucia.

This unfortunate expedition is faid to have coft the duke no lefs a
fum than L40,ooo, the greateft and moll expenfive undertaking at-
tempted by any one fubjeft in Chriflendom, on his own fingle bottom ;
the tradefmen being allowed from L25 to L30, and the officers from
L50 to L400 per annum, for a year and a half, befides the fhipping,
provifions, ammunition, artillery, military and naval ftores, &c. all at
the duke*s expenfe. It is certain that the iflands of St. Lucia, St. Vin-
cent, and Dominica, are, and always have been, included in the gover-
nor of Barbados's commiflion ; the title whereof runs thus, viz. ' Cap-
' tain-general and governor of Barbados, and the reft of the Caribbee
' ifles to the windward of Guadaloupe.'

In November 1730, according to a work intitled, the Britifli empire
in America, we find the following inftruclions from King George 11 to
Mr. Worfley, governor of Barbados, relating to St. Lucia, viz.

* Whereas the French for fome years have claimed a right to the

* ifland of St. Lucia, and do infifl that the right to the iflands of St.
' Vincent and Dominica, under your government, is in the Carrib-

* beans now inhabiting the fame, although we have an undoubted right
' to all the faid iflands, yet we have thought fit to agree with the French
' court, that, until our right fliall be determined, the faid iflands fhall

* be entirely evacuated by both nations. You are accordingly to figni-
' fy the fame to fuch of our fubjefts as fhall be found inhabiting any of
' our fliid iflands, that they do forthwith quit the fame, until the right
' fhall be determined as aforefaid. And you are to ufe your befl en-
' deavour, that no fliips of our fubjedts, nor of any other nation, do fre-

* quent the faid iflands during the time aforefaid, excepting only for
' wood and water.'

In the very next month, viz. in December the fame year, 1730, (that
we may take in all at once what relates to this fubjed) the French king's
inftrudions to Mr. de Champigny, his governor of Martinico, are in
fubftance, ' that the Englifli have for fome years pafl made pretenfions
' to the ifland of St. Lucia, which belongs to me, and <"o which I have
' an incontellable right : the fame pretenfions they have laid to the

126 A. D. 1722.

* iflands of St. Vincent and Dominica, which belong to the Carib-
' beans, natives of the country, according to the treaty of the 31 ft of
' March 1660 ; and in the pofleflion whereof it is my intention to fup-
' port them : I have neverthelefs agreed with the court of England,
' that, until thofe prerenfions (hall be determined, the faid iflands fliall

* be evacuated by both nations. And it is my pleafure that you make

* this knov.'n, &c.'

We have already given, at fundry times, fomewhat of the hiftory of
the ifland of St. I>ucia, and fome account alfo of Dominica. That of St.
Vincent is fomething more obfcure. It lies to the fouthward of St.
Lucia. When Governor Uring fent his counfellor, Mr. Egerton, thi-
ther, to prepare its inhabitants for fubmiflion to the Britifli crown, he
found two ibrts of people there in great numbers, viz. the native Caribs,
who were the aborigines or primitive poffefTors thereof; and the ne-
groes, the defcendants of a cargo of flaves from Africa, who had been
fliipwrecked there about 70 years before ; and who, by the acceflion of
other negroes, fugitives from the neighbouring European fettlements,
were increafed to about 6000 men, women, and children. Their go-
vernment was republican, viz. by chiefs or leaders by eledion. The
Indians, or native Caribs. he found to confift of about 8000 perfons,
who inhabited fundry pretty villages, and feemed to live in plenty. They
feemed alfo to be a determined people for liberty and independence,
any farther than acknowleging the protedtion of the French at Mar-
tinico, which the later gladly afforded them, to prevent their putting
themfelves under the protection of any other European nation.

This year the general court of the African company made a call
of L5 on every Lioo nominal ftock, for vigoroufly carrying on their
trade : and the fame court moft injudicioufly refolved, that a dividend
of ly per cent per annum be made to the proprietors of their ftock.

The interference of the Oftend Eaft-Jndia company, and fundry other
difficulties, at this time obliged the Englifh Eaft-lndia company to re-
duce their half-yearly dividend from 5 to 4 per cent.

1723 Though four millions of the South-fea capital ftock had been

ingrafced (as we h:.ve Ihewn) into the capital ftock of the bank of England,
yet ftill that company's capital of L.31 ,802,483 : 14 was thought too large.
At general courts their numbers had already been, and might heieafter
be, tumultuous. The legiflature therefor judging that inconveniencies
were likely to arife from the great number of proprietors, determined
to divide the capital into two equal moieties : by an ad (of the 9th of
King George 1) ' for reviving and adding two millions to the faid

* capital ftock, and for dividing their whole capital' (after fuch addition
made) ' into two equal moieties, &c.' The laid two millions were here-
by accordingly carried to each proprietor's account, making one fix-
teenth part, or L6 : 5 per cent ; and the capital, thus again made up

A. D. 1723. 127

L33,8o2,48 3:14. (in confideration of the proprietor's great lofles from the
bad execution of the fcheme) was alfo hereby intitled to all arrears of
intereft, from midfummer 1722 ; and the whole was, after midfummer
1723, to be divided into two equal moieties,

The one moiety being - - - Li6,90r,24i 17 o

To be converted into a joint flock, to be called
South-fea annuities, bearing 5 per cent intereft till
midfummer 1727, when they fhould be reduced to
4 per cent, and be farther redeemable by parlia-
ment. The other moiety to remain a capital, or
joint trading flock in the company, attended with
the remaining yearly fund, redeemable likewife
after midfummer 1627, - - 16,901,2.11 17 d

The total of both, as above, being - L33,8o2,483 14 o

Notwithftanding which divifion by this aft, yet the real amount of
each moiety was fettled as follows, viz.

South-fea annuities, _ _ _ L 16,901, 240 i 8

South-fea flock, - - - - 16,901,243 12 4

the difference of L3 : 10 : 8 arifmg from leaving the odd penny of every
proprietor's flock with his moiety of the capital trading ftock.

The firft payment of a quarter's intereft on the joint flock of South-
fea annuities, being i~ per cent,. was to be at michaelmas 1723 ; and
from thence there were to be half-yearly payments at lady-day and
michaelmas yearly ; as on the other moiety, to remain capital South-
fea flock, the dividends were to remain as before, at midfummer and
chriftmas yearly.

This year the South-fea company fent out for La Vera Cruz, in Span-
ifh Mexico, their rich annual fhip, named the Royal Prince.

The abufes committed by the inhabitants of a pretended privileged
place, adjoining to the borough of Southwark, called Suffolk-place, or
the Mint, had been long complained of, and had become a very great
grievance. Such great numbers of debtors, flieltering themfelves therein
from the purfuit of their creditors, and audacioufly bidding open defiance
to the officers appointed to put the laws in execution, it became necef-
fary to put an end to io fhameful an abufe, which was accordingly done,
by an ad of parliament, [9 Geo. Z, c. 28] whereby it was made felony to
obflrud the execution of any writ, rule, or order, of any court of law or
of equity, or of any efcape warrant, or warrants of juflices : and the flie-
riff of Surrey was empowered to raife the pnjfe comitatus, for taking by
force any debtor out of the Mint : and fundry other regulations are, in
the fame ftatute, ordained for effectually preventing th?i: or any other

128 A. D. 1723.

place from committing fuch open breaches of law and order for the fu-
ture. So that from this time forward there has none dared to fet on
foot any pretended privileged place or fanduary anywhere in Great-
Britain or Ireland for fheltering debtors from the due courfe of law.

In this year Mr. William Wood (whom we have elfewhere mention-
ed as a great proprietor in iron and copper works) having obtained a
patent for coining copper halfpence and farthings for the ufe of the
kingdom of Ireland, to the amount of Li 00,000 flerling, both houfes
of the parliament of that kingdom, in their addrcfTes to the king, warm-
ly reprefented, that, under colour of the faid patent, great quantities of
halfpence of different impreflions, and of much lefs weight than is re-
{[uired by the patent, had been imported and attempted to be uttered in
that kingdom : and that even though the terms of the patent had been
ftridly complied with, there would have been a lofs to the nation of at
lead 1 50 per cent by the faid coinage, and much greater, in the manner
-the halfpence have been coined.

Mr. Wood alleged, in his own vindication, that by the patent of King-
Charles II in 1 68c, and by that of King James II in 1684, a halfpenny
was to weigh 1 10 grains, whereas his halfpenny weighed ii6\ grains,
and was better copper than the faid halfpence ; but he is filent as to
the parliament's objedion, of the quantity of copper in his halfpenny
being lefs than required by the patent. In fine, a keen oppofition
was raifed in Ireland, both within doors and without, and by pamphlets,
newfpapers, 8cc. againfl; that new copper coin, partly becaufe the patent
was given to one who was not a native of Ireland, and becaufe the coin
was altogether ftamped in England ; and partly alfo, that fmce a great
profit was thereby to be made, that benefit fliould have accrued princi-
pally to the public ; (which realbn, we confefs, feems to carry great
weight with it) and (we may add likewife) that great pains had been
taken by party-men in Ireland, to inflame the people there againfl
receiving the new copper money. The king, therefor, in compliance
with the reprefentations of the parliament of Ireland, and the general
difpofitions and inclinations of the people of that kingdom, altered the
patent, that inflead of Li 00,000 in copper coin, Mr. Wood might be
permitted to fend to Ireland only L40,ooo in all, to be current only to
fuch as pleafed voluntarily to accept of them ; though to Mr. Wood's
confiderable detriment. Yet if the reprefentations of Mr. Wood be true,
that the whole current cafli of Ireland docs not exceed L4 00,000, and
that the cufioms, excife, hearth-money, and quit-rents, amount to
1.500,000 per annum, fo as that one fourth part more than all the cur-
rent cafli of that kingdom is annually paid into their exchequer, then,,
furely, this addition of Li 00,000 would have been a benefit to trade. And
if Mr. Wood's coin was not to be received, they fhould ferioufly have fet
about fubflituting a competent quantity of other copper coin in its ftead.

A. D. 1723. 129

Notv\-ithftanding a rebellion which broke out in 1715, and a danger-
ous confpiracy againfl: the eftablifhed conftiturion, difcovered at the
clofe of the preceding year 1722, yet fuch is the fpirit and genius of the
Britifh nation for commerce, that it was feen and obferved by all inqui-
fitive people to be dill conftandy flourifhing. Erafmus Philips Elquire,
an author of good credit, gives us an inftance thereof in his pamphlet,
mtitled,- the State of the nation in refpect of her commerce, debts, and
money, [2d ed. 1726J which acquaints us, that from the year 1701 to
1723 the amount of the Britilb cuftoms was fo confiderable, that the
net money paid into the exchequer, on an average for the faid twenty-
three years, was Li, 446, 022 per annum; even exclufive of feizures ;
(which account nearly coincides with that before exhibited in the year
1715) and witli feizures it amounted to 1.1,467,593 net money per annum.

He alfo gives us the quantity of filver and gold coined in the tower
of London between the years 1701 and 1724, viz. in filver, only
1 75,464 pounds weight ; and in gold no leis than 24 ! ,1 83 pounds weight;
which, valuing a pound weight of gold at L44 flerling, makes the gold
coined in England in twenty-three years time to amount in value to
Lio, 61 2,052 fterling. This vafl coinage of gold in thofe years was
owing to our putting too high a value on gold in proportion to filver,
whereby foreign nations were encouraged to import gold upon us in
exchange for our filver ; which inconvenience, as we have feen, was re-
medied by reducing guineas from 2i/5 to 2iyby the advice of Sir Ifaac
Newton.

After the confufion and fiiameful jumble of the French company of
the Indies, made by the authority of the duke of Orleans, regent of
France during the minority of Louis XV, which confolidated company-
was efiabliflied upon the original capital of the Weftern company, and
25 millions of livres added thereto upon the union of the Eafl-India
company therewith ; it was now judged requifite, for rertoring things to
fome order, that a revifion fliould be made of the adions poflefi^ed by
the proprietors of this confolidated company, for dillinguifhing (as
was fpecioufiy alleged) between fuch as had acquired their property
fairly by purchafe, and fuch as had by ftock-jobbing forced themlelves
into the company's books. The king therefor fixed the capital at 112
millions of livres, the annual interell on which was fixed (if any thing
can be called fixed in France but the power of the monarch) at 8
millions, to be paid out of the farm of tobacco, aad the profits of the
furs from Canada. And the commerce of the Indies was afligned to
the company as a collateral fecurity for the prefent, to be employed for
enlarging the funds and for difcharging the incumbrances thereon.
Yet, till many years after this time, the Eaft-India trade ot France was
managed in a very languid manner, they being obliged to pay off many-
old debts, to rebuild their ihips and factories, and to lay out above i-i^

Vol. hi, R

130 A. D. 1724.

millions for improving Louifiana, and for completing the fuperb works
of Port I'Orient. But Orry coming to beat the head of the French
finances in the year 1737, he fo effectually fupported and improved the
Eaft -India company, that their public iale at Port L'Orient in 1 742
amounted to 24. millions oflivrcs, (or about one million fterlingl which
greatly alarmed England and Holland, who did not at firll know that
all this fine appearance was chiefly fupported by the crown, until the
war with England in the year 1 744 obhged Orry to declare to the com-
pany, that theymufl now ftand on their own legs. Notwithftanding all
which, and the floppage of their dividends at that time, they have fmce
vaftly improved their commerce and power in India, even almoft to
the prefent time.

1724 After much debate in feveral of the general courts of the

South-fea company concerning the utility of attempting a Greenland
trade or whale fifhery, wherein it was plainly fliewn, that former Green-
land companies were fo unfuccefsful as to run out their whole capital, and
that fome foreign nations have fundry advantages over our people in re-
fpedl to this fifhery, the company at length refolved to commence that
fifhery. It was certainly a well-intended and popular relolution, and
was agreeable to the powers granted by the firfl: a<5l of parliament, and
to the royal charter, for ereding the company, as well as to part of
the title given to it by the royal charter. In order to encourage the
company, an a6t of parliament, for encouraging the Greenland fifhery,
repealed the duty of threepence per pound weight on whale-fins; and
decreed that whale-fins, oil and blubber of whales, caught and imported
in Britifh fliips, (whereof the commander and at leafl one third of the
mariners to be Eritifh fubjeds) fliould abfolutely be cuflom-free for
feven years from chriftmas 1724. [10 Geo. I, c. 16.]

And by another ad, the freedom from all cuflom whatever was ex-
tended to Davis's ftraits and the leas adjacent, and alfo comprehended
therein feal-oil, feal-ikins, or any other produce of feals, or other fifh or
creatures, caught in any of thofe feas, fuch as the large wliite bears,
fo commonly found on the ice there, and fea-horfes, or morfes, alfo very
numerous in thole feas. [i 2 Geo. I, c. 26.]

Yet, it being too late for the fifhery of the prefent year, they direded
twelve fine fhips, of 306 tons each, to be built in the river Thames, and
proper quantities of hemp from Riga, and cafk-flaves from Hamburgh,
to be got ready for the enfuing fpring : the company alio hired the duke
of Bedford's great wet dock at Deptford for the ufe of their fhips and
ftores, and for curing their oil and whale-fins.

This year alio the South-fea company fent out their rich annual fhip
for Carthagena and Portobello in the Spanifh Wefl-Indies.

1725. — In the year 1725 the South-fea company commenced their
unfortunate whale fifl:iery. Their twelve fhips brought home twenty-

A. D. 1725. 13 r

five whales and a half. * And, though this was fcarcely a faving voyage,
it was neverthelefs the very befl year of any of the eight in which they
carried on that fifhery. It muft be noted, that the nation having entire-
ly relinquifhed this trade for fo many years paft, there was not an Eng-
lifhman to be foimd who knew any thing of the whale fifhery ; and the
company were obliged to have all their commanders, harponeers, boat-
fteerers, line-veerers, and blubber-cutters, from Fohrde in Holftein,
(fome few natives of Scotland excepted, who on this occafion left the
fervice of the Dutch) who had before this time been conftantly em-
ployed either by the Hamburghers, Bremers, or Dutch. Thofe Hol-
fteiners cofl the company this year L3056 : 18:3, although but 152 in
number ; not only becaufe they were all what are ufually called oflScers
in that fifliei-y, and conlequently had more wages and allowances than
the common failors, but had alio their charges born by the company,
both in coming every year from, and returning back to, Holftein to
their families, as was aUb their conftant pradicewhen employed by other
nations : whereas above double their number, viz. 353 Britifh fubjedls
employed on thofe twelve fhips, coft but L3151 : 15 : 5.

By an a6l for continuing the feveral annuities to the bank of England
until midfummer 1727, &c. the yearly fund on the principal fums of
Li ,775,027 : 17 : lOy, and of L2,ooo,ooo, due to that corporation, was
reduced from 5 to 4 per cent after midfummar 1727 : and all the funds
of the bank were put on an equal footing with thofe of the South-fea
company; excepting only the bank's original capital of Li, 600,000,
which ftill remained at 6 per cent. [11 Geo. /, c. 9.]

This ad alio made it felony to alter, forge, or counterfeit, bank notes,
or to erafe or alter any indorfement thereon ; or to tender in payment,
utter, vend, exchange, or barter, any fuch bank note, knowing the fame
to be altered, forged, erafed, or counterfeited, with intention to defraud
the bank, or any other perlbn or body politic.

About this time the French began to fupply the European markets
with great quantities of their fugars from Martinico, Hilpaniola, &c.
formerly and almoll totally fupplied by us, (though in part they are ftill
fupplied by the Fortuguefe Brafil fugars, and, of late, by the Dutch
from Surinam). And in a few years after, by their great application,
they gained from us the greateft part of that very profitable branch of
commerce. The anonymous author of the Prelent flate of the Britiili
and French fugar colonies, (printed in 1740,) makes the French fugars
exported to the European markets amount to fo vail: a quantity as
80,000 hogfheads yearly, and the indigo raifed by the French in their
Wefl-India colonies, in value to one million of fierling money ; three

*W1i>:d two d.!ps ftnke ihc fame whgVjit h,hy the cuftom of the fiflieiy, divided bctu-ccn them. A,

K2

132 A. D. 1725.

fourths of which they fell to other nations. And they alfo export to
other European nations, in cacao, cotton, ginger, rum, (he might have
added, coffee, &c.) about L250,ooo yearly ; to all which may be added
the freight thereon; the great number of perfons, both in Europe and
•An-erica, as well as in their fliips, conftantly maintained thereby ; the
great confumption of the produd and manufadures of France, both in
the \¥eft-Indies, and on the African coafts for the purchaie of their
flavcs ; and then we need not wonder, that even fo long ago as the year
1 70 1 , the new French council of commerce, in a memorial, could fay,
that the navigation of France owed all its increafe and fplendour to the
commerce of its fugar iflands, and that it could not be kept up and en-
larged other\vife than by that commerce.

1726 Twelve more fhips being built by the South-fea company,

they feni out 24 fl-aps on their fecond voyage on the whale fifliery to
Greenland and Davis's ftraits. But they now fucceeded conliderably
woife than in their lirfl: voyage, having brought home but fixteen whales
and an half.

In Mr. Philips's State of the nation in refped to her commerce, debts
and money, he gives us a fummary view of the Engliih Eaft-India com-
pany's trade, and of its benefits to the public ; about which, however,
men are ftill far from being generally agreed.

He fays, the company's fales have for many years pafl exceeded
L2,20o,oco yearly ; confifting of wrought and raw filk, calicoes, falt-
petre, drugs, tea, coffee, cotton, and cotton-yarn, Carmenia ^ool, &c.

That Li, 000, 000 thereof may probably be confumed at home *.

That the company's exports annually to India are to the value of
L5oo,ooo in bullion and manufadures f .

To the million confumed at home he adds L400,ooo, to be deduded
for the drawback allowed at the cuftom-houfe upon the Li, 200,000 re-
exported. And concludes.

That the remaining L8oo,ogo is, or fliould be, the annual gain to the
nation by the Eaft-India trade.

Now, to this balance of national gain ought certainly to have been
added the total of our nxanufadures exported to India. What he adds
is very true, that the company's trade maintains very many people at
home, as well as confiderable numbers of our people in India, who
bring home much wealth to their native country. But what he fays
about our Eaft-India trade having brought down the price of other
European wares, which we uled before we entered into it, feems of
little confideration in this ftate of the company. Moreover, fays he, if

It is to be fcareil that this computntion is rather under the truth. /f.
:igc to mix bullion and nianufafturts together. The exporta
prolitable, while that of the former is generally fuppofed detrimental. A.

\ It is fl range to mix bullion and manufafturts together. The exportation of the later is univerfally

'nppofed det

A. D. 1726. 133

the Eafl: -India merchandize re-exported pay for iuch European goods,
for which, without this trade, we muft have paid in cafh, it is in effedl
the fame as if it brought in fo much cafli or bullion. As this trade
alfo furniihes us with what otherwife we muft neceflarily have bought of
the Dutch *, poifibly the nation's yearly profit by it may be near one
million fterling.

Laftly, in contemplation of the vafl exportation of filver from all
Europe to Eaft-lndia, there buried fince 1602, fo as never to return,
computed to amount to 150 millions flerling ; had that vafl; fum re-
mained to this day in Europe, whereby our proportion of cafh would
have been triple to what it now is, the confequence would have been,
that commodities and labour would probably have rifen in a triple
proportion ; and, in effed, we fhould not have been richer in fuch a cafe
than we are at prefent.

He has here forgotten the national benefit from a very great annual
fum paid for the cuflom of Eaft-India goods confumed at home, faid to
amount to above L300,ooo. And, that a confiderable part of the mil-
lion of Eaft-India commodities, annually confumed or remaining at
home, is worked up in our great and very profitable manufacflures of
filk and cotton, and much of the drugs are alfo employed therein.

This year the king granted the Eaft-India company a new charter of
confirmation, with ample powers for them to ere6t a corporation at Fort
St. Geoi-ge, by the name of the mayor and aldermen of Madrafpatan in
the Eaft-Indies ; another corporation at the fadory and town of Bom-
bay, by the name of the mayor and aldermen of Bombay ; and a third
corporation within the fadory of Fort William in Bengal, by the name
of the mayor and aldermen of Calcutta at Fort William in Bengal ; with
perpetual fuccellion to each of the faid three corporations, and a common
leal ; to make bye laws, and to try caufes both civil and criminal, high-
treafon excepted.

Philips, fpeaking of the circulation of money, fuppofes, that France
is to England as eight is to three ; that their fpecie or money is perhaps
proportionable. Yet there is a greater fhew of money in England than in
France ; but if the circulation of France were equal to that of England,
France would appear of courfe fo much richer than England.

Poflibly (fays he) the real yearly rents of England
may be - - - - - L2o,ooo,ooo

it being fuppofed that our lands are not taxed at half
their value.

The cuftoms of England produce annually about - 1,600,000

Which cuftoms, on an average of 30 per cent ad valorem,
make the value of our annual imports to be about - 5,300,000

* Meaning (we prcfume) faltpetre, pepper, and diugs. 4.

134 A. D. 1726.

And our re-exportaiions may be about - - 1,500,000

The other duties and funds may be about - - 2,199,328

If there be eight millions of people in England, I believe
I fhall not exceed in fuppofuig them to confume in manu-
factures about __---! 6,000,000

Now, although the interefl arifing from mortgaged lands
be included in the before-named rental, yet the mortgages
themfelves are often transferred, and may therefor be
deemed money in circulation : and thefe have been com-
puted at one fifteenth part of the whole value of the lands,
or about _____ 26,000,000

The national debt about _ _ _ 53,000,000

The malt-tax about . _ - _ 600,00c

So that the whole money-tranfadions of this nation feems
to be about - - - - - L126, 199,318

This Mr. Philips fpeaks of as a ftupendous thought.

Now, though this computation may in general be thoiight liable fo
fome exception, yet Tome parts of it may hereafter ftrike out new lights,
or at leaft flart new thoughts, for jufter computations.

While Britain and the llates-general of the United Netherlands were
remonftrating at Vienna, and promulgating ads of parliament and pla-
earts againft the continuance of the Oftend company's trade to India,
that company's general court refolved this year to make a dividend of
1 2 per cent to their proprietors, and to maintain their fettlement at
Coblore on the coaft of Coromandel, their fadories at Bengal, and their
trade to Canton in China. Neverthelefs, we fliall foon fee an end put
to that company. For, though neither gratitude for paft benefits, nor
regard for the clearefl; and ftrongeft treaties, could prevail at Vienna, the
relblutions of the two powers, fo nearly interefled in the fuppreffion of
that company by main force, became too ftrong to be much longer re-
fiited.

The weltern fuburbs of London fo greatly increafing, wherein per-
fons of quality and diftindion ufually rciide, the legiflature, by a claufe
in an ad for granting an aid to his majefty by laying a duty upon all
viduallers, &c. empowered the commilTioners for hackney coaches and
chairs to add one hundred hackney chairs to the farmer numbers, fo as
the whole exceed not 400 in number : each of which fhall continue to
pay I of per annum for their licences.

By an ad of parliament of the 12th of King George I, for better fe-
Guring the monies and efFeds of the fuitors of the court of chancery, &c.
it was made felony without benefit of clergy, not only to forge or coun-
terfeit the name or hand of the accountant-general of the court of

A. D. 1726. 135

chancery, and of the regirter and clerk of the report-office, but like-
wife the name or hand of any of the cafhiers of the bank of England,
to any certificate, report, entry, indorfement, declaration of trufl, note,
diredion, authority, inftrument, or writing whatfoever, for receiving or
obtaining money or effeds of fuitors in chancery : as alfo any bond or
obligation under the feals of the Eaft-India and South-fea companies, or
any indorfement thereon.

1727 The South-fea company having built another new fhip for the

whale tifhery, they fent out their whole twenty-five fliips in the year 1727
on that fifhery ; wherein were employed 1 106 men, viz. 762 Britifli fub-
jeds and 344 foreigners. This alfo proved an unfortunate voyage, two
of the fhips being loft, and the remaining twenty-three fhips brought
home but 2 24- whales.

The great river and bay of Delaware, and the feas adjoining, abound-
ing with fifh of various kinds, fit for foreign markets, whereby the trade
of Great Britain, as well as the inhabitants of the province of Pennfyl-
vania, would reap confiderable benefits, elpecially by enabling the later
to purchafe more of the Britilli manufactures than at pi^efent they are
able to do, an ad of parliament now pafTed, in the 13th year of King-
George I, for importing fait from Europe into the province of Pennfyl-
vania in Britifli Ibips, navigated as by the ads of navigation, for curing
their fifh, in like fort as is pradifedin New-England and Newfoundland,
by virtue of an ad of the 15th of King Charles 11.

Nothing can more obvioufly demonftrate the amazing increafe of
England's commerce in lefs than two centuries part, than the great in-
creafe of many of its commercial and manufaduring towns ; fuch, for
inftance, as the town and port of Liverpool in Lancafhire, which in our
days is become the greateft emporium of the Britifh empire, next after-
London and Briftol : and, though it is allowed to be an antient corpo-
ration and borough, it was neverthelefs fo inconfiderable in point of
population and magnitude, even in the laft generation, as not to be a
feparate parifli within itfelf, till the year 1699, by an ad of parliament
of the loth and nth of King William, when a new parifli-church was
ereded, there being only a chapel there till then. In the year 17 15, it
was fo much increafed, that, by an ad of the ift of King George I, a
fecond pariih and church was ereded in it. The author of the third
volume of the Tour through the whole ifland of Great Britain, publifh-
ed in 1727, obferves, that m his firft vifit to Liverpool in 1680, it was a
large handiome thriving town. At his fecond vifit, ten years after, it
was become much bigger; and, as the inhabitants reported, twice as
large as it was twenty years before : but at his third vifit, in 1726, it
was more than double its bignefs at the time of his fecond vifit in the
year i6go. And it is ftill iucreafing in wealth, people, bufinefs, and
buildings.

136 A. D. 1727.

This fame author, treating of Manchefler, in the fame county, ob-
ferves, that within a very few years paft, here, as at Liverpool, and alfc?
at Froome in Somerfetftiire, the town is extended in a furprifing man-
ner ; being almofl: double to what it was a few years ago : fo that, taking
in all its fuburbs, it now (1727) contains at leaft 50,000 people. ' That
' the grand manufafture which has fo much raifed this town, is that of
' cotton in all its varieties, which, like all our other manufactures, is
' very much increafed within thefe 30 or 40 years.' Neverthelefs, this
vafl place is but a mere village in point of government, as having no
officer higher than a conftable : whereby it may pollibly be the largefl:
village in Chriftendom, according to our legal fenfe of that term.

The like increafe, and very near as fudden, has happened to the town
of Birmingham in Warwick fliire ; which, in point of government, is
as much a village as Manchefler. Its vafl: increafe is entirely owing to
its iron and hard-ware manufadure of a great variety of forts, whereby
it is faid to employ upwards of 30,000 people.

In March this year, departed this life, the incomparably great and
excellent Sir Ifaac Newton, aged 85, prefident of the royal fociety, maf-
ter of his majefly's mint : probably the greateft philofopher, and un-
doubtedly thegreateft mathematician, in Europe, whofe entire charac-
ter, however, we are far from pretending to draw. It fhall only fuffice
us to fay, in one word, that he has not left his equal, in all probability,
on the face of the whole earth ; having, even by all the learned of fo-
reign nations, been allowed the pre-eminence, and to be the unrivalled
glory of the Britifh name and nation.

This year the general court of the South-fea company agreed to dif-
charge all the borrowers of money on their ftock and fubfcriptions in
the famous year 1720, who had not already repaid the fame, on condi-
tion of their paying back only 10 per cent of the money fo borrowed.

The general court of the royal African company made feveral refo-
lutions for carrying on their trade, and preventing the feparate traders
from interfering with them : for reducing their then nominal capital
flock, fo as every L800 be reduced to Lioo, and fo as their whole capi-
tal fliall not exceed L40o,ooo, including therein a certain qu-^.ntity of
additional ftock, to be created in their corporate capacity, and to be fold
out to individuals, for enabling them to carry on their trade. But it all
came to nothing.

The iP.and of Madagafcar lying within the Eaft-India company's limits
of trade, an ad of parliament of this 13th year of King George I was
obtained, to enable the South-fea company, with the hcence and con-
fent of the Eaft-India company, to take in negroes there, and to deliver
the lame at Buenos-Ayres : the South-fea company giving fecurity to
the Eaft-India company not to break bulk anywhere within the limits
of the later company, nor to fail to any place within their Umits, except

3

A. D. 1727. 12,7

Madagafcar, under forfeiture of their fhips, furniture, and ladings, and
of double the value. This adl to continue for fix years only; and the
South-fea company was thereby limited to four fhips annually, and to
carry to Madagafcar nothing but the neceflary provifions, &c. folely for
the purchafe of negroes. About this time, the South-fea company adu-
ally employed upwards of 30 Ihips and floops, befide their great annual
fhip, in their negro trade to the Spanifli ports of America, and in mak-
ing returns for the fame.

By another ftatute of this fame year and feflion, for enlarging the
time for hearing and detemnining claims by the truftees for raifing mo-
ney on the eflates of the late diredlors of the South-fea company and
others, the net produce of thofe eftates is direded to be applied folely
for the benefit of the company.

In this year William Burnet Efquire, the worthy governor of New-
York, having duely confidered, that the main fupport of the French co-
lony of Canada was the fur and peltry trade with the Indians ; and that,
moreover, their towns of Quebec and Montreal were chiefly fupphed
with European merchandize by our merchants of New-York, at a much
cheaper rate than they had them from France, he rightly inferred, that,
if the traders of New- York were totally debarred from carrying their
goods to Canada, they might themfelves diredly, or at firfi; hand, fup-
ply the Indian tribes near the lakes of Canada with Englifli merchan-
dize : for that end he obtained an ad of the afi'embly of New-York, for
opening a mofi; profitable trade diredly with thofe Indian nations, who
till now had dealt entirely with the French of Canada. For which
purpofe the New-York aflembly was at the expenfe, this very year, of
building and fortifying a trading place at Ofwego on the eafi: bank of
lake Ontario, where they continued to keep a garrifon (till they were
aflaulted and driven out by the French from Canada in the year 1757,
that fort having been too flightly built) and had upwards of 300 traders
there, who conftantly met the Indians from Canada, and from the great
lakes wefi; and north from lake Ontario, and fouth from lake Erie. This
was a promifing fl:ep towards acquiring all the inland trade of North-
America, by ereding fortified truck-houfes on the farther lakes in, and
wefi: of, Canada. But in fucceeding times the French in thofe parts
were, through our fliameful fupinenefs, fuffered to make gradual in-
croachments on the boundaries of that and our other northern pi-o-
vinces of America, till it became very near too late to put a flop to their
career.

By a ftatute [13 Geo. I, c. 3] for redeeming fundry annuities trans-
ferable at the bank of England, and the annuities payable on ftanding
orders, &c. all the redeemable annuities transferable at the bank, and
thofe aflignable at the exchequer, which were not fubfcribed into the

Vol. III. S

138 A. D. 1727.

South-fea company in the year 1720, were now paid off by the finking
fund.

By another ftatute of this fefTion, for the regulation of the woollen
manufadure, 8cc. the juftices of the counties of Gloucefler, Wilts, and
Sonierfet, were empowered to appoint a certain number of infpedors in
each of thofe counties, with a falary of L30 each yearly ; who fhould,
on every week-day, have power to enter into and infped: all mills, work-
houfes, and tenter-grounds, of clothiers, &c. concerned in manufadur-
ing and milling mixed or medley v/ooUen broad cloths, for meafuring,
and otherwife examining the goodnefs thereof; and to certify their fuf-
ficiency by a leaden feal with the infpedor's name. This office is in-
flead of the antient one of aulneger, and alfo of the fubfequent infpec-
tors, who, for want of fufficient checks, were become ufelefs. Thefe
infpedlors were to lay their regifler books before every general quarter-
feflion for each county, with an account of all penalties and forfeitures
incurred by the makers of infufficient cloths.

By another ftatute of this feflion, for preventing frauds and abufes in
the dying trade, penalties are inflided on dyers of black bays, and other
woollen goods, without woad, indigo, or madder. And a penalty is al-
fo inflicted on every perfon ufing logwood in the dying of blue in any
kind of woollen goods.

After all the buftle which the Auftrian Netherlands and the court
of Vienna had fo long made about their Oftend company's- trade to the
Indies, the arguments urged by Britain and Holland were fo cogent, and
fo effed-ually powerful, that the emperor now found himfelf neceflitated,
firfl: tofufpend that company's charter for feven years, and afterwards to
revoke it entirely.

The king of Spain having now in vain laid fiege to Gibraltar, before
any formal declaration of war againft the crown of Great-Britain, he at
the fame time ordered a feizure of all the efFeds of the South-fea com-
pany in America, with the great fliip Prince Frederick and its cargo at
La Vera Cruz, to the amount of upwards of Li 20,000 fterlLng. And
this was the fecond time that the court of Madrid made fuch fudden
feizures; whereby the precarioufnefs of this company's trade to the
Spanifh Weft-Indies did now but too plainly appear.

At midfummer this year the redudion of the intereft on the national
debt from 5 to 4 per cent took place ; whereby the famous finking fund
was increafed to above one million per annum. Had thofe, whole pro-
vince it properly was, kept pundually to the paying off at leaft one mil-
lion of the public debts annually, from this year 1727 to the year 1739,
when v.e declared war againft Spain, in how much eafier a fituation would
the nation then have been ? Inftead of which frugal meafiire, thiit facred
fund has been, either diredly or indiredly, facrilegioufly and wantonly
violated, to the inconceivable damage of the nation's commerce, which

A. D. 1727. 139

otherwife would have long fince been greatly eafed by the abolition of
many taxes, duties, and cufloms, which are at prefent very heavy clogs
on our manu failures and foreign commerce, and enable our rivals to
underfell us at foreign markets, to our unfpeakable detriment. By the
necellary operation of the finking fund of only one million yearly, it
was very plainly fhevvn, by a judicious pamphlet, intitled, an Ell:\y on
the public debts of this kingdom, ' that, fuppofing the national debt,
' then of 50 millions, and the finking fund of one million, to be both
' at 4 per cent interefl, the later increafing annually in like proportion

• as fuch a fum put out to compound interefl would do, the whole na-

* tional debt would have been difcharged by the year 1756.'

We fhall here only farther note, that upon this fecond redudion of
the interefl of our national debts, their market price advanced very con-
fide rably.

In this fame year an adl of parliament palfed for encouraging and
promoting fifheries, manufaftures, and other improvements, in that part
of Great Britain called Scotland ; whereby the crown was empowered
to appoint commiffioners for juanaging the application of the funds for
improving fifheries and commerce there : and thofe commiflioners were
annually to lay before the king any alterations necellary for improving
the fifheries and manufadures of that country.

By a flatute [i Geo. II, c. 8.] for granting an aid to his majefty by
fale of annuities to the bank of England, at 4 per cent, charged on the
duties on coals and culm, &c. the bank fund was increafed by LyOjOoo
interefl on Li ,750,000 advanced on thofe duties, redeemable by parlia-
ment. And the bank hereupon thought it prudent to declare a reduc-
tion of the yearly dividend on their capital ftock from 6 to 5 j per cent,
from lady-day 1728.

By this fame flatute a million of the national debt was paid off out of
the finking-fund, viz. L50o,ooo to the South-fea company, which was
to be paid off by finking fo much of the undiixributed (lock forfeited
by the late diredlors, &c. in the year 1 720 ; which was to go to pay
the company's debts. Hereupon that company funk 1^250,000 from
the capital flock, and the like fum from South-fea annuity flock.

And L500,ooo was in hke manner paid to the bank of England,
being part of the two millions added to their capital by an acl of the
3d of King George I, whereby the total of their capital flock was re-
duced to 14,875,027 : 17 : loi.

1728. — By a preliminary convention between Great Britain and Spain,
figned at the Pardo near Madrid on the 6th of March 1728, it was agreed,
on the one hand, that his Britannic majefty lliould withdraw his fleets
from the coafts of Spain, and from the Spanifli Weft-Indies; and that
the difputes concerning the contraband trade, and other caufes of com-
plaint, which the Spaniards mav have in relation to the ftiip Prince Fre-

S2

140 A. D. 1728.

derick, and the reftoration of prizes taken on each fide, fliould be de-
cided at a future congrefs.

On the other hand, Spain agreed immediately to raife the blockade
of Gibraltar; to order the fhip Prince Frederick, with her cargo, to be
delivered to the South -fea company's agents at La Vera Cruz; and to
reftore the commerce of that company with Spanifh America, agreeable
to the afllento contrad.

By a treaty of peace and commerce between the king of Great Bri-
tain and the emperor of Morocco, figned at Mequinez, it was now Ri-
pulated,

I) That all Moors and Jews, fubjects of Morocco, fliould be allowed
a free traffic for thirty days in the city of Gibraltar and at the ifland of
Minorca, though not to refide at either place ; but to depart with their
effeds, without moleftation, to any part of the Morocco dominions.

II) On the other hand, the Britifh fubjeds in Barbary fliould not be
obliged to appear before the cadi or the juftices of the country, but
only before the governor of the place : and the Britifli confuls are to
take cognizance of, and adjufl:, the differences they may have with the
natives of the country.

III) The menial fervants of Britifli fubjeds, though natives of the
country, either Moors or Jews, are exempted from taxes of all kinds.

IV) Britifli fubjeds, taken on board foreign fliips by the fubjeds of
Morocco, fliall immediately be fet at liberty, and fent to Gibraltar.

V) Provifions may be freely bought, and other neceflaries, for his
Britannic majefl:y's fleets, or for his city of Gibraltar, in any port of the
emperor of Morocco, at the market prices, and be fliipped oflf without
paying cuftom.

Thefe concefllons from that barbarous people are extremely honour-
able to Britain ; but they will be no longer kept than we are mafters
at fea, and are in poflefllon of the mofl: important forti-efs and port of
Gibraltar.

About this time the colonies of South and North Carolina were
grievoufly afllided with invafions from the Indians in their neighbour-
hood, whereby the people were unable, even with what afliflance they
could procure from neighbouring colonies, to withftand thofe favages.
And the proprietors being unwilling to take upon themfelves the ex-
penfe of this Indian war, the deputies of thofe colonies humbly befought
the king to take them under his protedion. Whereupon, the duke of
Beaufort, the lord Craven, Sir John Colleton, James Bertie, Dodington
Greville, Henry Bertie, John Cotton, and Jofeph Blakes, Efquires, Mary
Dawfon, and Elizabeth Moore, being the reprefentatives of the original
proprietors of feven eighth parts of thofe two provinces, either in their
own right, or in trufl:, declaring, by petition to his majefty, their will-
iagnefs to furrender their charters to the crown for a valuable con-

A. D. 1728. . 141

fideration, an adl of parliament was thereupon pafled, in the 2d year of
King George II, for eflabhfhing an agreement with feven of the pro-
prietors of Carohna for the furrender of their title and intereft in that
province to his majefly. In confideration whereof the faid feven pro-
prietors were to be paid the fum of Li7,5oo, being L2500 for each
feventh part, and L5000 more for the arrears of quit-rents, &c. due
to them. Thus for fo fmall a fum as L22,5oo were feven eighth parts
of thofe fine provinces made regal governments from the i ft of June
1729. And as Lord Carteret chofe to retain the other remaining eighth
part of Carolina in his own right, a claufe in the a6l of parliament re-
serves to him, his heirs, executors, adminiftrators, and afligns, all fuch
eftate, right, title, &c. to one undivided eighth part or fhare of the faid
provinces, and one eighth part of all arrears of quit-rents, &c. thereof.
Notwithftanding which, the government of the whole is hereby made
entirely regal. And in this regal ftate Carolina, under two feparate go-
vernors, councils, and aflemblies, has wonderfully flourifhed and in-
creafed in trade and commerce, and has extended its plantations farther
weflvrard. Proper fupplies and relief having been fent thither by the
crown, the neighbouring Indians were reduced to live in a peaceable
condition till very lately, when alfo they have again been reduced to
reafonable terms, after much hloodlhed.

The South-fea company this year fent out their twenty-three remain-
ing fhips for the whale filhery, and returned with only the blubber and
fins of eighteen whales ; which was undoubtedly a lofing voyage.

This year the Britifh houfe of commons prefented to the king a par-
ticular account of the national debts contraded before chriftmas 171 6,
and how much thereof has been fince difcharged by the finking fund,
though till now but in its infancy ; which debt fo difcharged amounted
to 1^2,698,416:9:71 fince chriftmas 1716. That by the feveral re-
ductions, from 6 to 5, and from 5 now to 4 per cent, on the greateft
part of the public debts, fo great favings of intereft have been made,
that the finking fund may now be eftimated to be about L 1,200,000
per annum ; and will be every year increafing from the farther favings
of the intereft of the remaining debts from time to time, as they fliall
be paid oft'. This increafe of the finking fund from L400,ooo to about
Li, 200, 000 (fince midfummer 1727) being in the hands of the go-
vernment, and applicable from time to time to the difcharge of the
principal, makes a gain and profit to the public, equal to the difcharge
of one third of the principal debt ; fo that the additional L8oo,ooo to
the finking fund, if valued at twenty-five years purchafc, at which rate
all annuities are now currently fold, makes a real profit to the public of
twenty millions. And if, notwithftanding the many difficulties this
nation has laboured under, by an unnatural rebellion, and by the many
heinous plots and confpiracies fince formed, for overiurning the religion

142 A. D. 1728.

and liberties of our country, and notwithftanding the embroiled condi-
tion of the aflBiirs of Europe, we have been able to diminifh the national
debt fo much already, what may we not hope for in regard to a fpeedy
and fenfible difcharge of it for the future ? Upon this reprefentation
we Ihall only in brief remark, as many have before done, that, notwith-
ftanding all fuch difRculties, as are above enumerated, much more might
furely have been done for increafmg the finking fund, by abfolutely
preferving it inviolable ; though it be allowed, that it would have been
attended with many and great difficulties, conlidering that a fecond re-
bellion, and two very expenfive wars, have happened fince that repre-
fentation was made. What is pall needs not to be enlarged on : but
furely hereafter, efpecially in times of peace, a determined national fru-
gality ought zealoufly to be cultivated * ; and it is earneltly to be hoped
and wifhed, that, in order to increafe the finking fund, the public might
be relieved by a rational redudion of the falaries of many ufelefs offices
and employments in the revenue, &c. the^ fee-limple whereof would
amount to a greater fum than perhaps many may apprehend, were a
flridt inquiry, made thereinto.

In a vindication of the ifland of Jamaica at this time, from certain
afperfions on the condu6l of the planters and of their aflembly, and
pleading for fome favours from the legiflature of Great Britain, it was
computed, that the trade of that ifland employs 300 fail of (hips, and about
6000 feamen ; and that the very duties on the imports from thence
amount to near Li 00,000 per annum. That there are eight fine har-
bours in it, befide many coves and bays where fhips may fafely ride :
there are alfo 84. rivers v/hich difcharge into the fea, and feven times
as many lelTer rivers and fprings which run into them. That its prin-
cipal produftions, befides fugars, are, cotton, ginger, pimento, maho-
gany, logwood, and indigo. That very little of the four lafl commodi-
ties are imported from the refl of the Britifli plantations : fo that, but
for Jamaica, we fhould be obliged to purchafe them of the French,
Dutch, and other nations. That cotton is neceflary to work up with
wool in many of our manufadures, &c. Ginger is chiefly exported,
though great quantities are likewife ufed at home. Their pimento
leflens the confumption of fpices, which are only to be had of the Dutch
at their ovm rates. That indigo, logwood, fuftic, &c. are ufed by
dyers, and are abfolutely neceflary in many of our manufadures ; and
that, before we had thofe commodities of our own, we paid five times the
prices for them we now do, and for fome of them more. That, before
our Weft-India plantations were fettled, we paid the Portuguefe from
L4 to L5 per cwt for mufcovado fugars, now fold from 32/10 ;^sf, and

* Non intelligunt homines quantum veAigal fit parfimonia ! Ckeronh Paradcxa 6.

People do not confidcr how great a revenue cconcmy is !

I

A. D. 1728. 143

above L5 per cwt. for ginger, now commonly fold at 22/6. That our
dyers wares were bought of the Spaniards, to whom we paid for logwood
from Li 00 to L130 per ton, which may now be had at L9 per ton;
and other goods ufed in dying, proportionably. So that, by having
thofe plantations, we not only fave fo much as was formerly paid for
thofe commodities to foreigners, but we are alio able to furnifli other
nations therewith; and our manufadurers, by having them at lefs prices
than they formerly had them, are enabled to fell their commodities
proportionably cheaper, which is undoubtedly a very great advantage
to the nation. [Boyer's Political JIate of Great Britain, V. 1^, for Fe-
bruary 1728.]

This vindication, or furvey of the benefits of Jamaica and our
other Weft-India colonies to their mother-country, places them in fo
advantageous a light, and gives alfo fo clear, though fuccindl, a view of
our commerce with them, that it well merits a place in this work.

This year, the Danifli Eaft- India company, refiding at Copenhagen,
publilhed propofals for a new fubfcription to be taken at Altona near
Hamburgh, for enlarging their antient capital ftock.

I) ' The new fubfcribers to be equally entitled to all the benefits
' and privileges which the old members poffefs, in refped of the trade,
' (hipping, forts, fettlements, revenues, houfes, and other effedts what-
' ever.

II) ' The old capital, confifting of 250,000 rixdollars, divided into
' 250 fhai-es, each being of 1000 rixdollars, to retain likewife equal
benefits with the new fubfcribers.

III) ' The company, after this union with the new fubfcribers, were,

* in their joint capacity, to pay off their entire debts, confifting of
' 160,000 rixdollars ; but the old proprietors were not to be entitled to
' any dividend till the year 1733.

IV) ' The adions, or fliares, of the new fubfcribers to confift of
' 1,000 rixdollars each, and the half ftiares to be 500 rixdollars: for
' each transfer to pay two rixdollars to the company, and half a one

* to the poor.

V) ' The company's creditors may take new adions thereof for the
' debts due to them.

VI) ' The king, by his odroy, declares, that the fliares fliall not be
' liable to any feizure or flop, upon any account whatever *.

VII) ' The money arifing by new fubfcriptions to be wholely em-
' ployed for fending out ftiips to Tranquebarf, Bengal, and China.

VIII) ' The four additional or new diredtors may be all foreigners ;
' and ten Hiares to be the qualification ftock of every director. Every

* fingle fliare fliali have one vote in the general courts ; and a proprie-

* The reader needs not be told, that Denmark is an abfolute monarchy. ^.
t Tranquebar is their own fort on the Coromandd coall. A.

144 A. D. 1728.

* tor of 20 fhares fhall have 20 votes ; and none fhall have any more
' votes than 20, although their fhares be ever fo many.

IX) ' If any two diredors fhall be difTatisfied with the condud: of the

* other directors, they may fummon a general court to acquaint the

* company therewith.

X) ' The general courts have plenary power to do whatever they

* fhall judge convenient for the advantage of the company.

XI) ' The new fhares to be fubfcribed fhall not exceed 2250, i. e.

* in the whole ; and the new or additional flock fhall not exceed
2,250,000 rixdollars.'

N. B, There were 25 other articles of lefTer importance.

To thefe propofals the old company, for removing any objections
which might be made in refped to their circumftances, added, that
they had very valuable effedts, fuch as, the town of Tranquebar, a very
important place, with 200 pieces of cannon, befides ammunition, and a
yearly income of 10,000 crowns, and alfo feveral duties and revenues,
increafing every year in proportion to the increafe of inhabitants. That
they alfo had the caftle of Danneburgh on the rich coafl of Coroman-
del, conveniently fituated for trade, and particularly for pearls and dia-
monds ; alfo Porto-novo, on the fame coaft ; two fhips, with their car-
goes, now at fea, bound to Tranquebar ; and fome other fhips and fac-
tories, 8cc. From all which particulars, a nearly exad ftate of the
Danifh Eaft-India company's circumftances and commerce may be
gathered ; not much, however, to their advantage.

There arrived at London, from foreign ports, between chriflmas
1727 and chriftmas 1728, 1839 Britifh fhips; 21 3foreign fhips; and
6837 coafters ; being in all 8889 vefTels. The number is confiderably in-
creafed in later years.

By an ad of parliament, in the fecond year of King George II, for
raifing the fum of Li, 250,000 by fale of annuities to the bank of
England, &c. the bank advanced that fiim to the public at 4 per cent
intereft, charged on the furpluffes of the fund of lottery 1714, redeem-
able from midlummer 1730, by payments of not lefs than L5oo,oco at
a time. Yet this low intereft obliged the bank to reduce their dividend
from 3 to 2i per cent at michaelmas 1730, for that half year*.

A ftatute was made this year for regulating the watermen on the
river Thames.

A new ad was this year made for the better prefervation of his
majefty's woods in America, and for the encouragement of the import-
ation of naval ftores from thence ; and to encourage the importation

* The account inferted by Mr. Allardyce in the in September of the fame year. And in the two

appenlix to his Aldrefs lo the proprietors of tU following years (1731 and 1732) he alfo dates

bank, dates the rediiftion of the bank's dividend the March dividend at^/fx, and tlie September one

from nine to y« per cent per annum in March ^X. Jive and a half , percent per annum; at wliicli

173c, and the fu-ther redudion to^/r/f awJ J Art^ later rate it continued till March 1747. ^^-

A. D. 1728. 145

of mafts, yards, and bowfprits, from Scotland ; which, after reciting a
former flatute for this purpofe, enads, ' that from the 29th of Sep-
' tember 1729, no perfon in the colonies of Nova-Scotia, New-Hamp-
' fhire, the province of Maine, Maflachufet's-bay, Rhode-ifland, and Pro-
' vidence-plantation, the Naraganfet-country, or King's-province, Con-

* nedicut, New- York, New-Jerfey, or any other province in America, now
' belonging, or that fhall hereafter belong, to the crown of Great Britain,
' (hall prefume to cut, fell, or deftroy, any white pine trees, fit for mailing
' the royal navy ; (except only fuch as are the property of private perfons)
' notwithflanding the faid trees do or may grow within the limits of
' any townfhip laid out, or to be laid out hereafter, without his ma-
' jelly's royal licence firfl obtained. And whereas King William and
' Queen Mary's charter, in the third year of their reign, granted to
' the province of the MalTachufet's-bay, referved to themfeives and
' fucceflbrs all trees of the diameter of 24 inches and upwards at 1 2
' inches from the ground, growing in that province, on any ground
' not before granted to any private perfons ; in order, therefor, to
' make that refervation more effedlual, it was now enacfled, that no
' perfon within the faid province ihall fo cut or dellroy any fuch white

* pine trees, on any land not granted to private perfons before the 7th

* of Odlober 1690 ; under the penalties of the act of the 8th of George!.

* And new and more moderate premiums are granted for the malls,

* yards, bowfprits, good tar, pitch, and turpentine, produced in, and im-

* ported from, America ; and fuch naval ilores imported fhall repay
' thofe premiums when re-exported. A premium is alfo enaded for
' the importation of mails, yards, and bowfprits, from Scotland ;
' where ' (as this a6l fets forth) ' there are in fundry parts great ftore
' of pine and fir trees :' but fo very difficult to bring down to fea-
ports, as has rendered that part of this a6l, and of that of the 8th of
King George I, hitherto inetfedual *.

1729. — This year the king of Denmark gave the new Danifh Eall-In-
dia company a grant of an exclufive trade for forty years. His charter
gives the royal fandion to the regulations made by that company in
the preceding year, and promifes that their ftock fhall be exempted
from duties, and alfo that the flock belonging to foreigners, though
fubjeds of llates with whom he may be at war, Ihall not be feized on
any pretence whatever.

At length, in November 1729, was concluded the famous treaty of
Seville, between Great Britain, France, and Spain, for peace, union,
friendfhip, and mutual defence, whereby they mutually guarantee
each other's dominions, and all the rights and privileges of their com-
merce, in all parts of the world: each potentate for this end to furnifh

* If they cannot be carried as marts, they may be carried as boards. Wherever men can walk,
they can carry boards. M.

Vol. III. T

146 A. D. 1729.

8000 foot and 4000 horfe ; or {hips of war, and tranfports, or elfe
money inftead of either.

Ill) The Britifh and French courts having alleged, that in the treaty
of Vienna, in the year 1275, there were divers claufes which in-
fringed the articles of feveral treaties of commerce, his catholic ma-
jeily declares, that he never meant to grant, by virtue of the faid treaty,
any privilege contrary to thofe treaties.

IV, V) All neceflary orders fhall be difpatched on both fides for the
execution of former treaties of commerce, both with the Englifti and
French nations.

VI, VII, VIII) CommilTaries fhall be appointed on all fides, in four
months time, to examine and decide what concerns the fhips and efFeds
taken at fea, and the refpedive allegations relating to abufes in com-
merce, as well in Europe as in America, who fhall finifh their commif-
fion within three years, or fooner if poflible.

TX, X, XI, XII, XIII) Thefe articles relate to the introdudion of
Spanifh garrifons into Leghorn, Porto-Ferraio, and Placentia, to fecure
the eventual fucceflion of Don Carlos to Tufcany, Parma, and Placen-
tia ; all the contrading parties agreeing to guarantee his fuccefTion.

XIV) The flates-general of the United provinces are invited to ac-
cede to this treaty ; as they foon after did in this fame month and
year.

By the two feparate articles of this treaty it was more exprefsly fli-
pulated, for the greater exadnefs, that the treaties of peace and com-
merce at Utrecht, between Great Britain and Spain, in which are com-
prifed the treaty of 1667 and of 17 15, as alfo the afTiento contrad of
1713, and its farther explanation in 1716, fhall from this day, even
during the examination by the commiltaries, remain in their force and
vigour ; for which end the catholic king fhall difpatch his cedulas to
his viceroys, &c. in America as well as in Europe, as fliall alfo his Bri-
tannic majefly to his governors, &c. for the releafe of all fhips and
merchandize ; and particularly the South-fea company's fhip Prince
Frederick and her cargo fhall be immediately reftored.

The ftates-general of the United provinces were to furnifh only 4000
foot and 1000 horfe ; and the other allies were to guarantee the abol-
ition of the Ollend Eaft-India company, &c. ; and the catholic king
engages, that entire fatisfadion fhall be given to the Dutch for their
grievances, as well in the Wefl-Indies as in Europe, and to i-e-eflablifli
their commerce, agreeable to former treaties : and, laflly, to grant them
all the commercial privileges enjoyed by the nations mofi; favoured.

The South-fea company's 23 fhips this year went out on the whale
iifhery ; and, one of them being Ipfl, the other 22 fhips brought home
27-^ whales ; which was flill a lofing trade ; the company's net lofs by
this fingle year's trade, befides wear and tear, being L6904 : 8 : 4.

A. D. 1729. 147

This year the Dutch Eaft-India company obtained of the flates-
general a prolongation of their exclufive trade to India for 2 1 years
beyond their prefent term : for which privilege they paid into the
treafury of the republic 3,600,000 gilders, (about L330,ooo flerling.)
Their power, pomp, and wealth, in India, and more efpecially in the
ifland of Java, at this time equalled thofe of fome confiderable mon-
archs.

In the province of Pennfylvania great improvements were conflantly
making in commerce, {hipping, and agriculture ; many fliips and floops
are built at Philadelphia, Newcaflle, &c. which they moftly difpofe of
to our fugar colonies, and the reft they ufe in carrying their own pro-
dudt, confifting of cafk-ftaves, lumber, pork, peas, flour, bifket, &c.
in exchange for fugar, rum, and Spanifh money. Great numbers of
German fettlers are annually adding to the population of this already-
populous province, as well as others from Britain and Ireland. The
following is a lift of people arrived there from Europe in this year.

Englifti and "Welfti pafTengers and fervants, - - 267

Scottifh fervants - - - - - 43

Irifti paflengers and fervants _ _ _ _ 1,155

Palatine paftengers - _ . _ 243
And, in Newcaftle government alone, there arrived this
year, of paflengers and fervants, moftly from Ireland, (by

reafon of rack-rents there, as it is faid) about - - 4,500

Total arrived in this year only - - - - 6,208

No marvel, then, that this province is in fo thriving a ftate; its conftitu-
tion being moreover, fo excellent, and the encouragement afforded to
new comers, by abfolute freedom, liberty of confcience, lenity of laws,
gentle taxes, &c. fuch as really to be a pattern for all other governments
on the continent.

As party rage ran very high at this time, the friends of the miniftry
found themfelves obliged to prove, by fads, what was before generally
known to be undoubtedly true, that Britain was then in a thriving
condition.

By the low intereft of money, thereby evidently demonftrating a
greater plenty of money than formerly.

This plenty of money has raifed the price of lands, from 20 and 21
years, to 25, 26, and 27 years purchafe. An evident proof that there
are more perfons able and ready to purchafe land than formerly.

Another clear evidence of our increaied wealth in Britain, is, the
great fums of late expended in inclofing and improving lands, and
in opening mines.

T 2

148 A. D. 1729.

Jewels, plate, and other rich moveables, are much plentier than for-
merly.

The value of our woollen goods exported in fix years, ending at
chriftmas 1727, exceeds the value of the fix preceding years, by
£475,000. And the like may be laid of the increafe of our exporta-
tions of coals, lead, tin, and lead-ore.

There is the like increafe of foreign goods exported, which in the
three laft years exceeded in value the three preceding years by
L535,ooo.

Laflly, there will be found an increafe in the tonnage of the fhipping
of England in the laft fix years, beyond what it was in the preceding
fix years of 238,000 tons. All which, when taken together, are un-
doubted marks of increafing wealth, and of the general balance of trade
in our favour.

As for the only two objections hereunto, the courfe of exchange be-
tween us and Holland running to our difadvantage, and our great
paper-credit : the firft is to be accounted for by Amfterdam being the
center of exchanges to and from all parts of Europe, and particularly
between Britain and Holland, and thence between us and moft other
nations. Confequently the great fums of intereft in our public funds,
chiefly remitted by way of Amfterdam, and foreigners frequently fell-
ing out of our funds, as the intereft thereon becomes gradually lower.
The great importations of corn in years of fcarcity, from Dantzic, Ham-
burgh, and the Netherlands, which, in the fingle year 1728, amounted to
L8oo,ooo paid for by the way of Holland. The balance we pay to
the northern countries for our moft neceflary naval ftores, &c. moftly
remitted by the way of Amfterdam. Theie and fuch reafons may well
account for the courfe of exchange running retrograde between us and
Holland ; which therefor cannot be a juft or certain rule to determine
the balnnce of trade, or whether the wealth of Britain be increafing or
decreafing. Laftly, the increafe of paper-credit proves quite the con-
trary of what the objedors intend, fince it is not the caufe, but the
demonftrable effed and proof of national riches.

1730. — The Englifti Eaft-India company's term for the redemption of
their capital, and of their exclufive trade, being near its expiration, (viz,
on three year's notice from lady-day 1733) a powerful and ftrenuous
oppofition to its renewal was now raifed by certain merchants and gen-
tlemen, who, forefeeing that the company would apply to the legifiature
for a prolongation of their exclufive privileges, determined to be before-
hand with them ; and therefor, in February 1730 [N. S.] they prefent-
ed to the houfe of commons their petition and propofals, wherein they
offered to advance 1.3,200,000 to redeem the fund of the company, by
' five feveral payments, the laft to be at lady-day 1733, to be allowed

* an intereft of 4 per cent till that term, and only 2 per cent after it j

* provided, x

A. D. 1730. 149

* T) That they might be mcorporated, and in all relpeds vefted with

* all the exclufive privileges and trade of that company : yet fo as not to

* trade in one joint flock or in their corporate capacity; but that the trade
' fhould be free and open to all his majefty's fubjeds, who fhould pay

* one per cent of the value of their exports to India, in confideration of
' their taking out a licence from this propofed corporation. Provided
' alfo,

' II) That this trade be folely carried on from the port of London.
' And

' III) That the propofed company's term be thirty-one years, and to
' be redeemed on three years notice.

' IV) That, moreover, for enabling the propofed corporation to de-
' fray the expenfe of forts and fettlements in India, as well as the pre-
' fervation and enlargement of the trade, they may be empowered to
' levy a duty of 5 per cent on the grofs value of all the merchandize

* which fhall be imported from India.'

■ The benefits to the public by this propofal they fet forth, in brief,
to be,

' I) That by receiving but 2 per cent intereft, an annuity of Lpa.ooo

* would be added to the finking fund, which, at 25 years purchal'e, was
' worth L2, 500, 000 to the public.

* II) That, as laying open the trade to Africa is agreed to be attend-
' ed with great national advantages, fo thus laying open the trade to
' Eaft:-India (or reducing it into a kind of regulated company) will be
' attended with the following advantages, viz. it will neceflarily occafion
' a larger exportation of our own produ6l and manufactures to India.

' III) It will employ a much greater number of ftiips and feamen.

' IV) It will greatly lower the prices of all Eafl:-India commodities
' confumed at home.

' V) It will enable us to fupply foreign markets, cheaper and in greater
' quantities, with Indian merchandize ; whereby fome new branches of
' traffic may be gained and others preferved, more efpecially in Africa
' and America, and alfo in fome parts of Europe *.

' VI) It will necefiiarily advance the cufi:oms and excife, and thereby
' lefl^en the national debt, &c.

* VIII) They allege,' (but give no particular reafon for fuch their al-
legation) ' that great advantages may accrue by employing our fliip-
' ping in freights, from one part of India to another, more than the
' prefent company has ever been able to do.

' IX) It will prevent perfons, acquainted with the trade to India,
' from being under the necefllty, for want of employment here, of.

* Here the propofers (hould have been more explicil. A-

150 A. D. 1730.

* feeking it in foreign nations, and even will bring home thofe who

* are already engaged that way.' *

Thefe were the plaufible and principal arguments made ufe of to the
legiflature ; and they were more abundantly amplified and improved in
printed pamphlets and newfpapers, which carried them, as is ufually the
cafe, much beyond rational probability.

Their inducements for alluring fubfcribers to this fcheme, were,

I) Certain interefl from the public, of 4 per cent for the firft two
years, and 2 per cent afterwards.

II) The additional annual profit arifing from the propofed licences.

III) The 5 per cent on all goods imported would bring a confider-
able furplus over and above the expenfe of fupporting the forts and fac-
tories, fince (as they alleged) the prefent company's forts and fettlements
do, one with another, more than anfwer their own expenfe. And even
though the propofed company fhould be obliged to pay the prefent com-
pany a fum of money for their forts and fettlements ; f yet in a few
years there would a farther annual profit accrue, arifing from the duties.
For,

IV) Even fuppofing the trade, under this propofed company, fhould
not increafe, (as however they were confident it would) beyond the
amount of three millions yearly, at the public fales ; yet 5 per cent
thereon would yield Li 50,000 per annum, which makes L86,ooo
more than will complete the annuity or intereft of 4 per cent. Where-
for,

V) It may be concluded, that the annual dividend will not at any
time be lefs than 5 to 6 per cent to the fubfcribers ; fince, as the export-
ations and importations ftiall increafe, in like proportion -will the divi-
dends neceflarily increafe.

Yet, notwithflanding all thefe plaufible reafonings without doors, and
all that their friends could urge within doors, the houfe of commons
rejefted their petition, becaufe, it was certainly, at leafl:, hazardous to
turn the Eaft-India trade into a new channel ; it was uncertain, whe-
ther the propofed fubfcription would readily fill in due time, or whether
their flattering expedations would anfwer, either with refpedl to the fub-
fcribers, or to the nation ; or whether the cuftoms might not be dimi-
niflied inflead of being increafed ; or whether by the new method of a
regulated trade, the nation's general commerce to India might not in
fome degree be hurt and diminifhed ? For who can forefee all the advan-
tages which other European nations, trading to India, would be able to
gain over us by this alteration, or the hurt our trade might receive from
the Indian princes, 8cc. To quit therefor a prefent certainty for a fu-

* This refers to thofe, who were engaged in the Oftend and Swedifh Eaft-India companies. A>
t Could the piopofers make any doubt, whether they were to pay the former company for their
property ? A.

A. D. 1730. 151

ture (though plaufible) uncertainty, was not judged fafe nor prudent.
The oppofition, however, drew from the prefent company very con-
fiderable advantages to the pubhc, by occafioning them to give up
one per cent of the interefl payable on their capital of L3, 200,000, and
moreover to pay for the benefit of the public L20o,ooo for the fervice
of the current year, over and above the abatement of their intereft from
5 to 4 per cent, or from Li6o,ooo to Li 28,000 per annum, whereby
L3 2,000 per annum would be immediately added to the finking fund,
which the company neverthelefs were legally entitled to for fix years
longer. While the bill was depending in parliament, abundance of ano-
nymous letters and efiays were pubhflied in pamphlets and newfpapers,
againft exclufive companies in general, and more efpecially againfi; this
company's exclufive trade, in particular : all the arguments which had
been advanced for above 1 00 years pafl, (of which we have largely treat-
ed in this work) againft monopolies in this and other mercantile com-
panies, being on this occafion republifhed, with fome few new improve-
ments. * They were for having the government to take the fupport of
' the forts, factories, embaflies, &c. in India, into their own hands, out

* of the large cuftoms on the India trade, which fhould thenceforth re-

* main free and open to all Britifli fubjeds. For' (fay they) ' the more
' free and open that trade is, the more profitable it will be to the na-
' tion. And though it may be true, that laying the Eaft-India trade

* open, would lefl'en the profit of individuals in that trade, by their

* ftriving to outdo and underfell one another ; yet the gain to the na-

* tion would' (in their opinion) ' be vaftly greater, as the emulous pri-

* vate adventurers, by thrufting themfelves into new ports and coun-
' tries, in Arabia, Perfia, India, China, &c. would undoubtedly occafion

* the exportation of much more of our manufadures and produd than

* the company can do. And'on the other hand, a joint-ftock company
' can never trade fo frugally and advantageoufly, either for themfelves

* or for the nation, being in fad but one buyer and one feller ; who,

* moreover, manage their trade with a pride and expenfe more becoming
' the ftate of kings than of merchants ; and their governors and agents
' in India live like princes *. They alfo exped to be followed by the
' markets, and therefor do not ftir from their warehoufes. Whereas,
' on the contrary, private traders would follow the markets, would pulh
' into every creek and corner, and would narrowly look into the con-
' dud of their agents in India. That the abolition of the prefent com-
' pany would, moreover, deftroy the pernicious pradice of flock-jobbing,
' fo fatal to perfons and families. That when almoft all the maritime

* nations of Europe are now running into this trade, which will doubtlefs
' diminifli our own commerce thither, it feems the moft effedual means

* And fo they would doubtlefs do under a regulated company, or if they were under the king's.'
immediate authority, being at fo great a diftance from Europe. As

152 A. D. 1730.

* for driving them out of ibis trade to lay it open to all our people.'
Thefe, and many other arguments, (fome of which were at leaft incon-
clufive, if not fallacious) were keenly urged, both within and without
doors, and were fupported by many eminent merchants. Laftly, for far-
ther corroborating the oppofition to the bill for prolonging the Eaft-India
company's privileges, three feveral petitions were preiented to the houfe
of commons; the firft from the merchants, traders, &c. of London, in
behalf of themfelves and all other his majefty's fubjecls ; the fecond
from thofe of Briftol ; and the third from thofe of Liverpool : all to
the lame efFed:, viz, againft confirming the exclufive trade to India to
the prefent company alone : and, for obliging that company to grant li-
cences to the reft of his majefty's fubjeds to trade thither, under proper
terms and conditions : alfo praying to be heard by their counfel at the
bar of the houfe, againft palling the bill : which petitions were all re-
jeded.

On the other hand, it is but juftice to the prefent Eaft-India com-
pany, to exhibit the principal points urged by them in their own be-
half, viz.

At prefent it feems to be agreed on all fides, that the Eaft-India trade
is a beneficial one to this nation, and confequently is neceflary to be
preferved. But the main queftion is, which is the beft method to pre-
ferve it to us, viz. whether by a company vefted with exclufive privileges
and regulations, fuch as the legiflature lliall from time time to diredt ;
or, whether the trade fliall be left quite open to every adventurer, who
Ihall pay for a licence from this company ?

It is but too probable, that the prefent great oppofition to the com-
pany proceeds, in a great meafure, from the great gains which they
make : for their enemies are forced to go back almoft forty years to
fearch out former mifmanagements ; having nothing to allege againft
their prefent condud.

The company at prefent employ a vaft ftock in trade, their fales
amounting to about three millions yearly. And the cuftoms accruing
to the public are prodigioufly great, and anfwer the appropriations made
of them by parliament better than moft other duties ; they bringhigin
net money, clear of all drawbacks and debentures, three hundred thou-
fand pounds yearly. Would it then be prudent in the legiflature to let
thofe cuftoms fall without a certainty of at leaft as much in the room
of them ?

The forts and fadories at prefent coft the company L300,ooo yearly ;
and doubtlefs the government could not maintain them for fo little.
Thofe forts and other buildings are unqueftionably the property of the
company, who adually purchafed them of the old company, and are of
very great value. Who, then, (hall fet an equitable price on them ?
What certainty have the government, when they are in their hands, that

A. D. 1730. 153

the propofed open trade will be always fufficient to maintain fo va ft an
expenfe of cuftoms and forts as L6oo,ooo yearly? For, as every man is,
by the propofed fcheme, left at liberty, (and will doubtlefs make ufe of
it) to trade or not to trade thither, as it may fuit his intereft, it may
happen, that one year there may go fifty fhips for India, and another
year perhaps not five. And thefe being all feparate traders, the govern-
ment can have no certainty nor fecurity from them, nor indeed from any
other but an incorporated body, who have a great deal to lofe, and who
are able to bear the ill fortune of fome particular years trading, without
prefently laying it afide.

By the competition of the feparate traders in India, for the fake of
difpatch, the prices of goods there would be raifed fo high, as at length
not to be worth buying. And, for the like reafon, at home they would
fo underfell each other, till the goods would not be worth felling; which
was the cafe for the fmall time that the two companies (the old and the
new ones) and the feparate traders contended againft each other ; where-
by they all did very much hurt to the trade.

An united company will always be more diligent to watch the en-
croachments and attempts of other European nations in India than fe-
parate traders will or can be, whofe views naturally are contrad:ed with-
in the narrow circle of their own private intereft alone.

Though the company have a claim to a perpetuity in the trade by
the act 10 Atin. c. 28, yet fome doubts having arifen refpedling the cer-
tainty of their right, becaufe that a6l only repeals the provifos in for-
mer ads, which directed that the privileges of trade fliould ceafe when
the fund ftiould be redeemed, but does not explicitly enaft a perpetuity
of this trade to the company, in the fame terms as the adl of that fame
feflion exprefsly does in favour of the South-fea company ; and the com-
pany, being unwilling that their title to the trade (however ftrong)
fhould prove the occafion of difputes hereafter, they are therefor content
to take up with a temporary certainty in lieu thereof, and moreover, to
give the public almoft £400,000 for the fame, by giving L200,ooo in
money, and farther confenting that their annuity of 5 per cent, which
is not redeemable till the year 1736, be now reduced to 4 per cent ;
whereby they lofe an annuity of £32,000 for fix years to come, valued
1.192,000*.

Some other lefs important arguments were advanced on both fides ;
but as there is in reality nothing new which can be hereatter advanced
on this truely important fubjeft, on either fide, now and formerly fo
fully explained, we ftiall hereafter fpare ourfelvestheneedlefs trouble of
enlarging thereon, in any future controverfy concerning the Eaft-lndia

* The value of this conccfTion is greater than is here ftated by fix years intervft on the firil defalca-
tion of L3 2,000, five years on the fecond, and fo on of the others. M.

Vol. III. U

154 A. D. 1730.

commerce ; after afTuring the reader, that the author of this work has
ftudied impartiahty in this, as in other parts, of the work, as much as
poflible. To conclude, the legiflature palled the bill in the company's fa-
vour, intitled, an Ad for reducing the annuity or fund of the united
Eaft-India company, and for afcertaining their right of trade to the
Eaft-Indies, and the continuance of their corporation for that purpofe,
upon the terms therein mentioned ; whereby, after a full recital of for-
mer ftatutes and charters, the company agrees, and it is enaded, that
their prefent yearly fund of Li 60,000 be reduced to Li 28,000, (or
from 5 to 4 per cent) from michaelmas 1 730 ; in confideration where-
of, and of L20o,ooo, to be paid by them for the public fervice of this
prefent year, 1 730, all their exclufive privileges of trade to the Eaft-Indies
are continued and prolonged from lady-day 1736, to lady-day 1766, and
three years notice then to be given ; in all, including the faid three
years notice, to lady-day 1769, being 33 years; when, on repayment
of their entire capital of L3, 200,000, their exclufive privileges of trade
fhall ceafe and determine. Yet, neverthelefs, the company fhall conti-
nue as a corporation forever, to enjoy the Eaft-Tndia trade in common
with all other fubjeds. There was in this ad one lingle claufe only, of
any importance, which had not been in any former ftatute relating to
this company, and arofe from a doubt malicioufly and unaccountably
ftarted by the company's enemies, viz. whether the three years notice
fhould be fully expired before they lofe their exclufive privileges. That
claufe therefore enaded, ' that upon the expiration of the faid three
* years, and re-payment, &c. as above, their exclufive right {hall ceafe.'

The company, moreover, at any time, on one year's notice after lady-
day 1736, might be paid off their whole capital, by any payments not
lefs than L50o,ooo at a time : and fo on, from time to time, on fuch
yearly notices by parliament. The company were hereby likewife de-
barred from pofTeliing in Great Britain, lands, tenements, &c. exceed-
ing Li 0,000 yearly rent. Laftly, two general provifos were added,
for faving the privileges, &c. of the South-fea and Levant compa-
nies. In confequence of the redudion of their fund, the company re-
duced their dividend from eight iofeven per cent per annum at chrift-
mas 1732.

The royal African company declining more and more, fo as not to
be able to fupport their forts and fadories on the coaft of Africa, and
the trade being thereby laid open, fo as to endanger them, the parlia-
ment this year granted Li 0,000 for that purpofe, by an ad for railing
L55o,ooo by exchequer-bills, &c. The fum of Li 0,000 was granted
annually till the year 1 744, when, by reafon of the war wuth PVance and
•Spain, L20,ooo were granted for that end. In each of the two following
years Li 0,000 were granted for the fame purpofe, but nothing was
granted for the year 1747.

A. D.I 730. 155

The fouth-lea company's remaining 22 Greenland flilps brought home
12 whales this year ; and their net lofs by this year's fifliery was LSpai
^fg, befide wear and tear.

The French Eafl-India company's trade by this time was become fo
confiderable, that, inftead of one fhip from India once in two years,
there arrived four fhips from thence in this year.

Yet fo much fuperior was the Englifh Eafl-India company's trade,
that, in thefpring of this fame year, there failed no fewer than 17 fhips
from India.

In the Britiih American provinces of Pennfylvania, Virginia, and
Maryland, there were about this time found mines of iron-ftone, which
they foon after learned to fmelt down into pigs and fows, and then to
draw them out by flatting mills into bars. They have alfo found lead ;
and they had before found copper in New- York.

The South- fea company's great fhip the Prince Frederick, which had
been long detained at La Vera Cruz, by the differences between Great
Britain and Spain, arrived this year in the Thames with 400,000 dol-
lars, or Spanifli pieces of eight, in fpecie, 190,000 lib. of cochineal*,
47,000 lib. weight of indigo, and 167 tons of logwood, befides what
came in private trade ; fuppofed altogether to be w^orth 1.350,000 fter-
ling.

We may here, for once at leaft, prefent our readers with a lift of the
chief exportations and importations for the fmgle month of May, in the
year 1730, from London only, viz.

Exported Woollen cloths, long, fliort, and Spanifh, 5357 pieces

Bays, Colchefter, &c. - - 6990

Stuffs, druggets, &c. - - 24,484

Perpets and ferges, - - 4108

Dozens and kerfies, - - 1879

Hats, _ , _ 2028 dozens

Hofe, - - _ 9368 dozen pairs

Flannel and cotton, - - 53,053 yards

frife, 7858 yards — gartering, 774 grofs — leather, 2290 cwt. — block tin,
1036 cwt — wrought pewter, 4991 cwt — lead, 184 fodder, each of 19

* Two pliyficians, to whom the author of this Indies. Its juice is of a rich crimfon colour, which

work ihewed the cochineal in the company's vaults, may be ufed with a pen or a pencil for writing or

were perfeftly fatisfied, that the infed, which pro- drawing ; but it fades in a few days. However,

duces it, is the fame with our Britidi lady-bird ; Mr. Long [in his //V//. of Jamaica, V. m, p. 731]

and that its fuperior excellence was acquired pure- fays, that iSIr. Rii, a gentleman of Kingllon, pro-

ly by the infett feeding on the fine red juice or duced from it a dye-duff fuperior to the cochineal

fap of the Mexico flirub called the prickly pear, of Mexico. If that can be efTeded on a confider-

agreeable to what had been afferted by divers au- able fcale, the prickly pear (now a nuifance, or at

thors. /I. _ ^ bed a bad fort of fence) may become one of the

The prickly pear is a plant which grows fpon- moft profitable of the tropical plants. M.

tMKOufly and luxuriantly every where iu the Well-

U2

156 A. D. 1730.

cwt. — ditto lead per cwt. 2746 cwt. — ditto in lliot, 847 cut. — alufn,

1275 cwt copperas, 4033 cwt tobacco, 866.163 lib — calicoes,

76,847 pieces — gold watches, 47 ^filver watches, 113 — wrought plate,

972 ounces. (Beiides 33g,3S3 otinces of foreign lilver, and 36,294
ounces of foreign gold.)

Imported in the port of London. — Wine in cafks (chiefly pipes or
butts) 4299 cafl^s — ditto from Leghorn, 459 chefts — wine Rhenifh, 101 9
aums, each of 40 gallons—^brandy from Dunkirk alone, befides brandy
from Holland, 24,687 gallons — rum from the Britifh American colo-
nies, 6327 gallons — fugar from ditto, 1421 hogfheads — rice from Caro-
lina only, 3025 hogflieads — Spanifli wool, in bags, 1 144 bags — indigo,
chiefly from Spain and our own colonies, 57,784 lib — hemp, from the
Eail country, 1 160 cwt. — thrown filk from Italy, 31,21 8 lib. — raw filk,

3441 lib coffee from Turkey only, 1781 cwt — oil from Gallipoli

only, 390 tons — Holland cloth, or fine linen from Holland, 66,286 ells
— ditto from Hamburgh and Bremen, 1,232,209 ells — Irifli linen,

179,114 yards — linen-yarn from Hamburgh, 73,450 lib coffee from

Mocha, 5000 bales.

The whale fifliery on the coaft of New-England was profperous this
year ; and the rice raifed in Carolina (now a very thriving colony) ap-
pears to have increafed ; as by a claufe in an a.&. of parliament in the
preceding feflion [3 Geo. II, c. 29] for granting liberty to carry rice,
&:c. they were permitted to fhip it to any place in Europe fouth of Cape
Finiflerre, without firft being landed in England, or being made an
enumerated commodity *, whereby the coafts of Spain and Portugal in
the Ocean, and of Spain and France in the Mediterranean, befides Italy
and the gulf of Venice, and all the Spanifli and Portuguefe ifles, are
open to them. Provided, however, that it be all carried in Britifh
fhips, navigated as by the adl:s of navigation, and no other commodity
be lo carried but rice only.

The fame privilege was extended to the rice of Georgia, by an ?idi
[8 Geo. II, c. 19.] And, in confequence of thefe judicious indulgences,
the Britifli plantation rice has fupplanted thofe of Verona and Egypt,
wherever they have come in competition.

On the 29th of May the king of France eflablifhed the following re -
gulations for his royal council of commerce.

' That it be compofed of the duke of Orleans, the cardinal deFleury,
' &c. and meet every 15 days, or oftener, as the king fliall direct.

' The keeper of the feals, the fecretaries of ilate for foreign affairs, and
' for the marine, and the comptroller-general of the finances, fhaUmake

* Rjce was thought incapable of bearinpf the expen.le of being landed in a Britifh port, and then re-
Iiinpcd fv>r a foreign market. A.

A. D.I 730. 157

* reports in each of the principal matters relating to their refpedive de-
' partments.

' All their arrets and orders {hall be figned by the chancellor and the
' other great officers.

' Reports Ihall be made to the king of any branch of commerce, either
' inland or foreign, that may require his confideration and prote6lion ;
' together with the prefent fiate of any manufadure, in order to perfed:
' the fame.'

The fuburbs of London flill farther increafmg on every fide, two
other new parilhes were in this year eredted, viz. one called St. George
in Bloomfbnry, near the market of that name; and the other in the
hamlet of Limehoufe, and called St. Anne at Limehoufe. Another
new parifli, named St. Paul's, was this fame year ereded in the town of
Deptford, near, and almoft joining to, the fuburbs of London, the great
increafe of tliat town, by meansof the dock, dock-yard, ftorehoufes, &c.
of the navy, occafioning fo great anacceffionof workmen, trades-people,
&c. that the old parilh-church was too fmall to contain the inhabitants
of fo large a town.

The great benefit of light-houfes to navigation is allowed by all men;
and many fuch are in Great Britain of long ftanding. This year, a
flatute was made, for confirming a patent granted by her late majefi:y
Queen Anne, to William Trench Efq. deceafed, for ereding a light-
houfe upon the ifland or rock called Skerries, (near Holyhead, at the ifle
of Anglefea, &c.) whereby the duties granted for maintaining it are
made perpetual, it being a very great benefit to all fliips and veflels na-
vigating the Irifli or St. George's channel.

The czarina of Rufiia refumed the monopoly of tar, which had been
a confiderable branch of the revenue of Peter the Great. It was ufu-
ally {hipped at Archangel, to the amount of about 40,000 lafls (of 1 1
barrels each) annually, being moftly taken off by the Dutch and Ham-
burghers : and this trade ftill brought many foreign fiiips to Archangel,
after it was eclipfed by the new city of Pcterfburgh, and though confi-
derable quantities of tar are fliipped at that city, and alfo, fince thecon-
quefi: of Livonia, at Riga, Revel, and Narva.

Ten Dutch Eaft-India fliips arriving at one time this year in Holland,
it may be worth the noting how much fpice of all kinds they brought
home, viz. of

Brown pepper, - - - 3,145,392-1

White pepper, - _ _ 3,904 j

Nutmegs, _ _ _ 94,918 ^ pound weight.

Mace, - _ _ _ 65,004

Cinnamon, _ _ _ 640,000 J

Befide 20,000 lb. weight of long pepper, 4623 ib. of cui^ebs or pepper
duft, and 6500 lb. of cardamums from Ceylon and Java.

158 A. n. 1730.

The other prmcipal parts of the cargo of tliofe ten fhips were,
■1,580,115 lb. weight of powder-fugar — 1,450,000 lb. of faltpetre —
90,000 lb. of tin from Siam — 559,250 lb. of Sapanand Caliatour wood
— 6500 lb. of indigo — 550 lb. of mother of pearl — 130,000 lb. of cow-
ries— 306,000 lb. of coffee from Java, Ceylon, and Mocha — 36,000 lb,
of cotton-yarn from Tutucorin and Java — 600 pieces of painted filk
fluffs — and 98,850 pieces of various denominations of calicoes.

This cargo will (hew the principal articles of the Dutch importations
from India : but there came no lliips at this time from China ; and no
tea nor lacquered ware was imported, nor were there any cloves.

Great uneafinefs was expreffed at this time on account of the court of
Spain delaying to fend the cedula or Ucence for the South-fea company's
great fliip the Royal-Caroline, now loaded with a very rich cargo for
the fair of Porto-Bello, the Spanifh galleons being already failed from
Cadiz, left the fair fhould be over before our fhip fhould arrive there.
That port and fair being appointed for the merchants of Chili, Peru,
and all the weilern parts of South-America, to fupply themfelves with
the merchandize of Europe, when the galleons arrive, couriers are dif-
patched to Panama, Lima, Cufco, St. Jago, and other parts, with no-
tice of the time for holding the fair, to which the merchants refort in
caravans with their treafure. It is thought, that the South-fea company
cleared, altogether, about L7o,ooo by this voyage of the Royal-Caroline,
almoft the only profperous voyage they ever made.

Great complaints were at this time made againft the fupercargoes and
fadors of the voyage in the South-fea fliip the Prince Frederick, juft re-
turned from the Spanifh Weft-Indies, on account of malverfations in
bottomree, clandeftine trade, &c. needlefs now to be farther enlarged
on, lince the commerce of that company will probably never be reviv-
ed.

This year four of our Englifh Ciiina fhips arrived with 1,707,000 lb.
weight of tea; the duty on which, at 4/^ per pound, amounted to
L34i,ooo fterling. Suppofing that one third of this tea was fairly ex-
ported by certificate, the duty of which is drawn back by debenture,
then the net duty of the remainder was L227,6oo ; an immenfefum to
be paid to the public for one fingle commodity. Moreover, only three
of the company's fliips from Coaft and Bay this fame year brought
home .371 ,000 pieces of the many and various kinds of calicoes and In-
dian filks, all to be re-exported. Alfo 73,000 great pounds of raw filk

— 682,000 lb. weight offaltpetre 93,0001b. of pepper 192,000 lb. of

redwood — 2200 of cotton-yarn — 16,800 lb. of Ihellack — and 9000 lb.
of ftickhck.

We have already, upon feveral occafions, treated of the various mi-
grations of the great flioles of herrings in the feas of Europe; which at
laft, fome centuries ago, fixed on the coafts of the Britifh iflands. Yet,

A. D. 1730. 159

as what has once been may hereafter be again, we ought not, therefor,
to be greatly furprifed if thofe deUcious fifli fhould again remove to
fome other coafl. What at prefent has given occafion for this remark
is, the account given in the fummer of this year by the herring-filhers,
which, it feems, much furprifed them, viz. that fholes of herrings had
come fouthward near two months before their ufual time ; particularly,
in the fea between England and Ireland, great quantities were taken in
July, off the frith of Clyde, and off Londonderry, as far fouth as the
bays of Dublin and Wexford *. Had this humour of thofe fifh con-
tinued or increafed in fucceeding years, it might poflibly have diminifti-
ed their numbers at Lewis and Shetland, which have been their ftations
for fo many ages, and to which great numbers of Scottifh and Dutch
fifhermen refort for that fifhery. Such an alteration in fo great a branch
of commerce would, doubtlefs, have occafioned a confiderable change in
the commercial ftate of feveral countries of Europe. But nothing extra-
ordinary of that kind has fince happened.

The Turkey company are foid to have fhipped 10,000 pieces of broad
cloth in four fhips, in Augufl, for the Levant ; which demonflrates the
very great importance of that company's commerce to the nation.

In 06lober this year we find the following remarkable importations
of goods from the Englifh American colonies, which being entirely
new, and moflly unexpected, produdions in thofe colonies, though
not very confiderable in themfelves, are well worth remarking, as a
great increafe of moft part thereof has fince fortunately happened, viz.

Two tons of iron from St. Chriflophers, found in that part of the ifland
which formerly was poflefled by the French f .

Fifty hundred weight of hemp, railed in New-England and Caro*--
lina.

Seventy-two bags of wool, from, and produced in, the iflandsof Ja-
maica, St. Chriflophers, &c. ij:.

Forty tons of iron ; 30 hundred weight of copper ore ; 156 quintals"
of bees-wax; 3 hundred weight of hemp ; 3 hundred weight of raw filkj-
all produced in the province of Virginia.

The Hudfon's-bay company-this year imported 11,040 coat and parch-
ment beaver-fkins ; 4404 ditto of cubs ; 3330 damaged and flage parch-
ment; 990 ditto cubs ; 1648 martins, and 3130 damaged ditto; 380

* Very oppofite opinions have been held >ipon phers by any account of that ifland. I think it

the curious fubjeft of the migration of the licriing. muft have been prcvioiifly imported to it. M.

The reader, who vviihee to examine tliem, may :{■ Quere, if not cotton, ufually called cotton

ecnfult Dodd's F.ffay upon the herring, p. 44. — yln- wool Mf it was real woo], it muft have been taken

derjon' s Account oj the Hebrides {WeJlerniJlundsJ, pp. from northern flieep carried to thofe iflands, or it

346, 449 — Knox's View of the Brilijh empire, p. 1 7 1 mull have been imported from fome other country ;

—American Philojophical tranfaBions, V. \\, p. 236. for, it is well known, that in all tropical countries

M. fhecp lofe their wool, and bfome as fmoolh as

\ I do- not find iron a produftion of St. Chrifto- horfes, fvoii after their arrival. M,-

i6o A. D. 1730.

otter- fkins ; 890 cat-flcins ; 260 fox-fkins ; 540 woolverins ; 410 black
bear-fkins ; 190 wolves-fkins ; and 30 wood-fliocks. By this trade we
now lave much money, which we formerly fent to Ruffia, for thefe ufe-
ful peltry, now entirely purchafed with our own coarfe woollen and other
manufadures and produd.

We fliall clofethis year with a quotation from Travels through a great
part of Europe, in this fame year, by Keyflar, (an author of credit and
efteemi) in favour of our modern Englilh filk fabrications, viz. ' In Italy
' itfelf, the filks of Englilh manufadure are moft efteemed, and bear a

* greater price than thole of Italy : fo that, at Naples, when a tradefman

* would highly recommend his filk {lockings, &c. he protefts they are
' right Englilh *.'

1731. — As the condition, importance, and value, of all the Britifli,
and iome of the foreign, colonies in America were fet in a much clearer
light than poflibly ever before, in a judicious trad, intitled the Im-
portance of the Britifli plantations in America to this kingdom, &c.
confidered, {i\^ pp. 8w, London 1731] we think a fliort abftrad of it,
with fome few remarks, will be uieful.

If the ifland of Tobago juftly belongs to this kingdom, (as he is in-
formed it does) it is furprifmg it hath not been fettled by us ; fince,
though not quite lo large as Barbados, it is fuperior to it for good roads,
convenient rivers, and richnefs of foil.

St. Lucia feems to be quite loft to us. For fince the French expell-
ed Captain Uring in the year 1725, they are become more numerous
there than before.

St. Vincent and Dominica are likewife poflefled by the French ; whofe
intercourfe with the Indians of both iflands, (who generally fpeak
French, and who are taught by them to defpife all other nations) and
their quiet pofleffion of them, give the people of Martinico and Guada-
loupe the pleafing profped of feeing all of them fettled and fortified by
them. Thefe two ifles are fcarcely inferior to Barbados in extent and
fertility ; and, in conveniency of roads and harbours, far fuperior.
They both lie between Granada and Martinico, the former of which is
one of the oldeft fettlements the French have in that part, producing a
vafl quantity of fugar, cotton, and cacao.

Dominica lies next to Martinico, and between that and Guadaloupe,
Grandeterre, Marigalante, and Deleada ; all fine and large iflands be-
longing to the French, whofe increafe in thofe iflands, within a few
years paft, is prodigious. So that we may realbnably reckon, that they
are not fewer in number of people than all the Englilh Leeward iflands,
with Barbados included.

* Tlietotal value of the imports of Eng'anJ in the year 1730, was 1.7,780,019, and of thcexporls
(not including gold and bullion) L8,548,9i-2. {Wliitwotth's Sale.] M.

3

A. D. I73I- i6i

The Englifli Leeward iflands *, are Antigua, Nevis, St. Chriftophers,
and Montferrat. Thefe four, together with Barbuda, Anguilla.Tortola,
and Spanifhtown, all fettled on by the Englifli, may be modeftly confi-
dered altogether, as at leafl: equal in confequence to us with Barbados, and
are capable of vafl improvements, which Barbados is not, but is rather
declining and wearing out.

Euftatia is poflefled by the Dutch, and is about three leagues from
St. Chriflophers ; and, though very inconfiderable in extent and pro-
duce, yet it drives a great fmuggling trade with our iflands by their
fliips from Africa underfelling our own people with their negroes. Saba,
a little to the leeward, is alfo pofl^eflTed by the Dutch, but is very incon-
fiderable.

A little more northward lie St. Martin and St. Bartholomew ; both
inconfiderable iflands, and both partly inhabited by French, and partly
by Dutch.

Santa Croce has been twice pofl!efl!ed by the Englifli, who have as of-
ten been beat out by the French. It is not much lefs than Barbados,
and inferior to none in point of healthfulnefs, fertility, good roads, ahd
bays. Yet at prefent it is not fettled.

Northward lies the ifland of St. Thomas, pofl^efled by the Danes ; re-
markable only for its harbour, which is a free port, and for fmuggling.

Due wefl: from St. Thomas lies St. John de Porto Rico, inhabited by
very few Spaniards, chiefly a lawlefs fort of people. This ifland, though
inferior to none in point of fertility, has neverthelefs been much negled-
ed by Spain.

Hifpaniola is divided between the French and Spaniards. The for-
mer greatly thriving and multiplying, the Spaniards dayly decreafing,
many of their fine old houfes and plantations being left defolate ; info-
much, that the French are i-eckoned to be double the number of the
Spaniards in that large ifland, including the flaves of both, and to be al-
ready poflljfl'ed of the greateft part of it. The few Spaniards remaining
there look upon the whole ifland as gone, upon the firft rupture between
the two crowns. The almoft amazing improvements of the French
here, fince the reign of our King William, fliew what great things may
be done by able minifters, even under an arbitrary prince. This ifland
alone is of more value than all our pofleflions in thofe parts, has excel-
lent harbours, bays, and rivers ; and, if we except Cuba f , far exceeds all
the refl: of the Weft-India iflands.

* So called with refj>ed to Barbados, wliich is called JVimhvaru 'ijlavth by lis, as well as tlie

to the ealtward, or to ivmdiOard, of all the Well- French, they being in truth to windward of all the

India iilands. A. reit, except Barbados. M.

This appellation of Leeward iflands, which f The Abbe Raynal's tables (luw the produce

might be proper, when Barbados was the only of the French portion of Hifparfiola to be above

Englifh colony in the Well-Indies, is now becom- eighteen times the value of T"..e produce of Cuba.

;ng obfolete, and they are now more generally M.

Vol. hi. X

1^2 A. D. 1731.

Thirty leagues well of Hifpaniola lies our ifland of Jamaica in Icngtii
150, in breadth 50, miles; of the importance of which, we may partly
judge from the quantity of its produce annually fhipped off for us, viz.
in fugar alone, 10,000 tons. In cotton, indigo, ginger, pimento, rum,
lime-juice, cacao, mahogany, &c, 2000 tons more. Thus, not lefs than
12,000 tons of our own lliipping are conftantly employed in that fervice
only; over and above what is employed between Jamaica and the
northern continental colonics. Great are the advantages accruing to
Britain from the trade between Jamaica and the Spaniards n£ Mexico,
8cc. the rife whereof fprung from the treaty of 1670, (called the
American treaty,) whereby peace was firft fettled between the two na-
tions in America; and till the commencement of Queen Anne's war
that trade was carried on with little interruption, to the value of near
L^oOjOOO yearly, in various European merchandize, negroes, provifions,
&.:. for all which our people were paid in good pieces of eight.

Jamaica, however, afterwards regained much of that ckndefline
trade ; by which, and by their privateers, and the money fpent by the
fhips of war ftationed in thofe feas, they became rich and populous, till
after the South-lea company's alTiento fadors fettled there ; when again
much of their illicit trade was loft *.

Much of that clandeftine trade removed to the Dutch ifle of Curaqoa,
from thence grown up to be very conliderable in commerce and fliip-
ping, though of itfclf a mere barren Ipot, with only a commodious har-
bour, and an happy fituation in refped: to the Spanilli Weft-Indies. It
is fupplied with provilions from the two neighbouring Dutch ifles of
Aruba and Bonaire; and, though yielding nothing of itfelf, is yet a mar-
ket for all things, there having been fometimes feen in its harbour 6c
or 70 fail of fhips together.

Cuba is to the Spaniards the moft important by its fituation of any
ifland they have in all America. It is about 700 miles in length, and
1 20 miles in breadth in fome parts. It has an excellent foil, infinite
numbers of cattle, and fine tobacco ; great quantities of aromatic drugs
and dye-ftuffs. It has alfo fine bays and havens. What renders it fo
particularly beneficial to Spain, is its fafe and well-fortified harbour and
port called Havanna, being the rendezvous of all the Spanilli fleets and
Ihipping bound to Europe from any part of the coafts of New-Spam,
&c. to the v.eftward or leeward of the Caracca's. Yet the Spaniards have
been far from cultivating this fine illand fo well as might have been
done.

Of the Bahama iflands, though very numerous, and producing many
things ufeful and necefllu-y, and ad claimed by the crown of Great
Britain, only four are inhabited by En^iiih people, viz. Ir'rovidencc, the

• It was faid, with too mv.ch truth, that it was carried on bv the others. ..^

A. D. 1731. 163

principal one ; Eleutheria, Harbour-ifland, and Green-turtle-key. Yet
for extent and goodnefs of foil, Abaco is the bell, though not yet fettled.
And, to fay the truth, were it not for preventing pirates from fettling
there *, none of thefe ifles would be worth keeping a governor, forts,
and garrifons in them, confidering how many finer-iituated colonies we
have flill to improve.

What our author fays of Carolina by no means comes up to what
we have elfewhere noted from very good authority ; to which therefor
we refer.

Virginia and Maryland are moft valuable acquifitions to Britain, as
well for their great flaple commodity, tobacco, as for pitch, tar, furs,
deer fkins, walnut-tree planks, iron in pigs, and medicinal drugs. Both
together fend annually to Great Britain 60,000 hogfheads of tobacco,
weighing, one with another, 600 pound weight, which, at 2^d per pound,
comes to L375,ooo. And he thinks, the fhipping employed to bring
home their tobacco mull be at lead 24,000 tons ; which, at Lio per
ton, is L240,ooo, the value of the fhipping; the greateft part thereof
by far being Englifli-built, continually and conftantly fitted and re-
paired in England. The freight, at Li : 10 per hogfhead (the loweft),
is LgOjOOO ; and the petty charges and commillion, on each hogOiead
not lefs than Li, or L6o,ooo ; which, making together Li 50,000, we
undoubtedly receive from thofe two provinces upon tobacco only. The
net proceeds of the tobacco may be 1.225,000, on which there may be
about 5 per cent commiifion and petty charges, being Li 1,250. There
is alio imported in the tobacco fhips from thofe two provinces, lumber f,
to the value of Li 5,000, two thirds whereof is clear gain, it not cofting
L4000 in that country, firft cofl in goods ; and, as it is the mafter's
privilege, there is no freight paid for it. Skins and furs about L6000
value ; L4000 of which is adual gain to England. So the whole gain
to England amounts to about L 180,000 annually: and moreover, the
whole produce of thefe two provinces is paid for in goods.

Thofe two provinces moreover produce excellent flax ; alfo wool,
equal to our beft Englifh wool ; of both which they have manufaftures :
and what they do not manufacture themfelves, they exchange with the
Pennfylvanians for rum, fugar, melaffes, fait, &c. This author had
feen two very promifmg iron works, one in Virginia, the other in
Maryland ; both of them clofe to water carriage, as well as to the woods.
So that, if they have not leave to import their iron duty-free, they mufl
manufaclure it for themfelves, which will in time leifen the exportation
of our iron wares.

* He might have added, other European nations, fevcral of whom would fettle there, if not preventnl
by oui- fuperior naval power. /I.

\ Boards and timber for building, cyprefs wood, fliingles, ftaves, heading and hiops for caflis, mafl'-j
and other fpais, and (hip timber, pafs in America under the general name o{ /umber. A,

' X 2

i64 A. D. 1731.

The trade of thefe two provinces to all other parts than Great Britain
is inconfiderable : not employing above loco tons of fhipping to the
fugar iflands, and in all other trades on their own proper account. Yet
a great number of veflels refort to both provinces, of and from our
other continental colonies.

That Pennfylvania, which has not any peculiar ftaple (like Carolina,
Virginia, and Maryland) and was begun to be planted fo late as 1680,
fhould at prefent have more white inhabitants in it than all Virginia,
Maryland, and both the Carolinas, is extremely remarkable: and,
though the youngefl colony on the continent *, they have by far the
finefl capital city of all Britifh America, and the fecond in magnitude.
The caufes ufually afligned for this vaft increafe of white people there,
in fo fhort a time, are, ift. Their kind treatment of the Indians their
neighbours, whereby the province is abfolutely fafe from their attempts.
Some indeed have g'one fo far as to aflert, that they are the only Britifh
colony that have treated the poor native Indians with humanity : for
that no other Britifh province admits of the evidence of an Indian
againft a white man : nor are the complaints of Indians againfl white
men duely regarded in other colonies, whereby thofe poor people en-
dure the mod cruel treatment from the very worft of our own people,
without hope of redrefs : and all the Indian wars in our colonies were
occafioned by fuch means. 2dly, The excellency of the laws; whereby
property is effeclually fecured to all the inhabitants. 3dly, The un-
limited toleration for all manner of religious perfuafions, without per-
mitting any claims to ecclefiaftical power to take place. All men who
are proteftants are indifferently eligible to the magiftracy and legif-
lature, let their private opinions be what they will, without any religious
teft.

The produd of Pennfylvania for exportation is, wheat, flour, bifcuit,
barrelled beef and pork, bacon, hams, butter, cheefe, cyder, apples,
foap, m.yrtle-wax candles, ftarch, hair-powder, tanned leather, bees'-
wax, tallow candles, flrong beer, lint-feed oil, ftrong waters, deer fkins,
and other peltry ; hemp, which they have encouraged by an additional
bounty of 1711' per pound weight, over and above what is allowed by
adl of parliament ; fome little tobacco, lumber, and drugs of various forts,
as faflafras, calamus aromaticus, fnake-root. Laftly, the Pennfylva-
nians build about 2000 tons of fliipping yearly for fale, over and above
what they employ in their own trade, which may be about 6oco tons
more. They fend great quantities of corn to Portugal and Spain, fre-
quently felling the Ihip as well as cargo ; and the produce of both is
lent thence to England, where it is always laid out in goods, and fent
home to Pennfylvania. They receive from 4000 to 6coo piftoles from.
the Dutch iflund of Cura9oa alone for provifions and liquors. And.

* G-orgia was not then fettled, j^.

A. D. 1 73 1. 165

they trade to Surinam in the like manner, and to the French part of Hif-
paniola, as alfo to the other French fugar iflands, whence they bring
back melaffes, and alfo fome money. From Jamaica they fometimes
return with all money and no goods, becaufe the rum and melaffes are
fo dear there. And all the money they can get from all parts, as alfo
fugar, rice, tar, pitch, &c. is brought to England to pay for the manu-
factures, &c. they carry home from us ; which have not for many years
pafl been lefs than Li 50,000 per annum. They trade to our provinces
of New-England, Virginia, Maryland, and Carolina, and to all the iflands
in the Weft-Indies, except the Spanifli ones, as alfo to the Canaries,
Madeira, and the Azores ; likewife to Newfoundland, for fifli, which
they carry to Spain, Portugal, and up the Mediterranean, and remit the
money to England, which, one way or other, may amount to L6o,oco
yearly ; but, without their trade to the French and Dutch colonies in
the Weft-Indies, they could not remit fo much to England : neither
could they carry on their trade with the Indians, if they did not take
off the rum and melaffes, as well as the fugars of thofe colonies, in part
of payment of the cargoes they carry thither.

New-York and the two Jerfeys have the fame commodities as Penn-
fylvania has for exportation, except they do not build fo many fhips.
New-York alfo has lately found in her bowels the richeft copper mine
that perhaps was ever heard of; great quantities of which have been
lately brought to England. This, and the iron mines of Virginia,
Maryland, and Pennfylvania, might be brought to fupply Great Britain
and Ireland with all we want of thofe metals ; which, too, would be
paid for with our own manufadures, inftead of paying L^oo,ooo of
our cafh for thofe metals to Sweden, &c. New-York, it is true, lends
fewer fhips to England than fome other colonies do, but thofe they do
fend are richer, as dealing more in furs and fkins with the Indians ; and
they are at leaft of equal advantage to us with Pennfylvania, both as to
the money they fend us, and the manufadures they take of us. l"he
city of New-York is a moft delightful place, and has near as many in-
habitants as Philadelphia has ; and its country is one of the pleafanteft
in the univerfe.

"^ The foil of New-England is not unlike that of Great Britain. It has
at leaft 120,000 white inhabitants *, employing about 40.000 tons of
fhipping in their foreign and coafting trades, and above boo fail of fliips,
Hoops, &c. about one half of which fliipping trades to Europe. Their
iifheries have been reckoned annually to produce 230,000 quintals of
dried filh, which, being fent to Portugal, Spain, and up the Mediterra-
nean, yield 12/ per quintal, being 138,000 fterhng. And as their fait,
rum, and melafles, as alfo their provifions and utenfils, are puj dialed
for the refufe fifh, which is. not fit for the European mrrket, and for the

* He means here only Maflachufcts-bay. A. 4

i66 A. D. 1731.

oil made from the fift, the whole fum may be laid to be gained out of
the fea. By this fiihery, and their other commerce, they are faid to
employ at leaft 6000 feamen : and adding to the above fum the freight
and commiilion, all earned by our own people, and reckoned at one
third more, the whole will be Li72,5oo, all remitted to Great Britain.
There is, moi-eover, their whale fifhery, employing about 1300 tons of
{hipping. To Europe, alfo, and to the Weft-Indies, they fend great
quantities of lumber of all forts, and of provifions, the fame as men-
tioned under the head of Pennfylvania, the produce whereof is likewife
remitted to England. They alfo trade to the bay of Honduras for log-
wood. And as they build fhipping very cheap, they can afford to fell
their lumber, &c. to our fugar colonies at a lower rate than any other
people can. Many of thofe New-England fhips are loaded from the
fugar illands directly for England. From New-England, alfo, we have
the largeft mafts in the world for our navy. From thence, alio, as from
our other continental colonies, we receive all the gold and filver that
they can fpare, none of which ever returns to them : for we give them
in exchange all manner of wearing apparel, woollen, brafs, iron, and
linen manufactures, Eaft-India goods, &c. in all, to the value of
L4oo,ooo yearly.

Newfoundland, though very thinly inhabited by us, is neverthelefs
of vaft benefit to us: we make, one year with another, about 200,000
quintals of filh there; which, at 12/ per quintal, comes to Li 20,000
fterling ; which may be reckoned all clear gain to this kingdom, the
oil of the fifli paying for fait, &c. As this gain is obtained by the mere
labour of our people, and as the fifhery is of great ufe in breeding able
feamen, the natural ilrength of this kingdom ; as, moreover, we have
from Newfoundland great quantities of peltry, i. e. the furs and flcins
of deer, fox, otter, feal, minx, and bear, with fome beaver, we ought
therefor greatly to prize Newfoundland.

The Hudfon's-bay trade employs generally three fhips from London,
carrying thither coarfe duffle cloth or blanketing, powder and Ihot,
fpirits, &c. and bringing home vaft quantities of peltry of many kinds,
bed-feathers, whale-fins, &c. And as that fmall company makes a di-
vidend of 8, or formerly 10, per cent on their capital of about Li 00,000,
befides the employment they give to our people in fitting out and load-
ing thofe fhips. It may truely be faid to be an advantageous commerce,
proportioned to its bulk.

The Bermuda iflands were formerly efteemed extremely fertile : but
they feem now to be wearing out apace. In Qiieen Anne's war, they
are faid to have had above ico brigantines and iloops, though now not
above half that number. They take of us whatever neceffaries they
have occafton. for, and pay us in money, which they get by trading

A. D. i73i'. 167

among the fugar ifles, Sec. and alfo with chip hats tor women, and
whatever eife they can procure.

Thus we have, in brief, a poUtiGO-commercial, and, in part, a natural,
furvey of all our colonies, excepting Nova-Scotia, at that time, in efFed,
no colony at ail ; being mofl unaccountably negleded till of late years :
and, though v/ritten thirty years ago, fince which time many alterations
and improvements have happened in all or moft of thofe colonies, of
which we have elfewhere taken notice; yet the main foundation of their
refpedive trades and produclions being always the lame, and many
points relating thereio being treated fo diflindly and methodically, as to
give much light thereinto, more efpecially to fuch as are not pradical
merchants, we thought it well merited the room it has taken up. The
author's conclufion is, ' that Great Britain gains one m.illion flerling by
' her American colonies, exclulive of what we gain by any trades for
' negroes, or for dry goods, with the Spaniards in the Wefl- Indies ; and
' that, by our colonies alone, we maintain and employ at leaft 18,000
' feamen and fiihermen.' Neverthelefs, we have, in feveral other parts
of this work, made it plainly appear, that even this author's account of
the benefits we receive from our American plantations is far from
comprehending all the advantages we receive from thence.

This year the parliament (hy ad 4 Geo. II, c. 5) paid out of the
finking fund one million of the South-fea annuity flock from michael-
mas 1 73 1, wlrich the proprietors divided among themfelves, at the rate
of 6 \ per cent.

That company now fent out their remaining 22 lliips on the whale
fidiery, one of which v/as loft, and the remaining 21 brought home 14
whales, which was far from being a faving voyage. At the company's
dock there had at tliis tirne been invented a new fort of gun for ihoot-
ing with gunpowder the harpoons into the bodies of whales, at a
greater diftance than they could be thrown by hand ; and the fliips
were accordingly provided u'ith fome of them, which were ufed both
in this and the next year's fifliery, with fome fuccefs. They were
chiefly ufeful in calm weather, though fcarcely pradicable in blowing
weather, which moftly prevails in the Greenland feas. And though
the foreign harpooners could not eafily be brought to ufe them, as
being out of their ufual method, yet in a fhip fitted out by Mr. Elias
Bird and partners, two years later, out of the three whales brought
home, two were faid to be killed by that new-invented gun.

A company w^s now let on foot in Sweden for trading from Gotten-
burg to the Eaft-Indies, by authority of the king of Sweden's grant to
Henry Koning, a rich and intelligent merchant, with fuch others as
fhould join him, exclufive of all others, for fifteen years, to all parts
from beyond the Cape of Good Hope to Japan : but they were not to
trade at any place, within thofe limits, belonging to any other European

i68 A. D. 173 I.

nation or flate, without their permiflion ; and they were to pay to the
crown an hundred dahlers per laft for every fhip employed by them,
and two dahlers more per laft for port duties. Above a million of rix-
dollars were prefently fubfcribed, by Swedes and foreigners, into the
flock of this new company, which may be faid to have partly fprung
out of the ruins of theOftend company ; and many, or moft, of its fub-
fcribers and managers were for a long time foreigners and chiefly Bri-
tifh fubjedls ; the native Swedes being at firll unacquainted with that
trade : but by a fubfequcnt treaty or agreement, concluded between
the Swedifh court and our Englifli Eaft-India company, there were no
Britifli fubjeds, after a certain fixed term, to be employed in the fervice
of the Swedifli company.

The company have had their grant renewed, and continue annually
to fend one or two fhips to China : but as there is not confumption
enough in Sweden for their cargoes, both this company and that of
Denmark are faid to be very hurtful to our own and the Dutch Eaft-
India trade, by running in upon our widely-extended coafls, tea, china-
ware, filks, &c. and alib by fupplying foreign parts with fuch Eaft-India
goods as we formerly fent thither.

A law having been made in the 7th and Sth of King William III,
prohibiting the landing of any goods in Ireland, of the growth or pro-
dud of the Englifli American plantations, unlefs they were firfl; landed
in England, and paid the duties there : and that law being conflirued
to extend to all kinds of American merchandize, as well unenumerated
as enumerated, it was now explained fo far in favour of Ireland, ' that
' all goods from America, not enumerated, might in like fort be landed
' in Ireland, in Britifli fliips navigated agreeable to the navigation ads.'
[4. Geo. II, c. 15.] This was doing no more than putting Ireland on a
par with foreign countries in refped to inch unenumerated goods. The
enumerated commodities at this time were fugar, tobacco, cotton-woo],
indigo, ginger, dying-woods, melafles, rice, furs, copper-ore, pitch, tar,
turpentine, mafts, yards, and bowfprits, imported from, and the growth
and produd of, the Britifli American plantations ; all which muft firfl:
be landed in Great Britain, except the rice of Carolina, which may be
carried to any place fouth of Cape Finiflerre.

In the fame year an ad of parliament ordained, that all pleadings in
courts of juflice in England, and in the court of exchequer in Scotland,
fliould be in the Englifli language. The preamble declares, ' tliat
* many and great mifchiefs frequently happen to the fubjeds of this
' kingdom from the proceedings in courts of juflice being in an un-
' known language ; thofe who are fummoned and impleaded having
' no knowlege or underflanding of what is alleged for or againfl
' them in the pleadings of their lawyers and attorneys, who alfo ufe a
' charader not legible to any but perfons pradifing the law. All

A. D. 1731. 169

' pleadings therefor and writings muft henceforth be in the Englifh
' language (excepting in the court of admiralty) and not in Latin or
' French, and all deeds and other writings in a common legible hand
' and without abbreviations.' [4 Geo. Ill, c. 26.] Strange, that this
was not enadted long before.

The fecond penny, paid for penny-pofl: letters and parcels, when
carried beyond London, Weflminfter, and Southwark, and their re-
fpeftive fuburbs, and as far as within ten miles thereof, and not pafllng
by the general poft, and from thence tranfmitted by the pennv-poft,
which had before been voluntarily paid by the perfons receiving them,
was now legally confirmed ; becaufein many cafes the letter-carriers are
obliged to travel on horfeback to places at a confidcrable diflance from
London. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 2,3-~\

This fame year the Danifh or Norwegian colony, which was fent to
replant Old Greenland in the year 172 1, returned home, the cUmate
being found fo cold, and the country fo barren, that even Norwegians
could not live in it. Yet it feems the clergyman, who went out with
this colony, having converted about 600 of the native favages to the
chriftian religion, generoufly determined to remain with thofe poor
people for the benefit of their fouls. Rara avis in terns.

At this time the flates-general of the United Netherlands had a dif-
pute with the court of Denmark, about renewing the tarif, which fome
years ago expired, for regulating the toll to be paid by Dutch fliips
pafllng through the Sound. There is a proverb in Holland, that the
keys of the Sound are at Amfi:erdam. Yet thofe keys (i. e. a fhrong
fquadron of fliips of war to be fent annually to keep that paflage open)
being very coflly as well as hazardous, it was amicably made up on the
fame terms as before, and as we and other nations pay. It feeras evi-
dently the true intereft of the court of Denmark to aft with great
moderation towards the mercantile fliipping of the feveral nations of
Europe palling this Sound ; feeing that any new and extravagant
demands might unite fo many powerful opponents as would be able
to call in queftion the very foundation on which that toll has flood,
though for fo many ages pafi.

The king of Portugal this year gave permlllion for one fhip to make
only one voyage to Surat and the coafl. of Coromandel, and back to
Portugal, exclufive of all others ; for which end a company was efta-
bliflied, whofe capital was limited to 600,000 crufadoes : and the fub-
fcribers were, fome time after the return of the fhip, to be paid back
their principal and their dividend of the profits.

Hereupon the Britifli conful at Lifbon gave warning to all Britifli
fubjeds living in Portugal to avoid being any way concerned in this >

Vol. in. Y

170 A. D. 1731.

A'oyage ; as, by an aft of parliament of the 9th year of King George 1
(particularly aimed at the Oftend Eafl-India trade) fuch Britifli fubjeds
as fhould be concerned in foreign companies trading to the Eaft-Indies
ihould forfeit all their flock therein, and triple the value ; and any of
our king's fubjedls going to, or being found in, the Eail-Indies (other
than thofe of our Eafl-India company) were thereby declared guilty
of an high crime and mifdemeanor, &c. as has been fhewn under the
year 1723. And his warning had the defired effecSl.

During this year there were re-exported from the port of London
alone, in only two of the enumerated commodities imported from the
Britifh American colonies, 15,787,155 lb. weight avoirdupois of to-
bacco ; and 58,446 cwt. (of 112 pounds to the cwt.) or 6,545,952 lb.
weight of fugar ; which equally ferves to demonftrate the vafl benefit
ot our plantations to their mother country, and the vafl foreign com-
merce of the city of London, the whole exports thereof in this one
year confifting of no fewer than 105 articles, or different fpecies, of
merchandize ; many of which were very confiderable ones, — as in the
woollen manufaiflure alone, 894 fu its of apparel ; 22 16 pair of blankets;
3847 dozen of caps ; 10,437 dozen of caflors and felts ; cloths long
and fhort 4822 ; coverlids 385 ; flannel 48436 yards ; garments
1577 ; haberdafhery 827 cwt. ; hofe 7773 dozen ; kerfies and dozens
2319; perpets 1995 ; plains 9640 goads; rugs 713; fluffs and bays
38,915 pieces; befides vafl quantities of wheat, beans, peas, and oats;
bacon, bifcuit, cheefe, flour ; Eafl-India goods in vafl quantities ; iron,
copper, and brafs, ware, lead, and tin, tinned plates ; linen, threads, and
tapes, fail-cloth, &c.

And of London's imports there were 85 different fpecies of merchan-
dize, confifting of many forts of drugs, fpices, cotton, deer-fkins, ivory,
indigo, gums, goats-fkins, iron, many kinds of dying-woods and oils,
naval flores, rice, rum, turpentine, wine, wool, &c.

This year was concluded the famous treaty of Vienna, between the em-
peror Charles VI, the king of Great Britain, and the flates-general of
the United Netherlands, for a mutual guarantee of each others do-
minions ; and in a mofl efpecial manner,

• I) For guaranteeing with all their forces the order of fucceffion,
' which the emperor had eflabhflied by a folemn ad in the year 17 13,
* and again confirmed in 1724, in favour of primogeniture for all his
' heirs of both fexes, fo as that the eldeft of either fex fhall fucceed to
' all the hereditary dominions of the houfe of Auftria indivifibly for-
' ever,' commonly called the pragmatic fandion.

II) For the Spanifli infant Don Carlos eventually to fucceed to the
duchies of Tufcany, Parma, and Placentia. France afterwards agreed
to this pragmatic fanclion.

A. D. 1731. 171

III) The emperor, by the 5 th article of this treaty, engaged to caufe all
commerce and navigation to the Eafl-Indies to ceafe immediately and
forever in the Auftrian Netherlands, and in all the other countries
which were formerly under the dominion of Spain, in the time of King
Charles II *, in fuch manner that neither the Oftend company, nor any
other ihall at any time contravene this treaty. Excepting that the
Oflend company may fend for once only, two fliips to the Eafl-Indies,'-
which fhall return to Oftend, and there fell their cargoes.

IV) But, by a feparate article, the guarantees before-fpccified of each
others dominions, in the ifi: article of this treaty, are not to be extend-
ed to any diflurbance which the Turks may hereafter give to the domi-
nions of the houfe of Auftria. This lafl; was a very proper exception
in the two maritime powers to make ; flnce otherwife they might have
involved themfelves in war with the Ottoman porte, which would
throw their Turkey trade entirely into France, which has already con-
fiderably enlarged her trade to the Levant. \_Colle£iion of treaties,
V. iv, ed. 1733.]

The French, finding us not objed to their fort at Niagara in the Iro-
quois country, now ereded another at Crown-point, in the center of
that country, and within the undoubted limits of New-York colony ;
and this fort, as well as another ereded by them in the fame country,
named Ticonderoga, they held till both were taken by us in the year

1759-

The merchants trading to the Britifh fugar colonies, and the planters,
reprefented to the houfe of commons, that the Britifli continental colo-
nies carried on a trade with the fugar colonies of the French and Dutch,
from whence they were fupplied with fugar, rum, melaffes, &c. inflead
of thofe of our ownfugar colonies, as well as with foreign European goods
and manufadiures, contrary to the tenor or intention of the law^s in be-
ing, and of the treaty with France in the year 1686; and they alleged,
that, as this new trade (firfl cojnplained of in the year 171 5) increafed,
and enriched the colonies of other nations, fo it was injurious to the
ti-ade of this kingdom, and greatly impoveriflied the Britifli fugar colo-
nies ; and therefor they prayed for relief therein. Thereupon a com-
mittee was appointed, upon whofe report a bill was brought in, and
paffed the houfe of commons, for the better fecuring and encouraging
the trade of his majefly's fugar colonies. It was indeed dropped in the
houfe of peers : yet, as being a fubjedt of the greateft confequence to
our American commerce and colonies, we fhall exhibit an abftrad of
that bill as it was fent up to the houfe of peers, viz.

Sedion I) No fugar, rum, or melafles, of the plantations of foreign

* This claufe alio rcfpefts his dominions in Italy and Sicily yl.

Y2

172 A. D, 1731,

nations, fliall be imported into Britain or Ireland, or any of the king's
dominions in America, under forfeiture of lading, fhip, and furniture.

II) Aiders, affiflers, and receivers, in landing any fuch foreign fii-
gars, &c. to forfeit triple the value thereof.

III) The onus probandi, or proof that the fugar, 8cc. fo feized, was the
produd of the Britifh plantations, fliall lye on the proprietor of fuch
goods.

IV) Mafters of fhips, taking in, at fea, or in any creek, harbour, or
other place, any fuch foreign fugar, &c. in order to be landed in Great
Britain or Britifh America, fhall forfeit L200.

V, VI) The mafter of every fhip loading fugars, &c. at the Britifli
fugar colonies, bound to any other part of the king's dominions, fhall,
before he fails, deliver to the coUedor of the port a true account of his
lading, and take of him a certificate thereof, with the merchant's name
who fhipped them, and of him to whom configned ; and, when arrived
at his intended port, fliall take an oath and fign a true manifefl of his
lading.

VII, VIII) And whereas great numbers of horfes, and great quanti-
ties of lumber have been exported from our continental colonies to the
foreign fugar colonies, whereby they are enabled more eafily to carry
on their fugar plantations ; none fuch fhall be tranfported hereafter to
thofe foreign colonies : and when any fuch goods are to be fhipped from
the continental colonies, the mafler fhall give a bond for L500, that they
fhall not be carried to any foreign fugar colony, &c.

IX, X) Governors, cuflom-houfe ofUcers, &c. conniving at any fraudu-
lent importation of foreign fugars, 8cc. to forfeit L300.

XI) Nothing in this ad fhall extend to reftrain the ufual importation
of fugars from the dominions of Portugal.

Let us next, as briefly as poffible, hear the allegations on both fides
for and againfl: this bill.

In fupport of the bill, it was urged, b9th within doors and in fundry
pamphlets and newfpapers, that the northern colonifls had fupplied the
FrenchandDutch fugar colonies with fhipping,provifions,horfes, andlum-
ber.ever fince the peace of Utrecht, and that trade not only made thofe
neccffary commodities cheaper to them than they could have them any
where elfe, but alio obliged the importers to take in payment great quan-
tities of French and Dutch fugars, rum, and melaffes, to the infinite de-
triment of the Britifh fugar colonies ; and, what is flill more grievous
and detrimental to the i>ublic, that intercourfe affords our northern co-
lonies an opportunity of being fupplied with French European mer-
chandize which are prohibited by law.

The quantity of fugar now made in America being greater than Eu-
rope can confume, it is of confequence to us not to give foreigners a pre

A. D. 1731. 173

ference for the vent of their own produce, in any part of his majefty's
dominions.

The French having power (by the above treaty) to feize on our fliips
trading to their colonies, it is manifefl that it muft either be for their
advantage, or elfe from neceffity, that they fuffer it.

For the encouragement of our northern colonies to perfifl in that
trade, they have the rum and melafles from thofe foreign colonies, with-
out the high duties paid for them when imported into Britain. Melaffes
was formerly of little or no value to the French planter, (becaufe rum
was detrimental to France as interfering with the confumption of their
brandy) until the French found they could fell it to our colonifts, in re-
turn for timber, horfes, oxgn, and provifions, fo needful for them ;
whereby alfo they faved fo much money in fpecie; and even the money,
which our northern colonifts receive at our own fugar iflands in pay-
ment for their lumber, provifions, horfes, &c. is now carried to the
French fugar iflands for the purchafe of their melaffes and rum, near
one half of the goods carried from North-America to our own fugar
iflands, being now paid for in money, and not by barter, as formerly ;
whereby the French are enabled to increafe their fettlements, and alfo
their negro trade.

This intercourfe, moreover, enhances the price of negroes to our own
fugar colonies, as well as of provifions, lumber, &c. being a great dif-
couragement to them, and more efpecially to Jamaica and St. Chriflo-
phers, where there are large quantities of land for new fettlements.

There are perfons ftill living, who very well remember, that there
were great quantities of provifions and other requifites for planting, fent
from England to our fugar colonies, becaufe at that time our northern
colonies were not able fully to fupply them : wh..^reas now the chief be-
nefit, which the northv.rn colonies yield to their mother country, is
their being able to fupply our fugar colonies with thofe neceflaries much
cheaper than they could have them elfewhere : and our northern colo-
nies fhould be reftrided to thar way of trading to our Wefl-India ifles,
together with their fiflieries, and raifing naval ftores, flax, hemp, indigo,
&c. allowing them, hosvever, any other commerce to foreign countries,
not detrimental to their mother covmtry.

Whereas it is alleged by the northern colonifts, that, if they were re-
flrained from fupplying the French fugar ifles, they might be fupplied
with lumber, from their own continental fettlements at Mobile, Penla-
cola, and Fort Louis, in the bay of Apalachy, whereby they would be
encouraged to improve and people thofe colonies, and that of Miffifippi,
whence f bme fliips have already begun to carry lumber to the French fu-
gar iflands ; and with lumber, provifions, &c. from Canada. This the.
fugar-ifland advocates abfolutely denied, faying, moreover, that thofe
French continental colonies could not take off their rum and melafiTes

174 A. D. 1737,

in return ; and that Canada is a barren country, and its river only na-
vigable in the fummer months.

Whereas formerly we fupplied even France, as well as Holland, Ger-
many, Italy, &c. with fugars ; it is chiefly by the above means that we
are now almofl folely confined to the home confumption of Great Bri-
tain ; being in a great meafure excluded from Ireland, (by clandeftine
importations) and from our own American colonies, who, inftead of car-
rying their produd to our fugar colonies, as formerly, now carry the
fame to our rivals, in exchange for their rum and melafTes.

With refped to Barbados, in particular, they are at a great expenfe
in their fortifications and their militia, without any charge to the crown ;
befide the 4^ per cent in fpecie, which they pay to the crown on all their
exports, amounting to about Li 0,000 yearly. Moreover, Barbados
employs conftantly 1000 of our own feamen, and 10,000 tons of our
fhipping: and the kingdom gains annually from this fmall ifland L95,ooo
fterling. Whereas the French and Dutch pay much lower duties than
Britifh fiibjeds do, both at home and in their plantations.

Of late the Dutch have extended their colonies at Surinam, Efekebe,
and Barbicies, (places on the continent, in the province of Guiana) mak-
ing much greater quantities of fugar, rum, and melafles, than formerly ;
a great part of which they fell to our northern colonifts in return for
horfes, provifions, and lumber.

Laftly, it was afferted, that the produce of our fugar iflands may be
eftimated and valued at Li, 500,000 per annum, which is fo much addi-
tional wealth to Great Britain : and that the adual and dired: annual
gain arifing, one way or other, to Great Britain, from our fugar colo-
nies, can be no Ids than i ,200,000 per annum ; arifing from the vaft
quantities of Britifli manufactures confirmed by them, from the like ma-
nufadures and produd lent to the coafi; of Guinea for the purchafe of
negroes for the iflands, from the accumulated freight of the ftiipping
employed in thole two branches, the gain on the fugars re-exported, the
cufloms, the commiflion, the vidlualling and refitting of the fliips, &c.
It was alfo alleged, that four fifiihs of aU the gains of a fugar plantation
-center in Great Britain, and the other fift:h formerly centered in the
northern colonies fi)lely, but now one half of that fifth is taken away
in cafli, and carried to the French plantations, to buy their fugar, rum,
and melafles.

On the other hand, the following arguments were urged in behalf of
the Britifla northern colonies, viz. New-England, Rhode-ifland, New-
York, Pennfylvania, and the Jerfeys.

As all the fugar, rum, and melafles, of our fugar ifles are taken off at
high prices by Great Britain and the northern colonies, it would be very
impolitic to obftrud the later from taking melafl'es, and even rum, from
the French iflands, for the fupply of their Indian trade, and much more

A. D, I73I. ns

of their fifheries ; feeing our own fugar colonies are unable to fup-
p]y the great quantity of melalTes which thofe two trades demand ; more
efpecially as from the French iflands they receive in payment filver and
cacao, as well as melalTes, (but feldom fugar or rum) which filver comes
ultimately to Great Britain to pay for the balance of trade : and the
northern colonies diftill the melafles into rum for the above purpofes.

By this trade the northern colonies are enabled to make fuch confi-
derable remittances to England in ready money, as they could procure
nowhere elfe but by their traffic with the foreign colonies, as well as by
indigo, cacao, fugar, and rum, both from Britifh and foreign colonies ;
for enabling them to pay for the great quantities of our manufadures
which they yearly take of us.

If the northern colonies were not permitted to fupply the French
iflands with lumber, they could have them, though fomevvhat dearer,
from their own colonies in the bay of Apalachy ; and our horfes would
be of little or no ufe, if not bought up by the French, wlio, befides, could
have them (as alfo mules) from the coafts of New-Spain and New-
Andalufia, and from the Dutch ifland of Curacjoa.

The Britilli fugar ifles employ no fliips but for their own fugars and
fome few other commodities, and what afliftance they afford to the ne-
gro trade : whereas, for every fliip which they ufe, the northern colo-
nies employ ten at leaft, and not only ufe great quantities of Britifh
goods themfelves, but moreover fupply the Indian nations behind them
with vaft quantities thereof, whereby they afford employment to a
much greater number of hands in Great Britain than the fugar iflands
can do.

The late great improvements in the Dutch and French fugar colonies
are owing to their indufl;ry and frugality on one hand, and, on the
other, to the notorious luxury and extravagance of the people in our fu-
gar ifles, who, inflead of endeavouring to regain their former trade by
lowering their prices, would now gain it by force, by the help of an acS
of parliament compelling all the fubjecls of Great Britain, both at home
and in America, to take off their merchandize on their own terms, for
the fupport of the luxury and extravagance for which they have been fo
long famous. The high prices of their fugars have been the means
of lofing their former European markets ; and if they are to be
raifed fl;ill higher, they will lofe all that is yet left ; fo that in the
end the fubjeds of Great Britain alone mufl; fupport thofe people in
luxury and indolence. Barbados was formerly wont to trade with the
French and Dutch, and, by taking off" their fugars, prevented their
i'eeklng for other markets, whereby the Barbadians gained the fugar
trade almofl; entirely into their own hands : but they lofl: it again in the
year 1715 by laying a duty on foreign fugars, &c. too high to be fup-
ported. I

176

A.D. 173

The confumption of rum in New-England is fo great, that an author
on this fubjeft aflerts, that there have been 20,000 hogfheads of French
melafles manufadured into rum at Boflon in one year : and as every
gallon of melafTes will make a gallon of rum, this will amount to
1,260,000 gallons of rum in one year : fo vaft is the demand for that
liquor by their fifhery, and by the Indian trade. If then, the trade
from New-England to the French iflands was to be prohibited, how
much would our American fifliery and the Indian trade fuffer for want
of rum, feeing that all the rum from our own fugar colonies is now en-
tirely taken off by Great Britain and her colonies ? And if our north-
ern colonies fhould buy up all the melafles and rum which our fugar
iflands can make, then, not only the duty on rum imported into Bri-
tain and Ireland would be funk, which now produces a large fum, but
the French would bring their rum to the European markets, and would
probably run it in upon us. About 40 years ago (i. e. about the
year 1690) the melafles were entirely wafted in Jamaica, where they
produced fine fugars long before they made any rum, which they
at length learned to make from the Barbadians, and now make it bet-
ter than their teachers. At firft our northern colonies took off all that
they made ; but when they came to excell in the goodnefs of it, fo that
they found it would anfwer better to fend it to England, they raifed the
price fo high, that now very little of it is taken from Jamaica by our
northern colonies. In fine, if the northern colonies and Great Britain
now adually take off all the fugar, rum, and melaflTes, which our fugar
iflands can poffibly produce ; and our northern colonies moreover take
off fuch vaft quantities of rum and melafles from the French of Marti-
nico, and likewile get a great deal from Surinam, Guadaloupe, Granada,
Cape Francois, Cayenne, &c. fhould all but our own fugar, rum, and
melaffes, be abfolutly prohibited, many great inconveniences would fol-
low ; for I ft, we fhould lofe the employment of feveral thoufandtons of
Ihipping, in the trade between the northern colonies and thofe foreign fu-
gar colonies: 2dly, the northern colonies could not poffibly be fupplied
with near the quantity of rum and melafles which they need for carrying
on their moft profitable trades: 3dly,this would put a moft dangerous mo-
nopoly into the hands of our own fugar-planters, fo that the Indian and
fifhery trades of our colonies could not afford to pay the rates which
would be demanded, even fuppofing our iflanders could make fufKcient
quantities of thole goods for both the American and Britifli confump-
tion : 4thly, it would greatly increafe the French fhipping and naviga-
tion, not only in bringing lumber, horfes, &c. to their own fugar
iflands, but in carrying thence to Europe all their rum and melafles,
where no doubt they would find markets for them, as they already do
for their fugars, by underfelling us in Holland, and at Hamburgh, Cadiz,
&c. : 5thly, and if the complaint of the Barbadians be true, that their lands

A. D. 1731. 177

nre fo worn out, that it requires the labour of three negroes to produce as
much lugar as could formerly be raifed by the labour of one, they need
but remove to Jamaica, where they may have excellent frefh land enough ;
and as the value of fuch new land is a trifle, when compared to the va-
lue of the flock required for a fugar plantation, which is the main ar-
ticle for eftablifliing fuch a plantation, they have that entire to carry
along with them to Jamaica ; and the charge and trouble of their re-
moving thither would be amply compenfiited by the abundant produft
of thofe new lands, and which confequently would enable them to un-
derfell the French and Dutch plantations, the only feeming means left
for recovering the trade of the re-exportation of our fugars : 6thly,
from the foreign fugar colonies our northern colonifls bring back con-
fiderable quantities of gold and filver, along with their fugar, rum, and
melafles, whereby they are enabled to make payments for the vafl quan-
tities of produd and manufactures, which they take of their mother
country, and which, without this trade fo much complained of, they
could not pofTibly do. Laflly, to prohibit the northern colonifls from
purchafing of the foreign colonies their fugar, rum, and melafles, or
even to lay high duties on them, would utterly deflroy a commerce, with-
out which they cannot poffibly carry on their fifheries, their trade for
peltry with the Indians, or their navigation. Neither could they difpofe
of the produd of their lands and labour, a great part of the profits
whereof centers in Great Britain, in payment of the manufadures, &c.
they have from thence. Upon the whole, the fecret and real view of
the fugar iflands is to gain the abfolute monopoly of fugar and rum
(with refped to the fubjeds of Great Britain) to themielves ; that fo
they may have it in their power to exad what prices they fhall pleafe
from the buyers.

Notwithflanding all thefe plaufible allegations on both fides, in a mat-
ter of great importance to our commercial interefts, there was nothing
legally decided till the year 1733. And indeed, where fuch material al-
terations are required to be made in a long-eftablifhed, or even conniv-
ed, courfe of any important branch of commerce, great and ferious de-
liberation, and mature obfervation and confideration, feem abfolutely
requilite in a nation, whofe principal fupport depends fo miuch on com-
merce and plantations.

1732 — Byaftatuteof the5thyearofKingGeorgeII, [c. 17] one million
of money was paid off the South-lea company's capital flock, out of the
linking fund, from midfummer 1732 ; but the company having a large
bond debt, (occafioned by the mifmanagements in the year 1720) their
general court, inftead of dividing the money to the proprietors, agreed
to pay off one million of bonds therewith, whereby fo much of their
capital flock was annihilated, being 6'^ per cent, which \. as accordingly
written off from each proprietor's account.

Vol. III. Z

lyS A. D. 1732,

The manufadure of hats being long fince brought to perfedlon in
England, and great quantities thereof annually exported to foreign parts,
and particularly to the Britifh American plantations, till of Imc years,
that great quantities of hats have been made in the northern planta-
tions, and from thence exported to foreign markets, which were here-
tofore fupplied -herewith from Great Britain, for remedy thereof it was
enaded, that no hats or felts whatever fhould be exported from any of
the plantations to foreign parts, nor be loaden on any horfe, cart, or
other carriage, with that intent, under forfeiture thereof, and of L500
for every fuch offence, and aiders or abettors therein forfeit L40, and
cuftom-houfe officers, permitting entries of fuch hats to be made,
forfeit their office and L500. None are permitted to make hats in the
colonies, but fuch "as have ferved an apprenticefliip thereto of feven
years ; and no mailer to have at any time above two apprentices, nor
employ any negro in that manufacture. [5 Geo. //, c. 22.] The con-
veniences, in point of cheapnefs, which the Americans have beyond
their mother country, by the plenty of beaver, hare, ccney-wool, and
many other furs, gave them fuch advantages, that had they not been
thus reflrained, they would foon have fupplied all the world with hats.
And as our people are continually increasing in thofe plantations, we
can fcarcely too often inculcate the opinion of knowing and intelligent
men, that nothing will be able to prevent thofe people from manufac-
tures interfering with ours, but their being conftantly employed in raif-
ing naval ftores, and other rough materials for our own manufadures,
fuch as filk, flax, hemp, iron, &c. *

Confiderable quantities of coffee being by this time produced in, and
imported from, Jamaica into Britain, the legiflature, for its encourage-
ment in our Britilh plantations, reduced the inland duty thereof coming
from thence, (but of none other) from 2/ to i/5 per lb. weight. [5 Geo.
IT, c. 24.] It feems that the French at Martinco, Hifpaniola, and at the
Ifle de Bourbon near Madagafcar, had fomewhat the ftart of us in this
new produdion, as had alfo the Dutch at Surinam ; yet none fuch as yet
comes up to the coffee of Arabia, from whence all the reft of the world
originally had theirs. But in length of time, our people, as well as thofe
of other nations, may bring it to perfedion, whereby our colonies will
be the better enabled to takeoff more of our product and manufadures,
■while we fhall fave a great deal of the price we now pay for the coffee
of the Eaft.

The South-fea company again ventured to fend out their remaining 2 1
fhips on the whale fifliery. It was the laft attempt they made for recover-
ing to Great Britain that valuable branch of trade, as finding themfelves

* What did thofe knowing and intelligent men propofe that the Americans fhould do, when their
ipcreafcd population fliould produce more filk, flax, hemp, iron, &c. than could be fold as rough ma»
tirials? M. 2

A. D. 1732. 179

to be very great lofers thereby. Thofe fhips brought home 24I whales ;
which hkewile proved a very lofing voyage.

And now that company, having ventured fully as far as (and many
thought farther than) in prudence they ought to have done in the whale
fifliery, in confideration of their having, for eight years together, been
confiderable lofers, thought it high time to lay it alide entirely. Where-
for they fold off all their fhips, ftores, and utenfils : and upon finally
ftating the accounts of this filliery, it appeared,

That their total difburfements on account of the Greenland whale
fifhery in the eight years, amounted to - L262,i72 9 6

And the total amount of the fale of their oil and
whale-fins, as alfo of the fale of all their fhips, ftores,
and utenfils, was but - _ - * 84,390 6 6

So the net lofs fuflained by this Greenland fifhery,
in principal money alone, (without reckoning the in-
terefl on the money advanced in each of the eight
years) was _ ^ . Li 77,782 3 o

It has been ufually computed, that, if a Greenland fhip brought home
but three whales, it would be a reafonably-gainful voyage : but mofl
unfortunately for the South-fea company, they had not, in all the eight
years fifhery, brought home at the rate of one entire whale per fhip,
taking one year with another. It has, moreover, been a maxim among
the whale-fifhing adventurers, that one good fifhing year in feven, ufu-
ally makes up the lofles of fix preceding bad years. But it was very
unhappy that all thofe eight years happened to be bad, not only to the
company, but to moft of the adventurers of other nations. It muft,
however, be allowed by all, that this company, by fuflaining fo great a
lofs in endeavouring to promote fo national a benefit, has greatly merit-
ed the favour of the public ; and, moreover, that, if this fifliery could
have been brought to be profitable to the company, it would mofl cer-
tainly have been a gainful one to the nation, as will plainly appear in
the following refpeds, viz.

By faving great fums of money font annually beyond fea for the pur-
chafe of oil and whalebone, which we abfolutely cannot be without.

By building and employing fo great a number of flout fhips as probably
this company would have employed, (perhaps fo far as 100) had fuc-
cefs attended their fifhery.

By the great number of good feamen, of whom this fifliery is allow-
ed to be an excellent nurfery ; the company adually employing annu-
ally 950 to 1 100, befides thofe employed at the dock in fail-making and
in the rope-vard, cooperage, 8cc.

7. 2

i8o A. D. 1732.

Ey the number of fliip-builders, coopers, rope-makers, fail-makers,
and labourers ; and alfo the employment given to butchers, bakers,
brewers, diftillers, painters, fmiths, turners, flop-fellers, fliip-chandlers,
and all the other numerous trades depending on the outfit of fliipping.

Laflly, by the benefit accruing to the landed interefl from the great
quantity of provifions of various kinds, confumed by the men in thofe
fliips, as well as to the public revenue by the excife and cuftoms paid
for liquors and many other things ufed in this trade.

Now, if from laying afide this one fmall branch of trade, fo many
perfons were difmifled to the wide world, to fliift for themfelves and
families ; and fo many trades and occupations were to fuffer a confider-
able diminution of their former annual emoluments ; (as by the print
of Hercules's foot, they framed a judgement of his whole bulk and fla-
ture) we are, in fome meafure enabled, on the one hand, to frame an
idea of the vafl profit arifing to this nation from its prefent general and
total foreign commerce : as, on the other hand, we may form a clear
judgement of the inexpreffible mifery, depopulation, and defolation,
which a general decay of commerce would bring upon this now happy
nation. It may not therefor be amifs, on this occafion, to exhibit the
whole quantity of the provifions of all kinds expended by the South-fea
conipany in their eight years whale -fifhery, as a farther (though but
fraallj teftimony of the benefits accruing to the public by our naviga-
tion and commerce, viz. beef and pork 1380 hundred weight 2 quar-
ters 15 pounds: beer 466 tons i barrel 22 gallons: flockfifli 10 tons
9 cwt. 37 quarters: brandy 1758^ gallons ; butter 448 firkins; cheefe
240 cwt. 3 quarters 2 lb. ; peas and oatmeal 1 157I- bufliels ; bread and
flour 1044 cwt. 2 quarters 14 lb. j grout or grots no hogflieads. All
which provifions coft the company no lefs a fum than L43,768 : 2 : 3.

The Dutch Eafl;-India company refolved to make a dividend of 25
per cent to their proprietors for this year, to be paid in May i y23'
This fliews the great profits, as well as the prudent management, of that
company, who (it is laid) never yet divided at any one time the entire
profits they made by their vaft commerce, but always referved what we
call a neft-egg, for accidents. While, on the other hand, the Dutch
Wefl:-Tndia company, who at firfl:, and for fome time, made vaft profits
by their commerce, took a quite contrary courfe, by making large and
extravagant dividends, which raifed the nominal, but depreffed the real
and intrinfic, value of their ftock. So that when their firft diflficulty
came upon them from the Portuguefe, in the middle of the laft century,
they had not means fuflicient to prevent their being driven out of
Brafil, to their inexpreflible lofs. And the like happened to that com-
pany a few years after, when they were driven out of New-York and
New-Jerfey, and hundreds of families who had ventured their all in that

A. D. 1732. 181

company were undone. A leflbn for all fuch trading companies to ufe
the greateft caution in their dividends.

In this fame year Pope Clement XII erecled his city of Ancona, on
the Adriatic fhore, into a free port for all nations, beftowing on fuch
perfons and families as fhould fettle there, fundry confiderable exemp-
tions from taxes and burdens, and from duties, &c. on fuch foreign
fhips as fhould refort to that port for commerce. This has fince had
fome confiderable effect, that city and port being now more frequented
than formerly

The profperity of the kingdom of Ireland being very much for the
intereft and glory of Great Britain, the wealth, flrength, and populouf-
nefs, thereof undoubtedly contributing to our own; we fhall here ob-
ferve, that an ingenious anonymous piece was publiflied this year, in
vindication of that country from the clamours raifed about the clandef-
tine trade of running wool and woollen goods from Ireland to foreign
parts, with the befl remedy for the fame, (in a Letter to a member of parlia-
ment.)

In general the author undertakes to fhew, that, though the quantity
of wool and woollen yarn fent from Ireland to England be lefs at pre-
fent than formerly, and is dayly decreafmg, yet it is not occafioned by a
greater quantity thereof being run beyond "fea, but from other cauies ;
which he introduces by fhewing the total quantities of wool and yarn
imported into England in different periods, from 1687 downward; and
that, in proportion to the gradual decreafe of that importation, Ireland
generally has increafed in people ; becaufe, meeting with other employ-
ment, firft by tillage, and fince by their linen manufadurcs, they have
bred much fewer fheep, having turned much of their flieep-walks into
tillage, and the paflure fit for black cattle and horfes.

He obferves, that in the year 1672 the people of Ireland were com-
puted to amount to 1,100,000, and in 1684 ^^^^J "^^'^''^ 1,200,000 : that
foon after King William's reduclion of Ireland they did not exceed
1 ,040,000, (occafioned doubtlefs by fo many of their papifts going be-
yond fea to France, Spain, &c.) But that in the year 1725 they were
rifen again to at leall 1,670,000 people. That the devaffation in 1641,
and the encouragement given to papifls towards the end of King Charles
IPs reign, difcouraged proteftants from fettling there ; and thofe there
already being indolent, by reafon of the cheapnefs of land and provi-
fions, the bulk of their lands (the people being few) was employed in
grazing cattle and fheep, which occafioned a great increafe of the ex-
portation of wool to England : that the great increafe of people there
about the year 1725, by the increafe of their linen and other manufac-
tures, having brought thither much more wealth, more tillage was
wanted, and the fheep-walks were much lefiened. Th^s he thinks xi
evident, that the decreafe of the importation of wool and yarn to Eng-

i82 A. D. 1732.

land does not proceed from a greater, or indeed fo great, a quantity
thereof being at this time run beyond fea, but merely from the biter
caufes, and alfo from the increafe of dairies, and from the confumption
of more fheep and wool, to feed and clothe their people.

It was therefor a very wife meafure in England to encourage the
linen and hempen manufactures of Ireland, as the only effedtual way to
employ their poor, and prevent the increafe of their wool, as may be
feen by the few {heep that are now in the linen counties, compared to
former times, more particularly in the province of Ulfter, wherein the
linen manufacture is univerfally fpread, they not having -fheep enow to
fupply their markets with food, nor the people with clothing. In mod
part alfo of the other three provinces of Ireland, the fheep-walks are
conftantly decreafing, and tillage, dairy, and feeding of black cattle and
horfes, increafing along with the linen manufacture, fpreading faft into
mod counties. And, though it is not denied, that fmall quantities of
wool, and its manufactures, are ftill clandeftinely exported, yet it does
not go out in fuch quantity as has been imagined from the decreafe of
the export of wool and yarn to England. Our brethren of England
may therefor fee, (fays this ingenious irifhman) that, if prudent mea-
fures be taken, Ireland in a little time will have no more wool, nor
Woollen manufacture, than is neceffary for its own confumption.

Thus, continues he, even the greateft part of the wool of Ireland is
■now neceffary to employ the clothiers in Dublin, who fupply moft parts
of that kingdom with woollen goods. It is alfo certain, that moft of
the woollen and bay yarn fpun in the weft of Ireland, as well as a great
. quantity from Dublin, is exported to England.

We {hall only add hereunto, that, as the quantity of all kinds of linen
imported into the port of London alone, in only the year 1731, was
very near 14 millions of ells, from Holland, Germany, and the Eaft
country, the greateft part of which is again exported to our plantations
in America and our factories in Africa, &c. and as the poor of Scot--
land and Ireland generally live nearly as cheap as the poor in thofe
foreign countries, it is to be hoped, that all manner of encouragement
will be given (as indeed has in a great meafure al«^ady been done) for
their manufacturing the fame, inftead of foreign nations ; but moft
efpecially inftead of the people of Ruflia, Poland, and Pruftia, to whom
we pay a great annual balance in money for their linen, naval ftores,
&c.

The number of fliips belonging to the port of London, according to
Mr. Maitland's account for the year 1732, which, in his Survey of Lon-
don, he fays was taken from the general regifter at the cuftom-houfe,
was 1417 veffels from 15 to 750 tons, containing 178,557 tons, and
navigated by 21,797 men : of which ftiips there were 130 from 300 to

A. D. 1732. 18^

500 tons, and 83 from 200 to 300 tons ; all the reft were under 200 tons,
excepting the South-fea company's great fhip of 750 tons.

The cargoes of ten Dutch Eaft-India fhips which arrived this year
from Batavia, may be worth recording in this work, viz. 10,700 pieces of
filk fluffs, and 81,985 lb. weight of Bengal raw lilk ; 86,515 pieces of
cahcoes ; 1,419,427 lb. of black, white, and long, pepper ; 653,552 lb.
tea ; 389,940 lb. nutmegs ; 1 36,906 lb. mace ; 1 28,000 lb. of cinnamon i
924,341 lb. fugar, powdered and candied ; 80,000 pots candied nut-
megs; 6850 lb. of cardamums ; 1,872,375 lb. Java coffee; 52001b.
cubebs ; 592,0281b. faltpetre ; 11,700 lb. benzoin; 1015 lb. borax;
200 lb, aguil-wood ; 285,069 lb. Caliatour-wood ; 125,4191b. cowries;
72,843 lb. cotton-yarn ; 17,100 lb. gumlack ; 1500 pieces of walking
canes; 11,222 lb. indigo; 21,487 lb. curcuma; 1810 lb. mother-of-
pearl; 1445 lb. China-root; 556,215 lb. Sapan-wood ; 64 lb. powder
of pearl ; 23,600 lb. Malacca tin; and 67,141 lb. Siam tin; (befides a
rough diamond, 2 diamond rings, and 2 gold boxes).

This year a number of gentlemen of diflindion and worth fet on foot
one of the mofl difmterefted, charitable, and benificent, defigns that was
ever undertaken. Hitherto all our American colonies were profeffedly
planted for the immediate benefit of the undertakers : but this was
Iblely for a national and charitable purpofe, without any other benefit
to the undertakers than what refults from the pleafure of doing good.
Moll of them were members of parliament, who having lately had occa-
fion to obferve the mifery of the prifoners, confined in our gaols for
debt, were thence moved with compaflion for the relief of fuch unfor-
tunate objeds, who, were they fettled in fome new colony in our plant-
ations, might, inflead of a burden and difgrace, prove a great benefit
to the nation ; and that moreover many perfecuted proteftants from be-
3'ond fea might take the benefit of inch a colony for fetting up their reffc
there, with the free enjoyment of their civil and religious liberties.
7here was a great part of the charter-limits of South-Carolina, next to
Florida, ftill unplanted, which it was highly the jnterefl; of Great Bri-
taiia to occupy, and plant as foon as pollible, left either the Spaniards
from Florida, or the French behind it, from the Mifiifippi, fliould feize
on and plant what they fo found unoccupied ; more efpecially as the
later people greatly lament their not having a footing on any part of
the eaftern fhores of North-America, fo as to communicate more cafily
with their fugar-iflands, their voyages to and from their Miflifippi colony
being by no means fo convenient for carrying provifions, lumber, &c.
which therefor they were ftill obliged to take from our Britilh conti-
nental colonies. This vacancy then was judged abfolutely requifite to
be filled up as foon as poffible.

Thefe reafons were fuflicicntly cogent for gentlemen of fo public-
fpirited a charader and difpofition to make the attempt. But firft they

1 84 A. D. 1732.

were to be authorized by his majefly's perpetual charter, which they
obtained on the 9th of June this year ; empowering 2 1 gentlemen by
name, and fuch others as they fhould from time to time elect into their
body, to be truftees for eflablifhing the colony, therein named Georgia
in America, bounded between the mod northern flream of the river
.Savannah, and the mod Ibuchern ftream of the river Alatamaha, ftretch-
ing above 100 miles along the fea-coafl, and extending weflvv^ard from
the heads of the faid rivers in diredl lines to the South lea, with the
iflands within 20 leagues of the fea-coaft. The truftees were empower-
ed to receive and manage the contributions of all perfons and corpora-
tions inclined to give money for tranfporting people to, and fettling
them in, the faid country. This corporation was made capable in law
to hold and purchafc lands, &c. in Great Britain, to the value of Liooo
yearly, and in America to an unlimited value, for the faid charitable
purpoie. Their common-council to confift of 1 5 perfons, with power
to make them up 24, as they afterwards did. They were to pay annu-
ally to the crown 4/" for every 100 acres of land granted to the planters,
the quit- rent to begin to be paid 10 years after the refpedive dates of
fuch grants. Georgia to remain forever an independent province;
fave only that its militia fliall be commanded by the governor of South-
Carolina : but the government of the colony in other refpects to be in
the truftees for 21 years, at the expiration of which it was to be vefted
in the crov/n. Liberty of confcience and freedom of worfhip allowed
to all its inhabitants, papifts alone excepted. Lands to be granted to
any perfon, not exceeding joo acres, on fuch terms as to the common-
council ftiould feem proper. No truftiee to hold lands nor office in
Georgia. The grants of lands to be regiftered here in the office of the
auditor of the plantations. With refpecl to the progrefs made by thofe
truftees, it may be truely faid, that they took all poffible pains for exe-
cuting the truft : they ereded two good towns. Savannah and Frederica,
at the north and fouth extremities of the province, belides feveral vil-
lages and fmall forts, and one more confiderable one among the Indians,
called Augufta, with a fmall garrifon for the protedion of the Indian
trade, 240 miles weft from the fea, up the river Savannah. They made
a common nurfery-garden of white mulberry trees, for the produdion
of ftlk. They procured foreign vine-dreflers to improve the native
vines, which in great abundance run up the talleft trees, and bear fmall
grapes ; and they have alfo lent thither many forts of vines from Eu-
rope; as alfo fome Piedmontefes, fkilled in the winding of filk, and
tending the filk-worms. For feveral years alfo they and other loi-ds
and gentlemen, by fubfcription, maintained a travelling proteflbr of
botany for colleding the moll pretious plants and feeds in various
American climates, to be tranfplanted to Georgia. Yet, by having
feveral idle drones, drunkards, and downright rogues, the profperity of

A. D.I 732. 185

this colony was at firil much retarded, as it was aho by frequent alarms
from the Spaniards ; and, it muft be confefled, in part alfo, by an ill-
judged, though well-meant, Utopian fcheme for limiting the tenure of
lands, and for the exclufion of negro flaves, both which miflakes have
fnice been reftified, By the planting of Georgia, Carolina has felt the
benefit of being able to run out (as they term itl much land, which, till
that new frontier barrier was eflablifhed, they had no inclination to do,
whereby thofe lands have been raifed to five times their former value
about Port-royal, and toward the river Savannah, Georgia, therefor,
cannot fail to be of great fervice to us on many accounts. The Britifli
navy may, in its bays and harbours, in cafe of a war, fafely lie in wait
for the Spanifli galleons, or for the French from Miffifippi, in going to
Europe through the dangerous gulf of Florida, while the neighbouring
Spanifh port of St. Augufline is almofl choaked up with fimd. The
truftees of Georgia ereded a fort in the nation of the Upper Creeks,
almofl 400 miles from the fea, and not above 40 miles from the nearefl
French fort in Miflifippi, whereby all that traft of country is kept pof-
fefTion of for us.

Georgia produces a great variety of excellent plants and drugs ;
orange trees in fome parts of it : great plenty of horfes and black cattle
are already raifed ; and the Saltfburgers of Ebenezer long fmce raifed
more corn than they confumed. There is plenty of wild fowl, and alfo
lifh on its coafls. And fince it has fallen under the government of the
crown, it gradually increafes in people and improvements more and
more.

The court of Spain was this year put upon a projedl for ereding an
Eaft-India company, to trade to the Philippine ifles diredly from Cadiz,
by the Cape of Good Hope. And though it co'^cerned all the other
European nations trading to India, yet it more efpecially concerned the
Dutch, to oppofe it, as it is diredly contrary to the later part of the 5th
article of the treaty of Munfler, in the year 1648, between Spain and
ihem ; and as the fame article was lately fuccefsfully made ufe of againfl
the Oftend company of the Spanifh or Auflrian Netherlands, it may be
yet more firongly oppofed to the eredfion of this new company, viz.
' it is ftipulated and agreed, that the Spaniards Ihall confine their navi-
' gation in the Eaft -Indies in flich manner as it is at pretent pofleffed
by them, without having it in their power to extend the fame any
' farther : as, alfo, the inhabitants of the Netherlands Ihall abflain
' from frequenting thofe places which belong to the Cafblians in the
' Eaft-Indies.' Now the Eaft-India trade, as then .pofTefTed by Spain,
was pradifed folely from New- Spain to the Philippines, and back to
the port of Acapulco ; but no Eaft-India trade at all from Spain by the
way of the Cape of Good Hope : wherefor the Dutch at: this time moft

Vol. III. A a

i86 A. D. 1732.

juftly and zealoufly, and in the end effedixally, oppofed fo palpable a
contravention of that treaty.

Purfuant to an order of the Br itifh houfe of commons, direded to the
lords commiflloners of trade and plantations in the later end of the
lafl, or the beginning of this year, relating to the diipute ftiil fubfifting
between the fiigar colonies, and the northern continental colonies of
America, that board reported, with refped to laws made, manufac-
tures fet up, or trade carried on, there, detrimental to the trade, naviga-
tion, or manufadures, of Great Britain, as follows, viz.

With refpeft to the laws, it is premifed, ' that many of the Britifli

* colonies in America are immediately under the government of the
' crown, namely, Nova-Scotia, New-Hampfhire, the Jerfeys, New-York,
' Virginia, the two Carolinas, Bermudas, the Bahama iflands, Jamaica,
' Barbados, and the Leeward iflands. Others are veiled in proprietors,

* as Pennfylvania, Maryland ; and not long fince the Bahamas, and the
' two Carolinas alfo.

' There are likewife three charter governments. The chief of thefe

* is Maflachufets-bay, called New England, the conftitution whereof is

* of a mixed nature, where the power feems to be divided between the

* king and the people, but in which the people have much the greater
' fhare ; for here the people do not only choofe the afTembly, as in other

* colonies, but the allembly choofes the council alfo, and the governor
' depends on the afTembly for his annual fupport, which has too fre-
' quently laid the governors of this province under temptations of giv-

* ing up the prerogative of the crown, and the interefl; of Great Britain.
' The two remaining provinces, Connedicut and Rhode-illand, are
' charter governments alfo, or rather corporations, where almoll the
' whole power of the crown is delegated to the people ; for they choofe
' their aflembly, their coimcil, and their governor, likewife annually,
' and hold little or no correfpondence with our office.

' It is not furpriling that governments, conftituted like thefe laft
' mentioned, Ihould be guilty of many irregularities in point of trade,
' as well as in other refpeds.

' All thefe colonies, however, by their feveral conftitutions, have the
' power of making laws for their better government and fupport, pro-
' vided they be not repugnant to the laws of Great Britain, nor detri-
' mental to their mother country.

' And thefe laws, when they have regularly pafled the council and
' aflembly of any province, and received the governor's afient, become
' valid in that province, repealable, however, by his majefly in council,

* upon jufl complaint, and do not acquire a perpetual force, unlefs con-
' firmed by his majefly in council.

' But there are fome exceptions to this rule in the proprietary and
' charter governments •, for in the province of Pennfylvania they are

A. D. 1732. 187

only obliged to deliver a tranfcript of their laws to the privy council
v/ithin Jive j'ears after they are pafled ; and if his majefly does not think
fit to repeal them in Jix months from the time fuch tranfcript is fo de-
livered, it is not in the power of the crown to repeal them afterwards.

* In the Maflachufets-bay alfo, if their laws are not repealed within
three yea^s after they have been prefented to his majefly, for his ap-
probation or difallowance, they are not repealable by the crown after
that time.

' The provinces of Maryland, Connedicut, and Rhode-ifland, not
being under any obligation by their refpedive conftitutions, to return
authentic copies of their laws to the crown for approbation or difal-
lowance, or to give any account of their proceedings, we are very little
informed what is doing in any of thefe governments.

' All the governors of the colonies, who ad under the king's appoint-
ment, ought, within a reafonable time, to tranfmit home authentic
copies of the feveral ads by them palled, to go through a proper ex-
amination.

* The following complaints have, however, been lately made to this
board againft fome plantation-laws, viz.

' In Maflachufets-bay an ad was made to encourage the manufad;ui-e
of paper, which law interferes with the profit made by the Britifli
merchant on foreign paper fent thither, being almoft the only fort of
paper fent thither.

' In New- York there is a duty of L2, (or five ounces of filver) laid
on all negroes imported from Africa, and of L4 on all negroes import-
ed from any other place.

* In New-England, New- York, Connedicut, Rhode-ifland, Pennfyl-
vania, and in the county of Somerfet, in Maryland, they have fallen
into the manufadure of woollen cloth and linen cloth, for the ufe of
their own families only.

* For the produd of thofe colonies being chiefly cattle and grain, the
eftates of the inhabitants depended wholely on farming, which could
not be managed without a certain quantity of flieep ; and their wool
v.'ould be entirely loft, were not their fervants employed during win-
ter in manufaduring it for the ufe of their families.

' Flax and hemp being likewife eafily raifed, the inhabitants manu-
fadured them into a coarfe fort of cloth, bags, traces, and halters, for
their horfes, which they found did more fervice than thofe they had
from any part of Europe. However, the high price of labour in ge-
neral in America rendered it impradticable for people there to ma-
nutidure their linen cloth at lets than 20 per cent more than the rate
in England, or woollen cloth at lefs than 50 per cent dearer than that
which is exported from hence for fale. It were to -be wiflied, that
lome expedient might be fallen upon to divert their thoughts from

A a 2

1 88 A. D. 1732.

' undertakings of this natiire j fo much the rather, becaufe tliolc ma-

' nufadures, in procefs of time, may be carried on in a greater degree,

' unlefs an early flop be put to their progrefs, by employing them in

' naval (lores. Wherefor we take leave to renew our repeated propo-

* fals, that reafonable encouragement be given to the fame. More-
' over^ we find that certain trades carried on, and manufadures fet up
' there, are detrimental to the trade, navigation, and manufactures of

* Great Britain. For the ilate of thofe plantations varying almofl every

* year, more or lefs, in their trade and manufadures, as well as in other
' particulars, we thought it neceflaay for his majefty's fervice, and for

* the difcharge of our truft, from time to time, to fend certain general
' queries to the feveral governors in America, that we might be the

* m.nre exadly informed of the condition of the plantations, among

* which there were feveral that related to their trade and manufadures,
' to which we received the following returns, viz.

' The governor of New-Hampfhire, in his anfwer, faid, that there
' were, no fettled manufadurcs in that province, and that their trade
' principally confifled in lumber and fifh.

' The governor of Maflachufets-bay informed us, that in fome parts
' of this province the inhabitants worked up their wool and flax into
' an ordinary coarfe cloth for their ovv-n ufe, but did not export any.
' That the greateft part of the woollen and linen clothing, worn in this
' province, was imported from Great Britain, and fometimes from Ire-
' land ; but, confidering the excelFive price of labour in New-England,
' the merchants could afford what was imported cheaper than what was

* made in that country. That there were alfo a few hat-makers in the
' maritime towns ; and that the greater part of the leather ufed in that
' countiy was manufadured among themfelves ; that there had been
' for many years fome iron works in that province, which had afforded
' the people iron for fome of their neceflary occalions ; but that the
' iron imported from Great Britain was efteemcd much the befl;, and
' wholely ufed by the (hipping. And that the iron works of that pro-
' vince were not able to fupplythc twentieth part of what was neceflary
' for the ufe of the country.

' They had no manutadures in the province of New-York, that de-

* ferved mentioning : their trade confiftcd chiefly in furs, whalebone,
' oil, pitch, tar, and provifions.

' No mannfadures in New-Jerfey, that deferve mentioning : their

* trade being chiefly in provifions fhipped from New-York and Penn-

* fylvania.

' 'I'he chief trade of Pennfylvania lay in the exportation of provifions
' and lumber ; no manufadurcs being eftabliflied, and their clothing
' and utenfils for their houfes being all imported from Great Britain.

* By further advices from New-Hampfl\ire, the woollen manufadure

A. D. 1732. 189

appears to have decreafed, the common lands on which the fheep ufed
to feed, being now appropriated, and the people almoftwholely clothed
with woollen from Great Britain. The manufadure of flax into linen,
fome coarfer, fome finer, dayly increafed by the great refort of people
from Ireland thither, who are well fkilled in that bufmefs. And the
chief trade of this province continued, as for many years part, in the
exportation of naval flores, lumber, and fifli.

' By later accounts from MalTachufets-bay in New-England, the af-
fembly have voted a bounty of 30/* for every piece of duck or canvas
made in the province. Some other manufadures are carried on there,
as brown Hollands for women's wear, which leiTens the importation
of calicoes, and fome other forts of Eafi: -India goods. They alio make
fome fmall quantities of cloth, made of linen and cotton, for ordinary
fliirting and fheeting. By a paper-mill fet up three years ago, they
make to the value of L200 flierling yearly. There are alio feveral
forges for making bar iron, and fome furnaces for call; iron, or hollow
ware, and one flitting mill, and a manufadure of nails.
' The governor writes concerning the woollen manufadure, that
the country people, who uied formerly to make moft of their cloth-
ing out of their own wool, do not now make a third part of what they
wear, but are mofl;ly clothed with Britiih manufadures. The fame
governor, (Belcher) by fome of his letters of an older date, in anfwer
to our annual queries, writes, that there are fome few copper mines
in this province, but fo far diftant from water-carriage, and the ore fo
poor, that it is not worth the digging. The furveyor-general of his
majefty's woods WTites, that they have in New-England fix furnaces
and nineteen forges for making iron ; and that in this province
many fhips are built for the French and Spaniards, in return for rum,
melafles, wines, and filks, which they truck there by connivance.
Great quantities of hats are made in New-England, of which the com-
pany of hatters of London have likewiie lately complained to us.
That great quantities of thoie hats are exported to Spain, Portugal,
and our Weft-India iflands. The> alio make all forts of iron work
for fliipping. There are feveral fiill-houfes and fugar-bakers eftablifh-
ed in New-England.

' By later advices from New-York, there are no manufadares there
that can afFed thofe of Great Britain. There is yearly imported into
New-York a very large quantity of the woollen manufadures of this
kingdom, for their clothing, which they would be rendered incap-
able to pay tor, and would be reduced to the neceffity of making for
themfelves, if they were prohibited from receiving from the foreign
fugar colonies, the money, rum, fugar, melalfes, cacao, indigo, cotton-
wool, &c. which they at prefent take in return for pi;ovifions, horles,
and lumber, the produce of that province, and of New-Jerfey, of

19© A. D. 1732.

* which, he" affirms, the Britifli fugar colonies do not take off above one
' half. But the company of hatters of London have fince informed us,

* that hats are manufaclured in great quantities in this province.

* By the laft letters from the deputy-governor of Pennfylvania, he does

* not know of any trade carried on in that province, that can be injuri-

* ous to this kingdom. They do not export any woollen or linen ma-
' nufadures ; all that they make, which are of a coarfer fort, being for

* their own ufe. We are farther informed, that in this province are

* built many brigantines and fmall Hoops, which they fell to the Weft-

* Indies.

* The governor of Rhode-ifland informs us, in anfwer to our queries,

* that there are iron mines there ; but not a fourth part iron enough to
' ferve their own ufe. But he takes no notice of any fort of manufac-

* ture fet up there.

* No return from the governor of Connedicut. But we find by fome

* accounts, that the produce of this colony is limber, boards, all forts

* of Englifh grain, hemp, flax, flieep, black cattle, fwine, horfes, goats,

* and tobacco. That they export horfes and lumber to the Weft-Indies,

* and receive in return, lugar, fait, melalles, and rum. We likewife

* find that their manufadures are very inconfiderable ; the people there

* being generally employed in tillage ; fome few in tanning, fhoemak-

* ing. and other handicrafts ; others in building, and joiner's, tailor's,

* and fmith's, work, without which they could not fubfift.'

No report is made concerning Carolina, the Bahama nor the Bermu-
da ifles : and as for Newfoundland it isfcaixely to be called a plantation,
and Hudlbn's-bay not at all.

* By the laft returns which we have had from the fugar illands, we
' do not find that they have any other manufactures eftabliftied, befides

* thofe of fugar, melafles, rum, and indigo, of their own produce.

* Thefe, with cotton, aloes, pimento, and fome other produdions of

* lefs note, are their whole dependence, which are "commodities noway

* interfering with the manufadurea of this kingdom. In the year 1724,
' Mr. Worfley, then governor of Barbados informed us, that of cotton
' they made hammocks, a few ftockings, and nets for horfes.

* From the foregoing ftate, it is obfervable, that there are more trades

* carried on, and manutadures fet up, in the provinces on the continent
' of America to the northward of Virginia, prejudicial to the trade and

* manufadures of Great Britain, particularly in New-England, than in
' any other of the Britifti colonies ; which is not to be wondered at :
' for their foil, climate, and produce, being pretty near the fame with
' ours, they have no ftaple commodities of their own growth to ex-
' change for our manufadures ; which puts them under greater necef-

* fity, as well as under greater temptation, of providing for themfelves at
home) to which may be added, in the charter governments, the little

A. D. 1732. T91

' dependence they have upon the mother country, and confequently
' the fmall reftraints they are under in any matters detrimental to her
' interefls.

' And therefor, we would humbly beg leave to report and fubmit
' to the wifdom of this honourable houfe, the fubftance of what we
' formerly propofed in our report on the filk, linen, and woollen, manu-
' fadures herein before recited ; namely, whether it might not be ex-
' pedient to give thofe colonies proper encouragements for turning their

* induftry to fuch manufidures and produifis as might be of fervice to
' Great Britain, and more particularly to the produdion of all kinds of

* naval ftores.' (Signed) ' Paul Dockmfnique, &c *. Whitehall, Feb-
' ruary 15, 1731-2.'

From the foregoing report, the great ufefuluefs of the inllitution of
the board of trade and plantations may evidently be feen ; notwith-
flanding it too plainly appears alfo, that in anfwer to their annual que-
ries fent to our plantations, the governors of the northern colonies^ as
in the inftances above of New-York and Pennfylvania, may frequently
impofe on that board, in flavour of their refpedive governments; which,
it is humbly apprehended, might be eafily and effedually prevented by
our Britifli legillature.

We fhall only fay firther, that defedive as the above report to par-
liament is, it is undoubtedly to be preferred to the accounts publiilied by
any private perfons, and infinitely more fo to fuch as are publiflied by
anonymous authors, who, for the moil part, write for mere private in-
tereft, and ofttimes to mifguide the unwary.

By this report alfo, the different conftitutions and interefts of our
American colonies are clearly explained by undoubted authority ; though
we cannot but hope and wifli, that the time will come, when all our
American colonies may be fixed on one uniform regal and legal plan,
however infuperable the difficulties of fuch a plan may feem to many,
who perhaps have not duely confidered, what a. Britifli king united to
a Britifli parliament can effed for removing all the obftacles refulting
from the proprietary, charter, and mixed, conftitutions of feveral of
thofe colonies ; more efpecially as the removal of forne of thofe diflBcul-
ties has been already effeded in our own times.

1733 — England, and more particularly the city of London, being now
become a great mart for diamonds, and other pretious ftones and jewels,
(according to the preamble to an ad of parliament, for the free import-
ation and exportation of diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds, and all
other jewels and pretious ftones) fi'om whence moft foreign countries
are fupplied, and great numbers of rough diamonds are fent from abroad
to be cut and poUftied here, which is a great advantange to this nation ;

* There are feveral articles tkfieif nt in this abllraft by Mr. Anderfor, who has h'tl an imperftcl copy
of the report : but, in the preftnt flats of America, they are not fo intercfting as when he wrote 1/L

192 A. D. 1733.

and there is great reafon to believe, if the importation thereof was en-
couraged and made eafy, the faid trade would increafe ; it was therefor
enaded, that diamonds, &c. might hereafter be imported, as before
they might have been exported, free of all duty, in any fhip or veflel
whatfoever ; with this only provifo, that this exemption fhall not make
void the duty granted to his majefty for the ufe of the Eaft-India com-
pany, on thofe imported from places within their limits. [6 Geo. II, c. 7.]
The warm difpute between the Britifh American fugar colonies, and
the Britifh northern colonies, begun in the year 1731, concerning the
trade of the later with the French, Dutch, and Danifh, fugar colonies,
of whom they took off in exchange, for their provifions, horfes, lumber,
8cc. confiderable quantities of fugar, rum, and melafTes, was now final-
ly terminated, by a prudent temperament of an aft of parliament [6 Geo.
II, c. 13] for the better fecuring and encouraging the trade of his ma-
jefly*s fugar colonies in America, the preamble to which fets forth,

* that whereas the welfare and profperity of your maiefly's fugar colo-
' nies in America are of the greateft confequence and importance to the
' trade, navigation, and ftrength, of this kingdom ; and whereas the
' planters of the faid fugar colonies have of late years fallen under fuch
' great difcouragements, that they are unable to improve or carry on
' the fugar trade upon an equal footing with the foreign fugar colonics,
' without fome advantage and relief be given to them from Great Bri-
' tain : be it therefor enaded, 1) that the feveral after-mentioned rates
' and duties be granted, viz. upon all rum of the foreign fugar colonies,
' which fliall be imported into any of the Britifh plantations in Ameri-
' ca, ninepence fterling for every gallon. Sixpence for every gallon of
' melaffes, and five fhillings on every hundred weight of fugars and
' paneles ; to be paid down in ready money by the importers before
' their landing the fame *.'

II) That no fugars, paneles, fyrups, or melafles, nor any rum or fpi-
rits of America, except of the growth of his majefty's fugar colonies,
fhall be imported into Ireland, but fuch only as fhall be laden and fhip-
ped in Great Britain in fhips navigated according to the navigation

* The northern colonifts confidered this aft as a ' lifh colonies. -The merchants, unwilling to quit

rruel grievance, and little better than a total anni- ' a trade, which was in a great meafure the foiind-

hilation of their commerce ; their trade with Bri- • ation of their whole circle of commerce, have

tain being, as they alTerted, fupportcd folcly by the ' gone into many illicit methods to cover them in

money received in the foreign illands. If we may ' ttill carrying it on ; while the cuftom-houfe ofE-

truft to the tcftiniony of an Amciican writer, this ' cers have made a very lucrative job of (hutting

aft ' hath never in any degree incrtafed the royal ' their eyes, or at leaft of opening them no farther

• revenue, or brought any other real advantage to • than their own private intereft required'. l_EJfay
' the mothci coimtry. Neither liath it been at all on the trade of the northern colonies, printed at Fhi-
' more beneficial to the Britilh fugar colonies, at ladelphia, reprinted at London, 1764, p. 20.] He
< who', inllance it was procured. But altliough might have added, that fome of the revenue ofS-
' ptj falutary confequences have anywhere follow- cere in the higher departments were believed to be
' ed this aft, yet many and great mifchiefs and dif- deeply concerned in the fmuggling trade, which

♦ advantages, as well as corrupt and fcandalous this aft produced. M.

• prafticcs, have followed from it in all the Eng-

A. D. 1733. 193

laws, under forfeiture of fhip and cargo: with fundry penalties on per-
fons aiding in any clandeftine importation ; on perfons obftruding
cuftom-houfe officers ; on cuftom-houfe officers conniving ; on fhip-maf-
ters fuffering fuch clandeftine importation. Moreover, on all fugars
and paneles imported into Great Britain, on which the duty has been
paid, if exported within one year after, all the duty flrall be repaid ;
and alfo two {hillings per hundred-weight on all refined fugars exported
from Great Britain, over and above the former allowances on exporta-
tion. Provifo, that nothing in this aft (hall be conftrued to extend to
reftrain the importation of fugars of the growth or produce of the do-
minions of Spain or Portugal, from places from whence fuch fugars
might lawfully before have been imported. [6 Geo. II, c. 13.]

By an aft of parhament, [6 Geo. II, c. 25] another million out of the
finking fund, was paid off the joint flock of South-fea annuities ; where-
by L6 : 7 : 6 per cent was paid to each proprietor, and written off from
€ach refpeftive account from the 29th of September 1733: the total
joint flock of South-fea annuities being Li5,65i,099: 17 :5.

The king having, by proclamation, prohibited the circulation of the
worn-out gold coins of twenty-five fliillings, and twenty-three ftiillings,
commonly called broad pieces, and the halves and quarters thereof; he
alfo, for the eafe of his people, direfted the receivers of taxes, and alfo
the officers of his mint, to receive them at L4 : i per ounce troy, during
one whole year to come : and that fuch of them as fliould be fo brought
to the mint fliould be coined into the current gold coins of the king-
dom. And it being apprehended, that the advantage of fo good an al-
lowance as L4 : I per ounce might tempt evil-minded perfons to coun-
terfeit them, another ftatute made it high treafon to counterfeit any of
the gold coins, commonly called broad pieces, or knowingly to utter
fuch counterfeit old coins ; and L40 reward was allowed to fuch as
ihould difcover the counterfeiters thereot. [6 Geo. II, c. 26.]

The royal African company of England was flill in a very bad con-
dition. For though the parliament had. every year nnce 1730, grant-
ed them Lio,oco for the fupport of their forts and faftories on the
African coaft, yet conftantly continuing to be lofers by their trade for
negroes to America, as they had been for many years paft, they at
length refolved to confine themfelves to the purchafe of llaves on that
coaft, and felling them again to private traders to America, (to all
whom the trade to Africa had been laid open by parliament, on grant-
ing the annual L 10,000) and to employ their fervants in carrying on a
trade far up into the inland countries of Africa, for gold, elephants'
teeth, bees-wax, drugs, dying woods, &c. Yet even that more con-
trafted trade would not aniwer, fo as to make any dividend on fo fmall
a capital flock as about L200,coo. So far from it, that they were not
-ible to get clear of their debts and other incumbrances, even though

Vol. III. B b

194 A. D. 1733.

they had greatly reduced the falaries and allowances of their officers
and fervanrs both at home and abroad, and had pradlifed fundry other
means of frugality. But it feems that their fervants in Africa had
fhamefully impofed on their court of afliftants, who at this time laid all
thefe matters before their general court of proprietors ; and that, as they
had then nine {hips of their own, they propofed, for increaling their
aflbrtments of goods at their feveral factories, and for driving on a large
inland trade with the vafi: countries behind their forts and fadories, to
create bonds under the common feal, to the value of L2o,ooo, bearing
4 per cent intereft, which their general court agreed to. Yet, notwith-
flanding this, and that their court of afliftants were gentlemen of cha-
rader and credit, their affairs went continually retrograde, the private
traders having always the advantage of them, as indeed will ever be
the cafe in all branches of commerce, wherein trade is freely laid open
to all.

A propofal being this year made by the court of Spain, to allow the
South-fea company 2 per cent on the returns of the flota and galleons,
as an equivalent for their annual fhip, during the remainder of the com-
pany's term, that matter was debated in their general courts, but the
coufideration thereof was poftponed. Yet we Ihall here briefly ftate
what was then faid in favour of that propofal, viz.

It was admitted by all fides, that the afliento contrad; for fupplying
Spanifti America with negroes, was not only a greatly lofing trade to
this company, but was well known to have been fo to all former affien-
tifts.

The annual fhip was therefor granted by Spain in compenfation for
that lofs ; which, however, (excepting the very laft voyage, which re-
turned from Porto-bello in the year 1731) had likewife proved a lofing
trade.

The bad fuccefs of this trade has been ufually attributed to two prin-
cipal caufes, viz. to the frequent feizures made by Spain on the com-
pany's effeds in America, which was likely ever to be the cafe, while
the company had fadors and confiderable effeds in the Spanifh Wefl-
Indies, being an opportunity afforded to Spain to infult us, even on
very infignificant occafions: and to the milmanagement of the com-
pany's fadors and agents in America, who got large eftates in a very
few years, and fome of them even in little more than one year, while
the company continued to be fuch great lofers. There were moreover
frequent occafions taken by the court of Spain to obftrud the going
out, and alfo the return of the annual fliip, in due feafon, on account
of her menfuration at home, or on fome other frivolous pretext in
America, in order thereby to give their fiotas and flotillas the advan-
tage.

it was therefor argued, by fuch as were for the company quitting the

A. D. 1733. 195

trade entirely, and accepting an equivalent, that the not fending fuch a
fhip diredly to the Spanifh Wefl-Indies will not in the lead diminifh
the confumption of Britifh commodities in that part of the world, as
the fame forts, and, as they alleged, greater quantities, of Englilh goods
will be fent thither (as before this afliento trade was granted) by the
way of Cadiz, and from thence by their flotas and galleons to the Weft-
Indies, or elfe fmuggled to the Spanifli Weft-Indies by the way of Ja-
maica and the Leeward iflands.

The returns, on which the propofed 2 per cent to the company was
to arife, by the flota and galleons, and on the Spanifli regifter fliips, re-
turning from thofe parts, to which the company have a right to fend
their annual fliip, were computed to amount to at leaft 15 millions of
pieces of eight ; and 2 per cent thereon would be 300,000 dollars, or
pieces of eight, or about £70,000 fterling.

On the other fide of the queftion, it was admitted, that the com-
pany's adventure by their annual fliip amounted to about L20o,ooo
fterling ; upon which there might be an advance of 75 per cent, or in
all - _ _ _ £350,000 o o

From which dedudl.
The coft, _ _ _ L200,ooo o o

•Seamen's wages and ft ores, - 25,000 o o

Maintenance of fervants, and prefents

abroad, - - 10,000 o o

Commiflion and privilege to fupercar-

goes, &c. - - 20,000 o o

Intereft on L200,ooo for two years, 16,000 o o

Extraordinary charges of management

at home on this account, - 5,000 o o

Total coft, 276,000 o o

Eftimated profit upon the annual ftiip, £74,000 o o

This calculation is made exclufive of infurance, and of the rifk of
bad debts ; and alfo on the fuppofition of an uninterrupted enjoyment
of the trade, without any feizures or detentions of the fhips. Nothing,
however, was determined concerning this trade, which remained in
fufpenfe till it was entirely given up by treaty.

Though the preceding michaelmas grofs fale of the Eaft-India com-
pany's merchandize, including £70,000 brought home in gold for the
general account, amounted to above £1,300,000, yet the company hav-
ing fo lately advanced £200,000 to the public for the prolongation of
their privileges, and at the fome time fufFered an abatement of i per
cent from the intereft of their whole capital of £3,200,000, the court
of diredors, on mature confideration, propofed to reduce their dividend
from eight to fix per cent. Neverthelefs, fuch was the unaccountable
4 Bb 2

196 A. D. 1733.

humour of the majority of a general court, that, though their diredors
acquainted them that they perfifted in their former opinion that not
above three per cent could be prudently divided for the current half
year, the ballot determined it by above two to one, for three and a
half, even though they were then likewife told, that the fecrecy proper
to be obferved by great trading focieties can very feldom, if ever, ad-
mit of particular calculations to be laid before fuch popular affemblies
as general courts ; and though they well knew, that the diredors were
at leaft as much interefted as moll: other proprietors in keeping up the
dividends on their ftock *.

It is by no means foreign to our fubjed to obferve, that a new and
moft hopeful corporation was now ereded for promoting Englilh pro-
teftant working fchools in Ireland. The author of this work having at
this time been fomewhat ufeful in correfpond\ng with Dr. Maule, then
bilhop of Dromore, for promoting the charter thereof, received of that
bifhop the following well vouched account of the number of people,
both proteftants and papifts, in all Ireland, viz. that, by the bifhop's
books and other authentic vouchers, there were at leaft two millions of
people in all Ireland, of which there were very near 600,000 proteftants,
and fomewhat above 1,400,000 papifts. About the fame time there
came out a printed lift of the numbers of both rehgions in every couniy
in Ireland, but, for brevity's fake, we ftiall content ourfelves with the
four great divifions, called provinces, of Ireland, viz.

In Ulfter, proteftant families, 62,620 popifli families 38,459

— Leinfter, _ _ - 25,238 - - - 92,424

— Munfter, - - - 13.337 " " - 106,407

— Connaught, _ - _ 4,299 _ _ _ 44,133

Total, proteftant families, 105,494 popifh families 281,423

which, at five to each fiimily in the country, and ten for Dublin, and
feven for Cork, makes in 3112,015,229 fouls, very nearly correfpond-
ing with Biftiop Maule's account.

The printed account makes the proteftant families in Dublin to
be ------ - 8,823

popifti ones to be - 4,119

12,942
Which, at 10 to each family, makes the people of Dublin amount
to - - - - - 129,420

Proteftant families in the city of Cork, 2,569

Popifti f\milies, - - - 5.398

Total, - 7)9^7

Which, at feven to each family, makes 55,769 fouls in Cork.

* The dividend was reduced from e'l^ht to feven per cent in the year 1732 ; (fee above, p. 154.)
fo the proprietors only continued the dividend ; and it continued the fsme till raidfuroraer 1743. M,

A, D. 1733. 197

The king of Denmark's zeal for the profperity of his fubjects com-
merce, and more efpecially for that of his Eail: -India company, prompt-
ed him this year to ere<5l an infurance company at Copenhagen, in or-
der to avoid fending to Amfterdam for infurances on their fhips and
merchandize ; the king himfelf firft fubfcribing a confiderable fum in-
to this new company, which was followed by the fubfcriptions of the
courtiers, merchants, and others.

The proprietors of the South-fea company's capital flock being un-
eafy on account of their lofles by their affiento and Greenland trades,
their general court petitioned the parliament to enable them to divide
their prefent capital flock of Li 4,65 1,103 : 8 : i> into three fourth parts
new South-fea annuity flock, and one fourth part to be the capital or
trading corporation flock. It was therefor enabled, that the capital
flock be divided, after midfummer 1733, into three fourths annuity
flock, at four per cent, to be called the new joint flock of South-fea an-
nuities, amounting, by the computation of this ad, to Lio,988,327 :
117&I; and the remainder, being L3,662,784 : 8 : 6 *, to be the fole
capital, or trading flock, of the company, in its corporate capacity ; the
faid new joint flock of South-fea annuities to be quite exempted from
all concern with the company's debts, bonds, trade, &c. and to be an
entire, unincumbered, annuity flock, redeemable by parliament, as by
former flatutes ; the annuity to be payable at chriflmas and midfum-
mer yearly. [6 Geo. II, r. 28.]

' Whereas the mafler, wardens, and afllflants, of the corporation of
' the trinity-houfe of Deptford-flrond, in the county of Kent, have,
' by grants from the crown, the laflage and ballaflage, and the fole

* right of fupplying all fliips and vefTels with ballafl, that fail, pafs, and
' repafs, in the river of Thames between London bridge and the main
' fea,'at the rates and prices accuflomed; and are alfo entitled to, and
' have a right to, dig, raife, and take up, the gravel, fand, and foil, of

* the river Thames, for ballafting fuch fliips and veiTels as aforefaid :
' and whereas the laid mafler, wardens, and afllflants, have for feveral
' years lafl pafl conflantly employed 60 ballafl-lighters and 120 men,
' to dig and raife ballafl from the iTielves and fand-banks of the river,
' and to carry and convey fuch ballafl to fhips and veflels having occa-
' fion for the fame ; and thereby the channel of the river hath been

* confiderably deepened, and feveral obflrudions to the navigation
' therein removed,' therefor an ad of the Britifh parliament [6 Geo. II,
c. 29] fettles the prices to be hereafter paid to that corporation for bal-
lafl, and to their ballaflmen ; alfo the burden of ballafl-Hghters, &c. in
fundry reipeds too tedious and needlefs to be herein fpecified ; the

* This fum exceeds the real fourth part of the whole, by the fraftfonal part, or odd pence, when
writing off the three fourths, from each proprietor's account, being added to the remaining fourtli
part, yf.' J.

198 A. D.I 733-

above preamble being fufficient to explain to the reader the nature, &c.
of this part of the bufinefs of the ballaft-office of the trinity-houfe
corporation.

The rice, exported from CaroUna to Spain and Portugal, was now be-
come fo cheap in thofe two countries as to put almofl an entire flop to
the importation of that commodity from Venice and other parts of
Italy ; which gives room to hope that Carolina mayfoon engrofs all the
trade of Europe for that fine grain. Befides rice, there were exported
from Charleftown in South-Carolina, only within three months of this
year, 6073 barrels of pitch, 1985 barrels of tar, and 424 barrels of tur-
pentine. And in the whole year, 36,584 barrels of rice, 2802 barrels
of pitch, 848 ditto of turpentine, 60 tons of lignum-vitse, 20 tons of
brafiletto wood *, 27 tons of faflafras, 8 chefts of fldns ; befide lumber,
pork, beef, peas, and Indian corn. This colony is continually increaf-
ing by the encouragement they give to new comers, both Britifli and
foreigners.

It was at this time computed, that within the compafs of one year
paft no lefs than 800,000 quarters of corn had been exported from
Great Britain to France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy ; for which was paid
by thofe nations (including the freight of our own fhips) at leaft one
million fterling : being all clear profit to the kingdom. How much
therefor is the landed interefl concerned in this particular refpedl (as
well as in all others) in the advancement of Britain's foreign com-
merce ?

Immediately before the South-fea company had finally determined to
lay afide their Greenland whale-fifhery, the diredors had applied to go-
vernment for a bounty on the fifliery ; and though it could not then be
entirely brought about, yet, in the following year 1733, a bounty was
granted by an ad of parliament, for the farther encouragement of the
whale-fifhery, carried on by his majefly's Britifh fubjeds, of 20/ per ton
on all fliips fitted out in Great Britain, of 200 tons and upwards, for
the whale-fifliery, and navigated according to law. [6 Geo. II, c. 'y^i^.'\
Of this new bounty two fhips, fent out this year by private adventurers,
enjoyed the benefit, though not very much to the emolument of thofe
adventurers.

Sundry reafons have been afligned for Britifh fubjeds not hitherto
fucceeding in this fifhery, and for the greater fuccefs of the Dutch
therein, viz.

I) In general, the greater frugality of the Dutch, whereby (notwith
flanding this our new bounty) they are enabled to underfell us in their
oil and whalebone.

II) From the manner in which the Dutch carry on this and

• The lignum-vItse and brafiletto mud have been imported into Carolina from the Weft-Indies. Jl/.

A. D. 1733. 199

their other flflieries : for the fhip-builder, the cooper, the fail-maker,
the rope-maker, the baker, brewer, diftiller, and other tradefmen, em-
ployed in fitting out their fhips, generally go each a fhare in the voy-
age : fo that fhould it prove a fortunate fifhing feafon, they are fare to
be doubly gainers ; and even if it Ihould prove a bad fifhery, they
probably lofe but little more than they had gained by fupplying the
outfet of fuch year in their refpedive branches ; whereby they are bet-
ter enabled to go on in that trade than mere merchants can do without
thefe advantages *. De Witt, in his Interefl uf Holland, [c. xvi] fays, ' it
' is worthy of obfervation, that the Dutch Greenland company made

* formerly little profit by it, becaufe of the great charge of fetting
' out their fliips : whereas now, that they equip their fhips at the cheap-
' efi; rate, follow their fifhery diligently, and manage all carefully, the
' train-oil and whale-fins are employed for fo many nfes in feveral

* countries, and they can fell them with fuch conveniency, that there

* are now fifteen fhips for one that formerly failed from Holland on

* that fifliery.'

III) By the re-exportation of a great part of the produce of fuch fifh-
ery, they are farther enabled to make up the lofs of any bad year's fifh-
ery : whereas we have never as yet carried on a whale-fifhery confider-
able enough to enable us to export any quantity of oil and whale-fins,
nor indeed enough to fupply ourfelves at home. And we may add,

IV) The antient ftanding realbn of the greater lownefs of the inte-
refl of money in Holland till very lately.

There lies now before the author an account of the Dutch whale-fifli-
ing for 46 years, ending in 1721. In that fpace they employed 5886
fliips f, and caught 32,907 whales ; each of which, one with another, be-
ing ufually valued at L500, makes the value of the whole amount to
above fixteen millions flerling, gained out of the fea, moftly by the la-
bour of the people ; the wear and tear of the fliipping, the cafks and
the provifions, excepted ; which laft three articles are alio a vafl benefit
to the public, by the excife, &c. paid thereon, as well as to numberlefs
individuals employed in providing them.

At the end of this fame year the South-fea company's great annual
fhip, the Royal Carohne, arrived from Vera Cruz, after being long de-
tained there, being the laft annual fhip which that company is ever like
to fee from the Spanifh Weft-Indies ; her cargo conlifted of fiiver, m
dollars or pieces of eight, cochineal, and indigo : yet, becaufe of the
violent detention, this was faid to be a lofing voyage to the company.

* The fame economy is praftifed in fitting out 14//J Ju/y 1785, /. 9;, and iSoo, //. 119, 125,

the fifliing vtfTcis at Yarmouth and BlUingfgate ; M.

the butcher, tlie baker, rope-maker, fail-n,akcr,gro- f Mr. Anderfon mufl here be undtrftood to

cer,cooper, mall-maker, twinc-fpinner.black-rniith, mean fo many departures 01 voyages; not 388^

and the mafter, being joint partners vvitli tlu- fac- feparate vefi'els. The annu.J average amount, 13.

tor or falefman. [^Reports on the Brui/I} fjba-ies, 128 vcffels neareft. M.

200 A. D. 1734.

1734 Purfuimt to an order of*the houfe of peers, in the year 1734,

we have the reprefentation of the lords commiflioners of trade and plant-
ations, exhibiting an exadt and curious flate of the trade, people, and
ftrength, of our iflands in the Weft-Indies, viz.

• Jamaica, though having 19 parifties, has but 7644 white people on
' it ; though its militia confifts of 3000 men, horfe and foot, difperfed
' all over the inhabited part of the ifland. They have fix forts ; and of
' late have had no fewer than eight independent companies of the king's
' forces, each confifting of 100 men.'

The diminution of the white people of Jamaica is owing to the great
decay of their private or illicit trade to the Spanifh main, which drew
thither many white people, who generally foon acquired great wealth,
and returned therewith to their mother country, fo that the Spanifh
money they got in Jamaica at length centered in England. From Ja-
maica our people privately carried all forts of our manufadtures, &c. to
New Spain, which, it is well known, can only be legally carried thither
by the flota and flotilla from Old Spain : they alfo carried thither great
numbers of negroes.

' Our exports to Jamaica, at a medium of four years, from chriflmas
' 1728 to chriftmas 1732, were to the value of L,i4y,6'jc, : 2 :3|, and
' our imports were L539,499 : 18 : 35. Annual excels of our imports

* from Jamaica is L391 ,824 : 15 : 1 1 }.

' Barbados has 18,295 white people ; its militia confifts of one troop
' and two regiments of horfe, and of feven regiments of foot, in all
'4812 men. In this ifland there are no fewer than 21 forts and 26 bat-
' teries, mounted with 463 cannon.'

All our fugar ifles together are thought to produce annually 85,000
hogflieads of fugar, each hogfliead containing 1200 cwt. or in all
1,020,000 cwt. ; of which Great Britain is thought to confume annually
70,000 hogflieads, or 94,080,000 pounds of fugar ; which, for ten mil-
lions of people, if fo many there be in Britain, comes to g^ lbs of fugar
to each perlbn, or if but eight miUions of people, then about 1 14^ lbs of
fugar to each perfon ; and as there are undoubtedly about two millions
and upwards of people in Ireland, we may omit them in this computa-
tion, as there may probably be near that number in all the Britifli do-
minions who ufe little or no fugar at all.

It is computed, that 300 fail of fliips go annually from Great Britain
to the fugar iflands, befide thofe which go thither from our continental
colonies ; and that about 4,500 feamen are employed in navigating
them : and that there is annually exported thither to the value of
L240,ooo in Britifli manufadures.

' In all the Britifh Leeward iflands, viz. St. Chriftophers, Antigua,

* Nevis, and Montferrat, with all their dependencies, Barbuda, An-

A. D. 1734. 201

' gullla, Spanifhtown, Tortola, and the reft of the Virgin iflands, there
' are 10,262 v/hite people ; and their miUtia confifts of 3284 men *.

* The iflands called the Bahamas are the next in thofe feas of im-
* portance to Great Britain ; where Providence is the only ifland as yet
' of any confideration to us, or that is peopled in any degree. And
' here they have 500 white people, out of whom they have formed fix
' companies of militia, befide one independant company in his majefty's
' pay. On this ifland they have two forts.

' In Bermudas there were a few years fince 5000 white people, of
' whom there are 1000 white men, befide officers, for their militia.
' They have one fort and fix batteries.'

Nothing is faid in the report of that board of Newfoundland, which,
indeed, is properly no colony, it having fcarcely any foil capable of
cultivation ; and the forts and people there are folely for the protedion
and accommodation of the fliips of our important cod fifliery on the
adjoining fl^oals, called the banks of Newfoundland, and alfo in its bays
and harbours. Thofe garrifons are alfo requifite for preventing any
other European nation from getting pofi^flion of the ifland, which
would render our fifliery there very precarious on a rupture with fuch
nation, as it would alfo our communication with our northern colonies.
Newfoundland, therefor, on thefe accounts, is of very great importance
to us.

A committee of the proprietors of South-fea ftock having infpeded
the ftate of the company's commerce to the Spanifti Weft-Indies, it ap-
peared, that the entire balance of that trade from the beginning, or of
their ten years American or afllento trade, amounted to no more than
L32,26o:i8 profit to the company. This was, by the proprietors of
the ftock, thought, and indeed was, a very inconfiderable profit, being
but L3226 for each year of that trade. This it was which made the
ftockholders very earneft to accept the equivalent formerly propofed by
the court of Spain : but thofe proprietors or ftockholders confidered
only their own private advantage by that fuppofed equivalent. For as
the king and his minifters muft have been confuked, before fuch equi-
valent could be accepted by the company, there was a more important
and extenfive confideration to be duely v^eighed, viz. whether, by the
very profitable iUicit trade carried on by the company's fupercargoes,

* In tlie year 1736 the ftrength of the Biitidi Leeward iflands was as follows.

In Antigua - ijoo men, two forts, and feven batteries.

St. Chriflophers 1340 men, three forts, and fix batteries.
Montferrat - 360 men, one fort, and one battery.

Nevis - - 300 men, one fort, and one battery.

Anguilla - 8c men.

Spanifhtown - 72 men.
Tortola - - 120 men.

3772 white men in all the Britifh Leeward iflands. ^.

Vol. III. C c

£02 A. D. 1734.

£idors, captains, and other fervants, employed by them in the Spanifli
Weft-Indies, and alfo under their wings from Jamaica, &c. the nation
was not a greater gainer, upon the whole, than they could be by the
propofed equivalent, and carrying back the trade to the channel of
Cadiz, where, without doubt, our merchants had alfo a great intereft in
it. We muft, however, now again leave this difpute for future con-
fideration in its proper place.

In order to prevent frauds in ftock-jobbing, by bargains for ftocks
bought or fold for a future time, by perfons, on one hand, not pofTefled
of fuch Hock, and, on the other, by many not being in circumftances
or ability to pay for fuch flock ; for puts, alfo, and refufals of flocks *,
Sec. whereby many unwary perfons and their innocent families have
been undone ; it was now enaded, that all contradls and agreements
whatfoever, upon which any premium fhall be paid for liberty to pitt
upon, or to deliver, receive, accept, or refufe, any public or joint flock,
or other public fecurities whatfoever, or any part or fhare therein ; and
alfo all wagers, and contradls in the nature of wagers, or of puts and re-
fufals, relating to the prefent or future price of any fuch ftocks, fhall
be null and void to all intents and purpofes whatfoever. And all pre-
miums received upon fuch bargains fhall be reftored and repaid to the
perfons who fhall have fo paid them, and may be recovered by an a<51ion
commenced within fix months, with double cofts ; the firft receivers of
fuch premium to be obliged to anfwer upon oath. A penalty of L500
is hereby laid on all perlons making fuch time-bargains or contrads,
puts, and refufals ; and all brokers, agents, andfcriveners, tranfading or
writing any fuch contrad, fhall likewife forfeit the fum of L500, moiety
to the king, moiety to the fuer for the fame. And for preventing the
evil pradice of compounding or making up differences for bargains on
ftock fo fold, no money fliall be voluntarily given or received on that
account, or for not performing any fuch contrad ; but every fuch con-
trad fhall be fpecifically performed ; and the ftock or fecurity thereby
agreed to be alligned and transferred, fhall be adually fo done, and the
whole money fliall be paid for the fame, under the forfeiture of Lioo
for every fuch compounding, &c. as aforefaid. Stock fold, and not
paid for at the time prefixed, may be lawfully fold agam to any other
perfons, and the buyer fliall make good any damage fuftained. Stock
bought, and not transferred at the due time by the feller, the buyer
may purchafe other ftock, and recover his damage. And whereas it is
a frequent and mifchievous pradice, that perfons fell ftocks of which
they are not poffefled, it was enaded, that, for all contrads and agree-
ments hereafter to be made, either for felling or buymg fuch ftocks,
whereof the peribn contrading fhall not be poftcfled at the time of fuch
bargain, there fhall be L500 penalty; as alio Lioo penalty on the

* Thefc terms have been already explained under the year 1695. A. '

A. D. 1734. 203

broker or agent for procuring fuch bargain, who fhall hereafter keep a
book or regifter, to be called the broker's book, wherein all fuch bar-
gains {hall be regiflered ; and by his negleding fo to do, he (hall incur
the penalty of L50. Nothing herein, however, fhall affed contrails for
any flocks made with the privity of the accountant-general of the court
of chancery, nor prevent any perfon from lending money on any pub-
lic joint flock, or other public fecurities, on the redelivering thereof on
repayment of the money lent, [7 Geo. II., c. 8]. Notwithflanding this
ftrid law, we have reafon to believe, that, even to oitr own time, there
are many fuch illegal bargains flill carried on, to the undoing of many.

By a ftatute [2 Geo. II, c. 22] it was made felony to fleal bonds, notes,
or other fecurities, for payment of money ; and it was now farther
ena6led, that perfons convided of forging, altering, or counterfeiting,
the acceptance of any bill of exchange, or the number or principal fum
of any accountable receipt for any note, bill, or other fecurity, for
payment of money, or delivery of goods, fhould fufFer death as felons.
[7 Geo. II, c. 22].

On the 28th of March 1734, a general court of the South-fea com-
pany, upon the repeated reprefentation of Sir Thomas Geraldino, the
Spanifh agent at London for the affairs of the afliento trade of that
company, concerning the bad management of their fa6lors, unani-
moufly agreed to empower their court of dire6lors to prefent an humble
addrefs to his majefty, defiring his royal confent to difpole of the trade
and tonnage of the company's annual fhip.

In Boyer's Political flate of Great Britain, for the month of Septem-
ber this year, we find the following view of all the coinage of gold and
filver in the tower of London, fmce the accefTion of George II to the
throne, viz.

In gold, 4.3,940 pounds weight, which, at L44 : 10 per pound, makes
in tale Li ,955,330. And in filver, only 8742 pounds weight, which,
at L3 : 2 per pound weight, makes in tale L27,ioo : 4. 'A very fmall
' fum,' fays our author, ' in proportion to that coined in gold ; and feems
' to be an evident proof that the current value of the two metals is not
' juftly proportioned in this kingdom, nor is indeed in any other part
' of Europe, as appears by the great profit that is to be got by carrying
filver to the Eafl-Indies and felling it for gold.' With this author's
leave, what he remarks concerning carrying filver to India, would hap-
pen though the proportion between gold and filver, in all parts of
Europe, were ever fo juflly afcertained ; filver there being a mere com-
modity, or merchandize, and highly prized as fuch.

Great complaints came over from Nova-Scotia at this time, and par-
ticularly from the Britifh fettlement at Canfo, a place of great confe-
quence to our fiflung trade in thofe parts, that though th" late king had
feni thithej; four companies of foldiers, yet there had been no money laid:

C C2

204 A. D. 1734.

out in fortifying that place : that they were particularly apprehenfive of
the encroachments of the French in their neighbourhood, who always
are efpecially careful of their own fortifications ; and that, by our fname-
ful neglecft of Nova-Scotia, our fifliery there was almofl: dwindled to no-
thing. Our miniflers, however, feemed quite to difregard, or rather
to be quite ignorant of, the vail: importance of that province.

The Dutch Eaft-India company had this year 22 fliips from India,
whofe cargoes were fo vafl as well to merit a place in this commercial
liiftory, viz. fpiceries, 6,31 1,027 lbs ; ^'^g^^' 2,406,428 lbs ; faltpetre,
1,807,210 lbs; coffee, 3,997,759 lbs; dying amd other drugs, 91,949
chefts, 1,549,463 lbs ; tea, 515,970 cheffs, and 369,577 lbs ; filk, raw,
62,015 l^s; filk Huffs, 21,205 pieces; calicoes, 209,748 pieces ; indigo,
14,483 lbs ; tin, 354,000 lbs ; copper, 462,500 lbs ; candied ginger,
50,486 lbs ; China-ware, 525,223 pieces ; yarn, 92,441 lbs ; candied nut-
megs, 8000 pfl'; cubebs, 10,000 Ibr. ; curcuma of Java, 16,250 lbs;
mother-of-pearl, 800 lbs ; pearls, 10 lbs; cowries, 255,357 lbs ; rough
diamonds, 2 pff; rings, 3 pfl'; canes, 1500 pff; and wool, 277 lbs.
Such alterations may happen to this commerce in future times, as may
poflibly make this account hereafter ieem incredible.

The trade to the coail of Guinea has feldom or never been carried on
by exclufive companies, in any part of Europe, to national advantage ;
private traders, under proper regulations, feeming mod proper for pre-
ferving and extending that, as well as moil other branches, of foreign
commerce. Of this the ftates-general of the United Netherlands were
fo fenfible, that they now laid their trade to a diftridl of 60 leagues of
the weft coaft of Africa open to all their fubjeds, which had till now
been confined to their Weft-India company ; and was fo to remain for
twenty years to come, though under certain regulations mentioned in
their placart.

The number of ftiips arriving, during the year 1734, at Amfterdam,
was 1721, viz. from Archangel, 3^; PeterftDurgh, 22; Riga, 70;
Narva, 187; Wiburg, 20; Koningftierg, 36; Dantzick, 62; Stock-
holm, 26 ; Norway, 16^ ; Greenland, 77 ; Davis's ftraits, 69 ; London,
51 ; Sunderland, 62 ; Bourdeaux, 88 ; Rouen, ;^;^ ; Bayonne, 18;
Nantes, 22 ; Rochelle, 12 ; Cadiz, ^^ ; Bilboa, 20 ; Leghorn, 45 ; Lif-
bon, 32 ; Surinam, 29 ; and from Eaft-India, 14. Here is a miftake of
almoft 400 fliips too few, in fpecifying the particulars, in Boyer's Poli-
tical ftate for the month of February 1735, probably to be fupplied by
their own coafters. Imperfedl as this lift is, from it, however, we may
learn the immenfe commerce of Amfterdam with the northern crowns,
and yet moft of it is driven by means of the fifli caught on the Britifli
coafts. Hereafter, fuch an account as this may be ufeful for compar-
ing the annual increafe or decreafe of the general commerce of the

A. D. 1734. 205

feven United Provinces, and principally that of the famous city of
Amflerdam.

The number of {hips that entered the port of Cadiz in all the year
1734, were, 596 Englifh, 228 French, 147 Dutch, 13 Swedifh, 14
Danifh, 2 Portuguefe, 2 Genoefe, i Lubecker, and i Hamburgher ;
in all, 1004 flnps.

In the fame year, 1734, there arrived at Cadiz the treafure and effects
of the Acta, viz. 1 1,01 1,749 dollars in fpecie for the commerce, and
1,464.582 for the king: in all, 12,476,331, or about 34 millions iler-
ling ; beiides almoft five millions of dollars by the AfTogues fliips, and
hefides the vaft quantities of cochineal, indigo, fugar, chocolate, tobacco,
fnuff, hides, cacao, copper, drugs, and dying fluffs. The preceding ob-
fervation, relating to the trade of Amfterdam in this fame year, may
liereafter be of equal ufe in the cafe of the annual fhipping and trade of
Cadiz and Spanifh America.

1735. — The lands in the north riding of the county of York being
generally freehold, whereby they could be fo fecretly transferred from one
perfon to another, or encumbered, that fuch perfons as were ill-difpofed
had it in their power to commit frauds, and frequently did fo ; by
means whereof, feveral pei-fons, who, through many years induflry, had
been enabled to purchafe lands, or to lend money thereon, had been
undone, by prior and fecret conveyances and fraudulent encumbrances ;
it was therefor enaded, that a memorial of all deeds and conveyances
fhould be exhibited by michaelmas 1736, and alio of all wills, devices,
judgments, ftatutes, and recognizances (other than fuch entered into in
the name of his majefty and his fucceffors) whereby any honours, lands,
&c. might be any way affeded in law and equity, ihould be regiftered,
or a memorial thereof, in fuch manner as was by law directed in the
year 1704 for the wefl riding, in 1 708 for the eaft riding, of this county,
and in 1709 for the county of Middlefex, otherwife they fhould be ad-
judged fraudulent, [8 Geo. 11, c. 6j. How much is it to be vvifhed,
that every part of England and Wales were put upon the like regula-
tion ; and how eafily might it be effedled, would gentlemen heartily fet
about it.

The French had of late fo greatly improved their Eafl-India com-
merce, that they fent out fourteen fliips in the preceding year, whereof
twelve arrived in Auguft 1734; and they were enabled to put up to fale
at their Port L'Orient, the following Eafl-India merchandize, viz. coffee,
tea, drugs, &c. 5,334,712 lbs; calicoes, fluffs, &c. 387,820 pieces; 4284
packets of canes; 500 ditto of malack ; 71 handkerchiefs of Cofimba-
zar for famples ; 39 painted handkerchiefs for famples; 5000 fans;
2124 fheets of paper painted; 28,000 counters and fifhes, (for card-
playing) mother-of-pearl ; 1992 cabarets of varnifh; 55 ^hefls of China-
ware, and 1 8g rolls ditto.

2o6 A. D. 1735.

In this catalogue it may be feen, that the company were but new and
raw in fome part of their Eaft-India commerce, notwithftanding the
very large quantity of goods now imported.

We fhould here alfo remark, that, in the preceding year (1734) a
very rich fleet arrived at Lifbon from Bahia in Brazil, and another from
Rio de Janeiro, which brought home, for the king and the merchants,
in treafure, 15^ millions of crufados in gold, 220 arobas of gold dufl:
and ingots, 437 arobas of bars of gold, 48 arobas of wrought gold,
8871 marks of filver, 42,803 pieces of eight, 3 millions ^6 odaves
and 5 quintals of diamonds ; befides 11,000 rolls of tobacco, 113,000
hides, 1000 chefls of fugar, and many other particulars.

Great quantities of diamonds having lately been brought over from
the new diamond mines in Brazil, the king of Portugal, in order to
prevent their finking in value by reafon of the quantity imported, re-
ferved to himfelf all diamonds found in thofe mines of above twenty
carats, on certain conditions.

By the bill of births and mortality of the city of Vienna, for the
preceding year 1734, there were chriftened 5620, and buried 5380:
which lafl; number multiplied by 30 gives 161,400 fouls in that city ;
and if by ^3^ then it will give 177,540 fouls therein.

In this year, i 735, there was publilhed an abftradl: of a new treaty of
navigation and commerce between Great Britain and Ruflia, viz.

' I) Where navigation and commerce are permitted to any other na-
' tion, they fhall be perfectly free in Europe to the eftates of both the
' contrading parties, who may fend all forts of merchandize, the im-
' portation whereof is not prohibited, and may there likewife buy all
' forts of merchandize, and export them out of the faid eftates.

' II) The fubjeds of Ruflia fhall pay the fame duties of exportation
' as the Engliih, particularly on the effeds exported from Ruflia. And
' the Ruflian merchants fliall enjoy the fame liberties and privileges of
' commerce in Great Britain as do the Britifh merchants of the RufTia
' company.

' III) In cafe Britifh fubje£ts fhall make contrails with the chancery,
' or the college of commerce of Ruflia, for the delivery of merchan-
' dize, the faid merchandize fhall be received in the time fpecified, up-
' on ai declaration they fhall make of their being ready.

' IV) The fubjeds of Great Britain may carry to Ruflia all forts of
' merchandize, and may tranlport them thence by land into Perfia, on
' paying a duty of 3 per cent, and may likewdfe bring back from Per-

* fia, through Ruflia, all forts of merchandize, on again paying the
' fame duty, without being obliged to open their bales: but, if the

* officers of the cuftoms have reafon to fufped that the jufl value there-
' of hath not been declared, they may flop the goods for their infpec-

* tion, and, in the meantime, be paid according to die value declared*

A. D. 1735. 207

' V) The fubjeds of both nations may load their fhips with any
' kind of merchandize, paying the fame cuftom as other nations do :
' and, in cafe of fraud in paying the duties, their goods fhali be for-

* feited ; but without any other punifhment.

' VI) If any more warlike (lores fhall be found on board any Bri-
' tifh fliip than Ihall be neceffary for the ufe of the fhip or paflengers,
' it fhall be lawful to feize the fame ; but neither fliip nor efFeds fhall

* be liable to be detained.

' VII) In cafe of fliipwreck, all manner of afliftance fliall be given,

* without offering the leafl violence to the (hip's company or effefts.

' VIII) The fubjeds on both fides may build houfes, and difpofe of
' them, without being hable to furnifh quarters for foldiers. And pafP
' ports fhall be granted to thofe who fhall think fit to retire, within two

* months after they notify their intention of going away.

' IX) The Britifh merchants in Ruffia fhall not be obliged to fhow

* their books to any one whatfoever, except it be to prove fomething
' in difpute. And, for the greater eafe and encouragement of the
' Britifh commerce, it is agreed, that for the future the Englifh manu-
' fadures fhall pay no greater duty on importation than is fpecified.

* This treaty is to be in force for fifceen years from the date hereof,
' the 2d of December 1734.'

The rents of the eftates, forfeited by the attainder of the earl of
Derwentwater, were appropriated by parliament for completing the
eredion of Greenwich hofpital, and afterwards for the better mainten-
ance of the feamen therein, who are worn out, or have become de-
crepit in the fervice of their country. All feamen in the merchants
fervice, who happen to be maimed, not only (as in a former ad) in
fighting againfl pirates, but alio in fighting againfl any enemy whatfo-
ever of his majefly, are admitted into, and provided for, in the hofpi-
tal, in like manner as any feamen maimed, wounded, or difabled in
the king's adual fervice. [8 Geo. II, c. 29]. This is truely a noble ap-
plication of thofe eftates, very much to the nation's honour, and to the
encouragement and comfort of our poor worn-out mariners *.

We have the following curious piece of intelligence from the anony-
mous author of an ingenious pamphlet publifhed in Ireland, entitled
the Querift. He aiiirms for certain, ' that the fmgle port of Cork ex-

* ported this year 107,161 barrels of beef, 7379 barrels of pork, 13,461
' cafks and 85,727 firkins of butter. A prodigious quantity of provi-
' fjons truely ; while half the people of Ireland are ftarving for want
' of manufadures and tillage, pafturage employing fo much fewer people

* than any oiher national employment.' This is a pregnant inftance
of the great trade of the city of Cork, which has long been famous

• This good law was further explained and amended -by a ftatute, 1 1 Ceo. U, c 3c. -<^.

2o8 A. D. 1735.

for that particular branch of commerce. Since this author wrote, tl>e
linen and cambric manufadures of Ireland are very much increafed in
the province of Ulfler, where the linen manufadure began, and are
fafl Ipreading over a great part of the other three provinces.

From Paris we received the following account of the chiuftenings,
marriages, and burials (ufually ftiled the bills of mortality), of that
great city, for the years 1733 and 1734, viz.

Chriflened. Married. Buried.

1733 - 17.825 - - 4132 - - i7>4c6

1734 - 19,835 - - 4130 - - 15,122

32,528

1736 In the year 1736, upon Mr. Egede's return from his miflion

in Greenland, he obtained a miflion-coUege to be eftablilhed at Copen-
hagen (according to Dr. Bufching's New geography) for fending mif-
fionaries thither to convert the natives. And the trade from Denmark
to Greenland, according to him, is at prefent carried on by a company
at Copenhagen, who fend thither three or four {hips annually. Dr.
Bufching's Geography (pubhlhedin Englifh in 1762) likewife acquaints
\is of three or four chriftian miflions then fettled there, and of four
Danifh colonies now exifting there ; and alfo of a Moravian colony and
congregation, now (1761) grown fo confiderable as to equal all the four
Danifh ones.

The pope having, as already related, made the port of Ancona on
the Adriatic fhore a free port, the republic of Venice, by way of pre-
caution, and, after much deliberation, agreed to make their capital
city of Venice likewife a free port, to the great joy of their merchants.
By their new regulation, no cargo of merchandize was to pay any more
than one ducat at entrance, and half a ducat upon exportation, where-
by the merchants were thenceforth to be exempted from all that flavifti
attendance and dependance upon commillioners and cuflom-houfe offi-
cers, and the charges neceflarily attending the fame, which fo much
embarrafled the commerce of this (late, and of the merchants of other
nations trading thither.

The parliament paffed an ad [9 Geo. II, c. 29] for building a bridge
over the river Thames, from New-palace-yard (or the Wool-ltaple) in
the city of Weftminfter to the oppofite fhore in the county of Surrey.
This noble flrudure, hitherto the moft beautiful and vmiform ftone
bridge in all Europe, its vafi magnitude confidered, by the parliament's
bounty in granting feveral lotteries, and at different times feveral funis
of money for it, was at length completed, much to the honour of the
nation, the conveniency of inland commerce, and the accommodation
of all ranks of people. The feveral ftatutes made concerning it like-
wife provided for the removal of many old and decayed houfes, and

A. D. 1736. 209

the. eredion of the three noble and fpacious new flreets named Bridge
flreet, Parliament ftreet, and George ftreet, befides adorning the Pa-
lace-yards, &c. greatly to the embellifhment of the city of Weftminfter,
which, inftead of its former dirty and narrow flreets, now lifts up its
head with grandeur and majefty on every fide.

The long difpute between the king of Denmark and the free impe-
rial city and republic of Hamburgh was at length adjufted this year,
and, as ufual, to the difadvantage of the weakeft, on the terms follow-
ing, viz. I ft, That the Hamburghers fhall pay his Danifh majefty, once
for all, half a million of Danifti crowns *. 2dly, That they fhall in a
year's time abolifli their bank current ; whereupon the money of Den-
mark fhall be on the fame footing with that of Hamburgh. 3dly, That
the merchants and artificers dwelling in the quarter or ward of Schawm-
berg at Hamburgh, and who are fubjeds of his Danifh majefty, fhall
not be fubjed to the jurifdidion of the city of Hamburgh, and fliall
not pay the fame poll-taxes as the other inhabitants of that city do ;
neither fhall Danifh military officers of rank, living at Hamburgh, be
fubjed to its jurifdidion, nor the office of the royal pofts eftablifhed
there. 4thly, That the commerce of Hamburgh with the Danifh do-
minions fhall be reftored, and put upon its former footing : the king of
Denmark, at the fame time, caufmg all the fhips and effeds of the
Hamburghers, which he had feized, to be releafed. 5thly, Juftice fhall
be done to the creditors of bankrupts of Hamburgh taking refuge at
Altena, or other parts of Denmark. 6thly, The rights of the Ham-
burghers, concerning vefTels that may chance to be wrecked on the
Danifh coafts, fhall receive no prejudice.

Mr. Drake, in his Pliftory and antiquities of York (publifhed in
1736), has fupplied us with the following notices of that city.

I ft. There are 42 gentlemen's coaches, 22 hackney coaches, and the
like number of hackney chairs, in full employment in the city.

2dly, A medium of feven years births and burials, from 1728 to
1735, is 398 births and 495 burials per annum. And, as York is deem-
ed a healthful place, we fliall fuppofe that only i in ^;^ of its inhabit-
ants die annually ; fo that the number of fouls in the city and fi;burbs
of York may be eftimated at 16,335.

3dly, York, within its gates, is two miles and almoft three quarters
in circuit, as furveyed in the year 1664. And, in his notes, he adds,
that the city of London is very little bigger within its walls, being but
barely three miles in circumference ; yet the later probably contains
ft X times as many inhabitants as York does, owing to the many more
void fpaces in York than in London.

It was at this time computed that the Portuguefe in Brazil produced

* How often have fucli oncefer alls been repeated ? ji.

Vol. in. D d

210 A. D. 1736.

67,600 cherts of i'ugar, each of 12 hundred-weight; in all, 8 r 1,200
hundred-weight of that commodity. The Portuguefe ftill fupply Spain,
fundry parts of the Mediterranean coaft, Holland, and Hamburgh, with
a confiderabk quantity of fugar, as they formerly did England and
France, till they laid 10 per cent additional impofi: on their iugars, and
till the two later nations had well cultivated their own fugar colonies.

The Dutch are faid to produce ufually between 30,000 and 40,000
hogfheads of fugar annually at the colony of Surinam ; and they are of
late improving their plantations of Barbecies and Ifequebe, adjoining
to Surinam on the continent of South- America. The Dutch alfo fre-
quently import fugars from Eaft-India, and fome alfo from their own
ifles of Euftatia and Cura^oa.

By an adt of parliament [9 Geo. II, c. 34] for enabling his majefty to
borrow any fum of money not exceeding L6oo,ooo, to be charged on
the fmking fund, &c. one million was paid off on the new joint flock
of South-fea annuities, from chriflmas 1736 ; which amounted to Lp:
2/ per cent, written off from each proprietor's account, exclulive of
fradions.

In the fame feffion an act paffed to reflrain the difpofition of landsv
whereby the fame become unalienable. The preamble to this new
mortmain law fets forth, that ' whereas gifts, or alienations of lands,
' tenements, or hereditaments, in mortmain, are prohibited or reftrained
' by magna charta, and by divers other vi^holelbme laws, as prejudiciaJ

* to, and againfl the common utility ; neverthelefs, this public mifchief
' has of late greatly increaied, by many large and improvident aliena-
' tions ordifpofitions made by languifhing or dying peribns,or by other
' perfons, to ufes called charitable, to take place after their deaths, to
' the diflierifon of their lawful heirs : for remedy whereof, be it ena(fl:-
*■ ed, that no manors, lands, tenements, rents, advowfons, or other he-
' reditaments, corporeal or incorporeal whatfoever, nor any fum or
' fums of money, goods, chattels, flocks in the public funds, fecurities
' for money, or any other perfonal eftate whatfoever, to be laid outor
' difpofed of in the purchafe of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments,

* fhall be given, granted, aliened, limited, relealed, transferred, allign-
' ed, or appointed, or any way conveyed, or fettled to, or upon, any per^-
' fon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, or otherwife, for any eftate
' or interefl whatfoever, or any ways charged or encumbered by any

* perfon or perfons whatfoever, in truft, or for the benefit of, any cha-
' ritable ufes whatfoever ; unlefs fuch gift, conveyance, appointment, or

* fettlement, of any luch lands, tenements, perfonal eftate, money, &c.

* (other than flocks in the public funds), be made by deed, indented,
' fealed, and delivered, in the prefence of two or more creditable wit-
' nefTes, twelve calendar months at leafl before the death of fuch donor

* or granter (including the days of the execution and death), and be

A. D. 1736. 211

* inrolled in his majeAy's high covCrt of chancery, within fix calendar

* months next after the execution thereof, and unlefs fuch (locks be
' transferred in the pubHc books ufually kept for the transfer of (locks,
' fix kalendar months at lead before the death of fuch donor or granter;

* and unlefs the fame be made to take effed in pofleflion for the charit-

* able ufe intended immediately from the making thereof, and be with-
' out any power of revocation, refervation, trud, condition, limitation,
' claufe, or agreement, whatfoever, for the benefit of the donor or
' granter, or of any claiming under him. Provided, that the faid li-

* mitations (hall extend to purchafes or transfers made hereafter for va-
' luable confiderations. And all fuch gifts, grants, conveyances, &c.

* made after midfummer 1736, otherwife than herein direded, (hall be
' abfolutely void. Provided, that nothing in this ad fliall be conftrued
' to extend to make void difpofitions of lands, tenements, or heredita-
' ments, or of perfonal eflate, to be laid out in the purchafe of fuch
' lands, &c. which (hall be made in any other form than by this acfl di-

* reded, to, or in truft for, either of the two Englifli univerfities, and
' their refpedtive colleges or houfes of learning, or for the colleges of

* Eton, Winchefter, or Wefiminfter, for the better fupport and main-
' tenance of the fcholars only upon the foundation of the la(l-named

* three colleges. Provided, neverthelefs, that no fuch college, or houfc
' of learning, which doth, or fiiall, hold fo many advowfons of eccle-
' fiaftical benefits as are, or (liall be, equal in number to half the num-
' ber of their fellows (or where there are no fellows, to half the num-
' ber of their fiudents upon the foundation) (hall, from midfummer
' 1736, be capable of purchafing, taking, or otherwife holding, any
' other advowfons, by any means whatever ; fuch advowfons as are an-
' nexed to the headfhips of colleges not being computed in the number
' hereby limited. This a6l fiTiall not extend to Scotland.' [9 Geo. II,
C.36.]

Several focieties petitioned to be excepted out of this bill, particu-
larly the corporation for the fons of the clergy, that for Qiieen Anne's
bounty, the grey-coat hofpital in Weftminfier, and the trufiees for the
charity-fchools of London, Wefiminfter, and Soutbwark. But they
were rejected.

Notwithftanding the very ill fuccefs of the late whale fifiiery of the
South-fea company for eight years together, yet this year one fliip, be-
longing to private adventurers, brought home to London no fewer than
(even whales ; and 130 Dutch Ihips were faid to have caught this fame
year 600 whales. So precarious is whalc-fifliing in the frozen and ter-
rible fcas of Spitfbergen, &c.

Advices were received this year from Carolina, that the French of
Milfifippi were making war, jointly with their own Indians, on a nation
of Indians, called Chickafuws, dependent on Carolina. Their plan was

D d 2

2 12 A. D. 1736.

iiowfeen ro be to hem in all our fettlements on the eufl coafts of North-
America by forts, all along the river Miflifippi, as far up as Canada, and
thereby to exclude the Englifh from any commerce with the numerous
nations of Indians weft of our colonies ; of which plan Dr. D'Avenant
gave public warning fo early as the year 1698 : yet even now the fcales
did not fall from our eyes. It feems the French had got together 2500
white men on Mobile river, on which they built a fort with an intent
to invade Carolina ; but the advice of peace between the French and
us obliged them to diflemble that defign, and our Chickafaws proved
too ha.rd in the end for their Indian allies.

For two years paft the general courts of the South-fea company had
fruitlefs debates concerning an equivalent propofed by Geraldino, the
Spanifli agent with that company, in lieu of their annual fhip, which
feemed calculated to amufe the company, and to delay the Spanifh ce-
dula, or permiflion, for fending out their annual fhip, without any fe-
rious intention to give the company due fatisfadion. On the nth of
Auguft 1736 the general court took that matter again into confider-
ation, after much had been printed in newfpapers, by way of letters,
for and againft the equivalent, and alfo for the company's farming their
introdudlion of negroes into particular parts of the Spanifh Weft-In-
dies, viz. to Vera Cruz, Campeachy, Guatimala, &c. and the feveral de-
mands made by Geraldino before a cedula could be granted : but it be-
ing obferved in this general court, that the court of diredors were bet-
ter acquainted with the fecret fprings of thofe points, it was finally re-
folved, ' that the feveral matters relating to difpatching an annual fhip,
' to the payment demanded by the king of Spain of a quarter of the
' profits made by the fhip Royal-Caroline, and the value of the dollars
' payable for the negro duties, be referred to the court of diredors, to
' do therein as they fliould think moft for the intereft of the company.'

This year an account was laid before the houfe of commons of the
corn exported from England between chriftmas 1734 and chriftmas
1735, with the bounty paid thereon, viz.

57,520 quarters of barley, bounty L7 190 ; 219,781 quarters of malt,
bounty L26,434. ; 1920 quarters of oat-meal, bounty L240 ; 1329
quarters of rye, bounty L232 ; 153,343 quarters of wheat, bounty
1138,335 ; total quarters, 433,893 ; total bounties, L72,433.

A fleet of 27 fall arrived this year at Lifbon from Pernambuco ia
Brazil, the cargo whereof was,

In money, 1,300,000 crufados for the merchants ; 200,000 crufados
for the king.

4 odaves of diamonds.

6294 chefts of fugar, and 700 fmall chefts ditto.

8600 rolls of tobacco.

84,000 half hides, and 13,000 whole hides, in the hair.

A.D.iy^e, 213

11,000 hundred-weight of Brazil wood.

450 hundred-weight of violetta wood.

1737. — The French at this time were eagerly pufhing into an an uni-
verfal commerce, as the furer, though flower, way of coming at theic
old darling fcheme of univerfal dominion, viz.

In j\frica they monopolized the gum trade at the river Senegal ; they
had alfo encroached on the Englifli fettlement at the river Gambia, and
had largely increafed their flave-trade on that coaft for the encourage-
ment of their Weft-India fugar iflands : where

They had at this time gained fo much ground on ours as to be the
great exporters of fugar, and alfo of indigo, cotton, and ginger, to many-
parts of Europe. They had alfo gained a confiderable fettlement on
the coafl of Guiana, near Surinam in South-America, encroaching
both on the Dutch and Spaniards there. On the continent of North-
America, they now afliduoufly purfued old Louis's plan of forming a
chain of forts and fettlements from the mouth of the great river Mifli-
fippi up to their province of Canada, thereby to cut off our continental
fettlements from any commerce with the vafl; Indian countries weft-
ward, and in time to get pofl"eflion of them all. For that end they had
flrongly fortified the ifland of Cape-Breton, at the entrance of the great
river St. Laurence, ferving as well to command that entrance as to pro-
teft a very great cod fifliery, which they have of late fo vaflly increafed
in the neighbouring feas.

From Quebec, their capital of Canada, they had opened and fortified
a communication with the lakes lying behind, and properly as much
belonging to our province of New-York as any other part of that pro-
vince can be faid to be ; and had alfo taken poflellion of the fertile lands
round thofe lakes, much of which they had already cleared, and in part
cultivated, where they had plentiful crops of wheat ; and had alfo found
lead mines, which farther enabled them to improve their trade with the
neighbouring Indians ; and (by already endeavouring to remove fuch
Indian nations from the neighbourhood of the river Miflifippi as might
endanger its navigation) defigning to carry their wheat, &.c. down that
vafl flream to New-Orleans, their Miflifippi capital, from thence to fup-
ply their fugar colonies therewith, polTibly cheaper than our northern
plantations can at prelent do. They had alfo planted tobacco in that
country, and had begun to faw timber for lumber, with a like view to
a trade from thence with their fugar iflands. Weftward they were faid
to have already extended their communication as far as the Spaniflr pro-
vince of New-Mexico, cafting, no doubt, a longing eye on the rich filver
mines there. Eaftward from the Miflifippi, they had by this time fettled
fo far up the river Albanus as to have forts on it withia twenty days
march of Charleftown, our capital of South-Carolina. 01" all wiuch vafl.
improvements and encroachments on the territories of other nations,.

214 A.-D. 1737.

ciiid more efpecially of our own, authentic accounts were laid before
our government and our board of trade ; yet no efFedual regard was
fhewn thereto : neither did the court of Spain feem more to regard
their encroachments in the MifTifippi country, and on their province of
Florida, nor even their more dangerous one towards New-Mexico. In
the Eaft-India commerce alfo France had by this time greatly increaf-
ed, even beyond belief, without being duely regarded by fuch who might
in the beginning have ruined it and mofb of the above encroachments,
had vigorous meafures been in due time taken.

All thefe particulars we have here judged fit to be laid together be-
fore our readers at one fummary view, in order the better to illuftrate
and explain what may hereafter fall in our way in refpedt to France's
all-grafping defigns for univerfal commerce as well as dominion. In
treating of thefe, and fundry other points, it will be impoflible to avoid
obfcurity, without a brief repetition of fome things prevloufly handled
in other parts of our work : and though, by our late amazing fuccefs
againfl: the French colonies in America, matters are fmce greatly changed,
yet the fleps taken by that nation are well worth tracing as mementos
for futurity.

There was at this time much faid in pamphlets and newfpapers in
fiivour of the importation of iron and hemp from the Britifh American
colonies, as being two articles of the firfl: importance for our navy and
mercantile fliipping, as well as for numberlefs other fervices ; and peti-
tions were prefented to parliament for this end by the merchants.

I ft, It was computed that England imported annually about 20,000
tons of foreign iron, whereof 15,000 tons were from Sweden, which
coft about Li 50,000, moftly paid by us in money, as are moft of the
other 5000 tons brought from Ruffia ; and that our exports of wrought
iron are from 3000 to 3500 tons per annum.

2dly, That the iron of the Britifli colonies is as good as any foreign-
iron whatever, and, with proper encouragement, might be imported in
quantities fufficient to fupply all the iron we get from thofe two na-
tions, on wliom we are at prefent dependent for that commodity, with-
out their taking fufficient of our product and manufadures in return ;
whereas our own colonies would be entirely paid by our manufadlures,
the demand for which would thereby be much increafed, and thereby
about Li 80.000 per annum would be clearly faved to the nation in the
balance of our trade. It was, moreover, computed that England makes
annually at home about i 8,000 tons of bar-iron, the quantity of which,
it was faid, we could not increafe, by reafon of our woods being fo far
exhaufted as to have greatly enhanced the price of cord-wood ufed in
the refining of iron-ftone : and were we to import more pig-iron from
A-merica, and make lefs of it at home, we fliould be able, with the fame

A. D. 1737- 215

quantity of wood we now confume, to make much more bar-iron at
home.

3dly, That nothing is more hkely to prevent our American colonies
from falling into fuch manufadures as muft interfere with our own ma-
nufadures of iron, &c. than giving them encouragements to raife fuch
rough materials as pig, fow, and bar, iron, hemp, &c. as it is well known
of what great advantage to this kingdom the bounties on the importa-
tion of pitch and tar from thence have been fmce the year 1703.

4thly, That, for this end, a duty fhould be laid in our colonies on all
iron imported there from Europe ; and that, had the like been done in
regard to prohibiting the importation of hemp from Europe into our
colonies, the bounty now fubfifting on American hemp would have, by
this time, proved more effedual for fupplying us from thence with all
the hemp we want.

On the other hand, the great and natural oppofers to the merchants
petitions were the proprietors of the Englifh iron works, and thofe of
the woodlands of England ; but where particular intereft alone is fo
ftrongly concerned againft fo vifible a national benefit, that oppofition
feemed then not to be much regarded by impartial men, at leafl with-
out doors. In fine, the promoters of this fcheme, for encouraging the
importation of iron from our American colonies, propofed, that an ad-
ditional duty fliould be laid on all foreign bar-iron imported, except-
ing only fuch as fhall be imported from our American colonies ; and
to repeal the prefent foreign duty on all bar-iron which may be here-
after imported from our plantations : yet fo many jarring interefts pre-
vented the legiflature from doing any thing at this time therein.

In November 1737 the Jamaica merchants petitioned the king for
protedion againft the great and violent interruptions and feizures com-
mitted by Spanhh fliips in the American feas, under the plaufible pre-
tences of guarding their own coafts, by not only flopping and fearch-
ing, but alfo, for many years pafl, forcibly and arbitrarily feizing, their
fhips on the high feas, inhumanly treating the Britifli commanders and
failors, and condemning' our Ihips and cargoes as prizes, inmanifeft vio-
lation of folemn treaties between Great Britain and Spain, whereby the
trade to his majefly's plantations in America is rendered extremely pre-
carious ; humbly praying, therefor, fpeedy and ample fatisfacT:ion for
thofe lolTes ; and that no Brithh vellel be letained or fearched on the
high feas by any nation, under any prefer ce whatfoever ; and that the
trade to America may be rendered lafe for the future. The king pro-
mifed them redrefs, upon their making good their allegations to the
privy council, which they afterward plainly did. And here we mull
obferve, that whereas, by the treaty of 1670 with Spain our fliips are
not to refort, nor trade to, the coafls of New Spain and its adjoining
Spanilh provinces, unlets driven tliithcr by firefs of weather, their fail-

2i6 A. D. 1737.

ing near to thofe ftiores renders them liable to be fufpecled of carrying
on a contraband trade with thofe American provinces of Spain, the
trade to which is abfolutely and mofl ftridly confined to Spaniards folely.
And there is fcarcely any doubt that our floops, &c. from Jamaica,
and fome other Britifh colonies, fometimes run the hazard for the fake
of gain, and therefor ought to fubmit to the confequences. So, on the
other hand, it is notorious, that the Spanifli guarda-coflas (or guard
fhips) frequently exceeded their commifllons, by fearching, plundering,
and often feizing, Britifli fhips failing on the American feas, even tl-jough
not fo near their fhores as to give any fufpicionof clandeftine trade, and
though not loaded with the produce of the Spanifli- American provinces ;
but only perhaps having a few Spanifli pieces of eight, or a fmall par-
cel of logwood, or other Spanifh- American merchandize, found in fuch
fhips, the firft being the only coin in our ifland of Jamaica, and the two
lafl the produce of that ifland. In ftiort, thefe mutual complaints in a
few years brought on the war between Great Britain and Spain ; and
although the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in the year 1748, feemed to ter-
minate that affair, yet it was but barely to feem to do it ; and a new
and more diftindl or explicit treaty feems ftill to be wanting, if intend-
ed by either party, for that point, and alfo for our logwood trade in the
bay of Campeachy. To thefe complaints of our merchants an anfwer
was indeed given in June 1738 by the court of Spain, wherein mofl; of
the grievances and violences were promifed to be redrefl^ed ; and the
reft were referred to the inquiry of the Spanifli governors in America,
who were very incompetent judges thereof, as being parties to many
of thofe violences, and many of them privately partners in the guarda-
coflas. And thus it remained, till repeated injuries obliged his Britan-
nic majefly to declare war againft Spain, after having in vain tried by
an amicable convention, in the year 1739, to preferve peace.

There were chriftened in London in the year 1737, 16,760 fouls;
buried 27,823. Increafed in the burials this year 242.

1 738. — One million of the capital flock of the bank of England was paid
off, being a moiety, and farther part, of the two millions capital, created
by an a6f of the third year of King George I. So that the capital flock of
the bank of England was hereby reduced to L3, 875,027 : 17 : 10,
L5 00,000, other part of the faid two millions having been paid off by
an ad of the firft year of King George II, for granting an aid to his
majefly, by fale of annuities to the bank, &c.

Sir William Keith, (in his Hijlory of Virginia^ p. i 74, piihlijhed in 1738)
gives the following account of the revenue of that colony, as it then
flood, and is eftabiifhed by ads of their aflTemblies, viz.

' The annual receipt of quit-rents, at a/flerhng per 100 acres, being
<■ the revenue of the crown, paid into the receipt of the king's pri-
4

A. D.I 738- 217

vate exchequer, is an increafing fund, amounting at prefent to
about - . _ _ - - L3500

' Two ihillings fterling per hogfliead on tobacco exported (at
a medium of 32,000 hogflieads) per annum, - - 3200

' Out of which (alfo increafing) tax, is paid the governor's fa-
lary of L2000 per annum.

' One fhiUing fterUng per ton on 10,000 tons of fhipping
yearly, _ _ _ - 500

' The eflabUflied fees for marriage Ucences, probates of wills,
and entering and clearing fhips (together with other legal per-
quifites belonging to the governor refiding there) is, per an-
num, - _ _ - 600

L7800

It is more than, probable that, fince that time, all thefe articles are
confiderably increafed.

There were imported into the port of London, on the 23d of Octo-
ber 1738, 151,219 yards of linen, manufadtured in Scotland, and alfo
3000 fpindles of linen yarn. Such large entries of the linen manufac-
ture, both from Scotland and Ireland, of late, every year increafing,
merit the highefi; encouragement, as they do not only ufefuUy employ
our own people, and better enable them to pay taxes, excife, &c. and
to confume more of the produd of the country, but which is of very
great importance in the general balance of our commerce, as their li-
nen manufactures fliall gradually increafe, the importation of foreign
linen mufl: necefilirily decreafe in a fimilar proportion.

By the London bill of mortality for the year 1738, there were chrif-
tened 16,060; buried 25,825. Decreafed in the burials this year
1998.

It is not fo eafy as fome have pretended to account for the large
mortality bills of London, in this, and fome preceding years, compared
with much later years, while no extraordinary ficknefs happened, and
while, at the fame time, great additions were confi:antly making to the
buildings in its fuburbs. The befl reafons ufually given for the late de-
creafe of its mortality bills, are, ifl:, the many hofpitals fince ereded
for fick perfons, whereby, and by the fmall-pox hofpitals, many lives
are, probably, preferved, which, without them, would have been loft ;
2dly, many private dwelling-houfes, in many parts within the city of
London, are, from the very vifible increafe of our commerce, pulled
down and turned into warehoufes for merchandize, whereby the num-
ber of houfeholders' is fenfibly decreafed within the lord mayor's jurif-
diction ; but this, v>'e doubt, will fcarcely be admitted as any good rea-
fon for the general decreafe of the burials, unlefs it appeared that thofe
houfeholders had removed from within the limits of the general bills of

Vol. III. E e

2i8 A. D. 1738.

mortality ; ^dly, the late wars in Germany and America have undoubt-
edly carried away fome thoufands of our lower people, vagrants, &c. ;
lallly, it is much to be fufpeded, as elfewhere noted, that the company
of parifli-clerks of London, either have not fufficient powers by law, or
elfe do not exert thofe powers, for enabling them to be more exad in
their weekly bills.

1739. — We have already briefly related the barbarous and illegal cap-
tures of our Britifli merchant {hips on the high feas of America by the
Spanifh guarda-coftas, or veffels pretending to be fuch. Thofe grievances
were loudly complained of by our merchants, and thehoufe of commons
addrelTed the king for obtaining due latisfadion of the court of Spain.
Moreover, the Britifli houfe of peers came to the following refolution,
viz. that the Spaniards fearching our (hips on the open feas, under pre-
tence of their carrying contraband or prohibited goods, is a violation
of the treaties fubfifting between the two crowns. Hereupon, the
ftrongeft reraonftrances being made to the Spanilh court, the king
acquainted his parliament, that he had concluded a preliminary conven-
tion with Spain, ftipulating, in fubftance,

* I ft. That immediately after the figning thereof, two plenipoten-
' tiaries on each fide fliould meet at Madrid, finally to regulate the ref-
' pedive pretenfions of the two crowns.

' 2dly, Until the Hmits of Florida and Carolina can be adjufted,
' things fhall remain there in their prefent fituation.

' 3dly, His catholic majefty fhall caufe to be paid to his Britannic

* majefty L95,ooo fterling, as a balance admitted to be due to the
' crown and fubjeds of Great Britain, after deduftion made of the de-
' mands of the crown and fubjeds of Spain, to the end that the above-
' mentioned fum, together with the amount of what has been acknow-
' leged on the part of Great Britain to be due to Spain on her de-
' mands, may be employed by his Britannic majefty for the fatisfadion

* and payment of the demands of his fubjecls upon the crown of Spain.
' But this reciprocal difcharge fhall not relate nor extend to the differ-
' ences fubfifting between the crown of Spain and the South-fea com-
' pany, nor to any particular or private contrads between either of the
' two crowns, or their rainifters, with the fubjeds of the other, or be-
' tween the fubjeds of the one crown with thofe of the other.

' 4thly, If it fhall happen that, in confequence of orders difpatched
' by the court of Spain, any part of the value of certain fhips taken
' from the Englifh, and included in the forefaid L95,ooo, be already
' paid, the fame fliall be deduded thereout.

' I ft feparate article. The faid L95,ooo fhall be paid by his catholic
' majefty at London, within four months after the ratification of this
' convention.

' 2d feparate article. The 3d article fliall not extend to fhips taken

A. D.I 739- 219

* lince the loth of December 1737 ; in which cafes juftice fhall be

* done according to the treaties, as if this convention had not been

* made. It being however underftood, that this relates only to the in-

* demnification and fatisfadion to be made for the effeds feized, or
' prizes taken ; but that the decifion of the cafes which may happen,
' in order to remove all pretext for difpute, is to be referred to the ple-
' nipotentiaries to be determined according to the treaties.'

This is the fubftance of a convention, which made fo much noife, and
gave fo much difgufl in England. What gave the greatefl difgufl of
all, was the king of Spain's following declaration and proteft, which he
infifted on as a preliminary condition of his ratifying the above conven-
tion, viz. that he referves to himfelf, in its full force, the right of being
able to fufpend the alliento for negroes, and of difpatching the necellary
orders for the execution thereof, in cafe the South-fea company do not
fubjed themfelves to pay, within a fliort term, the fum of L68,ooo fter-
ling, which they acknowleged to be due on the duty for negroes, ac-
cording to the regulation of 521^ per dollar, and on the profits of the
fhip Royal Caroline ; and farther declares, that under the validity and
force of this proteft, the figning of the faid convention may be pro-
ceeded on, and in no other manner.

The injuftice of this previous demand on the company was fo appar-
ent, that the general court on the ift of March refolved not to pay the
fame, without the king of Spain's coming to a juft account with them
for all the feizures and captures of their iliips and merchandize, which
he had by former agreements engaged to refund to them, viz.

I) On our rupture with Spain in the year 1718 the king of Spain
feized on all the company's effeds in every part of his dominions, amount-
ing to about one million of dollars, or nearly, in fterling money, to
L2 25,ooo ; whilft the company's fadories were kept up at La Vera
Cruz, Panama, Porto-Bello, Carthagena, and Buenos-Ayres ; and two
agents at Madrid ; all which was a very great expenfe. This fum the
king of Spain engaged to make good to the company by the treaty of
the year 1721.

II) The king of Spain having in 1727 befieged Gibraltar, he again
leized on every thing belonging to the South-fea company, amounting
to about half a million of dollars, or Li 22,000.

Yet in the treaty of that fame year he promifed not only to reftore
this laft feizure, but alfo the preceding one of the year 171 8; though
all that was ever received was but a mere trifle, compared to their whole
lofs. Now, thofe confifcations were the more unjuft, as being exprefsly
contrary to the afliento contrad ; wherein it is ftipulated, that whatever
differences may arife between the two crowns, the company fhall be al-
ways allowed eighteen months for the removal of their effeds. The
company has alfo farther demands on the king of Spain : for inftance,
* Ee 2

220 A. D. 1739.

ift, their juft claim on him, for one fourth part of all their lolles fuftain-
ed in trade; as by the afliento contract he was to be a quarter-part
fharer in their profits.

2dly, The king of Spain ought to make good the lofs the South-fea
company has fuilained by his frequent refufal of their annual fliip, as
well as by the number of fuch annual fhips fliort of what they fliould
have been allowed by the afliento contrad.

3dly, The company has yet farther demands to make, whenever a
treaty fhall be fet on foot : but, in the meantime, thel'e confiderations
are more than fufficient to juftify their proceedings, and to demonflrate
that the court of Spain was never difpofed in earnefl to dojuflice to
our injured people. For the king of Spain did not only fuffer the four
months to elapfe, within which time he was to pay the L95,ooo, on
the pretext of the South-fea company's failure of paying his demand of
L68,ooo; but, inftead of fulfilling the convention, he feized the fhips
and goods of his majefty's fubjedts wherever they could be found, in his
dominions or elfewhere ; and alfo ordered all the Britifli fubjects in
his dominions to depart in a fhorter time than allowed by treaties.
Whereupon Geraldino, his envoy extraordinary, and Terry, his agent
at London for the afliento contract, were obliged to leave the kingdom.
And his Britannic majefty on the 23d of Odober 1759 declared war
againfl: Spain, for maintaining the honour of his crown and kingdom,
and for obtaining redrefs to his much injured merchants and traders,
who from all parts of the kingdom made earnefl: petitions for relief. It
was indeed high time for our government to take this fl:ep, (thougii
with more than feeming reluctance) for the violences and infolence of
the Spaniards in America were become abfolutely intolerable, princi-
pally owing to our own ihamefully pufiUanimous temporizing at any
rate, rather than refolutely doing ourfelves juft;ice by force of arms ;
thev more than ever perfifl:ing in fearching and feizing Britilh fliips, and
putting their commanders into irons and prifons, their detaining the
South-fea company's fliips, and locking up of that company's warehoufes
at Porto-Bello, Carthagena, Havanna, &c.

It was thought, that taking off the duties upon woollen or bay yarn,
imported from Ireland, might be a ' means to prevent the exportation of
' wool, and of woollen manufa<ftures, fi'om Ireland to foreign parts, and
' alfo be of ufe to the manufadurers of Great Britain ;' and parliament
therefor enaded, that ' from the i fl of May 1740, the fame fliould be no
' longer payable ; excepting only the duties upon worfled-yarn of two or
' more threads, twifted or thrown, or on cruel, imported from Ireland.
' And whereas, notv/ithllanding the feveral laws for preventing the ex-
' portation of wool unmanufudlured from Britain and Ireland to foreign
' parts, fuch exportation was notorioufly continued ; for farther preven-
' tion thereof, it was enacled, that all wool, woollen or bay yarn, woolfelS;,

A. D. 1739. 22);

' fliort lings, mortlings, woolflocks, worfled-yarn, cloth, ferge, bays,
' kerfies, fays, frifes, druggets, cloth-ferges, flialloons, fluffs, and other
' draperies, or fluffs mixed with wool or woolflocks ; which fhall from

* time to time be exported from Ireland into the ports of this kingdom
' hereafter mentioned, fliall be fhipped off and entered at the ports of
' Dublin, Waterford, Youghal, Kingfale, Cork, Drogheda, New-Rofs,
' Nevvry, Wexford, Wicklow, Sligo, Limerick, Galway, and Dundalk,
' and from no other part of Ireland whatever. Nor to any other ports
' of Britain but to Biddiford, Barnflaple, Minehead, Bridgewater, Brif-
' tol, Milford-haven, Chefter, and Liverpool; and in vefTels only of the
' built of Great Britain or Ireland, and duely regiftered upon oath.'
With fundry other claufes for preventing frauds, needlefs here to be
particularized. [12 Geo. 11, c. 21 .}

Upon this fubjed, the author of Confiderations now laid before the
Britifh parliament, relating to the running of wool, thinks it highly
probable, ' that more than 1,500,000 people are employed in our Britifh
' woollen manufacture ; and if thefe earn, one with another, fixpence per

• day for 313 working days in the year, it will amount to Li 1,737,500.'
Which is rightly computed, and demonftrates the immenfe benefit of
this manufadure.

The French having gradually gained the afcendant over us in fupply-
ing the European market with fugars, by being permitted to carry
them diredly from their own fugar iflands to foreign parts, without be-
ing firft' landed in France, liberty was therefor granted to carry fugars
of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of any Britiili fugar colonies
in America, from the faid colonies diredly to foreign parts fouthward of
Cape Finifterre, in fhips built in Great Britain, and navigated accord-
ing to law ; the major part of the proprietors of which fhips fliall, upon
oath, be refiding in Great Britain, and the refidue in the Britifh fugar-
iflands, and not elfewhere, and cleared out from Great Britain, or the
Britiih fugar iflands,' on certain conditions therein Ipecified. [12 Geo. If,
c. 30.] The French had the ftart of us in this prudent regulation, by
at leaft twelve ytars, as appears by their edids of the years 1726 and
1727.

In confequence of a ftatute tor laying a duty on the tonnage of all
fliips belonging or trading to or from the port of Liverpool, for making"
a dock, piers, &c. for that port, we have feen a printed lift of all the
fhips belonging to that famous maritime port and town, taken on the
flrflof May 1739: whereby it appeared, that their number from 30
tons and upwards, was 211 ihips and vellels, amongfl which that year
there were l of 400 tons ; i of 350 ; i of 300 ; 1 of 250 ; 2 of 240 ;
2 of 200 ; 2 of 190 ; 4 of 180 ; 7 of 160 ; i 5 of 150 ; 10 of 140 ; 5
of 1 30 ; 1 3 of 1 20 ; 6 of 1 1 o ; and 1 6 of 1 00 tons each : the reft from

222 A. D. 1739.

90 tons downward. And though the printmg of the number of their
fhips be fince laid afide, we are well afTured that the number of fhipping
of that port is fince very confiderably increafed.

During the year 1738, there arrived at the port of Amfterdam 18 13
fhips of all forts. Boyer's Political ftate for the month of January 1 739,
(N. S.) from whom that number of fhips is taken, remarks, ' that the
' Amfterdamers conjedure, that London has double their number of

* fhips frequenting their port.'

In the fame year Roterdam had about 500 fhips entered inwards.

At London in this year 1739 there were chriftened 16,181 : buried
25,432 ; decreafed in the burials in this year 393.

There were exported in the year 1739 from South-Carolina, 71,484
barrels of rice ; 8095 barrels of pitch ; ^3 ditto of turpentine ; 2734
ditto of tar; 559 hogfheads of deer-fkins, ii96 1oofe fkins unpacked;
Indian corn and peas 20,165 bufhels ; pine and cyprefs timber and
planks 209,190 feet ; cedar boards 3200 feet ; fliingles 42,600 pieces ;
cafk-ftaves 56,821; tanned leather 1535 hides; rofin 45 barrels;
fafTafras 4^ tons; beef and pork 539 barrels; potatoes 790 bufhels.
Cleared outward 238 fliips and veflels.

1740. — In the year 1740 there was erected in Sweden a board for
the encouragement of trade and manufadures, which has proved very
advantageous to that nation.

For the better fupply of feamen to ferve in Britifh fliips of war, and
alfo onboard merchant fhips and privateers, and for the better carrying
on the prefent war againfl Spain, or any future war, an ad was pafTed,
' whereby, during the prefent war, merchant fliips may be navigated
' bv any number of foreign feamen, not exceeding three fourths of the
' fliip's company. And for the better encouragement of foreign fea-
' men to ferve onboard Britifh fliips, either of war, merchant fhips, or
' privateers, during this war, fuch foreign feamen fo ferving for two years,
' fliall afterward be deemed in all refpeds natural-born fubjeds ; provided,
' fuch foreigner fliall not thereby be enabled to be of the privy-council,
' or to be a member of either houfe of parliament, or to take any office

* of trull, civil or military, or to have any grant of lands, &c. from the
^ crown to himfelf, or to any other perfon in trufl for him : and the

* king, his heirs, and fuccelTors, are hereby empowered in any future

* war, by proclamation, during fuch war, and no longer, to permit the
' like number of foreign feamen to ferve in merchant fhips or priva-

* teers, as well as in fhips of war.' [13 Geo. II, c. 3.] This prudent
law was followed by another very wife one, in fundry refpeds refem-
bling it, for naturalizing fuch foreign proteftants, and others therein
mentioned, as are fettled, or fliall fettle, in any of his majefly's colonies
in America, the preamble whereof fets forth, that whereas the increafe

A. D. 1740. 223

of people is a means of advancing the wealth and ftrength of any nation
or country : and whereas many foreigners and ftrangers, from the lenity
of our government, the purity of our religion, the benefit of our laws,
the advantages of our trade, and the fecurity of our property, might be
induced to come and fettle in fome of hismajefty's colonies in America,
if they were made partakers of the advantages and privileges which the
natural-born fubjecls of this realm enjoy. It was now therefor enaded,
that from the firft day of June 1 740, all perfons born out of the hegiance
of his mxajefly, who fliall have refided, or fhall hereafter refide, for the
fpace of feven years or more, in any of his colonies in America, and
Ihall not have been abfent from thence above two months at any one
time, and fliall take the ufual oaths of fidelity ; or if quakers, fliall fub-
fcribe the declaration of fidelity, (or if Jews, with the omiflion of fome
chriftian expreflions) and fhall alfo fubfcribe the profeflion of their
chriftian belief, (Jews excepted) as direded by a ftatute of the ift of
William and 'Mary, ( intitled, an ad for exempting their majefties pro-
teftant fubjeds from the penalties of certain laws) before any judge of
the colony they fhall refide in, and fliall have received the facrament of
the Lord's fupper, in fome proteftant or reformed congregation in
Great Britain, or in the faid colonies, (quakers and Jews excepted) with-
in three months of his or her fo qualifying, and producing a certificate
thereof, figned by the minifler of the faid congregation, attefled by two
witnefl^es: a certificate of all which, under the refpedive colony's feal,
fhall be a fuflncient proof of his or her being thereby become a natural-
born fubjed of Great Britain, to all intents and purpofes whatfoever.
And the fecretary of each colony fliall annually tranfmit to the board
of trade and plantations, lifts of the faid perfons fo natui'alized, to be
regiftered in their office : provifo, that fuch perfons fliall not there-
by be enabled to be a privy-counfellor, &c. as in other naturalization
ftatutes. [13 Geo. II, c. 7.] The more immediate objed of this fta-
tute was in favour of fome thoufands of proteftants, perfecuted and op-
prefled in Germany, and elfewhere, and alfo in favour of proteftants
from Switzerland, &c. all of whom were before, and about this time,
fettled in the different provinces of the Britifh continental colonies of
America, chiefly on the back parts thereof weftward.

By a ftatute for the increafe of mariners and feamen to navigate mer-
chant fhips, and other trading fliips and vefTels, it was enaded, ' ift,
' that all feamen of the age of fifty-five years or upwards, and all fuch
' as have not attained the full age of eighteen years, and alfo all foreign-
' ers ferving in any Britifli merchant fhips or privateers, fliall be ex-
' empted from being impreffed into his majefty's fervice. 2dly, Per-
' fons of any age, ufing the fea, fhall alfo be exempted from being
' imprelTed for the firft two years of their being at fea ; as fliall like—

2 24 A. D. 1740.

* wife all fea-apprentices for the firft three years of their apprentice-

* ftip.' [13 Geo. II, c. 17.]

It was about this time, or perhaps fomewhat earlier, that the manu-
fadure of tin-plates, or more properly of thin plates of iron tinned
over, (which foreigners term white-iron) was brought to fuch perfedion
in England, after having been long loft or negleded, that now very
little of it was imported from foreign parts : our own being now made
of a liner glofs or fkin than that made beyond fea, the later being ham-
mered, and ours being drawn under a rolling-mill. This improvement
is a confiderable benefit to the nation in the general annual balance of
trade ; there being a very great quantity of this article confumed in
Britain, Ireland, and the plantations, for a great variety of ufes. And
though the duty on foreign tinned-plates is thereby funk, yet the em-
ployment given to our own manufacturers, and the money kept at home
which was formerly paid for this commodity from Hamburgh, greatly
over-balances the lofs of the cuftoms thereon. It was indeed long juft-
ly wondered at, that England, which had the beft tin in Europe, and in
the greateft quantity, <ind had iron enough for the purpofe, fhould have
fo long continued to pay fuch great fums to foreign nations for what we
might long fmce have made of our own.

The bounty of 20/ per ton on fhips employed in the whale fifhery
was continued to the 25th of December 1750 ; and an additional bounty
of loyper ton was granted on whale-fiihing fliips to continue during
the war with Spain only : during which time alfo it was enaded, that
no harpooneer, line-manager, boat-fteerer, or feaman, in that fifliery
fhould be impreffed from the faid fervice. [13 Geo. II, c. 28.] This
ftutute Ihews the fenfe the legillature had of the benefits accruing to the
public by the whale fifliery.

The Turks now began to eftablifh regular pofts for the carriage of
letters throughout their dominions, after the manner of Chriftendom,
which they hoped would be very advantageous to their commerce, and
likewife to the fultan's revenue, greatly impaired by the late wars with
the emperor and with RufTia.

It appeared by the information of perfons of worth concerned in
the two Britifh tobacco colonies of Virginia and Maryland, that about
200 Britifh fhips were annually and conftantly employed in that trade,
viz. about 80 or 90 fail for Virginia, and about 1 1 o to 120 for Mary-
land: that the fliips trading thither from the out-ports of Great Britain
were generally of a lefler burden than were thofe from the port of
London: and that of about 30,000 hogfheads of tobacco, annually im-
ported from thofe two colonies into Great Britain, 18,000 were brought
home in the London fhips. Alfo that this computation was exclufive
of the veflels employed by thofe two colonies in their trade with our
other Britifh colonies in America and the Weft-Indies.

A. D. 1740. 225

The anonymous author of a pamphlet, intitled the Prefent flate of
the revenues and forces of France and Spain, compared with thofe of
Great Britain, (8vo, 1740) ailerts, that in France there were not then
more than 600 fail of merchant fhips at the moft, of all fizes. And
that, reckoning 25 failors to each, one with another, all the feamen of
France did not exceed 30,000, including 1 1 ,000 feamen clafled by the
king, who have leave to ferve onboard the merchant fhips till wanted
for the king's fervice. And that, in cafe of a naval war with Britain,
France will be obliged to augment her marine to what it was in their
former war with England, viz. to 120 fhips of war and 40 galleys.
"What this plaufible and fpirited writer computes might then poffibly
be true ; but we have fince had recent experience, that both their
merchant fliips and failors were confiderably more in number than he
then computed them to be.

This year the king, by letters-patent, ereded civil and criminal courts
of juflice at his town and port of Gibraltar. How far this regulation
has been put in praftice lince this time, or, if at all, how far it may,
in time, influence greater numbers of Britifh fubjefts to fettle there,
we fhall not venture to guefs : but, if that fhould come to be the cafe,
the rents of houfes would gradually increafe, and therewith fines upon
entry, acknowlegements for landing goods, as at Leghorn and other
free ports, anchorage in the bay, leafes of ground, fome moderate taxes
on liquors and provifions confumed there, and fuch other benefits which
might naturally be expeded from a civil government being efl:ablilhed
under the mild laws and privileges of a Britifh conftitution, which might
poflibly, altogether, produce fuch a local revenue as might in time eafe
the pubUc of more than L6o,ooo per aimum, which that mofl ufeful
and important fort and port cofts the Britifh nation. Why our expec-
tations in thefe refpeds have not been fully anfwered hittierto, lies pro-
perly before a higher tribunal than we fhall name, whofe intereft is fo
nearly concerned therein, and whofe power as well as inclinations, when
proper informations ihall be laid before them, can undoubtedly rectify
whatever fhall be found to have hitherto been amifs.

This year the king of Great Britain, who is alfo fovereign of the
town of Staden in the duchy of Bremen, was gracioufly pleafed en-
tirely to remit to all Britifh and Irifh fhips the antient toll payable at
Staden by the fhips of all nations in failing up the river Elbe : for
which bounty he received an humble addrefs of thanks from the Bri-
tifh company of merchants-adventurers trading to Hamburgh.

The king of Great Britain having been addrefled in the preceding
year by his parliament, for regulating the currency of the paper money
of his American continental colonies, we fhall here exhibit the value
thereof as follows, viz.

Vol. III. F f

226 A. D. 1740.

New-England, (i. e. principally the Maffachufet's-bay) Connecticut,
Rhode-ifland, and New-Hampfliire, L525 currency*. For Lioo
flerling money.

New-York - - 160

The Jerfeys - - 160

Pennfylvania - - 170

Maryland _ - - 200

North-Carolina - - 1400

South-Carolina - - 800

In the month of Auguft 1 740, the fale of the French Eaft-India com-
pany's merchandize at Port L'Orient amounted to twenty-two millions
of livres, or about one million flerling ; which fufficiently demonftrates
the vaft increafe of that company's commerce to Eaft-India, inthefpace
of a few years paft.

During this year there arrived at Amflerdam 1645 fhips, being 168
fewer than in the year 1738. ■

At that city, in the fame year, there died 10,056 perfons ; being
above 2500 more than in the preceding year.

At Paris, in 1739 Chriftened 19,781 — Buried 21,989
1740 18,632— 25,285

47,273 in both years.
Average of burials, 23,6;^6^ in one year. '■
The king fent out Commodore George Anfon f , an experienced
commander, with one fhip of 60 guns, two of 50 guns, one of 40, and
one of 20 guns, a floop and two viduallers, to diftrefs Spain as much as
poilible in the South fea. It is true, this expedition was rather a mat-
ter of war than of commercial hiftory ; yet, as it has fome relation to

* In a Iclter (on this occafion) from a mercha
at Bofton in New-England to a friend in Eng
land, concerning the different values of paper cur
rency in the Britifh plantations, we have an ex
planation thereof, viz. ' uj on the continuance of a
' favourable turn in the trading circuinrtanccs o
' the province (of New-England) the governmfen
' might {lop at any rate which filver fliould fall to.
' and make that rate the fixed filver pound, and
' make it a lawful tender ; and the common con
' fent or acceptance of the people would com^

' lance of debt againft them : and their trading
' circumftances continuing to decline, (as ours
« have) their filver would be brougJit to 2 7/ per
• ounce (as ours is) and the current money of
' Great Britain be at the rate of 27/ per ounce,
« whatever the lawful money might be. This is
' evident from the fuccefs of Queen Anne's pro-
' claniation, in the 3d year of her reign, and the
aft of parliament fubfequent upon it, defigned
to fix the plantation pound to 2 ounces 16
penny- weights 16 grains of filver, of the fine-

• plete the fcheme of filver money. And thus the ' nefs of common pieces of eight at 6/ic^ per

' ftcrling pound is fixed, in England, to 3 ounces ' ounce ; which moft certainly was well intcnd-

r 17 penny-weight and 10 grains of filver of a ' ed, but for the aforefaid reafons could not take

' certain finenefs, or filver at 5_/2 per ounce. But, ' cffeCl : and there is but one plantation that I

' if that kingdom were under our unhappy cir- ' know of, viz. Barbados, where common filver is

' cumllances, as not having a fufficiency in value ' received by weight, agreeable thereto : Virginia

' of filver and all other exports, to difcharge the ' not fo high, and all the others got beyond that

' whole demand in return for their' (i. e. Great • llandard, in very different degrees.' y^.

Britain's) ' imports, it would then be next to a f Afterwards created Lord Anfon, and wor-

' miracle if filver did not rife to above 5/2 per tliily placed at the head of the admiralty board.

' ounce in the markets, in proportion to the ba- //.

A. D. 1740. 227

commerce, and as it likewile fhews Spain's feeblenefs in the South fea
when at war with us, it feems needful, though very briefly, to relate its
fuccefs. He failed from Portfmouth in September 1 740, and in May 1 74 1
he got round Terra del Fuego into the South fea, after much peril and lofs
by llorms. In September 1741, he took a rich Spanifh prize ; and, coaft-
ing along Chili, in November the fame year, he took another Spanifli
prize, laden with cloth and iron. Sailing to the coaft of Peru, he took,
pkmdered, and burnt, the town of Payta, in the fame month. Thence
he failed to the coaft of Mexico, andoppofite to the harbour of Acapul-
co, he learned that the Manilla fhip was not to fail during that feafon ;
wherefor, in May 1742, he fleered weflward for the coafl of China,
where he arrived in November ; and he remained in the road of Macao
till April 1743, when he failed for the Philippine ifles ; where, in June,
he took a very rich Acapulco fliip, bound for Manilla, with the treafure
of which he failed homeward, reaching the Cape of Good Hope in
March 1744; and on the 14th of June he anchored at Spithead with
only the Centurion, his 60 gun fhip, all the reft being loft, or left as un-
able to proceed. This is the laft Britifti circumnavigation of the globe,
much to the glory of the nation, and to the greatly-merited emolument;
of the noble commander of it *.

There were exported this year from South-Carolina 91,1 10 barrels of
rice, 10,263 barrels of pitch, 2374 barrels of tar, 562 barrels of tur-
pentine, 432 hogftieads of deer-lkins, befides chefts and loofe ones, &c. f

1 741 . — In the year 1741 the induftrious and ingenious Mr. John Smart,
of the city clerk's ofl&ce in London, publifhed an accurate account of the
number of houfes in every precind of the twenty-five wards within the
bars or limits of the lord mayor of London's jurifdidtion, (the twenty-
fixth ward, named Bridge-ward without, not having any houfes reckon-
ed therein) whereby he makes the whole number of houfes therein to
amount but to 21,649. ^^^ though in his dedication to the common
council, he delires them to corred the errors in his account, (which, fays
he, like a modeft man, I fear are many) yet, as he was known to be an
accurate perfon, and that no one has annnadverted on, nor contradifted
his account, we may take it for granted that it is a true one. How in-
accurate then muft the writers of the former part of the preceding cen-
tury have been in magnifying the number of fouls within the jurifdic-
tion beyond all rational probability ? More efnecially when it is confi-
dered, that, after the great conflagration in 1666, very many void fpaces
were built up, as well as the ground of fpacious houfes and gardens of

* Brita;n can boaft of many circumnavigations f The total value of the imports of England in
Cnce that one, and much more to the glory of the th.> year 1740 was L6, 703, 778, and of the ex-
nation; inasmuch as the purfuits of fciencc are ports (not including coin and bullion) LS.ig;, 7^18
more honourable than thofe of depredation, though [lllAliuorlh's Slate.'l M.
perhaps not fo much to the emolument of the
commanders. M.

-» Ff 2

228 A. D. 1741.

moft of our nobility and gentry, &c. who formerly refided within thofe
limits, which have fince been built up into narrow ftreets, alleys, and
courts ; whereby the number of houfes mufl, upon the whole, have been
confiderably increafed lince that fatal period ; even though we admit,
that, for the fake of ornament, feveral ftreets fmce then have been
made wider and more uniform than they were before. The late great
increafe indeed of merchants and wholefale dealers in our own time in
the city, has obliged them to pull down numbers of houfes in different
parts of it, to ereft large warehoufes with cellars, which farther lellens
the number of houfes.

The immenfe increafe of the linen manufadlure of the kingdom of Ire-
land at this time is almoft aftonifhing, were there not fo many undoubt-
ed living teftimonies of it ; enough indeed to alarm all the foreign linen
countries, and to give folid pleafure to all truely intelligent Britons; as
whatever adds to the wealth and ftrength of the kingdom of Ireland is
a real acceffion of fo much of both to the Britifh empire. In a letter
from Ireland, we were told, that, at the acceflion of King William III,
Ireland did not export to the value of L6000 in linen ; whereas, fays
the letter-writer, they now (174 1) export annually an hundred times
as much in value, or L6oo,ooo.

This great improvement was foretold long before by Sir William
Temple, in his Mifcellanies, l?.d edition, 1681.] ' No women,' fays that
great man, ' are apter to fpin linen thread well than the Irifh ; who,
' labouring little in any kind with their hands, have their fingers more
' fupple and loft than other women of the poor condition amongft us.

* And this may certainly be advanced and improved into a great manu-
' fadure of linen, fo as to bear down the trade both of France and Hol-

* land, and draw much of the money which goes from England to thofe

* parts upon this occafion into the hands of his majefty's fubjeils of
' Ireland, without croffmg any intereft of trade in England: for, be-
' fides what has been fiid of flax and fpinning, the foil and climate are
' proper for whitening, both by the frequent brooks, and alfo winds
' in that counti-y.'

By the Englifii Ruflla company's charter, of the firft and fecond of
Philip and Mary, v,hich was confirmed by a ftatute of the eighth year of
Queen Elizabeth, they have the fole privilege of trading from London
to the dominions of Ruffia, and Ukewife to the countries of Armenia,
Media, Hyrcania, and Perfia, on the Cafpian fea. An attempt was ac-
cordingly made by that company for trading into Perfia by the great
river Volga and the Cafpian fea in the year 1558, as related under that
year : but that project was foon dropped, as being then thought too ha-
zardous ; and it remained in fufpenle ever fince, till now, when an a(fl
of parliament was obtained by that company, for opening a trade to
and from Perfia through Ruflla ; in which a claufe was inferted, where-

A. D, 1741. 229

by the ail of navigation of the 12th of King Charles IT, which enjoins,
that no merchandize fhall be imported into England or Ireland but
from the place of their growth, produdion, or manufadm-e, or from
thofe parts where they could only be had, or were ufually or adually
wont to be firft fhipped for tranfportation, was fo far dilpenfed with.
And as raw filk and other Perfian commodities had not been ufually
brought to England through RuHia, it was hereby enadtcd, liiat they
might neverthelefs be fo imported through Ruflia in Briti(h {liips, legal-
ly navigated, fuch raw filk, 8cc. being purchafed by barter with Britilli
manufactures or produft exported to Ruflia, upon paying the like cuf-
toms as the Levant company now pays for the fame brought from the
Levant. [14 Geo. II, c. 36.] This new fcheme was for fonie time fuc-
cefsfully pradlifed ; and confiderable quantities of raw filk and other
Perfian merchandize were imported in this way, as appears by a fup-
plemental fi:atute of the 23d of the fame king, for permitting raw filk
of the growth or produce of Perfia, purchafed in Ruflia, to be imported
into this kingdom from any port or place belonging to the empire of
Ruflia: by which lafi; fl:atute it wasenaded, ' that, from chrifi;mas 1750,
' all freemen of the Ruflia company, and they only, may import into
' this kingdom from Ruflia, in Britifli-btiilt fhips, navigated according
' to law, raw filk of the growth of Perfia, purchafed by barter with
' woollen, or other manufadures, &c. from Great Britain to Ruflia,
' though the fame be not carried from thence into Perfia, or with the
* produce arifing from the fale of fuch commodities, and not otherwife,
' attefl;ed upon oath, under the fame cuftoms and regulations, &c. as
' the Turkey company are fubjed to for raw filk from Perfia.' Till the
wars and defolations rendered that trade quite impradicable (as it re-
mains to the prefent time) it was faid to be a profitable branch of bufi-
nefs to the Ruflia inerchants.

At this time projeds and fchemes were publifhed in the Britifli con-
tinental colonies of America, for fupplying a want, or fuppofed want,
of a medium in trade, by fetting up a bank on land fecurity. The flock
was to be raifed by public fubfcnptions, whereof imall fums were from
time to time to be paid in by fhe fublcribers, and to be managed by
diredors, treafurers, and other officers ; and dividends were to be
made : and the fublcribers were to promife to receive the bills which
they ftiotild ifllie as lawful money in all payments, trade, and bufinefs ;
-and after the expiration of twenty years, to pay the poffeflor the value
thereof in manufadures. And as fundry other fchemes, focieties, part-
nerfliips, or companies, have been propofed, and may be fet on foot in
America, contrary to the true intent and meaning of a ftatute [6 Geo.
J, c. 17] for better fecuring certain powers and privileges intended to
be granted by his majefty's two charters, for aflliranc^ of fliips and
merchandize at fea, 8sc. and for reftraining feveral extravagant and

230 A. D. 1741.

unwarrantable pradices therein mentioned and defcribed, and for pre-
venting the hke for the future ; whereby, ' the prefuming to ad as a

* corporate body, or to make transfers or affignments of {hares, with-
' out legal authority, or the pretending to ad under any charter, for-
' merly granted from the crown for any particular or fpecial purpofes
' therein exprefled, by perfons endeavouring to make ufe of fuch char-

* ter for any fuch other purpofe not thereby intended, and all ading

* under any fuch obfolete charter herein defcribed, fhould be deemed

* to be public nuifances, and to be triable accordingly, as by the fta-

* tute of the i6th year of King Richard II. And whereas doubts have
' arifen whether that ad does extend to his majefty's dominions in
' America,' it was now enaded, (14th of King George 11, for reflrain-
ing and preventing feveral unwarrantable fchemes and undertakings in
his majefty's colonies and plantations in America) ' that the faid ad of

* the 6th of King George I, and every part thereof, fliall extend to Bri-
' tifh America, and the contraveners fhall be liable to the like fines,
' puniihments, &c. to be tried in the king's courts in America.' This
was a prudently-intended law : for, as our colonies grow greater and
more populous, projeds might get into their heads, which would prove
very detrimental to the induflry and parfimony necelTary to fuch co-
lonies.

As the remote well and north-weft parts of the coafts of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, and the ifles thereunto belonging, were found to be
inaccurately laid down in the fea-charts, a flatute pafTed [14 Geo. II, c.
39] for furveying the chief ports and headlands on the coafts of Great
Britain and Ireland, and the iflands and plantations thereto belong-
ing, in order to the more exad determination of the longitude and la-
titude thereof. The ad recites the flatute of the i2th of Queen Anne,
for providing a public reward for fuch perfons as fhall difcover the lon-
gitude at fea, which direds the commiflioners of the navy to fet apart
L2000 for making experiments towards finding out the faid longitude ;
and the commiflioners for difcovering the longitude are empowered to
apply fuch part of the laid L2000 as has not already been laid out in
experiments for making fuch furvey, and determining the longitude
and latitude of the faid chief ports and headlands. It is even ftill to
be apprehended, that fome parts on the Britiflr fliores, and more efpe-
cially the weflern coafts of Britain and Ireland, require a more accurate
iurvey ; but more than the whole fum herein named would be required
to execute that neceffary point to effedual purpofe.

There were married in the year 1741 at Amfterdam 2666 couples
of perfons, and buried 9864 perfons.

There arrived this year at Amfterdam 1813 fhips, as by the Dutch
newfpapers, viz.

A. D. 1741. 231

Ships,

There came from Sweden - - - 25

Ruflia, and other parts of the Baltic fea 405

Greenland and Davis's ftraits - 150

France - - - . -^^6

Spain - - - m

Portugal - - - 80

Italy - - - - 23

The Levant - - - 10

Barbary - _ _ 5

Eafl-India - - - 15

The Weft-Indies - - 99

1259

As England, Scotland, Ireland, and Flanders, are not named, the reft
muft have come from thence, as being near neighbours, and may very
well be fuppofed to have amounted to 554 veflels of all kinds. It is
needlefs here to remark, how vaft a commerce muft be carried on by
this mighty city, and confequently what immenfe riches its inhabitants
muft be poflefied of

1742. — After twenty years filence concerning the much wiftied for,
and frequently attempted, north-weft paflage, an ingenious and know-
ing gentleman of Ireland, Arthur Dobbes Efquire, (fmce governor of
North-Carolina) earneftly applied to the admiralty board to make a
new attempt for finding that fuppofed paflage, at the government's ex-
penfe ; urging the great probability of finding it, by fundry very plau-
fible arguments. The king and his minifters being unwilling to dif-
courage a propofal, which, if fuccefsful, muft be attended with great
advantages to the nation, gave diredions to the admiralty board (where
Sir Charles Wager, an experienced navigator, at this time prefided) to
fend out two of the king's ftiips on that difcovery, under the direction
of Captain Chriftopher Middleton, who had been twenty years a com-
mander in the Hudfon's-bay company's fervice.

His inftrudlions * from the board of admiralty, on a fuppofition of
finding a paflage, were in fubftance as follows :

In places where you meet with inhabitants, make purchafes, with
their confent, and take poflx^flion of convenient fituations in the coun-
try, in the name of his majefty of Great Britain : but where there are
no inhabitants, you muft take pofleflion, by letting up proper infcrip-
tions, as firft difcoverers and poiFefl^brs. If in your paflage you meet
with any fliips trading to the weftern countries eaftward of Japan, or
any Japaneze fliips, and you apprehend any danger from them, either

* The inftruftions are printed in Captain Middleton's defence of his own conduft, publiHied in the
ytarir43. ^-

232 A. D. 1742.

from their force or number, you are to proceed no farther on the diT-
covery, but immediately to return ; that fhips of fufficient force may
be fent out next feafon to begin a trade or make a fettlement, without
any apprehenfion of difturbance from any p^'werful nations on that fide,
left any accident fhould prevent 5'our return, and difcourage any farther
attempts to be made for the fliture. If you fhould arrive at California,
without any apprehenfion of danger, and choofe to winter in 42 de-
grees, (where Caxton is faid to have found a civiUzed nation, and a good
harbour) or elfe more foutherly ; then endeavour to meet Captain An-
fon in the month of December, before the arrival of the Manilla or
Acapulco fhip at Cape St. Lucas, the fouthern cape of California, and
leave a copy of your journal with him, left any accident fhould happen
to you upon your return, and lb the difcovery be loft, and that it
might prevent fhips being fent out to your relief in cafe of fhipwreck.

Charles Wager,
Given under our hands, the 20th of May 1741. T'homas Frankland,

Glenorchy.
He failed in 1741 on the difcovery, and wintered in Hudfon's bay
at one of the company's forts at Churchill river ; and in the fummer
of 1742 he failed again as far north as 66- degrees, and fearched into
an inlet or river, weftward, which he named Wager river, &c. and be-
ing now fully confirmed that no fiich pafTage was to be found, he re-
turned home that fame year with the king's fhips.

This produced a great deal of altercation in print between him and
Mr. Dobbes, who was fo eagerly bent on that difcovery : Captain Mid-
dleton infifting on the above inlet's being merely a river, and Mr.
Dobbes infifting it was the paffage wifhed for, though he was never in
thofe leas, wherein the captain had greatly the advantage of him. Mr..
Dobbes accufed the later of favouring the Hudfon's-bay company, who,
as he alleged, had no fort of inclination to forward this difcovery, as
believing it would be the means of laying their trade open, to which
they certainly have no legal exclufive right by ad of parliament, but
merely by King Charles Il's charter. He alfo alleged, that this com-
pany fell their goods to the favages in that bay at 2000 per cent profit :
he is therefor for diffolving the company, and for laying the trade open
to all the king's fubjeds. He accufes him (whom, however, he admits
to be a capable perfon) as well as the company, of knowing and con-
cealing the paffage ; and infifts, that there are many marks of fach a
paffage; as, particularly, the faltnefs of the water, the ftrength of tides
and currents up Wager ftrait or river, and black whales being found in
it, and in the opening called the Welcome, near it. Yet Captain Mid-
dlcton endeavours to account for this, by fuppofing fome under-ground
paflage for the fea out of Baffin's bay, or Davis's ftraits, &c. And here
we mull leave this dark fubjed for the prefent.

A. D. 1742. 233

The old or original capital of the bank of England of Li, 600,000
being at an interefl of 6 per cent till the ift of Augull 1743, when
alfo that company's exclufive privileges expire, and the natural interefl
of money being at this time very low, the government availing itfelf
thereof, made this year a contrad with the bank, and had it confirmed
by parliament, that the bank Ihould advaiice Li ,600,000 more with-
out any additional interefl whatever, (i. e. by agreeing that both funis,
amounting to L3, 200,000, fhould bear an interefl: of only 3 per cent) ;
in confideration of which fervice to the public, the bank, by this fla-
tute, had their privileges of banking, exclufive of any partnerfhip be-
yond fix perfons, till one year's notice, and repayment of principal and
arrears, after the ifl of Augufl 1764. By this adl, perfons forging,
counterfeiting, or altering any bank note, bill of exchange, dividend
warrant, or any bond or obligation under that company's feal, or any
indorfement thereon, or knowingly uttering the fame, fhall fuffer death
without benefit of clergy. Moreover, the company's fervants breaking
their trufl to the company fhall fuffer death as felons without benefit of
clergy. It was alfo enafted, that when, at a court of diredlors of the
bank, neither the governor nor deputy-governor fhall attend in two
hours after the time appointed for bulinefs, then any thirteen or more
of the directors may choofe a chairman for the time, for the difpatch
of bufinefs ; which court fhall be as valid as if either the governor or
deputy-governor had duely attended. Hereby the bank was authorized
to take in fubfcriptions for advancing the faid Li, 600,000 *. [15 Geo.

The parliament taking into their confideration, that the linen ma-
nufadures of Great Britain and Ireland were of late years greatly im-
proved, whereby the prices, as well of foreign as of home fabric, were
confiderably reduced, in order to extend thofe advantages as much as
poffible, laid an additional duty on foreign cambrics imported of 1/5 for
every half piece, and 2/10 for every whole piece ; out of which addi-
tional duty there was allowed a bounty of id ior every yard of Britifh
and Irifh linen, worth from 6d to i id per yard in value, and one half-
penny per yard for linen under the value of 6d per yard, exported. [15,
16 Geo. II, c. 29.]

It has, for very many years pafl, been judged of the utmoft confe-
quence, that the trade and navigation to and from the Britifli American
plantations fhould be entirely confined and fecured folely to Britifli,
Irifh, and American, lubjeds : for which end it was, by a llatute of the
7th and 8th of King William III, and the 5th of Queen Anne, and
now confirmed by an adl of parliament [15, 16 Geo. II, c. 31] for far-
ther regulating the plantation-trade, &c. enaded, that all fhips trading

* The capital ftock of th^ bank was now L9,?00,000, yicld'ng to the propriL^ors a dividend of
f'ac and a half per cent. M.

Vol. III. G g

234 -A* I^' 1742'

from Britain and Ireland, and alfo all the fhips of our American plan-
tations, fhould be regiftered as Britifh, Irifh, or plantation, built, or elfe
prize-fhips made free : and a certificate of fuch regifler was to be always
ready in the mafter's hands : many frauds had neverthelefs been dif-
covered in this refped, certificates of fuch regiflers having been fre-
quently fold to foreigners, whofe fliips, under colour thereof, have been
admitted to trade to and from the Britifli plantations, contrary to thofe
former laws. For prevention whereof, the mafter of every fhip arriv-
ing in America mufl now rake an oath of all the qualitications necef-
fary for afcercaining luch fliip to be a qualified one for trading thither,
and to be abiblutely and folely the property of his majefty's Britifh,
Irifli, or American, iubjeds.

Some Ruflian adventurers from Tartary having now, as well as in
fome former years, diicovered the coafts of America, of which they
adually had fight, and particularly of California, had, it feems, failed
124- degrees north of that country, where no voyager had been before.
From thofe difcoveries of the Ruffians, it may be concluded (fays Dr.
Bufching, in the firfl volume of his very valuable Geography of Europe,
p. 524, Englifh tranllation), that Afia and America, about the 66th
degree of north latitude, are feparated from each other only by a very
narrow channel.

At the city of Dublin in this year 1742 there were chriftened 1357
children ; buried 2320 perfons. This lafl numbei-, multiplied by ;^;^,
gives the probable number of fouls in DubUn to be 76,560, provided
the numerous papifts of that city, and all the proteftant dilfenters due-
ly regifter their burials, which is at leafl doubtful.

At Amfterdam there arrived this year 1591 fhips.

1743 — Though the controverfy from the prefs between Mr. Dobbes
and Captain Middleton, concerning the paflage through Hudfon's bay
weflward to China, &c. and the nature of the Hudfon's-bay company's
trade with the lavages of that bay, be too prolix to be totally tranfcrib-
cd into this work, yet there were fundry branches thereof thereby
brought to light, which are well worth recording.

The captain, in his farther vindication, printed in 1743, obferves,
' that, until a little above twenty years before, the voyage to Hudfon's
' bay was feldom made without wintering there.' This fhews that
the company has thereby made a confiderable improvement therein,
and a confideraijle laving mufl needs be made by not wintering at their
forts on fo inhofpitable a fhore.

Mr. Dobbes has taken the pains to give the public the entire falc of
all that company's returns in the year 1743, viz.

26,750 beaver fkins, fold for - - L9780 4 o

12,370 marten's fkins _ _ - 4242 7 o

2360 damaged ditto - - 442 10 o

A. D.I 743- 235

590 otter's fkins
850 cats

260 damaged ditto
320 foxes
600 woolverines
170 ditto, damaged
320 black bears
1580 wolves
270 ditto, damaged, and ftags

40 woodfhock fkins

10 mink fkins
5 racoon fkins
120 fquirrel fkins

L4I3

0

0

765

0

0

52

0

0

200

0

0

205

0

0

27

12

0

368

0

0

1580

0

0

123

15

0

22

6

0

I

TO

0

0

16

0

2

0

0

46,6:5 of all forts, fold for - - Li8,226 o o

He adds the following articles, but without their prices, viz. 130 elk
fkins, 440 deer fkins, 3170 pound weight of bed-feathers, and 220 lb.
in a tick, 140 caftorum, 470 whale fins, 23 cafks of whale oil, and 8
lb. of wefaguipaka.

And in their March fale 40,125 beaver, worth Li4,670 o o

Unvalued goods, about - - 400 o o

Total amount of their fales in the year 1743 1.^2,ig6 o o

Upon this flate of this little company's fales, we may obferve, that if
their capital flock be but about Li 00,000, and that thereon they had
not for many years divided more than 10 per cent on that capital an-
nually, and if this year's fale be any rule to determine for other years,
it will follow that the company's annual txpenfe for fliipping, forts,
. garrifons, falaries, and home charges, may be about L20,ooo. bo that,
though Mr. Dobbes has fpared no pains to be mafler of this lubjecl,
yet, after all, confidering the rilks the company conftantly runs, their
gains are little to be envied. Captain Middleton tells us, that the com-
pany has in all i 20 peribns, officers, foldiers, and fervants, in their four
forts in Hudfon's bay ; which forts are abfolutely requifite for their
people employed in preparing cargoes during winter, againft the arrival
of their fhips, as well as to proted; them from the attempts of the fa-
vages and of wild beafls. So that, if the company fhould be difToived,
as Mr. Dobbes propofes, and the trade laid open, thofc forts muil be
kept up by a rate, or tax, on che private traders ; and undoubtedly the
company rauft, in fuch a cafe, have a reafonable compenfation for
the.. : and as the comjiany, through the means of the forts, by their
long experience of the trade, and by fome fort of correfpoudence with

Gg2

236 A. D. 1743.

the favages, have raifed, and for many years carried on, a commerce
very beneficial to the nation, they might reafonably hope for a farther
compenlation on that account hkewife. All things therefor being due-
ly weighed, it may feem doubtful, whether it would be more eligible to
diflblvc the company, in expectation (as Mr. Dobbes believes) of ex-
tending the trade much farther when laid open, or to fufFer this branch
of our commerce to go on in its prefent channel ; unlefs the fo-much-
defired paflage vveftward to the Afiatic world could be found practicable;
in which caie, indeed, there may be found good reafons for taking
thole forts into national management, and for ereding others in that
fuppoied pafHige : Mr. Dobbes, Captain Middleton, and others alfo, later
than them, have defcribed fundry very plaulible fymptoms of a com-
munication with the fea of Japan. Yet, on the other hand, even fup-
pofing that communication to be certain, it may happen to be imprac-
ticable for fhipping, either through its frozen fituation (like Weygatz
flraits), or from its being blocked up by rocks and fmall iflands ; or,
laftly, it may be found too hazardous and impracticable to guard and
keep it to ourfelves alone, for reafons obvious enough. Should our na-
tion be the difcoverers of fuch a practicable paiTage weftward, it would
doubtlefs open fundry new and very unufual fcenes, and commercial op-
portunities, and would give us great advantages over other nations, not
only in {hortening the voyage to Japan and China, and even to India,
properly fo called, and to the adjacent ifles ; but likewife in opening a
commerce to us with the whole weft fide of North-America, without
rivals, where mines of the richer metals are known to aboimd near and
at New-Mexico, California, &c. More fine-fpun fpeculations of this
kind would rather amufe than inform, and therefor we fhall leave them,
and come again to more pradicable matter.

V Mr. Dobbes has given us a catalogue of Britifh manufactures, &c.
which theHudfon's-bay company exchanges with the Indians. He fays
that one beaver's Jkin is the ftandard medium of circulation, and is the
eftabliflied price of each of the following articles, viz.
A pound weight of brafs kettles, 2 combs,
li- lb. of gunpowder, 2 yards of gartering,

5 lb. of lead ftiot, i pair of breeches,

6 lb. of Brazil tobacco, 1 piftol, or
1 yard of bayfe, 2 hatchets.

The other flcins and goods of the favages are, doubtlefs, valued alfo
by this fl:andard of a beaver-fkin, though he has not fhewn the propor-
tions thereof.

Other goods ufually carried thither are, glafs-beads, black-lead, fugar,
thread, vermiUon, brandy, broad cloth, blankets, duffles, flannel, awl-
blades, buttons, fifli-hooks, fire-fi:eels, files, guns, flints, yarn, mittins,
handkerchiefs, hats, hawks-bells, knives, ice-chizels, looking;-glafles>

A. D. 1743. 237

needles, net-lines, rings for the fingers, runlets, fword-blades, fpoons,
ihirts, fhoes, flockings, fafhes, worded, thimbles, tobacco-boxes, tongs,
trunks, twine, &c. "Which ihews, in lome meafure, that Mr. Dobbes's
opinion may be right, that the extenfion of this trade farther into the
vafl: inland countries, fouthward and fouth-eaffc from the bay, might
prove a national advantage. Yet, whether thofe countries be lb fertile
and fo well inhabited as he alleges, is at leaft doubtful.

There was exported by the Hudfon's-bay company in the year 1737
to the value of - - _ _ - - L4124 18 2

In the year 1738 _--_-_ 3879 17 11

Thus this difpute between Mr. Dobbes and Captain Middleton has
brought to light more particulars for illuftrating this trade, than either
the company would, probably, have readily done, or the public could
have otherwife expeded.

Mr. Dobbes has moreover given us alfo a catalogue of the peltry im-
ported from Canada, or New-France, into the port of Roche), for the
year 1743, viz.

127,080 beaver Ikins, 1220 fine cats,

16,512 bears, 1267 wolves,

110,000 racoons, 92 wolverines,

30,325 martens, 10,280 grey foxes and cats,

12,428 otters and fifhers, 451 red foxes ;

1700 minks,
in all 311,355 fkins, worth about Li 20,000 fi:erhng, according to the
above valuation of the Hudfon's-bay peltry.

Both Mr. Dobbes and Captain Middleton admit, that there is a good
copper-mine on the weft fide of Hudfon's bay, not far from the coaft,
which might, probably, be brought to good account, were a fort built
near it. It is on that weft fide, where the company's chief fons and
trade are lefs in danger of being annoyed by the French forts north of
Canada, and which were much too near ours on the fouth fide of Hud-
fon's bay, fuch as our beft and ftrongeft fort, n?.med the Prince of
Wales's fort, from whence in 1742 the company got 20,000 beaver's
Ikins ; that on Churchill river ; York-fort on Nelion's river, antiently
called on our maps Port-Nelfon ; another on New-Severn river ; one oa
Albany river; and one on Moofe river, at the very fouthern extremity
of the bay ; where they keep themfelves clofe, both fummer and winter
for the moft part, having no country plantatio:is, and with only a
kitchen garden under the walls of their forts, wherein they raife a few
herbs and greens. Whereas, fays Mr. Dobbes, would the company
fettle and build forts higher up from the fea, on the weft and fouth fi.ies
of the bay, where the frofts and cold are not near lb intenle, and where
they will find a rich country, well wooded, with all mamier of plants,,
herbs, 8cc. with plenty of grafs, rivers, and lakes ; or rather, were the

238 A. D. 1743.

trade laid open, and thofe fine inland countries upon Rupert's, Moofe,
Albany, and Nelfon, rivers, fettled by our people, we might regain the
whole trade from the French, and fupply the natives with woollen and
iron wares, &c. which, he fays, the company do not do ; but, inftead
thereof, by their exorbitant rates, do enable the French from Canada to
underfell them. He adds, with refped to this company, that eight or nine
private merchants engrofs nine tenth parts of the company's capital ftock,
whereby thev are perpetual directors. Mr. Dobbes, for the greater cor-
roboration of his opinion of the probability of a palTage out of Hudfon's
bay into the South feas, gives us an abftrad of the voyage of De Fonte,
the vice-admiral of Peru, from Lima northward, on the weft fide of
North-America, as far as the Tartarian feas in 77 degrees of north lati-
tude, in the vear 1640, by order of the king of Spain, who had advice
of frefli attempts in 1 639 for a north-weft paflage by certain naviga-
tors from New-England ; and that the Spanifii admiral had found in
thofe feas a (hip from Bofton in New-England, commanded by one
Captain Shaply, who was told by that admiral, that his inftrudiohs were,
to make prize of any people feeking a north-weft palTage into the South
fea ; but that, neverthelef^, he would look upon them as merchants trad-
ing v.'ith the natives for beavers, &c. and ib difmifled him generoufly.
Which account Mr. Dobbes thinks has all the appearance of being
authentic, though it is plain there are fundry very improbable circum-
ftances in it; particularly that admiral's afi^erting, at the conclufion of his
journal, that he found there was no paflage into that fea by what is
called the north-weft paflage, after he had related his finding the New-
England fliip in the Tartarian fea ; which circumftance, however, Mr.
Dobbes has laboured to clear up. He thinks, that fliip might have
pafled into the Tartarian fea through fome of the openings near Whale-
cove, in trading for furs, and might have been afterwards loft, or elfe
fuiprifed by the f.fquimaux favages, upon her return home, feeing no
account of this voyaG;e was ever tranimitted from Bofton ; and that,
upon Sir Charles Wager's makmg inquiry, whether any of the name of
Shaply had lived at that time in Bofton, it did appear from certain writ-
ings, that fome of that name had then lived at Bofton ; which, fays Mr.
Dobbes, adds to the weight of De Fonte's account, and confirms its be-
ing an authentic journal *.

The fuburbs of London ftill increafing on every fide, and particularly
towards the hamlet of Bcthnal green, which at this time was increaled
to about i8o3 houies, and computed to have more than 15,000 inha-
bitants, whch is above eight perfons to each houle i^by realon thev are
moftly manuracturers, and the meaner fort of working people, many

* If fu.li a voyago bad been unJertakcn from other fabricated Spanilli navigator) are now uni-

Bofton, ih' mcnioiy of it could not have been nt- verfally allowed to be mere fables. The Sjiai-.iards

terly loft in that place in the courfe of a ctntury. have no accounts of any fuch difcovcrers. M.
But tlie diuovciics of Fuente, and Dc Fuca (an- 3

A. D. 1743. 239

lodgers often crowding into one houfe) an ad: of parliament was pafled
[16 Geo. II, c. 28] to make that hamlet a feparate and diftindl parifh from
that of St. Dunftan's, Stepney ; and for ereding a parifli-church there-
in, fince known by the name of St. Matthew Bethnal-green.

There were buried during the year 1743, at Dublin 2,193 perfons,
Chriftened - - - - - - -1,517

The number of burials multiplied by 30 gives 65,790

if by ■^'^^ is more (^^579

By this rule, the perfons in Dublin were - 72,369

We are obliged to wifh we could depend on thofe mortality bills.

1744 — TheEnglilhEaft-India company,in confiderationof an enlarge-
ment for 1 4 years longer of their prefent exclufive trade and privileges,
agreed to advance one million of money for the public exigency, for the
year 1 744, at 3 per cent intereft. Which was accordingly confirmed by an
ad of parliament [17 Geo. II, c. 17] for granting to his majefty the fur-
plus or remainder of the duties on fpirituous liquors, granted, &c. to
commence from michaelmas 1744 ; the company being for this end
enabled to borrow money on their common-feal by ci'eating a million
of new bonds, at 3 per cent interell. So that the entire debt thence-
forth due by the public to this company was L4, 200,000, hereby de-
clared to be redeemable upon one year's notice after lady-day 1745,
by payments of not lefs than L5co,ooo at any one time. Yet, not-
withftanding fuch redemption, this company fhall continue to enjoy
their exclufive commerce to Eaft-India for the term granted by former
laws ; and, in confideration of this loan to the public, they fliall have
an addition of fourteen years to their prefent exclufive term, which will
therefor extend to three years notice to be given by parliament after
lady-day 1780; and at the expiration of the laid three years, and re-
payment of the abox-e L4, 200, 000, and all arrears of interell, then their
title to an exclufive trade fliall ceafe and determine. Yet, after the faid
determination, the company fliall continue to have a common right
with other fubjeds in and to the trade to India.

Thus the pi*efent condition of the Eaft-India company is as fol-
lows,

Due to them in their corporate capacity L3, 200,000 at 4 per cent,
being Li 28,000 per annum; and Li, 000,000 at 3 per cent, being
L30,ooo per annum.

In our war with Spain we happened, about two years and an half
before this time, to feize on the ifland of Rattan near the bay of Hon-
duras, belonging to that kingdom ; and now the Britifli parliament
made an eftimate and provifion for the expenfe of a garrifon, fortifica-
tions, ftores, &,c. for it ; it being thought extremely well fituated for. a^

240 A. D. 1744.

trade between Jamaica and the Spanifli main. Yet, foon after, on a
general peace, it was again reflored to Spain.

The French having, as formerly noted, confiderably gained upon
England in their trade to the Levant, not only by the fliortnefs of the
voyage thither from Marfeilles, but alfo by judicioufly ftudying the ma-
nufidturing of fuch kinds of flight, though fine-looking, woollen cloths,
as may beft fuit their climate, which they can afford to fell at a cheaper
rate than that of our more fubftantial, and really finer, drapery; befides
their fupplying the Turks, alfo cheaper than we can, with great quan-
tities of fugar, indigo, &c. it was at this time much canvaffed, in con-
verfation, pamphlets, and newfpapers, whether the fliortaft way for
England to regain the afcendant in that very important branch of com-
merce would not be to lay the Turkey trade entirely open to all
Britifli fubjecfls. This went fo far with many, that a bill was brought
into parliament for enlarging and regulating the trade to the Levant
feas ; hoping, that, by the number of traders in an open trade, they
fhould be able to underfell the French, and recover the ground which
they had gradually lofl. But our Turkey or Levant company, being
heard at the bar of the houfe, gave thereby, and by their printed cafe,
fuch convincing reafons againfl the bill, that it was at length dropped.
The company readily admitted that their trade was much decayed ; but
they alleged in fubftance the following genuine reafons for that declen-
fion, viz.

That, during the mofl flourifliing periods of their trade, it was prin-
cipr.lly carried on with a coarfe kind of cloth, made entirely of Englifli
wool, in which no other nation could vie with them. But the French,
after the treaty of the Pyrenees, enjoying a long courfe of profperity,
turned their views very much to fort-ign commerce, and particularly to
that of the Levant, which the great Colbert puflied forward at a vaft
public expenfe; till at length the cloth manufacture of Languedoc, made
of two thirds Spanifli wool and one third of the wool of that province,
could be afforded at as low a price in Turkey as the Englifh could af-
ford to fell a coarler cloth, made all of their own wool, not worth above
gd per lb. That this fuperiority of the material, and alfo that of the
finer fpinning, made a more fliowy cloth, which, though flighter,
found its vent in a warmer climate. That, moreover, the French
make cloths of all Spanifh wool for the Turkey markets, which
they fell cheaper than ours ; though ours be more fubflantial. And
though there are Englifh cloths made of a mixture of Englifli and
Spanifli wool, yet the French cloth of that fort happens to be much
cheaper. That the French, by this acquired advantage of Spanifli wool,
have got the better of the natural one which we long enjoyed ; and that
our clothiers are not able to make iuch a cloth to fuit the Turks, fo
cheap as the French can and do afford theirs before-mentioned. That,

A. D. 1744. 241

moreover, the French have increafed their trade to Turkey by carrying
thither indigo and coffee in great quantities, which we have not, as alfo
fugar, which they fell much cheaper than we can do. The wars of the
great Peter, czar of Ruflia, againfl Perfia having obftruded the bring-
ing of Sherbaff filk from the province of Ghilaun through Turkey,
the Englifh before that period ufually bought at Aleppo and Smyrna at
leafl 1000 bales, one year with another, worth about Lioo each bale,
and chiefly in barter for our cloth ; a great part whereof the lilk
merchants carried back into Perfia, fo that httle or no filk comes now
that way ; and indeed it is now permitted to be brought through Ruflia,
as is alfo rhubarb, once a good article of return, but now become a mo-
nopoly in the hands of that court. And that, though that province has
been refl;ored to Perfia, yet the wars that have fince been in thofe pro-
vinces have fo interrupted the commerce, that it is now much diverted
into the other channel through Ruflia. That there is a decreafe, of one
half at leafl;, in the confumption of fundry drugs, as well as in galls,
goats-wool, and mohair-yarn, occafioned by the change of fafliions.
That the great increafe of Italian and Spanifli raw filk alfo leflens the
vent for Turkey raw filk ; although thofe filks are bought with ready
money ; whereas the Tui-key raw filk is taken in return for the Britifh
manu'fadures fold there. That the company, confiding in the royal
charters and privileges, have conftantly carried on a very confiderable
commerce to Turkey, whither they annually export large quantities of
woollen and other manufactures, &.c. and bring , back great quantities
of raw filk, mohair-yarn, &c. for the ufe of our home mannfadures ;
and are at a very great expenfe in fupporting the charge of an ambaflli-
dor at Conftantinople, and of confuls in other parts ot Turkey; as alfo
in obtaining and renewing the needful capitulations with the Ottoman
Porte, and in making confiderable fettlements at Conftantinople, Aleppo,
Smyrna, &c. and that they apprehend this bill will deprive them of
thofe privileges, fo dearly purchafed, if it does not hkewife occafion the
total lofs of the trade.

It feems the Jews were very adive in promoting this bill, which af-
forded the company and their friends within doors an occafion to ex-
plain to the parliament and people, how probable it was, that they would,
by being admitted, as was by many intended, into this trade, when laid
open, engrofs the entire Levant trade, in conjundion with their own
people in Turkey, who are the agents for the great men there, and the
general brokers for merchants ; and who, by combination am.ongil: them-
felves, very much govern the fide of merchandize. For which, and
other reafons, it was judged fit to drop the bill. This brief account will
let thofe who were before ignorant of the nature of this trade, in a great
meafure into at leafl a general idea of it, which, indeed, i" as much as

Vol. III. H h

242 A. D. 1744.

perfons, unacquainted with the pradice of that particular branch ofcom-
nierce, can rcafonably defire to know.

We fliall clofe this year, 1744, with a fummary view of the flate of
the flock and funds of the bank of England, viz.

The original capital doubled, and reduced to 3 per cent
intereft, is-------- 1.3,200,000

For cancelling exchequer bills (3/w Geo. I) at 4 per
cent - - --.----- 500,000

Purchafed in 1722, of the South-fea company, at 4 per
cent __--__-__ 4,000,000

Annuities charged on the furplus of the funds of lottery
1714, at 4 per cent - - _ _ _ _ 1,250,000

Annuities at 4 per cent, charged on the duty on coals
fmce lady-day 171 o - - _ _ _ _ 1,750,000

Total bank capital - Li 0,700,000
Befides the feveral 3 per cent lottery annuities transferable at the
bank, i. e. of the year 1731, being L8oo,ooo ; of the year 1742, be-
ing alfo L8oo,ooo ; of the year 1743, being Lr, 800,000 ;. and the like
fum of the year 1744, or L 1,800,000 ; all which four laft fums are
quite feparatc and diftinft from what is known by the name of the ca-
pital ftock of the bank, the faid four fums being entitled to their re-
fpedive annuities alone, without any other profit whatever ; wliereas
the capital ftock of Lj 0,700,000 was entitled to all the benefits of that
company's banking, in the largefl fenfe of that word. We are here,
however, to note, that though the principal fum of Li 0,700,000 was
adually due from the public to the bank, yet the transferable capital
in the bank books, as divided among all their proprietors, was really but
L9, 800,000 bank flock ; there being the fum of L900,ooo undivided
capital remaining in that company's corporate capacity ; by the interefl
whereof, and their profits by banking (i. e. by all the advantages the
bank can make, either bv circulating the government's exchequer bills,
and by other dealings with the public ; by what they make by difcount-
ing merchants bills of exchange ; by dealing in foreign bullion ; and,
laftly, by employing fo much of the cafii of their circulating notes as is
not judged abfolutely requifite to remain in bank, for anfwering all the
demands of thofe notes, that prudent and moft ufeful corporation was
enabled to make at this time ah annual dividend of 5| per cent on their
transferable capital of L9, 800,000.

Now the annual interefl paid to them from the public
on L3,2oo,coo, at 3 per cent, is - _ _ _ Lq^.o'^o

And on L7,5oo,ooo, at 4 per cent, is - - - 300,000

Total of the bank's interefl from the public - L396,ooo

A. D. 1744. 243

But, as the bank has for feveral years pafl divided 5^ per
-cent yearly to the proprietors of the faid L9,8oo,ooo,
being - - - - - - - - - L539,ooo

By deducing the faid yearly intereft received from the
public, being ________ 396,000

There remain, as the annual profits of the faid L900,ooo,
their undivided capital, and all their other various profits
by banking, as aforefaid, amounting together to - 143,000

Now, if the intereft paid by the government for the
L900,ooo undivided capital, at 4 per cent, be deduced,
being - - _______ 36,000

Then the clear annual profits of the bank, by their mo-
ney concerns with the public, and by all their other cer-
tainly-known banking concerns, will be - - - 107,000

Dedud: thereout (fuppofe) for houfe-expenfe of all kinds,
as falaries, &c. _-____-_ 1-7,000

And there will remain then of the known annual profit
by mere banking _-_..___ 90,000

Laftly, fome might poflibly be fo much farther inquifitive as to form
conjedures, for they can be no other, concerning the proportion which
the quantum of ready cafh, always neceflary to be referved in this, or
any other, public or private bank for the circulation of all their cafti
notes and ci-edit of accounts in a bank, bears, or ftiould bear, to the
total amount of thofe cafti notes and credit ; and which is the ultimate
article in all banking bufinels, and probably alfo the moft confiderable
one, more efpecially with refped: to our London private bankers, though,
at the lame time, an extremely cafual and uncertain one: nevertheleis,
as this laft point may be properly termed the fair and reafonable myf-
tery or fecret of all banking, we can fee no benefit which can arife by
any fuch minute inquiries to the generality of men ; neither do we ap-
prehend them proper to be inquired into at all, without there ftiould
arife any reafonable fufpicion of fraud: For it has been a political ob-
fervation qf long ftanding, that even the reputation of great and power-
ful monarchies and ftates often fubfifts more by common fame or
opinion than by real ftrength or ability (' mogis favia guam vi") ; fo it
may more ftridlly and properly be applicable to a bank and bankefs ;
of which we had a moil pregnant inftance a few years ago at break-
ing up and dividing the profits of an eminent partnerfliip of a private
bank in the city of London, which for many years had cleared or di-
vided feveral thoufand pounds yearly for the partncrlkiiT- when, upon
appraifing all the real flock of that partnerfhip before the hisheft judge

H h 2

244 -A. D. 1745.

of Great Britain, it appeared, even to that great man's amazement, that
the whole did not amount to above three or four hundred pounds, en-
tirely conlifting of fliop implements, and certain houfhold furniture, &c.
Perhaps this obfervation may, in fome refpeds, be extended to moft
of the great commercial, as well as banking, focieties of the world ;
whofe internal condition, circumflances, and profits, it is by no means
proper too narrowly to pry into, fo long as they, to all appearances, are
profperous and pundual in all their affairs ; though, like a private
merchant, their circumflances may not be alike profperous at all times.

1745. — Having read in Ker of Kerfland's Memoirs, that the city of
Hamburgh had no fewer than 5000 fhips and boats belonging to it, and
that loofe way of defcribing its naval commerce not giving mefufficient
fatisfaftion, I applied in the year 1745 to a Hamburgh broker or agent,
then refiding it London, concerning the truth thereof; who freely ac-
knowleged, that, if all the boats on the river Elbe belonging to Ham-
burgh, and the vaft number of vefTels which that opulent city conftantly
employed in carrying merchandize up and down that large river, to and
from the countries of Mecklenburg, Pomerania, Saxony, Brandenburg,
Bohemia, Silefia, &c. were to be taken into the account, he knew not
whether there might not be fo many of all kinds ; but that the number
of real fliips trading on the Ocean and belonging to Hamburgh was not
above 300 ; whereof 150 were from 200 to upwards of 500 tons bur-
den, 27 of which fhips were then adually lying in the river Thames : and
that the remaining 150 were what are ufually called fmall craft, or coaflers,
trading principally to Holland. Befides thofe, they had three fhips of
war for the protection of their commerce from the Barbary rovers,
which they keep conflantly in their pay, viz. two of 40 to 50 guns
each, and the third a fmaller frigate. This account, feemingly a pro-
bable one, gives an high idea of the extenfive commerce and numerous
fliipping of that city.

The difcovery of a north-wefl pafTage to the feas of Japan and China,
continuing to be much the fubjed of converfation, an ad of parliament
palled [18 Geo. If, c. 17] whereby it was enaded, that if any fhip of his
majefly's fubjeds fliall find out, and fail through, any paflage by fea be-
tween Hudfon's-bay and the weflern and fouthern ocean of America,
the owner, or his afligns, fhall receive a reward of L20,ooo. The com-
milfioners for determining this dil'covery are therein named, being the
great officers of ftate, and of the treafury, admirals, &c. Provided,
however, that nothing in this ad fhall anyways extend to the prejudice
of any part of the eftate, rights, or privileges, belonging to the governor
and company of adventurers of England trading into Hudfon's bay.

To prevent the frauds committed in counterfeiting the ftamps put
on Britifh and Irilh linen, in order to receive the bounty allowed on
their exportation, a Hatute palfed this fame year \c. 24] for efledually

A. D. 1745, 245

preventing the exportation of foreign linens, tinder the denomination of
Britifli or Trifli linens.

And by the next ftatute [c. 25] it was enaded, that whereas the linen
manufadures of Britain and Ireland are of late years greatly improved
and increaied, whereby the price of linens, as well of foreign as of home
fabric, hath been confiderably reduced, a farther bounty on their ex-
portation was hereby enaded, of one halfpenny per yard on linen of
the value of 5^ and not exceeding i 2d per yard ; and of three halfpence
per yard on linen from above i 2d to 1/6 per yard ; with fundry other
regulations for preventing frauds, &c. This flatute, it is hoped, will in
time produce great and good confequences for the increafe of our own,
and the difcouraging of foreign, linens, for which fuch great funis are
and have fo long been paid, to fupply the Britifh, African, and Ameri-
can, trades, and all our other exportations of linens ; whereby our own
people will be employed, and the money kept at home, fo long paid to
Germany, Pruflia, and Ruflia for the fame.

As the next ftatute [c. 26] for repealing the inland duty of 4/ per
pound weight upon all tea fold in Great Britain, and for granting to his
majefty certain other inland duties in lieu thereof, &c. relates only to
the alterations thereby made in the manner of colleding the duty on
that commodity, we fhall take no firther notice of it, than merely to
remark, that it was provided, that if at any time the Britifh Eafl-India
company fhall negled to keep the London market fupplied with a fuf-
ficient quantity of tea at reafonable prices, to anfwer the confumptiou
thereof in Great Britain, the board of treafury may grant licences to
any other perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, to import teas
into Great Britain from any part of Europe, fubjed to the like duties,
reftridions, and limitations, &c. as are prefcribed v/ith refped to tea to
be imported by the Eaft-India company from any part of Europe, &c.

It being evidently for the advantage of Great Britain, and particu-
larly for the farther promoting of her own linen manufadures and thofe
of Ireland, that the wearing of foreign cambrics and French lawns
Ihould not be permitted, a llatute [18 Gto. II, c. 36] for prohibiting,
the wearing and importation of cambrics and French lawns, enaded,
that it fhall not be lawful for any perfon in Great Britain to wear any
cambric or French lawn, under the penalty of L5, and the like pe-
nalty on the fellers thereof, &c. If this law was ferioufly intended to ,
be executed, as its title and preamble feem to import, there is reafon
to apprehend it has not fully anfwered the intention ; neither, perhaps,
has a fubfequent fhort ad [21 Geo. II, c. 26] for explaining, amending,
and enforcing, the fame, by farther extending the penalties to the.
venders, and alfo to the milliners making up fuch cambrics.

Great Britain being at war with France, the province of New-Eng-
land alone, ailifted by the king's Ihips of war, was now able to raife a

246 A. D. 1745.

fufficient land-force to take the ifland of Cape-Breton, which was for-
nrierlv yielded to France by the treaty of Utrecht. Thofe forces con-
lifted of 4070 men, exckifive of commiflion-officers, viz.

from Maflachufet's bay _ - - 3250 men.

New-Hampfhire _ - - - 304
Connedicut - - - - 516

4070
"befides the armed floops and failors belonging to thofe three colonies
and to that of Rhode-ifland. The importance of Cape-Breton is now
well underftood (lays Sir William Pepperell, commander of thofe forces,
in his journal of its fiege), or rather of the iflands of Madame and Cape-
Breton, which are Co contiguous, that they are by moft people fuppofed
to be but one ifland, by the name of Cape-Breton. It extends from
the gutof Canfo or Canceflb, the eafl:ern boundary of Nova-Scotia, eaft-
north-eafl about 34 leagues, and helps to form the gulf of St. Laurence ;
which gulf is full of commodious bays, havens, iflands, rivers ; and at all
feafons of the year has great plenty of cod-fifh, and at particular feafons
of the year has herrings, mackerel, 8cc. for bait : but the ice in winter
renders its navigation uniafe, if not altogether impradicable, at leafl: to
make fifhing voyages ; though in the lummer feafon there have been
vearly fifheries carried on at Gafpay, at the entrance of Canada river,
and in the little harbours from thence to Bayverte, at the iflands of St.
John and Magdalene, at and through the gut of Canfo, and thence along
the fliore (to many other places therein named), and from Gafpay round
the north fide of the gulf at the feveral convenient ports on the main,
quite to the flraits of Belleifle, and, by an allowance to the French in
the treaty of Utrecht, (which they have made the mofl of) in all the
harbours at the northward of Newfoundland that were unemployed by
the Englidi. And though, comparatively fpeaking, there was but a
fmall number of their fliips that lifhed at Cape-Breton itfelf, yet the fi-
tuation of that ifle is fuch, that they could all of them at pleafure re-
pair thither on any emergency or danger, efpecially thofe that fiflied in
the gulf, on the main, or thofe at the north-weft of Newfoundland, who
were all within one or two days fail at moft ; and alfo thofe fhips that
laded with mud-tifh on the banks : fo that this ifland of Cape-Breton
was the key and protection of their whole fifhery ; and for that end it
was fortified and garrifoned, and valued by France equal to any other
of its colonies ; though the harbour of Louifbourg is not an extraordi-
nary good one, and the ifland produces nothing either for food or rai-
ment : fo that the fituation and conveniency of this place (being as it
were the center of the whole fiOiery, and a cover and command to the
whole gulf) was the greateft inducement to France to fortify it. What
other ufes it might fcrve for, as a port to the Eaft and Weft India ftiips,

A. D. 1 745. 247

and to thole bound to Canada, on occafion to refort to for wood and
water, to clean or to repair, &c. not being fo much in their view as fe-
caring and upholding the iifliery. Their convidion of the growing pro-
fics of the filhery there, and the hopes of one time or other monopoHz-
ing it, made them take fuch indefatigable and indired; means the lafl:
war (i. e. of Queen Anne) to procure a neutrality, fo far as related to
the fifliery, which they obtained by dint of money; and on the peace,
in order to fecure it to them for the future, fluck at no terms to obtain
this illand, which they had no fooner effeded, than they immediately
fettled it with a new colony of fifhermen only. And a fifhery flourifhed
here fo fafi:, that they could, and did, afford to underfell us at foreign
markets. And for the protedion of the trade fo to do, they had annual
fhips of war fent theni from France to vifit and fupply them, with or-
ders to proted and defend not only their fea-coafts, but their veflels on
the banks of Newfoundland, &c. ;- and alfo to make and keep their pre-
tenfions good to the feveral banks, either within or without their hne ;
and to make themielves a privilege as it were of fifliing almoft where
they pleafed, by force of cullom, in which they gj:adually increafed ; fo
that in the year 1732 two of their men of war were ordered on that
llation, to cruife on the banks, to examine into the ftate of the fifhery,
and to give them any neceflliry afliftance and protedion ; and to go
from thence to Canada, and fo back to the fifhery again, and thence to
convoy thofe fhips that had made their voyages, and were ready to de-
part for Europe. The marquis de la Maifon Forte, (continues Sir Wil-
liam Pepperell) in his journal, thus remarks, Louifl^ourg is a good port
and a fafe harbour. More than 100 veffels from France arrive there
every year to fifli, and make fifh- (i. e. to cure them) of the cod which
they catch in fmall craft of the country, and are after put into larger
veffels, where they filt them and dry them, from the beginning of June
till Odober, when they all get ready to depart each for his afligned
port. This ifland produces fome grain; but though there are more
than four thoufand inhabitants, they find their account much better in
fifhing than in hulhandry, and confequently the land lies wafte ; they-
procuring all necelTaries in exchange for their filh.

Our author proceeds to illuftrate the magnitude and profits of the
fifliery of the French in thofe. feas, viz.

From the gut of Canfb down along the fiiore to Touifbourg, and
from thence to the north-eafi: part of Cape-Breton, there were annual-
ly employed at leafl 500 fhallops, each of which required at fea and on
ihore at leafl five men ; in all - - 2500 men.

Sixty brigs, fchooncrs, and floops, with each 15
men, _____ goo men.

Total men employed,. 34°° men, •

248 A. D. 1745.

Each of the faid 500 fhallops catches 300 quintals
of fifh in the fummer feafon ; in all - - 150,000 quintals.

And each of the brigs, fchooners, and floops, catches
600 quintals _ _ - - 36,000

Total fifli annually made at Cape-Breton, 186,000 quintals.

Now, to carry this fifh to Europe there muft be
employed 93 fliips, of tbe burden of 2000 quintals
each, and each fhip has 20 failors ; in all - i860 men.

Total men employed in the fifhery of Cape-Breton, 5260
At Gafpay, Qiiadre, and other harbours, mentioned in the following
eftimate, there are fix fhips yearly, which, as they come out from
France, manned to catch their own cargoes in fhallops (which they
haul up, and leave in the country every winter till they return in the
next fpring) may, one with another, be allowed fixty hands. And it
has always been allowed from St. Maloes and Granville that they have
at leaft three hundred fail of thofe fhips in this fifhery,that fifh at Petit-
nord, Fichance, Belleifle, and the gulf, which (all being computed as
above, and allowing thofe fliips that fo come out to make their own
royages, to carry each three thoufand quintals) will be as follows, viz.

Ships.

Men.

Qiiintals.

At Cape-Breton,

- 93 - ■

- - 5260 -

- - 186,000

— Gafpay,

- 6 - ■

- - 360 -

- - 18,000

— Quadre,

6 - ■

- - 360 -

- - 18,000

— Porte en Bafque,

6 - .

360 -

- - 18,000

— Les Foils ifles,

- 3 - ■

- - 180 -

- - 0000

— St. Maloes, &c.

300 - .

■ - 18,000 -

- - 900,000

Total, 414 24,520 1,149,000

There go alfo fliips from St. Jean de Luz, Bayonne, Nantes, and Havre
de Grace ; and befides all thefe, there have been conltantly from the
rivers Sindie, Olune, Poiteux, Havre, &c. 150 fhips at leafl (the French
fay 200 fail) employed in the mud-fifhery, (or mort-vei^, as they call it)
from 16 to 24 men each, which carry home from 22,000 to 30,000
fifh each. So, on the mofl moderate computation, 150 fail of fhips,
with 20 men each, is 3000 men ; and by tale, 3,900,000 fiihes in all.

In regard to the value of this branch of trade, it is necefTary to ob-
ferve, that it alfo produces a large quantity of train-oil, viz. a hogfhead
of 60 gallons of oil out of every hundred quintals of fifli, and this out
of the whole quantity will produce 11,490 hoclheads of oil. And al-
lowing that 4000 fifli in number are equal to 100 quintals when cured,
then the 3,900,000 mud-fifh, by the fmie rule, will yield 975 hogfheads
of oil ; which makes in all 12,465 hogflieads of oil.

A. D.I 745- 249

Now, let the 1,149,000 quintals of fifti be valued only at iq/"flerling
per quintal (the prime coil ufually at Newfoundland), and then it is
worth _____ L574,5oo o o

And to this allow 3/ fterling per quintal for freight
in Englilh bottoms to market, - - 172,350 o o

And then the fifti alone is worth - 746,850 o o

And let the 12,465 hogfheads (or 31 16^^ tons) of oil
be valued at L18 fterling per ton, - - 56,092 10 o

As to the niud-fifh, they are generally fold in France
at 1000 livres for 1000 filh ; and then, at iii fterling
per livre, their value is - - - 178,75000

And thus it appears that one year's fifhery of the
French is worth _ _ _ _ L98 1,692 10 o

Which great branch of trade in a manner depends entirely on their
pofleflion of the ifland of Cape-Breton, as it is impofllble to carry it on
without fome convenient harbour of ftrength.

In addition to this, in regard to the woollen manufafture, every man
employed in this fiftiery confuming in his back and bed clothes the va-
lue of 30/" fterling therein yearly, is L4i,250 fterling. Add alfo thereto
the canvas, cordage, hooks, lines, twine, nets, lead, nails, fpikes, edge-
tools, graplins, anchors, &c. which 564 ftiips and ftiallops muft expend
at fea and on fhore ; and allow all thefe to be Britifh, and that Britain
could keep it all to herfelf, and the value will be found of greater con-
fequence than any other trade dependent on our plantations, not even
excepting the tobacco trade : firft, in regard to railing feamen for the
navy ; fecondly, in the confumption of Britifti manufadures and pro-
du6t ; and, thirdly, and above all, in a certain annual remittance of the
balance of this trade from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and other parts *. So
that, all things duely confidered, this acquifition of Cape-Breton is of it-
felf, and alone, a fufficient compenfation for the war. Moreover, by this
conqueft, France has not any one fea-port for the relief of their trading
fhips, either from the Eaft or from the Weft Indies, open to them any-
where in North- America to the northward of the river Miflilippi ; for
Canada is not to be looked upon as an open port to the fea, it being
impradicable to go thither for ftielter, as being 60 or 70 leagues within
land through the gulf to the mouth of the river, and then a great way
farther up the river. And even as to Canada itfelf, the river is now fo
much under our command, as well as the gulf, that all trade, and even
communication there, may be very eafily flopped by our fhips from

* To all thefe our author might have added the great number of people of various trades employed
in building and fitting out the veflcls, and the advantage accruing to the landed iiitereft from the con-
fumption of their provifions. A.

Vol. III. I i

250 A. D. 1745.

Cape-Breton; infomuch that, without force of arms, in a very few x'ears
that colony would fall, and the whole trade of furs carried on with the
Indians there come into Enplifli hands. And a happier confequence
Hill is, that hereby the French in Canada may not only be kept from
fupplyiiig the Indians, but alfo from encouraging them to annoy our
frontiers ; fo that thofe Indians muft become dependent on us. By this
acquifition, likewife, we have fecured to the nation the garrilon of An-
napolis-Royal, and the colony of Nova-Scotia ; which country being a
very rich and fertile foil, and its coafts and rivers abounding with fifli,
and fettled with French catholics, that nation has much regretted the
lofs of, and wanted to recover. Our holding Cape-Breton will alfo keep
thofe French inhabitants of Nova-Scotia in ftridt allegiance to his ma-
jelty, or elfe oblige them to quit their pofleflions, which are all farms
brought to perfedHon, and fit for any fervice immediately. Had we not
taken Cape-Breton this year, and the French had taken Annapolis, the
confequence then would have been, that all the inhabitants of Nova-
Scoiia would have declared for France immediately, and the colony
would have been at once the French king's ; whereby all the Cape-fable
and St. John's Indians, who affifted France laft year at the fiege of An-
napolis, together with thofe of Canada, would have been let loofe upon
our frontiers.

This account of the vaft value of Cape-Breton, written by one living
in its neighbourhood, and who was knighted for the fuccefsful part he
afted in reducing it to his Britannic ma;efly's obedience, is in the main
juftly to be dept-nded on, as not being the vague and romantic report
of an unrtdhul wrirer, but the faithful narration of one who was every
way equal to the t-afk *,

1746 — To balance the great lofs of the French in Cape-Breton, they
next year took fromo nr EngUfli Kaft-India company their moll import-
ant fort and town of Fort St. George, on the Coromandel coall, with
the adjacent black town of Madras, being the capital of all our com-
pany's places in Eaft-lndia ; wherein they found no fmall quantity of
merchandize and trea.ure: they alfo took one of that company's cap-
ital fliips.

* Notwitliftanding Mr. Anderfon's encomium long. An irfinitely more effeftual, as well as mote

on Sir William Peppcrell's flattering account of honourable, n.cans of relief, was admiiiiftered by a

his own conquell, it is now known that it ought meeting of merchants, bankers, and traders, on the

to be read with at lealt fome grains of allowance. 26ih day of that month. Thofe gentlemen drtw

The riehnrfs of the foil of Nova- Scotia has been up a paper, wherein they declared their refolutiou

often cried up, but it has never yet been very pro- to fupport the credit of the bank by receiving

dudlive. M. their notes in all payments, and ufing their utmoll

In confequence of the alarm raffed in the me- endeavours to pay them away to all perfons receiv-

tropolis by the progrcfs of tlie pretender's fon, ing payments from them. The refolution was foon

there was a great run upon the bank in tlie month figned by above eleven hundred perfons, and had

of September. The dircdlors endeavoured to make the happy effcft of quieting apprehenfion, reftor-

tlicir ea(h hold out as long as pofhble by making ing contidence, and putting an immediate cud to

their payments in filvtr, and chiefly in fixpeiices; the run ujioa the baiik. A/,
an expedient which could not h.-ive availed them

A. D. 1746. 251

On the 5th of July 1746 the king's charter pafTed for erecting the
Britifti linen company at Edinburgh ; whereby a number of peers and
eminent gentlemen and merchants were incorporated, with a capital of
Li 00,000 fterling, which may be farther increaied from time to time,
as their affairs fhall require, to any limited fum, by his majefty's fign-
manual. Their ordinary affairs to be conduded by a governor, deputy-
governor, and five directors. Their firft governor was Archibald duke
of Argyle, the great promoter of this charter. One of the main inten-
tions of this company was to fupply the Britifh merchants trading to
Africa, and to the American plantations, with fuch kinds of linen cloth
as they hitherto were obliged to purchafe from foreign nations ; where-
by it is to be hoped that much money will befaved to the nation, which
till now has been carried abroad for thofe goods : a mofl worthy and
truely public-fpiriteddefign, which there is good ground to hope will in
due time fully anfwer expedation.

The bank agreed to deliver up to the treafury L986,8oo in exche-
quer bills ; in lieu of which they were to have an annuity of 4 per cent
for that fum, out of the fund for licencing fpiritous liquors : and the
bank were hereby empowered to add the faid LgS6,Soo to their capital
flock, taking in fubfcriptions for that end. [19 Geo. II, c. 6.]

Thus, at michaelmas 1746, the whole debt due to the bank from the
public, was - - - Li 1,686,800

But the bank now hold thereof, in their corporate capa-
city, the undivided fum of - - 906,800

which being deduded, there remained of transferable

capital, divided amongft all the proprietors, only - L 10,780,000

It being too common for commanders of fhips, lying in rivers, ports,
&c. to throw out their ballaft on the (liore below the full-fea mark, to
the great detriment and filling up of thofe ports, rivers, &c. a law was
paffed [19 Geo. II, c. 22] prohibiting the throwing out of any filth, rub-
bifli, gravel, &c. except on the land where the tide never flows, under the
penalty of at leaft fifty fliillings, and not exceeding five pounds for every
offence. And fhips or veffels funk or ftranded in any port or river,
mufi; be forthwith weighed up and removed by order of the magifirates.
This ad extended only to that part of Great Britain called England.

The manufadure of fall-cloth had been long improving in Great Bri-
tain, and had been encouraged by fundry ads of parliament ; particu-
larly by thofe of the 9th and 1 3th of King George II, whereby all fo-
reign-made fail-cloth imported, ufually entered by tlie name of Holland's
duck, or vitry canvas, fit for fliips' fails, and for which duties are pay-
able, fhould be flamped as fuch on its importation, to prevent its pair-
ing for Britilh-made fail-cloth ; and if found unflamped, to be forfeited ;
and the importer of it to forfeit L50, all which was now confirmed j
3 li 2

252 A. D. 1746.

and by the fame aft [19 Geo. II, r. 27] every veflcl built in Great Bri-
tain, and in his majefly's plaiitations in America, mufl, at her firft fail-
ing, be furniflied wich one full and complete fet of new fails, made of
fail-cloth manufaftured in Great Britain, under the penalty of L50 on
the mafler of the fliip or veffel. And every fail-maker in Britain or
the plantations, fhall, on every new fail, affix, in words at length a
flamp of eight inches diameter, whereon his name and place of abode
fhall plainly appear, under the penalty of Lro. All which particular
claufes were hereby to continue in force for feven years longer.

It being found by experience, that the cuftom in England of making
afTurances, interefl or no intereft, or without farther proof of intereft
than the policy, has been produdive of many pernicious praftices ;
whereby great numbers of fliips with their cargoes have either been
fraudulently lolt and deftroyed, or taken by the enemy in time of war ;
and that fuch affurances have encouraged the exportation of wool, and
the carrying on of many other prohibited trades, it was therefor now
enaded, that no afTurance fhould be ' made on any (hips belonging to
' his majefty, or any of his fubjeds, or on any goods onboard any fuch
' fhip, interefl or no interefl, nor without farther proof of interefl than
' the policy, nor by any way of gaming or wagering, or without benefit

• of falvage to the aflurer : and that every fuch afTurance Hiall be null
' and void. Yet, ift, afTurance on private fhips of war may be made
' for the owners thereof, intereft- or no intereft : 2dly, any goods, mer-
' chandize, or effeds, from any ports or places in Europe or America
' in the pofTefllon of the crowns of Spain or Portugal may be afTured
' in fuch manner as if this a6l had not been made : 3dly, it fhall not
' be lawful to make re-afTurance, unlefs the infurer fhall be infolvent,
' become a bankrupt, or fhall die ; in either of which cafes, re-afTurance
' may be made ; 4thly, all fums to be lent on bottomry, or at refpon-
' dentia, upon any Britifli fhip bound to Eaft-India, fhall be lent only
' on the fhip, or on the merchandize onboard fuch fhip, and fhall be fo
' exprelTed in the bond ; and benefit of falvage fliall be allowed to the
' lender, who alone fliall have a right to make afTurance on the money
' fo lent : and none fhall recover more than the value of his intereft on
' the fhip or on its merchandize, exclufive of the money fo borrowed :
' and if it appears, that the value of his fhare in the fhip or merchan-

* dize does not amount to the full fum fo borrowed, fuch borrower
' fliall be refponfible to the lender for fo much of the money borrowed
' as he hath not laid out on the fhip or merchandize, with lawful inter-
' eft, together with the afTurance and charges, in the proportion the
' money not laid out fhall bear to the whole money lent, notwithftand-
' ing the fhip and merchandize may be totally loft : 5thly, in all adlions
' the plaintiff fhall declare within fifteen days, what fums he has afTur-
' ed : 6thly, perfons fued on policies of afTurance are to bring the mo^

A. D. 1746. 253

' Bey into court ; and the plaintiff not accepting it with cofts, to be
' taxed, in full difcharge ; and fhall afterwards proceed to trial in fuch

* adion, and the jury fliall not alTefs greater damages to pay cofts than

* the money fo brought into court ; fuch plaintiff, in every fuch cafe,

* fhall pay to fuch defendant, in every fuch acftion, cofls to be taxed.'
\_igGeo.II,c. 37.] ^

In confequence of an ad of parliament of the preceding year 1745,
for granting a reward of L20,ooo to the difcoverers of a north-weft paf-
fage through Hudlbn's bay to the feas of Japan and China, as already
related, a fubfcription for Li 0,000 was now fet on foot, divided into
100 fhares of Lioo each, for fitting out two fhips in fearch of that paf-
fage. Thofe fhips wintered at Port-Nelfon in Hudion's bay, and in the
vear following (1747) they made feveral attempts for a paffige weft-
ward, but were obliged to return home the fame year, quite difhearten-
ed and unfuccefsful ; as has alfo been another attempt fince made from
Philadelphia. Yet as this fuppofed paffige was brought under the con-
fideration of parliament in the year 1749, we fhall fufpend any farther
obfervations thereon till we come to that year.

The following fuccind furvey is taken from voyages, and other mo-
dern accounts, publifhed about this time, being a catalogue of all the
forts, fettlements, and fadories, of the feveral European nations trading
to, and in the way to, Eaft-India, from the ifle of St. Helena quite to
Japan ; and which may give the reader a good general idea of Europe's
correfpondence with Eaft-India, viz.

Pofleffed by Great Britain,

The ifle of St. Helena, fituated in the i6th degree of fouth latitude,
about 1200 milesweft of the African coaft, and 1800 miles eaft of South-
America, being almoft an entire rock, with a thin covering of vegeta-
tive earth, about 20 miles in circumference, with only one paflage up
to it, well fortified. It contains about 200 families, who have fuflicient
produce to fupply our Eaft-India fhips in their way from India, (and
thofe of other nations we are in peace with) with frefh provifions, fruits,,
and vegetables : but it is difficult for fhips going to India to find it, be-
caufe of the winds.

Balfora, or Baflbra, at the upper end of the Perfian gulf, at the con-
fluence of the Tigri's and Euphrates. Here is a Britifh, and alio a
Dutch, fadory. Hither come many fliips from feveral nations of Eu-
rope and Afia, it being a place of great commerce. This place is alfo
commodious to the Englilh and Dutch for conveying their letters
home over land by way of Aleppo,

Gomroon, alfo in the Perfian gulf, has both an Englifli and Dutch
fadory, and fubordinate inland ones at Ifpahan ; there being a confi-
derable trade carried on betwixt this place and India.

To Mocha in Arabia, near the mouth of the Red fea, the Britifh and.

254 A. D. 1746.

Dutch companies refort for its coffee, hitherto the befl in the world ;
but they have no fettled fadories there.

1747. — In Cambaya (a province of India) the Englifh company have a
prefident and council at Surat, who hare, or lately had, the fupreme direc-
tion of the commerce on all the well coaft of Malabar. Its fubordlnate
fadorles are at Agra, Amadabat, Labor, &c. but not always confined to
fuch places. At Anjengo the company built a fort in the year 1695.

The ifland, town, and port, of Bombay on the Malabar coafl is a
fovereignty of our company's ; of which enough has been fald elfe-
where. And on the fame coaft there are fadorles at Calicut, Telichery,
Dabul, and Carwar, which laft is famous for the beft pepper in India ;
for which reafon our company has a fort there, as well as a factory ;
but pepper grows in general all over India, and therefor cannot be
monopolized.

On the Coromandel coaft, Britain has Fort St. George, having only
an open road, and the adjoining black town of Madras. It is but a
week's journey from the diamond mines of Golconda, held of the mo-
gul. To the governor and council of this place all the fadories eaft-
ward, or beyond the Malabar coaft, are fubordlnate ; as.

Fort St. David, and the lefTer ones of Vizagapatan, Ganjam, &c. on
that coaft.

In the kingdom and bay of Bengal, the Engllfti company have Fort
William at Calcutta, Ballalore, Cofimbazar, Dacca, Patana, and fome
other fubordlnate factories ; though their later fuccefsful conflids with
the French, in thofe parts, have fince made confiderable alterations in
this part of India.

In the great Ifland of Sumatra, our company have a fort and fadory
at Bencoolen ; alfo Fort-Marlborough, near it, and fome other fubor-
dlnate fadories.

In the ifland of Borneo the Engllfli have a fadory at Benjar.
By the Dutch Eaft-Indla company are held the following, viz.
The extenfive and conftantly-lmproving colony of the moft famous
fouthern point of Africa, called the Cape of Good Hope, in full fove-
reignty, with all its forts ; where the fliips of all nations in amity with
the ftates-general of the united Netherlands have liberty to ftop and
refrefli : under it is the Ifland of Mauritius, eaftward of Madagafcar.
A fadory at Baflbra, before mentioned.
A fadory at Surat, under which are many fubordlnate ones.
On the weft coaft of Malabar, the Dutch company have Rajapore,
Barcelor, Cananor, Panane, Cranganor, Cochin (taken from the Por-
tuguefe in the year 1662, after being pofl^efled by them 150 years, and
fo fortified as to be deemed Impregnable : it is their principal fettle-
ment on this coaft) Porcha, Carnapole, Coulan, Tegnapatan, Calecutr,
&c. all taken from Portugal.

A. D. 1747. 255

The entire coaft, ports, and forts, of the ifland of Ceylon, In full and
abfolute property, and the abfolute engroflment of the befl cuinamon in
the world-

In the ifland of Manaar, they have Teutecorin and Manapaar.

On the coafl: of Coromandel, they have Negapatan, Porto-Novo, Sad-
rafpatan, Cabelon, Palicat, famous for cotton cloths, (their chief fort
and fadory of that coall, and of Pegu ; it was retaken by the Dutch
company in 1719 from the Portuguefe, who had held it ever fince the
year 161 3, when they drove out the Dutch with great flaughter) Cale-
tour, Maiulipatan, Binlipatan, &c.

In Bengal, Huguely, (the chief factory) Balafore, Cofimbazar, Mal-
da, Biirnagal, Chinchura. Patana, Dacca, &c.

In the peninfula of Malacca, the ftrong fort and territory of that
Aiame.

In the ifland of Sumatra, the Dutch company have fadtories at
Acheen, Padang, Palimbam, Priaman, Baucalis, Siaque, &c.

In Java, they have the great and fl:rong city of Batavia, the ca-
pital and dernier refort of all their Eafl: -India forts, fettlements, and
fadtories; with a far- extended territory adjoining: alfo, in the fame
ifland they have fadories at Bantam, Cheraban, Tagal, Japara, Rombang,
Sorobay, &c.

In the kingdom of Siam, fadories at Siam, its capital, and at Ligore.

And at Aracan, in the kingdom of that name.

In the ifland of Celebes, they have Macaflar, its capital.

In the iflands of Borneo, Solor, Buro, Poleroon, Noro, Ceram, Am-
bay, &c. the Dutch company have forts or fadories ; and in the fpice-
iflands of Amboyna. Ternate, Banda, Timor, &c. they are abfolute ib-
vereigns, pofl'efllng folely and exclufively all the cloves, nutmegs, and
mace ; fpices nowhere elfe to be found upon earth, that is as yet cer-
tainly known.

In Perfia, Gomroon, and under it Ifpahan and Balfora.

Thofe of the French Eaft-India company in India, were,

A fadory at Surat.

On the coafl of Coromandel, the flrong fort and very populous town
of Pondicherry, with fome fubordinate ones. Piece-goods, diamonds,
and rice, being the flaple merchandize, not only here, but on all this
coafl. It has, however, no harbour, being only an open road like Fort
St. George, where they load and unload their merchandize by boats.

In bengal, they have Balafore and Charnagar, &c.

The French ifland of Bourbon (^formerly called Mafcareen) to the
eaftward of the great ifland of Madagafcar, ferves principally for a
refrefhing place for their Eafl-India fliips ; they have alfo, more lately,
raifed quantities of coffee therein, and made fundry other good im-
provements.

256 A. D. 1747.

The Portuguefe, as already noted, were once lords-paramount of all
the trade of Europe to Eaft-India, from whom the Dutch gradually-
plucked off the befl feathers of their wings. What they have flill left
is but inconfiderable, compared with what they have loft, or with thofe
of England and Holland, though they ftill retain a great found.

On the north-eaft coaft of Africa, beyond the Cape of Good Hope,
they have Oviilou, Mombaza, Melinda, Mozambique, Magadoxa, 8cc.
ports very ufeful in their voyages to and from India, originally fettled
by them for that end. They alfo get confiderable quantities of gold and
drugs from thence.

In Cambaya, they ftill retain the ftrong forts of Diu and Daman,
often in vain befleged by great armies of the Moguls.

On the Malabar coaft, Baflaim near the ifland of Salfet, Choul, and
Bandara : Goa, on the fame coaft, is the capital of all their Eaft-India
fettlements, now inconfiderable for its commerce, and much decayed
from its antient fplendour. Alfo the iflands of Elephant, Carranjaa,
Anjediva ; alfo Annanor, Cavarda, Mangalor, and Moor's-Fort,

On the Coromandel coaft, they have St. Thomas, or Meliapour.

And, laftly, they have ftill Macao, an ifland in the mouth of Canton
river in China, but tributary to, and abfolutely at the mercy of, the
Chinefe.

The Danes have long poflcfled the port and fort of Tranquebar, on
the Coromandel coaft, and the fubordinate one of Danefljurg.

The Swedes have as yet no eftablilhed factories in India, though they
generally fend one or two fliips yearly thither. Neither have they at
prefent any fettlements anywhere out of their own kingdom, but in
Germany.

Spain poflefles the beft forts of the Philippine iflands, as Manilla, the
capital town and port of the large ifland of that name, otherwife called
Lucon ; to which port of Manilla the Spaniards, from Acapuico in
Mexico, generally fend two great Ihips yearly. But Spain can carry on
no trade at all diredly from Europe to Eaft-India, being bound by
treaty with Portugal, not to fail thither by the Cape of Good Hope, as
well as by the general treaty of Weftphalia in the year 1648.

The Dutch Eaft-India company are the only Europeans who have
any trade to the empire of Japan, from their great emporium of Ba-
tavia ; but they are not permitted to have any fort or fadory at Japan.

Neither are any of the European nations, who trade to China, per-
mitted to have fadories there. The Englifh company had formerly
fettlements on the coafts of Cochin-China and Tonquin, but now they
only trade thither occafionally. It is not the defign of our work to re-
late all the fquabbles which the feveral European nations have had with
each other in India, or with the feveral nations of the Eaft (that being

A. D. 1747. 257

largely done by voyagers long fince) but merely to point out the general
extent of their commerce in that remote part of the world.

After the rebellion of the years 1745 and 1746, the legiflature at
length wifely determined to enad, what fliould undoubtedly have been
made an eflential preliminary of the confolidating union of the two
kingdoms of England and Scotland, concluded 40 years before, where-
by, and not till now, the true and Iblid liberty of the people of Scot-
land was eltabhlhed, not only in thole parts of that country called the
Highlands, where clanfliip, or an abjcd fubmiflion of the bulk of the
people to the fovereign will of their chieftains, had prevailed from the
earliefl times, but even, though in a lefler degree, in fundry parts of the
low country of Scotland ; that is to fay, it was now legally determined
to put all the people of Scotland upon the fame equitable and rational
footing of hberty and property with their fellow-fubjedls of England,
by an adl: of parliament, for taking away and abolifhing the heritable
jurifdidions in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, and for mak-
ing fatisfadion to the proprietors thereof; and for reftoring fuch jurif-
didions to the crown ; and for making more effedual provifion for the
adminiftration of juftice throughout that part of the united kingdom,
by the king's courts and judges there, &c. The preamble lets forth,
' that for reniedying the inconveniences that havearifen, and may arife,
' from the multiplicity and extent of heritable jurifdidions in that part

* of Great Britain called Scotland ; for making fatisfadion to the pro-
' prietors thereof; for reftoring to the crown the powers of jurifdidion
' originally and properly belonging thereto, according to the conftitu-
' tion ; and for extending the influence, benefit, and protedion, of the
' king's laws and courts of juftice to all his majefty's fubjeds in Scot-
' land; and for rendering the union more complete ; itwasenaded, ift,
' that all heritable jurifdidion of jufticiary, and all regalities and heri-
' table baillieries, and all heritable conftabularies, other than the office
' of high conftable of Scotland, and all ftewartries, being parts only of
' Ihires or counties ; and all flieriffships, and deputy-fnerifFships of dif-

* trids, being parts only of fliires or counties in Scotland, pollefled or
' claimed by any fubjed ; and all jurifdidions, powers, authorities, and
' privileges, thereunto appurtenant, annexed, or dependent thereupon,
' fliall be hereby, from lady-day 1748, abrogated, taken away, and to-
' tally dilTolved and extinguilhed.

' Provided, that all lands annexed to the faid heritable baillieries,
' ftewartries, and conftabularies, and the rents and duties, confifting in
' money, vidual, cattle, or other goods, fhall remain, and belong to,

* them, and their heirs and fuccefibrs, and continue, to be enjoyed by,
' and paid to, them, notwithftanding the extindion of the faid offices.

' 2dly, That all the before-named jurifdidtions, powers, &:c. belong-
' ing to fuch offices, ftiall thenceforth be vefted in, and exercifed by,
Vol III. K k

258 A. D.I 747-

' the court of feflion and court of jufliciary at Edinburgh, the judges
' in the feveral circuits, and the courts of the feveral fheriffs and ftewarts
' of fhires or counties in Scotland, relpedlively ; and that the feveral
' towns, villages, dillricts, and bounds, which were fubjed to fuch heri-

* table offices and jurifdidhons hereby diflblved, and the inhabitants
' thereof, Ihall thenceforth be folely fubjed to the jurifdidion and au-
' thority of the before-named courts, and to fuch other of the king's
' courts refpedively, as the faid inhabitants would have been fubjedt to,
' in cafe fuch hereditary jurifdidions and offices had never exifted.

' 3dly, That from thenceforth, all fuch heritable jurifdidions in
' Scotland, not hereby before extinguiflied, granted to, or pofTeffed by,
' any fubjed, either heritably or for life, fliall be hereby refumed,

* and annexed to the cfown ; and that the fheriffs and ftewarts fhall
' from thenceforth be nominated and appointed by his majefty, his

* heirs, and fucceffors.

* Provided, that no fheriffship or ftewartry in Scotland fhall at any
' time hereafter be granted to any perfon whatfoever, either heritably

* or for life, or f -r any certain term exceeding one year ; and, that no
'jufliciary, regality, conflabulary, or bailliery, nor any judicature, au-
' thority, &c. of the like nature fhall, at any time hereafter, be ereded
' or granted in Scotland.

* 4thly, Reafonable pecuniary compenfation fhall be allowed to the
' polfeffors of all fuch heritable jurifdidions hereby abrogated, and to
' every clerk thereof; and claims thereof fliail be duely entered and ex-
' amlned for this end, and be laid before the parliament.

' Provided alfo, that no baron, or heritor, or proprietor of lands in

* Scotland, fhall henceforth, in criminal cafes, exercife any jurifdidion
' whatfoever, other than affaults and fmaller crimes, for which the pu-
' niihment (hall only be a fine not exceeding 20/ fterling ; or by letting
' in the flocks, for at mofi: three hours in the day-time, or elfe by im-
' prifonment not exceeding one month. And, in civil caufes, fuch ba-
' ron, or his baillie, fliall hold no plea, nor judge in any caufe exceed-
' ing 40/ fterling, other than for refcovering from the vaflals or tenants
' of his lands and heritages, their rents, or the dues of their mills. I'ri-
' fons fhall have windows or grates, open to infpedion from without, lb
' as the prifoner may be vifited and converied with ; and none to be
' impriibued but by warrant, exprefling the caufe of imprionment.

' Provided, however, that the jurifdidion of fairs and markets, of
' coal-works, falt-works, and mines, be, as formerly, referved to their

* heritors ; but without a power of inferring the lofs of life or demem-

* bration. Provided alfo, that nothing in this ad fliall extend to preju-
' dife the jurifdidion veiled by law in any royal borough in Scotland,
' or, in cumulative cafes, to burghs of regality and barony.' The reft
<if this long ad relates to poindings, or fei/Aires, to the regulations and

A. D. 1747. 259

qualifications of fherlffs and their deputies, circuit courts, and appeals
therefrom in certain civil caufes, and to fines, &c. [20 Geo. 11, c. 43.]

This excellent flatute may, not unfitly, be termed a new ma,o;na char-
ta to the free people of Scotland, who, from this time (though per-
haps not merely or folely in dired confequence thereof, but alfo from
other concurring caufes) have undoubtedly mofl: vifibly increafed in
coaimerce, manufadures, wealth, and general induftrv, to a degree faid
to be aUnolT: amazing, to fuch as, afi;er fome year's abfence, have lately
vifited that part of the united kingdom : io great is the influence ot li-
berty in favour of induftry and commerce.

Tt having been found by experience that the tenure of lands in Scot-
land by ward-holding, and the conlequences of the fame, being the
cafualties of ward-marriage and recognition, had been much more bur-
denfome and prejudicial to the valTals by that tenure than beneficial to
the fuperiors, it was aboliflied by the 50th ftatute of the fame leffion,
for taking away the tenure of ward-holding in Scotland, &c. which en-
aded, ' that the fame be converted into blanch-holding and feu- hold-
ings, &c. to be farther regulated, with reiped to the recompenfe, by
the court of feflion in Scotland,' &c. This acf feems to have been all
that was wanting for completing the freedom of vaflals in Scotland *.

The European Ihips at China this year were 8 Englifh, 6 Dutch, 4
Ssvedifh,and 2 Danilh ; in all 20. France being at war with Great Bri-
tain, th'jre were no French fliips there this year.

The planters in the £nglillr fugar colonies, in the infancy of thofe
plantations, had cultivated confiderable quantities of indigo, as being
always a great merchantable commodity, whereby their mother-coun-
try was then well fupplied therewith. Some authors have related, that,
in the illand of Jamaica, i-idigo was produced in fuch abundance, efpe-
cially in the parifii of Vere, that 300 coaches have been feen at that
parifli-church on Sundays. But a tax of 3/6 per pound weight being
laid by the legiflature on indigo, the planters of Jamaica dropped the
cultivation thereof entirely ; and though the parliament afterwards re-
pealed that duty, yet a manutadure once lofi: is not eafily regained,
more efp- cially in a country fo expenfive as Jamaica is. Yet what that
people were not able or willing to efFed, has at length been brought to
bear by the induftrious planters of Carolina, greatly to their honour,
and, we hope, to their future great benefit. In lucceeding times the
other Weft-india iflands found that the fugar-cane was beyond ail other
tilings the mod: gainful ; and therefor they alfo gradually dropped the
cultivation of indigo. Neverthelefs, the French iflands in the neigh-
bourhood of ours, infl:ead of following that example, went on with an-

* This ytar the dividend of the bank of England vvaf> reduced irom Jive an^ a half io five per cent
per annum. [^Account inferted in the append.x to ylllariiyce'i Addrefs io ths proprietors of the Itank.] M.
3 Kk 2

iGo A. D. 1747.

nually Increafing their quantity of indigo ; infomuch that (excepting
what comes from Eaft-India, and fome which Spain imports from her
American colonies) France, till about this time, fuppUed the greateft
part of Europe with it from their Weft-India iflands ; and Britain and
Ireland have been reckoned to pay to France about L200,ooo annually
for indigo. This would probably have been the cafe ftill, had not the
people of Carolina made this year a fuccefsful attempt to propagate.in-
digo in that province. The planters had by this time carried the pro-
duction of rice to iuch a height, that, even in time of peace, its quan-
tity had overftocked thofe parts of Europe to which they were wont to
fend it, fo that they got but little by it ; the cafe was ftill worfe when
the war with France broke out in 1743, by reaion of the high freight
and infurances. This put them upon trying to employ their negroes
on fundry new maniifadures of linen, vroollen, &c. which they were
before accuftomed to take from Great Britain ; of which their mother-
country would foon have become jealous, and which, moreover, did not
much turn out to their own particular advantage. Upon this occafion
it was very fortunate for them, that the true indigo plant happened to
be difcovered growing fpontaneoufly almoft everywhere there ; where-
upon elTays began to be made a year or two preceding this year, 1747 ;
and the indigo anfwered expedation io far, that in this fame year about
200,000 pounds weight of it was ftiipped for England, and fold very
well, though not at firft quite fo well cured as the French indigo. This
fuccefs produced a petition to parliament from the Carolina merchants
in April 1748 for a fmall bounty on the importation of indigo from
Carolina, whereby the planters might be encouraged to proceed fo far, as
not only to fupply Great Britain and Ireland, but likewife foreign mar-
kets, with fo ufeful a commodity; while, at the fame time, petitions were
encouraged from merchants, clothiers, and dyers, from all parts of Eng-
land, in favour of this new produdion, fince brought to perfedion ; and
that as indigo is a commodity, without which a good blue colour can-
not be dyed, a bounty might be allowed on its importation in fomewhat
near the terms of the Carolina merchants' petition. Thereupon an adl
pafled [21 Geo. II, c. 30] for allowing 6</ per pound weight on all indi-
go railed in any of the Britifh American colonies, and imported into
Great Britain diredly from the place of its growth ; which has fince
then had a very good and fuccelsful efFed.

1748. — In the beginning of 1748 an attempt was made in parlia-
ment, and a bill brought into the houfe of commons, for the revival of
the ftatute [7 Aime, c. 5] in behalf of a genr-ril naturalization : but it
was thrown out by a great majority. The fubftance of the reafons for
rejedmg it was, that we had poor proteftants oi our own, even more
than we could well provide for ; and as a moderate expenfe would en-

A. D. 1748. 261

able any foreign proteftants, who fhall have brought any fubftance with
them fufficient, to obtain an ad of parhament for that end, fuch only
were worth our while to be received and fettled with us. This was
again brought into parliament in April 1751, but was then alfo rejeft-
ed. On the other hand, let us, on this occafion, fee what Lord Molef-
worth, a very able nobleman, has faid on that fubjed, (in the preface to
his EngliJJj tranJJation of Hot toman's Franco-Gallia, p. 23, ed. 1721.)

' What fhould hinder us from an ad of general naturalization ? efpe-
' cially when we confider that no private ads of that kind are refufed.
' But the expenfe is fo great that few attempt to procure them, and the

* benefit which the public receives thereby is therefor fo inconfider-
' able. Experience has fhewn us the folly and falfity of thofe plaufible
' infinuations, that fuch a naturalization would take the bread out of
' Englifhmen's mouths. We are convinced that the greater number of
' workmen of one trade there is in any town, the more does that town
' thrive ; and the greater will be the demand for the manufadure, the
' vent to foreign parts, and the quicker circulation of the coin. The
' confuniption of the produce, both of land and induflry, increafes vifi-

* bly in towns full of people ; nay, the more fliall every induftrious
' perfon thrive in fuch a place ; though indeed drones and idlers will
' not find their account, who would fain fupport their fuperfluous ex-
' penfes at their neighbours' cofi:, who make one or two days labour
' provide for four days extravagance. And this is the common calami-
' ty of moft of our corporation-towns, whofe inhabitants do all they
' can to difcourage plenty, induftry, and population ; and will not ad-
' mit of flrangers but upon too hard terms, through the falfe notion
' that they themfelves, their children, and apprentices, have the only
' right to fquander theii- town's revenue, and to get, at their own rates,
' all that is to be gotten within their precinds. And therefor fuch
' towns are, at beft, at a ftand, very few in a thriving condition, and
' thefe are where their bye laws are lead reflridive : but mofi: through-
' out England fall to vifible decay, whilft new villages, not incorporat-

* ed, or towns more liberal of their privileges, grow up in their flead,
' till in procefs of time the firil fort will become ahiiofl as defolate as
' Old Sarum in Wiltfhire, and will as well deferve to lofe their right of
' fending reprefentatives to parliament. For certainly a wafte or a de-
' fert has no right to be reprefented, nor by our original conllitution

* was ever intended fo to be.'

His lordfhip had immediately before faid, * that it is a truth which
' ftvf will make a doubt of, that we are not one third part peopled,
' though better fo in proportion than any other part of Europe, Hol-
' land excepted ; and that our ftock of men decreafes dayly, through .
' our wars, plantations, and fea-voyages.' 4

262

A. D. 1748.

This year the populace in Holland compelled their rulers to abolifli
the old excife-duty, amounting to ten millions of gilders for that fingle
province ; whereby we have learned, in Ibme degree at leaf!:, the pro-
porri' n nf rht* wealth wliich the fev'='ral other places of that moft popu-
lous province bear to its niighty metropolis, viz.

Gilders.
Amfterdam paid annually - - 3,802.720

Roterdam (about one fourch part of Amfterftam) 997,950
Harlem (above one firth) - - 801 ,2C0

Leyden (above one fifth) - - 783.130

Dort (almoft one fevenrh) - - 511,960

Gouda (almofl one eighth) - - 459,500

Alkmaer _ _ _ 267,100

Briel _ _ _ 232,290

Delft, Schiedam, and the Hague, - 1,492,860

Hoorn _ _ - 153,240

Gornichem _ _ _ 141,760

Enchuyfen _ _ _ 105,060

Monickendam - - -• - 68,420

Pnrmercnd _ _ - 61,260

Medenbiick . _ _ 45,460

The iflands on the coafi: of Holland - 4. '',740

Edam . _ _ . 33'j5o

Total, 10,000,000

While the new fubfidy of five per cent on imported commodities was
in debate, the fugar-planters and Weft-India merchants, greatly alarm-
ed thereat, publifhed fundry eflays, tending to fliew the ruin, or at leaft
the great detriment, which that duty (which however took place) would
bring on the fugar colonies. From thofe eflays, as well as from the
cuftom-houfe accounts, then laid before the parliament, we may gather
the true ftate of the Britifh fus^ar trade cr.mpared with that of France,
taking the year 1742 for the rule ; probably, becaufe we were in that
year at peace with France, though at war with Spain, viz.

Sugars produced in the French Weft-India iflands in 1742, viz.

Cwt. ,
In Martinico, Guadaloupe, and the other leflTer iflands 622, -,00
In Hifpaniola (or St. Domingo) - - 848,000

Total, 1,470500

Being about the quantity of 122,500 hogflieads of 12 hundredweight
each.

A. D, 1748. 263

Sugars produced in the Britifh Weft-India iiles in 1742.
Hogfheads.
Imported into Great Britain - 60,950

Shipped from our iflands to the northern

colonies, and to foreign markets - 5,000

Total hogfheads 65,950 or 79i,400c\vt,

Of which 60,950 hogiheads there are
exported from Great Britain to Ire-
land, and to all foreign markets - 5,236

Confumed in Great Britain - 55>7i4

Hogfheads (at about L25 per hogfliead) 60,950 or about 731,400 cwt.
Total produced in that year more by the French than

by the Englifh - - - 679,100 cwt.

This fadly fliewed the almofl incredible improvements, which France
had made in her fugar iflands in about forty years, whereby they were
at this time enabled to underfell us in moft places of Europe. Though,
we trufl, the time is fmce at length come, or at hand, that we Ihall re-
gain our former great exportation of fugars and other Wefl-India com-
modities to foreign parts.

Thofe ellays however admit, that in times of profound peace, both
with France and Spain, our fugar iflands may produce 75,000 hogfheads
of fugar annually, 12 hundred-weight each hogfliead. Of which 70,000
may be annually imported into Great Britain; which, at L15 per hogf-
head, comes to _ _ _ Li, 050,000

And 5000 hogfheads fent direftly from thofe iflands to
North- America and to foreign markets, at Lto each ; with
50,000 hogdieads of rum and melalfes, at L6 on an average
per hogfliead _ _ _ 350,000

Total value in flerling money, Li, 400, 000
The tendency of thefe reafonings was to demonftrate, that the high
price of our fugars was not owing to our planters extravagant profits,
but merely to the fmall quantities produced in fome years. They alfo
admitted, that fince France has fo vafliy improvi-d her colonies, there
is more fugar made in all America (including the Spanifli, Portuguefe,
Dutch, and Danifn colonies) in forne favourable years, than all Europe
can confame ; which wiis particularly the reafon of the low price of
fugars between tlie years 1728 and 1735. Now, fay thefe efTays, if the
value- of the coffee, pimento, logwooti, and mahogany, from Jamaica,
and of the ginger, cotton, and drugs, from that and other Britifli lligar
iflands, be added to the foregoing account, the importations from thofe
iflauds may probably amount to Li, 500,000 yearly.

264 A. D. 1748.

There were alfo, while the bill for that duty was depending in par-
liament, fundry accounts pubUfhed by the tobacco merchants for pre-
venting that commodity being included therein. And it appeared up-
on a medium of three years, (1744 — 46) in the cullom-houfe books,
that thei-e was imported into England alone (omitting the odd hundred
thoufands) forty millions of pounds weight of tobacco from our Ame-
rican plantations. And by the like medium there was exported thirty-
three millions : fo that England annually confumed feven millions of
pounds weight of tobacco.

And if England alone were to pay the duty of ^.pl per poimd on the
faid forty millions of poiinds, it would amount in fterling money
to - - - - L79 1,666 13 4

•But as thirty-three millions of pounds are annually
exported, and the whoie duty thereof drawn back, the
duty is to be deduded _ _ _ 653,125 o cr

So the net duty of the feven millions confumed in
England is - - - - 138,541 13 4

Now, valuing the thirty-three millions of pounds of
tobacco at 6d per pound weight, that will be 825,000 o

And if Scotland may be allowed to export annually
feven millions of pounds, that, at 6d per pound, Hke-
wife comes to - - - i7'>,ooo o

There will then be annually exported from Great
Britain forty millions of pounds, which, at 6d per
pound, comes to - - - 1,000,000 o o

This fum may be deemed to be all clear gain to the nation, over and
above this trade giving employment to about 25,000 tons of Britifh
fliipping. Some of the printed accounts publifhed on this particular
occalion, for influencing the legiflature in favour of our tobacco colo-
nies, (and which therefor are to be read with fome caution, like all
others publifhed for fuch particular ends) make our annual importation
of tobacco into Great Britain to be, one year with another, about 80,000
hogfheads, weighing 900 pound weight each, or 72 miUions of pounds.
And they generally fuppoied one fourth part thereof, or 18 millions, to
be confumed at home ; and that the remaining 54 millions were an-
nually re-exported for foreign confumption.

Others ftated our total annual importation of tobacco at but 62,000
hogdieads, or 55,800,000 pounds ; and that England alone confumes
12,000 hogflieads thereof, which, if all paid the duty of 4|^ per lb,
would yield L2 r 3,750 to the crown. But, as confiderable quantities are
fmuggled inwards for home-confumption, the whole duty may not be

A. D. 1748. 265

above Li5o,ooo, and according to others of thofe papers, but Lijo.ooo.
Whereas, fay they, if the whole for home-confumption paid the duty,
it would yield much more : which fhews the great lofs to the revenue,
only in this one lingle article, by fmuggling.

In April this year application was made to parliament by the ex-
piring royal African company, for committing the management of their
forts and fadories, for the prefervation whereof the commons did not
feem inclined to truft that company any more with money, to a new
company, with a fuitable joinu ftock : which company they propofed
fhould have * the licencing and regulating the whole bufinefs of pawn-
* brokers, for preventing their buying or lending money on flolen
' goods, and for reducing their exorbitant rates of 50, 40, and 30, per
' cent per annum, for intereft or premium, to 20 per cent at farthefi:.'
Which fcheme was to lay the foundation of their propofed joint flock.

At the fame time the creditors of the royal African company peti-
tioned the houfe of commons for having their claim paid out of the
fuppofed value of that company's forts on that coaft, now valued at
Li 50,000, and propofed to be paid by the new company to the old
one. This plaufible projedl had two different views, viz, hereby the
old company would be enabled to pay all their debts, the greatefl part
whereof was due to themfelves (i. e. to the diredors and their friends)
and would, over and above, have probably a dividend to make on their
then merely nominal capital, on its dilTolution.

2dly, That the propofed new company fhould fpring up out of the
ruins of the old one and their creditors, with a few others of their
friends, and would, do'.ibrlefs, have made a good intereft on the money
they {hould advance for the above purpofes, out of the fcl-.eme for the
regulation of pawn-brokers. In fupport of this plaufible fcheme, the
old company and their creditors infilled, that Li 50,000 was a very mo-
derate valuation of their forts on the African fhores ; not only confider-
ing their very great ufefulnefs againft the treachery and infults of the
natives, but likewife for defence againft the frequent encroachments of
other European competitors with large joint ftocks. That fo far is the
objedion fo often made from being juft, viz. that if all our forts in
Africa were to be demoliftied, excepting Gape-Coaft-Caftle, and James-
Fort in the river Gambia, thofe two forts, together with two or three
ftiips of war always cruifing thereabout, would be fufficient to proted:
the trade of the whole coaft ; that there is adually need of more forts
than we now have, particularly at Anamaboe and Sierra Leone, and
alfo higher up on the river Gambia, where the French are ftriving to
fupplant us. It is admitted, that fliips of war, jointly with all the forts,
are needful ; but, without our forts, that would by no means anfwer
our purpofe on fo uncivilized a coaft ; where, for that reafon, a joint-
ftock company is much better calculated for proteding the commerce

Vol. III. ' L 1

266 A. D. 1748.

than any number of private perfons can be. Alio, that thofe forts are
very ufeful for our negro trade, without which our American planta-
tions could not be fupported, more efpecially as the bed: negroes are
purchafed on thofe coalls where the company's forts and fettlements are :
from which coafls alfo we import gold, ivory, bees'-wax, beaver, and
many other valuable commodities, in exchange for Britifli manufactures
and our own Eaft-India merchandize. Laftly, without fuch forts and
fettlements, it would be not only extremely difficult to proted, and, in
cafes of diflrefs, to relieve, our fhips trading on that coaft, but alfo to
fecure the inland trade thereof. Notwithftanding all which, at leafl fpe-
cious, propofals, the African company's papers remained on the table
to the end of that fellion of parliament : fo difficult did our legiflators
find it at this time effedlually to fettle that trade.

All parties being weary of war, a peace was concluded at Aix-Ia
Chapelle, whereby all that had been conquered by France in the Auf-
trian and Dutch Netherlands was rellored to their refpedive fovereigns.
Moreover, between Great Britain and France it was ftipulated mu-
tually to reftore whatever forts or territories had during this war been
taken on either fide : whereby Fort St. George in India was rellored to
our Eaft-India company ; as, on the other hand, the ifland of Cape-
Breton, and its town and fortrefs of Louilburg, were reftored to France.

Spain indeed acceded to the general peace, but without any particu-
lar ftipulations in point of commerce with Great Britain. What re-
lated to the South-fea company's commerce, on one hand, and the de-
predations of the Spanilh guarda-coftas, on the other, being referred to
the difagreeable and tedious way of negociating,by Sir Benjamin Keene,
at Madrid. In the meantime, it was plain, that the court of Spain
never intended to permit another annual South-fea fliip to trade to their
Weft-Indies, there being but about four years to run of the term of
that contrad:, (viz. forty years from 17 13 to- 1753) the feveral interrup-
tions of the trade being deduded or allowed for. And while this fuf-
penfion continued, many things palled in converfation, and fundry ef-
fays were publiftied for and againft that manner of trading. In favour
of it, it was laid, that the great annual fliip ufually conveyed about
L25o,ooo value in manufadures from hence to the Spanifli Weft-Indies,
for the company's account ; and that in each of thofe great fliips there
went about L5o,ooo more in private trade : upon which trade, it was
alleged, a profit of near cent per cent was made : that therefor the gain
to the nation was greater this way than in the old channel of our trade
by the way of Cadiz, even though the Jamaica fmuggling trade were
included therein : and that, though the South-fea company might not
be fo great gainers, yet their fadors, agents, &c. brought home great
fortunes, frequently in a very fliort fpace of time ; and our annual fhip's

A. D. 1748. 267

cargoes kept the French, Dutch, &c. from fupplying the Spanifli Weft-
Indies, to our great emolument.

On the other hand, it was afferted, and very generally believed, that
the South-fea annual (hip had occafioned a vaft decreafe of our annual
exports to Spain, fome faid even fo much as to one half of former ex-
ports ; vvhilft, at the "dime time, our imports from Spain have been gradu-
ally increafing : that the fuperiority of our arms forced the alliento
contract on Spain againft their inclinations, and on that Icore the Spa-
nifh court and traders have difcouraged our raanufadures formerly fent
to Cadiz, and encouraged thofe of France, Flanders, and Holland : that
of the cargoes of our annual fhip itfelf, a great deal coniifted of the
merchandize of foreign nations, and particularly of thofe of France
and Holland, for afTortments for the Spanifli markets in America : that
the afllento contrad: had enhanced the price of negroes for our own
colonies : that our fupplying the Spanifli Weft-Indies fo regularly with
negroes had encouraged them to raife greater quantities of liigar and
tobacco, to the detriment of our own : that the Spanifh court having
always effefts of the South-fea company's in their American ports, had
it conftantly in their power to make feizures of thofe effeds on various,
and often unjuft, pretences. Thus, in the year 171 8 the company's
lofs hereby was computed at about L225,ooo fterling ; and in 1727, at
about half as much more ; befides the leizure by the war now conclud-
ed, and not yet juftly computed ; and the many other violences of the
Spaniih American governors and agents. Finally, as the company had
undoubtedly, upon the whole, been lofers by their trade, and as they
had only four years more of their afliento term remaining, which Spain
was determined not to renew, at leaft on any promifing terms; for
thefe reafons it was concluded by the Britifti court, to inftru<ft the mi-
nifter at Madrid to obtain the beft equivalent that could be procured
for the remaining fliort term of the company's afliento contract : the
refult of which fhall be fliewn in its place.

By a ftatute of the 21ft year of King George II, the fund of the or-
phans of the city of London was farther prolonged and fecured, by
continuing the 6d per chaldron, or ton, on coals and culm, which was to
expire at michaelmas 1750 by the 5th and 6th of William and Mary,
for thirty-five years longer, for the following purpofes, viz. ift, for
raifing L3000 yearly to the mercers company, for payment of their an-
nuities and debts ; and, 2dly, the refidue thereof for making part of
the orphans fund, for the benefit of which alfo all the city manors,
lands, &c. fliall ftand charged with the yearly fum of L2000, over and
above the L8000 applied by former laws. And, as the fund for raifing
the 4 per cent intereft on the orphans capital ftock has produced a very
large furplus, including 1.21,735 : 17: 9 due at midiummer 1748, to
make good the yearlv ium of L2000, which by a former aCt ought to

L 1 2

268 A. D. 1748.

have been raifed on the perfonal eftates of the citizens, thisfurplus fhall
be applied to pay off the principal fum of the orphans debt. No or-
phan under age fhall be paid off, fo long as there fhall be others not
orphans, or not under age, to be paid off. The chamberlain of Lon-
don (hall yearly, at michaelmas, lay before both houfes of parliament
an account of the iurplus arifen on the f^id fund, what has been paid
off the principal, and what fhall remain thereof unpaid off.

By a fcheme, publifht d in 1755, for building a new bridge over the
Thames from Blackfriars, the above furplus, on an average of five years
to midfummer 1755, amounted to L4444 per annum, upon which the
propofer was for railing annuities for lives, which with L20,ooo more
to be raifed by voluntary fublcription, he fays, would raife a fum fuf-
ficient to build fuch a bridge. He alfo fays, that the whole orphans
debt amounted at midfummer 1755 to L687,234 : 6 : 10.

1749 We have feen that feveral flatutes have been made at dif-
ferent times to encourage the fubjedfs of Great Britain to carry on and
improve the whale fifhery : and as the enlargement thereof would be
of very great advantage to our trade and navigation, an a6l of parlia-
ment palTed, wherebv the feveral ads of parliament in favour of that
fifhery were now farther continued : and, over and above the allowance
of 20/" per ton enaded by the 6th, and continued by the 13th, of King
George 11, a farther bounty or allowance was hereby granted of lof
more per ton. Moreover, for the encouragement of the Britifh co-
lonies in America in this fifhery, and to promote the building of large
fhips there, it was hereby farther enaded, that every fhip built or fitted
out in any of thofe colonies, being 200 tons and upwards, and not more
than two years old from the firfl building thereof, fetting out from any
port of the Britifla American dominions on the whale fifhery, manned
and navigated according to the navigation ads, and properly fitted and
furnifhed for that fifhery, fhall likewife be entitled to the faid joint
bounty of 4q/'per ton, on her arrival from the whale fifhery in fome
port of Great Britain, on certain farther conditions therein ftipulated.
Foreign proteflants who fhall ferve three years onboard Britifli whale-
fifhery fliips, and fliall take the ufual qualification oaths, fhall be deem-
ed natural-born fubjeds of Great Britain to all iiltents and purpofes, as
tar as other foreign proteflants can fo be ; provided they fhall have re-
ceiA^ed the facrament of the Lord's fupper in fome Britifli proteflant or
reformed congregation, within three months before taking the flate-
oaths, and fhall produce certificates thereof figned by the minifler and
two other witnefles. Yet fuch naturaUzed foreigner fhall lofe his natu-
ralization upon his being more than twelve months out of Great Bri-
tain or Ireland, or his majefty's plantations in America. [22 Geo. II,

While Sir Benjamin Keene, the Britifh minifter, was treating with the

A. D. 1749. 269

court of Madrid upon the commercial difference between the two na-
tions, our London merchants who traded to Cadiz handed about a ma-
nufcript paper, tending to prove, that the trade by the South-fea com-
pany's annual fhip diredly to the Spanifli Weft-Indies was not fo bene-
ficial to the Britifli nation in general, as the former method offending
goods diredly to Cadiz, and thence with the regifter-fhips to the Spanifli
Weft-Indies.

That paper fuppofes the whole outfet, fliip and all, of
a fhip of 600 tons, with her cargo, from Cadiz to La Vera Dollars.
Cruz, to amount to - - - 346,903

And the net returns from La Vera Cruz, deduding coui-
miffion, indultos, &c. to be - - 717,134^

Dedud the outfet - - 346,903

And there remains the profit - ■ 370,2317

Being near 107 per cent. But, if infurances be deduded for thofe who
would not run the rifk of the fea, and which in time of peace would
not exceed 12 per cent, then the remaining profit would be 95 percent.
But the chief advantage in this affair is fuppoled to arife from having
both the fhip and the king's licence one's own. For, fays this author,
befides the confiderable freights which fuch Ihips make, there are very
great profits made by the privileged goods embarked thereon.

Next, we have the particular afTortments of fuch a cargo, with the
feveral countries they are had from, viz,

Purchafed chiefly at Cadiz, though not all Spanifli mer-
chandize, iron, wrought and unwrought, fteel, wax, (which
muft be whitened at Cadiz) Genoa paper, Brabant linen,
Dutch knives, wines, brandy, and fimdry ordinary ftowage- Dollars,
goods, amounting in all to - - 46,300

Britifh manufadures, viz. long-ells of various colours,
fays, fhalloons, hair and worfted camblets, bays, Spanifli
cloths, worfted ftockings, hats, and hardware ; in all - 115,500

From Flanders, 'ftamins, coarfe fays, buratos, lamparillas,
Brabant linen bleached, and Tournay ditto unbleached 15,800

From France ; Britannias broad and narrow, Rouen
linen bleached. Dowlas, Morlaix linen, cambrics and lawns,
amounting to - - - 49,350

From Germany ; Silefia and Hamburgh linens, lawns,
and fundry other forts of linen, thread, calimancoes, &c. 22,200

From Spain, viz. Genoa women's ftockings, Spanifli double
taffety of various colours, and Spanifli velvets 21,000

Total amount of the cargo in dollars - 270,150

270 A. D. 1749.

In this aflortment of goods for the Spanifh Weft-Indies the Bri-
tifti manufadlures make up one third of the whole, which muft go by
the way of Cadiz, in cafe the afliento of the South-fea company be
laid afide ; and by its being fo laid afide, the value of all Englifti goods
fent from Cadiz to the Spanifh Weft-Indies, will be increafed to at leaft
three millions of dollars (or above L675,ooo fterling) yearly : and fup-
pofing, in time of peace, nine millions value in goods to be annually
fent from Cadiz to the Spanifli Weft-Indies, excluftve of Britifli manu-
fadures, few of which (according to this author) were fent that way
whilft the aftiento was in exercife, and thereto be added the faid three
millions in value of Britifti manufadures, then the difpatches yearly
from Cadiz to the Spanifti Weft-Indies will be twelve millions of dol-
lars. Now, continues this author, allowing that the Britifh merchants
fhould (as eaftly they may) be one third concerned in the faid trade,
which, on a moderate computation, renders at leaft 50 per cent profit, or
two millions of dollars more gained to our nation ; this he thinks
(from his own premifes, which however feem confiderably exaggerated)
will be found to exceed any advantage that has, or ever can, proceed
from the afliento, by which it is notorious that the South-fea company
have loft very confiderably. He therefor concludes, that the commercial
intereft of Great Britain will be much benefited by the extindion of
the afliento : and, with refpecl: to our political intereft, while the
afliento fubfifts, it will prove a continual bone of contention between
two nations, whofe mutual interefts are, more than any other two na-
tions in Europe, to be clofely united.

The government of Great Britain began now ferioufty to confider the
great importance of the country and ports of Nova-Scotia, which Cap-
tain Thomas Coram, in the year 1735, by a judicious memorial and
petition to the privy-council, had reprefented to be in a moft naked
and unfcttled condition, whereby the French had full leifure to make
the moft fliameful and barefaced encroachments on that province. It
was now at length begun to be confidered as the very key of North-
America. Upon the conclufion of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, there-
for, they fent out a large colony to a place having a fine harbour, where
they fettled and built a town, which they named Halifax, from the
title of the noble lord who then prefided fo worthily at the board of
trade and plantations. The excellence of this province was now at
length viewed in three different and advantageous lights, viz. ift, for
its happy fituation, as capable of always annoying and intercepting our
enemies, and as a barrier for New-England ; 2dly, for the great fifliery
of its adjacent feas ; and, 3dly, for its infinite quantities of timber
for the ufe of the royal navy, befides fundry new produdions which
may probably be hereafter railed therein.

Upon an allegation in certain pamphlets, &c. touching a north-weft

A. D. 1749. 271

pafTage to the fea of Japan, that the Hudfon's-bay company had not
hitherto encouraged any attempts for finding fuch a paflage, and that a
more extenfive and beneficial trade might be carried on to the countries
about Hudfon's bay if the trade were laid quite open ; the houfe of
commons appointed a committee to inquire into thofe allegations, while
petitions from Briftol, Liverpool, &c. were fent up, for laying that
trade open. Neverthelefs, upon a full inquiry and examination of wit-
nefTes who had lived at Hudfon's bay, their report gave very little rea-
fon to hope for any great increafe of commerce there, the country be-
ing very inhofpitable on the fea-coafls ; yet it appeared that the inland
countries to the fouth and weft of that bay abound with fine woods,
wild-fowl, wild beafts, river-fifh, Sac. and that corn and pulfe would
grow thereon, were plantations made. That, however, confidering the
company's capital, &c. it did not appear, that they had not, in the main,
done as well as could be expeded for promoting the commerce there :
that moreover it feemed very doubtful, whether, if the trade were laid
quite open, it might not be gradually loft from us to the French of Ca-
nada. Neither did the committee's report give any great hope of a fafe
pafiage likely to be difcovered in any practicable latitude. One Mr. Rob-
fon, indeed, who had been furveyor to the company, and w^ho feemed
now a difgufted evidence againft them, tells us, that the company's four
fmall factories contained only 130 fervants, and two fmall houfes with
only eight men in each : that their annual exports were about L4000
in value ; having, in time of peace, three fliips each of 150 to 200 tons
burden, with two or three fmall floops ftationed in the bay : that there
are inconteftable evidences of rich copper and lead mines, yet the com-
pany give no encouragement for working them, nor for their fervants
going into the inland countries : that the probability of a paflage is far-
ther ftrengthened from the late difcovery of bays, inlets, and broken
lands, the weftern ends of which are not yet difcovered, there having
been no rivers as yet obferved on the north-weft coaft : that the true
reafon of the company not acting for the general benefit of the nation
is, becaufe they have had no legal (i. e. parliamentary) right to their
exclufive trade fince the year 1698, at which time the ad of parliament
expired, which confirmed their charter for feven years. If therefor,
fays Mr. Robfon, at this period, the leaft evidence had been fuffered to
tranfpire, that the climate is very habitable, the foil rich and fruitful,
fit for corn and cattle, rich in mines, and the fiftieries capable of great
improvement, and that the trade may even be extended by means of a
naval pafliige, or at leaft by a fl:ort land paflage, to the Weftern ocean,
had proper experiments been made thereof at that time ; the leglflature
would have taken the right into their own hands, and would have fet-
tled the country, and laid the trade open for the beneCt of Britain ;
the company therefor have contented themfelves with dividing among

272 A. D. 1749.

only about 1 00 perfons a large profit upon a fmall capital ; and have not
only endeavoured to keep the true ftate of the trade and country an
impenetrable fecret, but have alio induflrioufly propagated the worft
imprellions of them. He therefor propofed, that for preventing thofe
vali; territories from falling into the hands of the French of Canada,
the legiflature (liould purchafe the company's right to fuch lands as they
have a legal title to, and lay the trade open, fettle the rivers and ad-
joining coaft with European proteftants, and civilize the natives.

We have handled this fubject fo often and fo fully, as to have quite
exhaufled it ; and we fhall therefor leave it to the judgment of the pub-
lic, after obferving, that the company's opponents have, at different
tirrres, advanced fundry things in favour of the probability of a paflage,
and alfo in behalf of the goodnefs of the lands and climate, which feem
too much exaggerated ; and in this uncertain fl:ate the fubjecl may pof-
ilbly remain to the end of time.

An ad of parliament, for reducing the feveral annuities then bearing
4 per cent to the feveral rates of interell therein mentioned, laid the
foundation of an addition to the finking fund, which in a fliort time
amounted to near L6oo,ooo a-year, faved from the intereft of the fol-
lowing capitals, viz.

The principal fum payable at the exchequer, of

Capital bank flock, - - -

Certain annuities transferable at the bank,

Capital flock of the Eafl-India company,

Capital South-fea flock, and old and new South-
fea annuity flock, _ _ _

Total, - 1.57,703,475 6 4^

And it being the united opinion of the king and parliament, that no-
thing can fo effectually contribute to make trade flourifli, as leflening
the public debts and incumbrances, confiflent with juftice and public
faith ; it was therefor enaeT:ed, that all the proprietors of the public
debts incurred before michaelmas 1749, who fliould, on or before the
28th of February 1749-50, confent to accept an intereft of 3 per cent
per annum, to commence from the 25th of December 1757, fhould, in
lieu of their prefent intereft, receive 4 per cent per annum, until the
25th of December 1750, and from thence L3 : 10 per cent until the
25th of December 1757 ; and no part of the fame (except what is due
to the Eaft-India company) fliould be liable to be redeemed until the
faid 25th of December 1757.

This is what was called the fuft fubfcription, becaufe (as we fhall fee)
ill the proprietors of the above debts did not come into this propofed
fubfcription within the time limited by this adl, although the major
part of them did.

L 312,000

8,486,800

18,402,472

3,200,000

0

0
0
0

0

0

10

0

27,302,203

5

6r

A. D. 1749. 273

And though the fecond fubfcription to that reduction was not enad-
ed till the fpring of the year 1750, yet, for connexion's fake, we fliall
here give the fubftance of an ad of this fame feflion, for giving further
time to fuch of the proprietors of the annuities to fubfcribe the fame
upon the terms therein mentioned, and for redeeming (i. e. paying off
the principal funis of) fuch of the faid annuities as fliall not be fo fub-
fcribed : and for empowering the Eafl-India company to raife certain
funis by transferable annuities.

It recites, that great part of thofe annuities had been fubfcribed on
the terms of the former flatute : it was thei^efor hereby enadled, that
the flock of fuch proprietors as have not fo fubfcribed, and who fhould,
on or before the 30th of May 1750, accept an intereft of 3 per cent, to
commence from the 25th of December 1755, fliould not be redeemable
till the 25tli of December 1755 ; and fuch as fliould not fubfcribe on
or before that day, fliould be paid off. Thus the fecond fubfcribers had
a redudion of their intereft from 3^ to 3 per cent, two years fooner
than thofe of the firfl; fubfcription ; and fuch as determined not to fub-
fcribe at all, who however were not very many, were paid off their prin-
cipal fums out of the finking fund. Laftly, the Eafl-Tndia company
were empowered, by confent of the commiflloners of the treafury (if
they fubfcribed their L3,200,ooo flock, and their one million annuities,
by the 30tli of May 1750) to borrow any funis, not exceeding
L4, 200, 000, by fale of annuities, viz. L3, 200,000 after the feveral
rates of intereft in the terms of this fecond fubfcription, and one mil-
lion more at the rate of 3 per cent per annum ; with which the Eaft-
India company accordingly complied.

For promoting the filk manufacture of Great Britain, the duties on
raw filk, imported from China by the Eaft-India company, were now
reduced by act of parliament to the fame duty payable on raw filk
from Italy.

Parliament now enaded, that, as it would greatly tend to the in-
creafe and improvement of the filk manufadures of this kingdom to
encourage the growth of raw filk in his majefty's dominions in America,
properly certified to be really raw filk of the faid growth and culture,
the fame might be imported duty free into the port of London, in fhips
navigated and manned as by the navagation ads. And as its culture
has fince vifibly, though very gradually, increafed there, and more par-
ticularly in Carolina and Georgia, it feems now probable, that in a rea-
fonable fpace of time thofe two provinces may hereafter have the new
honour of being denominated filk colonies, if they will fleadily proceed
in the culture of that profitable article.

From Koningflaerg, the capital of the kingdom of Prulfia, by the
common news of the 4th of January 1749-50, we learned, that the com-
merce of that port had been more confiderable during the year 1749

Vol. hi. M m

274 A. D. 1749.

than in any of the preceding ones, viz. that 671 fhips had arrived there
from the North, England, and Holland, with all kinds of merchandize,
and a great quantity of wines, brandies, &c. from France, Spain, the
Rhine, and the Mofelle : on the other hand, 682 fhips had, within the
fame year, failed from thence, laden with corn, hemp, hides, boards,
marts, &c.

The eminent author of a pamphlet, entitled. Farther confiderations
upon a redudion of the land-tax, [p. 34] gives a remarkable account of
the increafe of the tonnage of the Britifh navy, in three different
periods, viz.

In the year 171 5 it was - - 167,596 tons.

In the year 1727 it was - - 170,862

And in 1749 it was increafed to - 228,215

An ad: of parliament (of this fame year) for enlarging and maintain-
ing the harbour of Ramfgate, &c. gave great hopes that our mercantile
Shipping would find a much fafer retreat, in cafe of ftorms, &c. than
any they have hitherto enjoyed on the coafts of Kent and Suflex. Its
preamble lets forth, ' that frequent lofles of the lives and properties of
' his majefty's fubjeds happen in the Downs for want of a harbour be-

* tween the north and fouth Forelands ; the greateft part of the fhips

* employed in the trade of this nation being under a neceflity, at going
' out upon, as well as in returning from, their voyages, to pafs through

* the Downs, and frequently by contrary winds being detained there a
' loiig time, during which they (efpecially the outward-bound fliips) are
' expofed to violent ftorms, and dangerous gales of wind, without hav-
' ing any fufBcient harbour to lie in or retreat into, or from whence
' they can receive any afliftance : and as a harbour may be made at
' Ramfgate, convenient for the reception of fhips of 300 tons burden,
' and from whence larger fhips in diftrefs in the Downs may be fup-
' plied with pilots, anchors, cables, and other affiftance and neceffaries ;
' and by the fmaller fhips taking fhelter in this harbour, the larger fliips
' may take the anchorage which at prefent is occupied by the fmaller,
' and by that means their anchors will be fixed in more holding ground,
' and the fliips not be fo expofed to the Ocean.' A great number, there-
for, of honourable and eminent perfons are hereby appointed truftees
for improving the harbour of Ramfgate, and a duty of fixpence per ton
on all mercantile fliipping was hereby laid for this end ; and two very
fine piers have been run out a good way into the fea, at the prodigious ex-
penle of near L5o,ooo fterling, which, however, in the opinion of
many, fuppofed to be competent judges, has not hitherto anfwered ex-
pedation ; yet as the vafl fcheme of this new harbour is not yet com-
pleted, it feems but realonable for us to fufpend, till then, our abfolute
retermination hereof

Dr. Bufching, in his New geography of Ruflia, gives us the amount

A. D, 1749, 275

of the value of the exports of Peterfburgh to all the world in the year
1749, being 3,184,322 rubles ; and of the imports 2,942,242; where-
by Ritflia, or rather Peterfburgh, had a balance in its favour of 242,080
only : but v/ith refpecH: to Great Britain alone, it flood thus, viz.

Exports thither from Peterfburgh, - 2,245,573 rubles.

Imports from Great Britain, - 1,012,209

Balance againfl Great Britain, and in favour

of Ruflia, was - - 1,233,264

Or, at 4/2 rterling per ruble, 1^256,950 : 16 ; 8 (lerling.

Hereby, if that author was rightly informed, it appears, that Ruilia's
commerce with Britain was not only more gainful to the former than
all the reft of Europe, but that Ruflia was this year a lofer by all the
reft of Europe, of no lets than 991,284 rubles, being the difference be-
tween what they gained from Britain alone and the 242,080 gained
from all Europe, Britain included. We hereby learn, how much it is
Ruflla's intereft to cultivate the friendftiip of Great Britain ; and we
may add, how much it is the intereft of the later to lefl^en the balance
as loon as poflible, as well as that with the other northern countries; of
which we wifli we had an equally diftind and adequate account.

1 750. ^At the opening of the feflion of the Britifli parliament at the
clofe of the year 1 749, the king in his fpeech having recommended to
their confideration the improvement of the fiOiery, the houfe of commons
thereupon appointed a committee to inquire into the ftate, and to con-
fider of means for improving the fifliery of herring, cod, &c. And a
meeting being held in the city, of many eminent gentlemen and mer-
chants, in the beginning of the year 1750 (new ftile), it was propofed
to form a joint ftock of L5oo,ooo, provided the legiflature would grant
an encouragement of 4 per cent per annum on that capital, when em-
ployed in the following manner, viz.

I) Upon the payment of L30o,ooo thereof into the bank of England,
the intereft thereon (hould commence, but Ihould not be payable until
Li 00,000 thereof fliould be actually employed in the fifhery.

II) Upon the payment of the remaining L200,ooo into the bank, the
intereft thereon fliould commence in like manner, but fliould not be
payable until another Li 00,000 fliould be farther employed in the fifh-
ery. On this occafion, fundry pamphlets and newfpapers attempted to
demonftrate the pradicability of Great Britain gaining from the Dutch
the bulk of the white-herring fifliery. Hereupon an ad: of parliament
pafled in the fame feflion for the encouragement of the white herring
fifliery ; the preamble whereof lets forth, that the carrying on and im-
provement thereof are of great importance to thefe kingdoms, tending
to great advantage to our trade and navigation, and for employing, and
providing for, great numbers of induftrious poor ; provided the lame

M m 2

276 , A. D. 1750.

be cairifd on with a fufficient flock, under proper regulations; and
reaionable encouragement be given to fuch peri'ons as are willing to car-
ry on the iliid fifheries. For the encouragement therefor of fuch per-
fons, and for the better regulation of the trade, and for preventing
frauds and impofitions in the management thereof, it was enadled, that
the king by letters patent, may incorporate a number of gentlemen,
herein named, and all others who fhall be entitled to any fhare in the
capital fum of L5oo,ooo, to be one body politic and corporate, by the
name of the Society of the free Britifh fifhery, for the term of 21 years ;
during which time they are every three years to elect a governor, pre-
fident, vice-prefident, council, and other.officers, who may make bye
laws for the management of the trade ; may direct what feals or marks
ihall be put on the barrels or cafks of their fifli, for the counterfeiting
whereof a penalty of L500 fliall be incurred for each offence. This
corporation may make calls on their members ; the firftand fecond pay-
ments to be each 10 per cent of their fubfcriptions, and the fubfequenc
payments to be by the direclion of a general court of the fociety. In
failure of anfwcring fuch calls, the fociety may difpofe, after thirty days
previous notice in the London gazette, of fo much of the ftock of fuch
defaulter as fliall produce the fum fo called in. Three per cent per an-
num, upon every Lioo actually employed in the laid fifliery, lliall be
paid to the proprietors of the faid flock for fourteen years to come, by
the receiver-general of the cuftoms, half yearly. The fociety fliall em-
ploy Li 00,000 at leaft, within eighteen months after the date of fuch
fubfcription ; and accounts of the monies which fliall be fo em.ployed
fhall be annually laid before the parliament. And if lofs fhall arife by
any year's adventure, and there fhould be gain by fucceeding years, the
gain fliall be employed to make good the veflels and fifliing ftock to the
full value of the faid original fum of Li 00,000 before any dividend fliall
be made. A bounty of thirty fliiUings per ton fliall be annually paid out
of the cuftoms, for fourteen years to come, to the owners of all decked
vefTels from twenty to eighty tons burden, which fliall be built after the
commencement of this ad, for the ufe of, and fitted out and employed
in, the faid fiilieries, whether by this fociety, or any other perlbns ; fuch
veffel to be a decked bufs or veflel, built in Great Britain, and to pro-
ceed thereon from fome port of Great Britain, manned and navigated
as the law directs; and v\'ith a fufficient quantity of fiiliing nets and
ftores. Certificates to be produced before the collecftor and comptroller
of the refpedive Britiili ports, that it is their firm purpofe to proceed
therein, either to BralTa found in Shetland, and be at the rendezvous of
the fifliery there on or before the nth of June, and that they will not
flioot or wet their nets before the 13th* of the lame month, and fhall
continue fifliing among the fholes of herring, as they move fouthward.

* By the alteration of tbe (liic, the 24th is now the day for beginning to (hoot their nets, M.

A. D. 1750. 277

ro the I ft of Ociober ; or they fliall proceed to Campbeltown in Argyle-
fliire, and be at the rendezvous of the fillieries there on or before the
I ft: of September, and continue fifliing to the 31 ft; of December, unlefs
they fhall fooner have completed their loading of fifl:i ; they fhall keep
a journal of their proceedings ; of the quantity of fifli they difpatch
away to foreign markets in their tenders before they come into port,
and of the particular quantity they fliall bring into port with them,
each veflel to carry out twelve Wincheflier bufliels of fait for every laft:
of fifh ilie is capable of holding, to be barrelled up in new barrels ; fhall
have two fleets of tanned nets for every vefl^el of 70 tons. Every veflel
of 20 tons fhall have fix men, and for vefTels of greater burden, one man
more for every five tons. This aft fliall not exclude any of the king's
fubjeds, though not of this fociety, from fifhing for white herrings,
cod, &c. in the fame manner they might have done before this act.
Any num.ber of perfons v,-ho fhall fubfcribe L 10,000 or more into the
fociety, and fliall carry on the filhery under their own management, and
on their own account of profit and lofs, conformably to the directions
of this act (except their being obliged to ufe the marks of the fociety)
and from the part named by them, if they fubfcribe under the name
of the fifhing chamber of fuch city, town, or port refpedively, and fliall
fend their account of monies expended in the faid fiflieries, attefted by
three of the committee appointed for managing the matters of the faid
chamber, and be alfo figned by their accountant, making oath of its
being a true account, which account fhall be tranfmitted to the fociety
in London, whofe accountant fliall enter the lame as a fum expended in
the faid fiflieries by the fociety, in the account which he fhall deliver in
to the commiflioners of the cu-floms, as aforefaid, the faid chamber
fhall receive 3 per cent, as the fociety do for other monies employed by
them, after deducting the necefTary charges arifing from the receipt of
the fame. Such chambers as fhctU fifli on their own account fliall not
have any profit or lofs arifing from the trade of the fociety.

Purfuant to this flatiite, his niajefty's charter of incorporation was
granted, being dated on the nth of Oftober 1750. And,

Though the fucceis of this mofl public-fpirited undertaking has not
hitherto fully anfwered the expecftation of the worthy promoters of it,
in favour or whofe generous zeal too much can hardly be laid, yet it is
to be hoped, and greatly to be wifhed, that by farther trials they may at
length fucceed. It is indeed extremely diflticult to beat another nation
out of a trade they have fo long profpered in, even with the above great
encouragement from the public, and more efpeclally fo frugal a people
as the Dutch, who can content themfelves with fnialler gains than other
nations, and carry on the fifhery every one on his own private bottom. *

* It has with great truth been remarked by a propofed to car*y all before them by the weight of
Tery judicious gentleman, that all the companies their cip'tal, have nn'lcarrieii. I'i.'ey re ioead thc-
who have fet on foot fiflieries on a great fcale, and necciTary apparatus dear by a fuddcn demand b.t-

278 A. D. 1750.

We {liall therefor lufpend any farther remarks, and only join in the uni-
verfal wifli of all true Britons for its fuccefs. By a ftatute of the 30th
of the fame king (1757) inftead of thirty fliillings per ton, the bounty
is increafed to fifty (hillings per ton on all the fliips built and employ-
ed by this fifhery company, with certain regulations relating to their
nets, &c.

The many difficulties ftarted by the court of Spain againfl carrying
on the South-fea company's afliento trade, the opprelfions of theSpanifh
officers and governors in the Weft-Indies, the frauds too obvioufly com-
mitted on the other hand by that company's agents in thofe parts, in
fpite of all their regulations and reftridions, and the complaints of the
Britidi merchants trading to Cadiz, feemed now all to concur, at both
coiu-ts, for putting a final period to a trade which, without any fub-
ftantial benefit to Great Britain, had given infuperable umbrage to the
court of Madrid, fo that both courts were the more eafily brought into
the treaty of Madrid, concluded on the 5th of Odober (N. S.) 1750, viz.
the ambafladors of both kings, at the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748,
having then agreed to regulate, at a proper time and place, the equiva-
lent which Spain fliould give in confideration of the non-enjoyment of
the remaining years of the afliento of negroes, and of the annual fhip
granted to Great Britain, their Britannic and Catholic majefiies have
now agreed on the following articles, viz.

I) His Britannic majefty yields to his Catholic majefty his right to the
enjoyment of the afliento of negroes, and of the annual fliip, during the
four years ftipulated by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

TI) His Britannic majefty, in confideration of a compenfation of
Lioo,ooo ilerling, which his Catholic majefty promifes to pay, either at
Madrid or London, to the company, within three months at lateft,
yields to his Catholic majefty all that may be due to that company for
balance of accounts, or arifing in any ■'manner whatfoever from the af-
liento : fo that the faid compenfation ftiall be efteemed as a full and en
tire fatisfiijdlioii on the part of his Catholic majefty, and fliall extinguifli,
from this prefent time, for the future and forever, all right, pretenfion,
or demand, which might be formed in confequence of the afliento, or
annual fliip, diredly or indirectly, on the part of his Britannic majefty,
or on that of the company.

yond the quantity in tlit market: tlicy immcJiate- dual augmentation of the fiflieries. When to tlie

Jy employed more people than could poffibly be above drawbacks upon the profperity of a fifliery

found ducly qualified: and they caught more filh upon a great fcale, we add the walle and want of

than they could iind fale for, either in the country, economy in the tranlaftions of great focietics, and

or abroad in competition with the better-cured her- add to all thcfe the innumerable hardfliips of

rings, and cllablilhed markets, of the Dutch. He the fait laws, we need not wonder, that all tiic pa-

oblcrves, that al! the filhcries, tiiat have ever prof- trlotic efforts of great focieties have been hurtful

pered, have gradually arifeu from fmall beginnings, to themfelves, and barren of benefit to the coitn-

ihe number of people bred to them, and the in- try. M.
creafe of the markets, keeping pace with the gra- *■

A. D. 1750. 279

III) The Catholic king yields to his Britannic majefty all his preten-
fions or demands in confequence of the faid affiento and annual fhip, as
well with regard to the articles already liquidated as to thofe which may
be either eafy or difficult to liquidate ; fo that no mention can ever be
made of them hereafter on either fide.

IV) His Catholic majefty confents, that the Brrtifh fubjeds fliall not
be bound to pay higher or other duties, or upon other evaluations for
goods which they fhall carry into, or out of, the different ports of his Ca-
tholic majefly, than thofe paid on the fame goods in the time of King
Charles II of Spain, fettled by the cedulas and ordinances of that king
or his predecellbrs. And though the favour or allowance called pie del
fardo be not founded upon any royal ordinance, neverthelefs, his Ca-
tholic majefly declares, that it fhall be obferved now, and for the future,
as an inviolable law : and all the above-mentioned duties fliall be exad-
ed and levied, now and for the future, with the fame advantages and
favours to the faid fubjeds.

V) His Catholic majefly allows the fubjeds of Britain to take and
gather filt in the ifland of Tortudos (in the Weft-Indies) without any
hinderance whatfoever ; as they did in the time of King Charles II.

VI) He alio confents that they fliall not pay anywhere higher or other
duties than thofe which his own fubjeds pay in the fame place.

VII) His Catholic majefly grants, that they fhall enjoy all the rights,
privileges, franchifes, exemptions, and immunities whatfoever, which
they enjoyed before the laft war, by virtue of cedulas or royal ordinan-
ces, and by the articles of the treaty of peace and commerce made
at Madrid in the year 1667 ; and they fliall be treated in Spain in the
fame manner as the moil favoured nation ; and confequently no nation
fhall pay lefs duties upon wool and other merchandizes which they fhall
bring into, or carry out of, Spain, by land *, than the laid fubjedts
fhall pay upon the fime merchandizes, which they fhall bring in, or
carry out, by fea. And all the rights, privileges, franchifes, exemptions,
and immunities, which fliall be granted or permitted to any nation
whatever, fhall alfo be granted and permitted to the faid fubjeds : and
his Britannic majefly confents that the fame be granted and permitted
to the fubjeds of Spain in his Britannic raajefly's kingdoms.

VIII) His Catholic majefty promifes to ufe all poffible endeavours, on
his part, to abolifh all innovations for the future, which may have been
introduced into commerce. And his Britannic majefty likewife pro-
mifes to ufe all pofllble endeavours to abolilh all innovations, and to
forbear them for the future.

IX) Their Britannic and Catholic majefties confirm, by the prefent
treaty, the laft treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, and all the other treaties there-
in confirmed, in all their articles and claufes ; excepting thofe which
have been derogated from by the prefent treaty : as likewife the treaty

* This claufc more efpecially refpedts the French nation. A.

28o A. D. 1750.

of commerce concluded at Utrecht in the year 1 7 1 .3 ; thole articles ex-
cepted which are contrary to the prefent treaty, which fliall be abolifli-
ed and of no force; and, namelv, the three articles of the faid treaty,
commonly called explanatory.

X) All the reciprocal differences, rights, demands, and pretenfions,
which may have fubfifted between the two crowns of Great Britain and
Spain, in which no other nation whatever has any part, interefi:, or
right of intervention, being thus accommodated and extinguiflied by
this particular treaty ; the two mod ferene kings engage themfelves
mutually to the punctual execution of this treaty of reciprocal compen-
lation.

This is truely a mofl definitive treaty, in the ftridefl fenfe, as it relates
purely to differences between Great Britain and Spain, without any re-
lation to, or connection with, any other nation : and accordingly it has
hitherto, till very lately, been well obferved on both fides ; and hereby
a period was abfoiutely put to all foreign commerce whatever of the
South-fea company.

This year an ad of parhament was pafied to encourage the importa-
tion of pig and bar iron from his majefty's colonies in America, and to
prevent the ereftion of any mill, or other engine, for flitting or rolling-
iron, or any plating forge to work M'ith a tilt hammer, or any furnace
for making fteel, in any of the faid colonies. The title of this fiatute
fufficiently fliews how jealoufly our legiflature prevented our greatly-in-
creafing northern colonies from going far into nianuiadures interfering
with thofe of their mother-country. Neverthelefs, as our continental
colonies are increafing fafi in people, furely fome latitude mufl:, and will
hereafter, be allowed in that refped, as the proportionable increafe of
our people there will undoubtedly occafion a like or greater increafe
of our general commerce thither.

By a llatute of the 30th of King George II, this ad of the 23d of this
king, for importing bar iron from America into the port of London,
was extended to all the ports of Great Britain ; and feme claufes in the
firfi: ad, of lefs importance, were repealed.

This year an ad of parliament pafied for extending and improving
the trade to Africa. Its preamble jufily remarks, that the trade to and
from Africa being very advantageous to Great Britain, and ncceflary
for fupplying the plantations and colonies with a fufYicient number of
negroes at reafonable rates, ought, for that reafon, to be free and open
to all his majefiy's fubjeds ; it was therefor enaded that it fliall be
lawful for all the king's fubjeds to trade to and from any place in
Africa, betv/een the port of Sallee in South-Barbary, and the Cape of
Good Hope, without any reftraint whatfoever, except as herein after
exprefied, viz.

I) All his majefiy's fubjeds, who ihall trade to and from Africa, be-

A. D. 1750. 281

tw^een Cape Blanco and the Cape of Good Hope, fliall forever hereaf-
ter be deemed a body corporate and poUtic, by the name of the Com-
pany of merchants trading to Africa, with perpetual fucceflion and a
common feal, and may fue and be fued, &c. as other corporations.

II) All the Britifli forts, fettlements, and fadlories, on the coaft of
Africa, from Cape Blanco to the Cape of Good Hope, and all coafls,
iflands, rivers, regions, &c. within the faid limits, w^hich are now claim-
ed, or pofTefTed, by the royal African company of England, or which
may hereafter be in the pofleflion of the company hereby eftabliflied,
fhall, from the pafling of an acfl for divefting the African company of
their charter, forts, and all their other property on the coafl of Africa,
be abfolutely vefted in the new company eftabliflied by this ad, and
their fucceffors, to the intent that the faid forts, &c. fliall be employed
only for the protedtion, encouragement, and defence, of the trade,

III) Yet this new company fliall not trade to or from Africa, in their
corporate capacity, neither fliall they have any joint, or transferable
flock, nor fliall they borrow money on their common feal.

IV) The diredion of the affairs of this new company fliall be by a
committee of nine perfons, to be chofen annually ; to meet as often as
fhall be necefl'ary, in fome place within the city of London, the majority
of whom being alTembled, fliall have full power to make orders for go-
verning and improving the forts, fadories, &c. : fo as no orders nor re-
gulations of theirs fliall lay any reftraint whatfoever on the trade or
traders, contrary to the intent of this act.

V) Such as intend to trade to Africa, and who fliall, on or before
the 30th of June 1750, pay 4o/'each to the chamberlain of London for
their freedom of this company, are empowered to meet at Gildhall,
and clioofe three perfons ; and they who fliall pay 40/" into the hands of
the clerk of the merchants hall of Briftol, to clioofe three perfons ; and
the like at Liverpool, for choofing three perfons : and the nine perfons
fo chofen fliall be the firft annual committee.

VI) In all future eledions the committee fliall be nominated on the
3d of July yearly, in manner following, viz. three fliall be nominated
by the freemen of the company admitted in London, and three at Brif-
tol, and three at Liverpool. And the freemen of this company, in each
of the faid three places, may clioofe other committee-men in the place
of fuch as fliall die or be removed, or who fliall refufe to ad. And if
they, or any of the three places, negled to clioofe fuch, then the re-
mainder, though lefs in number than nine, may ad as the committee,
till next year's eledion. In cafe of an equality of voices ivt any election,
the lord-mayor of London, and the mayors of Briftol and Liverpool,
refpedively, fliall determine which of fuch perfons fliall be the com-
mittee-men. From and after the 3otli of June 1750 any other of his
majefty's fubjeds, who fliall trade to or from Africa, fliall be admitted

Vol. III. N n

282 A. D.

750-

freemen of the faid company, at London, Briftol, or Liverpool, upon
payment of 40/", as aforefaid, but fliall not vote at the eledion of com- »
mittee-men until one year after their admiflion. .The faid freedom
money of 40/' fliall be accounted for to the annual committee. No per-
fon fliall be a committee-man above three years fucceflively. The
committee may invefl; the money in their hands, in the purchafe of
goods and ftores for Africa, there to be applied for the fole ufe, pre-
fervation, &c. of their forts and fettlements, and for the wages, falaries,
&c. of their officers, &c. employed there ; but the committee fliall not
export from Africa any negroes, or other goods, in return ; nor fliall
in any other manner carry on a trade to or from Africa ; and an
account of the committee's receipts and payments fliall be kept,
and lie open at their oflSce in London, to be perufed gratis by any
member of the company. The commiflioners for trade and plantations
may remove any of the committee-men, or the officers and fervants of
this company, upon miflDchaviour. And the committee fliall render an
account of their tranfadions to the board of trade and plantations an-
nually, or oftener, if required. The committee, out of the monies they
fliall receive, may dedud, annually, L800 for defraying, in the firft
place, the ialaries of their clerks, &c. at the faid three places, and all
other charges of management ; and the refidue of that funi fliall be di-
vided among themfelves, as a compenfation for their trouble. The
committee's accounts fliall be annually examined, upon oath, by the
curfitor-baron of the exchequer, and they fliall lay a copy of fuch ac-
counts, &c. before the parliament in every fefllon, as alfo before the
general meetings of their own members, held in London, Briftol, and
Liverpool.

VII) Ths forts, warehoufes, &c. of this company, fliall, at all times,
be free to all his majefty's fubjeds, to be ufed as warehoufes for dcpo-
fiting gunpov/der, gold, elephants' teeth, wax, gums, and drugs, and no
other goods ; and fnall alio be free and open, in cafe of neceflity or
danger, to all his majefly's fubjeds, for the fafety of their perfons and
effeds. Three mafters of the court of chancery, whereof the account-
ant-general of that court to be one, fliall be commiflioners for examin-
ing and allowing the claims of the creditors of the royal African com-
pany, after which that company fliall be diverted of their charter, and
be diflblved.

Thus this very confiderable branch of the Britifli commerce again
afliinicd a new appearance, after having pafled, as we have fliewn,
through feveral different conftitutions, and various conditions. "What
has by this ad been eftabliflied, remains ftill in being, and with general
approbation, though there are not wanting fome who ftill think that fo
important a trade ought to be under a flirider government, and even in
a joint-flock corporation, as in former times ; of which opinion, time,

A. D.I 751. 283

and the experience of the traders to that extended coafl, will determine
the validity *.

1 75 1. — In the year 1751 Dr. Wilham Douglas, of Boilon in New-
England, publifned there his Summary, hiflorical and political, of the
firfl planting of the Britifli continent colonies of America ; in which he
gives a very juft and concife view of the entire country, ufually known
by the general name of New-England, as at prefent divided into four
feparate governments, viz. the firfl and principal one, known by the
name of the province of the Maffiichufets-bay, of which Bofton is the
capital city, contains 200,000 white inhabitants : the government of
which province is in the crown, but the property is in the reprefenta-
tives of the people.- The fecond province is Connecticut, containing
100,000 white people. Thirdly, Rhode- illand, containing 30,000 white
people ; in both which later provinces the government and property
are in the reprefentatives of the people. Fourthly, New-Hampfliire, in
which both government and property are in the crown, contains 24,000
w^hite inhabitants. The total wiiite people in all New-England then
was 354,000. Dr. Douglas had lived many years in that country,
and is allowed, by all we have converfed.with from thence, to have
given a true account of the number of people of New-England at that
period.

We have, in its place, fhewn, that the Danes had antiently a colony
in the country, by them properly called Groneland, i. e. Greenland,
and by others. Old Greenland, lying north-weft of Norway, being a
largely extended country, fituated north of Davis's ftraits, in a very in-
hofpitable plimate, and, for aught we yet know, may be properly a part
of North- America. That inhofpitable country, however, we find, by
an edift of Frederic V king of Denmark, dated at Copenhagen the
26th March 1751, is again replanted by Denmark. The edict exprefs-
ly prohibiting all perfons, as well natives as foreigners, from reforting
to the colonies eltabliflied by us, (fitys that king) in our country of
Greenland, which we have granted to a general and privileged company
exclufively, we being hereditary lord of that country, upon pain of
feizure and confifcation, againft all fuch as fliall trade thither in preju-
dice of the faid company's right. The limits lliall extend 15 miles on
both fides of each colony, including therein all the places lying between
the Weftern ifles, and the bay called in the maps Blackbirds-bay.
This fettlement is chiefly intended for the whale and feal fifltery, and
for peltry. Of its progrefs we may pollibly learn more hereafter.

The South-fea company having propofed to the government to ac-
cept an intereft of4 per cent on their capital ftock of L3, 662,784 : 8 : 6 till
chriftmas 1757, and then to ftand reduced to L3 per cent per annum,

* The total value of the imports of England in the y/ear 1750, was L7,772,.'39, and of the ex-
ports (not including gold and bullion) Ll2,699,c8l. llVhilworl/j'i State.^ M.

N n 2

284 A. D. 1 75 1.

provided, that the manner of the receipt from the exchequer, and the
charges of management upon the prefent old and new South- fea annui-
ties, and on their faid capital ftock, be continued as they now are : an
ad of parliament, in conlequence thereof, pafled in the 24th year of
King George II, for reducing the fame accordingly upon thofe terms,
and for preventing frauds committed by the officers and fervants of the
faid company, viz.

I) After chriftmas 1757 their capital flock fhall be reduced to 3 per
cent, until redemption thereof, in full difcharge of all demands of the
company on the king of Spain, on account of the afliento, or annual
fhip, or on any account whatfoever, over and above the fum of Li 00,000,
paid purfuant to treaty.

II) The company Ihall continue to receive from the exchequer, out
of the funds appropriated for that purpofe, what monies fhall, from
time to time, become due for the interefl thereof and charges of ma-
nagement, upon fuch part of the old and new South-fea annuities as
are not redeemed, and on their capital flock ; and all the rights and
exemptions, with regard to the redemption of their capitals, fhall be
confirmed in the fame manner as they now fland.

III) If any officer or fervant of the company, entrufted with any
note, bill, dividend warrant, bond, deed, or fecurity, money, or other
effeds, belonging to the company, or to other perfons, depofited with
the company, or with him, as an officer or fervant of the company, fhall
fecrete, embezzle, or run away with the fame, and be convided thereof
in due form of law, he fhall be deemed guilty of felony, and fufFer death
sTs a felon, without benefit of clergy.

Thus, for the prevention of future difputes between Great Britain
and Spain, this company was debarred from all future claims on the
court of Spain (though certainly very confiderable and equitable ones),
purfuant to the treaty of Madrid, whereby our king agreed to accept of
Li 00,000 for the company, in full compenfation for all their confider-
able lofTes. So that between their very great loffes fuflained by their
ill-fated afliento contrad, and by the mofl; national undertaking of their
whale fifhery, that company may truely and impartially be faid to me-
rit not only the compaflion, but even the particular regard, of the pub-
lic.

By a flatute of the 24th year of King George II, for enabling his
majefly to raife the feveral fums of money therein mentioned, by ex-
chequer bills, &c. the treafury was empowered to ifTue L2, 276, 893 : 1 1 : 7,
being the total principal fum remaining payable upon the unfubfcribed-
old and new South-fea annuities, after deduding L48,i29 : 17 : 4, by
this ad direded to be fubfcribed into the faid annuities, towards re-
deeming them. Any part of which fum might be replaced by fuch as
were truftees for certain purpofes, as far as fuch monies would go at the

A. D. 1751. 285

current market price, either in the faid annuities, or in other purchafes,
pubUc or private. And whereas feveral perfons, not being timely ap-
prized of the notice given for fubfcribing in their feveral annuities, be-
ing in the king's colonies in America, and other foreign parts, 8cc. the
fums which, on the 28th of February 1749, fhould be intitled to the
benefit of thofe fubfcriptions, amounting to Li2,2io:2: i in new
South-fea annuities, and Li3,443 : 14 : 3 in old South-fea annuities,
they Ihall be intitled to the vote of the houfe of commons of 21ft March
1749, as amply as if they had feverally accepted the faid terms on oir
before the 30th of May 1750.

On Wednefday, the 22d of May 1751, the ever-famous ad of the
Britifli legillature, of the 24th year of King George 11, received the
royal aflent, for regulating the commencement of the year, and for cor-
reding the calendar now in ufe, i. e. for abolifhing the old ftile, and for
eftabhihing the new ftile, already in ufe in moft parts of Chriftendom.

Its preamble fets forth, that the legal fupputation of the year in Eng-
land, which begins on the 25th of March, hath been attended with di-
vers inconveniencies *, as it differs from other nations, and from the
legal method of computation in Scotland, and the common ufage
throughout the whole kingdom ; and that thereby frequent miftakes
in the dates of deeds and other writings are occafioned, and difputes
arife therefrom. And that the Julian calendar, now in ufe throughout
the Britifli dominions, hath been difcovered to be erroneous, by mean?
whereof the vernal equinox, which at the time of the council of Nice
in the year 325, happened on or about the 21ft of March, now hap-
pens on the 9th or loth of the fame month : and as the error is ftill in-
creafing, and, if not remedied, will in time occafion the feveral equi-
noxes and folftices to fall at very different times in the civil year from
what they formerly did, which may tend to miflead perfons ignorant of
fuch alteration ; and as a method of correding the calendar, fo as that
the equinoxes and folftices may for the future fall on the fame nominal
days on which they happened at the time of the faid general council,
hath been received and eftablifhed, and is now generally pradifed by
almoft all other nations of Europe f ; and as it will be of general con-

* It is ftrange that this was not reflified long lian year, being 44 minutes and 20 feconds in

*g°- ^- . every 4 years, and 3 days 1 hour 53 minutes

f The mean tropical folar year, or that mean and 20 feconds in every 400 Julian years, or years

fpace of time wherein the fun or tarth, departing of our old ftile ; and made 1 1 days difference be-

from any point of the ecliptic, returns to the fame tween us and the greatcft part of Europe, efpeci-

point again, confifts, according to the learned Dr. ally all of the Roman catholic perfuafioii, and moft

Halley's tables, of 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes of the proteftaut ftates alfo. The Julian year or

and I'i feconds ; which being lefs by 1 1 nu'nutes old ftile continued to be ufed all over Europe, un-

and 5 feconds than the mean Julian year or old til Pope Gregory XIII, by the help of the beft

ftile, confifting of 365 days and 6 hours, made an aftronomcrs, in the year 1582, difcovered the in-

error in our old ftile, hitherto followed by Great conveniencies of the Julian computation, whereyb"

Britain, of 1 1 minutes and 5 feconds in each Ju- it appeared, that in 129 years and 3371- days, it

M A. D.

J 75 1-

venience to merchants and other perfons correfponding with other na-
tions and countries, and will tend to prevent miftakes and difputes con-
cerning the dates of letters and accounts, if the like corredion be re-
ceived and eftabliflied in his raajefty's dominions ; it was therefor enabl-
ed, that throughout all his majefty's dominions the old fupputation
fliould not be ufed after the laft day of December 1751, and that the
firfl of January following fliould be accounted the firfl: day of the year
1752, and fo on in every year after : and after the faid firft of January
1752 the days of the months fliould go on and be reckoned in the fame
order, and the feafl: of eafter, and other moveable feafts depending
thereon, fliould be afcertained according to the fame method they now
are till the 2d of September 1752 inclufive, and the next day fliould be
accounted the 14th of September, omitting, for that time only, the eleven
intermediate nominal days ; and the following days fliould be num-
bered forward in numerical order from the faid 14th of September, as
now ufed in the prefent calendar : and all ads and writings, executed
upon or after the faid firfl: of January 1752, fliould bear date according
to the new method of fupputation ; and the two fixed terms of St. Hi-
lary and St, Michael in England, .and the courts of great feflions in the
counties Palatine and in Wales, and the courts of general quarter fef-
fions, and general feflions of the peace, and all other courts and meet-
ings and aflembliesof any bodies politic or corporate, for the eledion
of officers or members, or for officers entering upon the execution of
their refpedive offices, or for any other purpofe, which by law or uf-
age, &c. are to be held on any fixed day of any month, or on any day
depending on the beginning, or any certain day of any month, except
courts ufually holden with fairs or marts, fliould, after the faid 2d of
September, be held on the fame nominal days and times whereon they
are now to be holden, but computed according to the new method of
numbering, that is, eleven days fooner than the refpedive days where-
on the fame are now kept.

The years 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300, or any other hundredth
yeai*, except every fourth hundredth, whereof the year 2000 fliall be

made an error of one whole day, and in 400 Ju- ccrn, in a mercantile fenfe, was to reduce our (lile
lian years an error jtif 3 days, i hour, 53 minutes, to uniformity with the reil of Europe ; the dlffer-
and 20 ftconds, as above ; and that fince the coun- ence of 1 1 days frequently occafionlng errors iind
oil of Nice in the year 325 the old (tile had made miftakes in buiinefs. Moreover, nothing certainly
an error of upwards of 9 days, which in the year could be more inconvenient (not to fay abfurd)
1701 was computed to be i 1 days, i. e. fo much than to begin our legal year on the 25th of March,
was our error at tlie commencement of the i8th whereby a whole year was frequently millaken in
century ; whereby our old ftile made the vernal our liiftories through inadvertency : the year there-
equinox happen 11 days fooner than by the new- for was nov/ to commence on the lit of January
fllle it really dries ; fo that our icth of March with all the reft of Chriftendom, and efpecially
ought to be reckoned (as it will now be) the 2 ift with Scotland ; though that country, in other re-
of that month. Pope Gregory's main intcnilon fptcfts, had, like England, till now kept to the old
in that alteration was to regulate the true time of ftile. yf.
celebrating the fcaft of eafter ; but our grand con- 4

A, D, 1.75 1. 287

the firft, fhall be deemed common years, confifling of 365 days; and
the years 2000, 2400, 2800, and every other fourth hundredth year
from the year 2000 inclufive, and all other years which by the prefent
fupputation are efteemed to be bifiextile, or leap-years, fhall for the fu-
ture be efteemed to be bifiextile, or leap-years, confifting of 366 days,
as is now ufed with refpeft to every fourth year.

The feaft of eafter, and the moveable feafts thereon depending, fhall
be no longer obferved according to the method of fupputation now
ufed, or the table prefixed to the book of common prayer ; and the
faid table, and alfo the column of golden numbers, as they are now
prefixed to the refpeclive days of the month in the calendar, fhall be
left out in all future editions of the faid book ; and the new calendar,
tables, and rules, annexed to the a<ft, are to be prefixed in the ftead
thereof: and from and after the faid 2d of September, the fixed feafts,
holidays, and fafts, of the church of England, and alfo the feveral fo-
lemn days of thankfgiving and of fafting and humiliation, enjoined to
be obferved by parliament, fhall be obferved on the refpedive nominal
days marked for the celebration of the fame in the new calendar, that
is to fay, on the refpedive nominal days ; and the feaft of eafter, and
other moveable feafts thereon depending, ftiall be celebrated according
to the faid annexed calendar ; and the two moveable terms of eafter
and trinity, and all courts, meetings, and alTemblies, of any bodies po-
litic or corporate, and all markets, fairs, and marts, and courts, there-
unto belonging, which by any law, ftatute," charter, or ufage, are to be
held and kept at any moveable time depending upon eafter, or other
moveable feaft, fhall, after the faid 2d of September, be held and kept
on the fame days and times whereon the fame fiiall happen, according
to the falling of eafter by the new calendar.

The meetings of the court of feffion, and terms fixed for the court of
exchequer in Scotland, the April meeting of the confervators of the
great level of the fens, and the holding and keeping of markets, fairs,
and marts, for the fale of goods or cattle, or for hiring of fervants, or
for other purpofes, which are fixed to certain nominal days of the
month, or depending on the beginning, or any certain day, of any
month, and all courts kept with fuch fairs or marts, fliall, after the laid
2d of September, be kept upon the fame natural days upon which the
fame would have been held if this ad had not been made, i. e. eleven
days later than the fame would happeri according to the nominal days
of the new fupputation of time, by which the commencement of each
month, and the nominal days thereof, are brought forward eleven days.

But this ad fhall not accelerate or anticipate the days or times for the
opening, inclofing, or fliutting, up of grounds, common of pafture, or
the days and times on which a temporary and diftind property and.
right in any fuch lands or grounds is to commence ; but they ftuiU be

288 A. D. 1 75 1.

refpectiveiy opened, and inclofed, or fhut up, and (hall commence on
the fame natural days and times after the faid 2d of September as be-
fore the making of this ad, that is, eleven days later than the fame
■ would happen according to the new fupputation of time.

Neither (hall this a&. accelerate or anticipate the times of payment of
rents, annuities, or other monies, which fhall become payable in confe-
quence of any cuflom, ufage, leafe, deed, writing, or other contradl or
agreement, now fubfifling, or which fhall be entered into before the
faid 14th of September, or which fhall become payable by virtue of
any a6l of parliament ; nor accelerate the payment, or increafe the in-
terefl, of any money which fliall become payable as aforefaid, or the .
time of the delivery of any goods or other things whatfoever, or the
commencement or determination of any leafes or demifes of lands, &c.
or other contracts or agreements, annuity, or rent, or of any grant for a
term of years, 8cc. or the time of attaining the age of 21 years, or any
other age requifite by law, ufage, or writing, for doing any a6l, or for
any other purpofe, by any perfons now born, or who fhall be born, be-
fore the faid 14th of September ; or the time of the determination of
any apprenticefhip or other fervice by indenture, or by articles under
feal, or by reafon of any fimplc contrad or hiring : but all thefe fhall
commence, ceafe, and determine, at and upon the fame natural days
and times on which they would have happened if this ad had not been
made.

By a fubfequent law (of the 25th of George II) to amend this ad, it
was enaded, ifl:, that from the 2d of September 1752 the refpedive
times for opening, ufing, or inclofing, grounds for common pafture,
and the payment of rents, &c. fhall, if fucli times are depending on any
of the moveable feafts, take place according to the new calendar : 2dly,
the annual admiffion and fwearing of the lord-mayor of London at
Guildhall hereafter Audi be on the 8th of November, and the folemnity
of fwearing him at the court «f exchequer at Weftminfler on the 9th
of the fame month of November yearly.

It were farther to be wifhed, that, when the legiflature were upon a
fubjed fo ufeful to commerce and chronology, they had turned their
thoughts to the prefent method of dating ads of parliament from the
years of the reigning king, without mentioning the year of our Lord
Chrift, as in the laws of many other nations ; whereby much uncer-
tainty and frequent miflakes happen in computing a number of years
between a certain year of one king's reign to a certain year of another
king's reign, or to the prefent time. This is frequently complained
of, though not yet remedied : yet this may eafily be remedied in fu-
ture, by i'uperadding the year of our Lord Chrift to the year of the
reigning king. 4

A. D. 175 1. 289

The flourifliing and much-improved condition of the kingdom of
Ireland in this year is fo fully exprefled in the earl of Orrery's Letters
on the life and writings of Dean Swift, publifhed in this year, that we
ihall tranfcribe it, from letter xvi, p. 127. ' The prefent ftate of Ireland
' is in general as flourifhing as poffible. Agriculture is cultivated, arts
' and fciences are encouraged ; and in the fpace of eighteen years no
' kingdom can be more improved. Ireland, in relation to England,
' may be compared to a younger fifter lately come of age, after having
' fuffered all the miferies of an injured minor, fuch as lav/fuits, en-
' croachments upon her property, violation of her rights, defl:ru6lion of
' her tenants, and every evil that can be named. At length, time, and
' her own noble fpirit of induftry, have entirely relieved her ; and,
' fome little heartburnings excepted, flie enjoys the quiet poffefllon of a
' very ample fortune, fubjed, by way of acknowlegement, to certain
' quit-rents payable to the elder branch of her houfe : and let me add,
' by experience, that, take her all in all, flie cannot have a greater for-
' tune than fhe deferves.'

The great and progrefTive improvement of the linen manufadure in
Scotland is well worth recording. Between the year 1727, (when an
a6l of parliament paffed for that end, whereby 21 truftees were ap-
pointed, under the great feal, for fuperintending the fame), and this
year 1751, the following quantities of linen were ftamped for fale.

Yards of linen. • Value.

In five years, 1728 — 1732 - 17,441,161 - L662,938

five years, 1733—1737 - 23,734,136 - 897,254

five years, 1738 — 1742 - 23,366,863 - 949,22[

five years, 1743 — 1747 - 28,227,086 - 1,155,281

And four years, 1748 — 1751 - 30,172,300 - 1,344,814

N. B. The Britifli linen company, erected in the year 1746, has been
greatly inftrumental in the advancement of that manufadure in Scot-
land, by advancing ready money to the poorer manufacturers for their
goods : whereby they are enabled to go on with much more fpirit. The
board of truftees likewile bellow annual premiums for the beft manu-
fadures ; whereby a fpirit of induftry increafes, more than ever, all
over Scotland *.

1752, — The African or Guinea trade having been laid more open in a
regulated company, by a flatute of the 23d of King George II, before
recited, it became neceflary to make a compeniation to the old royal

* Amdtrdam, wliich ufed to be the general indigo, now fiiipped for Amflerdam at Bourdcaiix

warchoufe for all the merchandize of Europe, arid Nantes, were only in the proportion of one to

was now in a great meafure deprived of that ad- three of the fame goods {hipped for Hamburgh ;

vantage : and ths commerce of Hamburgh, by a whereas Amfterdam ufed formerly to take off

direA intercourfe with France, Spain, Portugal, thrice as n^uch as Hamburgh from tliofe ports,

and Italy, was rifing fad upon the decline of the \_Lettrc fur In jn/oiifie de commereep. 251. Anjl.

Dutch trade. As a proof of this change, it is 1771.] M.
Lbferved, that the quantities of fugar, coffee, and /

Vol. III. O o

290 A. D. 1752.

African company, for their charter, lands, foris, flaves, {lores, and other
efFe<5ts, &c. An ad:, therefor, was now pafled, for the appHcation of a <um
of money, therein mentioned, for thofe purpofes, and for vefling thofe
lands, forts, 8cc. in the new company of merchants trading to Africa ;
for which ends commifiioners had before been appointed to examine
the claims laid before paliament by the late company. And it was
now enaded, that the late royal African company fhould, after the
loth of April 1752, be abfolutely divefted of their charter, &c. and of
all their lands, forts, &c. beginning at the port of Sallee, and extend-
ing thence fouthward to the Cape of Good Hope, together with all
their cannon, canoe-men, ilaves, rights, and evidences, &c. The new
company, with the confent of the board of trade and plantations, are
empowered to arm and train military forces at their forts, and to
punifh offences, fo as not to extend to life or Umb ; and to eredl courts
of judicature for mercantile and maritime bargains, &c. and the fum of
Li 12,142 : 3 : 6 was ordered out of the fupplies of this fellion, for
the compenfation due to the old company.

For the better civilizing and improving the Highlands of Scotland,
and preventing diforders there for the future, an adl of paliament of
this lame feflion pafled for annexing certain forfeited ellates in Scot-
land (by the rebellions of the years 1745 and 1746), to the crown
unalienably, and for making fatisfadion to the lawful creditors there-
upon ; and to eftablifli a method of managing the fame, enaded, that
all the lands, lordfliips, baronies, &c. of Simon, late Lord Lovat, &c.
fhall, from the 25th of December 1752, be annexed to the crown
unalienable forever, faving the rights and claims thereon duely en-
tered in the court of lefllon. The clear income of the faid lands
to be applied to the purpofes of civilizing the inhabitants upon the
faid eftates, and other parts of the Highlands and ifles of Scotland,
promoting amongft them the proteftant religion, good government,
indufliry, and manutadures, and the principles of loyalty and duty to
his majefl:y, &c. and to no other ufe or purpofe whatfoevcr. The king
may appoint commifhoners and truftces for managing the laid eftates,
andfor applying the produce for thofe ends and purpofes, without having
any penfion or reward for the fame. They may grant leales thereof
for 21 or 41 years, whereon the leifees fliall covenant to lay out on the
premilfes, in buildings and other improvements, in the firft feven years,
a fum not lefs than five years rent ; referving upon every leafe not
lefs than three fourths of the real annual value of the premilfes. All
fuch leifees fhall take the ufual oaths to the government. No leafe of
lands or tenements, other than mines or fifhings, fhall be of greater
annual rent than L20 at the moft. The commifhoners, with the
approbation of the treafury, may appoint fadors on the faid eftates, to
whom 5 per cent of the rental fhall be allowed. The commifhoners are
to appoint a furvey of the eftates tp be made, with proper plans of their

A. D. 1752. • 291

extent and qualities, and what improvements may be made thereon ;
and an abftrad; of their proceeding is to be annually reported to the
treafury, copies whereof to be laid before the parliament every feflion.
The king may divide large parifhes (entii-ely his own), and grant
proper provifions to the miniilers of fuch new parifhes, out of the
prefent maintenance for the minifter of the old parifh, and the remain-
der out of the rents of the faid eftates, fo as the il:ipend fliall not exceed
L50 per annum, in money or value, to any one minifter. The king
may ered: fchools on the laid eilates, or in other parts of the Highlands
or iflands of Scotland, for inflruding young perfons in reading and
writing the Englifli language, and in the feveral branches of agri-
culture and manufaclures, and may ered houfes for their reception, and
for carrying on fuch manufactures by them, and for accommodating
their mafters.; and may apply fuch parts of the produce of the faid
eftates as fhall be neceflary for erecting fuch fchools, providing falaries
for the teachers, for clothing and maintaining fuch young perfons, and
for fupplying the fchools with utenfils and materials for agriculture and
manufadures ; and for the raifing of fax, &c. as his majefty fliall direct.
And the king may empower the commilTioners to allot portions of land
for the ufe of fuch fchools, or to apply fuch part of the clear rent of the
lands as he fliall dired, in the purchafe of portions of land to be allotted for
fuch fchools. His majelly may empower the commiffioners to grant out
in property, portions of ground, not exceeding ten acres to one perfon,
to perfons well aflfeded, who fhall take the oaths to the government,
and oblige themfelves to ered dwelling houfes, &c. and gardens there-
upon ; fuch grounds to be held feu of his majefty, for payment of a
yearly feu duty equal to fuch a proportion of the rent as fhall corre-
fpond to the ground feued out, &c. The king may, out of the rents
of the eftates aforefaid, ered prifons on fuch parts of the forefud lands,
or other parts of the Highlands, as he fliall think fit, and the fame fhall
be deemed lawful prifons ; and he may make allowance for the main-
tenance of indigent prifoners, 8cc.

Of this very good law pofterity will reap the principal benefit ; be-
ginnings being already made in feveral parts of the Highlands for
working-fchools, to which the -moft laudable fociety in Scotland for
propagating chriftian knowledge in the Highlands,' &c. have lent a
helping hand by ereding feveral fchools out of their own income, for
the inflrudicn of the children : new villages are alio begun : manufac-
tures, as well as agriculture, are let on foot, where none were known
before : fo that it is highly probable, that, in half a century more, the
mod uncultivated parts of that country will wear a very different afpecl.

' For feveral years paft,' fays Dr. Bufching, in his New geography,
' between 4 and 5000 fliips have failed annually through the Sound :
' but in 1752 above 6000 Ihips (a number unheard of before), palled
' through thole ftraits. In general that toll i'i on an equal fcocinsi with

Oo 2

292 A. D. 1752.

♦ refpedl to all nations, excepting the Hamburghers, who muft pay
' more than others : the Englifh, Dutch, Swedifli, and French, fliips are

• not fearched, when provided with proper pafles, according to treaties,
' and pay down only i per cent for fuch goods as are not fpecified in

* the tarif ; but all other nations pay i^ per cent, and muft fubmit to
' be fearched. With regard to the Hanfe towns on the Baltic, there is
' a great variety in the toll they pay, for almofi: every one of thofe
■• towns is treated with in particular.'

This year the king of Naples (afterwards king of Spain), eftabliflied
a commercial company at Mefllna ; principally intended for ereding
manufactures of {ilk, fluffs, and camblets ; the company, for ten years
to come, to be exempted from all kinds of duties: and, for their far-
ther encouragement, he has limited the exportation of raw iilk to half
the wonted quantity. Thus almoft every corner of Europe, in our age,
ftrives to gain fome part of the commercial advantages, which they
clearly obferve to contribute fo much to the enrichment and exaltation
of nations.

We, the fame year, learned from Spain, that they are there ilriving for
the increafe of commerce and manuflidures : that of late they have in the
kingdom of Valencia 2000 looms for Iilk and woollen; 1000 in Gra-
nada ; 500 in Catalonia ; and that, throughout all Spain, they reckon
in all 10,000 fuch looms, for filk, gold, and filver tifTue, middling and
coarfe woollen cloths, bays, ferges, camblets, &c. ' And' (fays Don
Geronymo de Uftariz, a judicious Spanifh author) ' they are projecting
' no fewer than 60,000 new looms, whereby, not only to fupply them-
' felves and their Indies, but to export to other European nations ; and
' to ered I know not how many other new manufadures : of all which
' it will be right to fufpend our belief till experience clears it up.'

1753. — By a fupplemental act of the Britifh parliament, of the 26th
of George II, to explain, amend, and render moreeffedual, an ad of the
23d year of George II, entitled, an Ad for the encouragement of the
Britifli white-herring tifliery, and for regulating the faid fifhery accord-
ing to the calendar now in ufe, &c.

I) It was now enaded, that the commencement and duration of tht
filheries, as direcl:ed by the former ad, fhall hereafter be conformable
to the calendar now in ufe.

II) The Ibciety fhall not be intitled to the bounty of thirty fhillings
per ton for fuch veflels as fliall return into port at the end of the fifhery
with a lefs number of hands than they are required (by the firft ad)
to have onboard at the rendezvous, unlefs it Ihall appear that fuch
number hath been reduced by death, licknefs, or defertion, without any
fraud or coUufion, on the part of the ibciety : and the veflels are al-
lowed, between the intervals of the Shetland and Yarmouth fiflieries, to
put into any port of Great Britain or Ireland, for the purpofe of chang-

A. D. 1753. 293

ing their nets, and preparing for the Yarmouth fifliery ; of which filTiery
the fleet of nets may be of any depth not under five fathoms.

Ill) That the quantity of fuch white herrings as fhall hereafter be
fent by the fociety or their agents to foreign markets, immediately from
fea, without being firft brought into port, fliull be afcertained by the
oath of the fociety's fuperintendant of the fifliery. And whereas the
place appointed by the firfl: aft for the rendezvous of the vefl^els on the
firfl: of September is, in many cafes, found inconvenient, it is now
enadled, that their veflxels which ftiall rendezvous at Kirkwall in the
Orkney iflands, on or before the 1 2th of September ; and fliaU con-
tinue to be employed in fifliing among the flioles of herrings, as they
move, to the 1 ith of January (unlefs their loading fhall be fooner com-
pleted) fliall, in cafe all the other regulations and conditions in the act
be complied with, be intitled to the bounties granted therein, as if
they had rendezvoufed at Campbeltown at the time required by that
a6l. No fifliing vefl'el employed in the white-herring fifliery (hall be
obliged to carry to the later filhing more than one fleet of nets.

An ad of parliament [26 Geo. //] for permitting the exportation of
wool, and woollen or bay yarn, from any port of Ireland to any port in
Great Britain, fets forth in its preamble, that the permiflion of export-
ing wool, and v/ooUen or bay yarn, only from certain ports in Ireland
to certain ports in England, is not of fo great and extenfive an advant-
age to the trade of this kingdom as it would be, if all the ports in
Great Britain and Ireland were opened for that purpofe. It was there-
for enaded, that, from the 5th of June 1753, any wool, or woollen or
bay yarn, wool-fels, fliortlings, mortlings, wool-flocks, and worfted yarn,
may be exported from any port in Ireland to any port in Great Britain.
Provided, that exportations and importations be under the fame reftric-
tions and regulations, and in the fame manner in all refpeds as wool or
woollen yarn are now by law permitted to be exported from Dublin,
and other therein-named ports of Ireland, to Biddeford, and other
therein-named ports of England, or any of them.

In the fame year an ad of parliament reduced the court of diredors
of the South-fea company, from three governors and thirty diredors to
three governors and twenty-one diredors, at the fucceeding general
eledion : and ordained, that no more than fifteen of the diredors, who
were eleded at the lafl preceding general eledion fliould be chofen again
into that office at the following eledion. This prudent frugality pro-
ceeded from the confideration of their afliento trade being annihilated.

The French having gained a great fuperiority in the Turkey trade, ,
a petition was prefented to parliament for laying open our Turkey
trade entirely. On the other fide, the Turkey company reprefented,
that an open trade to Turkey would but farther decreafe the Britifli
trade thither. That the more favourable fituation of the port of Marr

294 A. D. 1753.

feilles, and other concurring circumflances not eafily to be furmounted,
had gradually given the French their prefent fuperiority. The parlia-
ment therefor palled an ad of this fame year, for enlarging and regu-
lating the trade into the Levant feas ; the fubftance of which fets forth
the patent of King James I, flill in force at this time, dated 14th De-
cember 1605, (as we have recited in its proper place) and alfo that of
King Charles II. ' And whereas the company's trade into the Levant
' feas has fince much decreafed ; the taking of leilcr fines for being
' made free of this company ; and the not reftraining the freedom
' thereof to mere merchants, and to fuch perfons as, refiding within
' twenty miles of London, are free of the faid city ; and the fecuring
' to all perfons free of the company the liberty of exporting all forts of
' goods and merchandize (not forbidden by law) to any place within

* the limits of their charter, from what parts of Great Britain, at what
' times, in what quantity, and on board what legal fhips, they fhall re-

* fpedively think proper : and alio of importing, in the like manner,
' from any place within the limits of the faid letters patent, raw filk or
' any other lawful merchandize purchafed within the faid Hmits ; are
' the moft probable means of recovering and extending the trade for
' the benefit of the nation. It was therefor enadted,

I) That after the 24th of June 1754, inftead of the former re-
ftraints in the charters of L25, to be paid for the freedom by perfons
under twenty-fix years of age, and L50 by all above that age, the re-
flridion of the freedom of the company to freemen of London, to mere
merchants, &c. every fubjed of Great Britain, defiringadmiflloninto the
Turkey company, fliall be admitted within thirty days after fuch re-
queft, and fhall enjoy all the liberties, privileges, &c. granted by the
faid letters patent, paying for fuch admilTion, totheufe of the company,
L20, and no more.

II) From the 24th of June 1754 all perfons, free of the company,
may, feparately orjointly, export any goods or merchandize (not prohi-
bited by lavv' to be exported) from any place in Great Britain, to any
place within the Hmits of the charter, in Britifh or p-antation-built
fhips, (navigated according to law) at any time, and to any perfons
whomioever being free of the faid company, or to the ions or appren-
tices of freemen, (fuch lTeemen,fons, or apprentices of freemen, being
his majefty's chrilUan fubjeds) fo long as they fhall remain under and
fubmit to the protedion and diredion of the Britifh ambaffador and
confuls refpedively, for the time being : and may alfo import, in like
manner, raw filk, or other commodities purchafed within the limits of
the laid letters patent (not prohibited by law to be imported) upon pay-
ing the king's duties and cuftoms, and fuch impofitions as fhall be af-
feffed upon all merchandizes, &c. fo exported or imported, or upon
Ihips laden therewith, for defraying the neceffary expenfes of the com-
pany. 4

A. D.I 753' 295

III) The exportation of gold and filver, either in foreign coin or bul-
lion, fliall be fubjettto the bye laws of the company.

IV) The governor, or deputy-governor and company, are empowered,
at a general-court, to make fuch rules, ordinances, or bye laws, for the
good government of the company, as the majority of the members pre-
fent fhall think neceflary : but they fhall not be valid, unlefs confirmed
at a fubfequent general court, to be held at leafl one month after the
former. And if feven or more of the freemen fliall think themfelves
aggrieved by any rule, &c. made, or to be made, they may appeal
againft the fame, to the commiflioners for trade and plantations, who
are required, with all convenient fpeed, to hear fuch appeal, and to
approve or diliipprove of fuch law, &c. in fuch manner as fliall ap-
pear to them to be fit and reaionable : but fuch rule, ordinance, or bye
law, fhali be in force till the appeal fliall be heard, and difapproved
thereby.

V) If any appeal fliall be brought againfl any future rule, ordinance,
or bye law, to be made, it fliall be brought within twelve months after
fuch rule, &c. fliall be made and confirmed: and if any appeal fliall be
brought againfl: any law, &c. of the company now in force, it fliall be
brought within twelve months after the 24th of June 17^4- And the
appellants fliall at the fiime time give notice in writing of fuch appeal,
to the governor, deputy-governor, or fecretary, of the company.

Thus the trade from Great Britain to the Levant is hereby as much
laid open as feems confiftent with the nature of that trade, all things
being duely and im.partially confidered-.

Yet, after all, it is very difficult to recover a long-declining trade ;
efpecially confidering the fliortnefs of the voyage from Marleilles to the
Levant, and their needing but one wind all the way, as well as the
cheapnefs of freight, and perhaps fome other advantages which the
French may have gained from us in this trade. Time alone will decide,
whether thefe new regulations, or what other means, can or will be
effedual for regaining that afcendant we once had above all other
chrift;ian nations in the trade to Turkey.

By an ad of parliament, for encouraging and improving the manu-
fafture of linen in the Highlands of Scotland, it was enaded, that as
the manufadure of coarfe hnens hath been increaied and improved in
Great Britain and Ireland, and as fome progrefs has been made in the
manufadure of linen in the Highlands of Scotland, under the diredions-
of the commiflioners and trufl:ees for improving fiflieries and manu-
fadures in Scotland : and as the encouragement of the manufadure of
coarfe linens in thofe parts of the Highlands, wherein the manufadure
of linens either hath not been already eftabliftied, or not advanced to
any confiderable degree of perfedion, will be a farther means of im-

296 A. D. 1753.

jiroving and civilizing the Highlands, -and the fucccfs of any provifion
for that purpofe will tend to the general good of the whole united
kingdom, and alfo of Ireland : it is now enaded,

I) That, from the expiration of the term for which bounties, by the
herein-recited ads, are granted on the exportation of Britifli and Irifli
coarfe linens, the annual fum of L3000 fliall be paid for nine years to
the cafhier of the commiffioners and truflees for improving the fifheries
and manufadures in Scotland, and fhall be applied by them for en-
couraging and improving themanufadiu'e of linens in the Highlands only.

II) No |>art of the faid fum fliail be applied for any other ufe than
for intruding and exciting the inhabitants of that part of Scotland
to raife, prepare, and fpin, flax and hemp to be ufed in the manu-
fadtire of coarfe linens, and to weave yarn, there fpun, into fuch
linen ; and for providing the inhabitants with fit materials and uten-
lils for thofe purpofes ; and for diftributing rewards and prizes to the
growers, preparers, fpinners, weavers, and other manufadurers, in
refped either to the quantity or excellence of the flax or hemp fo raifed
and prepared, and of the yarn fo fpun, wove, or otherwife manu-
fadured ; and for fuch other like ufes as the commiflloners fhall think
proper, for promoting the true intent of this ad. The faid annual fum
fhall be paid in like maimer as the annual fum of L2000, and the
furplufage of the duty on malt made in Scotland, by the 13th of Geo. I,
for encouraging and promoting fifheries and other manufadories and
improvements in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, or as by
letters-patent under the great Teal in Scotland, are direded to be paid.

This year an ad of parliament pafTed, for the purchafe of the
mufeum or colledion of Sir Hans Sloane, and of the Harleian coUedion
of manufcripts : and for providing one general repofitory for the better
reception and more convenient ufe of the faid colledions; and of the
famous Cottonian library, and of the additions made and to be made
thereto. Now, though this ftatute has no immediate connedion with
commercial hiftory, yet its confequences are like to prove fo noble, fo
much to the honour of the nation, and fo much tending to draw
foreigners from all the polite parts of Chriflendom to London, for
viewing fo Incomparable a colledion of rich, fcarce, and matchlefs,
curiofities, of nature and art, that we could not pafs it over in filence ;
more efpecially as, in its more remote confequences, it is likely to
prove hereafter very beneficial to commerce.

The preamble fets forth, ' that Sir Hans Sloane baronet, deceafed,
' having through the courfe of many years, with great labour and
' expenle, gathered together whatever could be procured either in our
' own or foreign countries that was rare and curious, by a codicil
' bearing date 20th July 1749, — (after having exprefled his defire, that

A. D. 1753- 297

' his faid colleaion, in all its branches, might, if poflible, be preferved
' together whole and entire, in his manor-houfe at Chelfea) did devife
' to certain truftees his faid mufeum ; confiding of all his library,
' drawings, manufcripts, prints, medals, and coins antient and modern,
' antiquities, feals, cameos, intaglios, pretious ftones, agates, jafpers,
' vefTels of agate and jafper, chryftals, mathematical inftruments, dravv-
' ings, and pictures ; and all other things in his faid coUeftion, more
' particularly defcribed and numbered, with fhort hiftories or accounts
* of them, in catalogues by him made, containing thirty-eight volumes
' in foUo and eight in quarto ; to have and to hold to them, and their
' fuccefTors and afligns forever, for fuch purpofes, and with fuch powers,
' and under fuch reftridtions, as in the faid codicil are exprelTed ; willing
' and defiring, that the faid truftees fhould make their humble appli-
' cation to his majefty, or to the parliament, after his deceafe, to pay
' the fum of L20,ooo to his executors, in confideration of his laid
' mufeum ; and alfo to obtain fuch fufficient powers, for vefting in the
' faid truftees the faid mufeum in all its branches : and alfo to obtain
' a fufficient fund or provifion for maintaining and taking care of his
' faid colledion and premifes. And as the mufeum is of much greater
' intrinfic value than the fum of L20,ooo, and as all arts and fciences
' have a connexion with each other, and difcoveries in natural phi-
' lofophy and other branches of fpeculative knowlege (for the ad-
' vancement and improvement whereof the faid colletlion was intended)
' do and may, in many inftances, give help and fuccefs to ufeful expe-
' riments and inventions, it is enacted,

, ' I) That L2o,ooo be paid to the executors of Sir Hans Sloane for the
faid mufeum.

' 11) And whereas by an ad of the 12th and i 3th of King William III,
' for better fettling and preferving the library kept in the houfeat Weft-
' minfter, called Cotton-houfe, in the name of the family of the
' Cottons, for the benefit of the public ; reciting, that Sir Robert
' Cotton, late of Conington in the county of Huntingdon, baronet,
' did, at his own great charge, and by the afilftance of the moft learned
' antiquaries of his time, collect and purchafe the moft ufeful manu-
' fcripts, written books, papers, parchments, records, and other memo-
' rials, in moft languages; of great ufe and fervice for the knowlege
' and prefervation of our conftitution in church and ftate : and farther
' reciting, that the faid library had been preferved with the utmoft
' care by Sir Thomas Cotton, fon of the faid Sir Robert, and by Sir
' John Cotton, (then living) grandfon of the faid Sir Robert ; and had
' been very much augmented by them, and lodged in a very proper
' place in the faid Sir Robert's antient manfion-houfe at Weftminfter,
' for public ufe and advantage. — III) That the truftees thereby ap-
' pointed ftiall have the faid Cotton-houfe and gardens, &c. and alfo the

Vol. ill. P p

298 A. D. 1753.

* faid library vefted in them and their fucceflbrs forever, for the pur-
' pofes therein mentioned, upon trufl, to infpeft, confult, and take
' care of the faid Ubrary ; and fhall appoint a perfon well read in

* antiquities and records to have the immediate care thereof. IV)

* and an adl of the 5th of Queen Anne, for the better fecuring her

* majefly's purchafe of the faid Cotton-houfe, recites, that the queen

* might render fo great a treafure of books and manufcripts ufeful to
' her own fubje6ls and to all learned foreigners, fhe had purchafed the
' faid Cotton-houfe and garden, for L4500 of Sir John Cotton ; and
' that a convenient room fhould be built, wherein the faid library

* fhould be lodged, and Ihould be called by the name of Cottonian-

* library; to be managed by the truftees therein mentioned, for the

* ufe of the public forever : which library, however, (for want of a

* proper repofitory) did, in the year 1731, fuffer by a fire, which con-
' fumed the houfe wherein the fame was then placed ; and what re-
' mains of the faid library flill continues in the fame inconvenient

* room to which (upon occalion of that fire) it was removed. And
' farther recites, that Arthur Edwards Efquire, being defirous to pre-
' ferve for the pubUc ufe the faid library, did, by will dated in 1738,
' devile L7000 (after the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Milles) to ered, in a
' proper fituation, fuch a houfe as might be mod likely to preferve the
' faid library from future accidents. But, if, before that bequeft
' fhould take place, fuch a building fhall be erected, then the faid fum

* fhall be employed in purchafing fuch manufcripts, books of antiqui-
' ties, antient coins, medals, and other curiofities, as might be worthy
' to increafe and enlarge the faid library. He did alfo thereby give to
' the faid truftees all his books, in cafes, and alfo his pidlures; which
' have been placed, according to his defire, in the faid library.

' V) And whereas the right honourable the countefs dowager of
' Oxford and Mortimer, and the mod noble the duchefs of Portland,

* her only daughter, have expreffed their approbation of a propofal for
' the purchafe of the valuable coUedion of manufcripts coUeded by
' the late earl of Oxford, and by his father, in confideration of
' Li 0,000, on condition that the fame fhall be kept together in a proper
' repofitory, as an addition to the Cottonian library, and to be called

* by the name of the Harleian colledion of manufcripts : it is now
' enaded, that Li 0.000 fhall be paid for them to the faid countefs's

* truftees. The faid colledion of manufcripts to be placed and con-

* tinued in the fume repofitory in which the Cottonian library is

* hereafter to be placed. The archbifliop of Canterbury, the lord
' chancellor (or lord keeper), the lord treafurer (or firft commiflioner

* of the treafury), the lord preftdent of the council, the lord privy-feal,
' the lord high-admiral (or firft commiflioner of the admiralty), the

* lord fteward and lord chamberlain of his majefty's houfehold, the

A. D, 1753- *99

bifliop of London, each of the principal fecretaries of ftate, being a
being a peer or lord of parliament, the fpeaker of the houfe of com-
mons, each of the principal fecretaries of ftate, not being a peer or
lord of parliament, the chancellor of the exchequer, the lord chief
juftice of the king's bench, the mafter of the rolls, the lord chief
juftice of the common pleas, his majefty's attorney general and folici-
tor general, the prefident of the royal fociety, the prefident of the
royal college of phylicians ; together with Charles lord Cadogan. and
Hans Stanley Efquire; with Samuel Boroughs and Thomas Hart
Efquires (two of the prefent truftees of the Cottonian library); toge-
ther alfo with the moft noble William duke of Portland, and the
right honourable Edward earl of Oxford and Mortimer; fliall be
truftees for putting this adt into execution : and they, or the major
part of them, in a general meeting aflembled (whereof the arch-
biftiop of Canterbury, the lord chancellor, or lord keeper, and the
fpeaker of the houfe of commons, (hall be three) fliall nominate
fifteen other perfons to be aflTociates to them, and who fliall continue
truftees for life : and on the death of any fuch truftee, the reft fliall,
in like manner, eled another in his place, and fo toties quoties.
* VI) One general repofitory fliall be provided in fuch convenient
place within the cities of London or Weftminfter, or their fuburbs,
as the truftees fliall dired, for the reception of Sloane's mufeum, the
Cottonian library (and the additions to be made thereto by virtue
of the will of the faid Arthur Edwards Efquire) ; and alfo of the Har-
leian manufcripts; and of fuch other additions to the Cottonian library
as fliall be made; and of fuch other colledions and libraries, as, with
the approbation of the truftees for this ad, fliall be admitted into the
faid general repofitory. And the mufeum of Sir Hans Sloane, in all
its branches, fliall therein be kept together and entire, with proper
marks of diftindion. Alfo the Harleian colledion of manufcripts
fliall be kept together in the general repofitory, as an addition to the
Cottonian library.

' VII) The truftees fliall be one body politic and corporate, and fliall

have fucceflion forever, by the name of the truftees of the Britifli

mufeum; with a common feal ; and may fue and be fued, make bye

' laws, &c. with power to purchafe and enjoy, for the purpofes of this

■ ad, as well goods and chatties, as lands, tenements, and heredita-

■ ments, not exceedijig L500 yearly. They may at a general meeting,
' from time to time, make ftatutes and rules for the cuftody, preferva-

■ tion, and infpedion, of the before-named feveral colledions; may
' appoint the falaries of officers, and may difplace fuch at pleafure.
' And the archbifliop of Canterbury, chancellor, and fpeaker, or any
' two of them, fliall recommend to his majefty two fit perfons, for the
' king to name one of them to be principal librarian. And the reft of

Pp 2

300 A. D.I 753-

' the officers and fervants fhall be appointed by thole three, or any two
' of them; who are hereby empowered, in cafe of the ficknefs or other
' necelTIiry abfence of thofe officers, to appoint deputies to fupply their
* places.

' Vni) Free accefs to the faid general repofitory {hall be given by
' the truftees to all ftpdious and curious perfons, at fuch times, in fuch
' manner, and under fuch regulations, for infpeding and confulting
' the fame, as by the truftees, at a general meeting, ftiall be limited
' for that purpofe.

' IX) A lottery for L300,ooo in tickets of L3 each, is hereby ap-
' pointed for the purpofes aforefaid ; and twice 50,000 tickets, at L3
' each, were to be iffiied for that end ; the firft 50,000 tickets to deter-
' mine the fate of the fecond 50,000 tickets:"* And the profits arifing
from that lottery were to pay the fum of L2o,ooo to Sir Hans Sloane's
executors, and Lio,ooo to the countefs of Oxford; the expenfe of pur-
chafing a general repofitory for receiving the mufeum from Sir Hans's
manor-houfe at Chelfea, receiving the manufcripts of the late earl of
Oxford, and removing the Cottonian library ; and alfo for falaries to
officers and fervants, and the neceflliry furniture of the general repofi-
tory, and fuch cabinets, book-cafes, and other necefHiries and embel-
lifliments as the condition of the feveral colledions fliall require.

We fiiall only farther add, that fince this aft was pafled, the truftees
have purchafed and fitted up the elegant palace of the late duke of
Montague, for the reception of the different coUedions ; an houfe
worthy to be the general repofitory of the richeft and nobleft collediou
in the univerfe ; — a colledion fo rich, fo vaft, and fo amazing, as literally
to require days inftead of hours, for the mere perufal of it.

An ad of parliament pafled this feflion to render more efliedual an
ad of the T2th year of (^leen Anne, for providing a public reward for
fuch perfon or perfons as fhall difcover the longitude at fea, and to
enlarge the number of commiflloners for putting in execution the faid
ad. This Ihitute (after reciting the former ad) now enads, that
whereas a competent number of the commiflloners for the longitude
have heard and received feveral propofals, at different times, for that
difcovery, and were fo far fatisfied of the probabilities of fuch difcove-
ries, that they thought it proper to make experiments thereof, and
certified the fame to the commiffioners of the navy, with the name of
Mr. John Harrifon, author of the faid propofals, who thereupon received

* 111 this lottery only Laoo.ooo were paid in fliillings eacli for the eftabliftiment of the British

prizes to the adventurers, and L,loo,000 (dtdu6t- museum, one of the noblell inftitutions in the

ing only the expenfe of the lottery) remained to kingdom, the advantages of which are immediately

this general repofitory : fo difadvantageous a lot- or mediately enjoyed by every perion in the whole

ttry having never before been countenanced by world who has a talle for literature or natural plu-

authority. jf. lofophy. Where has Lico,oco of Britifli money

By this lottery the holders of ioo,ooo tickets ever been better employed ? M.
coUedtively and voluntarily contributed twenty

A. D. 1753. 301

L1250, as part of L2000, allotted by the former act; which the com-
miflioners thought neceflary for making the faid experiments. And
whereas a like competent number of commilfioners for the longitude
did appoint Mr. William Whifton to furvey and determine the longi-
tude and latitude of the chief ports and headlands on the coafts of
Great Britain and Ireland, and the iflands and plantations thereunto
belonging, for which purpofe L500 more (part of the faid L2000)
was applied ; fo that the commiflioners have now only L250 remaining
of the faid L2000. And as, from the experiments already made,
there is great reafon to exped, that by continuing to encourage inge-
nious perfons to make farther improvements, fuch difcoveries may at
length be produced as M'ill effedually anfwer the end, and thereby con-
tribute very much to the advantage of the trade and honour of this
kingdom ; it is therefor hereby enacted, that any five of the faid
commiffionei-s fhall have full power to hear and receive propofals for
difcovering the longitude ; and where they fhall be fo far fatisfied of
the probability of any fuch propofal or difcovery, as to think it proper
to make experiment thereof, they fhall certify the fame, together with
the names of the authors, to the commiflioners of the navy, who ftiall
thereupon make out bills for fuch funis (not exceeding L2000, over
and above the faid L250) as the commiflioners for the longitude fhall
think neceflary for making fuch experiments. The governor of Green-
wich hofpital, the judge of the admiralty court, the fecretaries of the
treafury, the fecretary of the admiralty board, and the comptroller of
the navy, fhall be joint commiflioners with thole appointed by the adt
of the 1 2th of Queen Anne, for difcovering the longitude.

By an ad of the 7th of King James II, and another of the 13th of
King George II, all fuch as were to be naturalized were firfl to receive
the fiicram,ent of the Lord's fupper, and to take the legal oaths to the
king; whereby many perfons of confiderable fubflance, profefUng the
Jewifli religion, are prevented from being fo naturalized. It was now
therefor enacted, ' that Jews may, upon application, be naturalized
' by parliament, without receiving the facrament, provided they, and
' all others hereafter to be naturalized, fhall be abfolutely fubjed: to
' the difabilities exprefled in an ad of the ifl of king George I, (re-
' cited in its place) ; and alfo who fhall have previoufly inhabited for
' three years in his majefty's dominions, without being abfent above
' three months at any one time. Laftly, hereafter, all Jews are hereby
' difabled from purchafing or inheriting any advowlon, or right of
' patronage, or prefentation, or other right to any benefice, prebend,
' or other ecclefiaftical living or promotion, fchool, hofpital, or dona-
' tive.' As no ill ufe could be made of this new privilege to the Jews,
and as it might have drawn many perfons of great fubflance to fettle
with their wealth among us, and might confequently farther promote

[02

A. D. I

753'

the national commerce, many could not then fee that it fhould reafon-
ably have given any juft offence to moderate and rational chriftians.
Neverthelefs, this acSt was repealed in the following feffion of parlia-
ment ; for which repeal the reafons afligned were, that occafion had
been taken from it to raife difcontents, and to difquiet the minds of
many fof his majefly's fubjeds : wherefor it was now repealed to all
intents and purpofes.

The following account of the trade of South-Carolina, tranfmitted
this year, is well worth recording, viz.

Exports and imports of Charleftown from the 1 2th of November
1752 to the 1 2th of July 1753.

~ Imported.

Rum, 921 hogfheads, 30 tierces,
93 barrels.

Sugar, 113 hogflieads, 5 tierces,
160 barrels, 65 bafkets.

Indian corn, 63,315 buftiels.

Negroes, 511.

Flour, 3425 barrels.

Salt, 9463bu{hels.

Madeira wine, 230 hogfheads,
44 barrels.
They export from Carolina quantities of fine oranges and lemons,*
of various kinds, to the more northern plantations on the continent;
and this would be a great branch of their trade, if thofe fruits could
keep crofs the Ocean to Great Britain ; but it feems (after frequent
trials) they cannot generally effedt it. There are fundry kinds of
drugs produced in, and exported from Carolina, though not mentioned
or particularized in this fummary account ; which, however, may be
fufficient to give a tolerable idea of the increafmg trade of that fine
province.

A paragraph from the Dublin newfpapers, in November in this
year 1753, obferves, that by a late accurate furvey and computation,
there have been found no fewer than 4000 new houfes ereded (i. e. on
new foundations) in that city and fuburbs fmce the year 1711, moflly
to the fouth and weft of the town. In England (adds that news writer)
Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchefter, Leeds, and Birmingham, have in-
creafed more in proportion, in the faid forty-two years. He might
have added Briftol, alfo greatly increafed, as alfo Glafgow, and other
places. This increafe, however, of Dublin, is indeed very great ; and
if, as it is generally remarked, there are eight perfons, one with an-

Exported.

Rice, - -

31,418 barrels.

Pitch, - -

13,814

Tar, - -

6,221

Turpentine,

3,808

Beef, - -

263

Pork, - -

- 234

Deer fkins,

203 hogfheads

Lumber, -

591,412 feet.

Shingles, -

581,020 pieces.

Cafk-ftaves,

78,932

* No oranges or lemons are now exported from
Carolina, which on the contrary receives thofe
friiiis from the Well- India iflands. There is no town
mention of indigo in this account ; but fo foon

after it as the year 1757 there were 754,218
pounds of that article (hipped from Charlei-

A. D. 1753. 303

other, in every lioufe in Dublin, then this increafe amounts to 32,000
perfons in forty-two years time.

The increafe of Manchefter, Sheffield, Birmingham, Froom, Leeds,
Briftol,Liverpool,GIafgow,&c. has proceeded principally from ourgeneral
increafe in manufadures and foreign commerce ; Dublin partly by that,
and alfo by the gi-eat refort to it, as being the feat of government, and
by the increafe of luxury in an enorrnous degree. The other places, by
their woollen, linen, and iron, &c. manufa6lures ; and from the vaft
increafe of the foreign trade and navigation of Briftol, Liverpool, Hull,
Glafgow, &c.

In the compafs of this fame year 1753, there entered the port ot
Marfeilles 1 264 fhips.

And into the port of Cadiz about 1 100 fhips,*

iy54 — The year 1754 gave birth to one of the noblefl defigns for
the improvement of the general commerce of Great Britain which
could poflibly have been devifed, viz. the voluntary fociety for the en-
couragement of arts, manufactures, and commerce ; its fole objed be-
ing purely and moll difintereftedly the improvement of ingenious and
commercial arts, for exciting emulation and induflry, by honorary and
pecuniary rewards. It was fet on foot by means of the late Lord Folk-
flone, Lord Romney, the late reverend and excellent Dr. Stephen Hales,
and a few other private gentlemen : and as there were already two fo-
cieties of a fimilar kind in Scotland and Ireland, this fociety confined
its premiums folely to that part of Great Britain called England, and
to our own colonies, plantations, and fettlements, in America, Africa,
and Afia. This noble fociety immediately began to advertife premiums
for the encouragement of young people of both fexes in the arts of
drawing and defigning ; for the encouragement alfo of our planters in
America in raifing all the rich and pretious produclions of Spanifh and
Portuguefe America, as well as of Afia and Africa. Its utility fudden-
ly began to be fo tvell perceived, that many noblemen and eminent
gentlemen, merchants, traders, &c. became members and fubfcribers
to it, to the number of confiderably above 1000 perfons. Their pre-
fent conflitution confifts of one prefident, eight vice-prefidents, a fecre-
tary, and a regifl:er, annually eleded. Every peribn defiring to be a
member, muft be propofed by fome member at one meeting, who mufl
give in his name, &c. figned by himfelf, and mufh be balloted for at a
fucceeding meeting ; and if two thirds of the faid meeting be for ad-
mitting him, he fhall be deemed a perpetual member, on payment of
twenty guineas, or elfe a fubfcribing member, on payment of any year

* In April 1753 the dividend of the bank of which they continued till Oftober 1764. [j^ccouitt

England was reduced itom Jive to four and a half infcrttd in the appendix to JUardyce's Addrefs to tht

per cent, per annum ; the loweft rate at which the proprietors of the bank.'] 3f.

dividends of the bank have ever been, and at 3

304 A. D. 1754.

ly fum not lefs than two guineas : yet all noblemen, and alio fonie gen-
tlemen, lubfcribe five guineas each, and others four, or three guineas
yearly. They have now no fingle treafurer, all their money being-
lodged at the bank of England, to be drawn out as wanted. All quei-
tions are determined either by holding up of hands, or by ballot, if in-
filled on. They generoufly invite all mankind to propofe fubjedls for
their encouragement, and when approved ot by a committee, and con-
firmed by a general meeting, the matters propofed, with their premiums,
are annually publiflied in newipapers, &c. and all poflible partiality
in the diftribution of premiums is cai-efuUy obviated, by concealing the
claimants names, and appointing committees for the firicl: examination
of their merits, and occafionally confulting the moft fkilful artills. Their
meetings are well attended, a laudable zeal being by all exerted for the
improvement of the fine arts, as well as of manufadures and commerce.
From fuch truely noble and difinterefted intentions, and fuch an exten-
five plan for the advancement of the wealth, power, and glory, of their
country, what may not reafonably be hoped for. May they increafe
more and more, both in the number of their members, and in their
revenue ; in which all lovers of their country will furely cordially join
their ardent wiflies.

A mercantile author, under the year 1754, juflly enough remarks
the uncertainty of exadly computing the number of the trading lliip-
ping of England : but when he conjedures they may be about 2000
fliips in foreign trade, amounting in tonnage to about 170,000 tons,
And about the like number of coafting veflels, which may

contain in tonnage about - - 150,000

Total tonnage, by his account, - 320,000
he is furely fliort of the mark in both refpeds, more efpecially in the
coafting tonnage, confidering the great number of colliers fhips, large
and fmall.

When I was at Briflol in the year 1 743, I took fome pains in inquir-
ing at their cuftom-houfe concerning their foreign and coalting trades,
and the general aufwer was, that Briftol had upwards of 400 fliips,
greater and lelfer, employed in foreign trade, including their trade to
Ireland ; but the number of coafters they could not afccrtain, but only
faid, that they were undoubtedly very many. Since that time, it is
faid, that Liverpool has gained ground, in fome trades, of Briftol, and
may probably have about 300 fhips in foreign trade, befide their coaft-
ers. Now, if the number of fhips trading besond fea, from all the
other ports of Great Britain, or even of England alone, were exadly
known, the whole may very probably amount to confiderably, perhaps
one half, more than 2000 fliips trading beyond fea, more efpecially if
the account given of London's fhipping, which Maitland, in his Survey

A. D. 1754. 305

of London, fays was taken from the general leglfler at the cuftom-
houfe for the year 1732, and therefor an authentic one, be genuine.
Moreover, as he thinks, London poiTelTes one fourth part of thf foreign
trade of the whole nation, becaufe fhe pays three twelfths of all the
cuftoms ; then, if, as by his accounc of London's fhipping, they amount-
ed to 1 41 7 fliips, navigated by 21,797 feamen ; and that in the year
1728, there arrived in the port of London from all parts beyond fea
1839 Britifh fliips, 213 foreign fhips, and 6837 couflers, which lad mufl
generally imply they were Britifh, furely the firfl computation muft be
far {hort of the tonnage, foreign and coalling, of the whole kingdom,
which fome conjedure to amount to at lead 500,000 tons. The num-
ber, however, of London's flapping, has very confiderably increafed
fince the year 1732.

The bold and long-proje6led fcheme of France, for hemming in qui*
American colonies between theirs and the Ocean, by erecting a chain
of forts all along the weft fide of our colonies as far as the bay of
Mexico, began nov/ to fhcw itfelf more openly, though in a time of
profound peace. Immediately after the lafl peace of Aix-la-Chapelle
they had inftruded their Indians and Canadians to diflrefs and plunder
our Indian traders in the country about the great and far-extended river
Ohio, though properly fubject to the Britifli crown, as being a conqueft
of the five Iroquois nations, allowed by France in the treaty of Utrecht
to be under the Britifh dominion.

It was reafon enough for their purpofe, that the poflefTion of the
river Ohio feemed to them abfolutely requifite for their great purpofe
of connecting Canada with Louifiana, or the Miffifippi country. For
that end they now deftroyed our fort in that country, after defeating
Colonel Wafhington, whereupon they ereded another in its ftead, which
they named Fort Du Quefne.

We had in the fame year, 1 754, in the public news from France, an
extraordinary inftance of the great increafe of their Eaft-India com-
merce from Port L'Orient, the flation of their Eaft-India fliipping, and
of all their warehoufes and magazines, viz. that the fale of the cargoes
of fifteen French Eaft-India fhips then amounted to about thirty-fix
mi'iions of livres, or about one million and an half fterling money.
And upon this occafion it was remaiked, that from the year 1664,
when this company was firft eftabliftied, to the year 1725, the courfe of
exchange between France and the other ftates of Europe was generally
ro the difadvantage of France, becaufe thofe countries fupplied her with
niovG merchandize than they took off from her : but that, ever fince
the year 1726, when the French Eaft-India conipany, by their great
importations from India, began to counterbalance the Fnghfli and
Dutch in that trade, the courfe of exchange has been generally in favour
of France.

Vol. ill. Q^q

3o6 A. D. 1755.

1755. — By an act of the 28th of King George 11, for farther explain-
ing, amending, &c. an ad: of the 23d of that king, for the encouragement
of the Britifla white-herring fifliery, it was enaded, that the feveral al-
lowances of three per cent, on all the principal money employed by
the corporation of the free Britifh fifliery, and alfo the bounty of 30/*
per ton on their fhipping, be farther continued for three years from
the expiration of the former term, with fome other leller privileges
now enaded, fuch as liberty to let to hire any of their builes to others,
fo as they may be employed in the fiflieries only, with fome other be-
nefits relating to the tonnage bounty, and to their fifhing at other fta-
tions than thofe direded by former ads, 8cc.

In this fame year, by an ad [28 Geo. IF] for continuing, explaining,
and amending, the feveral ads made for the further 'encouragement of
the whale fifliery, &c. it is, inter alia., enaded,

' I) That every fliip employed in that fifliery fliall have onboard an

* apprentice, indentured for three years at leafl, for every fifty tons
' burthen, who fliall be accounted as one of the number of men who

* by law ought to be onboard fuch fliip.

' II) That no fliip employed in the fifliery, above the burthen of 400

* tons, fliall be entitled to a larger bounty than a fliip of 400 tons would

* be entitled to.

' III) Ships under 2Co tons burthen fliall hereafter be intitled to the
' bounty of 40/" per ton, as well as thofe of 200 tons and upwards, are
' intitled to it by former fl;atutes,'

On the firil: of November, this year, the dreadful earthqtiake began,
by which the great and mercantile city of Lifljon was almofl; utterly
overturned and deftroyed by repeated fliocks for feveral fucceeding days :
whereupon the king and parliament of Great Britain, to tefl:ify their
great compaflion for the fufferers, and in general their great regard for
the king of Portugal and his lubjeds, fpeedily fent thither Lr 00,000
fterling, for the relief of the difl:reflred furviving inhabitants of Lifbon,
in money and provifions.

During the courfe of the year 1755 we were advifed from Port
L'Orient, that no fewer than twenty-five French Eafl-India company's
fliips had failed thence for India and China, which fhews the vaft in-
creafe of the French Eafl:-Indian commerce in a few years.

The Englifli Eafl:-India company's difputes with the French company
in India, which had brought on the lofs of Fort St. George, our prin-
cipal fettlement there (though afterward refl:ored by the treaty of Aix-
la-Chapelle) having occafioned a large debt on that company in India,
their neceflary payments alfo of many fubfidies to the nabobs and other
great ofliicers in India, for keeping them in their interefl;, together with
the military force they were at this time obliged to keep up in India,
altogether induced the company about the end of the year 1755 to re-

A.D.I 755- 2^0^

duce their dividend from eight to fix per cent per annum, to take place
at midfummer 1756, though twenty-one of their fhip;. arrived fafe from
India in the courfe of this year with cargoes valued above two millions
flerling.

1756. — On Tuefday the i8th of May 1756, war was declared by the
king of Great Britain againfl France.

On the 29th of June, Fort St. Philip, the only defenfible place in the
ifland of Minorca, furrendered to the French.

This year feveral good laws were pafTed for fupporting the war againft
France, and for the encouragement and regulation of the Britifh com-
merce and navigation in general, viz.

The 5th pubUc aft, to enable foreigners to ferve as military officers
in America.

The nth, for fupplying mariners onboard fhips of war and mer-
chant fhips.

The 15th, for granting bounties on Britifh and Irifh linens exported.

The 23d, for encouraging the fifheries in Scotland.

The 26th, for fecuring and encouraging the trade of the fugar colo-
nies in America.

The 33d, for regulating the wages of workmen in the woollen ma-
nufadure.

The 34th, for the encouragement of feamen,» and the more fpeedy
manning of the royal navy.

All which, though of a public nature, are not fo important as to be
even barely abridged in fo general a work as ours.

1757. — By an authentic account of the amovint of the linen cloth,
(lamped for fale in Scotland from the ifl of November 1756 to the ifl
of November i757,itamountsto9,764,4o8f yards, valued at L40i,5i i -.g
flerling: and in the year 1757, the manufacture had been increafed
1,217,255;^ yards, valued at L33,789 : 18 more than in the preceding
year.

This was a very fcarce year all over Europe for wheat and fundry
other provifions, whereby the poor of Great Britain fufFered not a little
in their dayly fuflenance, and perfons of middling circumflances were
put to a conliderable additional expenfe, in confequence of which the
following ftatutes were enaded, viz.

An ad: to prohibit, for a time to be limited, the exportation of corn,
malt, meal, flour, bread, bifcuit, and flarch.

An ad to difcontinue, for a limited time, the duties upon corn and
flour imported, &c.

An ad to prohibit the exportation of corn, grain, meal, malt, flour,
beef, pork, bacon, &c. from America, unlefs to Great Britain or Ire-
land, and to permit the importation thereof into Great Britain and Ire-
land ui neutral fliips, &c.

3o8

A.D. 1757.

An ad to continue the luft-named ad, for difcontinuing the duties
upon corn and flour imported, 8cc.

Alfo an ad for continuing an ad of this fame feflion, to prohibit,
for a Umited time, the making of low wines and fpirits from wheat,
barley, malt, &c. or from any meal or flour.

1^58. — By a ftatute of the next feflion of parliament, the above fla-
tutes for remedying the dearth of corn and other provifions, are farther
prolonged to the 24th of December 1758.

And by another fl:atute of the fame year, the importation of faked
beef, pork, and butter, into Great Britain from Ireland, at the time of
fo great a dearth of all kinds of provifions, was permitted for flx months
from midfummer 1758, free from the payment of allfubfidies, cufl:oms,
&c. excepting 1/3 per cwt. for fuch beef and pork imported, and 4^ per
cwt. on falted butter ; (altered next feflion to 3/4 per barrel for faked
beef, pork, or butter ; and 1/3 per cwt. for dried beef tongues, or dried
hogs meat) in order to be adequate to the duty payable for fuch quan-
tity of fait as is requifite in curing and faking thereof. [31 Geo. Ily
c: 28.]

In the fame feflion was pafled an ad for the due making of bread ;
und to regulate the price and aflize thereof; and to punifti perfons who
fliall adulterate meal, flour, or bread. This ad was principally occafion-
ed by accounts dayly publiflied of certain bakers mixing lime, alum,
and other unwholeiome ingredients, in that time of fcarcity, in their
bread. The legiflature therefor took that matter into their ferious con-
fideration, and took this opportunity likewife of examining an ad of
the 5ifl; of King Henry III, intitled, AJfi%a panis et cerevifice, (i. e. the af-
lize of bread and ale) and another ad of the 8th year of Queen Anne,
to regulate the price and afllze of bread ; whereby fo much of the for-
mer ad as related to the afljze of bread was repealed. The ad of Queen
Anne, with feveral alterations and amendments made thereto by fome
fubfequent ads, was continued till the 24th of June 1757, and to the
end of the then next feflion of parliament. This prefent ftatute, rherefor,
reduced into one ad all the feveral laws in force, relating to the due mak-
ing, and to the prices and aflize, of bread, all preceding ftatutesbeingthere-
by repealed : and new tables for the alflze and prices of the various kinds
of bread were therein promulgated, as alfo what relates to the prices of the
three forts of wheat, wheaten, and houfchold flour, of rye and rye-meal ;
of barley and barley-meal ; of oats and oat-meal ; of white peas and
white pea-flour or meal; and of beans and bean-flour. Sundry clauies
were alfo added, for preventing frauds in the prices of corn, flour, and
meal ; and for punifliing bakers who mix different forts of tlour or meal
in their bread, or put into their bread any vmwholforae ingredients.
[31 Geo. II, c. 29.]

The harbour of Dover ftill wanting additional improvements, which,
it is too much to be apprehended, it will ever want, notwithftanding

A. D. 1758. 309

fundry former ftatutes for that end, and particularly that of the 1 1 th
and 1 2th of King Williann III, whereby feveral duties were laid on coals
and on fhips and vefTels, for raifing a fum, not exceeding L30,i 00 ; that of
the 2d of Queen Anne, and the 2d and 4th of King George I, &c.) and
the truftees for Dover harbour having borrowed L3000 more on the
duties in thofe ads fpecified, which is not as yet repaid ; and as it would
tend greatly to the prefervation of his majefty's fhips of war, and to the
protection and encouragement of trade, that the faid harbour fhould be
efFedually repaired ; but the money arifmg by the rates and duties
granted for that end not being fufficient, it was therefor now enaded, that
after the expiration of the former term, one moiety of the former rates
and duties fhould be continued for the term of 21 years longer, appli-
cable to the fupport of Dover harbour, and for difcharging the debt of
L3000, &c. It is much to be wifhed, though little to be expeded, that
this harbour, fo happy in point of fituation, may at length anfwer the
great expenfe beftowed on it.

Sundry other ufeful flatutes were made in the fame feflion of parlia-
ment ; as,

For the benefit and encouragement of feamen employed in the royal
navy, and for eftablifhing a regular method for the pundual, frequent,
and certain, payment of their wages, and for enabling them more eafily
and readily to remit the fame for the fupport of their wives and fami-
lies ; and for preventing frauds and abufes attending fuch payments.
[31 Geo. II, c. 10.]

An ad for applying a fum of money towards carrying on the works
for fortifying and fee a ring the harbour of Milford in the county of
Pembroke. The preamble thereof fets forth, that this harbour is more
conveniently fituated for fitting out fleets, and fiationing cruifers, than
any other harbour in this kingdom ; and from the many great local ad-
vantages attending it, would, if properly fortified and fecured, greatly
tend to facilitate the naval operations of this kingdom, hitherto too fre-
quently retarded, and fometimes entirely fruftrated, from the w:int of
fuch a port of equipment. Lio,oco was therefor to be iffued for mak-
ing a beginning to the work, and for purchafing necellary lands, 8cc.
for that end; much to the credit of our own age, after having fo long
and often talked of it in this and the preceding century. It is allowed
to be the very beft haven in Great Britain ; fince, according to thofe
v.'ho have furveyed it, 1000 fail of fhips may fafely ride in it at a con-
venient diftance from each other ; it has thirteen roads, fixteen creeks,
and five bays, all known by their refpedive names ; its ficuation is moft
happy, by being without the channel, which gives it fuch an advantage
over Portfmouth and Plymouth,, as will overbalance any expenfe which
its fortifying, &c. may occaiion, more efpecially in tim'^ of any war
with the more fouthern nations of Europe. [31 Geo. II, c. 37. J

3IO A. D. 1758.

An ad for vefting certain mefluages, lands, tenements, and heredita-
ments, for better fecuring his majefty's docks, fhips, and ftores, at Portf-
mouth, Chatham, and Plymouth, and for fortifying the town of Portf-
mouth, and the citadel of Plymouth, in truftees, for certain ufes ; and
for other purpofes therein mentioned. [31 Geo, If, c. 38.]

By a ftatute of the year following, compenfation was to be made to the
proprietors of fuch lands as were purchafed for the purpofes of this a6t.

About this time, an ingenious piece was publiflied at Paris, intitled,
Les interets de la France mal cntcndus (the true intereil of France not
rightly underftood), principally defigned for promoting the hufbandry
and agriculture of that kingdom, alleged, very truely by the author, to
have been too much negleded, both in the reign of the prefent French
king, and alfo by his predeceflbr Louis XIV, for the fake of manufac-
tures and of military glory, while the French remained dependent on
England for their very bread or corn : he fuppofes, for argument's fake,
the value of the riches of France to be one thoufand millions of livres,
which would produce 50 millions of livres yearly intereft, which being
divided among fcventeen millions of people, it would fupply 59 fols (or
two livres nineteen fols) towards the fubfiftence of each individual per-
fon. He alfo llippofes the whole expenfe of every one of the faid feven-
teen millions of people, on an average, to be 160 livres yearly, which,
at \o^d fterling per livre, is, in Englifh money, L7 *. Upon this fuppo-
fition, France, for fupplying her full fubfiftence, fliould receive from its
agriculture the yearly value of 2720 millions of livres, unlefs fupplied
by art and induftry. Of the feventeen millions of people, he fuppofes
twelve millions to refide in cities and great towns, while the country
wants people to till the ground. Thaf this defed; is, in part, owing to
Cardinal Richlieu's fyftem in uniting the fupreme authority in one
fingle point, the king: whereas, before, France was divided into many
fovereignties, under particular lords, which kept the people at a greater
diftance from each other. But now men crowd to court, from whence
flow all favours. Another caufe is the unequal diftribution of lands ;
for were all the lands of France equally divided, there would be nine
acres and an half for each perfon.

This efliiy is rather a curious and fanciful piece of fpeculation, than
a fcheme entirely reducible to praClice ; yet fundry ufeful inferences
may be drawn, by ftatefmen, &c. from fuch politico-arithmetical eflays.

This year, by the diligent and provident application of his Britannic
majefty ;md his minifters ; the good fortune of the nation, in its Ame-
rican provinces, began to be confpicuous againft France:

By reducing the town and fort of Louilhourg, with the ifles of Cape-
Breton and St. John ; whereby we were once more put in pofl'eiTion of

* Whether he borrowed this compiitntion from cr.r Englifli poh'tical writer';, cr not, it exaiflly cor-
refpoiida with them in this refpect. A.

A. D. 1758. 31 J

the key to the trade, navigation, and fifhery, of North-America. And
without that key conftantly remaining in our hands, or at leaft its not
remaining in the poffefllon of any other power, and mofl efpecially of
France, neither our continental colonies, nor our Newfoundland and
New-England fiflieries, can ever long remain iafe and profperous.

And to add to our good fortune, the forces in the province of New-
York razed the French fortrefs of Frontenac on lake Ontario, as alfo
Fort du Qiiefne on the river Ohio, which the French had taken from us
two years before, which later fort has been rebuilt by us, by the new
name of Pittfliurg. Both thefe fortrelTes w^ere perfidioufly built by the
French, through our own fupinenefs, on the territory of our province of
New- York, and in time of peace.

Laftly, to crown the glory and felicity of this year, and juft at the
very clofe of it, a fquadron of our navy, with fome land forces on board,
reduced the ifland of Goree, lying near the mouth of the river Senegal ;
we having fome months before alfo taken from France their forts in
that river, to which Goree was deemed a proteftion and fecurity. By
thefe two lafl conquells we have acquired a new and very confiderable
branch of commerce in pofleffing the entire trade for gum fenega, or
fenegal, before folely enjoyed by the French on that river and coaft, a
di'ug extremely ufeful and necefl'ary in our filk manufadures, &c. there
are alfo fundry other ufeful drugs to be had there, as well as gold dull ;
and probably alio this conqueft will prove an addition to our Have
trade.

Provifions flill continuing dear, an ad pafTed in the 32d year of King
George II, for continuing for a farther time the prohibition of the ex-
portation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bifcuit, and ftarch ; and alfo
to continue the prohibition of diftilling low wines and fpirits from wheat,
barley, malt, or any other grain, meal, or flour, as alfo from bran.

Yet, by a fubfequent ad of the fame feflion of parliament, by rea-
fon of a better crop of corn, &c. the prohibition of the exportation of
corn, &c. and of the payment of any bounty on exportation thereof,
were to ceafe after lady-day 1759.

By another Itatute of that feflion, the free importation of all forts of
live cattle from Ireland to Great Britain was permitted for the fpace of
live years, from the ifl of May 1759, exempted from the payment of
all fubfidies, cufl:oms, &c.

Ar.d by the very next ftatute it was enaded, that the duties payable
upon tallow imported from Ireland fhould be diicontinued, from the
ifl; of May 1759 for the fpace of five years; its preamble iro.porting,
that it may tend to the eafe of the public and advantage of the revenue,
by reducing the high price, and encouraging the confumption, of
candles in this kingdom.

By an ad [32 Geo, II] for applying a fura of money granted iu

312 A. D. 1758.

this feflion of parliament towards carrying on the works tor fortify-
ing and fecuring the harbour of Milford in Pembrokefhire, a fecond
fum of Li 0,000 was granted for fiirther carrying on the fame.

The ads of the i8th and 21 IT: years of King George IT, for prohibit-
ing the wearing and importation of cambrics and French lawns, not
having proved eflfedual for preventing the fraudulent importation there-
of; it was now enacted, that, from the ift of Augufl 1759, none fuch
Ihould be imported, unlefs packed in bales, cafes, or boxes, covered
with fack-cloth or canvas, containing each one hundred whole pieces ;
otherwife to be forteited. Cambrics or French lawns fhould be im-
ported for exportation only, to be lodged in the king's warehoufes, and
not to be delivered out but under the like fecurity and reftridlions as
prohibited Eaft-lndia goods. And no cuftoms or duties whatever (hould
be paid or fecured thereon, other than half the old fubfidy, which is to
remain by law, after the goods are exported again, &c.

The importation of woollen broad cloth, of the manufadure of
France, into any ports of the Levant feas on behalf of Britifh fubjedts,
being not only a manifeft difcouragement and prejudice to the woollen
manufadlures of Great Britain, but alfo a means of affording rehef to
the enemy, an acl was palled for preventing their importation into
the ports of the Levant lea on behalf of Britifh fubjeds ; and for more
effedually preventing the illegal importation of raw filk and mohair-
yarn into this kingdom.

' I) No fuch woollen goods of French manufadure fhall be fo import-

* ed within the limits of the charter of the Englilh Turkey or Levant
' company, on account of any Britifh fubjed.

' II) Nor fhall any woollen broad cloth, or other Britifh woollen

' goods, be imported to any place withm tlie limits of the Turkey com-

■' pany's charter, except diredly from this kingdom, on account of any

' Britifli fubjed, unlefs the importer fliall produce a certiticate to the

' Britifli ambafl'ador, or the conful, vice-conlul, or other proper ofhcer

' appointed by the Levant or Turkey company, at the port where

' fuch goods fliall be imported, upon oath from the exporter or fhipper

* at the laft place of exportation, that the fame were brought or receiv-

* ed from Great Britain. In which certificate fliall be the name of the
' fhip and of the mafter, as well as the time when imported ; alio the
' bill of lading from Great Britain, otherwife to be deemed French,
' and to be accordmgly confifcatcd.

' III) All Britilh merchants in Turkey fhall, before exporting any
' goods from thence, make oath before the Britifh ambafTador, or con-
' iul, &c. that the fame were not purchafed with the produce of French
' woollen goods ; and the importer thereof into Great Britain fhall there
' alfo make the like oath.'

TJiis ad was occafioned by difcoveries very lately made of Britifh
3 .

A. D. 1759. 2^1^

fubjeds fraudulently fhipping from Leghorn quantities of French wool-
len cloths for Turkey under the denomination of Englifli, to the great:
detriment of the Britifh woollen manufadures.

By the fame adl: alfo provifion was made againft another fraudulent
pradice, viz. whereas the woollen manufactures of France are of late
years fent to Turkey in great quantities ; and the French, in return,
thereof, bring back raw filk and other commodities to Marfeilles and
other ports, which have afterward been carried thence into Italy, from
whence they were afterward fliipped for Great Britain in Englifh fhips,
greatly to the difcouragement of the Britifh woollen manufadures and
to the advancement of thofe of France ; meafures were therefor hereby
laid down for preventing both thefe abufes. But this ad was to con-
tinue in force during the war with France, and no longer.

There being an unuihal fcarcity of gold and filver at this time in
England, partly occafioned by much money being carried out of the
pation on account of our expenfive wars in Germany and America, &c.
and partly by the large demand for the current fervice of the year 1 759 ;
the bank of England, for the better accommodation of the public in
their receipts and payments, in April 1759 iflhed cafli-notes for L15
and for Lio, which have proved very convenient for payments. Pof-
iibly, that bank, without any great inconveniency to themfelves, and
with confiderable conveniency to the public, (more efpecially in the
country, now that the forging or altering them is rendered fo difficult,
if not quite impoffible) might iffue notes as low as L5 ; but lower than
that fum would probably be attended with real inconveniences, in a
country of io extenfive an inland commerce : though, as we have elfe-
where obferved, notes of the two incorporated Edinburgh banks, even
fo low as twenty fliiUings fterling, are circulated all over that country,
and prove extremely ufeful in fairs, and country places.

In the month of May the fertile French Weft-India ifland of Gua-
daloupe, after having held out ever fmce February againft a Britifh fea
and land force, furrendered to our troops by capitulation. It is by fome
computed to produce no lefs than 40,000 hogfheads of fugar, one year
with another ; but this is fince known to be exaggerated.

In that fame month the foreign newfpapers acquainted the public,
that the kuig of Denmark, having ordered an account to be taken of
the number of men, women, and children, throughout alibis dominions
of Denmark, Norway, Holftein, the iflands in the Bakic, and the coun-
ties of Oldenburgh and Delmenhorft in Weftphalia ; they amounted
to 2,444,000 Ibuls. It does not thereby appear, that his Danifti ma-
jefty's fubjeds in Iceland are included ni this cenfus ; though, coniider-
ing the barrennels of that ifland and the cold climate, they can be
but few in number.

Weliad public advices this year from Charleftown in South-Carolina,
Vol. hi. R r

314 A. D. 1759-

of a very hopeful profped; of the progrefs and increafe of the produdion
of raw filk there, and in the adjoining province of Georgia, viz. in the
year 1757, 1052 pound weight of raw -filk. balls were received at the
filature in Georgia : and the next year produced no lefs than 7040
pound weight thereof. And in this year there has been received at
Savannah, the capital of Georgia, confiderably above 10,000 pound
weight of raw filk, though the feafon has not been favourable. This
great increafe of that rich, new, and valuable produdion in thofe pro-
vinces is owing to the increafed number of hands in railing the fame *.
We cannot more emphatically defcribe the triumphs or glories of the
Britifli monarchy during this year, than by tranfcribing part of the con-
gratulatory addrefs of the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the
city of London, prefented to his majefty on the 20th of Odober 1759,
viz. they humbly befeech his majefty to accept of their moft humble,
but warmeft, congratulations, upon the rapid and uninterrupted feries
of vidories and fuccelles, which, under the divine blefting, have attend-
ed his arms both by fea and land, within the compafs of this diftinguifh-
ed and ever-memorable year. ' The redudion of Fort Du Quefne on
' the Ohio ; of the ifland of Goree in Africa ; and of Guadaloupe, with
' its dependencies, in the Weft-Indies : the repulfe and defeat of the
' whole French army, by a handful of infantry, in the plains of Min-
' den ; the taking of Niagara, Ticonderoga, and Crown-point ; the
' naval vidory oft" Cape-Lagos ; the advantages gained over the French
' nation in the Eaft-lndies ; and, above all, the conqueft of Quebec,
' the capital of the French empire in North-America, in a manner fo
' glorious to your majefty's arms, againft every advantage of fituation

* and fuperior numbers, are fuch events as will forever render your
' majefty's aufpicious reign the fiivourite aera in the hiftory of Great
' Britain : meafures of fuch national concern, fo invariably purfued,
' and acquifitions of fo much confequence to the power and trade of
' Great Britain, are the nobleft proofs of your majefty's paternal affec-
' tion and regard for the true intereft of your kingdoms, and refled:
' honour upon thofe whom your majefty has been pleafed to admit in-

* to your councils, or to intruft with the condud of your fleets and
' armies ; thefe will ever command the Yixes and fortunes of a free and
' grateful people, in defence of your majefty's facred perfon and royal
' family, againft the attempts of all your enemies,' &c.

In the fpring of the year 1758 the houfe of commons had appointed
a committe to confider of reducing the weights, as alfo the meafures of
length and of capacity, to a perfed exadnefs and uniformity throughout

* As the quantities of filk produced in Georgia, were either totally erroneous, or that the writer

ever in later years, are known from the governor's miftook the weight of ihe cocoons, (apparently

reports to be much fmaller, than what arc here rtat- what he calls raw-filk balls and raw filk) for th^

edj there is reafon to conclude, that thtfc advices weight of iiicrcliantable raw Clk. M.

A. D. 1759. 315

the kingdom of Great Britain. On the 2d of June, in the fame year,
that committee made a report of their progrefs ; and in the following
feflion, on the ifl of December 1758, a frefh committee was appointed
for the fame purpofe, who took very great pains in enquiring into the
original ftandards of weights and meafures, and into the moft efFedual
means for afcertaining and enforcing uniform and certain ftandards
thereof, as appears by their report of the nth and 12th of April 1759 ;
which report was approved of by the houfe, and was printed and pub-
lifhed by their order. Yet, it is much to be regretted, that hitherto no-
thing farther has been done therein, confidering how requilite, and even
necefliiry, fuch a regulation has been long thought to be, by all perfons
who obferve the uncertainty and confulion in buying and felling all
meafurable commodities, as corn, v/ool, &c. and the frauds committed,
more elpecially among the lower people in the retail way of bufmefs.
It is, therefor, to be hoped, that the legiflature, in peaceable times, will
find leafure to re-confider this affliir, which, though doubtlefs attended
with difficulty, will, when effedually regulated, redound very much to
the credit of the legiflature, and to the benefit of the public.

Since our lafl: account of the increafe of the linen manufacture in
Scotland in the year 1757, we have the following moft promifing ac-
counts of the quantity thereof made and ftamped for fale, viz.

Yards.

Value.

1758

10,624,435

L424,i4i : 10: 7

1759

10,830,707

451,390: 17 :3

Thus, from the year 1728, the quantity has been gradually increaf-
ing from three millions of yards, to almofl eleven millions.

We had the following account of the Dutch whale fifhery in the year
1 759, viz. that 1 2^ fliips brought home the produce of 435 whales : which
may be deemed a good year for that fifliery ; being fomewhat above 3^
whales for each fhip.

But the Hamburghers were not fo fortunate, who in 16 fliips brought
home but 1 84- whales.

Ships arriving at, and departing from, the ports following, in the
courfe of the year 1759, viz.

At Cadiz 602 fliips, viz. 114 EngUfli ; 155 Dutch; 195 Spanifh ; 19
French; 23 Portuguefe ; i7Swedifh; 24 Danifli ; i3Genoefe; 16
Imperial; 2 Venetian; 7 Neapolitan; 13 Ragufan, and 7 Maltefe.
This much fmaller number than ufual (efpecially of Englifli) is owing
to the prefent war.

At Dantzick, 626 fhips arrived.

At Koningfberg (the capital of Priiflia) 820 fhips arrived, and 758
failed.

At Riga 67 1 fliips arrived, and 669 failed,

R r 2

3i6 A. D. 1759.

From the Dutch newfpapers we learned, that during the year 1759,
there pafled through the Sound, into the Baltic fea, 3289 fhips of dif-
ferent nations ; and 3568 fhips repaffed the iame. Now, as by far the
moll; of the 21 17 Ihips, faid to be arrived at the above-named three
cities in the Baltic, muft have been part of thofe 3289 Ihips, the re-
maining 1 172 flrips mufl have been moftly bound for Copenhagen, Lu-
beck, Stetin, Stockholm, and Peterfburgh, and probably moft of them
to Peterfburgh, the other ports in the Baltic, (as Roflock, Wifmar, Re-
vel, Narva, &c.) being much lefs confiderable in commerce. This,
though but a flrort, and, in fome fenfe, but a conjectural view of the
navigation and trade to the Baltic, may, however, in fome degree, en-
able us to form an adequate idea of it.

At Venice, in the year 1759, there arrived 1781 fhips and veffels, of
various kinds and lizes.

And, in the courfe of that year, there were born in the city of Ve-
nice 5172 children, and there died 6852 perfons, which number being
multiplied by 30, the ufual computation of perfons, of whom one dies
annually in great and populous cities, will give 205,560 for the number
of fouls remaining alive in Venice.

1760. — A cenfus of the people living in Rome at eafter in this year
was taken, whereby it appeared, that they amounted to 155,184 inhabit-
ants, viz.

Secular priefts, - - 2827

Monks, _ . _ 3847

Nuns, - - - 1910

Students, - - 7065

Poor in alms-houfes, - - 1470

Negroes, - _ _ 7

Perfons not profefling the catholic religion, - 52

11,178
The remaining inhabitants, being laity, 144,006

Total, - 155,184 perfons.

Which computation nearly agrees with Keyfler's.

By a farther account, there were born in Rome, between eafter 1759
and eafter 1760, 531 8 children ; and there died there 71 81 perfons :
Avhich laft number multiplied by 30 gives the whole number of its in-
habitants, viz. 215,430 perfons.

Yet, on account of above 11,000 perfons grown up profefling celi-
bacy, if the number dying yearly be multiplied by 22 it will come
nearer the truth, or 157,982, befides thofe of the Jewifti nation.

But this laft calculation comprehended not only the 81 parifhes within

J

A. D. 1760. 517^

the walls of that city, but likewife a circular diftrict of five or fix miles
without the city ; where there are vineyards, fcattered houfcs, &c.

A judicious pamphlet appeared in print in the month of April this
year, entitled, the Interefi; of Great Britain confidered, with regard to
her colonies, &c. tending to ftiew the abfolute expediency of retaining
the entire country of Canada, as the only folid fafety and fecurity of
our continental colonies. Without prefuming to anticipate what our
governors fiiall determine therein in a future treaty, we ihall here only
tranfcribe from this very able author his account of the trade of our
northern colonies, compared with that of our Well-India iflands, taken
from the following authentic accounts, laid before the board of trade
and plantations, viz.

From 1744 to 1748, inclufive, exported

To the northern colonies from

To the Weft-India iflands.

from

Britain,

Britain,

1744 - L64o,ooo

-

-

L796,ooo

1745 - 534>ooo

-

-

503,000

1746 - 754,000

-

-

472,000

^747 ~ 726,000

-

-

856,000

1748 - 830,000

-

-

734,000

Total

3,484,000

From 1754 to 1758,

1754

- 1,246,000

1755

- 1,177,000

1756

- 1,428,000

1757

- 1,727,000

i75«

- 1,832,000

Total

L7 ,41 0,000

_

3,361,000

Difference

123,000

-

685,000

-

694,000

-

733,000

-

776,000

-

877,000

3,765,000

Difference L3,645,oco

ni favour of our northern colonies.

The odd fums under Liooo are omitted, as too minute in this ac-
count.

This author obferves, that the trade to our continental colonies in
America is not only greater than that to our Weft-India colonies, but
is alio annually increafing with the increafe of their people, and even
in a greater proportion, as the people increafe in wealth, and in their
ability of fpending, as well as in numbers. Bat he adds, what to us
appears at leaft fomewhat improbable, that the number of our people
in the northern colonies have been obferved to double in about 25 years,
exclufive of the accelfion of ftrangers ; for which he alio appeals to the
accounts fent over to the board of trade.

3i8 A. D. 1760.

The vaft annual increafe of our exports to the continental colonies in
the laft five years may probably be in part owing to the money remit-
ted from hence in thofe years for the expenfe of our war againft the
French in Canada, as well as to the great increafe of thofe colonies.

He alleges, that our exports to the fmgle province of Pennfylvania,
have, in the laft twenty-eight years, increafed nearly in the proportion
of 17 to I.

With refped to the trite objection, that the growth of our continent-
al colonies may render them dangerous, in refped of the difficulty of
retaining them in due fubjedion to the Britifh empire ; he (and we
conceive every other judicious perfon) thinks it fcarcely merits an an-
fwer, as we have fourteen feparate governments there ; having not only
different governors, and different conftitutions, but likewife different in-
terefts, and in fome of them different religious perfuafions : and their
jealoufy of each other is already fo great, that however neceflary an
union of the colonies has long been thought by them all, for their com-
mon defence and fecurity againft their common enemies, yet they have
never been able to effect it, nor even to agree in applying to their mo-
ther-country for the eftablilhing of fuch an union.

Too much can fcarcely be foid in praife of the vaft improvements
made in our fifter kingdom of Ireland, in refped to commerce and
manufadures, fince the accelfion of his majefty King George II to the
throne of thefe kingdoms. An eft~ay on the antient and modern ftate
of Ireland, publifhed (at Dublin and London) in this year 1760, briefly
defcribes the fame with jufHce and propriety, (p. 49, 50) viz. ' in this
' reign, and not before, our linen manufadure, in many refpeds one of
' the moft profitable branches of our national commerce, has received
' all the encouragement from royal bounty, and parliamentary fandion,
' that could be reafonably hoped for.

' Perfons of the liigheft rank, dignity, and fortune, were appointed
' truftees for the propagation, encouragement, and diffufion of tliis be-
' neficial trade throughout the refpedive provinces.

' The linen-hall was ereded in Dublin, under as juft and nice regu-

* lations as any commercial houfe in Europe.

* The north of Ireland began to wear an afped entirely new ; and
' from being (through want of induftry, bufinefs, and tillage) the almoft
' exhaufted nurlery of our American plantations, foon became a popu-
' lous fcene of improvement, traffic, wealth, and plenty; and is at this
' day a well planted diftrid, confiderable for numbers of well-affeded,

* ufeful, and induftrious fubjeds.'

* We nowhere (abftraded from ovir own country) meet with fuch a
' fet of piovis patriots (in the ever-honourable Dublin fociety) from
' their private funds adorning their country in general, in every degree

* and branch of induftry and improvement ; and infpired with fenti-

A. D. 1760. 319

' menls truely public and fecial, munificently rewarding their country-
' men, of whatlbever denomination, without favour or diftinttion, for
' meliorating their proper eftates or farms ; for excelling in any pro-
' dudtion of nature or art ; for any difcovery or invention ufeful to
' mankind,' This fociety, which, for fome years before, was merely
a voluntary one, was incorporated in the year 1750*.

Page 60th, ' The trade of Ireland, however in former times miferably
' reftrained and limited, hath in this happy reign received confiderable
' enlargements ; fuch as, the opening of feveral wool-ports : the bounty
' on Irifh linens, now our ftaple commodity, imported into Great Bri-
' tain, and the immunity lately granted of importing thither beef, but-
' ter, tallow, candles, pork, hides, live cattle, &c. a privilege that, in its
' confequences, mufi: prove of fignal advantage to both nations ; to this

* efpecially, as we fhall hereby be enabled, upon any occafional emer-
' gency, to fupply our proteding friends, and proportionably flint the
' hands of our enemies, who (by the profufion of wines and fpiritous

* liquors, annually exported from France to Ireland, in exchange for
' our beef, butter, &c. to pafs over the glut of teas and fpirits, &c.
' fmuggled thence by the weftern runners) have conflantly the balance
' on their fide : our exports, with thofe already mentioned, confift in a
' few cheefes, falmon, and kelp ; but as our linens are, without queftion,
' become the vital fpring of IriOi commerce, it is matter of great con-
' cern, and equal furpriie, that the other provinces do not more uni-
' verfally and eiFediially follow the lucrative example of the north, fmce
' it is evident that nothing but equal induflry can be wanting to render
' them equally flourifhing ; yet the over-growth of graziers and ftock-
' mafters, is the flrongeft indication that can be of national wafte and
' decay in refped: of inhabitants. Would not a foreigner flart, even at
' our humanity, as well as at our want of national wifdom and econo-
' my, on feeing the beft arable grounds in the kingdom, in immenfe
' trails, wantonly enjoyed by the cattle of a few petulant individuals,
' and at the fame jundure our highways and flreets crowded with flioles
' of mendicant fellow-creatures, reduced, through want of proper fufte-
' nance, to the utmoft diftrcfs. Would not a Frenchman give a fhrug
' extraordinary, at finding in every little inn, Bourdeaux claret, and'
' Nantz brandy, though, in all likelihood, not a morfel of Irifli bread.
' It is much to be hoped, that when the fpirit of tillage fiiall become
' more general, we may have a fufficient plenty of malt liquors of our
' own native produce. Gardening is of late years fo valtly improved-
' amongft us, that we now have many curious plants, fruits, and flowers,

' never heard of in former times. Yet nvany intelligent perfons of

* all ranks complain much of the want of fome efiablifliment in the

* Our author feems to have forgotten the fplendid, numerous, and increafing', fociety of the fame
nature, eftaWiflied in London in the year 17J4, and alfo another at Edinburgh. A,

320 A. D. 1760.

* way of a national bank, to fecure popular credit and the kingdom

* from the various alarming fhocks it is fo frequently incident to, on ac-

* count of the failure of particular or private banks.'

From Ireland we have farther received the following difagreeable ac-
counts, from a judicious private hand, viz.

Since the year 1757 the exportation of their linens has been gradu-
ally leflening, and the following is its ftate for two years paft, viz.
Linens of all forts exported for one year, ended at lady-day 1759,

14,093,431 yards, which valued, at a medium, at i6d
per yard, comes to - L939,562 i 4
Ditto in 1760, 13,375,456:^ yards, valued at ditto

per yard, - 891,697 i 8

717,9741 yards, decreafed. Va-
lued at ditto, - L47,864 19 8

Poflibly the annual increafe of the linen manufacture of Scotland
may partly, if not entirely, account for this decreaie in Ireland.

The quantity of Irifh linens fo exported is exclufive of what is con-
fumed within that kingdom. And the quantity of linen yarn annually
exported to Great Britain is nearly equal in value to the yarn that is
wove into the exported linens.

The fupplies, granted by the parliament of Great Britain for the fer-
vice of the year 1760, amounted to the vafl fum of Li 5,503,564 : 15 :94.

In the former part of this year (1760) the Dutch Ealt -India company
divided 15 per cent among their proprietors, for the preceding year's
dividend. And as that company's capital flock ufually fold at from 397
per cent to 410, we will fuppofe 400 per cent to be the mean price, for
the fake of a round number, then the purchafers at this time made 3^
per cent cf their money, which, confidering the flu6luating ftateof fuch
trading focieties, proceeding from various loiTes, &c. is far from an al-
luring dividend.

In this fame year we were informed, that the Dutch Weft-India com-
pany divided 2y per cent for one year paft, their long decayed ftock
ufually felling at from 32 to ;^^ per cent. Thefe dividends being duely
conlidered, we arc not to think it ftrange that the monied people of
Holland are fo deeply concerned in the Britifti national funds, even
though at the low intereft of 3 per cent, as the intereft is fo certainly
and pundiually paid, without any rifk or expenfe, except the fluctuation
of the mai'ket prices of the funds, and the commilTion to their agents
here *.

The high prices of fpiritous liquors manufiftured in Great Britain,
wifely occaftoned by fome late ftatutes, having greatly leftened the con-

• According; to an account of the prices during nine months of this year, which I have received
from Holland, Eail-India ftock was from 382 to 413 ; and Weft-India ftock from 29^^^, to 33 j. ^-

A. D. 1760. 321

lumption thereof, among the commonalty, and thereby contributed very
much to their health, fobriety, and indullry ; for the prevention of the
return of former mifchiefs, an ad of parliament pafled in this 33d year
of King George II, for preventing the exceflive ul'e of fpiritous liquors,
by laying additional duties thereon ; and for encouraging the exporta-
tion of Britifh-made fpirits, &c. which law has further contributed to
the fame falutary end.

Sundry other good laws were made in this feffion of parliament, for
the eafe of commerce, and conveniency and fafety of the people ; fuch
as that for extending the time limited for the importation of faked beef,
pork, and butter, from Ireland ; for removing the gunpowder magazine
from Greenwich, where it was fo dangerous, to Purfleet, a place of
greater fafety ; enlarging and improving the fortifications and docks of
Portfmouth, Chatham, and Plymouth ; for preventing frauds relating
to the cuftoms, and granting liberty to export rice from Carolina, di-
redly to any part of Europe fouth of Cape Finiilerre, in fliips navigated
according to law ; and that for widening certain Ib-eets, lanes, &c. in
the city of London, and for opening certain new ftreets, and clearing
away fundry nuifances therein, for the conveniency of carriages and
pafTengers, infomuch that this city already begins to wear a new and
more elegant face, by its old and narrow gates being removed, new and
airy openings made, and many more intended ; whereby, it is to be
hoped, the mofi: wealthy citizens will no longer have reafon to remove
into the weftern fuburbs, for free and frefli air, but will end their days
with comfort and fatisfadion, in the places where Providence had blefled
their induftry with plentiful fortunes.

This year the king eftablifhed a corporation at Fort-Marlborough, near
Bencoolen in the ifland of Sumatra in the Eaft-Indies, by the name of
the mayor and aldermen of Fort-Marlborough. But the place was fur-
prifed by the French in the fame year.

On the 8th of September 1760 the town of Montreal, together with
the reft of Canada, was furrendered by the French governor, Vaudreuille,
to General Amherfl, commander in chief of the Britifh forces.

From this acquifition, how vaft an addition of territory has accrued
to the Britifh empire in America, how much greater fafety and fecurity
have our antient colonies hereby obtained, by removing from behind
them fo enterprifing, relllefs, and fliamelefsly perfidious, a nation ? and,
which is of much more importance to us, hereby aUb w^e become pof-
fefied of the whole of the fur and peltry trade of that continent, in ex-
change for our coarfe v/oollen and other manufadures, iron tools of
many kinds, kitchen and houfehold furniture, with other copper and
brafs utenfils, lead fliot, gunpowder, firelocks, fvvords, &c. but we wifh
we could not add rum, in great quantities, fo greatly debauching the
morals, &c. of the Indians. How great an increafe of our nationaJ

Vol. III. S f

222 A. D. 1760.

commerce, then, mufl this acquifition be, even in our days ? and how
much more will it probably be in future ages, when our Indian traders,
and wood-rangers, will undoubtedly difcover many new nations to traf-
fic with, very far back in that vafl: country, until they at length, and
it is to be hoped very foon, fhall open a way to the ocean of Japan and
China ? a difcovery which, in the womb of Providence, may, and pro-
bably will, be attended with great, and perhaps very furprifing, altera-
tions in the courfe of commerce; a difcovery too, which will infallibly
enable us to determine the fo long controverted, and fo frequently in
vain attempted, point of a north-weft pafTage by fea to the eaftern parts
of Afia, and the extreme weftern parts of America, by a fhorter and
fafer courfe than from Hudfon's bay, without any future attempts from
fo miferable a (bore, where it is at prefent fo unlikely ever to be found.
And well worth any reafonable expenfe it will be found to be, to fet
about fuch a weftern journey, with Indian guides, as foon as poffible.

The north end of Sweden, known by the name of Lapmark, adjoin-
ing to Lapland, has very lately been io much improved and civilized,
that in the diet of S\veden, at the clofe of this year 1760, the fpeaker
of the houfe of peafants, or farmers, tells their king, in expreflion of
their gratitude for his goodnefs, and care of that northern part of his
dominions, ' that thofe parts which have hitherto remained wild, un-
' cultivated, and moftly uninhabited, wear at prefent a quite different
' face, being now covered with dwellings, and their lands cultivated ;

* and, for the firft time, fays he, fince the creation of the world, this
' new people appear in the diet with us, by their reprefentatives. How

* would it rejoice our hearts to fee our dear country extend its bounds

* more and more, by the draining of moraffes, and other lands covered
' with water, and by the peopling of defarts.'

The linen manufacture of Scotland continues to increafe rapidly, as
appears by the returns of linen ftamped for fale, befides which a very
large quantity is made by families for their own ufe.

Yards. Value.

In the year 1759 there were ftamped 10,830,707. L45 1,390 17 3
1760, - - 11,747,728. 523'i53 10 4

Increafed in the year 1760, - 917,021. 71,762 13 i

The following is a brief Iketch of the prefent ftate of the moft popu-
lous cities and towns of the kingdom, befides London, the various im-
provements of which have been more particularly noted in the progrefs
of our work.

Briftol is univerfally allowed to be the largeft city in Great Britain,
next after London. The anonymous author of England's gazetteer,
publiftied in 1751, makes it to contain 13,000 houfes, and 95,000 louls.

When the author of this work was there in the year 1758, he peram-
inilated it for two days, and from a near examination of the number of

A. D. 1760. 323

houfes on new foundations, and even of entire new i^reets, erected (incc
the year 1 751 , he imagined he could not hefitate in concluding it to con-
tain about 100,000 fouls, or to be about the magnitude of that part of
London, which is contained within the antient walls. It is confeffed,
that London, within that limited compafs, appears to be more populous,
or to have more people appearing abroad in the ilreets ; but that we
apprehend to be occafioned chiefly by its communication with its vafl-
ly-extended fuburbs, its immenfe commerce and fliipping, the greater
refort of foreigners, and the near refidence of the court, nobility, gen-
try, and lawyers ; whereas, in the ftreets of Briftol, which are more re-
mote from the harbour and fhipping, the inhabitants are moftly either
private families, living on their means, or elfe manufadlurers and work-
men of many various kinds, employed moftly within doors. We have
met with fome Irifli gentlemen who will needs have the city of Dublin
to be larger than Briftol, for which they allege the like reafon, as above-
mentioned, for London within the walls ; and to which, we conceive,
it may be anfwered, that Dublin, being the refidence of the chief go-
vernors, of all the public officers, of the guards, the nobiUty and gen-
try with their numerous retinues, and of the courts of juftice, as well
as of the parliaments, thefe may occafion a greater appearance of people
in its ftreets, without her being really larger than Briftol.

Edinburgh, being the ufual refidence of the courts of juftice of Scot-
land, of the police, the boards of cuftoms and excife, of lawyers attending
on pleas, befides merchants, manufacturers, &c. and of a learned and
well-frequented univerfity ; with all its fuburbs, and its port of Leith,
may fairly be allowed to contain at leaft 6o,o£o inhabitants.

Norwich is by many thought to contain upwards of 7500 hoitfes,
many of which are crowded with inmates of manufaduring people ; if
therefor eight people be allowed on aii average to each houfe, it may
contain 60,000 fouls. Or if, according to others, there be only 7000
houfes, and that feven perfons to each houfe be fufficient, then 49,000
may be nearly the number of its inhabitants. But we conjecture the
firft computation is neareft to the truth. We may here, by way of co-
rollary, remark, that Norwich has, for many ages, and more efpecially
for two centuries paft, been very eminent for the nobleft manufadure
of the fineft ftuffs in the world, of various kinds, with which it not only
fupplies our own people in immenfe quantities, but likewile moft fo-
reign nations, and alfo our American colonies, whereby the manufac-
turers accumulate much wealth.

Manchefter in Lancaftiire, merely as a town, though without being
fo much as a corporation, is probably next in number of inhabitants,
and abounds fo much with great variety of excellent manufactures of
cottons, tickens, &c. as to employ many thoufauds of journeymen-
weavers, befide other workmen, women, and children, conftantly cm-r

S f 2

324 A. D. 1760.

ployed, both for the foreign and home demand of thofe goods : info-
much that Manchefter is fwelled to the bulk of a great city, being fup-
pofed to contain from 40 to 45,000 people.

Liverpool, in the fame county, in point of a vaftly-extended foreign
commerce and mercantile fliipping, is long fmce become undoubtedly
the greateft and moft opulent fea-port in the kingdom, next to London
and Briftol, employing about 300 fail of fhips moftly in the Guinea
and American trades, and is now faid to be thrice as large and populous
as it was at the acceflion of William and Mary to the crown. In ihort,
this profperous town extends its commerce to all parts not occupied by
exclufive companies, and is thought to contain at this time from 30 to
35,000 inhabitants.

Birmingham, in Warwickfhire, though ftill alfo, like Manchefter, an
iinincorporated town, has, through the general increafe of our national
commerce, gradually grown up, more efpecially of later years, to the
magnitude of a conliderable city, by means of its vaft, numerous, and
mofl: ingenious, manufadures of iron, fteel, and brafs, or hard-ware, in
an almoft-endlefs variety, fuch as enamelled and polilhed fleel fnuff-
boxes, keys, locks, hinges, buckles, buttons, &c. not only for fupply-
ing ourfelves and our own foreign plantations, but almoft all the reft
of the world therewith. This very bufy place is reckoned to contain
at leafl 30,000 inhabitants.

In much the fame fort of employment has the populous town of Shef-
field been more or lefs famous for above four centuries paft, partly by
means of the iron ftone in its vicinity, but of late much more by the
general increafe of the nation's foreign commerce. It has been pecu-
liarly famous for the manufadure of knives and other cutlery-ware, as
tar back as the poet Chaucer's time, (in the reign of King Edward III)
their knives being by that poet, as ftill by the common people farther
north, called whittles. There are above 600 mafter-cutlers there, who
are a corporation, by the name of the cutlers of liallamfhire, of which
diftrid in Yorkfliire, Sheffield is the principal town. It is reputed to be
two miles in length and one in breadth, and to employ about 40,000
perfons in the iron manufadures, though not all living within the town.
They have likewife a confiderable trade in this town for corn and alum ;
and are more particularly noted for making the beft files and other iron
tools for various handicrafts. Yet fo little curious are its inhabitants in
fpeculative refearches, that we have not been able to learn with any
precifion the probable number of the inhabitants of fo populous a
town, as diftinguifhed from the reft of llallamfliire, though, from fun-
dry circumftances, they may very probably be confiderably above
20,000.

Newcaftle upon Tine has been eminent for feveral centuries paft for
its almoft inexhauftible ftaple of pit-coal, called at London fea-coal, be-

A. D. 1760. 325

caufe carried thither only by fea. It fuppHes not only London and
many other parts of the kingdom with that moft neceflary fuel, but
likewife fundry foreign countries, moftly in its own ftrong and numer-
ous {hipping, the loading of which, from the pits to the fhips at Shields,
employs five or fix thoufand men called keelmen : here is alio a great
manufadure of glafs bottles, and another of hard-ware or wrought iron
of many forts. It is alfo noted for its grind-fi:ones, of which great
quantities are exported beyond fea. But, beyond all other national be-
nefits, the coal-trade of this town is peculiarly and eminently ufeful
on any emergency, for its great number of thorough-bred mariners for
manning the navy. It has long been a very populous place, and, in-
cluding its fuburbs of Gatefliead and North and South Shields, may
probably contain near 40,000 inhabitants.

Glafgow is a beautiful and increafing city of Scotland, abounding
in many profitable manufaitures, more efpecially of the linen kind,
in great variety and beauty. It has alfo a great number of good (hip-
ping trading (from its port called Port-Glafgow, and from Greenock),
as well to our Wefii-India fugar ifles, as alfo to our continental co-
lonies, more efpecially to our two tobacco provinces : whereby it is
now faid to be arrived to the magnitude of 26 to 27,000 inhabitants,
who are generally reckoned eminent for induftry and a prudent eco-
nomy.

Thefe, with London, we apprehend to be all the cities and towns of
Great Britain, which contain upward of 20,000 inhabitants within their
refpedtive liberties, boundaries, and precinfts. Yet there are many
other cities and towns of England which nearly approach to that num-
ber.

From our correfpondent in Ireland, we have the following account
of the prefent flate of the principal cities in that ifland.

Dublin, in the year '1760, contained 13,461 houfes, which number,
allowing 7 perfons to each houfe (which is probably very near the truth)
gives 94,227 people *.

Cork contained 8268, and, by the fame computation, 57,876 inha-
bitants. It has long been famous for a vafl: exportation of falted beef,
pork, and butter, chiefly to our own fugar colonies. Cheefe and hides
are alfo exported from Cork.

Limerick, on the. great river Shannon, conveniently fituated for the
wefl:ern trades, contained 3640 houfes and 25,480 inhabitants.

• AH the mortality-bills of Dublin, which we number) gives but 66,000. But there is reafon to
have feen, come fhort of 2000 perfons yearly, believe that the mortality-bills of Dubhn, and of
which number multiplied even by 33 (the healthieli other places alfo, are very defcftive. A.

326 A. D. 1760.

Waterford, a confiderable trading port on the eafl fide of Ireland,
contained 3284 houfes and 22,988 inhabitants*.

* T\ic ^\i\.\\or oi \ht New geography of Ireland Dublin to be 19,352; Cork 8726; Limerick
{Dublin 1752) ftates the number of houfes in 3959; and Waterfoord 2637. ^■

As the subsequent part of Mr. Andersoris ' Historical and chronological work,' which
is carried Jonvard to the year 1762, contains very little commercial information,
it was thought proper to conclude it here, and to begin my oivn continuation with
the commencement of the reign of his present Majesty. M.

ANNALS

OF

COMMERCE,

MANUFACTURES, FISHERIES, AND NAVIGATION,

■niril

BRIEF NOTICES OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES CONNECTED WITH! THEM.

PART III,

CONTAINING THE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND OTHER COUNTRIES,
FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE KEIGN OF HIS PRESENT MAJESTY,

GEORGE III,

KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND,

TO THE MEETING OF THE UNION PARLIAMENT IN JANUARY 1801 ;

Composed from Materials of unquestionable Authenticity (mostly unpublished), extracted

from the Records of Parliament, the Accounts of the Customhouse, the

Mint, the Board of Trade, the Post- Office, the East-India

Company, the Bank of England, &c. &c.

BV

DA FID MACPHERSOK

ANNALS

OF

COMMERCE,

A. D. 1760.

George the second, king of Great Britain, died on the 25th day of
Odober 1760, and was fucceeded by his grandfon, George prince of
Wales.

In the reign of George II the agriculture, manufadures, and com-
merce, of Britain were greatly improved. The roads throughout the
kingdom were put in a much better condition than they had ever been
in before, and the navigation of feveral rivers * was improved, where-
by various parts of the country were enabled to have a regular and
convenient mutual intercourfe ; and internal trade^ an objed llill more
important than foreign trade, was greatly facilitated. Thefe great im-
provements appear to have been in no degree checked, but rather to
have been in a ftate of progreflive advancement, during the extenfive
war which raged in the lafl years of George II f .

Accounts were received of an alarming infurredion of the negro
Haves in the parifhes of St. Mary's, St,' Elizabeth's, and St. Thomas in
the eaft, in Jamaica. Many white people were killed, many planta-
tions laid defolate by the infurgents, vaft numbers of the unhappy ne-
groes were deftroyed, and that opulent and flourifhing colony was in
imminent danger of total ruin, before the exertions of the miUtary and
the militia, with the aiTiftance of the fleet, were able to quell this de-
fperate atten^pt of the wretched flaves to recover their liberty.

* The vaft benefits flowing from the creation f The advancing profperity of the kingdom in

(if I may be allowed the expieffion) of new ri- this reign has been clearly and forcibly illuluated

vers, or artificial canals, were only beginning to by Mr. Chalmers, in his EJlU.jte of the compara-

be underftood aa yet in Britain. tivejlrcngth of Gnat Britain, ed. j 794.

Vol. III. T t

■^^o A. D. 1760.

To prevent the dreadful alarm, which the news of the infurredion
mull have excited at home, General Bailing, lieutenant-governor of Ja-
maica, prudently withheld all communication of the commencement
of it from being fent to Britain, till he was enabled alfo to announce
that the danger was over *.

The governors of the Britifh forts on the coafl of Africa, belonging
to the African company, fent home heavy complaints of the Dutch
governor of Elmina, for forcibly monopolizing the trade with the Por-
tuguefe veflels upon the coaft to the weftward of the river Volta, which
the Dutch affirmed they had a right to do by treaty with the Portuguefe.
In fubfequent letters the fame governors complained of conftant en-
deavours and arts pradifed by the Dutch to ftir up the natives againft
the Britifh intereft.

Great efforts had been made, and great fums had been expended, to
colled fettlers from various parts of Europe and America to cultivate
the province of Nova Scotia. But government feemed now to be
weary of the great demands for the fupport of that unprodudive co-
lony, and refolved to be more fparing in their grants for the future.
The expenfe of the civil eftablifhment for the province in the year
1759, was £ii,c,6'6:2 ; for this year, £ii,'j^S :6:io; and the efli-
mate for the enfuing year (1761) was made up at ^^9,095 : 12 : 9, with
perhaps an allowance of /Jiooo for contingencies.

A molt pernicious illegal trade had been for fome time carried on
between the Britifli colonies in North America and the French fettle-
inents in the AVeft-Tndies, and on the rivers Mobile and Miflifippi, un-
der the fandion of flags of truce, whereby the French were fupplied
with the provifions and lumber of North America, lb indilpenfably ne-
cefiary for carrying on their plantations, and moreover with large fums
in money in payment of their produce and of the manufadures of
France, the balance of the trade being greatly in favour of the French.

Such pradices being in open contempt of the authority of Great Bri-
tain, Mr. Secretary Pitt (afterwards earl of Chatham) had written (23d
Augufl) to the feveral governors of North America, direding them to
ufe their utmofl efforts to deted and punifh all perfons concerned in fo
iniquitous a traffic f.

The vaft advantages of inland water-carriage began to be confidered
in England in the reigns of Charles I and Charles 11 %, and feveral
improvements upon the navigation in the natural beds of rivers were
attempted during the reigns of thefe two princes. In the fucceeding

* In November 1760 he wrote, that it was al- vertt illicit trade, being deeply engaged in this

mod fiipprelTed ; and in the beginning of January fcandalous commerce.

1761 he wrote, that the dillurbances were entirely | In the year 1675, an author, who lakes onlv

at an end. the name of R. S. published Avona, or a viiij

j- I was credibly informed of at leaft one in- 0/ maltiiig rivers in ttit kingdom navigalle.
ftance of a man, whofe official duty it was to pre-

A. D.I 760. 331

reigns, though they were not entirely lofl fight of, they were not much
attended to, till the reign of George II. In the year 1755 the com-
mercial and enterprifing inhabitants of Liverpool began to turn their
attention to this moft important obje6l. For the benefit of an eafier
conveyance of coals from the pits at St. Helen's near Prefcot, they ob-
tained an ad of parliament for rendering navigable Sankey brook, which
runs near St. Helen's, and fills into the Merfea below Warrington :
But when they came to examine the ground more attentively, they
found it would be better to malie an entire new canal with proper
locks, which would be exempted from the inconveniencies of land-
floods, &c. ; and it was accordingly executed on that more judicious
plan, the brook being only ufed to feed the canal, which is twelve miles
long, with a f^ll of ninety feet ; and it is, if I miitake not, the firft canal
with locks that ever was conftruded in Great Britain. In the fame
year, they employed two furveyors to examine the ground for a pro-
pofedjundion of the Merfea with the Trent on the oppofite fide of
the country ; a grand idea, which however was not carried into execu-
tion till feveral years after, as will be obferved in proper time.

But the firfl; important work of this nature in Great Britain was
planned and happily accomplifhed by the duke of Bridgewater, who
may truely be faid to have the real honour, if not of introducing inland
navigation, at leafi: of rendering it an objed of univerfal attention, which
has been attended with the happy effed of difFufing that moft capital
fpecies of improvement throughout the whole kingdom. The duke had
a large mountain of coal upon his eftate at Worfley in Lancadiire, which
the great expenfe of carriage to a market i-endered an ufelefs polTeffion
to him. He therefor conceived the idea of procuring a cheap conv'ey-
ance by water to the large and populous manufaduring town of Man-
chefter , for which purpofe he obtained two ads of parliament in the
years 1758 and 1759*. While he was concerting his plan, he per-
ceived, encouraged, and availed himfelf of, the wonderful talents of the
uneducated, but heaven-taught engineer, Brindley ; by whole ingenuity,
with the abundant fupply of materials from his own lands, and a vaft
expenditure of money for labour, he completed a navigable canal of
twenty-nine miles in length, with about four feet and a half of depth of
water, without any locks ; the inequalities of the ground, and the inter-
vention of rivers and public roads, being furmounted by ftupendous
mounds of earth ; by a tunnel cut through a hill fifty feet under the
furface, and in lome places hewed out of the folid rock ; by aquedud
bridges over the public roads ; and by, what even profefllonal men then

* An aft had been obtained in the year 1736, nately for the prefent age, nothing wa; ever done
for making Worfley brook navigable to its June- in it, and room was thereby left for the dv ke of
tion with the Irwell by the old method of dam- Bridgewater's grand undertaR'ng.
nimg up the water to make levels. But, fortu-

Tt2

^^2 A. D. 1760.

pronounced impoOlble, an aqueduft bridge over the navigable river
Irwell, at the height of* thirty-eight feet above its furface, which prc-
fented to the wondering fpedators the new and furprifing fight of vef-
fels failing aloft in the air, high above other veflels failing below in the
river. As the duke's operations were carried forward with great fpirit
during the whole of this year, the public were gratified with the fight
of the firfl boat paffing along his magnificent aquedu6l on the 1 7th of
July 1 761 ; and the fcoflfers, who, in derifion of this noble effort of
Brindley's bold, but unerring, genius, had called it a cajlle in the air, felt
themfelves afiiamed. The whole work of the canal was executed in a
If ile of folidity and grandeur, which might induce an inattentive fpec-
tator to fuppofe that it was made for offentation ; but a careful infpec-
tion will fliew, that every part is not only proper but necefilxry ; that
economy has been happily combined with magnificence ; and that the
vafl expenfe of perhaps the greatefi^ work that ever was undertaken and
executed in any part of the world at the charge of one individual, is
fmall, when compared to the extenfive utility of it.

The duke, immediately after the completion of this canal, extended
the length and the benefits of his navigation as far as Liverpool ; and
goods are now carried on his canals between that town and Manchefter
at 6/a tan inftead of 12/", the charge of the former navigation on the
Merfea and the Irwell, or \oJ, the price of the land carriage : and,
"while his fpirited and patriotic enterprife is rewarded by a vafl revenue
arifing from his water-carriage, and his formerly ufelefs coal-mine, the
furrounding country is benefited at leafl: a pound for every fliilling paid
to the duke.

Thus the fpirited commercial county of Lancafler appears to have
had the glory of producing the firfl: canal made in the kingdom in mo-
dern times, and upon the modern improved principles ; of firft con-
ceiving the magnificent defign of a navigable communication between
the eaft and wefl: fides of England through the heart of the country ;
and of exhibiting the firfl; fpecimen of a canal executed on a grand
fcale. Such is the animating influence of vigorous commerce and ma-
nufadures.

The duke of Bridgewater's canal immediately attracted the attention
of the public in an extraordinary degree ; and the advantages of inland
navigation condudfed upon improved principles, and alio the fuppofed
difadvantages of it, were the fubjed;s of general difcuflion.

The enemies of the new mode of conveyance objedfed, that the fa-
cility of canal navigation would greatly diminifli the numbers of the

ufeful and noble breed of draught horfes A curious objedion, trucly,

to the abridgement of an expenfe. A part of thofe horfes will be em-
ployed in drawing the veflels on the canals. A part of them may be
employed in drawing ploughs on grounds hitherto kept in grafs for the

A. D. 1760. ^^^

ufe of the redundant number of them, or on grounds hitherto ufelefs
for want of manure, m order to raife corn, &c. to mcreafe the breed
of men, whole numbers in all countries are exactly in proportion to
the means of fubfiftence : and men, induftrious men, not horfes, con-
ftitute the true riches and ftrength of a well-regulated nation.

It has alfo been objected, that the increafe of inland navigation mufl,.
by its fuperior cheapnefs, eafe, and certainty, diminifh our coafting
trade, and confequently weaken the navy, the natural and conflitutional
bulwark of Great Britain — This objeftion is fomewhat like the former
one : it is regretting the enjoyment of an advantage ; and the apprehen-
iion is apparently unfounded : for, as all the various branches of com-
merce mutually depend on, and fupport one another, the extenfion of
the inland commerce will not diminifli, but greatly enlarge, the number
of fhips and feamen, efpecially the later by the acceflion of vaft num-
bers of young men, trained up in the management of fails and oars, in
parts of the country where no fail nor oar was ever feen before the in-
trodudion of canals. And experience has adtually confirmed this rea-
foning, not only in the general increafe of Ihipping, and confequently
of feamen *, but by the certain knowlege, that the interior part of the
country has begun to rival the coafl as a nurfery of feamen both for the
merchant fliips and (hips of war.

Another objedion is, that vaft funis of money have been funk in
making canals. — But this is a very frivolous cavil. If an eftate is pro-
dudive, the owner will never objed to its being too great. And this
kind of property has never failed of being advantageous to the public,
even in thole inftances where it has not been profitable to the proprie-
tors. But granting the worft, that the canal is ufelefs to the public,
and confequently a dead lofs to the proprietors, there is ftill no national
lofs : the money is only transferred from the pockets of the numerous
fubfcribers, who are generally in circumftances to bear the lofs of the
fums fubfcribed, into the hands of induftrious mechanics and labourers,
who immediately return it into the general circulation. None of it is
either hoarded or lent out of the country. Many turnpike roads coft
more by the mile than fome canals do : and as one horfe can draw as
great a weight of goods upon a canal, as thirty can draw upon a road,
the fijperior ferviceablenefs and profit of the canal are obvious.

There is yet another objedion to canals, which, though rather too ri-
diculous to merit notice, has been repeatedly urged, that tiiey deftroy
great quantities of land, which might be better employed in raifing,

* In the year 1760, juft before the duke of burthen was 1,379,329 tuns (regular meafure-

Bridgewater's lirfl; canal was finifhed, the {hips inent), wliicli mull have required confiderably

cleared out of the ports of England were rated to more than double the number of failors; and there

carry 471,241 tuns. In the year 1790, when al- can be n>. doubt that the iyland navigation has;

moft all England was interfetled by canals, their contributed its propoition to liie great increafe-

334 A. D. 1760.

corn *. But the line of a canal occupies but a very fmall fpace of
ground; and, inftead of diminifliing, it greatly increafes, the quantity
of corn land, by conveying manure to render barren land produdive.
The quantity of corn for the ufe of mankind is moreover increafed (as
already obferved) by rendering fewer horfes neceflary in the carrying
bufinefs.

It has alfo been faid, that the natural navigation of the rivers has
been neglected in partiality to thefe newfangled artificial canals — But,
where the navigation of a river is free of obftruftions, it cannot be fup-
pofed, that people are fo fond of throwing away their money, as to
make fuperfluous canals. And it ought to be remembered, that im-
provements upon the natural channels of rivers are frequently deftroyed
by heavy land floods, as was the cafe with the rivers Calder, Irwell,
Stour, Sec. which can do no injury to canals, as they admit no more
water in their channels than what is proper and ferviceable.

But the advantages of navigable canals, belides thofe already men-
tioned in the anfwers to the objedions, are great and obvious. They
give frefli life to eflablifhed manufadures, and they encourage the efl;ab-
lifhment of new ones, by the eafe of tranfporting the materials of manu-
fadure and provifions ; and thence we fee new villages ftart up upon the
borders of canals in places formerly condemned to flerility and fohtude.
They invigorate, and in many inftances create, internal trade, which,
for its extent and value, is an objed of ftill more importance than fo-
reign commerce, and is exempted from the many hardfhips and dangers
of a maritime life, and changes of climate. And they greatly promote
foreign trade, and confequently enrich the merchants of the ports where
they, or the navigable rivers they are conneded with, terminate, by fa-
cilitating the exportation of produce from, and the introdudion of fo-
reign merchandize into, the interior parts of the country, which are
thus placed nearly on a level with the maritime parts ; or, in other
words, the interior parts become coafts, and enjoy the accommodations
of {hipping. The price of provifions is nearly equalized through the
whole country ; the blefllngs of Providence are more uniformly diftri-
buted ; and the monopolift is diiappointed in his fchemes of iniquity
and oppreflion by the eafe wherewith provifions are tranfported from a
confiderable diftance. The advantages to agriculture, which provides
a great part of the materials, and almoft the whole of the fubfiftence,
required in carrying on manufadures and commerce, are pre-eminently
great. Manure, marl, lime, and all other bulky articles, which could
not poffibly bear the great expenfe of cartage, and alio corn and other
produce, can be carried at a very light expenfe on canals ; whereby
poor lands are enriched, and barren lands are brought into cultivation,

* I remember feeing an eflay publiflied only five or fix years ago, tlie author of which very ferioufly
advifed filling up all the canals, and fowing corn upon the ground.

A. D. 1760. ^^5

to the great emolument of the farmer and landholder, and the general
advantage of the community in an augmented fupply of the neceflaries
of life and materials of manufadures. Coals, (the importance of which
to a manufacturing country, few people, not actually concerned in ma-
nufadures, are capable of duely appretiating), ftone, lime, iron-ore, and
minerals in general, as well as many other articles of great bulk in pro-
portion to their value, which had hitherto lain ufelefs to their proprie-
tors by reafon of the expenfe, and in many cafes impoffibility, of car-
riage, are called into life, and rendered a fund of wealth by the vicinity
of a canal, which thus gives birth to a trade, whereby, in return, it is
maintained. The cheap, certain, and pleaflmt, conveyance of travelers
by the trackfkuyts in Holland has been admired by all, who have been
in that country : and it mufl be owing to the univerfol defire in this
country of flying over the ground with the greatefl poflible rapidity,
that a mode of traveling, fo exceedingly eafy to the purfe and the per-
fon, is fo little ufed here. Neither ought we entirely to forget among
the advantages of canals the pleafure afforded to the eye and the mind
by a beautiful moving landfcape of boats, men, horfes, &c. bulled in
procuring fubfiftence to themfelves, and in diffufing opulence and con-
venience through the country. And, in a word, we have now the ex-
perience of about forty years to eflablifli as a certain truth, what was
long ago faid by Dodor Adam Smith, that great mafter of political eco-
nomy, that navigable canals are among the greatefl of all improvements *.

This year a variation was introduced in the mode of ri\er navigation
by Mr. Bridge of Tewkfbury in Gloucefter-flaire. Where a ftream had
many mills upon it, he availed himfelf of the mill-ponds and water-
courfes, as parts of a canal already completed. Having adapted to his
boats a fufficient number of frames, each carrying one tun of goods,
and having drawn a navigable cut from the ftream below the mill-dam
clofe to the under fide of it, he hoifted up his frames with their con-
tents from the boat below, by a crane, and placed them in another boat

* Thougli I am not often guilty of tranfcHbing ' The traveller with pleafing wonder fees
poetry, yet I think the following lines, written by « The white fail gleaming thro' the duflty trees,
the ingenious poetefs, Mifs Aikin (now Mrs. ' And views the alter'd landfcape with furprife,
Barbauld), fo elegantly defcriptive of the advan- ' And doubts the magic fcenes which round him
tages and beauties of inland navigation, that they ' life.

deferve to be laid before the reader. ' Now, like a flock of fwans, above his head

• Their woven wings the [/(;•%] vcffels fpread.
' Here Imooth canals acrofsth' extended plain ' Now meeting ftreams in artful ciinentso-Iide,

« Stretch their long ai ms to join the dillant main : ' While each unmingl'd pours a feparate tide ;

• The fons of toil with many a weary ftroke ' Now through the hidden veins of earth thev
' Scoop the hard bofom of the folid rock ; « flow,

' Refilllefs thro' the lliff oppofing clay ' And vifit fulph'rous mines and caves below :

' With ftcady patience work their gradual way ; ' I'he dudile llreams obey the guiding hand,

' Compel the genius of th' unwilling flood ' And focial plenty circles round the land.'

' Thro' the brown horrors of the aged wood ; This pifture, drawn on the banks of the Merfea, i«

' Crofs the lone waae the filver urn they pour, copied from the duke of Bridge^vater's canals, and-

' And cheer the barren heath or fullen moor. it is Brindley's ' guiding hand' which the dudilc;

4 ftreams obey.

336 A. D. 1760.

of exadly the fame dimenfions, lying in the mill-pond above, thus by a
fucceflion of boats avoiding the neceffity of locks. This fcheme was,
however, difapproved of by the advocates for the navigation by locks;
and it totally failed afterwards, and almofi: ruined thole concerned in it.

The improvement and embellilhment of the principal feats of com-
merce furnifli ftrong proofs of advancing national profperity. There-
for the capital improvements of London, and of the other great trad-
ing towns in the Britifh dominions, will be briefly noticed in this
work * : and among thefe the new bridge over the Thames at Black-
friars may claim a pre-eminence in point of accommodation and orna-
ment. The foundation (lone of this elegant ftrudlure was laid by Sir
Thomas Chitty, lord mayor of London (Odober 31ft); and under it
were placed feveral gold, filver, and copper, coins of the late king (in
whofe reign it was planned) and a filver medal, which the architedt,
Mr. Robert Mylne, had obtained in the year 1758, as a prize due to
his architectural abilities, in Rome. As a teftiraony of their refpecS for
the great merit of the prime minifter, the citizens gave it the name
of Pitt's bridge : but that name has never come into general ufe, and it
is univerfally known by the name of Blackfriar' s bridge.

At the fame time a very great number of ftreets in almofi every part
of the city were widened, by the total removal of fome houfes, and re-
building others.

The progrefs of the linen manufacture in Scotland may be judged of
from the following ftatement of the number of yards and value of the
linen ftamped for fale in the following years.

value.

1740

4,609,672 yards,

;Ci88,777 16

5

1745

5-5?/^-925

224,252 8

0

1750

7'572.540

361,736 12

5

1755

8,122,472

345,349 14

6

1760

11,747,728

523-153 10

.4

A very large quantity of linen of the finer qualities, which is made
in mofl families for private ufe, is not flamped. In feveral fhires the
quantity of it is probably not lefs than equal to the half of what is made
for flile, and flamped.

But all this linen, made in the whole kingdom of Scotland, is confi-
derably inferior in value to the ivoollen cloth manufadured in the well
riding of York-fliire only.

Some manufadurts of a more advantageous nature were now begin-
ning to arife in Scotland, efpecially in the towns and villages within the
influence of the fpirited and commercial city of Glafgow, among which
Paifley was the foonefl diflinguifhed for the induftry and ingenuity of its
manufadurers. Bengals (imitations of flriped muflins) handkerchefs,

* As only capital or efTeiitial impi ovements will be noticed, the reader will not be troubled with the
petty detail of every act for paving or lighting a ftreet, removing an ofTenfive houfe, or the like.

A. D. 1760. 337

]awns, and threads, had been made in Paifley for a confiderable tune be-
fore the year 1759, \A'hen filk gauzes were firft made there. As foon
as they appeared in London, ibme gentlemen there refolved to avail
themfelves of the low rate of wages in Pailley, and to fet up a manufac-
ture of filk gauzes upon a large fcale. The ftagnation, occafioned by
the general mourning for the late king, was of fervice to their under-
taking, as the weavers of light fabrics were all thrown idle, and glad to
get employment ; and thenceforth filk gauzes became the principal ar-
ticle of the place : they fupplied the London and foreign markets, and
gained fo decided a preference to thofe of Spitalfields, that the manu-
fadure was foon after in a manner refigned to Paifley ; and there it has
paved the way to the flill more importaiit manufadures of muflin and
other articles of cotton. Thus the elegancies of drefs, which in former
ages were only to be obtained by prodigious labour and expenfe from
India and China, were now fupplied from countries, which long con-
tinued ignorant of every employment, but thofe of hunting, war, and
fuperftition *.

The firfl law enadled in the reign of King George III was ' An
' a6l for the fupport of his Majefly's houfehold and the honour and
' dignity of the crown of Great Britahi,' whereby the revenue of the
civil lill:, which had hitherto been uncertain, was now fixed at /^8oo,ooo
a-year ; out of which the annuities to the king's mother, his uncle,
and aunt, were to be paid during their lives. The revenues of Corn-
wall, and fome other branches of hereditary revenue, were alfo re-
ferved to the king over and above the dated fum of /^8oo,ooo [i Geo.
llf,c.i].

The ad [33 Geo. II, c. 5] for the importation of falted beef, pork, and
butter, from Ireland, being found beneficial, it was continued till the
24th of December 1761. [i Geo. Ill, c. 4.]

From the commencement of the eighteenth century the trade of
Ireland advanced with an almofi:-regularly progrefiive augmentation,
the furefi: and mod pleafing mark of real and durable commercial prof-
perity, as appears from the following accounts of its trade with all coun-
tries, collected from the Irifli cufi;om-houfe books, and arranged in de-
cennial averages, for which we are indebted to the laudable indufl:ry of
Lord Sheffield, who has publiflied it in his Obfervations on the manufac-
tures, trade., and prejentjlale of Ireland.

Average imports of Ireland. Average exports of Ireland.

From 1700 to 1 710 f^S^ZfiSl 17 2 ^^553,023 16 o

1710 to 1720 852,905 7 II 1,126,670 6 II

* Paldey owes its origin as a town to a famous abbav founded in the year it6.i. by Walter, flcwart,
or ftjwiird, of Scotland, anccllcr of the royal family. '

Vol. in. ' ' U u

ii^

A. D. 1760.

Average imports of Ireland, Average exports of Ireland.

From 1^20 to 1730

^"856,936

6

8

;^I, 01 9,809

3

2

1730 to 1740

885,044

8

2

1,190,253

3

4

1740 to 1750

1,123,373

I

8

1,485,1 10

18

3

1750 to 1760

1,594,164

7

I

2,002,354

5

10

As a proof how much the
trade with Britain exceeds
that with all other countries,
deduft from the laft averages
the average imports from,
and exports to, Great Britain
from 1750 to 1760

and the trade of Ireland with
all the reft of the world du-
ring thefe ten years appears
to have averaged only

1,015,306 2 10

1,274,569 7 o

578,858 4 3 and 727,784 18 10

' Although the balance of trade is in favour of Ireland with moft
' countries, it is conftantly againft her with Norway, Denmark, Swe-
' den, and the Eaft country. It is often fo in the trade with France, the

* import of claret exceeding the export of beef and pork to that coun-
' try ; and fometimes the balance is againft her with Holland and Flan-

* ders.' Upon the whole, it may be affirmed, that the trade of Ireland
fince the beginning of the eighteenth century has ' increafed more in
' proportion than the trade of England, and, perhaps, if it could be af-

* certained, we ftiould find, that the external trade of Ireland is, in pro-

* portion to her capital, greater than that of England; but Ireland is
' far behind as to internal trade, and until there is an improvement in
' that refped, fhe cannot exped to fee her people fully employed, or in
' poftxilTion of any general affluence.' [Lord Sheffield's Objervations on
the trade of Ireland, p.p. 269, 273, third ed.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1759 to Chriftmas 1760 was as follows.

A. D. 1760.

339

Imported into

! Exported trom

Countries, &c.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

Africa

^3y,410 14

0

345,546 0

135 17 11;

Canaries . - -

3,131 0

5

58,859 4 ^

Denmark and Norway

58,74.5 10

10

23,845 8

H

108,627 3 (

36,357 14 2

East Coiinti-y

205,464 16

5

190,217 0 1

East- India

1,785,679 11

]

1,161,670 6 (

Flanders

31,228 3

0

379,093 U t

France

37 5

9

209,946 9 ;

341,871 13 4

Germany

668,070 11

4

14,313 6

7

1,544,016 15 .

37,182 17 5

Greenland

IO,824 3

0

27 11 ;

Holland

412,397 3

1

95,176 12

9i

1,784,442 11 i

207,583 2 lot

Ireland - - -

904,180 14

8

127,439 9

1,050,401 0 IC

96,051 10 7i

Mann - - .

86 8

0

890 17 4i

Italy

506,100 15

7

1,014 6

91

210,096 10 :

4,648 U 6

Madeira ...

3,386 14

10

31,605 11 C

256 8 li

Poland

9,105 10

Oi

1,314 12 10

Prussia

3,887 17

3i

Portugal -

299,088 4

8

8,446 9

6i

1,291,560 11 IC

3,158 10 6i

•Russia - -

474,680 2

0

61,824 8

H

38,710 0 1

1,050 13 9

Spain . . -

460,042 13

2,923 16

H

1,048,222 18 1

10,024 16 7i

Straits

61,850 1

4

399,819 1 C

Sweden - - -

193,340 2

5

25,280 6

H

13,657 13 C

5,119 7 4

Turkey

58,916 12

6

55,730 0 IC

Venice

41,138 2

6

6,105 5 11

Guernsey Sec.

62,173 16

9

1,739 13

2|

73,549 0 C

18 6 3

America in general

475,70-1 5

7

340,540 4 Oi

Hudson's bay

6,142 12

5

4,959 15 ir

Newfoundland

26,360 2

4

56.643 1 C

Cape-Breton

5 8

3

11,048 14 5

Quebec ...

2,154 18

5

51,629 18 5

Nova Scotia

701 7

4

52,767 2 2

New-England

37,802 13

1

599,647 14 8

New-York

21,125 0

0

480,106 3 1

Pennsylvania

22,754 15

3

707,998 12 0

Virginia and Maryland

504,451 4

11

605,882 19 5

Carolina - - .

162,769 6

7

218,131 7 8

Georgia - . -

12,198 14

)0

Antigua . - -

159,162 19

0

191,117 13 2

Barbados - - -

223,716 12

11

269,449 6 2

Bermuda - - -

70 12

7

16,115 14 8

Guadaloupe - - -

424,366 18

4

118,569 5 10

Jamaica - - -

1,034,283 3

8

585,771 13 2

Montserrat - - -

75,936 12

4

23,143 13 4

Nevis

45,750 11

0

20,390 9 8

New-Providence -

1,730 0

■J

St. Croix -

1,657 3 7

St. Christophers - -

292,470 19

2

149,142 4 10

Tortola - - -

30,351 19

0

397 18 7

British and Iri.sh linens

exported on bounty to

various countries

188,159 5 0

Prize goods

465,602 18

5

340,336 3 5

Imp. and cxp. of England

9,832,802 11

J

14,694,970 9 2

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

850,792 19

3

350,792 19

3i

1 ,086,205 4 8

1 ,086,205 4 8

Total, Great Britain -

0,6Si3,5a5 10

4

15,781.175 13 10

UU2

340

A.D. 1760,

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain from
and to foreign countries *, including repeated voyages,

Britldi

Foreign i

Total 1

Veflels.
3.568
6,204

Tuns.
258,028

555,900

Vdicls.
1,088

999

luns.

130,778

99,181

Vefftlo.
4,656

7,203

Tuns.

388,806

655,081

Inward
Outward

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England - 6,105 velTels, of the reputed burthenf of 433,922 tuns,
and of Scotland 976 52,818

Total - 7,081 486,740

The net amount, paid into the exchequer, of the cufloms ariiing
from merchandize imported and exported in the courfe of the year,
including the Weft-hidia duty of four and a half per cent, was

>C 1. 969.933 : 17:9-

There were coined in that part of the year, which was after the ac-
ceffion of King George III, 2,382 pounds of gold, value in money
;^l 1 1 ,298 : 19 ; and no filver.

The above ftatement of the imports and exports exhibits the amount
of the foreign trade of Great Britain, as it appears in the cuftom-houfe
books, without taking into the account that of Ireland or the colonies,
except as to their intercourfe with Great Britain; though their trade
with other countries was very conllderable, and was, indeed, the prin-
cipal fund which enabled mod of the continental colonies to pay the
large balances they owed every year to the mother country.

There is no polfibility of obtaining any flatement of the home trade,
which is carried on by means of coafling and inland navigation and
land carriage, and is, with good reafon, believed to be a vaft deal
greater in value than the whole of the foreign trade j:, the people of Great
Britain being the hejl cujlomers to the manufaSlurers and traders of Great Britain.

The fums in the cuftom-houfe books are made up from a valuation
fettled in the year 1697, when the office of infpedor-general of imports
and exports was newly inftituted, which has been adhered to ever lince.

* In the cuftom-houfe accounts Ireland, Mann,
Guernfcy, Jcrfey, &c. are reckoned artiong the fo-
reign countries.

f The following Nota-hcne is added by Mr.
Dalley, afliftant regifter-general of (liipping, to an
account of veffels belonging to the ports of Great
Britain in this, and fome other year», laid before
the houfe of commons.

' The above is the bcft account that can be pre-
• pared, according to the modes then in ufe of af-
' certaining the tunnagc of veflels, which was fel-
' dom done by aclual admeafurement ; and the ac-
'.count cgnUJncd only fuch veffels as either enter-

' ed, or cleared, at their refpeiflive ports once in the
' courfe of each year; confequentlythofewhichwere
' abfent from their ports during the whole year are
' not included.' The real tunnage may in general
be reckoned full fifty per cent above the reputed.
\ It has been calculated, though I know not
upon what grounds, or whether it is at all calcul-
able, that the home confumption of this country is
tnvo-and-lhirly times as much as tlie exports to fo-
reign countries. Neverthelefs, the foreign trade is
generally the only llandard referred to in fpecula-
tion or argument upon the commercial profperity
01 diftrefs of the country.

A. D. 1760. 441

notwithftanding the fluduation of prices, and the prodigious improve-
ments upon mofi: articles of Britiih manufacture, ftill fhipped under the
fame denominations which marked the inferior producT;ions of the fe-
A-enteenth century *. As the accounts thus compiled mull convey a
very inadequate idea of the modern value of moft articles, they confe-
quently afford but an inaccurate flandard for comparing the value of
one article with that of another ; but, with refpect to the comparifon of
the trade of one year with that of another, they certainly afford a
flandard more corred, becaufe invariable, than any account, following
the frequent fiuduations of prices, could pofTibly do. Therefor, all
things confidered, the cuftom-houle accounts, though they may have
been Ibmetimes under-entered in the amount of goods charged with
duties, and probably often exaggerated in the amount of thofe that pay
none, undoubtedly contain the befl evidence that the nature of the cafe
admits of. But much caution is necellary, and many circumftances mufl
be duely confidered, before a judgement can be formed from them of the
advantages or difadvantages of any branch of the national commerce.

It has been cuftomary to confider our trade with thofe countries,
from which we import a greater value than we export to them, as un-
profitable ; and that with thofe, to which our exports exceed the value
of our imports, as profitable. But fuch a rule is liable to a great num-
ber of exceptions The apparent balance mufl be frequently erroneous

from the inaccuracy of the valuation. For example ; the Irilh hnens
are all rated in the cuflom-houfe entries in England at 8c/ a yard on an
average, whereas ify a yard, the average price afTumed in the Irifh cuf^
tom-houfe books, is rather under the value. As linens generally con-
flitiite above a half of the value of the imports from Ireland to England
and Scotland, the error in the value of that one article turns the balance
of trade with Ireland againfl Great Britain : [See Lord Sheffield'' s Obfer-
vations on the 7nanufa£tures, is'c. of Ireland, p. 276, third ed. 1785] and
the valuations in many other branches of our commerce are not a whit

more accurate Money brought into Great Britain is not fiibject to

entry, and therefor does not appear in the cuflom-houfe books, any

more than bills of exchange Money carried out fwells the amount of

export entries \, and conlequently enlarges the fuppofed general profit j

* A pretty accurate (lanJard for eftimatiiig the merchandize exported, under the title of Foreign

proportion between the real, and the cultom-houfe, gold and bullion (being /^884,I02 : 1 1 : 3 for the

valuation of any cargo, or any year's exportation, year 1760) wlu'ch, being foreign, muft liave been

of which the particulars are known, is furniihed previouUy imported, though the cullom-houfc

by the declarations now made in compliance with takes no cognizance of the importation. In ex-

the convoy ad, which took place in the year trading the accounts for the years 1760 — 1764 I

1798. A good fpecimen of thofe proportions, have omitted this article, which, as it Hands in the

drawn up by Mr. Irving, the infpcdor-general, exports, appears to fwell the favourable balance ;

will be given with the tranfaftions of that year. whereas it is in fadl the nectfTary payment of an

t Till the year 1765 the gold and fdver carried unfavourable balance. In time of peace, the bul-

abroad were entered iu the cullora-houfe books as lion, which is exported, goes raoiUy to China.

342 A. D. 1760.

though, according to the dodrine that gold and filver are the only
flandard of wealth, fuch exportation is fo much clear lofs to the nation.
— Great quantities of goods, fubjed to high duties, totally prohibited,
or {hipped for exportation upon bounties or drawbacks, are clandeftine-
ly imported. Such importations, though not appearing in the general
account, there is reafon to believe, have confiderable influence on the
exchange with fome neighbouring countries *. And fuch of thofe
fmuggled goods as have been entered for exportation, perhaps over and
over again, thus make great additions to the fallacious eftimate of the
profitable balance, without ever being in reality exported at all for fo-
reign confumption — All goods, exported for the ufe of our armies
abroad, are part of the national expenditure ; and can no more confli-
tute a real part of the profitable balance, apparently fwelled by their
exportation, than the goods taken from his ftock, by a manufadurer or
fhop-keeper for his own ufe, can be flated as enlarging his profitable
fales. — Cargoes entered outward, which are lofl at fea, or taken by the
enemy, fwell the amount of exports, and confequently of fuppofed pro-
fit ; whereas in fad they are a dead lofs to the nation (and, in cafe of
capture, tend to enrich the enemy, by whom they are in reality export-
ed) while the want of the homeward cargo, which fhould have been
imported in return, and which to the individual fuflferer is not only a
real lofs, but a heavy difappomtment and derangement of his plans of
trade, tends to enlarge the fuppofed balance of trade in our favour.
And the lofs or capture of homeward-bound fhips in the fame manner,
by diminifhing the amount of entered imports, fallacioufly adds to the
apparent favourable balance.

On the other hand, there are branches of trade, which would be
ruinous, if the imports did not exceed the exports, or, in other words,
if the balance were not iinf avoidable , according to this flandard of efti-
mation. — Such is the trade with all our Weft-India fettlements, which
have been formed and fupported by Britifh capitals, and in a great mea-
fure owned by proprietors refiding in Great Britain. Therefor the out-
ward cargoes f are to be confidered as the flock employed in the cul-
ture of the plantations ; and the homeward cargoes are in fad the pro-

* For example, can wc fiippofe that England iaids. In the year 1758 the value of the bounty

tliis year bought goods from France only to the linens ftiipped from England to all the colonies

amount of ^37 in return for goods to the amount was /"2CO,657 : 16 : 3, btfides thofe fent from

of /.'2C9,946, or that Scotland took not one arti- Scotland. la 1761 it was only;^i4i,895 : 6 : o ;

cle in return for tobacco, &c. amounting to and in 1762 it fujik (apparently in confcquence

;^34l,87l, feeing that the commerce in tobacco of the war with Spain) 10^28,260: 13 : i ; and

was tolerated on both fides. the vigilance of our own cruifers and revenue offi-

\ While the linens exported on the bounty cers prevented the revival of the lucrative clandef-

were m=de a feparate article in the account of ex- tine trade with the Spaniards on the return of

ports, thcfe outward cargoes were lower than the peace. After the year 1764 the bounty linens

truth by the whole amount of thofe linens fciit to were more properly entered along with the other

the Well-India idands, in which a very large pro- goods in the exports of each particular country,
portion of them was confumed, or fold to the Span-

A. D. 1760. 343

ceeds of that culture, the excefs of which is not a lofs to the nation,
but the real amount of the net profits coming into the pockets of the
proprietors, and giving a very comfortable demonftration how much
the amount of the produd is more than the prime coft. In other words,
the outward cargoes are \.\i^ feed, and the inward cargoes are the harvejL
Neither is the balance, ftated as due to the iflands, remitted to them to
increafe their flock of circulating money. A part of it is paid, as inte-
reft or difcharge of debts, to capitalifls at home, to whom many of the
plantations are deeply mortgaged. Another part (and, I hope, the
largefl) refls with the proprietors, of whom a very confiderable number
are merchants refiding in Great Britain, and many of the others alfo
refide in England, living on the balance of their plantation produce,
which, if not entirely exhaufled in their expenditure, is laid out in pur-
chafes at home, or in improving the Wefl-India plantations, and thus
in either way adding to, and by no means deduding from, the national
opulence.

The fame reafoning will alfo hold good with the trade to Hudfon's
bay, and feveral others, wherein the excefs of the imports is the real
profit, and a continuation ol favourable balances would in a few years
ruin the trade. In fome branches of bufinefs the goods exported are
merely the charges of trade, as is the cafe in all fifheries : for example,
if a large fum appeared as the amount of goods carried to Greenland,
and none at all brought from it, it is evident, that the apparent /^war-
able balance is a dead lofs^ and that the adventurers, befides the goods
ftiipped, and entered as exported, lofe alfo the wages and provifions of
the feamen, and the wear and tear of their fhips ; whereas in fuch trades
the excefs of the imports above the exports (or, if any body pleafes to
call it fo, the unfavourable balance) fhews the amount of the national
gain.

There is another kind of deceptive inference to be drawn from the
cuftom-houfe entries, if not duely guarded againfl. It is neceflary to
advert, that the exports to fome countries conflitute the prime cofl of
cargoes to be Ihipped off from them to a third country. Thus the wines
of Madeira are fent to the Britiili fettlements in the Eaft and Weft In-
dies, and, even if intended for Britain, are often carried by the circuitous
route of thofe diftant regions, before they are brought home. The bulk
of the cargoes from Africa confifts of the miferable natives, who are
fold in the Weft-Indies ; and the proceeds are generally remitted to
Great Britain in bills of exchange, which do not appear at all in the
cuftom-houfe books. And in like manner moft of the cargoes, carried
from Newfoundland and the adjacent countries, conlift of fifh, which
never come to Great Britain, but are fold in Spain, Portugal, and other
Roman catholic countries, and their proceeds alfo brought home in
bills of exchange. •*

344 A. D. 1760.

Were we to eflimate the profperity of a country merely from the
balance of trade in the cuftom-houfe books, Scotland mufl be pronounc-
ed to be in a ruinous flate ever fince the American war, the imports
from foreign countries being generally more than the exports to them ;
as will appear by the accounts to be found in the fubfequent part of
this work. But the truth is, that fuice that event the people of Scot-
land have paid more attention than formerly to manufadlures, which '
(by land carriage and coafting navigation, neither of which appear in
the cuflom-houfe books) are carried to every part of Great Britain, and
enter to a much greater amount into the exports of London than into
thofe of Glafgow : and that, upon the whole, the trade of Scotland is
now more flourifhing than ever.

From what has been faid it will appear, that all arguments, calcula-
tions, or arrangements, founded upon the fuppofed balance of trade,
are very fallacious ; and that thofe founded upon the balance with any
particular country are generally much more fallacious than thofe de-
duced from the general balance of the whole foreign trade of the
nation *.

1761, January 15"' — In India Colonel Coote took the famous city of
Pondicherry, lititated about fixty miles fouth from Madras on the Coro-
mandel coaft, and now almofl the only fettlement in that quarter of the
world remaining in the hands of the French : and, as whatever wealth
remained to them after the redu6lion of their other pofts, was now amaff-
ed in that place, it rivalled, perhaps furpafled, the opulence and commer-
cial fplendour of Madras. This conquefl may be faid to have put an end
to the pov/er of the French in India, of which Major Rennell lliys, that
' it was a bright meteor, that dazzled at firfl:, but which foon burnt itfelf
' out, and left their Eaft-India company in utter darknefs.'

Mr. Law, a nephew of the famous author of the Miffifippi fcheme
in France, having got together a body of about 200 French foldiers,
perfuaded the great mogul to attack Bengal, which was under the pro-
tection of the Britifli forces. The mogul's vafl army was completely
routed by Major Carnack, and the monarch himfelf, together with his
triend Law, made prifoner ; and this fplendid vidory was gained on
the fame day that Pondicherry furrendered.

New taxes being neceffary to fupport the expenfe of the war, an ad-
ditional excife duty of 3/1 was laid on every barrel of beer or ale worth
above 6/, to be brewed for fale in England after the 24th day of Ja-

* Though I am confcious that thefe matters may be nfcfiil to fomc, who have not had occafion

are much better uitdcrftood by many of my read- to turn their thoughts upon fuch fubjects.
trs than by niyfelf, I have thought it would not f In confequence of this advance, the pubh'c-

be improper to fnl^join fucli remarks to the firft ans, after encountering fome oppofition, got the

Itattmcnt of the cullom-houfc accounts, as they price of porter raifed from threepence to threc-

2 pence halfpenny a quart.

A. D. 1761. 345

nuary, and of twenty-four fifty-feventh parts of 3/ in Scotland, agree-
able to the feventh article of the union.

The duties to be raifed by this new excife were appropriated to pay
the intereft of twelve millions now borrowed as follows.

For /^i 1,400,000 the fubfcribers were to receive for every ^^i 00 an
annuity or annual intereil of - - - £^ o o

And alfo an annuity terminable in 99 years of - 126

Both to be computed from 5th January 1761, and to be payable at the
bank in equal half-yearly dividends on the 5th of January and 5th of
July in every year.

The fubfcribers to the remaining ;i{'6oo,ooo were entitled to £6o,oqo
lottery tickets at ^i o each. In this lottery there were 1 1 ,945 prizes
from /^i 0,000 (of which there were two) down to ;^2o ; and the blanks
were entitled to £6. But the holders of the tickets, inllead of being
paid in money, as in the prefent times, were put in pofleffion of fo
much three-per-cent (lock, as fortune appointed for them, to be computed
from 5th January 1762; fo that a prize of ;(^i 0,000 entitled the for-
tunate adventurer to an income of ^^300 a year, and a blank (valued at
£6) to one of ^f'j a year : and the value of them was whatever fuch
income would fell for, according to the fludtuating price of the funds^
[I Geo. Ill, c. 7.]

In every loan adl there is a fedtion, in virtue of which the bank is
to continue a corporation, till all the annuities therein provided fhall be
paid off. But that long term does not extend to the privilege of exclu-
sive banking, or ilTuing paper money.

Mr. John Wood of Wednefbury in Stafford-fhire obtained a grant for
a new invention of making malleable iron out of pig iron *.

Canada being now a Britifh province, the lords of trade and planta-
tions addreiled the king, that the trade of that country might be put
under the fame regulations with that of the other colonies, except fuch
cafes as might be otherways particularly provided for in the capitula-
tion. After the conquell of this vaft province, large orders for furs
were forwarded to this country from Flanders, and even from Ruflia,

* Mr. Eton mentions a difcovery, by an Ara- deavouring to difcover the procefs of his art. {_Sur-

bian at Conftantinople, of the art of calling iron vey of Turkey, p. 227.] Such, for want of the in-

in fuch a manner, that, when it came out of the tcrelt neceifary to procure encouragement, has been

mould, it was pcrfeftly mallealjle : and lie obftrves, the fate of many a vahiable difcovery in other coun-

with fomc indignation at the wretched (late of tries as well as in Turkey.

knowledge and government in Turkey, that this Mr. Reaumur, fo well known for his improve-

art, which might ha^e been of the greateft im- ment of the thermometer, in the year 1772 pub-

portance to fociety, and 'which ivould have injured liflied an elTay on the art of rendering call iron

the inventor a fplendid fortune in Chrijlendom, Ian- duAile and fit to be forged : and a manufaflory

guilhed for want of encouragement, and perifhed of it was fet up in France, but afterwards given

with the inventor, who died poor and unknown, up ; whence we may infer, thnt tl e procefs, if ef-

Some men of fcience (Germans and Italians) after feilual, was unprofitable,
his death puzzled themfelves, but- in vain, in en-

Vol in. X X

346 A. D. 1761.

which, though a country of furs, docs not produce a fufficient quanthy
for the fupply of the inhabitants.

Ireland has of late made a rapid progrefs in national improvements ;
and the grand improvement of internal navigation by artificial canals
has not been negleded. A canal, conneding the interior part of the
country with Newry, had been begun about two years before, and was
now open for the reception of gabbards * and lighters.

The ad of parliament, [6 Geo. II, c. 13.] for fecuring and encouraging
the trade of the fugar colonies, being nearly expired, it was continued
till the 29th of September 1763, and thence to the end of the then next
fellion of parliament f. [i Geo. Ill, c. 9.]

The ad, permitting for a limited time the importation of tallow from
Ireland duty-free, was extended to hogs-lard and greafe. [i Geo. III., c.
10.] It was hoped, that the extravagant price of candles, which preiTed
fo hard on the poor, would thereby be fomewhat reduced : and therefor
this law, fo extended, has been renewed from time to time.

That the importers of gold and filver might not be difcouraged by
any deficiency of the revenue, appropriated for the ftipport of the mints
of England and Scotland, the treafury was empowered to defray the
neceffary expenfes attending them for feven years, reckoning from the
I ft of March 1761, fo as they, with the coinage duties, do not exceed
£1^,000 a year, [i Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

Befides the twelve millions lately voted, the parliament found it ne-
ceflary to provide feveral large fums by exchequer bills, and by bor-
rowing from the bank and from the fmking fund, for the urgent ex-
penfes of the war.

The particulars of the public expenditure of this year, which are any
way conneded with commercial eflablifhments, including colonization,
were the following.

For the fupport of Nova Scotia, - - /^io,595 12 9

For the civil eftablifliment of Georgia, - - 4,057 10 o

Of which fum jTiooo was appropriated for pui'-
chafing from the cultivators the cocoons of the
filk-worn;s: and for the further encouragement
of that branch of indullry, Mr. Ottolengi, an Ita-
lian, was appointed, with a proper falary, to in-
flrud the colonifts in the management of filk-
worms and filk.
j\llowed as a compenfation to the provinces of
North-America for their expenfes in levying
troops to oppofe the French forces, - 200,000 o o

■* Gabbards are Tmall vefTels of a flat conftruftion, fit for coafting and river navigation,
f This fupplemental continuation being, I believe, in all the afts which refer to limited periods, it
ivill not be neceffary to repeat it every time fuch adts are mentioned. 4

A. D. 1761. 347

Allowed to the Eafl-India company towards the ex-

penfe of their military eftablifhment, - 20,000 o o

To the city of London towards repairing and widen-
ing the pafTage over London bridge, - 15,000 o o

For fupporting the Britifh forts in Africa, - 13,000 o o

To which may be added,

For the foundling hofpital *, - - £i\j^,\^'j 10 o

[i Geo. Ill, cc. 18, 19, 20.]

An ad was pafled for enlarging and improving the harbour of White-
haven in Cumberland.

The king having recommended it to parliament to render the con-
dition of the judges more independent, their appointments and fala-
ries were fixed for life, unlefs they fhould render themfelves liable to
be removed by an addrefs of both houfes of parliament, [i Geo. Ill,
f. 23.]

A new machine for catching fifli, faid to be very fimple in conftruc-
tion, and very effedual in execution, was exhibited at Richmond on the
Thames. This one, being on a fmall fcale, was worked by a child : but
the large ones were propofed by the inventor to require only two men,
even in the mod tempeftuous weather ; and it was added, that the ufe
of them was entirely exempted from the very great hazard to which
the lives of the fifhermen are expofed in boats.

The ifland of Dominica (one of thole called neutral iflands) in the
Weft-Indies was taken from the French by Commodore Sir James Dou-
glas, and General Lord Rollo, commander of the land forces, with a
reinforcement furnifhed from Guadaloupe under the command of Co-
lonel Melville, lieutenant-governor of that ifland, Dominica has fince
become a very valuable Britifli colony, as will appear in due time.

The governor of Barbados was commiflloned to be alio governor of
Dominica, St. Vincent's, Tobago, and the reft of the iflands to wind-
ward (eaftward) of Guadaloupe.

The ifland called Belleifle on the coaft of France furrendered to the
Britifli arms. But this capture, which was merely an operation of the
war, had little or no influence upon commerce.

The Dutch this feafon employed 152 veflels in their herring fifliery
on the coafts of Shetland and Scotland, and 122 in their fifliery on the
coaft of Iceland.

While the Dutch were thus working their gold mine f upon the
Scottifti fliores, the Scots had only 17 vefl^els, meafuring 745 tons, and
carrying 1 74 men, employed on this important national objed : and

* A fum almoft as large Was granted the next f So tlie Dutch call their herring fifliery, whid^
year, and fuch grants have been often repeated, as is entirely carried on upon our coalls.
alfo the grants for Nova-Scotia, &c. which are
annual.

XX2

348 A. D. 1761.

this year's was the greateft outfit for the fifliery fince the attempt to re-
vive it by bounties *.

In a treaty of peace and commerce concluded with the emperor of
Morocco in July 1760, and ratified 5th Auguft 1761, it was ftipulated,

Article 2, 6) That all Englifh (hips arriving in any port of the em-
pire of Morocco, and finding their cargoes unfaleable there, fhould be
at liberty to carry them to any other port of the empire, and pay duty
■only once, fire-arms, fwords, and other implements of war, and mate-
rials for building fliips, being free of all duty ; and that (hips bound to
other parts of the world, calling at any of the ports of Morocco, ftiould
pay no duty ; and fliips belonging to either party, driven into the ports
of either country by ftrefs of weather, fhould be proteded, and enjoy
perfedl liberty.

3, 4, 17) Ships of both parties fhould have liberty to navigate the
feas without any fearch or hindrance on fhewing their pafTports.

7, 8) The king fhould be at liberty to eftablifh a conful, or confuls,
in the dominions of the emperor, who fhould refide in what ports or
places he, or they, fhould think proper ; they, and all the Britifh mer-
chants, with their families and fervants, enjoying perfed liberty, reli-
gious, civil, and commercial. And the fubjeds of Morocco fhould en-
joy equal liberty in Britain.

12) Subjeds of Morocco carrying cargoes from Britain fhould have
the advantage of a Britifli convoy to Qibraltar, and thence to their own
port on the coafl of Morocco.

15) All fubjeds of the king, whether Britifli or German, found on-
board the fliips of any other nation, with whom the emperor of Mo-
rocco is at war, are to be delivered free of ranfom to the Britifh conful,
or the principal Britifh merchant at the port they are carried into. The
people of Morocco, found onboard any vefFcl taken by Britifh fhips of
war, are to be treated in the fame favourable manner.

24) The payment of 225,000 pefos duros [hard dollars] was to be
jconfidered as entire fatisfadion for all redemptions, differences, difficul-
ties, &c.

The people of England now beginning to underftand the great ad-
vantages of inland navigation, the duke of Bridgewater's example was
followed on the oppofite fide of the country in a canal extending
from Lynn to Northampton, the navigation of which commenced
with the paflTage of 38 barges loaded with coals. Sec. on the 7th of
Augufl.

It is faid, that the Dutch annually receive from this country the
enormous fum of /^i 00,000 for the fingle article of turbot, and alfo
large fums for other fpecies of fifh. The Norwegians alfo carry off
large fums for lobfters and crabs. It was therefor a patriotic undertak-

^ A chronological ftatement of the Scottifh filheiy will be afterivards inferted. 3

A. D. 1761. 349

ing in the fociety for the encouragement of arts and commerce to ad-
vance ;^2000 upon a plan fuggefted by Mr. TuU (the fon of the founder
of the horfe-hoeing fyflem of huihandry) for fupplying London with
filh brought from the coail by land-carriage, which was put under the
management of Captain J. Blake.

Upon invitation from Sir Samuel Fludyer, the firfl; new lord mayor
of London after the king's marriage, the king, queen, and royal family,
the court, and the foreign ambafladors, were entertained at the inftalla-
tion dinner at Gild-hall ; on which occalion one of the foreign mini-
fters was fo ftruck with the fuperb difplay of the magnificence and opu-
lence of the city, that he faid, fuch an entertainment was only fit to be
given by one fovereign to another.

A method of preferving the bottoms of fhips from the worm, and
from the adhefion of weeds, had been fome years before this time fub-
mitted to the fociety for the encouragement of arts and manufadures ;
and fome experiments, made in various climates, with wood prepared
according to the diredions of the inventor, were found fatisfadory ; fo
that this new method was fuppofed to be of infinite fervice to all kinds
of fhipping.

But this method was foon fuperfeded by another, and apparently a
more effedual, prefervative, compofed of thin ftieets or plates of fmooth
copper, which no worm or animal of any kind will touch, and no ve-
getable will adhere to, which are great objeds in point of fwift failing.
It likeways keeps the fiiip tighter than any other iheathing, and is infi-
nitely preferable to the old flieathing of lead, which was clumfy and in-
tolerably heavy ; whereas the copper is neat and much lighter than the
thinnefl fheathing of boards, and lafts alraofl as long as the fhip can be
kept afloat. The firll trial was made on the Alarm, one of the king's
fhips, at Woolwich : and it foon came into general ufe, not only in the
navy, but alfo in the merchants' fervice.

A manufadure of cambric, in imitation of the French fabric, was
efiablifhed at Winchelfea, which was expeded to be of great national
advantage, by faving the great fums fent to France for that article.

Among the patriotic grants of the Irifh parliament for the general
improvement of the country, the following are feleded, as more imme-
diately conneded with commerce and manufadures.

To the trufiees for the linen manufadure for two years * >C8,ooo

To encourage a cambric manufadure at Dundalk - io75

To the corporations of feveral inland navigations - 13,500

The great canal from Dublin to the Shannon - 10,000

Making the Shannon navigable from Limerik to Kilaloe 8,coo

* By the judicious management of the truftees the h"nen mamifiifture of Ireland was tliis year in-
crcafed upwards of /^So,': eo, and was Hil! incrcsfing.

350 A. D. 1761.

For a new key and other improvements at Limerik - 4,500

Improving the navigation of the Barrow and the Boyne 4,000

Building piers at Dunleary and Balbriggan - - 4,500

Improving Cork harbour by clearing the channel - 4,000

Finifhing the harbour of Wicklow - - 19850

To linifh a dock at Dublin _ _ _ i ^000

To lengthen the wall of the ballaft-office - - 5, 000
And to the Dublin fociety for the improvement of hufband-

ry and other ufeful arts _ _ _ 12,000

Thefe grants, when added to thofe voted for churches, fchools, hofpi-
tals, mills, &c. are, confidering all things, wonderfully liberal : and there
is this great blefling that attends fuch expenditure of public money,
that, if the objed: fnould even not be accomplifhed, yet the money is
employed in diffufing induflry and comfort among a vaft number of
workmen, who are thereby enabled to maintain their families, and to
raife up a healthy and induflrious race of future workmen to fuppojt
and enrich the flate. And as fuch pubhc works, confidered and plan-
ned by the national wifdom, and executed under the fuperintendence
of men of the firfl profeffional abilities, fcarcely ever mifcarry, they are
in every fenfe the furefl means to enrich a country. The fame, or fi-
milar, grants were repeated, as often as they were needful, by the par-
liament of Ireland.

For the convenience of change, gold pieces of the value of 5/3, called
quarter guineas, were coined ; but being very fmall, they were found
trifling and inconvenient, and the circulation of them was difcontinued
in a few years.

The following is a ftatement of the number of cattle, &c. killed in
the city of London during the year 1761.

711,121 flieep and lambs,
78,254 bulls, oxen, and cows,
104,760 calves.
The following ftatement of the royal navy of Great Britain in the
year 1761, may be ufeful in order to compare it with fubfequent
ones.

[46,932 hogs for pork,
41,000 hogs for bacon,
52,600 fucking pigs.

2 fliips of the I ft rate,
carrying - 96toiiogunsj

II - 2d rate, 84 — 90

60 - 3d rate, 64 — 80

43 - 4th rate, 48 — 60

71 - 5th rate, 26 — 44

40 - 6th rate, 16 — 24

68 - floops, 8 — 14

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1760 to Chriftmas 1761 was as follows.

I 2 bomb veflels ;
10 fire fliips ;

4 ftore ftiips ;

39 hired armed veflels ;
7 royal yachts ;

5 fmall yachts ;

Total, 372 veflTels of all kinds.

A. D. 1761,

35'

Counti-ieSj &c.
Africa
Canai'ies

Denmark and Norway
East Country
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Ireland
Iceland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prussia
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Straits
Sweden
Tm-key
Venice

Guernseyj &c.
BeUe-isle

America in general
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Cape-Breton
Quebec
Nova-Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Virginia and Maiyland
Carolina
Georgia
Antigua

Bermuda

Guadaloupe

Jamaica

Montserrat

Nevis

New-Providence

St. Croix

St. Christophers

St. Thomas

Tortola

Monte Christi

St. Eustatlaius

British and Irish linens

exported on bounty to

various countries
Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain -

Imported into

Exported from j

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

a^l2,201 3 2

a6'325,307 1

11

,^1,700 6 4

482 17 10

64,543 5

1

78,3/7 6 11

^25,286 3 2

111,227 0

1

44,013 U 0

133,536 7 0

202,254 16

1

840,987 11 4

845,797 0

4

30,54(j 11 5

425,130 19

4

480 8 2

74,242 5

7

102,951 14 2

704,744 13 5

12,002 8 1

2,249,279 2

9

82,719 4 2

7,972 17 10

34 11

10

437,127 7 7

86,981 19 3

2,245,695 12

4

436,470 1 4

853,804 8 0

101,992 16 11
12 10 0
59 6 0

1,476,114 14

3

166,282 6 4

21 15 0

1,878 6 0

761,916 18 7

199,461 6
46,931 16

9

4,173 15 0

6,714 15 9

9

1,826 11 2

13,850 17 6

3,097 17 3

3,831 11 1

241,956 1 9

8,211 19 1

1,264,071 15

]

2,100 13 7

765,427 17 9

77,658 4 6

47,479 17

10

238 10 0

433,917 4 9

4,837 18 11

1,253,737 17

1]

10,597 18 5

103,628 16 5

389,577 5

2

270,968 7 7

27,781 14 7

23,128 4

8

2,998 0 5

163,366 19 6

54,282 14

2

15,229 12 5

26,367 6

85,OqO 2 8

6,469 16 8

54,433 18

1

124 10 0

821 4 0

379,662 9 3

54,576 12

8

304,527 10 2

11,294 3 2

5,858 16

10

25,282 7 8

57,m 2

10

16 0 0

14,015 16 1

226,292 9

5

80 14 0

59,408 17

3

46,225 11 n

334,225 13

48,648 0 2

289,570 5

1

39,170 0 0

204,067 2

3

455,083 0 2

545,350 14

6

253,002 17 11

254,587 11

0

5,764 11 9

24,279 19

9

280,869 10 1

108,244 4

8

253,q0O 10 1

215,479 16"

3

1,266 0 3

14,207 2

2

482,179 2 2

131,942 19

11

932,197 5 8

441,618 12

3

79,982 0 4

21,072 2

9

67,538 12 3

12,134 14

4

1,727 7 0

199 10 0

254 11

5

294,850 14 5

134,069 11

n

5 0 0

44,286 2 11

998 4

2

8,314 U 5

2,533 4
5,603 6

154,550 18

5
0

248,702 5 1

195,164 14

1

9,543,901 14 4

14,873,191 0

10

748,639 15 0

748,639 15 0

1,165,722 1

2

1,165,722 1 2

10,292,541 9 4

16,038,913 2

0

35

A. D. 176]

Britilh,

P.„,„.

1

Veffels.
4164
5818

Tuns.

527.557
466,096

Veffels.
1848
1079

Tuns,
180,102
119,308

Vefftls.
6012
6897

Tuns. 1

707,659
585,404

There were entered this year from and to foreign countries in tlie
various ports of Great Britain :

Inward
Outward

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 611 9 veiTels of the reputed burthen of 405,793 tuns..
and of Scotland 956 - - - 51,523

Total 7075 - - - 457^31 6

The net amount of cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-a-half-
per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year, was,
from the cuflom-houfe in London, - ^^i, 858, 151 18 11

and from the cuflom-houfe in Edinburgh, - 8,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cufloms of Great Britain, ;^i ,866,151 18 11

And there were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year

11,790 pounds of gold, value - - £55°,^^7 ^5 o

and I o poimds of filver, - - - 31 o o

X;'55o,9i8 15 o

1762, January 4''' — War was proclaimed againfl Spain.

January 22^^ — A treaty was entered into with the bey of Tunis ; but
though called a treaty of commerce, it contains nothing worth men-
tioning in a commercial point of view.

A loan was opened for twelve millions by open fubfcription at the
bank. For every j^*! 00 the fubfcribers were entitled to an annuity,
which was to continue at £4 for 19 years, and afterwards to be reduced
to jC3, and alfo to a terminable annuity of ^i for 98 years. [2 Geo.
Ill, c. lo.]

The trade carried on by the French with the Weft- Indies, though
crippled by the capture of feveral of their iflands, was ftill confiderable
and produdive : and therefor the Britifli miniftry confidered their re-
maining iflands as the points wherein they were moft vulnerable, and
by the poiTeflion of which a peace might moft fpeedily be effeded.
Martinique, the chief of the French windward iflands, was according-
ly attacked by a confiderable force under the command of General
Monkton and Admiral Rodney ; and by a final capitulation (for there
were two previous partial ones) the whole ifland was furrendered to the
Britifli commanders (February 13th).

The conqueft of this important ifland naturally drew after it the fub-

A. D. 1762. ^^^^

mifllon of the remainder. Grenada and its dependencies, and St. Lucia
and St. Vincent's, long the fubjeds of fierce contefts between France
and England, following the fame example, France had not now a fmgle
poffeflion in any of the iflands to windward of Puerto- rico. All were
fubjedl; to Great Britain. And though thefe iflands are only fpecks on
the furface of the ocean, yet being vigoroufly cultivated, exporting the
whole of their produce, and importing nine tenths of all the articles
neceffary for their fubfiflence and for carrying on their cultivation, the
trade of each fmgle ifland with the mother-country is equal, or even
fuperior, to that of fome kingdoms *. ,

The number of houfes in Bofton, in New England, was found on a
furvey to be 2757. If we allow five inhabitants to every houfe, the
number of inhabitants will be 13,785.

It may certainly be confidered as a proof of the profperity of the people
of Ireland, as well as of their fatisfadion with the condu6l of the earl of
Halifax, their lord-lieutenant, that they addrefl'ed him with a propofal of
augmenting the falary of himfelf and his fucceflx)rs to /^i 6,000 a-year.

The lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia having conciliated the friend-
fhip of the neighbouring Indians, who had been converted to the re-
ligion and interefts of the French, an act of the legiflature of the pro-
vince was palTed to guard againft the interruption of the harmony, by
fraudulent practices in thofe who trade with the Indians, and to oblige
all fuch to take out licences, and give fecurity for their compliance with
the regulations of the a6t. This adl moreover eftabliftied a tariff of re-
gulated prices, which were fixed as the fi:andard of the trading inter-
courfe between the white people and the Indians.

A pound of the befl: fpring beaver was valued at 5/, and efl:abliflied as
the fixed fi:andard, by which all other goods were to be valued as follows.

1 large cat-fkin (loup fervie) 2 lb.
Seal-fkins, according to fize,

from 8^ to 3y4
6 lb. of feathers - i

I large blanket - 2

Rum, per gallon - -i. .

Molaffes, per gallon - f
30 lb. flour - I

14 lb. pork - I

Stroud, per yard - 1 4

and all other merchandize in pro-
portion to thefe rates.

i^ lb. of fall beaver

I otter-flcin

3 fable, or martin flcins

6 minks-fkins

lomulk-rats or mufquafhfkins

5 lb. of deer-flcin

10 ermine-fkins

I large good bear-fkin i-i- lb.

I red fox'fkin - 4-

I black fox-fkin - 2

I filver fox-fl<in, - 2^

I large mooie-flcin - i-!r

* In this fame year (1762) the produce of Martinique imported into Great Britain exceeded that
of any other of our iflands, Jamaica and Guadaloupc (alfo lately a Fiench illand) only excepted ; and
the returns of its commerce were more extcnfive than thofe of our trade with Denmark and Norway,
with Sweden, or with Spain.

Vol, III. Y y

354 A. D. 1762.

From a ftatiflical furvey of Nova Scotia, taken at this time, the po
pulatiou and cultivation were as follows.

In Halifa?c 25CO people, Lunenburg 1400, Horton 900, Cornwallis
600, Liverpool 504, eleven other towns, or tovvnfhips, from 60 to 350,
1 840 — Total 7744.

There were 14,640 acres of cleared upland in grafs, and 86,000 acres
of fait marfh in fom.e degree of cultivation.

For the encouragement of the fifheries of Nova Scotia, parliament
permitted fait to be carried to that province from any part of Europe
in Britifh vefTels, as by the ad, 15 Cha. II, was allowed to Newfound-
land and New England. [2 Geo. Ill, c. 24, pajfed 2d June.']

According to the report of Mr. Jones, who was fent by the governor
of Jamaica to the Mufquito fhore, to acT: in place of the deceafed fuper-
intendent, ' from the year 1759 to 1762, the Mufquito fhore was in-
' habited by 203 white people (the detachment of 30 foldiers included)
' with 189 free meflees and mulattoes, about 3000 Mufquito Indians,
' and 914 negro Haves, in all 4506 fouls, befides the friendly Indians

* on the back part of the country. The imports of Britifh commodi-

* ties, on an average amounting to /^ 18,500 a-year, and the exports to
' ;C3o»792, employed T150 tuns of (hipping and 115 feamen.'

The commodities furnifhed by the native Indians are mahogany, far-
faparilla, filk-grafs, honey, bees'-wax, deer and leopard fkins, hammocks
made of cotton and filk-grafs, cotton cloths called cavallys for covering
beds and tables, which they make large and fine, of various colours,
with flripes and figures. They alfo furnifh great quantities of turtle-
fhell.

Mr. Jones obferves, that the imports and exports of the bay of Hon-
duras are much larger than thofe of the Mufquito fhore.

Parliament pafTed a new ad for providing a reward for the difcovery
of the longitude at fea, whereby a fum not exceeding ^^2000 was ap-
pointed to be paid by the commifTioners of the longitude to any per-
Ibn whofe propolal they fhould think deferving of a trial. [2 Geo. Ill^
c. 18.]

'I"he many improvements of the inflruments ufed for taking the al-
titude of the fun, have made it perfedly eafy for navigators to afcer-
tain their latitude very exadly, every day that the fun is vifible. But
for the longitude they were obliged to depend upon the accuracy of
the courfe fleered, and the menfuration of the fliip's velocity by an in-
flrument called the log, which are both liable to much uncertainty —
from the indeterminate allowance for currents and lee way, which mufl
depend on the judgment, or conjedure, of the navigator — from an er-
roneous conftrudion of the compafs — from erroneous meafurement of
the log-line — erroneous quantity of fand in the half-minute glafs — inex-
perience of the perfon heaving the log— fwell of the fea — variation of

A. D. 1762. 255

ihe fhip's rate of going between the ftated times of heaving the log, &c.
Hence a method of afcertaining the longitude, with the fame degree of
accuracy which is attainable in the latitude, has for ages been the
grand defideratum in navigation : and fince the year 1714, when the
parliament offered a reward of /^20,ooo for the befl method of afcer-
taining the longitude at fea, many fchemes have been devifed, but all
to little or no purpoie, as going generally- upon wrong principles, till
that heaven-taught artifl:, Mr. John Harrifon, arofe.

It is evident, that as the globe revolves round its axis in twenty -four
hours, every one of the 360 degrees of longitude mull be equal to four
minutes of time ; and conl'equently, that if a fhip has failed from any
given point, where the fun was in the zenith, (or in his meridional al-
titudej and next day, when the fun is in the zenith, it is found by a
watch, which goes perfedly true, that it is four minutes after twelve,
the fhip has made one degree of difference of longitude to the weft-
ward ; or, if the watch wants four minutes of twelve, one degree of
eaft longitude ; and fo in proportion for any greater or lefs difference.
Hence nothing more is required to make us fure of the longitude than
a watch perfedly true. But watches, like all other produdions of hu-
man art, are liable to error, and are, moreover, in a confiderable de-
gree affected by the changes of the atmofphere. To the corredion of
thefe defects Mr. Harrifon devoted the afliduous ftudies of a long life ;
and he produced, what is probably, in principle, the neareft approach
that ever will be made by human ingenuity to the great objeft of the
wiflies of navigators and philofophers, a chronometer or time-keeper,
which, in two voyages made by his fon to the Weft-Indies, under the
direction of the commiflioners of the longitude, was found to determine
the longitude at fea with an accuracy beyond the niceft exa6lnefs re-
quired by the aft of parliament, as appeared by certificates from the
captain and officers of the fhip, which was appointed to attend him on
the trial, and alfo from the governor of Jamaica.

The board of longitude thereupon paid Mr. Harrifon X^i5oo. And,
that we may connetft the whole of this bufmefs together, parliament
next year ordered /*5ooo to be paid to him, on condition that he fliould
lay open to the public the principles upon which his time-keeper was
conftruded : and they promifed to pay him the remainder of the
^20,000, if on further trials in the courfe of four years it fliould ftill
be found to afcertain the longitude within the required limits of exaft-
nefs; daring which time no other artift fhould be permitted to compete
with him in the fame line of difcovery. \^Aci 3 Geo. JII, c. 1 4, pqffed
2,\Jl March 1763.] At different times thereafter Mr. Harrifon obtained
payment of the remainder of the ;^20,ooo.

Time-keepers have ever fince been made upon Mr. Harrifon's prin-

Y V 2

^^G A. D. 1762.

ciples with great fuccefs, and alfo with improvements, by feveral watch-
makers. The general ufe of them onboard the navy, the Eafl-India
fliips, and many private merchant fhips, has been productive of this
important advantage to navigation, that a very great number of the
prefent race of navigators are much better acquainted with the prin-
ciples upon which the fcience of navigation is founded, than their pre-
decefTors generally were, many of whom knew nothing further than
merely how to ufe the inftruments, apply the rules, and extradl num-
bers from the tables, which men of fcience had conllruded for their
ufe, without ever bellowing a thought to inquire, why thofe inftru^
ments, rules, and tables, were fo conflru(fted. To the ufe of time-
keepers in the hands of men of fcience we are alfo indebted for the
great improvements lately made in the knowlege of currents in the
ocean, whereof we may expecS foon to poffefs accurate charts defcrib-
ing their courfe and velocity as corredly as the foundings and fet of
the tide are marked in the prefent charts of harbours and bays. Thus
does Harrifon's invention conftitute a new and a fplendid sera in the
hiflory of navigation.

The board of longitude alfo gave a premium of £500 to Dodor Ir-
win for his invention of a marine chair, which enables the navigator to
obferve the heavenly bodies during a ftorm with as much fteadinefs and
certainty, as if he flood on firm ground.

In order to prevent the damages and thefts committed upon the
fhipping in the river Thames by people carrying on a petty trade upon
the river in boats, commonly called bum-boats, all fuch traders were
ordered to be regiftered, and fubje6ted to regulations. The crime of
cutting or damaging cables, cordages, buoys, &c. belonging to vefiels,-
was made punifhable by tranfportation for feven years ; and perfons
convi6led of buying goods ftolen upon the river were fubjeded to pu-
nifhment by tranfportation for fourteen years *. [2 Geo. Ill, c. 28.]

Rye in Suffex, one of the antieat port-towns, diilinguilhed by the
name and privileges of the Cinque ports, had been ruined by the re-
cefs of the fea, and afterwards in the fixteenih century in a great mea-
fure reftored by two irruptions of the fame element, which has fo often
made great revolutions in the ftate of the ports on that coaft. Thefe
advantages wei'e improved by a cut capable of carrying veflels of above
300 tons as high as Winchelfea, which was now completed.

It is very agreeable to be able to record, that the iuccefs of the Bri-
tifh herring fiihery on the coafl: of Shetland this year exceeded that of
the Dutch, and that the Britifli yaggers reached the firft markets at

* Mr. Colquhoun, in his very ufcful Treat'tfe on the commerce of the river Thames, p. 48, obferves,
that fourteen years elapfcd after this ad was pafTed, before any one of its provifions was carried into

A. D. 1762. 357

Hamburgh and Bremen, though the number of Dutch veflels, as ufual,
greatly exceeded ours.

The whale fifhing this year had very little fuccefs.

From London 7 fhips got 7 fize-

able fifh and 1 1 very fmall ones.

From Hull 2 fhips - o fifti.

Newcaftle 4-1

Liverpool 2 - i

Exeter i - o
1 1 very fmall.

EngliOi fhips 16 - 9 fifh.

^ ships. ■

izeabl
fish

From Leith - - i

4

Borrowflounnefs 2

0

Anflruther (i fhip loll) 2

0

Dundee (2 very fmall) 2

0

Dunbar - 3

3

Aberdeen - i

I

Scottifli fhips - 1 4

And 154 Dutch fhips got only 43 fifh.

The Havanna, a place formed by nature and by art for a moil; fpa-
cious, fecure, and, I might almoft add, impregnable, harbour, the moft
important fettlement belonging to the Spaniards in the weftern he-
mifphere, and the general center of all their commerce in that quarter
of the world, was attacked by a formidable force under the command
of Lord Albemarle and Admiral Pococke ; and after a gallant and ob-
flinate defence of ten weeks, was furrendered, and with it a confider-
able diflrid of Cuba, the largeft ifland of the Weft-Indies, on the 14th
of Augull. By the capitulation, all the private property was fecured to
the inhabitants. But above twenty capital fhips of war, mofl of them
of the line, and all the money and merchandize belonging to the king
of Spain, eftimated at near three millions flerling, fell into the hands
of the conquerors. One confequence of this important conqueft was,
that a very confiderable trade was immediately opened with it, as will
appear in the ftatement of the imports and exports, for the fhort time
it continued in our hands : but the principal value of it was, that, as
the lofs of it flruck at the very vitals of the commerce and revenue of
Spain, it was very inflrumental in refloring the blelfrngs of peace.

Though the mere depredations of war do not properly belong to the
hiflory of commerce,, yet a brief notice may be admitted of the cap-
ture of the Hermione, a Spanifh regifter fhip, loaded with bullion and
rich merchandize, which afterwards fold for confiderably above half a
million flerling, by two floops of war, as having contributed, with the
treafure brought from the Havanna, to iucreafe the circulating money
of the nation *.

* Of the prize-money, the admiral and two cap- who could take care of their moocy ; and fome

tains had each about ^^65,000, the commiffioned of the petty officers, by retiring to their native

officers about jT 1 3,000, the warrant officers about places, and entering into the herring fidiery, be-

iC4335' "-'^^ petty officers about ^1804, and the came men of confequence, and chief magiilrates

private men about jf^Sj each. All were enriched of the towns. .

358 A. D. 1762.

It is fcarcely worth while to obferve, that the French took polTeflion
of Newfoundland in June, and were driven from it in September this
year. The temporary fuccefs gave no advantage to the French, though
confiderable damage was thereby done to our fifhermen.

The Portuguefe, who in the fifteenth century were the firfl maritime
power in the world, had now declined fo much from their anrient pre-
eminence, that about half a dozen fhips of the line, and a few frigates
compofed their whole navy, when they were attacked by the united
powers of France and Spain, in order to compell them to withdraw
from their connection with Great Britain : and to that ifland, which in
the days of their fplendour fcarcely poflefled a fhip of war, the Portu-
guefe now looked up for protection, and the prefervation of their na-
tional independence. After they recovered from the conflernation of
the firfl attack, the natural fi:rength of the country, which, under the
management of the great Viriathus, baffled the power of Rome, when
in the zenith of her military glory, was judicioufly taken advantage of
to retard the progrefs of the invaders ; and two furprifes of the Spanifh
armies by General Burgoyne completed the deliverance of Portugal ;
after which a feafonable fall of heavy rains put a flop to further hofti-
lities, till they were more happily terminated by the conclufion of a
general peace.

In the meantime an expedition, againft the moft important pofleflion
of Spain in the eaftern world, was undertaken at Madras under the
command of General Draper and Admiral Cornifh, who with a fmall
force made aia attack upon Manilla, the capital of fourteen valuable
and important iflands in the Indian ocean, fubjeCt to the crown of
Spain, and the entrepot of a very limited, but very rich and lucrative,
commerce with America, the Indian iflands, China, Japan, &c. which,
with all its dependencies, furrendered on the fame day that the Britifh
forces completed the expulfion of the Spaniards from Portugal. The
conquerors permitted the inhabitants to preferve their property, and
even their own government, on condition of paying a ranfom of a mil-
lion of flerling money. The ranfom, however, has never been paid ;
and they would have reaped nothing but barren laurels from their
victory, if two frigates detached from the fquadron had not taken a
galleon, which had fome time before failed from Manilla for Acapulco
with a cargo valued at about half a million flerling.

Thus in the courle of a few fhort months were the Spaniards be-
reaved of their mod capital pofTeffion in the Wefl-Indies, and of all
their dominions in ihe Eaft-Indies, upon which the whole fyflem of
their commerce and revenue in the two hemifpheres depended ; their
vafl: unweildy empire lay bleeding at every vein ; and, for fome time at
leail, they might defifl from their empty boaft, that the fun never fcts
in their dominions. 4

A. D.I 762. 359

The immediate reftoration of Manilla and the iflands dependent on
it, in confequence of the peace, prevented the conqueft of them from
having any effect upon the Britifh commerce. Neither could it have
any influence upon the treaty of peace, which was concluded before
the news of it reached Europe.

Notwithflanding the flattering accounts given by Do6lor Bufching of
the great improvements in trade and manufactures effeded in the Pruf-
fian dominions by the Fi^ench, Swifs, and German, refugees, we may
venture to fay, that trade was held in contempt, and confequently very
far from being in a flouriihing condition, where a reprelentative of the
fovereign could iifue the following proclamation.

Proclamation by the Frujfian governor of F/eyherg.

* Whereas I have been informed, that fome of the inhabitants of
' Freyberg, and particularly certain merchants, have taken it into their
* heads to forge, and publifli for true, reports to the difadvantage of
' the arms of Pruffia, I declare by thefe prefents, that the firfl: who
' fliall dare to utter one fentence, either to the difadvantage, or the
' advantage, of the Pruflian arms, Ihall be taken up, and punifhed as
' a fpy.

' It is an indecency not to be fuffered for burghers to prefume to
' talk of fl:ate affairs, in which fuch pitiful creatures can do neither
' good nor harm. But I fliall certainly take rigorous methods to make
' an example in terrorem. Every burgher who favours the defertion
' of any of my men, fliall be treated as a defer ter himfelf. The ma-
' giftrates muft take care to curb the burghers more vigilantly than
' they have hitherto done, otherways I fliall make them accountable
' for all the malevolent reports which may be publiflied, as it is their
' duty to watch over the condud of the merchants as well as the other
' citizens. It belongs not to fuch as they are to interfere in the affairs
' of war or peace, and much lefs in the good or bad fuccefs of the bel-
' ligerent powers.'

We have not, I believe,any fpecimen of the contempt of trade among
the antient Roman, plunderers, that comes quite up to the fpirit of this
capital production of modern defpotic infolence. What would we think
of a Britifh ofHcer, who fhould prefume to fpeak or write in fuch a
manner ?

The preliminaries of peace were figned at Fontainbleau on the 3d of
November, and the ratification was exchanged at Verfailles on the 22d,
fo that the war may be faid to be now at an end. It was ftipulated,
that all prizes taken fix weeks after the ratification, beyond the Chan-
nel, in the Britifli feas, in the North fea, in the Mediterranean, and the
Atlantic ocean, as far as the Canary iflands, fliould be reltored on both

360 A. D. 1762.

fides ; as fliould alfo all veflels taken three months after it beyond the
Canaries as far as the Equinodial line, and all thofe taken fix months
after it in any part of the world beyond the Equinodial line.

Soon after the publication of this happy intelligence, a free inter-
courfe with France by the packet was permitted.

Hithero the figns, and the gutters for conveying the rain water from
the roofs of the houfes, had projeded in a moft unfeemly and incom-
modious manner into the ftreets of London. But a law was now made
for the removal of thefe nuifances, and for affixing the names of the
ftreets on every corner, with a penalty of 40/ on every one who fliould
efface any fuch name. [3 Geo. III^ c. 23] It is a pity, that this excel-
lent regulation of civic police is not more ftridly enforced. Perhaps it
is not aflerting too much to fay, that the convenience and eafe pro-
ceeding from the names on the corners of the ftreets, and the numbers
on the doors of houfes, conftitute one of the moft eflential differences
between a great city inhabited by a well regulated and poliftied people,
and a great mafs of buildings poftefled by a people only emerging from
a ftate of barbarifm.

The following particulars of the public expenditure of this year de-
ferve our attention, as being conneded with the interefts of com-
merce.

For the civil eftabliftiment of Nova Scotia, - £s^'^^ 1 10

For the civil eftabliftiment of Georgia, - 4057 10 o

(Of which Liooo to be given in bounties for the
cultivation of filk, as before.)
Compenfation to North- American provinces for their
expenfes in levying troops to oppofe the French, - ^32»332> ^ 8

Allowed to the Eaft-India company, towards the ex-
penfe of their military eftabliftiment,

To the city of London for improving the bridge,
For maintaining the Britifli forts on the coaft of
Africa, - - _____

To the Britifti mufeum, _ _ _

(This grant, with fometimes a different fum, is re-
peated every year.)
For a bridge over the Tweed at Coldftream, - 4000 o o

The following is a retrofpedl of the export trade of the old Eaft-India
company, extradled from accounts made up at various times by their
own accountant.

20,000

0

0

15,000

0

0

13,000

0

0

2000

0

0

In the

year ending 29tli September

1699
1700

i;oi

8 ships II

10

14

A. D. 1762.

361

British manufac-
tures, &c.*

Foreign bullion |
and goods.

Total.

£40,674 11 0
60,028 7 0
75,527 19 9

^^28b,720 8 8
280,042 15 8
438,610 4 0

^327,394 19 St

340,071 2 8
514,138 3 9

And the following retrofpedl fhews the exports of the prefent com-
pany; and is in like manner compiled from the returns of their acount-

Average of 10 years, ending 29th Sep- "^
tember

of 9 years ending in

of 8 years ending in

of 7 years ending in

of 3 years ending in

of 3 years ending in
1 year ending September

724/
1733
1741
1748
1751
1755
1756
1757
1758
1759
1760

British manutac-

Total.

^99,410 12 10

a^518,102 11

0

^617,513 3 10

105,699 16 5

510,131 17

0

615,831 13 5

157,944 4 7

476,852 2

9

634,796 7 4

188,176 16 2

548,711 19

2

736,888 15 4

165,757 3 2

605,376 18

0

771,134 1 2

340,917 19 11

815,514 7

7

1,156,432 7 6

226,131 1 3

620,378 16

8

846,509 17 11

314,947 4 11

795,007 18

11

1,109,955 3 10

285,070 13 10

450,252 13

3

741,323 7 1

327,332 7 6

172,604 8

0

499,936 15 6

334,416 6 6

142,922 8

0

477,338 14 6

It was obferved by Mr. James, the fecretary of the Eaft-India com-
pany, that in the four years ending with 29th September 1762 the
quantity of bullion, exported by the company, fell fhort of what was
exported in the four years ending with the 29th September 1758,
;(J2, 1 06,780 : 8 : I, while the amount of woollen manufadtures exported,
exceeded that of the preceding four years by ^^386,625 : 2 : 11, and
that there was alfo a great increafe in the laft four years of the quantity
of copper fhipped, the excefs of that article, which is a new branch of
the Eaft-India trade, being ^108,521 : 10: 2.

* The culloms and other charges are included In the cofl: of the goods.

f The bullion confided chiefly of Spanilh dollars, rated at j/fterling ; the goods confifted of fureign
ftationary ware, wine, medicines, &c.

t Part of the exports of 1699 were for the ufe of an embalTy, for which the company alfo fhipped
onboard his Majclly's (hip Harwich goods and money to the amount of £5>559 : 14 : n.

1699
1700
1701.

The flilps we

e configned as follows :

■s

-0

i

1

if

1

g

.s .

Il

II

2

1

^

u ^

w

0

0

<

h-1

cq

s

1

1

1

3

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

1

2

0

2

0

0

1

2

0

3

2

0

2

0

1

3

I

n

1

1

Vol. III.

362

A. D. 1762.

The iiicreafe of the woollen manufadures and the copper he afcribes
to the interruption of the French trade in India during the war, as well
as to the conftant endeavours of the company, to fend out as large pro-
portions of the manufactures and produce of Great Britain as poflible,
in preference to gold and bullion.

He further accounts for the decreafe of bulUon in the lafl four years,
partly by the great fums paid to the company by the country princes
in purfuance of treaties, but chiefly by the larger fums paid into the
company's treafuries by individuals, who had acquired fortunes, which
they wiflied to remit home by bills of exchange on the company in
England.

In the year 1761 the Hudfon's-bay company, induced by the general
opinion, that the opening, called Chefterfield inlet, afforded a conlider-
able profped: of a pafllige into the Pacific ocean, difpatched a floop un-
der the command of Captain Chriflopher to explore it. On his return
he reported, that he had navigated the inlet for more than 150 miles in
a weflerly direction, till he found the water perfedly frelh, but that he
had not explored the head of it.

In order to put an end to every doubt, he was again fent, in com-
pany with Mr. Norton, this year, with orders to trace it to its fource, if
pradicable. They found that the frefh-water river was the outlet of a
lake, which was 24 miles long, and 6 or 7 broad, and that a river flow-
ed into the lake from the weft, which they alio explored in boats, till
their further progrefs was prevented by falls. So it was afcertained that
no paflage was to be found in that diredion *.

A proof ot the increale of inhabitants, and of the commercial profper-
ity of London may be drawn from the quantity of coals imported
which amounted this year to 570,774 chaldrons; almoft double the
quantity of the annual importation in the early part of this century.

The following account of the exports of South-Carolina may be ufe-
ful for comparing the progreflive profperity of that province.

From November 1 "60

From 23d December 1761

to September 1701.

to

1st September 1/62.

Rice - barrels

100,000

62,288

Indigo - pounds

399^3^^^

249,000

Pitch - - barrels

6,375

3.110

Tar

931

4,808

1,119

'T'nt*i>Ar\t'm*^ -^.^_^^.^_

X urpeniine - — _—— —

TinfiTi

19

Oranges (befides 161,000

144

4

* The account of thefe two voyages, whicli have efcsped the refearches of Fcrdcr, the author of
the lliflory of voyages and ilifcover'ies in the North, is extradtcd from GMJoiis Cbf:rvatktis on the ^''Jfugc
h:twcen the /Llanik and Pacific oceam.

Pork and beef (almoft all
pork) - barrels

Bacon -

Hams - - — — —
Filh

Indian corn and peas (moft-

ly corn) bufhels

Oats - -

Deer fkins in hogfheads, in
calks, in bundles, and
loofe - _ -
Tanned leather - fides
Bees-wax - pounds
Myrtle-wax candles boxes
Staves - - pieces

Hoops -

Shingles

11,126

422 h.331 b. 300 1
5.869
6,721

Timber, boards, &c. feet

Laths

pieces

Handfpikes
Furs inhogfhead

s, barrels,

and bundles

-

Pink-root

calk

Potatoes

bufhels

Soap

boxes

Tallow

barrels

Butter

kegs

Tobacco

hogfheads

A.D. 1762.

From November 1760
to September 1761.

1,149
13

3^$

236,850

29,600

522,167

466,186

From 23d December, I/6I
to 1st September 1762.

2,296

1,648 lb.

5

41

27J74
388

331 h. 12 c. 215 b. 1043 L

6 cafks

14

i57>88o

14,500

674.750

103.293

3.500

400

360

I h. 2 bar. i bund

20

100

32

80

14

The following articles were exported from Georgia from 5th January
1762 to 5th Janufiry 1763.

Rice in barrels and half barrels
Rough rice (i. e. with the hulk on)
Indigo - - - -

Tar

Pork , - - .

Beef

Indian corn _ _ _

Deer fkins in hogfheads and bundles
Beaver fkins _ - _

Tanned leather

bufhels
pounds
barrels

7440b. ii9h.b.
776

9^633
246

292

38

1250

96 h. 832 b.

1,602
z 2

buHiels

bundles
fides
Z

3^4

Staves and heading

Hoops

Shingles

Pine timber

Handfpikes

Bars

A. D. 1762.

pieces

feet
pieces

359.002

10,500

688,045

417.449

1,050

2,033

It is to be obferved, that in thefe colonies the manufadure of lum-
ber, comprehending timber, flaves, fhingles, 8cc. and alfo pitch, tar,
and other commodities procured from trees, the natural growth of the
foil, was merely a part of the procefs of clearing the ground; and the
comparifon of the exports of South-Carolina for only thefe two years
fhews, that a confiderable quantity of ground was cleared in 1762,
which was in a flate of nature in 1761 in that province.

The oranges exported from Carolina are of a kind called bitter-fweet,
very different from the fvveet kind, which we call China oranges. The
later kind are carried to Carolina from the Weft-India illands.

Georgia was yet in its infancy ; and the whole goods imported from
it to Great Britain this year, were not equal in value to the quantity of
cotton, a new and moft valuable article of its produce, which fometimes
comes now (1799) in one confignment to a fingle merchant in the city
connedted with that country.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1761 to Chrillmas 1762 was as follows.

Countries, &c.
Africa
Canaries

Denmark and Norway
East Countiy
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland -
Ireland
Iceland
Alann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prussia
Portugal
Russia'
Spain
Straits
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Imported into

Exported from 1

ENGLA^

D.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

a£30,540

16

3

^£273, 127 18

7

1,912

19

0

370 0

9

70,4-4

16

1

^'25,911

0 10

142,053 9

8

^16,860 8 3

105,373

8

10

298,776 6

2

()72,838

11

7

1,067,353 13

0

25,252

1

360,462 6

10

3,120 17 11

12

2

J"

171,535 18

10

160,754 8 4

516,489

9

6

9,621

7 2

2,435,106 5

3

90,057 0 2

4,217

8

17 3

1

493,944

14

2

84,887

4 1

2,107,957 16

11

321,060 19 7

889,368

6

10

115,358
12
2

10 1
14 4
0 0

1,528,605 6

10

153,462 14 1

21 2 6

1,866 15 9

508,951

14

5

509,517 13

10

3,577 10 0

3,729

19

7

11,412
3.460

2 1

12 6

43,232 6

5

216 5 0
2,115 6 4

359,127

14

s

6,274

1 1

908,729 2

9

165 5 0

627,451

19

1

51,163

11 0

61,509 19

8

326 2 6

131,279

7

1

472

6 7

139,580 19

5

1,354 18 9

11,876

17

10

58,964 12

9

201,160

3

0

22,315

16 9

17,507 13

7

5,068 14 2

71,761

9

9

63,738 19

5

9,916

0

8

32,246 18

5

A. D. 1762.

365

Imported into

Exported from j

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

£ 127,682 1 2

^2,924 8 4

e£44,481 11 11

^25 5

0

715 3 0

21,625 7 9

326,347 17 u

169,963 9

9

12,119 I'l 5

4,122 2 9

23,436 8 11

35,387 13 1

32,079 9 6

148,478 4 2

1,14-t 6 5

25,071 2 4

41,733 17 6

247,385 18 3

58,882 6 5

288,046 16 10

38.091 2 2

206.199 18 8

415,709 10 9

417,599 15 6

181,695 10 3

194,170 14 1

6,522 17 7

23,761 8 10

48,761 16 7

68,149 2

8

249,367 0 9

125,323 9 0

254,860 17 6

213,177 4 5

988 15 0

7,786 7 0

26,560 16 9

119 6 1

513,244 9 9

1 70,226 9 1
^\6.777 9 11

852,777 14 0

460,631 16 0

288,425 8 8

166,196 2 5

57,122 6 0

23,895 9 11

42,095 3 8

9,066 6 3

1,902 7 3

4,-164 4 10

6,254 6 9

246,360 16 0

102,627 2 10
525 16 5

33,265 3 6

2,052 0 1

20,487 8 0

29,331 19 9

302,819 10 0

235,364 8 9

8,870,234 14 3

13,545,171 1 c

708,925 9 4

708,925 9 4

998,165 5 9

998,165 5

9

9,579,160 3 7

14,543,336 6 C

Gountries, Sec.
Guernsey, &c.
Belle-isle

America in general
Hudson's bay-
Newfoundland
Quebec . - -
Nova Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Virginia and Maryland
CaK)lina . - .
Georgia ...
West-Indies in general
Antigua

Barbados - - -
Bermuda - . -
Grenada - - -

Guadaloupe
Havanna

Jamaica - - -
Martinique
Montserrat

Nevis - . .

New- Providence
St. Croix
St. Christophers
St. Thomas
Tortola
Monte Cliristi
British and Irish linens

exported on bounty to

various countries
Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain, -

There belonged this year to all the ports

of England 59'^S veflels of the reputed burthen of 402,740 tuns,

and of Scotland 964 - - - 53,046

Total

6879

455,78^

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Wefl-India four-and-
a-hah per cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was from the cuftom-houfe in London, - X^i, 854,2 17 o 8

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 4,200 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain /^i, 858, 417 o 8

366 A. D. 1762.

Tliere were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
11,850 pounds of gold, value - - £553,6c)i 5

and 1,020 pounds of filver _ _ , 3,162 o

£55(^,^53 5 o
1763 — The definitive treaty of peace was concluded at Paris on the
icth of February ; and it was proclaimed with the ufual folemnities at
London on the 22d of March, and in all other parts of the Britifh do-
minions as foon as the proclamation arrived at them.
By this treaty

Article IV) France ceded to Great Britain Nova-Scotia (or Acadia)
with all its dependencies, Canada w-ith all its dependencies, Cape Breton,
and all the iflands in the gulf of St. Laurence ; the French inhabitants
having their option to remain aftd become Britilh fubjeds, with liberty
to enjoy their own religion, ' as far as the laws of Great Britain per-
* mit,' or to fell their eftates to Britilh fubjeds, fettle their affairs, and
depart with their moveable property within eighteen months, to be
computed from the ratification of the treaty.

V) The French had liberty to fifh and to dry their fifh on a part of
the coafl of Newfoundland, as fpecified in the 13th article of the treaty
of Utrecht, and to fifti in the Gulf of St. Laurence at the difi;ance of at
lead three leagues from all the coafis and iflands belonging to Great
Britain, and in the fea adjacent to Cape Breton, which ifland they were
not to approach within fifteen leagues ; the fifhery on the coaft of Nova-
Scotia and other places not adjacent to the Gulf ot St. Laurence re-
maining as fettled in former treaties.

VI) The iflands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, (near Newfoundland)
were ceded to the French for a flicker to their fifliermen, with an ex-
prefs engagement, however, that no fortifications fliould be ereded, nor
any military force be ftationed on them, except a guard of fifty men,
merely for the police.

VII) In order to prevent all difputes concerning boundaries, a line,
drawn through the middle of the river Miflifippi, from itsfource down to
the branch, or mouth, of it called the Iberville, and through the middle of
that branch and the lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the fea, was de-
clared to be the fixed and irrevocable limit, the port of Mobile with all
the country on the eafl; fide belonging to Great Britain, and New Or-
leans with its ifland and the country on the weft fide belonging to
France ; the navigation of the Miflifippi being perfedly free to both na-
tions from its fource to the fea, notwithftanding- that both its banks
near its mouth are in the territory referved to France.

VIII) The iflands of Guadaloupe, Marie-galante, Defirade, and Mar-
tinique, in the Wefl:-Indies, and Belle-ifle near the coaft of France were
xeftored to France, the Britifli fubjeds fettled in them having eighteen

A. D. 1763. 367

months allowed them to wmJ up their aftairs and fell or remove their
property ; for which purpofe Britifh veflels, not exceeding a limited
nvimber and tunnage, were permitted to make one voyage each to thofe
iflands under certain ftipulated regulations.

IX) The iflands of Grenada and the Grenadines were ceded to Great
Britain, with the fame ftipulations in favour of the inhabitants* refped-
ing their reHgion and property, that were provided for thofe of Canada
by the fourth article. Of the neutral iflands, St. Vincent, Dominica,
and Tobago, were ceded in fall right to Great Britain, and St. Lucia to
France.

X) On the coafl; of Africa Goree was reflored to France : and the
river Senegal with all its rights and dependencies, together with the
forts and factories of St. Louis, Podor, and Galam, were ceded to Great
Britain.

XI) In the Eaft Indies Great Britain reflored to the French the fac-
tories they pofl^efTed at the beginning of the year 1749 in Coromandel,
Orixa, Malabar, and Bengal, they renouncing all pretenfions to any
places in Coromandel and Orixa acquired fince 1749, and reftoring all
places taken from Great Britain in the prefent war, and efpecially Na-
tall and Tapanoully (or Bencoolen) in the ifland of Sumatra, and en-
gaging to eftablifli no forts or garrifons in Bengal.

XII) France reflored the ifland of Minorca to Great Britain.

XVII) The king of Great Britain engaged to deftroy the fortifica-
tions erected in the Bay of Honduras and other Spanifli territories in
America; the king of Spain engaging that the fubjecls of Great Bri-
tain fliould not be molefted in cutting or fliipping logwood.

XVIII) Spain, having no conquefts to refliore, yet defirous of appear-
ing to concede fomething, gave up a claim, faid to be made by the
people of Guipufcoa, to a right of fifhing in the neighbourhood of New-
foundland *.

XIX) Great Britain reflored to Spain the Havanna with the annexed
large diflridl of the ifland of Cuba, the Britifli fettlers having eighteen
months allowed to prepare for their departure on the fame terms agreed
on for the evacuation of the iflands ceded to France by the eighth
article.

XX) Spain ceded to Great Britain Florida, comprehending all the
country between the river Miflhippi and the Britifli province of Georgia,
except the town and ifland of New Orleans belonging to France, the in-
habitants being allowed to remain and enjoy their religion, or retire in
eighteen months, as fl:ipulated for the French Canadians by the fourth
article.

The other articles of the treaty relate to arrangements on the conti-

* Such a claim had been mentioned in the treaty of the year 1713, wi.cn it w.is allowed to lie over
lifiexplained.

3

3^8 A. D. 1763.

nent of Europe, the decifion of difputes refpecling prize fhips, the time
fixed for executing the feveral cellions of territory, &c.

The peace, though it was differently received by the different parties,
who, in all free governments, take oppofite fides upon every queflion of
great importance, mufl be allowed to have been very advantageous to
Great Britain, in fo far as it completely accomplifhed the object, for
which the war was profeffedly undertaken, the perfccT: fecurity of the
Britifh colonies in North America from the encroachments of the
French ; who, as well as the Spaniards, were now far removed frona
their neighbourhood, and from any power, or opportunity, of giving
them the fmalleft uneafinefs on the fubjed of difputable frontiers.
Though many iflands taken from the enemy in the Weft-Indies were
reftored, yet Great Britain retained at the peace a number of newly-ac-
qnired iflands ; perhaps more than the population and capital of the
mother country were capable to people and cultivate immediately with-
out fome inconvenience. The arrangements in Afia were very favour-
able to our Eafi:-India company. And in Africa we obtained the ex-
clufive trade in gum fenegal, an article of great ufe in many manufac-
tures : nor was the increafed demand, which the fettlement of the new
tropical territories would occafion for negro flaves, negieded by the ad-
vocates for the terms of the peace, in euunierating the advantages re-
fulting from it.

Befides, it ought to be remembered, that, though Great Britain was
enabled by a progrefiive increafe of commerce, even during the heavieft
preffure of hoftilities, to carry on the war at an expenfe, which, not
very many years before, it would have been fuppofed utterly impolfible
to fupport, and in a triumphant manner, which to a nation of mere
warriors, fuch as the antient Romans, might have been even lucrative,
yet neither the fupplies of men nor money could hold out forever.
A peace was therefor neceffary, that the fiirength and refources of the
nation might be allowed to recruit, independent of the interefts of hu-
manity, and, I may add, of commerce, which required that the world
Ihould repofe from the toils of v/ar, and the horrors of flaughter and de-
vaftation.

The lieutenants of the navy made a propofition to the lords of the
admiralty for keeping in employment two hundred and fifty of the
frigates and armed fhips, to be commanded and manned by 1500 offi-
cers of the navy and 17,500 feamen, to be paid by the government,
and to be fent upon the whale fifliery at Greenland and Davis's flraits.
Eftimating by the profits made by the Dutch in that fifhery, they cal-
culated the profit to the nation at ;^roo,ooo yearly, befides the advantage
of keeping up a nurfery of feamen, and having fo many hands actually in
the fervice of government ready upon any emergency, without difireis-
ing the merchant fervice. The project, however, was not approved of j

4

A. 0,1763. 369

and It may be doubted, whether the additional number of whales caught
could be in proportion to fo great an additional number of fhips going
in queft of them, or, if they fhould be caught, whether there would be
confumption for the oil, &c. The arithmetical rule of three is not in
all cafes infallible.

The emprefs of Ruffia publifhed an edidl inviting foreigners of all
nations and religions, except Jews, to fettle in any part of her empire,
with perfe6l liberty of confcience, and even a permiflion to be govern-
ed by laws framed by themfelves. She moreover promifed them mo-
ney and materials for building, and for carrying on trades, with an
exemption from taxes for a certain number of years. Such encourage-
ment to induftrious ftrangers, if perfevered in, would foon civilize and
enrich that vaffc empire.

Though petty afts of piracy are frequently committed, there are few
inftances, in the prefent improved flate of maritime power, of any vef-
fels cruiling as profefTed pirates to make war upon all nations indifcri-
minately. About this time, however, fome fuch, manned with gangs
of ruffians of all nations, made their appearance in the Weft-Indies ;
but they were foon fupprefted. This pirating was a dreg of the war.

Some confiderable improvements v/ere made in the methods of ex-
tradling water from mines, coal-pits, &c. One was by a large cylinder
of iron meafuring 74 inches in the bore, made at thefoundery at Coal-
brook dale in Shroplbire, which enables the fire-engine to deliver 307
hundred-weight of water at every ftroke. Another was by a new en-
gine working with horizontal wind fails, capable of raifmg to the height
of thirty feet from eight to twenty hoglbeads of water, according to the
force of the wind, at every ftroke. About the fame time a faw-mill
was invented, which could work either by wind or water, for which the
fociety for the encouragement of arts and commerce gave a premium
of an hundred guineas to Mr. Stansfield of Bingley.

March 24''' — The law for the regulation of the price of bread by the
magiftrates was extended to Scotland. [3 Geo. HI, c. 6.]

The outftanding debts of the navy, the vidualling and tranfport bills,
and ordnance debentures, amounting to £,3,^']0,']2g : 2 : 8 were funded,
with an annual intereft of four per cent, payable at the bank, to be
reckoned from the 25th of March 1763. [3 Geo. Ill, c. 9.]

There were other unfettled claims upon the public for the expenfes
of the war, for the fatisftidion of which other fupplies were neceflary.
Therefor, befides drawing /^2, 000,000 from the finking fund, and ifih-
ing /^i, 800,000 in exchequer bills, it was refolved to raife money by a
loan and two lotteries. The loan was for ;^2, 800,000 bearing intereft
at four per cent from 5th April 1763, the fubfcribers moreover receiv-
ing, as a douceur, a lottery ticket at the price of/^io for every ;(^ioo
fubfcribed. The lotteries were for ^350,000 each, both to be drawn

Vol. IIL 3 A

370 A. D. 1763.

in the year 1765, the prizes in which (being nearly the fame as in the
laft lottery) were to be flock bearing four per cent intereft, and the
blanks were to be rated at ,^5 ; that is to fay, they were entitled to an
annual income of four fliiliings each,

March 3i'' — In order to provide for the intereft of the new funded
debts, an additional duty ot £S per tun was laid on French wine and
vinegar, and £4. per tun on all other wine and vinegar, payable upon
importation; alfojTa per tun on foreign cyder and perry imported, and
ibur (hilUngs per hogfhead on cyder and perry made in Great Britain.
IsGeo. Ill, c. 12.]

As foon as the propofal for laying a duty of excife upon cyder and
perry was publicly known, an outcry was raifed againft it, which was
more violent, and more general, than any fimilar explolion of dif-
content fmce the year 1733, when a great minifter was on the point of
falling a facrifice to an excife fcheme. The tax was reprobated as
partial and oppreflive, laying the burthens of the whole nation upon
that part of the country where thofe liquors were ufed, and grofsly
violating the liberty of the people, by fubjed:ing their houfes to the
vifitation and fearch of revenue officers. The clamour, though vehe-
mently fupported by the city of London, however, died away, and the
tax took place. It muft be acknowleged, that the drinkers of cyder
and perry ought to contribute to the national expenditure, as well as
the drinkers of malt liquor; and if they had hitherto been indulged or
overlooked, that was no good reafon for a continuance of the exemp-
tion. After all, the duty was lighter than that on malt liquor ; private
perfons, upon paying a compofition according to the number of their
families, were exempted from the vifitation of the excife officers ; and
occupiers of houfes rated not above forty (hillings a year to the land tax,
or making not above four hogflieads in the year, were entirely exempted
from paying any duty : fo that it was upon the whole probably as un-
exceptionable as any excife duty can poffibly be.

As an inftance of the opulence and liberality of the Eafl, we may
briefly notice the will of Omichund, an eminent black merchant at
Calcutta, wherein legacies were bequeathed to charitable inftitutions in
many different parts of the world, and among the reft confiderably
above ;^5ooo to the Magdalen and Foundling hofpitals of London,
which money was actually remitted by his executor.

The encouragement for indigo produced in the Britifh plantations,
was continued till the 25th of March 1770, and thence to the end of
the next feflion of parliament ; but the bounty was now reduced to four
pence a pound, to commence from the expiration of the time limited
for the former bounty.

So much were the Venetians now reduced from their antient domi-
nion in the Mediterranean lea, that they paid down 50,000 ducats, and

A. D. 1763. 371

moreover agreed to pay 5000 more every year, to the Algerines, for
permitting only fifteen Venetian fhips to trade freely in the Mediter-
ranean. Thefe fifteen ihips muft carry on a very great, and a very
lucrative trade, to enable them to pay fo heavy a tribute *.

The Genoefe, the antient rivals of the Venetians in commerce and
maritime power, were alfo fo much funk from their former condition,
that they were not able to keep the ifland, (or, as they affeded to call
it, their kingdom) of Corfica in fubjedlion, the confequence of which
was, that they made over their title in the fovereignty of it to France.
The event, which is foreign to the plan of this work, is fufficiently
known.

The lords of trade and plantations, in their report to the king upon
the advantages to be derived from the territories vefted in Great Britain
by the peace, obferved, that hitherto the Britifh fiihermen had been
excluded fi-om the fifhery of the River St. Laurence, and of the coafts
and iflands of the Gulf of St. Laurence, by the treaty of Utrecht, which
gave the French the fole right to that mod: valuable fifhery called by
them the ' peche fedentaire' (fedentkry filhery) ; but that, fince thefe
coafts had fallen into our hands by the redudion of Chiebec, the cap-*
ture of whales, fea-cows, feals, &c. was already carried on by Britifli
fubjeds to a greater extent than it ever was by the French ; and the
extenfivc ti-ade with the Elkimeaux Indians for oil and furs, hitherto
enjoyed by the French, muft now fall into our hands by the annexation
of Labrador to the government of Newfoundland. The iflands of St.
Pierre and Miquelon, referved to France by the treaty, being deftitute
of wood and water, and incapable of raifing provifions, could never en-
able the French to carry on a profpcrous fifhery; but they might be the
feat of a moft pernicious contraband trade, if not watched with the ut-
moft vigilance. The fur trade, if we except that of the Hudfon's-bay
company, and fome fkin trade in the provinces of New-York and Caro-
lina, had hitherto been almoft engrofled by the French, who, contrary
to the ftipulations of the treaty of Utrecht, took pofleflion of all the
great lakes communicating with the River St. Laurence, whereby all in-
tercourfe between the Indian tribes and the Britifh provinces was cut off.
By the total ceflion of North America the whole of this trade muft now
be free to the fubjeds of Great Britain, who being relieved from the in-
terruptions of the French and the French Indians, would undoubtedly
carry the trade to an extent hitherto unknown, whereby a demand muft
be created for vaft quantities of Britifli manufadures to be exchanged

* From Chanclltr'5 Travels I find, that in the ftationary among the Venetians, who about 600

Mcditerrnnean the Venetian vefTels are generally years ago were the greatell maritime power in

remarked and ridiculed for their flow failing ; and Europe, while other nations, who then had fcarce-

of courfe they muft fall a facrifice to every hoflilc ly any (hipping, have been continually improving

vefTel of fufficient force, that can get fight of in it.
them. Surely nautical fcience mud have remained

3 A 2

372 A. D.I 763.

with the Indians for their furs and fkins *. Another great advantage, to
be derived from thofe territories, is the prodigious ftores of wood in the
northern regions fit for mafts to the royal navy, and for boards, ftaves,
&c. fo neceflary in the fugar colonies.

Florida, the new-acquired province in the fouthern part of North
America, was reprefented as capable of producing indigo, filk, and many
of the tropical productions.

The new-acquired ifiands in the Weft-Indies promifed a great increafe
of fugar, coffee, cotton, and other tropical produce, of which our old-
fettled iflands fcarcely aftord a fufficiency for our own increafing con-
fumption.

The advantage pointed out, as the refult of our acquifition on the
coaft of Africa, was the fecurity of the gum trade from the monopoly
of it, which was lately in the hands of the French by their poflefllon of
the River Senegal.

Such, according to the obfervations of their lordlhips, were the ob-
vious advantages to be expeded from the territories ceded to Great Bri-
tain by the definitive treaty of peace, which could only be fecured by
an immediate eftablifhment of regular governments with fufficient
ftrength to encourage new fettlers, and to protect the former inhabit-
ants in the enjoyment of the rights and privileges referved to them by
the treaty.

That part of the report, which refpeds the fifliery in the Gulf of St.
Laurence, was confirmed by the fuccefs of the New-England whale-fifli-
ers, who in the year 1761 employed in it ten veflels of about 100 tuns,
in 1762 fifteen, and in 1763 above eighty veflels; whereupon the in-
creafe of the quantity of whale-bone imported from New-England to
Britain reduced the price of that article from ^^500 to ^^350 a tun.

An improved method of curing falmon with fpices was difcovered by
Mr. Alexander Cockburn, fiflimonger in Berwick, for which he obtain-
ed a patent.

So eager are the Dutch for a regale of herrings at the beginning of
the feafon, that two barrels were fold at 570 gilders {£s'2- fterling), and
i2|^ were fold at 460 gilders (about /!"42), being a parcel difpatched
from Shetland at the beginning of the fifhery. It is well worth their
while to fend off fo fmall a cargo, to be fold for above 600 guineas ;
but the prices, it feems, are not every year quite fo high.

About the end of July feveral merchants in Amfterdam failed for
large fums, and their failure was followed by the bankruptcy of a much
greater number of others in Hamburgh, and fome of the other princi-
pal trading towns in Germany, which for fome time put almoft an en-
tire flop to all bufinefs, no one being willing to deliver any goods but

• The reader will be enabled to judge of the extent of the fur trade of Canada from the accounts
of it to be given under the years 1766 and 1787.

A. D. 1763. 7,^7,

for ready money. Many more merchants, who were in good circum-
ftances, would have been obliged to ftop payment, if the Lombard
houfes in Amfterdam and Hamburgh had not affifted them with large
advances of cafli, and if the magiflrates had not wifely interfered, by
protecting from arreft the merchants who could make it appear by
their books, that they really polTefTed fufficient funds for the difcliarge
of their debts. On this trying occafion theBritifh merchants ad:ed with
the mofl honourable liberality, by giving larger credits to their corref-
pondents in the hour of their dillrefs, than they had ever done in the
feafon of their profperity, and even fending large remittances for their
fupport, which they were enabled to do, by the no-lefs-Uberal determin-
ation of the bank of England, and the principal bankers, to fufpend the
paymevit of their own bills. Thefe generous meafures fo far reftored
public credit, that in a few weeks bufmefs went on nearly as before.

The failures were by fome afcribed to the large fums owing by the
Britifti and French armies, and by others to the vaft quantity of bafc
money ifllied by the German princes during the war, for which the
merchants had expected to receive the value, or at leaft a confiderable
part of the value, it was iflued for. It is reafonable to believe, that both
thefe caufes co-operated, and that even the peace, by fuddenly drawing
off the trade enjoyed by thofe neutral places during the war, might be
inftrumental in producing a derangement in the affliirs of thofe con-
cerned in it.

The king of Pruflia, in order to encourage manufadures in his elect-
oral dominions, prohibited the importation of filks, chintzes, and cot-
tons, and even went fo far as to order all fuch goods already in the
country to be exported, under a penalty of 100 crowns for every ell.
If his own people were able to fupply the demand, fuch regulations were
not impolitic, though the later part was furely too harfh.

The expuliion of the French from North America was not produc-
tive of that perfect tranquillity that was expeded. The Indians, efpe-
cially thofe who had been in the French intereft, and whom our people
feem to have negleded and defpifed, more than was coniiftent either
with humanity or good policy, were greatly alarmed at the chain of
garrifons eftabliflied in their country, the intention of which they ap-
prehended to be no lefs than the extirpation of the antient poffelTors.
In confequence of this apprehenfion, a very extenfive confederacy was
formed among them ; and the back fettlements of Pennlylvania, Mary-
land, and Virginia, were attacked at the time of harvefl; with an unani-
mity and effect, of which Indians were not fuppofed capable. In feveral
engagements our leaders were abfolutely out-generalled by the Indian
chiefs ; and, though at the end of the campaign they were rather
checked, we had no reafon to boafl of our fuccefs. All the itinerant
traders, who, fuppofmg themfelves perfedly fecure, were difperfed

374 A. D. 1763.

through the Indian country, were murdered, and their property feized,
to the amount, it is faid, of feveral hundred thoufand pounds ; the lofs
of which fell heavy on the principal trading towns in America, and, no
doubt, alfo on their correfpondents in Britain.

It is worthy of notice in this work, that a happy expedient was hit
upon for making a fhip ride eafy in a ftorm at fea, which was effedled
by launching overboard a fpare boom made faft to the end of a haufer.
This kind of floating anchor w^as found to a6l alfo as a weather fhore in
I'creening the fliip, which fell to leeward of it, and rode with her head
to the wind, from the fury of the fea, after her main maft was cut
away. To a negro feamen the world is indebted for the difcovery of
this improvement, which is now commonly, and fuccefsfuUy, pradlifed.

The merchants of Liverpool concerned in the exportation of rock-
falt to the Auftrian Netherlands, and the proprietors of the fait mines in
the neighbourhood of that town, were greatly alarmed by the Auftrian
government reviving the old duties, amounting to a prohibition, upon
Britifli fait ; in confequence of which many large orders for that com-
modity were this year countermanded, whereby great confufion and
damage were brought upon the trade ; and the proprietors of the fait
mines, with the great body of people depending upon them, were very
much diftreffed.

In a memorial to the lords of trade they reprefented, that the ex-
portation of rock-falt from Liverpool to the Auftrian Netherlands com-
menced in the year 1756, when only 30 tuns were fent ; that it had in-
creafed ever fmce, and that in the year ending with the 5th April 1763,
there were fliipped 6979 tuns ; that the promifing appearance of the
trade had induced the proprietors of the mines to lay out great fums in
finking new pits, building ftore-houfes, and barges fit for the conveyance
of the fait to Liverpool by an inland navigation of near forty miles ;
that this new trade had brought along with it a confiderable exportation
of the produce of the Britifli colonies, and of lead and lead ore, which
have all been paid for with ready money ; and in this point of view,
and as a fund of employment in a temporate climate, for about 7000
feamen, including the barge-men on the inland navigation, and as be-
ing, moreover, lb much deduced from the commerce of the French,
our rivals for trade and power, this trade may deferve to be valued as,
perhaps, luperior to a Weft-India colony.

It ought, however, to be obferved, that this trade was begun by Mr.
Ryngaut, a citizen of Ghent, as an appendage to the tobacco trade,
v/hich was his chief object, becaufe he wanted ballaft for the fliips he
was obliged to charter, for carrying his tobacco from Liverpool to
Oftend.

Fort- Louis, on the River Senegal, with its dependencies, being de-
livered by government into the management of the committee of mer-

A. D. 1763. 375

chants trading to Africa, they appointed a governor to take charge of
it, whofe duty it was to aflifi: every Britifli trader within the extent of
his influence to the utmod of his power, it being the intention of the
legiflature, that all Britifh fubjeds fhould have a free trade upon that
coafl, according to certain regulations.

The committee of African merchants complained, that the funds al-
lowed by parliament were not near fufficient to repair the various forts,
which were all left in ruinous condition by the late royal African company.

If the great advantages that commerce, and moft probably Britifli
commerce, will, in feme future day, derive from a knowlege of the in-
terior regions of Africa, are confidered, no apology will be required for
inferting the following

Abridgement of the account of the River Senegal and the adjacent country^ from
a letter written hy Mr. Barnes, governor of Fort-Louisy to the committee
of merchants trading to Africa.

The River Senegal has fuflScient depth of water for veflels drawing
nine feet, for 86 leagues from its mouth. The beft time for going up
is the beginning of July, and the voyage takes up from five to eight
weeks. The end of Odober is the befl; time for the downward pafilige,
which is generally performed in three or four weeks.

At the head of the River Senegal there is a ridge of mountains, be-
yond which, according to the natives, there is a great river, like the
Senegal, called the Black river *, which runs eaftward into a great lake,
around which there are fettlements of white people f , who have a num-

• Neel il Abecd (the river of the black peo- ' [or Bambarina], has no affinity with the Ara-
ple), and Neel il Kibeer (the great river), are the ' bic or Turkifli.' Surely their language having
indigenous names of this river, ihe coniTe of which no affinity with the Arabic is no rcafon for fun-
has fo long puzzled geographers. Neel or Nil pofing them to be Arabs.

fignifies fimply river, and is a veiy propei name for Tbough Mr. Park's travels in the interior pait

tlie one river of Egypt. of Africa did not extend to the great lake, nien-

■\ It would be too romantic to hope, that this tioned by Mr. Barnes, nor do any of the conver-

civiiized white nation may be found to be the oft- faticns he had with the negroes on the banks of

fpring of a remainder of the Carthaginians, If the Niger, Neel-iU-Abeed, or JuUba, feem to en-

they ihould be really Carthaginians, and fliU re- courage us to hope for any knowlege of fuch a

tain the literature and fcience of their anceftors, white nation on the banks of the great lake ; yet

what a bright Itream of illumination might an ac- the agreement of Mr. Barnes's information with

OjUaintance with them throw upon an interefting that obtained by Captain Blankett's friend gives

poition of antient hiftory, which is fo miferably us fome rcafon to hope to be made acquainted

defeftive, from our having heard only one fide of with fuch a community of white people. Mr.

the ftory. It is worthy of obfcrvation, that (ac- Barnes, when examined by the committee of privy

cording to the information received from a negro council, faid, that he had been told, that tliofe

trader in the upper parts of the Gambia, by a white people had a fort mounted with guns upon

gentleman of veracity and information, formerly the lake ; and people, who had feen them, laid

tmployed by the African company, and commu- that they do not fpeak Arabic. Though the

nicatcd by Captain Blankett of the navy to the language of the Arabs was antiently akin to that

committee of the privy council, when engaged in of the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, we may

the confidciation of the flavc trade,) ' The Ian- well fuppofe, that they are very different now, ifl

guage fyokeu by the white men (who are fup- the later be really anywhere i.. exiftence.
pofed to be Arabs) of Tombuto and Banbara. 3

376 A. D. 1763.

ber of velTels, and carry on an extenfive trade upon the lake, and up the
river mto the country of Bambarina, the chiefs of which are extolled
for their politenefs and civility.

From this great country comes above one half of the gold, and mofl:
of the flaves purchafed at Senegal and Gambia, and almofl all the flaves
and gold of Morocco, Algier, Tunis, and the Levant.

This valuable country might very eafily be explored by means of
fome of the natives of Senegal ; and the author of this account is able
to point out fome men of fenfe and fidelity, mafters of Arabic learning,
and every way capable of undertaking the bufmefs *.

November 21" — The lords of trade and plantations gave notice, in
the London gazette, that all perfons defirous of grants of lands- in Eafl
Florida and Wefl Florida, for the purpofe of raifmg filk, cotton, wine,
oil, cochineal, indigo, &c. might apply to Mr. Pownall, their fecretary,
without delay.

The quantity of filk produced in Georgia this year was only 953
pounds, which was 87 pounds lefs than the produce of the preceding
year f.

Mr. Martin Kuyck Van Mierop, a member of the Ruffian company,
who had been a fador in Perfia from the commencement of the trade
to the termination of it (nine years), reprefented as proofs of the great
advantages to be derived from the trade to Perfia through RuHia, that
it was carried on entirely with Britifli manufadures, tin, cochineal, indi-
go, and coral beads, but that nineteen parts in twenty of the whole va-
lue confifted of woollen goods, and that no money nor bills were re-
quired— that almofl the whole of the returns to England were in raw
filk — that the filk fent to Europe by the Ruffian and Armenian mer-
chants, owing to unfair packing, fold 20 per cent lower than what is
lent by the Englifli fiidors. The roads from Ghilan to Smyrna and
Aleppo being utterly impaifable during the convulfions in Perfia, it is
now impoflible for the Turkey company to import any filk ; therefor
it is of the utmoft confequence, that liberty be fecured by the treaty,
now negotiating with Ruflia, to carry on that trade J.

* With Mr. Barnes's account of the Interior part J The firft treaty with Ruffia, after tliis time,

of Africa agiees that of Mr. George Glas, a na- was in the year 1766, and no fuch trade is men-

vigator, (but originally bred to medicine) who, tioncd in it.

by refiding in South Barbary, aciiuircd confider- The route recommended by Mr. Van Mierop is

able knowlege of the trade of the country. We aflually ufed by the Armenians in their trade be-

ihall aftei«'ards find Mr. Glas propofiiig to open tween Perfia and Holland, if I am rightly inform-

a new channel of trade on the African coaft. cd. And the fame route was recommended to

f There was an accosnt, publifhed in the newf- the Engh'fh RulTia company in the year 1740, by
papers, of 15,000 pounds of cocoons being brought Captain Elton, who was acquainted with tiie na-
10 the filature in Georgia, which was held out as vigation of the Cafpian fea. At their defire he
a proof of the great advantage of that culture, and made a journey into Perfia, by the route he pro-
of the profperity of the province. The writer of pofed, and obtained from Rifan Guleo Mirfa, the
that paragraph was not aware of the great num- eldeft fon of Nadir Shach, and fole regent of Per-
ber of pounds of cocoons required to make one Ca, a moft favourable grant of trade for the • Ho-
pound of filk. 4

A, 0,1763, 377

On an average of nine years experience, he eflimates the proceeds of
a bale of cloth, which cofts, with freight and duty in Ruilia, £106 : 14,
to be, when returned in raw filk, £3S7 - ^3:1, fubjed to duties and
charges amounting to £^2 : 4 : 9, fo that there remains a net profit of
£iS^ : 14 : 4. ^

From all theie confiderations he ftrongly recommended the revival
orthe trade though Rullia.

Ocftober y'^ — It being determined, after mature deliberation, that
the countries ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of peace fhould be
divided into four feparate governments called Quebec, East Florida,
West Florida, and Grenada, a proclamation was iffued, wherein their
limits were afcertained, and encouragement was held out to fettlers.

Quebec was bounded on the Labrador coaft by the River St. John on
the eaft, and by a line from the head of that river through Lake St.
John to the fouth end of Lake Nipiilim, whence by a line crofling the
River St. Laurence, and then croihng Lake Champlain in the latitude
of 45 degrees, and running along the high lands which divide the rivers
running into the St. Laurence from thofe running into the ocean, and
along the north coaft of the Bay de Chaleurs to Cape Rofiers, whence
acrofs the Gulf of St. Laurence, by the weft end of the illand of Anti-
cofti, to the aforefaid River St. John,

East Florida was bounded on the vv^eft by Apalachicola river, on
the north by a line from that part of the Apalachicola, where the rivers
Chatahouchee and Flint meet, to the fource of St. Mary's river, and by
that river to the fea, which forms the other boundaries of the province,
wherein are alfo comprehended all illands within fix leagues of the
coaft.

West-Florida was bounded on the fouth by the Gulf of Mexico, on
the weft by Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and the River Miflifip-
pi, as far north as the latitude of 31 degrees, which parallel of latitude
forms its northern boundary, the eaftern one being the River Apalachi-
cola. All iflands within fix leagues of the coaft were alfo annexed to
this province.

The government of Grenada comprehended that ifland with the
Grenadines, the iflands of Dominica, St. Vincent, and Tobago *.

For the extenlion of an open and free fifliery to all Britifh fubjeds,
the coaft of Labrador, from the River St. John to Hudibn's ftraits, to-
gether with Anticofti, Madelaine, and the other iflands on that coaft,

' nourable Englifli merchnrits,' with evei7 privi- \_PhUlipPs Hi/], of inland -na-vigalion, p. 26, ed.

lege they could widi for. 'T^JS-]

The inland navigation, from Peterfbnrg to the * Dominica, St. Vincent, and Tobago, fince

Cafpiaii fea, was fo much improved bv the late the conqiiell of them had been ciniTcxed to the

emprcfs in the year 1780, that the voyage is now government of Baibados.
performed in lialf the time it foriiicrly required.

Vol. III. 3 B

378 A. D 1763.

were put under the care and infpedion of the governor of Newfound-
land.

The iilands of St. John and Cape Breton, with their dependencies,
were annexed to the government of Nova-Scotia.

And the trad of land between the rivers Alatamaha and St. Marys,
was annexed to Georgia.

For the encouragement of fettlers, the proclamation held out the af-
furance of fecurity for their liberties and properties, of regular govern-
ment, and of reprefentative afTemblies as foon as the provinces fhould
be fufficiently populous to admit of eledions. The lands fhould be
granted on the mod liberal terms ; and for the particular encourage-
ment of the army, the governors of the three new provinces on the
continent, and the governors of all the other provinces in North Ame-
rica, fhould be inftrudted to grant, without fee or reward, and free of
quit-rents for ten years, and of all obligations, except thofe of cultiva-
tion and improvement,

To every field officer - 5000 acres of land,

To every captain - - 3000,

To every fubaltern, or ftaff officer 2000,

To every noncommiflioned officer - 200,

And to every private man - - 50 *.

And to fuch reduced officers of the navy, as ferved at the redudion of
Louiiburg and Quebec, the like quantities of land, agreeable to their
rank, were offered on the fame terms.

The governors of the three new provinces on the continent, were
reftrided from making any grants of land, or permitting any fettle-

* For the encouragement of fuch foldiers and The truftees for the forfeited eftates in Scotland

failors as chofe to fettle at home, gratuitous, or promifed the foldiers and failots gratuitous land,

advantageous, offers of lands were alfo made by and alfo materials for building and cultivation,

public focieties and public-fpirited individuals. fifhing boats, tackle, and even money.

The Dublin fociety offered premiums of five Sir Ludovick Grant, and Mr. Grant of Grant,

pounds each to the firll hundred foldiers or fail- offered to grant them farms of from five to fifteen

ors, who had ferved his Majedy out of Great Bri- acres in the fnires of Invernefs, Elgin, and BamfT,

tain or Ireland, and were regularly difcharged free of rent for fcven years ; and for twelve years

from the fervice, that fhould, in tlie year 176J, thereafter at one fhilling the acre, and to allow

take leafes for lives of not lefs than five, nor more them timber, ftone, and lime, for building, and

than twenty, acres of land in the provinces of peats for fuel.

Leinfter, Munller, and Connaught, on their pro- Several villages or hamlets were fettled in con-
ducing, in September 1764, certificates from the fequence of thefe encouragements. But the vi-
clergyman of the parilh, or two neighbouring cilfitudes of fatigue and indolence in the military
juflices, of their induftry, and the apparent pro- life, are not very proper preparatives for the re-
bability of their perfeverance and continuance on gular and perfevering induftry requifite for agri.
their farms. And they alfo offered honorary cultural purfuits. I believe moft of the fettle-
gold medals to each of the firft ten landlords in ment! were foon abandoned,
thofe three provinces, who fhould let at leaft five
fuch farms to fuch tenants.

A. D. 1763. 379

ments to be made on the lands referved for the occupation of the
Indian aborigines. The trade with the Indians was declared to be en-
tirely free and open to all Britifli fubjeds, on complying with fuch re-
gulations as already were, or afterwards fhould be, made for the direc-
tion of it ; the traders being only obliged to take out licences from the
governors, who were to give them without any fee or reward.

Agreeable to the arrangement fixed by this proclamation for the new
provinces, the king had appointed General James Murray to be governor
of Quebec, or Canada ; General James Grant to be governor of Eafh
Florida; Commodore George Johnfton to be governor of Wefl Florida ;
and General Robert Melville to be governor-general of Grenada and
the other ceded iflands.

In the year 1749 an agent, or fuperintendent, fubordinate to the
governor of Jamaica, had been appointed, with a fuitable allowance, to
diredl the Britifli fettlements on the Mufquito fliore, and to cultivate
the friendfliip of the Indians of thofe parts. In confequence of the ar-
ticle in the treaty of peace for demolifliing the fortifications on the Bay
of Honduras, it had become doubtful, whether the office of fuperintend-
ent on the Mufquito fhore was alio to ceafe ; but by directions from
home he was continued in office. Soon after Captain Otway, the fu-
perintendent, fent home the following account of the Britifli fettlements
and trade on the trad of coaft under his care.

At Black river, the principal fettlement, there were 45 white families,
and 2 1 families of meflees * ; and in ten other fmaller fettlements there
were 22 families of whites, and 9 of meflees. The annual exports he
calculates to be 650,000 feet of mahogany, 110,000 pounds of farfa-
parilla, 8000 pounds of turtle fliell, 150 mules, and cotton, indigo, and
cacao, in fmall quantities f .

December 19''. — In the ad of parliament for levying the land-tax for
the year 1764, all perfonal efl:ates, including debts, excepting defperate
debts, ftock on land, houfehold goods, and loans to his Majefty, are tax-
ed to pay four fliillings in the pound of their yearly value, which is one
per cent on the capital. The fame tax is alfo extended to all employ-
ments and penfions, fhares in the new river, fire offices, &c. excepting,
however, offices in the army and navy.

In that part of the ad, which regulates the taxation for Scotland, it

* People of mixed breed, between whites and f The quantity of cotton increafed confider-

Indians, or between whites and negroes, or of all ably afterwards, and the quality of it was excel-

thefe breeds confounded. Meftec, however, in lent, efpecially of that of the growth of St. An-

ilridter acceptation, means the iffue of a mulatto dreas, un ifland about 40 leagues from the fhore.
and a white, who is three quarters white and one
qu.irter negro.

.3B2

38o A. D. 1763.

appears, that there ftill remamed in that country fome obligations in
force for debts bearing intereft at fix per cent ; and the debtors, by §
132, were authorifed to withhold payment of one fixth part (or one per
cent) of the intereft.

By § 137, a fum not exceeding two millions, bearing intereft at four
per cent, was direded to be borrowed on the credit of this tax. [4 Geo.
Ill, c. 2.]

The marine fociety, that noble combination of charity and patriot-
ifm, was originally projeded by the benevolent Jonas Hanway, for the
purpofe of feeding and clothing poor deftitute boys, and fitting them
out for the fea fervice ; and it was fupported by the liberal contribu-
tions of himfelf and other philanthropifts, among whom Mr. Hickes, a
mercharit in Hamburgh, who bequeathed to this moft valuable charity
his whole fortune, amounting to above /^20,ooo, deferves to be emi-
nently noticed. During the war, a very great number of boys had
been rendered ufeful to themfelves and to their country by this fociety.
And they did not lole fight of their wards, when they were difcharged
from the navy on the return of peace, but invited all thofe, who were
under fixteen years of age, to return to them. Some of thefe youths
they placed with watermen, lightermen, fiftiermen, and commanders of
merchant veflels ; others they put imder the care of officers of the navy,
who engaged to keep them for three years ; and about ninety were
bound to manufactures and mechanic trades. By thefe means they put
about three hvmdred of their boys a fecond time in a fair way of be-
coming uleful members of fociety, inftead of being a burdien and a-
nuiicmcc to it, as many of them would probably have been, if they had
remained in their original and undireded ftate of raiferable dereliction.

The north part of Staffbrd-fliire, abounding with coal, and, its ufual
attendant, ftrong fire-clay, has certainly been the feat of manufadtories
of earthen ware for feveral centuries*. When Dr. Plott wrote his Na-
tural hiftory of Stafford-ftiire in the year 1686, themanufaciiure was con-
fined to coarfe butter pans, and fuch ware, the fale of which extended na
farther than they could be carried on the backs of the workmen or
hawkers.

About the beginning of the eighteenth century the difcovery of a
fine bed of red earth at Bradwell induced two brothers of the name of
Elers to come from Holland and fettle there : and they may be confi-
dercd as the firft improvers of the pottery. They made a fine kind of
red porcelain in imitation of the oriental ; and they introduced the

• Some years ago the veftiges of an aiuient man origin, whence it has been Aippofed that the
pottery were cifcovered at Chellerton, :i village Romans may liave ellablinied a manufatlory of:
near Nfwcaftlc, the name of whith proves its Ro- caithen war„- at that place.

3

A. D. 1763, 381

art of glazing earthen v.'are by throwing common fait into the oven at
tlie time of its higheft ignition. But the clouds of fmoke, raifed by this
operation, gave fuch offence to the neighbourhood, that they were ob-
hged to leave the country ; and, it is believed, they removed to Ireland,

The clays of Stafford-fhire are not fit for making white earthen ware :
but the ingenuity of the manufacturers has difcovcred various improve-
ments and combinations of the different fubffances, which have enabled
them to produce from their own clays feveral fpecies of earthen ware,
ftill beyond the reach of foreign competition.

The pipe-clay of Devon-ftiire was alfo carried to Stafford-dnre, and
formed the bafls of a white earthen ware, which v.'as foon after much
improved by the accidental difcovery of the ufe of calcined flint. Theie-
improvements produced a ffronger and more agreeable fpecies of goods,
known for many years by the name oi white Jlone ware, which was glazed
with fait in the manner introduced by the Elers, the neighbours no
longer complaining of the nuifance of the fmoke. This ware came into
very general ufe all over the country ; and fome of it was exported. But
flill great quantities of finer and more elegantly-formed earthen ware
were imported from France and Holland for the tables of the wealthy.

Such was the fiate of the manufadure, when Mr. Jofiah Wedgwood
this year produced a new kind of cream-coloured earthen ware, fuperior
in texture and durability to the French and Dutch, more capable of bear-
ing the fudden changes of heat and cold, and covered with a brilliant and
impenetrable glazing, which could be furniflied at a moderate expenfe.
The tide of public tafte immediately turned ; foreign earthen wares
were difcarded ; Englifh wares were ufed in every houfe in the king-
dom, and began to be exported to the very countries from which
earthen ware had hitherto been brought ; and the foreign manufactures,,
unable to fland the competition, declined, or were abandoned.

Mr. Wedgwood, who, with the diligence of the manufadurer, poflefi'-
ed the fcience and unwearied perfeverance of the experimental philo-
fopher, not fatisfied with having added a m.oft important article of uni-
verfal ufe to the manufadures of the country, (for the quantity made
before his improvement, compared with that made fince, may be rec-
koned as nothing) introduced many new fpecies of porcelain of various
colours and forts, of which are made an infinite variety of ornamental
works, comprehending cameos, intaglios, bas-reliefs, medallions, tablets,
fmall ftatues, bufis, feals, &c. the matter of which is fo hard, and fo
qualified to refift the adionof fire and acids, that it promiies to remain,
after time fnall have deftroyed pidures, and even marbles and bronzes,
an unperifliing monument, to hand down to the lateft pofterity the
immortal fame of the inventor, along with that of the charaders repre-
fented on it. The fortunate circumftance of Sir William Ham.ilton,
bringing over from Italy his admired collediou of antique vafes alfo

A. D. 1763,

epened a new field to his imitative powers ; and be foon rendered their
beautiful forms familiar in this country, inftead of being confined to
the knowlege of the few who could have accefs to fee the originals. He,
rxio'^eover, difcovered the art of painting on vafes, &c. without any
glofs, in the manner of the antient Etrufcans, Vv'hich, according to Mr.
i)'- ancarville, iin his Diflertation on Sir William Hamilton's mufemn)
has been loft ever fince the age of Pliny : and his productions in this
clafs have even a fuperiority over the Etrufcan vafes, as they add to the
beauty of defign, the advantages of light and fliade in all the variety of
colours. His porcelain mortars, harder and more impenetrable than
marble or metal, and his pyrometers for determining the degree of heat
in very ftrong fires *, deferve the gratitude of all who are interefted in
medicinal and chemical operations. Nor mufl; his improved ink-pots,
though trifling in point of price, be forgotten, as they are valuable to
all who wifh to preferve the points of their pens from being fpoiled,
and their fingers from being daubed with ink f.

For the fake of connedion, I fliall here give a brief account of the
improved ftate of the earthen ware manufacture, chiefly extracted from
Mr. Wedgwood's own evidence, given before the committee of the
houfe of commons in May 1785.

From fifteen to twenty thoufand perfons are employed in the potteries:
and much greater numbers are employed in digging coals for them, and
in various difl;ant parts of the kingdom, and even in Ireland, in raifing
and preparing the clay and flint, whereof fifty or fixty thoufand tuns
are annually conveyed to Stafford-ftiire by coaliing and inland naviga-
tion, Avhich gives employment not only to coafting veflTels and canal
barges, but alfo to the velTels belonging to the Newfoundland fifliery
during the months that they ufed to be laid up idle. Vafi; numbers
are alfo employed in carrying the goods, when manufadured, to every
part of Great Britain for home confumption, and for exportation.

Though many of the fliates of Europe have prohibited the admifllon
of Britifh earthen ware, and others have loaded it with intolerable
duties, yet five fixths of the quantity made are exported ; and fcarcely
a veflel fiiils from any port of Great Britain without carrying lefs or
more of this cheap and univerfally-ufeful article, the great bulk of
which, in comparifon with its price, renders it a moft important ob-
jed in refped to freightage, as every tun in weight of the raw material
becomes three or four tuns in meafurement, when fhipped in its finifli-
ed fiiate. To this account of. the great increafe of the manufadure Mr.

* The pyrometer has a diftinguKlied place in f A fuller aiid better account of Mr. Wcdg-
all the laboratories of cheniiftry and experimental wood's inventions may be found -in a catalogue
philofopliy oh the continent. [See Travels in which is delivered to the public at the warelioufe.
England and Scotland ly Mr. Faujas Sahit-Fond,
V. [,p. 96, Engli/h tranflat'ion.~\

A. D. 1763^ ^S^

Wedgwood added, that he conceived it to be flill in its infancy, in
comparifon of what it may be, if it is not interrupted in its growth *.

The raanufadure has ftill continued to increafe, and has fpread over
a diftridl in the north part of StafFord-ihire of about nine miles in ex-
tent, the whole of which is now fo covered with manufadories and
dwelling houfes, that it has the appearance of one large fcattering
town, and is accordingly called in the neighbourhood by the name of
the Pottery, though including feveral towns and villages. Earthen ware
is alfo made in imitation of Mr. Wedgwood's manner in many other
parts of Great Britain, and in Ireland, and alfo in feveral parts of the
continent of Europe.

Thus are the meanefl: materials, the clay and the flint flones under
our feet, converted into objeds of the greateft utihty and beauty, and
become the means of giving employment to a prodigious number of
people with the greateft poffible national advantage (for the whole value
of the earthen ware of every kind is the price of labour paid to our
own people) and of opening a new and extenfive field of commerce of
the mofl beneficial kind to the kingdom. For all thefe bleflings Great
Britain is indebted to the genius, the elegant tafte, the fcience, and the
perfeverance, of Mr. Wedgwood, whofe memory ought to be held in
honour by all concerned in the landed or commercial interells, or who
wifh well to the general profperity, of Great Britain f .

The following fums were this year voted by the Irifla parliament for
promoting inland navigation and other commercial objects %.

For the great canal from Dublin to the Shannon, - £6qoq

For a canal to carry veflx;ls of 100 tuns from Newry to Loch
Neagh, and thence to Drumglas colliery in the county of Ty-
rone, _ _ _ . 40CO
A canal to conned Loch Swilly and Loch Foyle, - 4000
A canal, which, with the improvements on the River Lagan,
completes the navigation between Loch Neagh and the fea at
Eelfafl:, - - - - 2000
Four other inland navigations by canals and improvement of the

River Shannon, &c. _ _ _ 10,000

* Let us alfo hear what a foreigner, a chemift, ' Spain, Portugal, and Italy, are fiipplied with it,

and mineralogift, and a lover of the arts, fays of it. ' and veflels are loaded with it for the Eaft-Indies,

' Its excellent workmanlhip, its folidity, the ad- • the Weft-Indies, and the continent of America.'

< vantage which it pofTelTes of fuftaining the ac- {_Faiijas Snint-Foml, V. i, p. 97.]
' tion of fire, its fine glaze impenetrable to acids, f Mr. Wedgwood died in January 1795, at

' the beauty and convenience of its form, and the Etruria, his feat in Stafford-fliire, where he pofTeiT-

' cheapnefs of its price, have given rife to a com- ed a fine ellate, an extenfive fet of works for his

' merce fo aftive, and fo univerfal, that in travel- mannfaftory, and a village for the accommodation

' ling from Paris to Peterfburgh, fiom Amfterdam of his work people ; all the fruits of his own ho-

' to the fartheft part of Sweden, and from Dun- nourable creative indiiftry.

• kirk to the extremity of the fouth of France, \ See the grants of the year 1761 in p, 349.

' one is ferved at every inn upon Englilli ware. 4

384

A. D. 1763.

Improving harbours and building piers, quays, Sec. at Dublin

and feven other ports, _ _ « /^i 1,200

To allirt the expenfe of the dry dock at Dublin, - 1000

For carrying on the ballafl-office wail, - - 4000

For carrying on a whale fifliery on the north-wefl coafl of Ire-
land, - _ _ _ 1000
To the Dublin Ibciety for the encouragement of arts, trades,

and manufactures, _ _ _ 10,000

And confiderable fums were at the fame time allotted for churches,
hofpitals, bridges, and other ufeful works.

The herrings, after having for fifty years deferted the coafl of Sweden,
had fome years ago returned to it in fuch abundance, that 42,012 tuns
of thofe fifh were fent from the coafl into the interior parts of the
•country; and there were exported from Gottenburg 101,143 tuns of
lalted herrings, 48 of fmoked, and 322 of frelh ; as alfo 63,016 Cannes
•of oil made from the herrings. The Swedifh government wifely en-
couraged this very profitable fifliery for fome time after the revival of
it. But by the very fuperior advantage of taking the herrings in pro-
digious numbers at almofl no expenfe by feine nets clofe upon the fhore,
the low price of labour and of cafks, it was foon capable of fupport-
ing itfelf without any pubUc aflifcance ; and the Swedes were enabled
to underfell every other nation engaged in the herring fifliery.

The ofHcial value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriflmas 1762 to Chriflmas 1763 was as follows.

Countries, &c.
Africa
■Canaries

Denmark and Norway
East Country
East-India
Flanders
France
(Germany
Greenland
Ilolland
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Pnissia
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Straits
Sweden
Turkey

I

ri^Mrted into

Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND. 1

a^l8,128

2

8

a^463,818 9 4

5^131

5 0

2,739

13

1

21,032 16 9

89.179

11

2

^36,216 7

1

140,610 10 7

26,940 17 8|

247,066

1

6

299,^57 7 7

1,059,335

18

7

887,083 7 0

83,320

3

10

384,177 12 8

27.697

14 2

43,158

5

5

197,100 U 3

187,365

11 3

1,085,107

0

9

4,842 8

0

2,272,272 16 8

20,649

13 9

8,117

15

2

2,491 7

10

22 15 3

4/6,383

10

3

84,419 15

5

1,910,240 19 5

291,599

8 0

70'9,379

11

8

130,604 15

1

1,640,713 3 3

165,6.')4

18 6

3 15

0

1,433

14 10

948,140

8

0

1,237 3

1

468,779 18 4

1,145

14 6

1,119

3

9

37,278 13 3

239

6 2

10,536 2

7

15,300

16 10

8,740 8

7

6,904

17 5

30-1 .056

0

10

11,081 8

5

727,623 12 9

11,706

8 6

801,2/9

0

7

110,720 5

8

78,901 1 11

92,339

9 '

5QO,50U

5

6,250 11

6

1,168,072 1 3

11.973

0 7

20,276

11

4

325,622 18 6

249,540

15

0

24,275 6

0

20,494 ! 7

1,544

15 6

76,004

9

2

93,646 13 11

Countries, &c.

Venice

Guernsey, &c.

Belle-isle

America in general

Hudson's bay

Newfoiuidland

Quebec

Nova-Scotia

New-England

New- York

Pennsylvania

Virginia and Maryland

Carolina

Georgia

Florida

West-Indies in general

Anguilla

Antigua

Bermuda

Dominica

Grenada

Guadaloiipe

Havanna

Jamaica

Martinique

Montserrat

Nevis

New- Providence

St. Croix

St. Christophers

Tortola

Foreign West-Indies

Britisli and Irish linens

exported on bounty to

vaj'ious countries
Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain -

A. D. 1763,

385

Imported into

ENGLAND.

^31,841 18

144,895 7

\7 13

353,084 11

8,567 10

34,102 18

26,856 13

4,312 9

74,815 1

53,988 14

38,228 10

642,294 2

282,366 3

14,469 IS

SCOTLAND.

2,369 18 9
180,347 3
252,537 10

261,552 3 0

412,303 18

249,387 4

1,159,023 15

344,162 7

5<j,57\ 15

45,280 9 10

0,438 2 11

8,396 5 9

234,981 17 9

58,571 4 2

,665,036 O 9
903,891 2 8

12,568,927 3 5

Exported from

I9>13/

903,891

ENGLAND.

20,259 14
43,746 12

4,393

2

7

55,102

8

/

149,539

16

4

16,303

3

4

258,854

IQ

6

238,560

2

1

284,152

16

0

555,391

12

10

250,132

2

0

44,908

19

9

9,^^

2

39.578

10

10

101,574

8

2

213,909

4

9

8,623

15

1,264

5

6

11,159 1

6,643 11

584,978 2

12,455 14

15,505 18

29,557 9

1,144 0 0

104,724 7 10

1,901 1

30,604 6 6
201,194 6 7

14,487,507

1,091,435

3,690 8
270,548 16

15,Q-2 18 3

,091,435 19 9

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England - 6,571 veflels, of the reputed burthen of 496,093 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,062 59>862

Total - 7,633 555,955

The net amount ot the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-

a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this

year, was, from the cuftom-houfe in London, ^^2,247,103 i8 9

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh, - 2,500 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain, ^^2, 249,603 18 9
Vol. III. 3 C

386 A. D. 1763.

There were coined at the mhit in the courfe of the year
10,980 pounds of gold, value - - £,5^ 3^04.0 10 o

and 848 pounds of iilver, - - - 2,6 28160

X;5 15,669 6 o

1764 January — As the charter of the bank of England was nearly ex-
pired, an agreement was entered into between the government and the
bank, whereby the later agreed to pay cafh for exchequer bills to the
amount of a million, for which they were to receive intereft at the rate of
three per cent till the year i':66, when the bills were to be paid off;
and alfo to pay /J 1 10,000, for which they were to receive neither in-
tereft nor repavraent : but in confideration thereof they were to be
continued a body corporate with all their advantages as before, and to
the exclulion of every other body politic, and partnerfhip exceeding fix
perfons, from carrying on the bufmels of banking in England till the
redemption of the debt due to them by government, and one year's
notice after the firft day of Auguft 1786.

The agreement was foon after confirmed by an adl of parliament,
wherein it was made felony without benefit of clergy to forge powers
of attorney or other authorities for receiving dividends, transferring or
felling ftock, or to peribnatc the proprietor of any ftock in order to re-
ceive his dividend or transfer his ftock (April 18th). [4 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

In the enfuing Odober the dividends on bank ftock were raifed from
four and a half to Jive per cent.

The fcheme of fupplying the metropolis with frefh fi(h at moderate
prices under the patronage of the fociety for the encouragement of arts,
manufactures, and commerce, and the management of Captain Blake,
in the year 1761, had been ftrongly oppofed, and in a great meafure
defeated by the arts of thofe, who were interefted in keeping up the
price of fifh. The fociety, who had advanced /^2000 as the foundation
of the bufmefs, and /^i 500 further as a loan to Captain Blake to aflift
in carrying it on, being fully fatisfied of the propriety and integrity of
his condud, entirely releafed him from the obligation of the debt con-
tradted in his zeal for the fervice of the public. As it was evident, that
this undertaking, though attended with lofs to the patriotic fociety and
the manager, had been very advantageous to the public in greatly re-
ducing the price of fifli, parliament foon after allowed Captain Blake
^^2500 to enable him to perievere in his laudable attempt.

The fociety of arts, ftill delirous of exerting themfelves for procur-
ing a plentiful fupply of fifh, and encouraging native fifhermen, foon
after offered a premium of £^ for every hundred of turbots meafuring
16 inches from the eye to the fork of the tail, and /^2 : 10 for every
hundred not under 10 inches*, caught by Britifh fubjedls, and offered

* Pope, in his Satires, informs us, that it was thefa//:ion to prefer fma'J turbots in his time.

A. D. 1764. 387

for iale in London or Weftmlnfter between the ill of May and 31 ft of
Auguft 1764.

Since the eftablifhment of this truely benevolent and generous fo-
ciety in the year 1755, they had expended almoft ^^20,000 in pubUc-
fpirited meafures for promoting the improvement and the happinefs of
the country.

The Enghfh Eaft-India company, though originally merely a fociety
of merchants, by being obliged to maintain a body of troops for the
protedion of their fettlements, and by their frequent contefts and al-
liances with the princes of Hindooflan, had gradually become a war-
like, as well as a commercial, commonwealth. Even at this time they
had gained fuch an afcendant in the affairs of India, that the court of
diredors in Leadenhall ftreet might with great propriety be compared
to the fenators of antient Rome fitting in judgment on, and determin-
ing the fate of, fuppliant princes : for the fovereigns of India, whofe
protedion the company ufed formerly to court, were now, by fome of
thofe ftrange revolutions, which have in all ages decided the fate of
that country, funk into the fituation of dependents upon the company,
(or, perhaps, to fpeak more corredly, of their fervants in India) at
whofe pleafure they poflefTed their precarious dignities. In order to
give the reader fome idea of the events, that in the courfe of a few
years placed the company, as territorial fovereigns, at leafl on a level
in refpedt to power and revenue with the greateft of the Oriental
princes, the emperor of China only excepted, it will be neceflary to
give a glance to the afFaii-s of India for a few years back.

The Englifh governor and council of Calcutta, provoked by the cap-
ture of their town by Surajah Dowlah nabob of Bengal, and fenfible
that, fince they were now at variance with that prince, their fafety
could only confift in a fuperiority of power, entered into a negotiation
with Mir Jaffier Aly Cawn, one of his favourite chiefs, to whom they
offered their affiftance to efhabliili him on the throne of his fovereign.
In confequence of their previous agreement Jaffier flood neuter at the
battle of PlafTey, fought in June 1757, and Surajah was completely
routed by Colonel (afterwards Lord) Clive : and that battle may be faid
to have made the EngUfli Eafl-India company the arbiters of the defliny
of the fovereigns of Bengal, befides giving them a preponderating in-
fluence throughout all the flates of Hindooflan*. JafRer was accord-
ingly made nabob : and in confideration of the afiiftance given him bv
the Englifh company he paid them a great fum in ready money, and
refigned to them a territory yielding a revenue of /j6oo,ooo a-year, re-
ferving to himfelf only the quit-rents amounting to ^^30,000 a-year ;

* The proper name, in ihc Peifian language, of hoiinJary of it. Tlie indigenous name is I'harata.
tlie countr}^ ufually called India on this fide of the [See Ramd's Memoirs o^ * triiip of HindoiHan,
Ganges, though that river is by no means the /;. xx.]

3C2

388 A. D. 1764.

and even thele he loon after divefted himfelf of in favour of Colonel
Clive, which donation became the lubjed of much pubUc difcuflion
under the name of CUve's jagheer. He was moreover obliged to grant
them privileges in trade, fo exceflively great, and fo prejudicial to his
cuftoms, that upon the whole his exaltation to fovereign power might
juftly be faid to have ruined him. He was reduced to fuch neceflitous
circumftances, that he was driven to the defperate reiburce of opprefP
ine his fubjects beyond their abilities ; and yet he fell greatly in arrears
to his army, whole good will was efientially neceflary to fujjport him
againfl the difcontents of his fubjedls, and to levy the taxes he laid up-
on them, and alio to enable him to encroach upon thofe privileges he
had fo profufely granted to the Englifh. In this diftrefsful fituation he
was attacked by feveral of the neighbouring powers ; and the govern-
ment of Calcutta, no longer inclined to favour or affift him, refolved
to depole him, and fet up his fon-in-law Mir Coffim Aly Cawn in his
place.

The propofed revolution was foon effeded by Governor Vanfittart
and Colonel Cuillaud ; and, as the price of his elevation, additional pay-
merits and privileges were obtained from the new nabob.

Coffim was a man of much greater abilities than his predeceflbr. He
felt the mifery and ignominy of his fituation : but he refolved to bear
it in filence, till he fhould be enabled to bring about a proper opportu-
nity of alTerting the indepeiidence of the fovereignty, with which he
was invefted : and that piu-pofe he kept conftantly in view, as the ca-
pital objed of all his politics. By affiduoully cultivating the friendfhip
of the Englifh he was enabled to defeat a ion of the great Mogul, who
had attacked him, and with whom he foon after entered into an al-
liance. He alfo fupprefled the Indian rajahs, who had taken the ad-
vantage of his predeceflbr's embarraflinents to throw off the yoke, and
compelled them to pay the antient tribute. His revenue being thereby
fomewhat improved, he was enabled to pay his army more regularly,
and to eftablifh quiet and good order in his dominions. And now he
thought himfelf in a condition to throw off his difguife, and to be-
come his own ma Iter. His firfi: flep was to remove his refidence from
Moorfiiedabad to Mongheer, two hundred miles higher up the Ganges,
that his actions might no longer be expofed to the oblervations of the
Engliili at Calcutta. He loft no time in fortifying his new capital, and
in forming an army, which, by the acceflion of military adventurers
from various nations of Europe and Afia, he was enabled to arm, dif-
cipline, and furnifli with artillery, altogether in a ftile much fuperior
to what had ever before been feen in India.

The free trade, vfhich his predeceflbr and he had been obliged to
grant to the Englifh, was not only ruinous to his revenue, but alfo to
the trade of his fubjeds, all the commerce of the country being there-

A. D. 1764. 389

by forced out of its antient and natural courfe into thofe new and more
favoured channels. He therefor began his operations by ordering that
the Englifli /'r/'y(7/^ traders fhould pay the ufual duties throughout his
dominions, and that all difputes, originating beyond the Englifh Umits,
fhould be decided by his magiflrates.

Such orders were mod alarming to the fadlory at Calcutta. Mr. Van-
fittart the governor thought his own prefence neceflary to try to bring
things back to their former channel, and undertook a journey to Mong-
heer for that purpofe. But the nabob had hitherto conduded his plans
too well to be induced b)r any force of argument to depart from them;
and he thus anfwered the governor's remonftrances :

' If the fervants of the Englifh company were permitted to trade in
' all parts and in all commodities cuftom-free, as many of them now
' pretend, they muft of courfe draw all the trade into their own hands;
' and my cuiiioms would be of fo little value, that it would be much
' more for my intereft to lay the trade entirely open, and colled: no
' cuftoms from any perfon whatfoever upon any kind of merchandize.
' This would draw a number of merchants into the country, and in-
' creafe my revenues by encouraging the cultivation and manufadure
' of a large quantity of goods for fale, at the fame time that it would
* effedually cut off the principal fubjed of dilpute, which had difturb-
' ed the good underikanding between us, an objed I have more than
' any other at heart.'

There was no anfwering a fpeech fo forcible in point of argument,
and fo well fupported by the power of the fpeaker. The governor,
though accuftomed to didate to Indian princes, was obliged to fubmit
to the regulations prefcribed by the nabob, which, whether reafonable
or not, were far from being agreeable to the gentlemen of the fadory,
who, in virtue of the former indulgences, were making great fortunes
at the expenfe of the nabob and people of Bengal.

In their aftonifhment and indignation at feeing the creature of their
own hands raife his head againft them, they difowned the agreement
made by their governor, and fent orders to all the fubordinate fadories
to pay no attention to it. Every thing was now thrown into confufion,
and the whole commerce of the country was at a ftand. They then
made another application to Coflim to repeal the obnoxious regulations;
but he, confident of his power, haughtily refuied to enter into any ne-
gotiation with them.

The fadory, flung with refentment and difappointment, and pre-
fuming upon the eafe wherewith they had lately made and unmade
princes, immediately proclaimed Mir JafHer again nabob of Bengal ;
and the decifion of the conteft was referred to the fword.

The Englifh garrifon of a fortified fadory at Patna, a city on the
Ganges, 400 miles above Calcutta and about 100 above Monghecr,

39© A. D. 1764.

ilruck the firft blow in this war by an attack upon the town of Patna»
which they almofl inftantly made themfelves mafters of, and abandon-
ing themfelves to the licentioufnefs and diforders of pillage, they were
as fuddenly driven out of it in four hours thereafter, and obliged to
take fhelter in their fort, which they as fpeedily abandoned, fled acrofs
the Ganges, and three days after were completely routed by the Indian
forces (25th June — ifl: July 1763).

Major Adams immediately marched into the nabob's territories ; and,
though Coflim conduced his operations with a degree of prudence and
military knowlege never before attained by any of the Indian princes,
and his troops were alfo better armed, clothed, and difciplined, and dif-
.played more courage and firmnefs than is ufual with Indian armies, the
fuperior military knowlege and difcipline of the Englifh in a few months
(July — October 1763) drove him from poft to pofl:, and at lall entirely
out of his dominions to take fhelter with Sujah Dowlah, the nabob of
the neighbouring province of Oude, who, fearful of drawing on him-
felf the refentment of the Englifli, refufed to admit any of his troops,
though he willingly afforded an afylum to himfelf.

Such was the fituation of affairs in India, wlien the difpatches were
fent home : and, though the event might be confidered as rather fa-
vourable to the company, yet, when they received the unwelcome news
of a war, the progrefs and confequences of which might be fo deflruc-
tive to their revenue, which from territorial and commercial funds now
amounted to between fix and feven hundred thoufand pounds a-year,
it ftruck them with fo great a confternation, that India ftock imme-
diately fell 14 per cent (February 6th), and great debates enfued on the
meafures proper to be purfued in India.

Lord Clive was generally confidered by the proprietors of India flock
as the perfon befi qualified for the military command in fuch critical
circumllances. But there were fome difputes on the fubjed of his
jagheer, which the company, through whofe hands only he could re-
ceive it, had withheld from him, as being aniwerable for it to the
Mogul, if he fhould ever be in a capacity to demand it of them. There
was alfo another difKculty. While they wifhed Lord Clive to be at the
liead of their army abroad, they defired that Mr. Sullivan fliould pre-
fide as chairman in the diredion at home. But Lord Clive pofitively
refufed to take any concern in the company's affairs, if that gentleman
were to be at the head of the direction. And lo high were their hopes
iind their confidence in Lord Clive's military talents, that all difficulties
were fmoothed, the affair of the jagheer was accommodated to his fa-
tisfadion, and Mr. Sullivan was obliged to content himfelf with being
merely one of the directors. Lord Clive, having thus got all matters
in difpute fettled almofl on his own terms, embarked for India about
xhe end of May.

A, D. 1764. 391

The India company, in order to avoid fimilar difputes in future, made
a law, that henceforth none of their fervants fhould ever accept, any
gratuity from any prince or governor in India.

Some ftones found in the Highlands of Scotland *, and judged to
be equal in beauty, and all the other charaderiftics, to the oriental
rubies, were prefented to the royal fociety and the fociety for the en-
couragement of arts, commerce, and manufaftures. If a brilliant
flone is really a defirable thing, and worthy of being purchafed at the
price of a good eflate, whether is it better to procure them from the
poorefl provinces of our own ifland, or from the moft opulent regions
of the globe ?

Siberia, a country hitherto little known, appears to be rich in mines
of the pretious metals. 13,200 pounds weight of lilver, and 990 pounds
of gold, the produce of the labour of the miners in the year 1763,
were conveyed to Peterfburg in the beginning of this year. The quan-
tity was expeded to be greater in the enfuing year, as that of 1763 had
exceeded what had been got in 1762. A mine of quickfiiver was alfo
difcovered in the fame country.

March 20th — A new harbour was completed by Sir John Hufiey Dela-
val at Hartley near Newcaflle, the entrance of which was cut out of the
folid rock 19 feet deep and about 900 feet in length.

There being a general complaint of the high prices of provifions,
parliament inflituted an inquiry, whereby it appeared, that the price
of the beft beef to the venders was 3^ a pound, and to the confumers
4(3' and 4|i for choife pieces, 3^ and ^^d for middling, and from i^d
to 2~d for coarfe pieces, being about a halfpenny dearer than the prices
in the fame month (March) in the preceding years, when we were en-
gaged in an extenfive war. On examining the people concerned in con-
veying the meat from the firmer to the confumer, it appeared that
there was no fcarcity of cattle, that meat was fold much cheaper with-
in thirty miles of London, and, notwithftanding feveral fpecious pre-
tences, that the high price in London was in reality owing to the arts
of engroflers and forellallers. But though the cauie of fo great an evil
was difcovered, we do not find that any effectual remedy has ever been
applied f .

* Among the pretious ftones found in the High- Alexander I was celebrated and coveted in foreign

lands may be reckoned fapphires, equal to the ori- kingdoms, oee an account of tiiv; Scottirti pretious

ental; hexagonal topazes, commonly called, from (tones in the Bee, 1793, a pciiodical work publilh-

the mountain on which ihcy are chiefly found, ed at Edinburgh.

Carn-gorni ftones, one of which, in the pofTcffion f Some hold it as a maxim, that the high price

of Mr. Farquharfon of Invercauld, is as large as of provilions is a proof of flourifliing commerce

the body of a child of two years old ; the emerald; and national profptrity. But this, like all other

the amethyft; the garnet or ruby. The Ely ruby general rules, mull be received vvitli allowances and

found in the fands at Ely in Fife. exceptions. The trade of the cattle-jobber a.id

The pearls of Scotland were famous in former carcafe-butcher may profper while tlie price of

times, and the coUeAion of them belonging to Kiug meat is very high; but comu.erce is hurt by it in

392 A. D 1764.

Upon a confideration of the ftate of the iflands ceded to us in the
Weft-Indies by the treaty of peace, in order to concert a plan for the
immediate and efFedual improvement of them, the following account
of them was drawn up.

Tobago, fuppofed to contain above 100,000 acres of land, is one of
the moft valuable of the Caribbee iflands, being, though little encum-
bered with mountains, well refreflied by rivulets, and ftored with ufe-
ful timber. Though it was formerly in fome degree fettled*, it was
now abandoned, the only habitations on it being a few huts for the
flicker of the French turtlers, when they reforted to it. For the moft
advantageous fettlement of this ifland, it was recommended, that it
ftiould be divided into convenient diftrids or pariflies of from fix to ten
thoufand acres each, limited as natural boundaries might diredl, and ex-
tending from the fliore into the heart of the ifland ; that fituations pro-
pcv for fortifications or yards for the na\'y fliould firft be marked out ;
that a place in each divifion moft convenient for trade, and containing
from 500 to 1000 acres, flaould be allotted for a town, with fuitable al-
lowances of glebe for a minifter and fchoolmafter ; that in the hilly
parts of each parifli a proper refervation fliould be made of the natural
wood, for the fake of attradting the clouds, and thereby producing the
feafonable rains fo neceflary in a warm climate, and for want of which
fome iflands, where the woods have been totally extirpated, have great-
ly fufte red in their crops f. After all thefe refervations, it was pro-
pofed, that the remaining lands fliould be afl!brted into lots, moftly
from 100 to 300 acres, and a few as large as 400 or 500 acres, allowing,
as far as the ground would admit, an equal proportion of the natural
conveniencies to every lot, and extending them length-ways from the
fliore or river into the interior country ; and alfo that fuch parts of
each parifli as were unfit for fugar plantations, fliould be diftnbuted
into fmall lots of from ten to thirty acres for the encouragement of poor
fettlers, and for promoting the fpeedy population of the ifland.

all its branches, from the manufa£lurer to the ex- lands, which is in reality the price of provifions,

porter, who feels it fevtrcly in viaiialling his fliips, may rife, when a country is far from being in a

as fevera! mercliants declared in the courfe of this flourilhing condition.

fame inquiry. But if we were profperous in March * Repeated attempts were made by the Englifli

1764, by this ftandard we mud have been more and by the Dutch to fettle Tobago ; and a duke

than doubly profperous in Match 1799, the price of Couiland alfo made an efffHl here to come in

of meat being more than double of what was com- for a fhare of the Wefl-Indian illands with the

plained of in 17^4 as enormous. greater fovcreigns of Europe. \_Ri:yiial H'l'l. phi!.

No one can rejoice more than myfelf at the pro- et polit. V. vii, p. 302, ed. 1782 Campbell's poli-

fperity of my country ; yet I cannot help feeling ileal Jurvey, V. ii, p. 690.]

for the fituation of all thofe who cannot increafe -(- Raynal thinks the prefcrvation of the woods

their income to keep pace with the profperity of alfo neccfiary to health, and he afcribes the great

the dealers in provifions, and are confequently not mortality of the Europeans on the firlt fettlement

quite half fo rich now with an income of the fame of the iflands to the injudicious practice of cutting

number of pounds, as they were fo lately as the down all the trees, and clearing the ground falltr

year 1763. Dean Swift, in his Maxims controlled than they could cultivate it. [A'j/?. F. vii, />. 303.1
in Ireland, has made it appear, that the price of 4

A. D. 1764,, 393

Grenad.-v contains, by eflimation, 67,425 acres, of which above one
half was now actually in cultivation, the produce of the year 1762, in
fugar efteemed of the beft quality, rum, coffee, cacao, and melafles,
having amounted to ^(^200, 000 *. The interior part is mountainous,
and covered with ufeful wood. The ifland contains fix pariflies, in each
of which there is a town, about 3500 white inhabitants, and about
10,000 negro flaves.

The Grenadillas, or Grenadines, are a chain of fmall iflands extend-
ing between Grenada and St. Vincent, the chief of which, Cariacou
and Bequia, produced cotton and cacao.

St. Vincent is mountainous with a mixtui'e of large trads of .good
land, efpecially near the fea and on the gentle Hopes of the hills. It
was partly occupied by the aboriginal Caribs with a mixture of Negroes,
fuppofed to be from four to five thoufand in number, who were quite
independent, and very jealous of any European fettlement upon their
ifland. There were, however, a good many fettlements made by the
French, who were computed to be about 1 300 white people, and 3400
blacks. They had a confiderable fl:ock of flieep, horned cattle, and
working beafls ; and their principal articles of produce were cacao,
coffee, and tobacco. The fame mode of fettlement, propofed for To-
bago, is recommended for this ifland ; only that the good will of the
independent Caribs and Negroes muft be feduloufly cultivated, and un-
juft encroachments upon them mofl; carefully avoided.

Dominica contains about 300,000 acres of good and fertile land,
^ell watered with 83 rivers or rivulets, fulhcient for driving fugar
mills ; but it is not fo well adapted for fugar, on account of the moun-
tains which almoft; entirely cover it. The land already cleared on the
coaft was reckoned about fix thoufand acres, producing annually about
1,690,000 pounds of coffee, 270,000 pounds of cacao, and 17,000
pounds of cotton, the value of which was above ;^70,ooo. The num-
ber of inhabitants was 171 8 whites, 5872 blacks f, and about 60 fami-
lies of free Caribs. The ifland was already divided by the French into
ten diflrids or parifhes : and the plan propofed for its fettlement was
nearly the fime with that for Tobago ; only that, as it feeined not
equally well adapted for fugar plantations J, and becaufe it lies between
the French iflands of Martinique and Guadaloupe, a flrong population

* The importuoce of Grenada, even befoie the blacks in Dominica in the veAr \j6}. If ' both
inftitiition of regular government in it, may be accounts arc correft, the diiference may be fup-
ft-en from the account of its exports from 20th pofed to proceed from the acceflion of Britidi fee-
January 1763 ti'l 2cth January 1764, which were tiers after the conqueil. But he reckons onl^
66,579 cvvt. of fugar, 2c6 hoglhcads of rum, 1574 whites of all ages on the ift of January
1,707,305 pounds of coffee, 278,749 pounds of 1778, with 574 free mulattoes and blacks, and
cacao, 166,686 pounds of cotttwi, and 2640 hogf- 14,308 flaves. l^J^j/l- ^- vii, p. 317.]
heads of melafles. J For many years bypail Dominica has pro-

+ llaynal reckons only 600 whites and 20CO duced very good fugar and rum.

Vol, hi. ' 3 D

394 ^' ^' ^7^4-

of white people ought by all means to be encouraged ; and therefoiv
after the public lands were referved, it was propofed to make a diftri-
bution into lots generally not exceeding loo acres, allowing, however,
a few more exteniive lots in fome places fit for liigar.

In order to prevent a monopoly of lands by jobbing purchafers, it
was propofed, that no perfon fhould be allowed to hold above 500
acres ; and at the fame time, to remove every poflibility of partiality
in giving gratuitous grants, that the cleared lands, occupied by the
French planters, fhould be leafed to them in quantities not exceeding
500 acres on moderate quit-rents, on their taking the neceffary oaths
to qualify them as Britifli fubjeds ; that the uncultivated lands, and alfo
the cultivated lands veiled in the crown, fhould be fold by audion, the
former being put up at fo low a price as to be almofl equal to a gra-
tuitous grant, while at the fame time the nature of the fale would per-
mit every one to be an offerer *, and as far as poffible prevent imdue
influence and favour, the purchafers being bound to certain conditions
0/ cultivation, and to the payment of an annual quit-rent of 6d far
every acre of cleared land, f^'om which fettlers of lots of 30 acres or
under fhould be excufed for four years.

The town lots, not already cleared, were to be given gratis, on con-
dition of clearing and building, and paying one penny annually for
every foot in front, and 6d for every acre of the pall:ure lots annexed
to each town lot. The town lots, already cleared, were to be fold by
audion, fubjed to ground-rents and quit-rents, as the others.

Such were the report of the lords of trade and plantations upon the
ftate of the ceded illands, and their propofals for the fettlement of them j,
agreeable to which a proclamation was illiied (March 26th), letting forth
the terms of purchafe and payment, viz, 20 percent to be paid immedi-
ately, whereupon a bill of fale v/as to be given, and the remainder to
be paid by inftallments of 10 per cent the flrft year, 10 per cent the
fecond year, and 20 per cent each year after, till the whole fliould be
paid up. The purchafers of cleared grounds to have one white man,
or two white wonien, on every hundred acres, on penalty of ^^40 for
every man, or ;i^20 for every woman, deficient. The purchafers of un-
cleared land to clear every year at leafl one twentieth part of their lots,
till a half of the whole were cleared, on p-enalty of j[^ for every acre
negkded to be fo cleared ; and, as fafl as the ground was cleared, to-
have the fame proportion of white men or women fettled on their lands.
The lots referved for poor fettlers, after four years to be fubjed to a.
quit-rent of 6d for every acre cleared, and 2/ for every acre uncleared,
and not to be alienated for feven } ears, except to the children of the
grantees.

* The nature of a fale by auflion alfo tempts every bidder, in cafe of a keen competition, to ofTtr
more than the value ; and it is the opinion of many, that that was adlually the ode at thefe fales..

A. D.I 764. 395

Difputes having arifen between the EngUfli and French fiihermen at
Newfoundland, and both governments being dcfirous to avoid a na-
tional quarrel, the French ambaflador prefented to the Britifli govern-
ment fome propofitions relating to the concurrent fifliery on a part of
the coaft of Newfoundland, flipulated by the treaty of peace. The
king thereupon fent additional inflrudions to Commodore PalHfer, the
governor of that ifland, direding him to obferve the flridefl impar-
tiality between the fubjeCls of the two nations with refpecl: to their
fhares of the grounds for drying their filh, and to prevent any injury to
the perfons or properties of the French fifhermen (March 30th).

April 5th — For the encouragement of the manufadure of hats, the
law, allowing beaver to draw back the duty when exported, was repealed :
and moreover, a duty of 'jd was laid on every beaver flcin or piece of
beaver ikin, and of 1/6 on every pound of beaver wool exported, the
beaver fkins paying when imported, a duty of only one penny each.
[4 Geo. Ill, c. 9.]

The laws for encouraging the manufadure of Britifh faiUcloth and
gun-powder, and for encouraging the importation of timber, and the
articles of wood commonly called lumber, being nearly expired, were
all continued in force till the end of the firft feflion of parliament after
29th September 1771. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 11.]

The laws for regulating pilots for Hie River Thames — for allowing
rum or fpirits, the produce of the Britifli plantations, to be landed and
warehoufed before the excife duties are paid — that againft forcibly re-
(ifting the revenue officers— and that allowing fugars of the Britifh co-
lonies to be carried diredly to foreign parts in fliips built in Great Bri-
tain, and navigated according to law, were all prolonged ; that for the
pilots to the end of the next feflion after 25th March 1778, and the
others to the fame term with thofe in the preceding ad:. By the fame
act of parliament thofe found guilty of damaging banks, flood-gates,
or other works belonging to rivers and fl;reams made navigable, were
ordered to be tranfported for feven years. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 12.]

In an ad for taking two millions out of the fluking fund, the allow-
ance of twelve per cent for leakage of wines was refcinded from all
wines imported from any other place than that of their growth, the
merchants of Jerfey and Guernfey having made a pradice of filling up
their wines in thofe iflands, and then receiving the allowance for leak-
age as well as others. [4 Geo. III., c. 13.]

The following is the preamble of an ad for granting duties in the
colonies.

' Whereas it is expedient, that new duties and regulations fliould be
' eftabliflied for improving the revenue of this kingdom, and for ex-
* tending and fecuring the navigation and commerce i^etween Great
' Britain and your Majefty's dominions in America, which by the peace

^ D 2

39^ A. D. 1764.

• have been fo happily enlarged: and whereas it is juft and neceflary,
' that a revenue be raifed in your Majefly's faid dominions in America
' for defraying the expences of defending, protecting, and fecuring the
' fame, We, your Majefly's mod dutiful and loyal fubjeds, the com-
' mons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, being defirous of
' making fome provifion in this prefent feffion of parliament towards
' raifing the fiiid revenue in America, have refolved to give and grant
' unto your Majefty the feveral rates and duties herein after mention-
' ed,' viz. after 29th September 1764, on the following goods landed
in America.
White Or ckiyed fugar, the produce of foreign colonies to

pay over and above all former duties, per cwt. ;^i 2 o

Indigo of foreign growth, per lb. - - - - 006

Coffee, from any place except Great Britain, per cwt. - 2 19 9
Wine from Maderia, or any other ijland, whence wine may law-
fully be imported, per tun - - - 70c
Wine of Portugal or Spain, or any other wine except French

French, imported from Great Britain, per tun - 0100

Silk, or fluff mixed with filk, made in Perfia, China, India,

imported from Great Britain, per pound weight - 020

Calico made in Perfia, &c. imported from Britain, per piece 026
Cambric, foreign made, imported from Britain, per piece -030
French lawn imported from Britain, per piece - 030

Such were the duties enaded to be paid on the importation into the
colonies. The following were to be levied on the produce of the Bri-
tifh colonies, when fliipped for any place whatever, except Great Britain.
Coffee of the Britifh iflands, per cwt. - - - /^o 7 o

Pimento of the Britifh iflands, per lb. - - o o of

At the fame time the adl, [6 Geo. II, c. 13} for better fecuring and
encouraging the trade of his Majefly's fugar colonies in America, was
made perpetual, with the following alterations.

Melaffes and fyrups, the produce of foreign colonies, if carried to his
Majefly's colonies in America, to pay threepence per gallon, inflead of
the former duty of fixpence, which was generally eluded.

All thefe duties payable in America to be paid into his Majefly's ex-
chequer in bullion, and to be kept apart and appropriated for the de-
fence of the colonies.

No fugars were allowed to be imported into Ireland, but diredly
from Great Britain.

The remainder of this ad mofl flridly guards the trade of the Ame-
rican colonies, and condemns to forfeiture all veffels found hovering on
the coall of America (except French veffels near the tolerated part of
Newfoundland) and all Britifh veffels found Handing into, or coming

A. D.I 764. 397

out of the French iflands of St. Pierre and Miquelon in the Gulf of St.
Laurence. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 15.]

Agreeable to the fpirit of this law, all the officers of the fliips of war,
ftationed on the coafts of America and the Weft-Indies were made to
take the cuftom-houfe oaths, and ad: as revenue officers for the preven-
tion of fmuggling. But the alertnefs and adivity, which thofe gentle-
men had. lately exerted with fo much advantage and honour to them-
felves and their country in taking prizes from the enemy, were more
prejudicial than ferviceable to the general interefts of commerce in their
new employment. Little acquainted, as may be fuppofed, with rules,
which require long ftudy and pradice to undcrftand them, and ftill lefs
with the prudential reafons, which had hitherto induced a relaxation of
the rigour of the law in cafes, where a judicious overlooking was for
the national advantage, they eagerly and indifcriminately feized every
veffel they found in the fmalleft degree tranfgrelTing the ftrid letter of
the law, the interpretation of which was in * a great mealure in their
own hands.

The old northern colonies in America, it is well known, have very
few articles fit for the Britifli market; and yet they every year-took off
large quantities of merchandize from Great Britain, for which they
made payments with tolerable regularity f . Though they could not,
like the Spanifh colonifts, dig the money out of their own foil, they
found means to make a great part of their remittances in gold and fil-
ver dug out of the Spanifh mines. This they effeded by being general
carriers, and by a circuitous commerce, carried on in fmall veflels, chief-
ly with the foreign Weft- India fettlements, to which they carried lum-
ber of all forts, fifti of an inferior quality, beef, pork, butter, horfes,
poultry and other live ftock, an inferior kind of tobacco, corn, flour,
bread, cyder, and even apples, cabbages, onions, &c. and alfo vefTels
built at a fmall expenfe, the materials being almoft all withiii them-
felves ; for which they received in return moftly filver and gold, fome
of which remained as current coin among themielves ; but the greateft
part was remitted home to Britain, and, together with bills of exchange
generally remitted to London for the proceeds of their beft fifli, fold in
the Roman-catholic countries of Europe, ferved to pay for the goods
they received from the mother country. This trade united all the ad-
vantages, which the wifeft and moft philanthropic philofophcr, or the

* In cafes of improper feizure redrefs might be value of a fhip and cargo feized in the year lyCj

fought by appeal to the boards of admiralty or by a captain of the navy, at the fuit of the owner,

treafury at Iiome ; whicli, confidering the delay who obtained a vtrditt for ^^4046 with cofls.
and diftance, and the circumftancesof the plaintiffs f The tables of imports and exports will fiiow,

and the defcndents, could very feldom be produc- how large a balance was paid by New-England,

tive of any redrefs. There was, however, at Icaft New- York, and Pennfylvani^ ; while Maryland,

one inftance of a caufe being tried before the fupe- Virginia, the Carolinas, and in later years Georgia,

vior court at New-York in the year 1766 for the fometimes received a balance from Britain.

398 A. D. 1764.

niofl enlightened legiflator, could wifli to derive from commerce. It
gave bread to the induftrious in North America by carrying off their
lumber, which mull; otherwife rot on their hands, and their filh, great
part of which without it would be abfolutely unfaleable, together with
their fpare produce and flock of every kind ; it furnifhed the Weft-India
planters with thofe articles, without which the operations of their plan-
tations muft be at a ftand ; and it produced a fund for employing a
great number of induftrious manufadurers in Great Britain ; thus
taking off the fuperfluities, providing for the neceflities, and promoting
the happinefs, of all concerned *. This trade, however, was almoft en-
tirely ruined by the rigorous execution of the new orders againft fmugg-
ling, and the colledion of the duties in hard filver, which loon drained
the country of any little real money circulating in it. And, as if govern-
ment had intended to prevent the coloniftsfrom having even the fliadow
of money, another ad was palfed, in a few days after that for the new
duties, declaring that no paper bills, to be thenceforth iffued, fhould be
made a legal tender in payment, and enjoining thofe in circulation to
be funk (that is, paid off in hard money) at the limited time.

Nor*^h America was not, however, the only quarter of the Britifh do-
minions diftrefled by thefe meafures.

For a long courfe of years the Spanifh colonifts in America had been
accuftomed to refort to the neighbouring fettlements to purchafe Eu-
ropean goods, the price ot which the jealous policy of their own govern-
ment rendered moft oppreflively exorbitant in the courfe of their regu-
lar trade. Jamaica had a principal fhare in this beneficial commerce,
wherein the Spaniards in their fmall coafting veffels brought over fome
mules and cattle (articles more valuable to the planters than filver or
gold) cochineal, indigo, fome medicinal drugs, and gold and filver,
coined and uncoined, to the value often or twenty times the amount of
their Httle cargoes. In return they purchafed linens of every kind, ca-
licoes, and almoft every article of Britifli manufadure, which they car-
ried home at the rifl< of confifcation and corporal puniftiment if deted-
ed, and ufually made very great profits, notwithftanding the difadvan-
tages attending purchafes at fecond hand, and the heavy expenfes in-
feparable from clandeftine trade.

This trade, fo eminently valuable infupplying Jamaica and the other
iflands with an abundant flock of the pretious metals for their internal

* The nature and tfTefts of this trade are ex- cial fyftem, of the mother country. But how could

plained n-.ore fully in An efay on the trade of the it be otherways in a country fo remote from the

narlhi-rn ccloiiia, printed in Fhlladclphid, and re- goTernment, to which it profefTed allegiance, and

primed in London, I 764. poiTcfruig an extent of coaft, which no chain of rc-

I do not mean to vindicate the Americans from venue cruifers, that could be fupported by go-

thc charge of fmuggling. 1 know that vaft quan- vei:imcnt, would be fuificient to guard with any

titles ofgoods were imported in direft violation of kind of efficdt ?
the Utter and fpirit of the law, and of the commer-

A. D. 1764. 399

circulation (they have no paper money) and alfofor remittances to Bri-
tain, befides taking off a vaft quantity of goods, which would otherways
have been bought from theFrench or Dutch, and not in the fmalleft degree
offending againft any of the revenue laws, was fl;ill illegal ; becaufe no fo-
reign veffels were allowed to enter the ports of any of the colonies, un-
lefs forced in by di/lrefs ; a plea which ha.d been conftantly alleged, and
admitted without any queflion.

But now in confequence of the great zeal and adivity of the navy of-
ficers, who, in rigorous obfervance of the act 4 Geo. Ill, c. 15, feized
fome of the Spanifh velTels *, and alfo of inftrudions fent to the gover-
nors for the fupprellion of illicit trade, whereby they were obliged to
prohibit all foreign veffels from entering the Britifh harbours in the-
Weft-Indies, tliis mofl beneficial commerce was completely abolifhed ;
and the merchants in Jamaica were involved in great difficulties by the-
fudden and unexpefted prohibition.

The effeds of the reftricfions upon the trade of the northern colonies
were fuch as were fcarcely expeded on this fide of the water. Becaufe
the wool of the American fheep is much inferior to Englifn wool, it
was, rather ralhly, fuppoled, that the people of America mufl continue
to wear Englifh cloth ; not adverting, that, if they could not pay for
cloth made by others, they muft of neceflity wear what they could
make themfelves, and that, where all wore coarfe cloth, no one could be
afliamed of the ufe of it. Befides, they were already fo much indebted
to the mother country, that, if the fources of their remittances were to
be cut off, there mufl immediately be an end of importation, whether
they chofe it, or not. They therefor entered into aflbciations, wherein ^
it was refolved at once to retrench all fuperfluous expenfes (and particu-
larly funeral mournings) and to encourage every fpecies of manufac-
tures : and they adually fet about it with fo much ardour, that they
foon produced fuch fpecimens, as emboldened them to think, the}-
could, in cafe of neceflity, live confortably without depending up-
on foreign trade for any of the necefliries or conveniencies of life.

April 1 8th — For the encouragement of the filhery in the province of
Quebec, fait from any part of Europe was allowed to be imported for one
year into that province in Britifh veffels navigated according to law, in the
fame manner as to New-England and Newfoundland. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 1 9.]

The committee of merchants trading to Africa, who had the manage-
ment of the Britiih intereft on that coaft inflead of the late African
company, having reprelented to government, that the annual allowance

* Mr. Edwards in liis valuable Hijlory of the 1765 fell fhort of the year i763/'i68,cco fterling.

WeJI-Indics \_p. 2'^2, ed. 1794] very juftly obferves, And it appears from the cultom-houfe accounts,

that this was ' a meafure which in truth was con- that the exports In the year i 766 fell even a little

'verting our navy into ^H(3rn'<j-f2/7rtj- for the king of lower thar. thofe of 1765. , In 1767 they b"gaii

' Spain ;' and that in confequence thereof, the ex- to rile,
gorts from Gieat Britain to Jamaica in the year 3

400 A. D. 1764.

of ;^8oo, which the company had been permitted to deduct from the
public money under their diredion for falaries, houfe-rent and other
charges, was infufficient, they were now by law indulged with a further
allowance of ^^400 a year for the falaries of their clerks and agents in
London, Briftol, and Liverpool, the rent of their office in London, and
all charges of management in England. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 20.]

The bounties and encouragements formerly given to the Greenland
v/hale fifliery were continued till 25th December 1767, and after that
to the end of the next feffion of parliament. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 22.]

Till now the letters, which were franked, or exempted from paying
poflage, were figned by the members of the two houfes of parliament,
or other privileged perfons, only at the corner of a blank cover, on
which the writer of the letter added the addrefs. This manner of frank-
ing was fubjech not only to forgery, but to many other abufes *, where-
by the revenue of the poft-office was greatly injiired. It was therefor
now enaded, that after the ifl day of May 1764, no letters fhould be
exempted from paying poftage, except thofe fent from, or to, the king,
.all letters, not exceeding two ounces in weight, fent to any part of Great
Britain or L-eland during the feffion of parliament, or within forty days
before, or forty days after, any fummons or prorogation of the fame,
the zvhole of the iuperfcription being in the hand-writing of a member
ofthehoufe of lords or honfe of commons, and alfo all letters fent
to the members. Letters fent to mofl of the public offices f in Great
Britain, Ireland and America, or fent from them, fealed with the office
feal or the feal of the principal officer, were alfo exempted from pofl:-
age. And the printed votes and proceedings of parliament, and newf-
papers, were permitted to go free, being put in covers open at the ends,
and franked by certain clerks of the fecretary of ftate's office, or certain
officers of the pofl-office. Forgery of franks was rendered punifhable
by tranf]portation for feven years. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 24.] In the examina-
tion previous to paffing this ad it appeared, that the portage of franked
letters on an average of feveral years part, was equal x.o£i 70,000 a year ;
a great part of which was by the new regulation added to the revenue.

In order to obtain a cheaper and furer fupply of hemp and flax, and
to encourage the cultivation of it in the American colonies, the parlia-
ment granted a.bounty of /^8 on every tun of clean merchantable hemp,
or rough flax, imported from the Britifli American colonies from 24th
June 1764 to 24th June 1771, and thence to 24th June 1778 a bounty
o( £6, and thereafter to 24th June 1785 of ^4; the pre-emption of all
fuch hemp and flax being offered to the commiffioners of the navy, and

* It was common for the fervants of members to alk their mafters to fign great numbers of franks at
a time, which they openly fold to people, who made a trade of retailing them, 4

f The offices are enumerated in the aft.

A. D. 1764. 401

twenty days being allowed for their determination before the importer
could be at liberty to fell it to a private buyer. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 26.]

Rice was allowed to be carried from South Carolina and Georgia, in
vellels belonging to Britifli fubjeds, di redly to any part of America
fouthward of Georgia, on paying one half fubfidy, which was equivalent
to the duty remaining, if the rice were brought to Britain and re-fhip-
ped on a drawback. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 27.]

In order to prevent provifions from being raifed to an exorbitant
price, the king was empowered, with the advice of his privy council, to
permit the importation of falted beef, pork, bacon, and butter, from
Ireland, fuch provifions paying at landing a duty on the fait employed
in curing them. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 28.]

For the encouragement of the whale fifhery in the River St. Laurence,
the fins of whales, caught in that river, and on the coafi;s of Britifh
America, were allowed to be imported on paying only the old fubfidy
direded by the ad 25 Car. IT, c. >]. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

Whereas fome merchants, bankers, and other traders, within the- fi:a-
tutes relating to bankrupts, having privilege of parliament, had claim-
ed exemption from the bankrupt laws, it was now enaded, that fuch
traders fhould be liable to a commiffion of bankruptcy as v/ell as others.
[4 Geo. Ill, c. z?>-\

The Englifla linen company was efi:ablifhed as a corporate body,
chiefly for the purpofe of making cambrics and lawns of the kind call-
ed French lawns, with a joint capital flock which fliould not exceed
/^i 00,000. The goods, in order to certify them to be of Englifli ma-
nufadure were to be fealed at each end of the piece by proper officers,
before they were taken out of the loom. [4 Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

A great improvement in the fpinning wheel, whereby a child may
fpin twice as much as a grown perfon can do with the common wheel,
was invented by Mr. Harrifon, for which the patriotic fociety for the
encouragement of arts and commerce gave him a premium of fifty
pounds.

The convention of royal burghs of Scotland reprefented to the king,
that the agriculture and manufadures of the country required the la-
bour of all the working hands in it, and therefor prayed he would re-
voke a licence that had been given to the Dutch of recruiting their ar-
my in Scotland. The country muft be in a wretched condition indeed,
which exports its natives. Such is the condition of a great part of
Africa. But may it never more be fuch of any part of the Britifli do-
minions.

During the war a veflel belonging to Liverpool, having parted with
her convoy, was taken by the enemy ; whereupon the owners applied to
the underwriters for her value, who refufed to pay it. Or the matter
being brought before Lord chiefjuflice Pratt (afterwards Lord Camden)

Vol. III. 3 E

402 A. D. 1764,

it appeared, that the vefTel had intentionally parted from the fleet ; and
therefor it was determined by a fpecial jury, that the underwriters were
not li:;ble for the lofs (May I4tb.) This decifion, as being a precedent in
a matter of great commercial importance, is worthy of this brief notice.

It may be confidered as a convincing proof of the increaling profpe-
rity of London, that a piece of wafte ground in Picadilly, which a
brewer had bought fome years before at the price of ^^30 for putting
his caflcs and lumber in, was now fold for ;^2,5oo.

For fome years the French Ealt-India company had been very rapid-
ly declining, notwithllanding a dividend of 40 livres on each fhare and
other advantages allowed them by the king ; who now alfo made them
a prefent of 1 1 ,835 fhares belonging to him'felf, and empowered them
to make a call on the proprietors for 400 livres on each of the 38,433
remaining fhares, which raifed them to 1600 livres, and in confidera-
tion thereof to raife their dividend to 80 livres a fhare, and to reduce fuch
proprietors as fliould refufe to anfwer that call to five eights of the new
fhare. At the fame time he relieved them of the burthen of the illes
of France and Bourbon, the diredion of which, like that of the other
colonies, he committed to the department of the marine*.

July 7th — The king of Denmark deilrous of drawing a trade to his
We-ft-Tndia poffeffions, eftablifhed free ports in his iflands of St. Thomas
and St. John f , on the following conditions.

European nierchandize to be carried thither only by the king of
Denmark's European fhips furnifhed with paffports, and to pay two per
cent ad valorem on importation. American produce to be admitted in
veffels of any nation, and to pay five per cent of the ufiial duty ; and
fuch velfels may export any goods free of duty. But no veflels are per-
mitted to go from thcie iflands to St. Croix for a cargo. — Produce im-
ported into thefe iflands to be carried to Europe only in the Danifli
paflport fhips, and to be landed only in Denmark or the Danifh provin-
ces Thofe foreign productions to be exempted from foreign duty ; but

the produce of St. Thomas and St. John to pay five per cent. — Frauds
to be punifhed by confilcation.and fines — Foreign fugars, brought from
thefe iflands to the Danifh flates, fhall remain only till they can be ex-
ported again, paying a duty of one per cent.

The Spanifh governor of Yucatan having given fome trouble to the
Britifh logwood-cutters at the Bay of Honduras, and even driven fome
of them away, on pretence that they had no certificates of their being
Britifh fubjedts, and that they made too free with the produce of the
country, proper remonftrances were made to the Spanifh court, who ex-

* This new arrangement, made an annual faving "I The Danifh iflands in the Weft-Indies are

ef two milh'ons of livres to the company, vvitiiout moftly ouned, cultivated, and inhabited, by Britifh

affeftiiig their cxclufivc commerce with the iflands planters and merchants. Their newfpapers are

in the fmalleft degree. rRayiial H!/l. f/:i/. et pol. printed in Uanifh and Englifh, every article being

V. \\,p. 322.] txgrtfTed twice. 3

A. D. 1764.

403

prefsly difavowed the condud of the governor, and gave affurances,
that frefh orders fhould be lent to him to give no interruption to the
Britifh logwood-cutters, to re-eftabUfli thofe he had expelled from their
fettlements, and to adhere ftridly to the ftipulations in the 17th article
of the treaty of peace ; all which was foon after performed with the
greateft punduality. And thus a little llorm, which fome clamorous
politicians had attempted to magnify into a very ferious affair, was hap-
pily blown over.

Accounts received from Jamaica contained the following ftatement
of the condition of that important ifland.

From Chriftmas 1752 to Chriftmas 1762 there were imported 71,115
negroes, fold on an average at ^^ :^o llerling.

During ten years part there were imported from Madeira about 630
pipes of wine annually. The annual value ofprovifions imported from
Ireland was about ^^100,000 flerling. During the war the annual
amount of provifions, lumber, live flock, &c. imported from North
America was about ^^200,000 currency *, of which about one quarter
was paid in produce, and the other three quarters f in money or bills
of exchange, which the Americans ufually carried to the French part
of Hifpaniola if, the produce of which was at a very low price during
the war.

The population of Jamaica was now fo much increafed as to be efli-

* The exohange being 40 per cent upon fterling
money, this fum amounts to ^^142, 857 : 2 : 10
fterling.

f According to Lord Sheffield, the following is
the calculation of the proportion of produce taken
by the North-American traders in their dealings at
Kingllon in Jamaica. Thofe of the Carolinas and
fouthtrn provinces took rather more than half;
Pennfylvania and the other middle provinces about
one fourth, and the balance in calh and bills of ex-
change ; the New-England provinces not above
• ne tenth, and the balance in dollars, which they
immediately carried to Hifpaniola, &c. He adds,
that American veflels uled to clc;ir out empty
hoglheads at the cuftom-houfe, which they filled
with fugar. Sec. at the foreign iflands, and there-
by evaded the foreign duty in America : and that
the New-Englanders ufed to purchafe Jamaica pro-
duce with doubloons nianufaftured at Bofton, but
as foon as the legidature of the ifland put a flop
to the circulation of them, they gave up buying
produce. [Obfervations on the commerce of the
^mericanjlates, p. 178, ed. 1784.]

X A principal article of the purchafes of the
Americans there was melafTes, which they could
not buy in Jamaica, where it is fo valuable for the
purpofe of converting it into rum, and which they
could buy on tery low terms from the French
planters, who, before this market opened to them,

fometimes threw it away, as I have been told, the
plenty of wine and brandy from France, and the
difcouragement of the dillillery by their govern-
ment, rendering it of no value to them. The mc-
laflTes bore a great profit in America, vaft quantities
being expended in families, and, probably, ftiU
more in the diftilleries.

Of the fpirits diililled from it, a great quantity
went to Africa for the purchafe of negroes, wha
were generally fold in the Wefl-lndla iflands, and
the proceeds remitted to Britain inbills of exchange :
fo that tlie French melafTes thus became the rawr
material of a trade, very favourable, in point of ba-
lance at leaft, to Great Britain.

As, accoiding to the foundeft maxims of trade,
raw materials for manufaftures may be bought
with advantage from foreigners, the acquifition of
melalfes from the French (rather than from our
own planters, who know better what to do with
it) was evidently as advantageous (if the dillillery
is allowed to be a beneficial, and not a pernicious,
manufaftuie) as the acquifition of raw filk, flax,
hemp, iron, faltpetre, &c. There is no doubt,
that fome article* of French manufaftute were
carried to America along with the melafles : but,
if we allow our rivals in trade to underfcll us in any
article, a preference in the fale of fuch article i«
the unavoidable confequcnce.

5 E 2

404 A. D. 1764.

mated at 15,000 white people, exclufive of the military and naval efta-
blilhments and the feafarlng people ; 4000 free people of colour ; and,
according to the returns made in the year 1762, 146,464 flaves.

As it was found inconfiflent with the interefts of the British com-
merce, and moft particularly of that of Jamaica, to prohibit the refort
of Spanifli veflels, inflructions were fent to the governor and the admi-
ral on the ftation, fignifying, that Spanifli veflels, coming into Jamaica
by reajon of dj/irefs, or for refrefjments, as formerly, fliould receive the af-
liftance they had formerly been allowed, provided they did not attempt
to bring in foreign merchandize. And fimilar inflirudions were fent to
the governors of the other colonies, which uled to be viflted by Spanifli
vefl"els.

But the public deliberations on the regulation of a tx-ade, which had
formerly been allowed filently and quietly to regulate itfelf, could not
pofllbly efcape the watchful attention of the Spanifli ambaflador. The
confequence was, that the government of Spain, in order to counteract
our policy, now for the firfl: time laid open the trade to their iflands to
their own fubjeds in all the provinces of Spain, by permitting the free
exportation of goods, on payment of moderate duties, to Trinidad, Pu-
erto-rico, Hifpaniola, and Cuba. But it does not appear, that this mea-
fure, however promifing and apparently liberal, was produftive of much
benefit to the Spaniards, i<tv! of whom polTefTed fufficient fpirit, or
means, to avail themfelves of the indulgence to fuch an extent, as to
fupply their colonies with proper aflbrtments of goods, qualified to come
in competition with the Brititli manufiwSures, which ftiU preferved fuch
an afcendant in the demand among the Spanifli Weft-Indians, as tempt-
ed them to brave all the dangei^s and penalties they were liable to, if
deteded in fmuggling them.

The culture of filk was unfuccefsftfl in Georgia this year, owing to
unfavourable weather in March and April. The quantity brought to
the public filature was 15,126 pounds of cocoons, being 360 lefs than
the produce of the preceding year. At this time the Geoi-gia filk was
complained of in London, as being too round and fpungy, owing to its
being woimd from too many cocoons at once.

The continent of America, from the mouth of the Miflifippi to the
frozen fea of Greenland, being now fubjed to Great Britain, it was
thought expedient, that accurate furveys fliould be made of all its coalis,
harbours, and rivers ; for which purpofes Mefll-s. Samuel Holland and
William de Brahm were commiflloned as furveyors-general of America,
the river Fotowmak with a line running weft from the head of its main
ftream being the boundary between their diftridts. The iflands in the
Gulf of St. Laurence were recommended to the earlieft attention of Mr.
Holland, as the peninfula of Eafl Florida was to that of Mr. De Brahm.

This year the parliament of Ireland entered in good earneft upon the

A. D. 1764. 405

important bufinefs of the herring fifhery. One of the members obferv-
ed. that ' Hitherto the greateft impediments to the progrefs of the Brit-
' ifh fiflieries carried on from Scotland have been the ih calculated laws,
' reftriftions, and duties, laid upon fait ufed in curing of herrings. Let
' not therefor infignificant fait duties be a ftumbling-block with vis. As
' we have feen the abfurdity in others, let fuch provifion be made at
* darting, as may prevent any fuch accident from blafling the firft pro-
' grefs of the Irifh fifheries.'

An immediate confequence of the parliamentary encouragement given
to the Irifli filhery was, that Ireland took from Britain only about 16,000-
barrels of herrings on an average of feven years, inftead of about 23,000,
the average quantity for a number of years previous to 1764. It is true,
that the quantity imported by Ireland from the Eafl country increafed
after this year : but that is accounted for by the very low price the
Swedes were enabled to fell their herrings at by the wonderful plenty
upon their coaft, which made it an objed for the Irifli to procure them
for re-fliipping to the Weft-Indies.

The ifle of Mann, by being independent of the Britifli revenue laws,
had become a great magazine of foreign merchandize, vaft quantities
of which ufed to be frauggled into the three Britifli kingdoms, to all of
which it is almoft equally near. Therefor a number of fliips of war and
cutters were now ftationed around the coafl:s of it, in order to prevent
fo great an injury to the revenue and to the fair trader.

The whale fithery at Greenland proved very indifferent this feafon.
The Britifii fliips got very few fifli, many of them none at all : and the
Dutch got only 117, lefs than half of their ufual number. As fome
compenfation for their difappointraent in Greenland, they fell in, near
the ifland of Rona *, about 40 miles north-north-eaft from the ifland
of Lewis, with a fmall fpecies of whales, and caught thirty-two of them,
which were reckoned equal to five or fix fizeable Greenland whales.
Thus have the Dutch difcovered another ^oU mine in our leas, which
our own people in the adjacent iflands unfortunately want the knowlege
and the means to avail themfelves of by going after the whales, and are
obliged to content themfelves with now and then making a prize of a
fliole of them, when they in a manner call upon them to take them by
getting embayed in fmall inlets among the iflands f.

* From Rona there runs a bank towards Till- ' tliere run into a bay no Icfs than 1 14 at once.'

head in Ireland, which Sir William Monfon \_Na- \_Wallace's Account of Orkney, p. 37.] Alartin, in

■oal Trails, B. ivj lays, affords a great quantity of his Dcfcripl'wn of the Wejlern tjlands, heqiiently 110-

the bell cod and ling : but he complains that it tices tlie plenty of whales among them. — In the

had been neglefted for above a century. Other ifland of Nortlimaven in Shetland 360 whales were

two centuries have fince elapfed, and, ^ure, Is it driven afliore in the year 1741, about 100 in the

not Hill neglected? year 1791, and fmaller numbers are ulual. \_Sir

f ' Spout whales and pellacks run in great num- John Sim/air's Statijiical account of Scotland, V. xii,

' ber upon the Ihore, and are talcon ; as ir the year /. 362 ; and the accounts of"":veral other iiiiular

' 1691, near Kairfton in the Mainland, [Orkney] pariflies in the fame work agree in the frequent-

4o6 A. D. 1764.

June I {[ — A French {hip of fixty guns, with feveral other vefTels under
French colours, landed a number of men on the Turks iflands, burnt and
deftrnyed all the huts ereded for the flicker of the falt-rakers, and after
erecting two columns of ftone, as monuments oi viBory, or proofs of fo-
vereigntv, they left the place, carrying with them all the Britifli fub-
jefts and Ihipping, which confiiled of fourteen fmall floops and fchooners,
and leaving a few of their people in poflTeilion of the iflands.

Thefe fmall iflands or keys, which, fince the firfl fettlement of Caro-
lina, were reckoned an appendage of that province, as being a part of
the Bahama iflands *, were only ufeful for the great quantity of excell-
ent fait produced in fliallow ponds every feaion by the heat of the fun,
and had hitherto had no regular fettlement formed upon them. In the
proper feafon they were reforted to, chiefly by people from Bermuda,
and a few from Jamaica, for the purpofe of raking fait, and alfo by
fome veflels from the northern colonies in America, which brought
flour, provifions, lumber, &c. to exchange for the fait.

The court of France, upon the application of our ambaflador, dif-
avowed the a6t of the comte D'Eftaign, the governor of their portion
of St. Domingo (or Hiipaniola), who, if he really had no orders from
his court, may have fuppofed, that, as thofe fmall iflands were nearer
to his own, than to any other, feat of government, they ought to be-
long to it, and, as unoccupied territory, ought to become the property
of any who would occupy them. But, as they were too trifling an ob-
jed to go to war for, efpecially fo foon after the conclufion of a peace,
D'Efl^aign was ordered to reftore them, and to make reparation for the
damages done to the Britifli fubjedts.

September — A fomewhat fimilar invafion of Britifli property was
made by the French governor of Goree, in attempting a fettlement
near the river Gambia, which the French in like manner difavowed, and
even called him home to anfwer for his offence.

In confequence of a petition of the merchants, complaining of the
high price of provifions, the king, by the advice of the privy council,
and agreeable to the a6t lately pafled, iflhed a proclamation for the free
importation of faked beef, pork, and butter, from Ireland ; and offered
a reward of /^i 00 for the difcovery of any unlawful combinations to
raife the price of provifions (Odober 9th). The high price of corn alfo oc-
cafionedfome diflurbances about this time. In Derby-lhire the colliers,

rppearance and plenty of the whales.] — Egede, in is fcarcely to be diftiuguiflied from the bacon of
his Di'fcriplion of the Faeroes, a duller of iflands pork, 'i'lie lean part, in appeiirance and tafte, re-
lying norlh-wcit fiom Shetland, [/>. 171 of the fembles beef, and is ufed titiier frtlh, or cured by
Engl'ijh tranjlal'ion'] gives a fimilar account of the crying.

plenty of wiiales among thofe iflands, and fays, • In the year 1695 a veffel was feized by order

that about loco of them were taken iu two places of the proprietors of Carolina for not paying the

in the year 1664. The natives melt part of the tenth, claimed as due to thcra for taking fait o«

fat of thefe fmall whales for oil, and the remainder Tucks iflands.
they cure in the manner of bacon, which, he fays,

A. D. 1 764. 407

finding wheat charged at 8/4 a bufhel, fixed the price at 5/by their own
authority, and cleared the market at that price. The gentlemen of York
contributed a fund for importing foreign grain to be diftributed to the
poor, which, if there was a real fcarcity, was at leaf! a well-intended
charity ; but, if the fcarcity was artificial, it may be doubted, whether
the application of a part of the money, for the purpofe of enforcing the
laws againft the counteradors of God's bounty to mankind, would not
have been a more effedual charity *.

The filk-weavers prefented a memorial to the lords of trade, fetting
forth their hardfhips arifing from the importation of foreign wrought
filks and velvets, and praying, that at leaf! double duties ftiould be laid
on all fuch goods.

At the fame time the filk-throwfiers and others in the filk trade pre-
fented a memorial, flating, that the quantity of raw filk imported was
not fufiicient to anfwer the demands of the trade.

A third memorial was prefented by the filk-mercers, who afiiirmed,
that there was no want of employment, but a great want of hands to
execvite the work offered to the weavers.

There is a ftrange contradiction in thefe three memorials. Parlia-
ment endeavoured to fatisfy all parties by an adl paffed in the enfuing
feflion, which will be noticed in due time.

The following account was tranfmitted from Nova-Scotia of the ex-
ports of that province during the year 1764.

66,400 quintals of dried cod, value

7200 barrels of pickled fifh, _ _ _

Lumber, to the amount of - - -

Sole leather tanned at Halifax and Lunenburg,

6 tons of cheefe, - - - - -

Furs, _____

£64,ygo
But 22,000 quintals of the cod were caught by the people

of New-England, value _ _ _ 39,000

So that the exports really proceeding from the indufiry of

Nova-Scotia are reduced to - - - ^^25,790

Mofl of the expenfes attending the late war being now paid off or

* If we may judge from the crowds that were warrants and receiving the bread, tlian they faved

to be feen wailing at tlie different places in and by getting it fourpence under the price. And

about London, where bread was given out below there is reafon to believe that the more worthy

the market price in the year 1796, when the quar- part of the poor generally fuft'ered the hardlliip in

tern loaf was at the enormous price of 1/3, we may (Hence, from a principle of modefty, which was in

probably be warranted to fuppofe, tnal the poor reality the bell economy with regard to the value

loft more in the time wafted in applying fgr the of their time.

4o8 A. D. 1764.

funded, it may be proper to obferve, that the capital of the national
debt, which in the year 1755 was - - ^^72, 289,673 o o

was now, according to the accounts made up to

5th January 1764, - - 129,586,789 10 2

to which mud be added the debt then remaining

unfunded, - _ _ _ 9,975,017 12 2

making the total debt - - ;(^i 39,56 1,807 2 4

befides which, there are annuities for terms of years and for lives, pay-
able at the bank, the value of which muft be changing every day.

But as the national creditors have no right to demand repayment of
their capital from government, and as the real value of the capital is
fubjecl to dayly fluciuacions, it feems more correct to reckon the na-
tional debt by the amount of the annual funis adually paid to the cre-
ditors.

There were due to the ftock-holders, or national creditors, on the
5th of January 1764, perpetual annuities (redeemable, however, in the
option of government) to the annual amount of ;^4, 195,032 18 7
and in terminable annuities, fome for lives, others for
limited terms, payable at the bank and the exchequer, 493,144 12 5

Total annual amount of the funded debt *, ;iC4,688,i77 11 o

The revenue provided by parliament for the above, and the other
branches of the national expenditure, in the year
1764 was - - - £7 a 5961 \ 15 7

The king of France, confidering the impoflibility of complying with
an order againfi: French or Englilh veflels coming within a league of
each-other's iflands, and that, if the Britifh government were to reta-
liate by a regulation of equal feverity, his own fubjeds muft fuffer by
it, fent orders to the Weft-Indies to allow all veflels to fail along the
ftiores with freedom, and even to put into the ports in cafe of necellity.

The grofs revenue of the poft-office this year amounted to /^28i, 535 ;
in the year 1664 it was farmed for £21,^00 ; and in 1644 (only twenty
years earher) it was eftimated fo low as ^{^5000. Such is the increafe of
correfpondence, arifmg from the increafe of commerce, and the increaf-
ed facility and difpatch in the conveyance of letters.

• Tlic annuities of every kind payable at the annuities, have fwelled the amount of the capital,

bank arc paid half-yearly, and thole payable at varioufly, according to the rates tliey alTumcd in

the exchequer quarterly. their calculations, which, it is evident, mult in a

Authors who have written upon the national great meafure be arbitrary,
aebt, by calculating the value of the terminable

409

523,128 tun?.
67.345

A. D. 1764.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 6918 velTels of the reputed burthen of
and of Scotland 1244 ^ - „ _

Total 8162 ^ - - - 590,473

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Wefl.-Tndia duty of
4 J- per cent, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year, was,
from the cuftom-houfe in London, - /^2, 159,972 19 11

dnd from tlie cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh, - 9,500 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain, ;,^2, 169,472 1911

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year

18,900 pounds of gold, value - - ^^883, 102 10 o

and 5 pounds of filver, - - - 15 10 o

;C883,n8 o o

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1763 to Chrillmas 1764 was as follows.

CounUie.i, &1.
Africa
Canaries
Denmark, &c.
East Count!-/
East-India
Flanders
France
(jermany
Greenland
Holland -
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prussia
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Straits
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Gaemsey, &c.
Belle-isle

America in geueril
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
St. John's island -
Quebec

Vol. hi.

Imported into

Exported from j

BNCLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAKD.

«^35,738 9 2

i£9S

13 6

a^464,878

14

2

i^l96 2 1

3,158 10 7

31,867

10

2

85,027 .q &

37,427

13 2

141,534

5

5

38,449 18 8

224,-l9<) 8 1

290,33 1

6

9

1.182,84-1 18 0

1,165,600

12

4

145,772 2 3

546,777

16

10

\7,5CsQ 18 4

Q5,430 19 IJ

1,679

11 8

208,765

14

6

307,540 17 1

606,410 1 2

8,804

8 8

2,379,315

3

9

30,031 15 3

7.93fj 17 0

1.448

10 0

371,730 2 2

117,929

4 2
•0 10

2,040,467

9

9

313,639 11 8

777,412 19 8

82,766

1,634,382

8

209,416 17 11

15

0 0

1,583 12 0

810,902 9 5

1,445

14 6

754,446

4

2

5,393 7 4

5,792 9 3

15,300

16 10

40,152

12

6

400 0 0

1.837 9 11

6,904

17 5

312,974 8 5

11,706

8 6

1,2-14,198

6

7

1,169 18 C

920,293 12 3

92,339

9 1

67,952

8

6

272 0 2

503,489 6 4

6,904

18 0

1,318,345

4

11

7,299 4 4

32,271 4 11

120,574

9

y

253,280 1 11

30,200

5 11

28,351

4

•J

6,83a 0 11

191,565 16 0

70,008

16

11

54,992 10 5

9,952

1 \

10

45,531 6 5

3,690

8 0

54,522

3

128 12 3

0 4 6

349,970

10 8

233,090 10 1

9,272 9 2

3.892

1 }

2

30,354 2 4

72,588

6

3

80 17 2

44,600 9 5

251,385

12

6

3F

41 o

A. D. 1764.

Imported into

Exported from

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

£si 19 3

15,434 17 0

88,157 1 q

45Q,7Q5 0 n

53,097 10 4

515,416 12 1

30",253 18 1

435,191 14 0

550,-108 15 1

515,192 10 6

341,727 12 7

305,808 1 6

31,325 9 4

18,338 2 11

294 3 4

117,319 16 3

15,004 15 7

69,047 13

1

307,392 6 6

63,136 10 10

300,213 17 3

181,710 U 3

165 11 1

10,534 3 7

31,894 6 2

16,415 12 0

200,889 13 6

65,935 3 9

33,551 17 0

5,735 8 0

1,076,155 1 9

456,528 1 11

3,169 6 8

82,966 15 0

7,532 8 9

60,652 11 2

7,934 16 5

283.842 4 1

98,321 8 2
971 15 2
349 8 5

41,549 1 11

2,485 1 0

4,436 6 7

2,808 6 9

8,681 12 0

6,625 10 10

917 0 10

9.393 H 3

400 4 11

24,863 9 2

44,301 5 2

35,782 19 2

10,364,307 12 3

16,202,378 lO Q

886,352 11 1

880,352 11 1

1,243,927 9 10

1.243,927 9

10

I 1 ,250,660 3 4

17,446,3ft0 6 7

Countries ire.
Nova-Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Virginia and Maryland
Carolina . - .
Georgia - -
Florida -
West-Indies in general
Antigua

Barb.ndos - - -
Benmida _ - .
Dominica - - -
Grenada - - -

Guadaloupe
Havanna

Jamaica . - -
Martinique
Montserrat
Nevis - -
St. Christophers
St. Vincents
Tobago

Tortola . - -
New- Providence
St. Croix
St. Eustatliius
Foreign West-Indies -
British and Irish linens

exported on bounty to

various countries
Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Tot.il, Great Britain, -

1765 — A great part of the foiithern coaft of Barbary was deemed in-
accellible by reafon of a prodigious furf continually breaking upon it. But
a commodious harbour with an eafy accefs had been difcovered on that
coaft by Captain George Glafs, who thereupon applied to government
for a grant of an exclufive trade for thirty years to his new-difcovered
harbour, which is fituated in 28° 4' north latitude, 11° 36' longitude
wefl from London, and is called by the natives Regeala or Gueder.
According to Captain Glafs the adjacent country produces great abund-
ance of fine wool, which the people partly manufacture, and partly fell
to the Guinea caravans ; but they would prefer exchanging it for Britifli
manufactures. He obtained from the natives a charter in Arabic, fur-
rendering to Great Britain the port, to which he gave the name of Hillf-
burgh, with a competent diftrift of the adjacent land ; which, with a plan
of the harbour, he tranfmitted (January) to the earl of Hillfburgh. After
•A tedious delay, perhaps occafioned by the oppofition of the merchants

A. D. 1765. - 411

trading to Morocco, who alleged that the emperor of Morocco would
refent fuch a trade as an encroachment upon his dominions, he at lull
obtained the aflurance of a grant for twenty-one years, and thereupon
fet fail with a proper afTortment of goods for the trade, laid in by him-
felf and one or two merchants conneded wiih him. But however flat-
tering the profped of this new trade might be, it was entirely fruflrated
by the tragical coniequences of the treachery, or perhaps the groundlefs
apprehenfion, of the natives *.

The manufadure of Englifh cambrics, eftablifhed fome time ago,
was now brought to fuch perfedion, that they were efleemed nothing
inferior to the French fabric, and promifed, with due encouragement,
very foon to fuperfede the necellity of importing any from France f.

• The beginning of the year 1765 is diftingui(h-d, or at leaft: ought to
be diftinguiflied, by two inftances of nice honour and ftrid integrity,
which dclerve to be duely noticed in this work.

A lady, whofe name ought not to have been fupprefled, had a ne-
phew, a grocer, who had failed about the year 1745, and paid his cre-
ditors I of in. the pound. By her will fhe bequeathed a fum of money
to pay the balance due to his creditors.

Mr. Stephen Theodore janfTen, formerly lord mayor of London, and
one of the reprefentatives in parliament for the city, had the misfortune
to fail in bufinefs the year after his mayoralty. His friends immediate-
ly fettled on him an annuity of ^(^600 for life, of which he paid annu-
ally £/^^0 among his creditors, though acquitted of his former debts,
as far as a certificate figned by the creditors could acquit him. The
citizens of London, as a mark of their approbation of fuch honourable
condud, did themfelves honour in beftowing upon him, without any
previous canvafs, the lucrative and confidential office of city chamber-
lain I: and Mr. Janfleh's fabfequent condud did honour to their choice.
A few days after his eledion his brother Sir Abraham Janffen dted and

* One of his men was murdered, and the king land with a quantity of gold, oicliill, wax, woods,

of ^hc place attemp'ed to poifoii the whole crew: feathers, and fliins.

wHcreufiiui'iiaptain Glafs, bdng in want of necef- Captain Glafs, having been joined at Canary

faries, \\ liicli he cxpc-fted to get ftom the flioie, by his wife and daughter, embarked onboard a

or, according to other pccouuts, with a view of veffcl bound for London, and had ailually got

felling fome good* he found not faleable there, fight of the land of England, when four ruffians

went over in-his long boat to one of the Canaries, of the crew, in purfuance of a fcheme they had

where the Spanifh governor, pretending that he laid before they failed, murdered their own com-

was a fpy, kept liim in prlfon, till he found mea?is, mander, Captain Glafs, his wife, daughter, and

by writing with charcoal upon a bifcu.'t, fo repre- fervant, with fome of the feamen not concerned "

fentliis cafe to the captain of a Britilh ihip of war, tlieir plot, in order to poflefs a large ium of mo-

who; after being fent to prilon liinlfelf, procnrtd ney onboard the fliip.

his liberty. In the meantime the natives of Gue- Such was the melancholy end of this enterprif-

der-tjmk advpntage of the weakened flate of the ing and unfortunate gentleman ; and with him, I

fhip's company, made an attack upon her, and believe, his projedted trade alfo perifhed.
w4re bravelyrepulfedby the mate, who at laft de-: f 300 pieces were fold at Garraway's coffee.

fpairing of his commander's return, failed for Eng- houfe at 13/6 a yard on an average in January

.'■; • . . ;-■ ,•.,■• .■.■■ ,-, , • , •■ , . 1765.

3 F 2

4T2 A. D. 1765.

left him an annuity of ;((^500 for life, which he immediately fold, and
divided the money among his ci-editors. He alio appropriated a conli-
derable part of the emoluments of his office to the difcharge of his
debts, till the full payment of the laffc penny due to every one of his
creditors was completely and honourably efFeded *. So noble an ex-
ample is worthy of being held up to all traders, who by the vicillitudes
of misfortune and profperity may be placed in fimilar circumflances.
And he, who has it in his power to follow fuch an example, and does
it not, may wallow in wealth and luxury, he may be fed with the in-
fincere applaufe of thofe who pretend that merit confifts in opulence ;
but he muft never exped: to enjoy the heart-felt fatisfadion and peace
of mind, which this honest man defervedly enjoyed.

When toiling through the thorny mazes of human crimes and follies
in fearch of materials for commercial hiftory, it is pleafing to meet with
fome bloflbms of human virtues, and to endeavour to preferve them for
the delight, and for the imitation, of future ages.

January 26''' — The fociety of artifts of Great Britain were incorporat-
ed, and invelled with the ufual privileges of corporate bodies, by a
royal charter, which direds.that the prefiding officers of the fociety fhall
be painters, fculptors, architects, or engravers, by profcffion.

Soon after this it was determined in the court of common picas, thas
*he publilhers of engravings of portraits were entitled to the benefit of
the ad: for fecuring the property of engravings.

January 28'"' — Salted provifions were allowed to be imported from
Ireland for one year, on paying duties equivalent to the lalt duties of
(his kingdom. [5 Geo. Ill, c. i.]

February 9*' — The Britifh fubjeds in the territories ceded to France
and Spain at the peace, not having been able to accomplifji the remov-
al of their property within the time limited by the ad of parliament,
f3 Geo. Ill, c. 17] they obtained a further indulgence till the ill: of May
1765 of importing their efteds, on paying the lame duties as for Britifli
produce. [5 Ceo. Ill, c. 3.]

Several Mediterranean paiTes having during the war fdlen into the
hands of nations in hoftility with the piratical ftates of Barbary, all the
palFes then in ufe were called in by proclamation, in order to be re-
placed by others of a new form, that no occallon might be given of any
mifunderftanding with thofe ftatcs.

The governors of the Britilh forts on the coafl: of Africa had long
bean complaining, in their letters to their conflituents, of encroachments
upon their limits by the French, particularly by their intended fort at
Albreda. The flate of that country therefor became an objed of atten-
tion to the lords of trade. On examining the information received from.

* Py the doalh of his brotUsr Sir Htnry it) Fcbninry i --66 ll.e t;d* o:" barercl (devolved i>£>Qi> ^'ro»

A. D. 1765. 41^

Africa, they found, that the forts were generally in a defencelcfs con-
dition, and the garrifons unacquainted with military difcipline, and too
weak to afford any profped of defence, even agalnll the natives ; that
places, reprefented as of great importance for improving our commerce,
and where the natives had even requefted us to make fettlements, v^-ere
totally neglected ; and that the civil government was as defective as the
mihtary, there being at Fort-Louis a town confiding of about 400*
people, totally deflitute of government ; though, in the time of the
French dominion at Senegal, that town, together with Podore on the
fame river, was fubjed: to the command of the French governor.

The nature of the commerce at Senegal, which is chiefly for gum,
differing greatly from that on the other parts of the coaft, and the in-
habitants being alfo very different, and feveral fettlements being made
far up the. river, it was conceived to be impoffible for the committee of
African merchants, a fluduating body annually eleded, to govern that
country with propriety. It was therefor determined to eredf that tract
of the coaft lying between Cape Blanco and Cape Rouge, and including
the rivers Senegal and Gambia, into a royal government, to be called
the province of Senegambia, with a civil conflitution, and a military
eftablilhment for the government and fecurity of the fettlement. The'
expenfe of the civil and military eftablifhments of the intended pro-
vince, including an armed floop and two flat-bottomed gun-boats for
defending the entry of the river, was flated at /^ 12,000 for the firfl
year, and /^ 10,000 a year afterwards.

By the adt of parliament for veiling this province in the king, the
trade of that coafl was declared to be open to all Britifh fubjedts, referv-
ing, however, a power of granting to George Glafs an exclufive trade for
twenty-one years to his newly-difcovered port of Regeala or Gueder *.

March 22'' — The liberty of importing cattle from Ireland, free of
duty was prolonged for feven years. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 10.]

It was enacted, ' that from and after the firft day of November 1765
' there fhall be raifed, levied, coUeded, and paid unto his Majefty, his
' heirs and fuccellbrs, throughout the colonies and plantations in Ame-
' rica, which now are, or hereafter may be, under the dominion of his
* Majefty, his heirs and fuccelTors,' flamp duties upon all kinds of le-
gal or commercial writings or contrads, pamphlets, newfpapers, adver-
tifements, almanacks, cards, dice, &c. Thefe duties were to be under
the management of the commilfioners of the ftamps in Great Britain,,
who were to appoint ofBcers to attend in every court through all the
colonies to watch over the colledion of the ftamp duties f . [5 Geo. Ill,
c. 12.]

* His poit was far north of the Tiorthcrnnnoll f A fchenie for levying a tax in tlie BriliHi co-

limit of Senegambia. The fate of Glafs's unfor- Ionics in America liaving bc>.i) propofed to St
tunate cnterprife has been already noticed. Robert Walpok during the SpaniUi war, which-

414 A. D. 1765.

The coramifTioners for the difcovery of the longitude having already
paid to the authors of various inventions £6000, the whole fum allotted
for making experiments, they were further empowered ftill to receive
propoials, and, on feeing a probabiUty of fuccefs, ftill to allow a fum
not exceeding /^20oo to each author of an approved plan for aicertain-
ing the longitude. It was now that payment was ordered to Mr. Har-
riion of the balance of the /^20,ooo promiled by former ads of parlia-
ment, his time-keeper having on the fecond trial run the longitude to
Barbados within ten minutes, or one fixth of a degree *, on condition
of difcovering the art of conftruding his time-keeper within fix months
of the date of pafling this ad, and delivering three time-keepers made
by him, and proved by lufficient trials to be capable of afcertaining
the longitude with the required degree of exadinefs.

A reward of /T^ooo was allowed to the widow of Profeflbr Mayer of
Gottingen for a let of lunar tables conftruded by him upon Sir Ifaac
Newton's principles, which were found very uleful in determining the
longitude ; and alfo a reward of ^^300 to ProfefTor Euler of Berlin for
afliftmg Mayer in his work. And ^'5000 is offered to any one, who
fhall make any improvement in thefe lunar tables, or ihall make any
difcovery or improvement ufeful in navigation. [5 Geo. Ill, cc. 11, 20.]
Thus does Great Britain invite and animate the learned and ingenious
of all nations to exert their talents in the fervice of fcience and com-
merce. Indeed, it is probable, that this great and important defidera-
tum in navigation is, by the time-keeper, the marine chair, the improv-
ed lunar tabks, and Dodor Mafkelyne's improvements in the allow-
ances for parallax and refradion, now brought as near to perfedion as
it is poffible to bring it.

April 19'' — The encouragement held out to the cultivation of madder,
by the ad 31 Geo. II, c. i 2, was prolonged for fourteen years, to be com-
puted from iftAuguft 1772.

May I o '' — The fociety of the free Britifh fifhery, incorporated by ad
of parliament [23 Geo. II, c. 24 J had, by virtue of feveral ads, enjoyed
an annuity of three per cent, payable by the receiver-general of the cuf-
toms on all money adually employed m the fifhery, and a bounty of 30/",
afterwards raifed to 50/", per tun, on all veflels from twenty to eighty tuns

began in tlie year 1739, he firiili-d, and fniJ, ' I ' /"z 50,000 of their gains will be brought into his

' will leave that to fume of my fuccen'ors, who ' Majelly's cxchuqiier by mtans of the labour and

' may have more courage than 1 have, and be lefs ' produce of this kingdom, as immenfc quantities

< a friend to commerce than I am. It has been a • of every kind of our manufadbircs go tiiitlicr ;

'maximvvith me, during my adminiflration, to ' and as they increafe in their foreign trade, more

' encourage the trade of the American colonies in ' of our produce will be wanted. This is taxing

' the ntmoft latitude, and even to pafs over feme ' them more a^'reeably both to their own conllitu-

• irregularities in their trade with Europe : for by ' tinn and to ours.'

' encouraging them to an extenfive growing fo- * The greatcft cx;i(Fknefs required by the afl of

« reign commeice, if they gain yf joc.ooo, I am par'? 1 n -nt to entitle the inventor to the bigheft

• convinced, that in two years afterwards full reward was only half a d^jree. 4

A. D, 1765. 415

burthen employed by them. But, as thefe advantages were to ceafe on
the 22d of October 1767, and the charter would not expire till the 22d
ofOdober 1771, the annuity and tunnage bounty were prolonged for
the remaining four years of the charter. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 22.]

The rates of portage were railed. Ships bringing letters were obliged
to deliver them at the pofl-office. The poftmafter-general was empow-
ered to eflabliili a penny poft-office in any town in the Britifli domi-
nions. Letters brought by the general poft for people living beyond
the delivery of the general poft-office, and in that of the penny-poft,
were direded to be delivered by the penny-poft with an additional
charge of one penny for each letter, whether fmgle or double. No
packets weighing above four ounces, except general poft letters, were
henceforth to be carried by the penny-poft. Embezzlement of letters,
taking notes or bills out of them, and robbing the mail, were made te-
lony. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

The feudal fovereignty of the iiland of Mann had been granted by
Henry IV to Sir John Stanley, anceftor of the earls of Derby, and was
now poflefl'ed by the duke and dtichefs of Athol as heirs of the earls of
Derby. But many inconveniencies being found to proceed from the
ifland being independent of the Britifti government, it was now given
up to the crown for a valuable confideration paid to the duke and
duchefs.

By an abftrad of the whole revenue drawn by the duke of Athol
for ten years, from 1754 to 1763 inclufive, it appears to have been
^^85,085 : 6 : 64- ifland currency, which, being to fterhng money as fe-
ven to fix, makes ^^72.930 : 5 : 7 fterling, the annual average of which
isX7'293 : o : 6-j- fterling, whereof above £6000 were cuftoms paid to
the duke as fovereign. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 26.]

The journeymen filk-weavers, and thofe of the other trades conned-
ed with that branch in London, who were fuftering by the fafliion of
wearing French filks, aflembled in vaft numbers on the day appointed
for the meeting of parliament (loth January), and marched with drums
and colours by feveral routes to the palace and parliament-houfe, in or-
der to prelent petitions praying for relief by a total prohibition of fo-
reign-wrought filks ; and they alio perionally applied to feveral mem-
bers in their way to the houfe, in the humblell terms imploring them
to have pity on the wretched fituation of themfelves and their familn s.
The fight of fuch a multitude of people, thrown idle for want of eiii-
ployment, and probably ready for the commiifion of defperate deeas,
together with a report that the weavers of the inland towns were pie-
paring to fet out for London, fpread a dreadiiil alarm, efpecially an ong
thofe who conceived themlelves obnoxious to their relentnient. i hey
however did no other mifchiet than breaking the witulows of fome
houfes, where they fuppofed French filks were fold, and were appeafed

41 6 A. D. 1765.

by a contribution for their immediate relief, and an engagement enter-
ed into by the principal filk-mercers to countermand all their orders for
foreign filks.

That the manufiidure might not fufFer for want of materials, the par-
lianient took off the old duties paid upon the importation of raw filk,
and laid a new duty of if^ per pound of 24 ounces on raw filk, and
1/9 per fame pound on thrown filk, to be paid on importation, without
any drawback on exportation, except to Ireland, in favour of which a
drawback of 1/ on raw lilk, and 6d on thrown filk, per pound of 24
ounces, was allowed, with an exprefs prohibition, however, of re-export-
ing the raw filk from Ireland on any account whatever. [5 Geo. HI, c.

29]

In order to provide a fufficient fupply for the African trade, the Eafl-
India company were empowered to import from any part of Europe, in
Britifli vefiels, fuch quantities of coarfe printed calicoes, cowi-ies, and
arangoes, as may be neceflary, when their own ft:ores of thofe goods are
found infufficient, on obtaining a licence from the treafury, and on
payment of the ufual duties. But, fliould they negled to procure a fuf-
ficient fupply, or afk an unreafonable price, the lords of treafury were
empowered to grant licences to other perfons. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 30.]

An additional duty of 4/ per chaldron was laid on all coals fliippcd
for any foreign dominion ; and a duty of five per cent ad valorem on
filks, calicoes, and other manufaftures, of Perfia, China, or India, Ihip-
ped to any foreign country, except Africa. At the fame time additional
duties were laid upon policies of infurance. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 35.]

May 25'*" — An ad: was pafled to confine the importation of gum fen-
egato Great Britain, and laying a duty of 6^ per hundred- weight on the
importation, and 30/" per hundred-weight on the exportation, of it. [5
Ceo. Ill, c. 37.]

The goodnefs of roads is of the greatefi: confequence to the internal
trade of a country, and is an objedt well deferving the attention of
every wife legiflature. In the preceding reign the narrow wheels, which
plowed up the roads, v/ere difcouraged by exempting carts and wag-
gons, having wheels of nine inches in breadth, from part of the toll
duties paid by thole with narrow wheels. A conliderable improvement
was now made upon that regulation, by direding that thofe who, by
forming their axles of dilferent lengths, fliould make their fore and
hind wheels together roll upon the ground in a line of at leaf! fixtecn
inches in breadth, Ihould pay only half the toll dues payable by others.
In order, alfo, to prevent the roads from being deflroyed by enormous
weight, the commilfioners of the roads were empowered to ered weigh-
ing engines, and to exad 20/ per hundred-weight from all waggons
weighing above fix tuns, and all carts above three tuns. [5 Geo. HI,
c. 3S.]

A. D. 1765. 417

The ifland of Mann, not having been hitherto fubjed to the BririHi
revenue laws, had been a magazine for the reception of India and other
foreign goods of all kinds, which were clandeflinely imported from
thence into Great Bi-itain and Ireland. But, in confequence of the
purchafe of the fovereignty, it was now fubjeded to the controul of the
Britifh legiflature ; which enaded, that after the ift of June 1765 the
revenue officers fliould fearch all veflels arriving in that ifland, and
feize all goods illegally imported, in the fame manner as in Great Bri-
tain ; that no foreign fpirits fhould be carried thither but from this
kingdom ; and that none fhould be brought into this kingdom from
thence. Several regulations for the coafling trade, &c. were alfo enact-
ed. [5 Geo. in, c. 39.]

By an ad, containing a multitude of regulations for rendering the
execution of the revenue laws more effectual, and the revenue more
produdive, the linens manufadured in Mann were entitled to the fame
bounty on being fhipped from Great Britain, that Britifh and Irifli
linens are entitled to : and the people of Mann were allowed to import
into Great Britain the cattle and manufactures of the illand, except
woollen manufactures, beer, and ale, without paying any duties on im-
portation.

The fmugglers being deprived of their principal repofitory by the
ifland of Mann being fubjeded to the revenue laws, it became neceffary
to cut off another means of defrauding the revenue and injuring the
fair trader, which was pradifed by fliipping bounty goods for the iflands
of Faroe (or rather Foeroe), fubjed to Denmark, and lying in the
Northern ocean between Shetland and Iceland, where a great deal of
fmuggling bufinefs has been carried on. Such goods having been of-
ten entered for thofe iflands with an intent to obtain the bounty or
drawback, and afterwards relanded in fome part of Great Britain, it
was now enaded, that no bounty or drawback fliould tje allowed upon
any goods to be fent thither ; and that any perfon entering goods for
bounty or drawback to be carried to other foreign countries, and not-
withftanding landing them in Faroe, fhould forfeit the bounty, three
times the value of the goods, and alfo the veflel which carried them.
[5 Geo. Ill, c. 43.]

For fecuring and encouraging the trade of the American provinces,
large bounties were allowed on the importation of deals, planks, and
timber, the growth of thofe provinces. The liberty of exporting rice
to thofe parts of America fouth of Georgia, formerly granted to that
province and South Carolina, was extended to North Carolina. Rice
imported into Plymouth, Exeter, Poole, Southampton, Chichefter, Sand-
wich, and Glafgow, and intended to be immediately exported, was ex-
empted from paying any other duty than half the old frbfidy. The

Vol. III. 3 G

4i8 A. D. 1765.

American colonies were allowed to fhip their iron * for Ireland, and
their lumber for Ireland, Madeira, the Azores, and any part of flurope
to the fouthward of Cape Finiflerre, as well as to Great Britain.
[5 Geo. in, c. 45.]

Foreign-manufadured filk flockings, filk mitts, and filk gloves, were
prohibited to be imported after the 24rh of June 1765 ; and the prohi-
bition of the importation of ribands, laces, and girdles of filk, enabled
by Henry VII, was now enforced by a heavier penalty. [5 Geo. Ill,
c. 48.]

The banks in Scotland, in order to guard againfi: the diftrefs of a run
upon them, ufed to infert in their notes, what was called an optional
claufe, whereby they referved a power of poflponing payment for fix
months, and paying interefl from the day of the demand. But the op-
tion being complained of, as perverting fuch paper from being a fubfti-
tute for current money f, it was enadted, that, after the 15th of May
1 766 all bank notes ihould be made payable on demand, except poft-bills,
which, as before, may be made payable feven days after fight. An-
other, and a much greater, abufe had alfo crept in, which was, that notes,
called bank notes, for ten fhillings, five {hillings, &c. were ifliied by
obfcuve perfons in many villages in Scotland, which almofl entirely
banifhed filver out of the circulation. To put a ftop to this evil, all
notes under twenty fhillings were prohibited to be current after the ill
of June 1765. [5 Geo. HI, c. 49.]

All the laws, hitherto made for regulating the ftreets of London, be-
ing found defedive, a new ad was palTed, giving larger powers to the
commillioners, and extending them to the Surry fide of Weftminfler
bridge. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

The feveral laws for regulating the manufadure of woollen cloths in
the wefl riding of York-fhire were repeated ; and the juflices of that
riding (not being themfelves concerned in the woollen trade) were di-
reded to appoint men of good charader, bred to the woollen manufac-
ture, to inl'ped, meafure, and feal, all cloths at the fulling mills, and to
keep a proper regifter of the cloths and the makers : and the clothiers
were moreover direded to put their names and refidence in the end of
every cloth, woven or fewed in plain legible letters. [5 Geo. Ill, c. 51.]

June i"^ — In confequence of thepurchafe of the foyereignty of Mann,
formal pofTellion was taken for the king, by hoifting the Britifh colours at

• When the encouragement of the American though it it not thirty miles from Carh'le, where
iron was under confidtration, the manufaflurcrs of the excliange with London was at par. In Car-
London, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, &c. gave lile bills were paid in gold and filver, but in Dum-
«vidcnce, that it was in all rcfpctle equal to the fries in notes of the Scottifli banks, whi .'\ the un-
Swcdilh iron for every purpofe. certainty of getting them Immediately changed for

\ In the year 1762, 1763, 1764, when the gold or filver, thus degraded four per cent undes

abufe of the optional claufe was at the greateft their nominal value. [^Smith's Wealth cf nations,

hcigiit, tlie exchange between London and Dum- /''. i, />. 492, ej. J793.J 3
fries was fomctimes four per cent againil th« later.

A, D. 1765. 419

Caftletown, the capital of the ifland : and the new arrangements for the
government, and colledrion of the revenue, as alfo the eftabUlhment of
a cuftom-houfe, and excife-office, took place. The traders m the illand
were allowed fix months to difpofe of their flock, at the expiration of
which time they becam.e fubjecl to the fame taxes and reftridlioris as
the people of England. But mofr of the firangers who were fettled on
the ifland declined availing themfelves of the fix months indulgence,
and removed from it immediately after the change of government.

So eager were the French in pufhing forward the population and im-
provement of their colonies, that all people, declaring themfelves willing
to go to them, were furnifhed at the public expenfe with carriages to
convey them to St. Jean de I.uz, where they were decently maintained
till a veffel was ready to carry them to the place of their dcftination.

July 19''' — The proprietors of the million bank, whofe dividends
had been reduced in the year 1728, fvomjive to four per cent, agreed
at a general court to reftore them to Jive per cent.

A fhip of war of 74 guns was built at Milford haven ; which, if I
miftake not, is the firft inllance of any fliip for the navy being built on
the weft fide of Britain.

The pearl fifliery in Scotland, fo confiderable in antient times, but
of late almoft wholely neglefted, was this fummer revived with confider-
able advantage in the river Spey.

By a trial at Gildhall upon an infurance caufe, it was determined, that
the owner of a vefTel, which is not fea-worthy, not only lofes the bene-
fit of the infurance, but is alfo liable to the fhippers upon freight, for
the lofles arifing from the infufhciency of his vefTel. This precedent
ought to be generally known, as it may operate, as well as a furveyor,
to make owners particularly attentive to the condition of the vefTels on-
board which they propofe to receive other people's property.

Mr. Witchell's marine table for facilitating the calculation of the lon-
gitude by the lunar method, was approved of by the board of longi-
tude, who advanced him /^looo to enable him to proceed in his work.
They alfo appointed him and MefTieurs Lyons, Wales, Mapfon, and Du-
nithorne, to compute an Ephemeris, to be publifhed for promoting
the fciences of aftronomy and navigation (July).

About this time Mr. Dingwall, a Scottifli clergyman and mathemati-
cian, endeavoured to make an improvement in another very important
branch of nautical fcience, by calculating aftronomical tables for difco-
vering the variation of the compafs. But the principles, which regulate
this wonderful deviation of the magnetic needle from the true meridian,
ftill continue to elude the refearches of human fcience.

Among the efforts of the king of Pruflia to introduce manufaftures
and commerce in his dominions, were the eredlion of a tank ; and of
an office for infurance with a capital of i,OQO,ooo crowns in 4000 fliares

3G2

420 A. D. 1765.

of 250 each, and an exclufive privilege for thirty years ; alfo a company
for trading to Turkey with a capital of t, 000,000 rix-dollars ; and an
Eafl-India company at Embden with a fubfcribed capital of 125,000
crowns *, of which the fubfcribers were to pay in two thirds ; and the
partners of the ruined company, which was aboliflied in the year 1763,
were entitled to a preference in the fubfcription.

The city of Hamburgh alfo this year eftablilhed an office for infur-
ance, with a capital fubfcription of 500 fliares of 1000 dollars each.

Nine fhips from the Spanilh American dominions arrived at Cadiz in
the month of Auguft, who fe cargoes were valued at eleven millions of
dollars, whereof the regiftered gold and filver were almofl nine millions :
and it is probable, that the unregiftered, or fmuggled, bullion amount-
ed to two or three millions more. It is doubtful, if Great Britain was
not as muft interefled in the arrival of thofe rich fhips as Spain,

Some grievous difcontents among the coal-workers in the neighbour-
hood of Newcaflle and Sunderland broke out in dreadful exceffes, which
continued from the middle of Auguft till the end of September. They
fet fire to the coals which were ready for flijpping, and even to the coal
mines under ground, broke up the coal ways, and deftroyed all the ma-
chinery ; in confequence of which about 600 fliips, and 100,000 men,
in Newcaftle, Sunderland, and London, were thrown idle, all buiinefs
conneded with the coal trade was at a ftand, and coals rofe to an enor-
mous price in London. While all the adjacent country was convulfed
with violence and outrage, the coal works at Hartley, belonging to Mr.
Delavall, whom the coal-workers diftinguiflied for his humane treat-
ment of his workmen, were carried on in perfed tranquillity : an im-
portant leflbn to all, who have occafion for the fervices of a great num-
ber of their fellow-creatures.

The emperor of Morocco informed General Irwin, the governor of
Gibraltar, that he was defirous of moving the chief trade of his domi-
iiions to his port of Mogadore f , where all ftrangers, and particularly
the Engliflr, might rely on enjoying every encouragement and protec-
tion, with a diminution of the duties on imports and exports, and a to-
tal remiilion of the anchorage dues annually paid at his other ports, in
powder, ball, or money. The Britifli merchants, however, were very
tar from approving of the change made by the emperor, which they
confidered as a very grofs opprellion ; and they ailerted that Mogadore
AYould be a very inconvenient harbour for their commerce X-

* A company, whofe whole capital (if indeed Kerne by Hanno, and the mod anticnt commcr-

tkere is no iniltake in the fum) was far (lioitof the cial cllablifliincnt on the weft fide of Africa.

uuttit of one Eaft- India fliip, could expedl no very J The fame emperor, when prince of Saffy,

grcnt fnccefs in attempting an Eaft-Iutlia trade. about the year 1755 nialtreated two Britifli mer-

Rayiial has not even condefcended to mention cantile hoiifes, and robbed them of about ^"17,000.

:his new ellablilhment, when giving an account of Thcfe enormities almolt put an end to the refidence

tlie unfortunate Eaft-India trade ofPruflia. [_ffj/L of Britifli merchants, who had formerly been prct^

y/jil/)/. ft poiti. F. iii, />. 54, «/. 1782.] ty nutnerou* in the dominions of Morocco.

t Mogadore is apparently the fmall ifland called 3.

A. D. 1765. 421

The firft of November was tlie day appointed by parliament for the
commencement of the operation of the ftamp ad in America ; and
from that day no bufinefs of confequence could be legally tranfaded
without llamped paper. But of all the ftamped paper, fent out by go-
vernment to the various provinces of America, not ofie flieet was to be
found from New-England to South Carolina, the whole being burnt by
the incenfed populace, except one fmall parcel, which had been deliver-
ed by the governor of New- York into the hands of the magiftrates of
the city, who received it on the exprefs condition, that it fliould not be
ufed. On that day the warehoufes were fliut up ; the veflels in the
harbours exhibited their colours hoifted halfway up in. token of mourn-
ing : there was no appearance of bufinefs on the wharfs, nor on the ri-
vers ; the courts of juftice were (hut up ; bufinefs of every kind was at
a ftand ; and an univerfal fpirit of difcontent pervaded all ranks and
defcriptions of people throughout the whole country.

In the meantime a new and general agreement was entered into by
the merchants of the colonies, to import no more goods from Great
Britain, to countermand their orders for whatever goods fhould not be
flipped before the ill of January 1766, and not to receive on commif-
fion any goods configned from Great Britain after that day. As their
agreement did not afFeft the trade with Ireland, fuch articles as they
could not do without were imported from that country, in return for
flax-feed and hemp-feed ; fo that the commerce of Ireland reaped fome
advantage from the difagreement of the colonies with the mother coun-
try. In order, however, to be as much as poflible independent of any
fupplies from Europe, the fpirit of manufaduring was revived with
great ardour ; and it was patronized and direded by a fociety eflablifh-
ed at New-York, upon the model of the fociety for the encouragement
of arts, manufadures, and commerce, in London. Linens, cloths, made
not only from the wool of fheep, but alfo from beaver's wool, fpades,
hoes, fcythes, and other necefiary articles of iron ware, malt fpirits, pa-
per hangings, &c. were manufidured by inhabitants of America, or by
people whom liberal encouragement had drawn froni Great Britain, and
other parts of Europe, to fettle in America ; and they were bought up
with the greatefi; avidity, everyone being defirous of appearing in Ame-
rican drefs, in preference to Britifh manufadures. The zeal for fupport-
ing the native woollen manufadory, even produced a reiolution againft
eating lamb, and an agreement not to buy meat from any butcher, who
fhould kill lambs.

Not fatisfied with abftaining from importation, they alfo propofed to
prohibit the exportation of tobacco to Great Britain ; a meafure which,
if it had been carried into execution, mufl very fenfibly have affeded
the commerce, the navigation, and the revenue, of the morher country.

Such were the principal effeds, as far as they concerned commerce,.

422 A. D. 1765.

of the flamp acl in the colonies of New-England, New-York, Ncw-Jer-
fey, Pennfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and the two Carolinas. Thofe
at the northern and fouthern extremities of the continent fubmitted to
the authority of the Britidi legiflature, as did alfo the Britifh iflands in
the Weft-Indies, excepting St. Chriftophers and Nevis, the inhabitants
of v^^hich were induced by fome New-Englanders in their harbours to
burn the ftamped paper, and commit outrages on fome of the fervants
of government *.

In the courfe of this fummer the French fliowed a difpofition rather
hoftile to our trade in the Weft -Indies. A fleet of about forty fail from
Martinique went upon the coafl: of Honduras to cut logwood, in preju-
dice of the Britifli logwood-cutters, to whom that privilege was fecured
by the 17th article of the treaty of peace in 1763. Orders were alfo
fent from France to feize every Britifh velfel, which did not depart from
Cap Francois in forty-eight hours, in confequence of which fome velTels
from New-York were aftually feized, and the people imprifoned. As
the refort of the Britifli- American veflels to that port was by no means
nnprofitable to the French, the conduct of the French court is perhaps
to be accounted for from a Britifh fliip of war having taken formal pof-
felfion of Turk's iflands, which they, after having feized, and then evacu-
ated them in the preceding year, wiflied to be confldered as neutral.

The African territory, including the rivers Senegal and Gambia, and
extending from Cape Blanco to Cape Rouge, being by adt of parliament
[5 Geo. J I/, c. 44] refumed from the African merchants, and veiled in
the crown, the king erected it into a province, to be called Senegambia,
and appointed General O'Hara governor of it, (December 28'), to be
aflifted by a council in matters of government ; the commercial depart-
ment being put under the diredion of a fuperintendent of trade, fub-
ordinate to the governor and council.

Since Newfoundland was firfl reforted to as a fifliing ftation, it had
generally been the deflre of government, that the flfhery fhould be car-
ried on by fhips going from Great Britain every feafon, rather than by
Itationary fifliermen upon the ifland. This plan had not, however, been
uniformly adhered to ; and fo, by ading alternately upon different, or
rather oppolitc, principles, the nation loft the benefits, which would have
followed trom a fteady perfeverance in either of the plans. A claim of
right was let up to all parts of the beach, convenient for curing the fifh,
by the inhabitants and the owners of bye boats, to the utter exclufion
of the flfliermcn of the fhips from Great Britain, and alfo of thofe from
France, entitled, under the treaties of Utrecht and Paris, to a concurrent
fifliery between Bonavilta and Point-Riche. There being no proper

• Many events and circumflances of the Ame- ers of the time, are omitted in this work, as belong-
risan dillmbances, whijh were related by the writ- ing to general, rather than to commercial, hiftory.

A. D.I 765. 425

cftablifliment on the illand for the execution of the laws of trade, fmugg-
ling was carried on with impunity, efpecially with the French fettled at
Miquelon and St. Pierre, during the abfence of the Britifli {hips of war.
And there was even reafon to apprehend, that many vefTels, reforting to
Newfoundland as Britifli, were partly owned by Spaniards and other fo-
reigners.

Such being now the flate of the ifland and of the filhery, and it beinj
undeniable, that the fifhermen fettled on the ifland can go earlier to,
and remain later upon, the fifliing grounds, than the (hips can do, and
that they have alfo many advantages in repairing their velTels, ftages,
&c. it was evident, that, notwithftanding the difadvantages proceeding
from their diforderly way of life, the quantity of fifh, cured and carried
to market, was now as great as in the moft flourilhing times of this fifh-
ery, while the exports to the ifland were five times as many as at that
period, belides that they were fuppofed to take from the continental co-
lonies twice as much as they do from home, the profits of which ulti-
mately center in this country.

It being therefor impradicable, without very great violence, if not
even injuflice, to relfore the fyflem of the fifliery prefcribed by the ad
of the loth and nth of King William, and to abohfh the fedentary
fifhery, the lords of trade advifed that fettlements and property fhould
be ratified by laws in all parts of the ifland, excepting that portion of
the coafl, where a concurrent fifhery by French, as well as Britifh, fub-
jedls was flipulated by the treaties of Utrecht and Paris, and where a
fhip fifhery only will be mofl: for the advantage of all concerned.

Commodore Pallifer, governor of Newfoundland, at the beginning of
the feafon, publiflied regulations for the fifliery on the coall of La-
brador, and the iflands of Anticofli and the Madelaines, regulations for
the falmon fifhery in Newfoundland, and orders for eftabUfhing a friendly
intercourfe with the Efquimeaux Indians of Labrador.

At the end of the fealon he made up a fiatement of the fifaery and
the inhabitants of his government, by which it appears that there had
arrived this year,

177 Eritifh fifhing fiiips, of the total burthen of 17,268 tuns, and car-
rying 2,521 men, and 5,397 pafTengers, who cured 136,840 quintals

of cod, valued at from 10/' to lyfper quintal, and made 585^ tuns of

train oil, valued at from £1 s to ;/ri8 per tun ;
116 Britifh fack (or trading) fliips, burthen 14,353 tuns, can-yingi252

men, who do not fifli, but bring fait, or only ballafl, and purchafe

their fifh ;
104 Britifli- American veffels, burthen 6,927 tuns, carrying 666 men.
There were alfo made by the bye-boat men 85,096 quintals of cod, and

48 1 i tuns of train oil ; and by the inhabitants 310,576 quintals of

«od, and 1317^- tuns of oil.

424 A. D. 1765.

There were carried to foreign markets,
493,654 quintals of cod,

1 172 tierces of falmon, worth 40/" to 45/ each,
Seal-oil made laft year, and whale-bone obtained from the Indians, to

the amount of - - - - £^iog

And furs taken by the inhabitants, to the value of - - 980

The fifhery on the coall of Labrador employed 1 17 floops and fchooners
from the provinces of Quebec and New-England, carrying 1563 *men,
•who between the 14th of May and the loth of July killed 104 whales,
each being of the average value of ;^47 8, and yielding on an average
140 barrels of oil, and 2000 pounds of bone. The winter feal fifhery
on the fame coafl employed 107 men, who made 500 tuns of oil, be-
fides procuring furs, a confiderable quantity of which they got from the
Efquimeaux (or rather Caralits, that being the indigenous name). The
value of the feal, cod, falmon, and furs, obtained upon that part of the
coafl is eflimated at ^100,000, made entirely by the Britifh- Americans,
and the greatefl part of it fold to the French.

In the French fifhery between Bonavifla and Point-Riche there were
employed 117 fhips of 18,495 tuns, carrying 7862 men, who made
292,790 quintals of cod, and 2929 hogfheads of oil.

The refl of the French fhipping and fifhery was eflimated as follows.

sh;f,s.

T,ws. Men. ^. Cod. Hhds. Oi

130

16,000 3,900 made 130,000 2,600

20

2,600 1,200 24,000 480

On the banks,

At St. Pierre

French frigates, 2 400

Belonging to St Pierre T
andMiquelon,and em-
ployed on the banks !> 50 2,500 750 30,000 600
and in the Gulf of St. I
Laurence, J

Boats belonging to thofe 7 ^ _ ^^^

iflands
Trading vefTels from the
■French Wefl-Indies,

240

240

Commodore Pallifer reckoned the number of the inhabitants fettled
upon Newfoundland to be 15,484, mofl of whom were Roman Catho-
lics, and many of them delerters from the fliips, who, not being able
to foUovv' any employment during the feven months in which there is no
fifliery, and being under no controul of civil government, ufed to fpend
that time in idlcnefs, and fubfifl chiefly by robbery, the whole of the
land cultivated by them being only 1,262 acres. He was clearly of opi-

* A fubfequent report by Conjmodove Palliffv flatcs the number of men to be 14J2.

A. D.I 765. 425

ailon, chat the firtieiy ought to be carried on only by fliips from Great
Britain, and not at all by the refident fifhermen *.

The Britifh conful and merchants at Lifbon complained that
their commerce laboured under many obftrudions and oppreiTions.
The woollen trade had fallen off to about a half of what it was
ten years before, partly owing to new duties, and partly to. the
competition of the French and Dutch woollen goods. The import-
ation of fine hats was funk to about a tenth part of the number
in former years, occafioned partly by an importation of fine hats from
France, and partly by maniifadures lately fet up in Portugal. About
60,000 quintals of dried cod-fifh were now imported in about thirty
veflels from Newfoundland ; but formerly the annual importation ufed
to be 80,000 quintals. The decreafe may be afcribed partly to the ad-
vanced price of filh at Newfoundland and New-England, partly to addi-
tional duties impofed at Lifhon, and partly to the arts of the Lifbon
company of fifhmongers. The filk trade from England was growing
confiderable, when fome manufadures of filk ftarting up in Portugal,
and large importations from Spain and Italy, reduced it greatly. The
trade in filk itockings was at this time pretty equally divided between
England and France.

Portugal being obliged to import half the corn ccnfumed in it, is
fupplied from Great Britain and the Britifh-American colonies, the Me-
diterranean, Holland, Dantzik, Spain, and France ; but the importers of
corn complained loudly of a law prohibiting them from carrying it to
another port, if the market fhould happen to be glutted, when they ar-
rive in a Portugueie harbour. The Britilh- American colonies had
driven a very profitable trade with Portugal, till the late parliamentary
refl:ricl;ions took place. The importation oi butter, beef, and pork, froni
Ireland was now as great as ever, becaufe they could be got from
no other country. The ufe of Bxitifli printed linens, formerly pretiy
general, was now almofl abolifiied by ibme arbitrary proceedings of the
cufiom-houfe officers.

About twenty years before this lime there ufed to arrive in Liflion
fix or feven hundred Englifli veflels annually, they being then in a great
meafure the carriers of the trade of Lilhon in the Mediterranean. But
the Dutch, Danlfli, and Swedilh, veflils, being generally larger than the
Englitli, and the port dues, of late monltroufly advanced, being lb con-
trived as to fall heavieft on the fmilleft veflTels, the Engliili candy-
ing trade was lo much difcouraged by thefe circumftances, and other
ojjpreffive meafures, that fcarcely four hundred Engliui veflels in a year
now entered the port.

* It is Monhy of remark, however, that he has it appears, that the want of a permanent goviTn-

icknowleged, that the reiidiut fii"hermen could ment upon the idiind was the chief, if not the only,

inanafje the fifherj- to better advantage ; and thence caufe of the enormities lie complained of.

Vol. III. 3 H

426 A. D. 1765.

The Britifli trade in Portugal was moreover greatly injured by means
of the excluflve companies of Maranham and Pernambucco, who op-
prefled the colonifts in Brafil, and ruined the trade by their monopo-
lizing avarice ; alfo by the arbitrary ufage of the board of trade ('* Junta
de commercid' ) in giving protecftion to fraudulent bankrupts, contrary (as
is believed) to the 13th article of the treaty of 1654, which provides
Rgainfl any protedions from the claims of lawful creditors ; alfo by the
uncertainty of property, proceeding from the arbitrary condud of the
inquifition and the tribunal of inconfidentia, who frequently, on fufpi-
cion, feize the perfons and properties of Portugueze merchants, and de-
prive their creditors of the fums juftly due to them by the merchants fo
imprifoned. Befides all thefe lofles, the Britifli merchants were fre-
quently plundered by the king's officers, who ufed to take up corn and.
other goods without the confent of the owners, and keep them many
years out of their money, or never pay them at all. In fhort, the in-
fringement ofprivileges due by treaty, the increafe of duties, the de-
creafe of the confumption of Britifli goods by means of fumptuary laws,
and the uncertainty (or rather partiality) and delay, which all muft en-
counter, who attempt to recover their property by law in Portugal, alto-
gether conftituted fuch an accumulation of hardfliips, as rendered
it impoflible for the Britilh merchants to continue their trade in Por-
tugal, unlefs they could obtain redrefs of their grievances.

More agreeable intelligence was tranfmitted by the conful at St. Lu-
ear in Spain, who reported, that the importation of Britifh goods had
increafed confiderably fince the year 1750 at St. Lucar and Seville.

Mr. Buckland, the conful at Nice (or Nizza) in Piedmont, at firfl re-
ported, that there was almoft no Englifh trade there, but obfcrvcd, that,
if the filks of Piedmont wereto befliippcd at Nice, which is a free port,
it would make a faving on that article only, which is eftimated at 5,000
bales annually, of 4q/'or 42/a bale, amounting to 10,000 pounds, or gui-
neas, a-year. And by fubfequent letters from the fame gentleman, it ap-
pears, that fome fhips had achially this year followed the plan propofed
by him with confiderable advantage.

According to the report from Leghorn, the Danes and the French
were hurting tis in the flfli trade ; the French were getting the better of
tis in the woollen manufadures ; and the Spaniards, who had lately
opened fome lead mines, were leffening the confumption of Englifh
1e:»l The other flates of Italy were drawing the trade from Leghorn,
which, however, was no difadvantage in a general view of the Britifh
eommcrce.

By the report from MefTuia in Sicily, the BritiOi trade in that ifland
was about one third lefs than formerly, owing chiefly to the general
poverty of the people, occafioned by the oppreffion of the barons, and
the defedive adminiftration of juftice ; the objed of the govemmeat

A. D. 1765. 427

being the immediate increafe of the revenue, without any regard to fu-
ture confequences. There were ftill, however, more EngUfh woollen goods
than Dutch or French confumed in Sicily, our returns being chiefly in
raw and thrown filks fhipped for England, and corn fliipped for Spain
and Portugal, the freights of which were confiderable.

The merchants fettled at Conftantinople, and the feveral ports in the
Levant, complained of the great decline in the fales of Britifh woollen
goods in thofe parts, thofe of the French being now to the Britiih as
three to one ; whereas formerly they ufed to be only as one to three.
The want of a lazaretto in England for iloring their good.s, when there
is a fufpicion of the plague being in the Levant, was alfo complained
of as a great grievance, which, together with the importation of Turkey
goods by merchants not free of their company, and the hardfliips put
upon them by the Turkifli government, altogether rendered their trade
rather prejudicial, than profitable, to them. They reprefented their
trade as being more advantageous to the nation than any other, as their
exports confift almofl entirely in woollen manufactures ; and, by a rule
of their company ,,no bullion is ever exported : and, on the other hand,
their returns are in raw filk and moyhair, which are materials effential-
ly neceflary in fome of our mofl important manufactures.

Mr. Frafer, the conful at Tripoli in Barbary, reported, that there was
not a fmgle Britifli merchant iettled in the kingdom of Tripoli.

According to the reports of the conful at Oftend, the Britifh trade in
Flanders had increafed greatly in the articles of tobacco, rice, and raw
fugar, fince the year 1 740 ; but the importation of Britifh woollen
goods, earthen ware, paper hangings, and printed linens and cottons,
had confiderably decreafed, owing to the high duties laid on them by
the Auftrian government, and the prohibition of carrying woollen goods
through the Netherlands to France and Germany : he concludes, how-
ever, by faying, that, ' if we can preferve the trade as it is, the advan-
' tage is extreme, important, and confiderable, to the nation *.'

Of the Britifh commerce with Holland, a very ample and circumftan-
tial account was tranfmitted, of which the following is the fubftance.

There arrived in the rivers Mafe and Goree, for the ports of Roter-
dam, Dort, and Schiedam, from Great Britain, Ireland, and Britifli
America,

* In tills report there ii a curious fpccimeu of cargo of pipes was landeJ, and fuld lliere at fuch

Dutch ilratagcni. A manutafture of tobacco low prices, tliat the new manufafture at once

pipes had been fct up in Flandcra, which the funk under the blow. But if it could have flood

Dutch willied to ruin. This they might have ef- its ground againil this one effort of Dutch male-

fefted by a very large importation of the article ; volencc, it is not probable that their eagernefs ta

but the high duty rendered that expedient too ex- prevent any body from living but themfelvei

penfive ; they therefor loaded a large Jh:p tultli would have gone fo far as to repeat fo coftly a

pipes, and purpofely wrecked her near Ollend. projed.
.■\greeable to the marine laws of that city, the

3 H2

428 A. D. 1765.

In the year 1761, 1762, 1763, and 1764,

1372, 893, 847, and 88 r veflels,

which were all Britifh property, except 46, which were Dutch. The
corn trade from Great Britain to Holland, formerly confiderable, was
now confined to fome malt imported from Yarmouth, Wells, and Burn-
ham ; the corn from the Eaft country, and particularly Poland, being-
much cheaper : fome years ago from 800 to i ,000 veflels in a year ai*-
rived from England loaded with corn ; in 1764 there were only 200 at
Roterdam, and 30 at Schiedam.

About 1,000 packs of woollen manufadurcs from Norfolk and York-
fhire, are annually imported at Roterdam, befides a very confiderable
quantity from London. The A'alue of the whole of the Englifli woollen
goods, imported to Holkmd was eftimated at ^^350,000 a-year, of which
one third was fuppofed to be fent to Germany.

Woollen flockings to the amount of from ;(?5o,coo to ;^7o,ooo, are
annually imported from Aberdeen ; and coarfe woollen ferges, made iu
the Ihire of Ayr *, to the value of/^io,ooo.

In the year 1764 Dort, Roterdam, and Schiedam, received about
1 6,800 chaldrons of coals from Newcaftle, and 310 from Sunderland, all
carried in Englifli fliips, and all paid for with ready money : there were
alfo four or five cargoes of coals every year brought from Milford, and
large coals from the Firth of Forth, to the amount of about ;;(!!5,ooo
a-year. Owing to the decreafe of turf (or peat) in Holland, this trade
was increafing.

Holland received annually from 8,000 to 10,000 hogffieads of tobacco
from Glafgow, about as many from Whitehaven, Liverpool, and Brif-
tol, and it was fuppofed, about 5,000 from London. Four fifths of the
whole tobacco went to Roterdam, and the reft to Amfterdam.

From Cowes there came annually from 12,000 to 15,000 barrels of
rice.

From 1,500 to 2,000 tuns of lead arrived annually from the Firth of
Forth at Campvere, the duties on Scottifli trade being lighter there than
at Roterdam, to which the lead was conveyed inbilanders by inland nai-
vigation. About i ,000 tuns of lead were brought from Newcaftle, Stock-
ton, Hull, and Chefter, as alfo a fmall quantity of litharge, and, in time
of war, fome red lead. Lead was worth £1^ or £1 5 a tun.

From 2,000 to 3,000 barrels of pickled falmon came from Scotland,
value ;^5, 000 or ;^6,oco : this trade ufed to be very confiderable *. From
1 2,000 to 14,000 barrels of red herrings and fprats ufed to be import-
ed here in a winter ; but of late years not above 3,000 or 4,000 have

» Quel
t TKe

uere, if not rather Aberdeen- (hire ?

decreafe of it may be afcribed to the increafed confumplion of fahiion in London

I

A, D. 1765. 429

come, owing to the fcarcity of the fifh, which keeps the boats longer
out, N^hereby the fiih are fpoiled, and the price advanced.

From 3,000 to 4,000 ftraws of fprats come every year from Aldburgh
and Southwold.

In the year 1764 there arrived from Ireland 26,612 cafks of butter,
(of which nearly one half from Cork) each weighing on an average
150 pounds, and valued at about 38yfterling.

Alfo 474 hogfheads of tallow, each about 1 ,300 lb. at 27/" fterling per cwt,
445 caHcs of lard, each about 150 lb. at 4i/"ll:erling per cafk.
118 bags of feathers, weighing each 270 lb. from Limerick.
30 tuns of kelp, at 18/, from Waterford.
30 cafks pork, at 42/", from ditto.
2,6^93 faked hides, at 42/, and
171,000 ox bones, at 6()f\>tr thoufand.

In time of war from 10,000 to 14,000 barrels of beef ufed to come
from Ireland, but in time of peace only ^,000 or 4,000, being enterable
only for exportation, unlefs there isa fcarcity.

Of alum about 260 tuns were imported annually.

Grindfton-es from Newcaftle to the value of ;^ 1,500.

Hardware was a confiderable branch of trade, and dayly increafing.

Felt and flraw hats, woollen and filk ftockings, and lilk Huffs, were
aUb very confiderable articles.

Englifli printed linens and calicoes, being the cammon fummer drefs
in Holland, were in every (hop in the country. No attempts to imi-
tate them have hitherto fucceeded.

From 1, 000 to 1,500 tuns of Honduras logwood ufed to be brought
annually in time of peace from New-York, Bofton, and Rhode ifland :
and from 500 to 1,000 tuns of other dying woods from the coaft of
Guinea.

Sugar, ginger, cotton, and other produce of the Britifh Weft-Indies,
were occaiionally imported, and fometimes in large quantities, chiefly
from London.

Bottles ufed to be imported in large quantities ; but the eredion of
a number of glafs-houfes in thefe provinces, hud now reduced the de-
mand for that article.

Stafford-fhire earthenware had lately come into requefl here, and in
the neighbouring countries. The increafe of this trade fmce about the
year 1760 was furprilmgly great.

Horfes were frequently brought from London.

Birmingham and Sheffield wares of all kinds ufed to come in great
abundance, and fell well.

Roterdam ufually exported to Great Britain and Ireland, in the courfe

of the year, about 2,400 cafks of madder, valued at about £2S per cafk.

Of flax from 900,000 to 1,000,000 ftones (6 pounds each) from Ro-

43€> A. D. 1765.

terdain, and about 200,000 flones from Dort ; medium value 2/6 per
ftone.

Flax-feed at leafl 17,000 hogflieads ; value about 50/" each,
Grave-ftones from Namur, to the value of about - £1,^00

Mill-ftones from Cologne, _ _ _ i ^200

Tarras, received rough from Germany, and prepared in Hol-
land, - - _ _ _ . 2,000
Clinkers, made in Holland, _ _ _ 2,000
Rufhes for matting chairs, - - - 1,600
Spice, — they quantity very great, but not afcertained.
A fmall quantity of fine thread from Juliers, and alfo of Dutch tapes,
fail-cloth, and linens. The Britifli demand for thefe articles, formerly
very confiderable, is dayly decreafing.

Gold and filver for the fervice of the Eaft-India company, and alfo
for other purpofes of remittance, when the fluduating courfe of ex-
change happens to require it.

Brandy and gin were formerly the chief objeds of the fmuggling
trade, which was now almoft at an end. A great quantity of gin was
Itill carried to England and Ireland to be regularly entered.

To all thefe may be added the tranfportation of German emigrants
for peopling the Britifh provinces in America *.

The Britifh fadory at Hamburgh, the members of the mofl antient
commercial fociety belonging to Great Britain, obferved in their re-
port, that, fince the trade was laid open in the firfl year of William
and Mary, it has been on the decline and getting into the hands of fo-
reigners.

In time of war, Hamburgh being a confiderable magazine for the in-
land confumption of Germany, and a neutral place, many prize goods
are fent to it for fale, both by the EngUlh and the French. During the
war the Englifh faftory flourifhed by the conlignments from England,
and flill more by thofe from America and the .Wefl-Indies, infomuch,
that France ufed then to be fupplied with fugar from Hamburgh : but
now from 50,000 to 60,000 hogfheads of French fugars were carried
annually to Flamburgh, and they had already driven the Englifh fugars
out of the trade.

Such is the account given by the members of the factory : but that
the general Britifh trade with Hamburgh was not on the decline, may
be prefumed from the I'oUowing enumeration of fhips arrived at Ham-
burgh, tranfmitted by the conful.

* This account, though long, will not be which it is the material. Formerly we ate all our

thought tedious by thofc who wifli to mark the meat off plates made at Delf in Holland : now

<:lianges brought about in trade by time. InftcaJ the Dutch generally ufe our StaiToid-diire plates,

of caiiying our cotton to Holland, we now col- And it is pleafmg to obferve, that almoft all the

k-ft cotton from every part of the world, to fup- other alterations are favourable to the Brltifii m\-

j>!y the vaft variety of extcnfive nwnufaiSures, of uufaclurcs.

A. D. 1765.

43 J

In die year 1760,
160,

1761,

220,

1762, and 1763, there arrived
240, and 209 Britifti fhips.

The arrivals at Hamburgh in the year 1764, were

from Britilli veflels. Hamburghers. Of other nations.

Britifh ports,
Britifh Americanco-

lonies,
France,

Spain,

Portugal, Italy, Ruflia,
Sweden, Norway,
Greenland, Baltic, 7
North fea, Stettin, C

231
2
7

267

56

37

4

5
42

157

French, 2 '
Dutch, 103
Others, 49
(no Spanifh)

Swedifh,
Dutch, 8cc,

3O
43 j

36

2

154

48

74

53

386

There arrived at Hamburgh in the year 176^

from

Britifh ports,
France,

Spain, Canaries,

Portugal,

Italy,

Ruflia, Sweden,

Norway , Greenland ,

Brkifli vcfFcIs.
218

5

16
3

252

Hamburghers.
41
36

61

142

Of other nations.

French,

Dutch,

Others,

Spanifh,

Others,

25 f
40

«1

(no Italian)

33

171

377

TotaK
323

4
198

28
79
79
99
810

Total.
292

212

60
15

35

•57

77]

The decreafe of Britilh fhips this year was chiefly owing to the Ham-
burgh fugar-refiners having overflocked themfelves with fugars in the
year 1764, and not to the apprehended fuperiority of the French in that
article ; the French imports being alfo lower in fugars this year than
the laft, but higher in wines from Bourdeaux.

The Britifh trade to Denmark was faid to be almofl annihilated at
Xhis time.

The confuls and merchants at Barcelona, Mahon, Smyrna, Madeira.

432 A. D.I 765-

and Naples, complained in general of oppreflive laws and cuftoms, and
arbitrary proceedings of the people in power.

There were many other reports, which contained nothing particular
with refped to commerce.

To this view of the trade of our merchants fettled in foreign coun-
tries I fliall add an account of the fliipping in two of our principal
ports.

There were entered inward this year at Briftol 384 Britifli, and 47
foreign, velTels ; and outward 319 i3ritilh, and 44 foreign *.

In Liverpool there was entered inward 738 Britifh, and 6^ foreign,
veflels; and outward 795 Britifh, and 70 foreign.

In the year 1565 Liverpool poflefled only 12 vefTels, the whole burr
then of which was only 225 tuns, not the burthen of one modern
fizeable fhip for foreign trade.

From thefe flatements it appears, that Liverpool had gained ground
greatly upon Briftol, and was henceforth to be confidered as the fecond
port in Britain, and the commercial capital of the weft coaft.

In Kindooftanwe have feen that Collim Aly Cawn was driven by the
arms of the Eaft-India company to feek for refuge at the court of Sujah
Dowlah nabob of Oude, who, after the death of Major Adams, openly
efpoufed the caufe of the exiled nabob. Though Sujah was a prince
of confiderable military talents and reputation in the country, his army,
together with that of Coflim, was completely routed with great (laugh-
ter by Major Munro at Buxar (2 2d Oftober 1764) ; and foon after
Allahabad, one of his moft confiderable cities, tell into the hands of
Sir Robert Fletcher (vvho fucceeded Major Munro) ; and in May 1765
Sujah himielf furrendered to General Carnac (the fucceflbr of Sir
Robert Fletcher) fubmitting the determination of his fate to the arbi-
tration of Lord Clive, when he fhould arrive. And thus Coflim, for
whofe peribnal fafety Sujah had previoufly provided, was again reduced
to the condition of a fugitive.

In the meantime Mir Jaffier, the company's nabob of Bengal,
died, having, according to the cuftom of the country, appointed his
oldeft furviving fon his fuccefl^br, in preference to his grandfon, the
infant child of his oldeft Ion, \vho died before himfelf. The fervants
of the company at Calcutta made the new nabob agree to pay the com-
pany /^8oo,ooo fterling annually, in confideration of which they en-
gaged to relieve him from the trouble and expenfe of maintaining an
iirmy, and to take the defence of his country into their own hands.
They alfo bound him to many other very hard conditions, one of
which was, that his prime minifter ftiould be appointed by them ; or,

*i. Mr. Andcrfon (under the year 1754) relates, that in the year 1743 he was /o/</, that there
were 4C0 fhips belonging to Biiftol employed in fi>;eign trade.

A. D. 1765, 43^

in other words, that they fhould fend a governor to rule the kingdom,
and leave him only an empty title.

Such was the fituation of affairs, when Lord Clive arrived at Cal-
cutta (3d May 1 765), with more ample powers than any preceding
governor of Bengal had ever been veiled with. He adopted the policy of
making Sujah a friend, inftead of an indignant conquered enemy, and
reftored all his dominions, except the provinces of Corah and Allaha-
bad, which he afligned as part of an eflablifhment for the nominal
mogul, who had thrown himfelf upon the protedlion of the Britifli
army. At the fame time he obtained from the mogul a formal grant
to the company of the adminiftration of the provinces of Bengal,
Bahar, and Orifla, on condition of paying an annual quit-rent of 26
lacks of rupees (;^26o,ooo). Thus a territory much larger than Great
Britain and Ireland, producing at leaft a million fterling of net
revenue,* and containing at leaf! ten millions of inhabitants, was
acquired to the company ; a provifion was made for the reprefentative
of the antient potent fovereigns of Hindooftan, who till now was not
in poffeflion of any certain revenue or refidence ; and Sujah Dowlah
was in a better fituation than he expedled after his unfortunate cam-
paign. As for the nabob of Bengal, a penfion of 53 lacks of rupees
(;i^530,ooo) was allowed him by the company J.

In the courfe of this year feveral improvements were made in the
chemical and mechanic arts fubfervient to fome important manu-
fadures. The fociety for the encouragement of arts, &c. gave a prem-
ium of £100 to Mr. Spurrit of Ifleworth for his method of dying
cotton yarn of a durable Turkey red; and Mr. D'Ambournay, a
botanift. of Paris, difcovered a dye-fluff, which produced the fame
effed. A premium for the fame ufeful difcovery was alfo offered by a
fociety for the encouragement of the arts in Hamburgh. The procefs
of dying nurple and crimfon with a vegetable, which is quite common,
was exhibited by the baron de Beufl: before the chemical committee of
the fociety of arts. In New-England they fell upon the method of
making pot-afhes, equal to thofe of Hungary, for the ufe of the glafs-
maker and bleacher ; and pearl-afhes were brought from Minorca,
then a part of the Britifh dominions, which were ibarcely inferior to
thofe of Triefte. A tanner of Battle in Suffex difcovered a method of
tanning calf fkins with the faw-dufl: of oak, whereby every particle
of that valuable wood may be rendered ufeful, and the oak trees may
be allowed to grow up to a fufficient fize for their noble deftination
of fhip-building. Mr. Charles Douglas Bowden, and Mr. Erfkine, each

_ * Lord Clive elUmatcd the net revenue at Major Renntll's il.etchcs of the hiilory of Hiii-
i 1,700,-JOO fteriing. dooftan, prefixed to his Memoir nf a imp of Hiw

f I have borrowed part of this narrative from doo'lar..

Vol. III. 3 1

434 A. D. 1765.

invented a new engine for raifing water, and both ; being fubmitted
to the fociety for the encouragement of arts, were by them confidered
as fuperior to the chain pump.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,076 veflels of the reputed burthen of 542,^66 tuns,

andofScodand 1,308 _ - - _ , 75,136

Total - 8,348 617,702

The net amount of the cuftoms including the Weft-India tour-and-a-

half-per cer.r duty, pa'd mto the exchequer in the courle of the year,

was from the cuflo :;-houfe in London - ;i(^2,264,23i 17 5

and from the cultom-houfe in Edinburgh - 7,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain ;^2,27i,23i 17 5

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year

11,520 pounds of gold, value - - ^^538, 272 o o

and 6 pounds of filver, - - 1 8 1 2 o

;^538,290 12 o

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriftmas 1764 to Chriftmas 1765, was as follows.

Countiies, &c.

^Vfrica

Canaries

Denmark, &c.

East Countiy

East-India

Flanders

France

Germany

Greenland

Holland

Ireland

Mann

Italy

Madeira

Poland

Prussia

Portugal

Russia

Spain

Straits

Sweden

Turkey

Imported into

Exported froni |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLA

<D.

SCOTLAND. 1

£51.692

2

11

^53 5 0

^'469,034

14 4

^371

19 0

8,591

4

11

42,365

15 8

85,901

3

9

34,204 9 3

132,588

16 10

47,512

8 4

128,901

18

2

239,717

5 5

1,455,5B9

2

914,278

14 1

146,412

9

568 12 0

456,817

19 1

49,082

0 5

180,333

10

1 ,202 8 7

] 53,076

11 0

130,149

11 8

602,624

12

7

6,024 17 1

1,869,465

18 8

42,262

10 8

10,639

1 1

0

4,254 0 10

15

5 7

42;>,273

3

101,293 12 5

2,026,772

16 11

373,245

10 9

1,070,533

11

11

84,651 7 8

1,767,020

1 6

276,310

11 4

73 2 0

824,803

804

0 8

785,030

6

1>7G9 7 10

5 8

10,277

1 0

L3,97-i

12

]

78 5 5
16,572 5 10
7,609 2 0

40,797

3 3

320
836
61

0 0
0 2
4 0

354,307

1

]3,99<> 12 I

679.037

16 1

3,110

0 10

967.339

11

7

89,801 12 0

76,170

18 ()

249

1 6

594,893

3

■7,695 17 2

1,237,551

3 11

10,667

8 7

28,057

8

80,306

16 0

234,452

1

32,306 1 1

49,003

17 S

5,454

14 6

122,652

11

91,735

1 3

1

J

A,D, 1765,

435

Imported into

• E.xported from

Countries, kc.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

•Venice

^47,912 n 10

.^22,481 1 4

Guernsey, &c.

34,545 8 5

^2,082 12 10

42,467 13 5

America in general

423,885 8 3

^185,733 16 4

Hudson's bay

10,654 10 1

4,394 5 5

Ne\<'foundland

43,928 4 11

70,498 7 9

St. John's Wand

862 11 9

Quebec

39,034 4 2

213,509 14 9

Nova-Scotia

164 2 1

48,211 19 8

New-England -

145,819 0 1

451,299 14 7

New-York -

54,959 18 2

382,349 11 1

Pennsylvania

25,148 10 10

363,368 17 5

Virginia and Mmj'land

505,671 9 9

383,224 13 0

Carolina

385,018 12 0

334,709 12 8

Georgia

34,183 15 8

29,165 16 9

Florida

084 8 4

19,888 9 8

West-Indies in general

91,360 2 6

1,383 15 3

44,429 16 9

Antigua

159,152 12 5

149,751 1 8

AnguiUa

3,536 11 0

Barbados

326,688 6 8

191,202 19 0

Bermuda

9,973 4 8

17,715 15 3

Dominica

73,497 10 10

8,656 3 3

Grenada

199,909 0 n

77,673 9 1

GuadaloQpe

66,560 15 7

Havanna

6,451 0 0

Jamaica

1,023,091 13 9

415,624 0 4

Martinique

24 16 1

Montserrat

66,6q4 12 11

15,938 15 4

Nevis

54,528 17 6

11,905 19 5

St. Christophers

245,095 3 7

111,357 9 11

St. Lucia

447 3 6

St. Vincents

4,459 14 5

1,443 IS 9

Tobago

546 iq 11

Tortola

38,972 13 10

21,171 17 9

New- Providence

4,871 3 5

4,227 18 3

St. Croix

7,089 10 4

4,80O 18 11

Foreign "West-Indies -

11,874 5 8

2,918 5 U

113 8 8

Imp. and exp. of England

10,889,742 13 10

14,550,507 1 8

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

922,401 7 9

922,401 7 9

1,213,360 8 10

1,213,360 8 10

Total, Great Britain -

11,812,1-^14 1 7

15,763,867 10 6

I ■766 — The French were very intent upon the reftoration of their ma-
nufadures and commerce, which had been very much injured and
deranged in the late war, and they fo far fucceeded, that by this time
they had in a great meafure recovered their trade with many parts of
the world. Notwithftanding the difafters produced by a hurricane, the
moft tremendous that ever was known, in their Weft-India fettlements,
their colonies in that quarter of the world were again in a flourilhing
condition ; and their fpirit of enterprife and induftry was furmounting
all obftacles in the way of their profperity. About this time they obtained
permiffion of the court of Rullia to eftablifli a French fidory at Arch-
angel (the feat of the firft Britifli trade with that country 1 from which,
they expelled great commercial advantages.

3I2

43^ A. D. 1766.

From the year 1757, when the bounty on the bufles fitted out for
the herring fifhery was raifed from 30/" to 50/" a tun, the number of
bufles and men employed in that bufinefs had been confiderably in-
creafed on the weft coaft of Scotland, where the commercial fpirit of
Glafgow had infpired an ardour of enterprife unknown to the reft of
the country, which carried the fiftiery in that quarter to fome extent,
when all the attempts to eftabUfti it in the other parts of Scotland
had proved abortive ; and it was alfo fupported by a brifk demand in
Ireland and the Weft-Indies, as well as for the home confumption, the
trueft and moft effedual encouragement to any undertaking. But all
of a fudden the progrefs of their profperity was arrefted by the dread-
ful and unexpeded ftoppage of the payment of the bounty on the
return of the fleet in January; the reafon afllgned for which was, that
the peculiar branch of the Scottifli revenue appropriated for that fer-
vice was already anticipated for fome years*. Many of the bufs-
owners, who had embarked their all, and fome of them much more
than their all, in building bufles, providing nets, calks, fait, &c. were
ruined ; and the damage fuffered by the inhabitants of Campbelltown
alone in bufles, nets, caflis, and buildings, was eftimated by Mr. Knox
at £32,S,o4g.f Such of the adventurers, as were able to ftand the
ftiock, ftill perfevered in the fifliery, in compaflion to the multitude of
people dependent upon them, and as the only way of employing the
capital already engaged in it, trufting to the payment of the bounty on
fome future day ; and accordingly in the following year they fitted out
263 bufles. But nobody could long perfevere in a fifliery fo circum-
ftanced, or continue fubjed to the expenfes and reftricHons of the
bounty laws without receiving the bounty |. Some, however, by fend-
ing their veflels to clear out at Whitehaven §, obtained a regular pay-
ment of their bounty, which in the Englifh ports was payable, not
from a particular fund, as in Scotland, but from the general revenue
of the kingdom.

The merchants and traders of the city of Dublin reprefented to the

• The bounties were paid ofF in time, but any adventurer from fitting out veflels ' for tlie
moftly into the hands of people, who had brought ' fole purpofe of catching, not the fifh, but the
the ccrtifieates at a large difeount from the adven- ' bounty.' With refpedi to the decline of the
turers in the fifhery. fifhery by open boats, which he regrets, it may be
t See Knox's FUiv of ihe Brihjh empire, p. 2C0. prefumed, that the views of government were at
\ As fo great an author as Dodlor Smith has Icafl: as much direfttd to the incieafe of the
giren his opinion, that the bounty, even when re- number of feamen, as of the quantity of herrings,
duced to 3qA is too favourable to the adventurers, } In the cuflom-lioufe returns fiom the poit of
and too expenfive to the nation, it is proper to Whitehaven of vcffels cleared out for the herring
obferve, that the fuperiuimerary hands they are fifhery in the years 1 769-70-7 1 there is the fol-
obligtd to fhip, and the many reflriftions and ex- lowing note * The principal part of the vefTels
penics, to which they are fnbjefted by the bounty ' fitted out belonged to difTercnt ports in Scot-
laws (to fay nothing of vexatious litigations and * land, and on their return from the fifhery dif-
•fficer's fees) mTill at all times effedlually prevent ' charged their cargoes at their rcfpedlive homes.'

A. D. 1766, 437

lord lieutenant of Ireland, that four thou fand families were fupported
by the trade of refining fugar, in which a capital of ;(^34o,ooo * was
engaged ; and they complained, that the bounty given on the exporta-
tion of Englifli refined fugar to Ireland was a hardfhip upon their
trade, which it could not poflibly bear. They therefor begged of him
either to endeavour to get the bounty taken off from refined fugar
{hipped for Ireland, or to promote a bill in the Irilh parliament for
laying a duty on the fugar when landed in Ireland, which fhould be
equivalent to it.

The Englifh refiners on the other hand ftrenuoufly oppofed the Irifli
propofal, and infilled that the flatement given in by them was grofsly
mifreprefented,

Mr. James Cook having been appointed by the admiralty to make a
furvey of the coafls of Newfoundland f, with the oppofite coafi: of La-
brador, under the diredion of Commodore Pallifer, governor of New-
foundland, delivered his charts at the admiralty-office : and Commo-
dore Pallifer having propofed to the admiralty, that Mr Cook fhould be
allowed to publifh them for the fervice and encouragement of naviga-
tion in thofe feas, they were accordingly publifhed. Mr. Cook had al-
ready, in the year 1759, made a furvey of the River St. Laurence, which
was alfo publiftied : and it has been found fo corred, that it was never
thought neceffary to make any other after it If.- Thefe were the firfl:
public difplays of thofe great geographical talents, which pointed out
Cook as the proper conductor of the voyages of difcovery, which will
tranfmit his fame to the latefl ages.

February 5''' — A treaty was concluded between Great Britain and
Sweden, wherein it was flipulated, that their fubjeds fhould mutually
enjoy in the ports of either kingdom all the advantages granted by either
to the mofl favoured nations, excepting only an article in a treaty be-
tween Sweden and France (dated ~f April 1741) relating to the duties
payable in the port of Wifinar §.

A letter from General O'Hara, governor of Senegambia, flates, that
Galam, a country fituated on the upper part of the River Senegal, is very
rich in gold, and fupplies all the Barbary flates with that pretious metal.
He fays, it confumes a very great quantity of manufadures, which are

* The petition of the importers and manufac- faid he had rcafon to beh'eve, that Mr. Cook had

turers of fugar to the Irifh parliament, dates the never attempted to draw a chart before he began

capital employed at ^^400,000. his furvey of the River St. Laurence. But he was

f Mr. Cook difcovered very copious mines of one of tiiofe heaven-taught geniufes, who make

coal in Newfoundland, fo clofe to the (hore, that greater progrefs in fcicnce by their own powers

the coals might be thrown direftly from the works and application than others can do by inftruftion.
into the veflels ; an objefl furely worthy of atlen- § The other articles of this treaty, which is un-

tion. [For/ler's Foyaga in the North, p. 297 of commonly fliort, contain nothing concert, ing com-

Engl'iJ}) tranjlalion.'] merce. The reader may fee it in ^ coUeaion of

X Sir Hugh Pallifer, his commanding officer, treaties, by George Chalmers Efq. V. i, p. 6q.

438 A. D. 1766.

carried by numerous caravans from Morocco, Algier, Tunis, Tripoli,
and Grand Cairo : and he advifes, that the Britifl-i confuls at thefe pla-
ces {hould be direded to fend intelligent perfons along with thofe cara-
vans in order to learn the nature of the trade ; a plan, apparently, as
well adapted as any to obtain the knowlege of the interior parts of
Africa, now fo much the object of public curiofity. He adds, that for
thefe laft fifty years there have been annually (hipped from Africa
about 70,000 of its prime inhabitants ; from whence it may be conclud-
ed, that that continent mufl be extremely populous to fupply lb confi-
derable an annual drain.

February 19"' — Corn being fcarce, the importation of it from the
Britifh colonies in America for a Hmited time, was permitted by an ad of
parliament. Oats and oat-meal were alfo allowed to be imported ; and
all exportation of corn, meal, flour, bread, and ftarch, was prohibited for
a limited time. [6 Geo. III^ cc. 4, 5.]

The lords of trade, having fully confidered every information produc-
ed to them upon the affairs of Newfoundland and the territories an-
nexed to if, reprefented to the king, that an illicit and deftruclive trade
was carried on there with the French fettled at Miquelon * and St. Pi-
erre ; that the concurrent fifhery of the Britifh and French fubjeds had
produced many difficulties and embairafTments ; and that a ftate of in-
habitance, unreftrained by any form or conflitutions of civil govern-
ment, had operated to the total fubverlion of that policy, upon which
the fifheries dependent upon that ifland were originally eftabliflied, and
defeated the great national advantages of the ftatute of loth nth Wil-
liam III, principally by fetting up exclufive claims to all the places on the
fhore which are ufeful for curing the fifh ; and fuch claims of property,
if they are permitted, are alone fufficient to banifh from the coafl
the fliip-fifliing, which Commodore Pallifer conceives to be the only fpe-
cies of the fifhery attended with the great national advantage of breed-
ing a hardy race of feamen, capable of manning the navy in cafes of
emergency.

The fifliery upon the coafl of Labrador was embarrafled by claims fet
u]) by the antient French proprietors for fifhing pofls, and by others,
who had engaged iu fifhing fchemes upon the flrength of temporary
grants made to them by the governor of Quebec, before the limits of
the governments were afcertained, who all complained loudly of the re-
gulations publilned and enforced by Commodore Pallifer, to whofe go-
vernment of Newl'nmdled that country was annexed. According to
Commodore Pallifer's accounts, the cod-filhery is more abundant, and

* Miquelon about this time received a confider- from the Britifh province of Nova-Scotia, who
able increafe of inhabitants, by the fcceflion of fe- built a kind of town upon the iilaiid.
ver^l hundreds of French Acadians and Indians

A, D. 1766, 439

in all refpeds more advantageous, on the coafts of Labrador than on
thofe of Newfoundland ; and the fifhery of feals and fea-cows can be but
a fecondary objed, confined to particular fpots of the coaft, and carried
on at a time when it does not interfere with the more important fifliery
for cod. The climate being fo fevere, and the country, where not co-
vered with wood, being either bare rock or deep mofs, no kind of agri-
culture can ever be carried on in it, further than the culture of fome
garden fluffs during the few weeks of fummer : therefor it can never
be ufeful in any other way than as a ftation for an excellent fifhery ; cod,
whale, feal, and ialmon, being all in great abundance, and of the bell
quality.

A defcription of the iflands of Madelaine and St. John, tranfmitted
iabout this time by Captain Holland, furveyor-general of the northern
diftrid of America, gives a particular account of the fea-cows*, and the
amount of the oil made from thofe animals on that ifland in the year
1765, viz.

In the fpring of 1765, there were taken on two echouries f 2,000 fea-
cows, which made 900 barrels of oil, the value of which was /^2,i37 ;
of which two- thirds belong to the undertakers, who pay all charges, the
people employed having inflead of wages one clear third of the oil,
which they generally fell to the undertakers.

The ifland of Madelaine appears to be ufeful for no other purpofe but
the capture of thefe animals, and the feal and cod filhery. The foil is
generally fandy, producing little elfe but fmall pines, and fpruce, juni-
per berries, ftrawberries, rafpberries, &c. The only animals are foxes,
which are generally filver grey.

According to Captain Holland's defcription of the ifland of St. John
in the Gulf of St. Laurence, the lands formerly cleared in it had almofl
returned to a flate of nature. The ground was covered with fl;rawber-
ries, and, with proper culture, might produce moft kinds of grain and
garden fluffs ; but the extreme rigour and long duration of the winter
will ever prevent this country from being valuable as an agricultural
fettlement. It has plenty of beafls, birds, and fifh, and is exempted
from the perpetual fogs, which involve the neighbouring iflands of Cape
Breton and Newfoundland.

* Thofe animals being even now but little can fcarcely fee an objecl at the diilance of twenty

known, a brief defcription of them may be accept- yards ; but their fenfes of fmelling and hearing arc

able. When very young, they weigh only about fo very acute, that, if the men, who attack them

50 pounds, but in five or ilx years they get to the when bailting on the land, did not approach them

weight of about 2,000 pounds. They are very on the leeward fide, ihey would inftantly riidi irito

ugly, refembling a toad in forni and colour with the fea, and probably csrry tiicir invaders along

a head fomewhat like that of a cow ( whence with them. Their fliins are an inch in thicknefs,

their name) having in each upper jaw a tu(k of and are cut into traces ; but the moll valuable part

ivory about a foot and a half long. They is the fat, of which the oil Is made,
have four fins armed with fmall claws, by means of f So the French called ^he Hoping banks fre-

which they can clamber up a lleep bank. They quentedby thefeacowsforreitingandbaflcingupon.

440 A. D. 1766.

The long-dependent bufinefs of the Canada bills was finally and ami-
cably fettled. But, in order to render the affair intelligible, it will be
neceflary to look back to the origin of thofe bills.

However profitable the trade of Canada, when under the French do-
7ninion, may have been to the individuals concerned in it, it was far
from being profitable to the fovereign. The expenfes of that province,
from 1,700,000 livres in the year 1749, rofe higher and higher every
year, and in 1759, the lafl: year that it belonged to France, amounted
to 26,000,000. Thefe fums were not paid in hard money, but in paper
cards of from 24 livres down to 7 livres 6 fous, bearing the arms of
France, and figned by the governor, the intendant, and the comptrol-
ler, to the amount of about a million of livres ; and alfo in ordonnances
of from I to 100 livres, which were figned by the intendant only ; and
the amount of thefe was unlimited, perhaps unknown. Thus, in con-
ducting this bufinefs, there were two mofl; enormous blunders, to call
them no worfe. For fome time thefe two kinds of paper currency an-
fwered all the purpofes of real money in the country ; and, as the hold-
ers got bills of exchange on the treafury of France for them every year
in Odober, they were preferred in all tranladlions to real hard cafh.
The bills of exchange were regularly paid till the year 1754, when, on
account of the prodigious increafe of their amount, the payment was de-
ferred ; but in 1759 it was abfolutely refufed, till an inquiry Ihould be
made into the real value of them : for it is almoft needlefs to fay, that
immediately after the firfl; delay of the payment their value depreti-
ated.

In the later end of the year 1763 an inquiry was inftituted at Paris,
and moft fcandalous malverfations were difcovered. Some of the de-
faulters, by a profufe diftribution of their ill-gotten wealth, efcaped
punifhment and reftitution, while others were banifhed and com-
pelled to refund large fums, which altogether amounted to 12,965,000
livres.

The bills of exchange were reduced to one half of their nominal va-
lue, and the ordonnances to one quarter : and both were paid in con-
tracts, or tickets, bearing interefl; at four per cent, which were foon af-
ter fold at a very low price *.

Of the Canada paper, which at the peace altogether amounted to 80
millions of livres, the Canadian French held 34 millions in ordonnances,
and 7 millions in bills of exchange. As thefe people at the peace
became Britifh fubjecls, and as moreover a very large proportion of the
paper had come into the hands of Britifli merchants fettled in Canada,
and was remitted by them to their correfpondents in London, the Brit-
iOi government took an adlive concern in procuring payment of it.

* Such was the low date of their credit in London, that a parcel of them, amounting to feveral hun-
•ired thoufand livres, was fold at Garraway's in March 1765 at from 9 t,o 30 per cent.

A. D. 1766. 441

By an arret of the French council of ftate, dated 29th December 1765,
the interefl: was railed from 4 to 4-^ per cent, and the holders of the
bills were required to get them liquidated before the 1 ft of March 1766,
on penalty of their becoming void; but the fubjcds of Great Britain, on
account of the diftance of Canada, were indulged v/ith further time to
h ift of Odober 1766.

At laft (March 29"^'') after long delays, a convention for the liquidation
of the Canada paper belonging to Britifli fubje^ts was concluded at Lon-
don between General Conway and the Comte de Guerchy, wherein the
redudion of the value, and the rate of intereft, as formerly fettled by the
court of France, were acquiefced in, and the neceflary forms to be ob-
ferved in afcertaining the Britifh property, as alfo the fteps to be taken
for obtaining reconnoiffances, or rent contrads, were fettled. 1 he court
of France, moreover, ftipulated to deliver to the Britifh proprietors in
April 1766, by the hands of the Britifb ambaffador at Paris, 500,000
livres in money, and 2,500,000 in rent contrads bearing intereft from
the I ft of January 1766, as an indemnification*, on condition that all
Canada paper of Britilh property, not liquidated in the prefcribed time,
ftiould fhare the fame fate with that of French property.

To this convention Meflieurs Brook Watfon, Robert Allen, Francis
Rybot, Robert Hunter, Ifidore Lynch, Charles Crockat, William Green-
wood, Robert Grant, and Daniel Vialars, who were the committee of
London merchants chofen by the proprietors of Canada paper to manage
their concerns, added, with the approbation of General Conway, feveral
regulations for the diftribution of the money, &c. which they appoint-
ed to be in November 1766 f.

The iflands of Grenada and the Grenadines being in a much more
■advanced ftate of cultivation, and much more populous than the other
ceded iflands, the legiflature for them was completed by the eledtion of
a feparate aflembly for thofe iflands only, who accordingly met for the
firft time on the 15th of April, and in an addrefs to the king on the
completion of the legiflative fyftem for Grenada exprefled their fenfe of
the important truft repofed in them ; ' in conjundion with a governor,
' (General Melville) who has given conftant and diftinguiftied proofs,
' that his whole fentiments and condud are formed for the proiperity
' and good of thefe iflands, by views the moft difinterefted, and upon
' principles the moft candid and impartial.' But, notwithftanding this
harmonious outfet, the new affembly, unfortunately conceiving too high
an idea of their own powers and privileges, immediately went to variance

* Raynal fays, that the Britifh proprietors there- he is miftaken in the amount of the iudemnifica

by got 55 per cent for their bills of exchange, and tion, we may prefume that he is erroneous in hij

34 per cent for their otdonnances ; while the calculation.

French fubjecls were obliged to reft fatisfied with f The Canada bills were not finally paid off by

the original compofition of 50 and 25. But, as the French treafury till the year 1772.

Vol. in. 3 K

442 A. D. 1766.

with the council, by which, and fome unconftitutional proceedings,
they compelled the governor to diflblve them on the 21 ft of May.

Dominica, St. Vincents, and Tobago, not being fo w^ell advanced in
population and culture, retained ftill their original temporary form of
government, adminilleredby a lieutenant-governor and a council in each
ifland, fubordinate to the governor-general of Grenada and the other
ceded iflands.

If we turn our eyes to the continent of America, we there fee much
turbulence and confufion, the confequence of a general difpofition to
difown the fupremacy of Great Britain. But the country felt little or
no diftrefs : the warehoufes of the merchants were full of goods, for
which no payment was made, and for which, confidering the condition
the country then was in with refpe6t to money, from the fuppreffion of
thofe branches of trade, which ufed to fupply the means of making re-
mittances in cafli or bills of exchange, very little payment could be
made. It is true, that, when thofe goods were confumed, no more
would come to replace them, at lead not in the fame channel of trade;
but that was no great inconvenience in a country, which produces with-
in itfelf every real necelTary, with a large {hare of the comforts of life,
and among a people, vying with each other, not in the oflentation of ex-
travagance and the confumption of foreign vanities, but in the oflenta-
tion of parfimony and the pride of encouraging their own infant ma-
nufadures. But no petitions againfl the flamp ad were forwarded this
year from any of the continental colonies * except Virginia and Georgia,
the others having apparently determined to defift from fuch applications,
in confequence of the ill fuccefs of their former ones.

In the meantime the effeds of the American non-importation were
fenfibly felt in every part of Great Britain. The merchants connected
with America found themfelves unable to fulfill their engagements by
the ftoppage of the payment of feveral millions due to them from their
American correfpondents ; the whole fyflem of their bufinefs was de-
ranged, and general diftrefs was difFufed throughout the wide-fpreading
circle of their connedlions ; the manufacturers fuffered by the want of
regular payments from the merchants, and moreover found their ma-
terials and made-up goods in a great meafure become a dead flock, upon
their hands; in confequence of which great numbers of their workmen
and other dependents were reduced to idlenefs and want of bread, at a
time, when, to heighten the diftrefs, provifions were extravagantly dear.
Petitions were prefented from London, Liverpool, Briftol, Lancafter,
Hull, Glafgow, and, in a word, from all the trading and manufacturing
towns, wherein were difplayed in the ftrongeft colours the advantages
derived from the trade with A.iierica in the \ aft, and increafing confump-

* That is to fay, in their corporate capacity : alfu fent home from Jamaica (and, 1 believe, from
but a memorial, or petition, was lent home figned no other of the WeR-India illands) agaiiilt the
by 280 merchants of Philadelphia. A petition was llamp aft.

A. D.I 766. 443

tion of Britifh manufadures, and alfo of foreign goods fhipped for Ame-
rica, which were paid for with Britifh or American goods ; the valuable
nature of the returns received from America, being moftly either the
materials of our manufactures or of a profitable re-exportation; befides
which we annually received large balances in bullion or bills of ex-
change, which were in fatt the profits made by the colonifts in their
trade with other coimtries, poured into the geiieral mafs of Britifh
wealth : and it was obferved that many thoufands of manufadurers,
labourers, and feamen, employed in the various operations of that ex-
tenfive commerce, muft now be thrown deflitute, or driven into the
fervice of other nations. But thefe compofitions, as we may well fup-
pofe, were not free of exaggeration *.

The arguments urged in parliament, and in innttmerable publications,
for and againfl the right and expediency of Great Britain impofing
taxes upon America, are foreign to the nature of this work. It is fuffi-
cient here to fay, that the wifdom of the legiflature faw the propriety of
repealing the ftamp ad. The ad for its repeal [6 Geo. Ill, c. ii] was
paffed on the i8th of March, on which occafion the fliips in the River
Thames, the coffee-houles frequented by the American merchants, and
alfo many private houfes, exhibited the ufual demonftrations of public
rejoicing f.

But this gracious and healing ad was immediately followed by one,
which in the preamble refleds on the American provincial legillatures
for afTuming, againfl: law, the exclufive right of impofing taxes upon his
Majefly's fubjeds in the colonies, and declares the American colonies
fubordinate to, and dependent upon, the crown and parUament of Great
Britain, whofe legiflative authority is exprefsly aflerted to extend to, and
bind, the people of the American colonies, as fubjeds, in all cafes what-
Ibever. [6 Geo. Ill, c. I2.]

Some doubts in an ad of lafl feilion \c. 43.] for regulating the duties
onRuflia linens imported, were removed by a new ad for regulating the
duties. Doubts having alio arifen concerning the right of importing
tea by any other than the Eaft-India company's fhips, it was by the fame
ad declared, that licences might be granted to import limited quanti-
ties from any part of Europe. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 13.]

April 11'^ — The duties laid on foreign cyder and perry imported (by
ad 3G<fo. ///, c. 1 2) were raifed ^o£2> P^^^ tun, and thofe on the fame articles

* That the American nonimportation agree- exerted himfelf for tlie repeal, and refohitions were

meats had not the fmallefl effeft upon the woollen made to prepare new drefles made of Britifli ma-

manufafturcsofYork-fhire, will appear from a view nufadlurcs for celebrating the fourth of June, the

of the progiefs of it, to be given in the year 1783. birth-day of their moll gracious fovereigii, and to

f When the news of the repeal reached Ameri- give their home-fpim clothes to the poor. Thcfc

ca, it was, notwithftanding the difagieeable nature are proofs, that the fplrit of difafTcclion to the

of the concomitant adl, [c. 12] received with uni- Britifli government, though it had taken root, had

verfal dcmonllrations of joy. Subfcriptions were not yet acquired any conlirniijd ftrength among the

ricdc for erefting ftatues to Mr. Pitt, who had generality of the people of America.

4 3 k: 2

^44 ^' D- 1766.

of home manufadare to 6/perhog{head, to be paid by the retailers, and
it)/B per hogshead to be paid by flidors, to whom cyder or perry is con-
figned for fale. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 14.] As the duties on thefe liquors, were
no longer payable in the firfl inflance by the makers and confumers, the
unwelcome vifits of the revenue officers in private houfes became unne-
reflary, and the mofl obnoxious circumftances in the former mode of
colleding the duties were now removed, to the great fatisfad:ion of the
inhabitants of the cyder counties.

The importation of foreign-made gloves and mitts was totally prohi-
bited. [6 Geo. ni,c. 19.]

In the year 1764 Commodore Byron failed to take pofTeflion of Falk-
land's iflands near the fouthern extremity of America, which had been
flrongly recommended by Lord Anfon, as a ftation for promoting hof-
tile and predatory expeditions againft the Spanifli fettlements in South-
America. Thence he proceeded on a circumnavigation of the globe,
in the courfe of which he difcovered feveral iflands in the Pacific ocean,
fome of which appear to have been feen by former navigators, and
which we were more fully made acquainted with by the vifits of Cook,
and other fucceeding navigators. He arrived in England 9th May 1766.

Soon after Commodore Byron's return, Captain Wallis and Captain
Carteret were difpatched on a fimilar voyage round the globe. They
niade fome additions to our geographical knowlege by giving the pofi-
tion of many iflands, hitherto unknown, or mifplaced. Having been
feparated at the entrance of the Pacific ocean, Wallis returned to Eng-
land in May 1768, and Carteret in March 1769.

About this time the bank of Venice reduced the interefl: of their
funds to four per cent, at the fame time offering payment of their prin-
cipal to thofe who were unwilling to accept that rate of interefl:.

May 14'*' — To prevent unfair preferences in difpatching the coal fliips
at Newcaftle and Sunderland, the agents or venders of coals in thofe
towns were by law obliged to load all ftiips in rotation, on payment be-
ing tendered to them, either in cafli, or bank poft-bills payable in feven
days after fight. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 22,]

An ad was pafled for further regulating the manufadure of woollen
cloths in the wcflrlding of York-fliire, and preferving their credit in fo-
reign parts. [6 Geo III., c. 23.]

And another for paving, lighting, and otherways improving, the
burgh of Southwark. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 24.]

Aifo another to obhge apprentices to ferve out their time, and to com-
pell LU-tificers and workmen to fulfill thecontrads entered into with their
employers for the time agreed upon. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

Three ads were pafled for improving the flireets of London, regulat-
ing buildings, 8cc. [6 Geo. Ill, cc. 26, 27, 37.]

The importation and fale of foreign-made filks and velvets was total-
ly prohibited ; excepting thofe imported from India, and filk crapes and

A. D. 1766. 44^

tiifanles from Italy. At the fame time breaking into any houfe or fliop
malicioufly to deftroy or damage any filk goods in the procefs of the
manufadure, was declared felony, and punifhable with death. [6 Geo.
Ill, r. 28.]

In order to preferve the credit of the flocking manufadure, all per-
fons found guilty of marking an untrue number of threads were fub-
jeded to the lofs of the goods falfely marked, with a penalty of five
pounds for every piece. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

The fandy point called the Spurn at the mouth of the Humber, on
which two light-houies had been built in the reign of Charles II, having
by the action of the fea fo far changed its form, that the light-houfes
were now a confiderable way from the point, it became necellary to re-
move them to the prefent point ; for which purpofe one of the proprie-
tors (the others being unwilling to engage in it) was empowered to bor-
row money to carry on the work, which is fo eflential to the preferva-
tion of veffels pailing along that dangerous coaft. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 31.]

The city of Briftol, though one of the principal commercial ports in
Biitain, was incommoded by feveral very inconvenient narrow ftreets
and pafluges, which the corporation were now empowered to widen and
improve ; and alfo to remove all projeding figns, fheds, fpouts, and
other niiifances, in the ftreets. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 34.]

Some further regulations were enaded for the amendment and prc-
fervation of the public roads. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 43.]

In order to fupport and encourage the national commerce, feveral
laws, now almoft expired, were prolonged, viz. for the drawback on the
exportation of foreign copper bars ; for the encouragement of the filk
manufadures ; for taking off feveral duties on goods exported; for re-
ducing the duties on beaver ikins, and on feveral fpiceries, imported ;
for the importation of all furs, the produce of the Britifh plantations,
into Great Britain only ; for the prefervation of his Majefty's woods in
America, and for encouraging the importation of naval fi:ores from
America, and of mafi:s, yards, and bowfprits, from Scotland ; for encou-
raging the growth of coffee in the Britifh colonies ; and for encouraging
the manufadure of Britifh fail-cloth : all extended to the 24th of June
1774. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 44.]

To encourage the manufiidure of cordage made of Britifh or foreign
rough hemp, except that of the American colonies, a bounty of 2/4 1-
was allowed for every hundred-weight (112 pounds) of fuch cordage
exported as merchandize to any place beyond the feas, except the ifle
of Manii : and the drawback hitherto given on exportation of foreign
rough hemp was no longer allowed. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 45.]

For the encouragement of the filk manufadures an additional duty
of 17/6 for every pound-weight (i6 ounces) was laid on the crapes and
tiffanies of Italy, half of which to be drawn back on exportation. For

446 A. D. 1766.

the benefit of the Unen manufadure in Ireland a quantity of gum fene-
ga or gum arabic, not exceeding 30 tuns annually of both together, was
allowed to be carried to Ireland free of duty. Permiflion was alfo given
to import from Mann in Britifli (hips a quantity of bugles, not exceed-
ing 25,000 pounds, which had been in that ifland before the ifl of
IVIarch 1765. The carriage of rum and other fpirits, hitherto confined
to veflTels of i co tuns or upwards, was now allowed to veflTels not under
70 tuns. [6 Geo. Illy c. 46.]

An additional duty of fixpence upon every gallon of fingle brandy or
other fpirits. and of one fhilling upon every gallon of double brandy or
other fpirits, not produced in the Eritifli colonies, was enad^ed to be paid
on importation. And the fpace of fix months, hitherto allowed to the
importers to warehoufe their rum or fpii-its produced in the Britifli co-
lonies before paying the excife duties, was now enlarged to twelve
months. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 48.]

In order to encourage the freedom of importation and exportation,
under certain limitations, for the advantage of the manufadures, com-
merce, and navigation, of Great Britain, it was thought proper to open
free ports in fome of our Wefl;-India iflands. It was therefor en-
acted, that after the ifl of November 1766 live cattle and all other pro-
duce of foreign colonies in America, except tobacco, might be import-
ed into Prince Rupert's bay and Rofeau in Dominica in foreign vefi^els
not having more than one deck. The ports of Kingfl;on, Savanna-la-
mar, Montego-bay, and Lucea, in Jamaica were to be opened at the
fame time for the importation, alfo in fingle-decked veflels, of cattle,
and foreign provincial produce, except fugar, coffee, pimento, ginger,
melafi'es, and tobacco. But all foreign manufad;ures were prohibited on
pain of forfeiting vefi'el and cargo. Copper ore, cotton, ginger, dying
woods, hemp, indigo, melafi^es, beaver fkins, and fkins and furs in gene-
ral, fugar, cacao, coffee, pimento, afhes, raw filk, and whale fins, from
the Britifh colonies were alfo prohibited. It was moreover declared
lawful for foreign fingle-decked vefTels to carry from the free ports ne-
groes imported in Britifli fliips, and all goods lawfully imported from
Great Britain, Ireland, and the Britifh colonies; except fpars, pitch, tar,
turpentine, tobacco, and Britifli- American iron. The reft of the adl
contains regulations for carrying foreign produce to Europe, and the
duties on negroes and other merchandize to be paid in the free ports.
[6 Geo. Ill, c. 49.]

This law appears to have been chiefly intended to encourage the
Spaniards to refort to the Britifli free ports now to be opened ; as it was
fuppofed, that they would prefer ports, where a free entry was affured to
them, to thofe where they muft depend on precarious indulgence or con-
nivance, and be liable to feizure at the caprice of an officer. The event
of thefe arrangements will appear in the tranfadions of the year 1773.

A. D. 1766. 447

Perfons, who had incurred penalties inflided by the flamp aft, were
indemnified ; and all deeds, &c. upon unflamped paper, whieh by that adl
ought to have been on ftamped paper, were declared valid. [6 Geo.
Ill, c. 50.]

Inftead of the duties formerly paid on goods imported into the Brit-
ilh continental colonies, the following were now to be levied, viz.
On melalles and fyrups *, per gallon, wine meafure, ;^o o r

Coffee of the Britifh plantations, per cwt. - 070

Pimento of ditto, per pound, - - - o o Oy

Foreign cambrics and lawns, per piece of 13 ells, - 030
Britifh coffee and pimento, imported into North- America, and imme-
diately warehoufed for exportation within twelve months to Great Britain
or a Britifh colony, were exempted from paying any duty. The fame
indulgence was extended to foreign fugars, coffee, and indigo, with the
further liberty of carrying the fugar to any part of Europe fouth of
Cape Finifferre. — Foreign cotton and indigo were allowed to be carried
to the Britifh Weft-India iflands in veflels navigated according to law, free
of any duty: and cotton might alfo be brought in Britifh veiTels from any
place whatfoever free of duty f . By this ad all fugars brought to Britain
from the northern colonies were reputed as French, and charged with
duties accordingly. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 52.]

In the fame feflion of parliament many ads were pafTed for improv-
ing harbours, making canals (the chief of which will be noticed at the
times when they were completed and rendered ufeful to the commerce
of the country) widening and improving roads, and dividing commons.
Although the axe of deftrudion feemed to be laid to the root of the
fifhery of Scotland by the failure of the payment of the bounty in
the month of January, fome branches of it were this year profecuted
with confiderable fpirit and fuccefs. On the weft fide of the country
fome fifhing banks, formerly unknown, or forgotten for ages, were dis-
covered, where cod were found in fufficient plenty to load all the New-
foundland fleet. In the neighbourhood of the Orkney and Shetland
iflands new banks of cod and ling were alfo difcovered. And on both
fides of the country the people were now greatly improved in the art
of curing the fifh. What a dreadful misfortune to the public, as well
as to the people more immediately concerned, that their career fhould
be arrefted, when they had juft attained to a degree of perfedion in a
bufinefs fo eminently capable of augmenting the wealth, and fupport-
ing the maritime power, of the Britifh empire.

* When the duty on melafles imported into fee the bad policy of encouraging fmuggling by

America was fixpence a gallon, it produced ;f 2,000 high duties. It is certain that a great part even

a year. By lowering it to one penny, the amount of the low duty was evaded.

was raifed io ^ly.uoo. \_Lord Sheffield' s Obfer- \ The wife policy of encouraging manufaftures

valions on the commerce of America, p. \i6,Jixlh by freeing the materials of them from all rcftraints

ir</.] It is probable, that the quantity imported and burtlicns is better underft'^od now than it was

was

little, if at all, incrcafed ; and thence wc may in former ages.

44S A. D. 176^.

June 20*'' — A treaty of navigation and commerce was concluded
with Ruffia, the fubftance of which is as follows.

Art. TI) The fubjeds of both powers have mutual liberty of naviga-
tion and commerce in all parts of each-other's dominions in Europe,
where any other nation has, or fhall hereafter have, iuch liberty of na-
vigation and commerce.

III) Ships, boats, and carriages, have perfed freedom in arriving, re-
pairing, and departing, in all places where the fubjeds of other nations
are admitted ; no reftraint (hall be put upon the crews of either ; and
all deferters iliall be reftored. There (hall be perfeft freedom in pur-
chafing goods at the current prices, the parties conforming to the laws
of the country they are in.

IV) The merchants of Great Britain have liberty to carry by water or
by land into every province of Ruflia, wherein Grangers are permitted
to trade, all kinds of merchandize not particularly prohibited. And
the merchants of Ruffia may alfo freely carry to all parts of Great Bri-
tain, which are open to foreigners, all kinds of goods not particularly
prohibited ; and they may buy and export all kinds of goods, which
any other Grangers may export, and particularly wrought and unwrought
gold and filver, except the current coin of Great Britain, In order to
preferve a juft equality with regard to the exportation of provifions and
other commodities, it is ftipulated, that the fubjeds of Ruffia fhall pay
the fame duties on exportation, that are paid by the Britifli merchants
on exporting the fame efFeds from the ports ot Ruffia. The commerce
of the interior parts of each country fliall be regulated by its own laws.
The Ruffian merchants ihall enjoy the fame privileges as the Britifli
merchants of the Ruffian company enjoy. There fluall be perfed free-
dom on both fides in difpofing of merchandize, whether the produce
of the country or imported, the fellers conforming in all things to the
laws of the country they are in. Any difputes in which Britifli fubjeds
are concerned at Peterfburgh fliall be fubmitted to the college of com-
merce, and in other towns to the tribunals which have cognizance of
commercial affairs.

V) Britifli fubjeds, if not provided with rix-dollars, may pay their
duties in other foreign coin or the current coin of Ruflia, the rix-dollar
being valued at one hundred and twenty-five copecs.

VI) Ships fliall be loaded and unloaded with all poffiible difpatch. Brit-
ifli fubjeds, having contraded with any chancery or college to deliver
goods, and giving notice that they are ready for delivery agreeable to
the time fpecified in the contrad, they ffiall immediately be received
and fettled for according to the terms of the agreement. And the fame
condud flhiall be obferved towards the Ruffian merchants in the Bricifla
dominions.

VII) Goods bought in either country by the fubjeds of the other fti.all

A. D. 1766. 449

be paid for in the current coin of the country, unlefs otherways fettled
in the agreement.

8) The fubjeds of either power have permiflion to load their (hips
and carriages in all the ufual ports of embarkation with the commodi-
ties they have purchafed, on paying the cufloms, and conforming to the
laws.

9) The merchants {hall pay no higher duties on either fide on the
importation or exportation of their commodities, than are paid by the
fubjeds of other nations. Goods clandeftinely imported into either
country fhall be confifcated ; but no other punifhment fhall be inflicted
on the importer.

10) The fubjeds of either power may freely trade with ftates which
are at war with the other, provided they do not carry military ftores.
Places adually blocked up or befieged, by fea or land, are excepted from
this permiflion.

11) Cannon, mortars, mulkets, piftols, bombs, grenades, balls, flints,
matches, powder, faltpetre, fulphur, breaft-plates, pikes, fwords, belts,
cartouch-bags, faddles' and bridles, are declared to be military ftores,
and if found in quantities beyond what is neceflliry for the fervice of
the fliip and people onboard her, fliall be feized as contraband : but
neither the fliip, the people, nor the other goods found onboard fliall
be detained.

12) In cafe of war between Great Britain and Ruflia, the perfons,
fliips, and goods, of the fubjedls of either power Ihall be perfedtly at
liberty for the ipace of one year, and at their departure fliall have power
to appoint attornies to fell their goods and collect their debts, which the
debtors fliall be obliged to pay,

1 3) Every afliflance fliall be given to the unhappy fufFerers by fliip-
wreck ; and all their goods, which can be found, fliall be reftored to
them, they paying a moderate falvage for the afliflance given them.

14) Britifli merchants may build, buy, fell, or hire, houfes in any
part of Ruflia (excepting fome towns which have particular rights of
burgherfliip) : and the houfes belonging to, and inhabited by, Britifh
merchants in Peterfl^urg, Mofcow, and Archangel, fhaU be exempted
from quartei'ing foldiers, but not in other towns. They fhall have the
free exercife of their religion, and (hall have power to difpofe of their
efl:ates, or to leave them by will according to the cufloms and laws of
their own country. All tliefe privileges ihall be enjoyed in an equal
degree by the fubjeds of Ruflia in Great Britain and Ireland.

15) Britifh fubjeds, propofing to quit the dominions of Ruflia, fliall
give two months notice to the college of comnjierce, who fliall at the
expiration of the time grant paflports without requiring any further
fecurity. The fame eafy accommodation fhall be granted to Ruflian
merchants in the Britifh dominions.

Vol. III. 3 L

453 A. D. 1766.

1 6) iti hifing dotneftlcs the fubjecls of either power muft conform
to the Istws of the country in which they are.

1 7) In law proceedings the Britifh merchants fliull be amenable only
to the college of commerce, or, in places at a diflance from it, to the
magiflrates of the towns, with a right of appeal from them to the col-
lege of commerce. The Ruffian merchants in the Britifh dominions
fhall have the fame protedion and juftice which the laws grant to foreign
merchants of the moft favoured nations.

1 8) The merchants of either country fhall not be obliged to fhow
their books or papers, unlefs for the fake of proof in the c-ourfe of
juftice : and their books and papers fhall upon no account whatever be
feized. Bankrupts are to be treated according to the laws of the place.
An arreft may be laid on the effeds of a debtor refufing to pay, equi-
valent to the value of the debt, and, for want of fufHcient effecls, on
the perfon of the debtor ; and delegates appointed by the creditors
fhall diflribute the effedts among them with all poflible difpatch. The
fame procedure fhall be obferved towards the Ruflian merchants in the
dominions of Great Britain.

19) * In cafe of complaints and law fuits, three perfons of fair and
' imblemiflied charader among the foreign merchants fliall, with a pro-

* per regard to circumflances, be named by the college of commerce,
' and where there is no fuch college, by the magiftrate, to examine the

* books and papers of the parties ; and the report they fhall make to
' the college of commerce, or to the magiftrate, of what they fhall

* find in the f\id books or papers, fhall be held a good proof.'

20) The ads of the clerks or fervants of merchants, having power
from them, fhall be binding upon them at the cuftom-houfe. Ruflian
fervants employed in fliops fhall be regiflered, and bargains made by
them fliall bind their maflers.

2i) Ruffian merchants removing to diflant provinces fhall flill be
liable to be fued by their Britifh creditors before the college of com-
merce, who, after feeing proof of the debt, fhall cite them thrice ; and
if they do not appear in a fufficient time, the college fhall give judg-
ment, which fliall be forwarded to the governor of the province to
which the debtor has removed, and by him be put in execution.

22) Brokers fhall be obliged to make good all loffes occafioned by
deficient quality or fraudulent package of the goods pafhng through
their hands ; and they fhall receive a fair brokerage.

23) A regulation fhall be made to prevent abufes in the package of
leather, hemp, and flax : and if any difputes arife, they fhall be deter-
mined by the commiflioners of the cufloms.

24) For the encouragement of the trade of Great Britain, it is agreed,
that Englifh woollen cloths fhall pay no higher duties than the follow-
ing, viz. cloth for the foldiers and coarfe York-fhire cloth (called in the

A. D. 1766. 451

Ruffian tariff collrogy) to pay (in rix-doUars) two copecs for every ar-
fheen : broad flatmels one copec, and narrow flannels three fourths of a
copec, the ardieen *. And in general the Britifli fubjeds are to be con-^
fidered and treated as the mofl: favoured nation.

This treaty was figned at Peterihurg by Sir George Macartney (now
Earl Macartney) and by four Ruffian noblemen on the 20th of June
1766.

June — The king of Naples having ordered his revenue officers to make
a ftri6l examination of all fmgle-decked vefTels arriving in his ports, the
Englifli merchants fettled in that kingdom immediately remonflrated,
that fuch a proceeding would be a dire6l violation of the loth article
of the treaty of Madrid in the year 1667, which is the bafis of our
trade with that country ; wherein it was exprefsly ftipulated, that no
Britifli vefl^els, navigating within the Hates of the king of Spain or iu
any of his ports, ffiould be liable to be vifited by the judges of the con-
traband, or by any other perfon under their, or any other, authority.

The Britifli conful and fadory at Leghorn fent home a memorial,
ftating the prodigious hardfliip their trade was fubjeded to in expenfes,
damage of goods, delay, difappointment, &c. from their fliips being
obliged to perform quarantine on their arrival in Great Britain. They
infifted, that Leghorn is the port of all others in the Mediterranean,
where the mofl: Arid and judicious precautions are ufed to guard againft
infedion, and confequently, that to put a reftraint upon their trade,
from which the trade of other ports, more Hable to infedion, is ex-
empted, cannot be confiftent with equity and commercial policy.

The young fettlement on the Mufquito fliore was in danger of being
ruined in confequence of the encouragement held out to the negroes
by the priefts of the neighbouring Spaniffi province to defert from the
plantations : and it was pretended, that the civil power could not inter-
fere, as they were under the protedion of the church.

In the year 1756 Meffieurs Gordons at Leith began a manufadurc
of dye-fluff from cutbear, a kind of mofs growing upon the rocks in
the Highlands f , which anfwered the purpofes of orchil, a foreign pro-
dudioii that ufed to be imported at a very great expenfe. A manu-
fadure of the fame nature was now fet up in London, the proprietors
of which engaged people to colled the material among the mountains
of Lochaber. In procefs of time it became fcarce ; and then it was
brought from Norway and Sweden, for Meffieurs Gordons, for the ma-
nufadurers in London, and afterwards for a manufadory of it eftablifli-
ed at Glafgow in the year 1777.

• So early as the year 1767, this article was ftones on the coaft and on the hilla, which, whe»

violated by the Ruffian government In a tariff im- ground to powder and deeped in urine, dyes 4

pofing higher duties on woollen goods. pretty crimfoii colour. It it apparently the fame,

f Martin in his Defcnption of the Wijleni ijlands which is now called cutbear', ./hich, I find, is alio

[/). 13JJ defcribes ttirkir as a fc.cri upon the prepared with urine.

3 ^ L 2

452 A. D. 1766.

May 13'" — A reward of;^7oo was given by the parliament of Ireland
to Meflieurs Holt and Warring for the difcovery of a method of tanning
leather with heath boiled in a copper vefTel and applied to the leather
blood-hot. What a field of enterprife and induftry for the wildeft parts
of Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland !

Augull — With a view of fecuring to Britain the polTeffion of Turk's
iflands, which the French had Ibme time ago made an attempt upon,
by the title of occupation, the king appointed Mr. Andrew Symmer to
be his agent in them, and to regulate their trade, which had hitherto
confided of nothing but fait.

The corporation of Liverpool, in the true fpirit of a commercial
community, ereded an obfervatory, to be furnifhed with nautical in-
flruments proper for the inftrudion of young navigators.

The Eafl-India company thought themfelves warranted by the fplen-
did acquifitions made for them by Lord Clive to raife their next di-
vidend from three to five per cent for the half year.

September — In confequence of petitions and addreffes from the prin-
cipal cities and feveral other parts of the kingdom, fetting forth the
general diftrefs occafioned by the enormous price of bread, the king if-
fued three feveral proclamations, before the meeting of parliament, for
enforcing the laws of Edward VI and Elizabeth againfl foreflallers and
engroflers, for laying an embargo on all veflels loaded with wheat or
flour in any of the ports of Great Britain, and for prohibiting diftillation
from wheat or wheat flour for a liipited time. And by another procla-
mation, ifliaed the day after the meeting of parliament, the embargo was
prolonged, and extended to vefTels having onboard barley or malt.

The high prices had provoked the populace to rile in many places,
who in their heedlefs fury committed many atrocities tending to in-
creafe the evil they complained of. With all the outcry the price of
the fineft quartern loaf was only eightpence on the 27th of Odober *.

The method taken by government to encourage the cultivation of
fllk in Georgia was to take the cocoons off" the hands of the breeders
at the fixed price of 3/ a pound, of which price at leaft three fourths
were in reality bounty : and government employed Mr. Otolenghi, a
native of Piedmont, to bring the filk to a merchantable flate, and to
give the fettlers the neceflary inftru^tions for managing the worms and
the filk. But it being now thought proper to reduce the price to 1/6,
the planters of any property, who made rice and indigo their principal
objects, no longer paid any attention to it, the breeding of filk-worms
was abandoned to the very poorefl; of the people, and confequently it
never arofe to be an objed of any confequence. The produce this
year amounted only to 20,350 pounds of cocoons, raifed by 264 per-

* In the year 1795, '^^ quartern loaf was at \fi, and there were no riots. What a ftrong dc-
mon2ration of the fall in the value of money in lefs than thirty years !

A. D. 1766. 453

fons ; from which were made 1084 pounds of filk, and about looo
pounds of filozel and trafh.

Notwithftanding the failure of this article, of which the moft fan-
guine hopes had been entertained, the province of Georgia was begin-
ning to flourifh. Hitherto its trade had been fubjeded to much in-
convenience by the want of a dire6l intercourfe with Great Britain :
but now there were three fhips, five fnows and brigs, and fix fchooners
and floops, belonging to the inhabitants of the province ; and there
were four conflant fliips fixed in the London trade, befides others freight-
ed occafionally.

The value of the trade of the province from Odober 1765 to Odto-
ber 1766, was as follows.

Imports

From Great Britain £^^,000

the Weft-Indies 26,242

the northern colonies 1 2,01 7

Africa in negroes 14,820

Exports
To Europe

the Weft-Indies -

/^55>247
24,481

the northern colonies

5,074

Remitted in bills

£H,^o2

To Great Britain

7.500

the northern colonies

2,000

/^I 36,079 £94,302

It muft be obferved, however, that there was not in fad: any balance
remaining due to the northern colonifts, who gave no credit, but made
a point of carrying off the proceeds of their cargoes in produce, bills,
gold, or filver.

The exports confifted of 12,474 barrels of rice, 38,660 pounds of in-
digo, 235,600 pounds of deer fkins, 2,674,355 feet of lumber, 3,040,517
fhingles,'^829,4io ftaves, 25,600 pounds of leather, 1,281 barrels of pitch
and tar, 400 buftiels of Indian corn, 88 fteers, 42 horfes, 290 hogs,
and fundry fmall articles ; and befides all thele, the annual produce of
filk ftiipped for account of government. The deer fkins and leather
were purchafed from the Indians, and all the other articles were pro-
cured by the induftry of the fettlers.

The number of white people of all forts in the province was about
10,000, and of the negroes at leaft 7,800.

The following is an account of the (kins, or furs, exported from the
province of Qiiebec in the undermentioned years.

1764 106,035 fkins*, befides 58 calks, 207 bales, and I trunk,

whereof the contents are not afcertained.

1765 275.206.

1766 346,794-

• ' The returns from the officers at Quebec do not diflinguifh the fpecies of furs, but enter them
' under one head of peltries Jhins.' 4

454 A. D. 1766.

The price of corn being ftill very high, the adls prohibiting the ex-
portation, and thofe allowing the free importation, of it for a limited
time were prolonged, as well as the, lately annual, ad for the importa-
tion of faked provifions from Ireland. [7 Geo. Ill, cc. i, 3, 4, 5, 8,
II, 22.]

According to the Abbe Raynal, the quantity of tea imported from
China in the courfe of this year, was as follows :

By the Englifh, - - 6,000,000 pounds,

the Dutch, - - 4,500,000

the Swedes, - - 2,400,000

the Danes, - - 2,400,000

the French, - - 2,100,000

17,400,000
and he eftimates, from obfervations and calculations made with all pof-
fible exa<5hiefs during feveral years, and from the preference given by
moll nations to chocolate, coffee, &c. that the confumption of tea in
the continent of Europe was not more than 5,400,000 pounds, and that
6,000,000 pounds muft have found their way into Great Britain, and
been confumed there in addition to the 6,000,000 imported by the Eaft-
India company. [Hi/i. phil. et polit. V. ii, p. 138, ed. 1782.]

There were flamped for fale in Scotland this year 12,746,659 yards
of linen, the value of which was ^(^597, 227 : 1 1 : o.

There arrived this year at Peterfburg 413 vefTels, whereof 167 were
Britilh, 68 Dutch, i French, and the reft Ruffian, Swedifh, Danifti,
and German. The value of their cargoes, as rated in the cuftom-houfc
books, was 5,288,471 rubles. And there failed 159 Britifh veflels from
Peterfburg, of which there were 71 for London, 52 for the other ports
of England, 18 for Scotland, 6 for Ireland, 2 for Guernfey and Jerfey,
I for Bofton in New-England, and the other 9 for ports on the con-
tinent of Europe. Their cargoes were valued at 3,270,000 rubles. Of
other nations there failed 265 vefFels for foreign ports, carrying cargoes
valued at 2,510,000 rubles. Thus greatly above a half in value, and
probably alfo in bulk, of the commerce of Peterfburg was in the hands
»f Britilh merchants, and carried by Britifh veffels.

The fame obfervation holds good with refped to the hemp fhipped
this year at Narva, of which -^l were brought to Britain.

The Swedifh Eaft-India company, originally eftablifhed in the year
1 731, and whofe privileges were renewed in 1746, were now again
chartered for twenty years more. Their fhips are moftly fent to China,
where their purchafes are made almoft entirely with filver, which they
procure at Cadiz. Four fifths of the value of their imports have been
tea, whereof but a fmall proportion has been confumed in their own
country, and the greateft part, there is reafon to beUeve, was clan-

A. D. 1766.

455

defllnely imported into Great Britain, before the commutation duty
entirely put an end to that principal branch of the fmuggUng trade.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,412 vellels of the reputed burthen of 561,982 tuns.,,
and of Scotland 1,295 > « „ 73*293

Total 8,707 - - _ - - 635,275

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-a-

half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year, was,

from the cuftom-houfe in London, - ;(^2,437,28o 15 lo

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh, - 11 ,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain, ^{^2,448,280
There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
1 7*565 po^mds of gold, value - - ^^820,724 12

and 96 pounds of filver, - - -

5 10

297 12 o

;^82I,022 4 6

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1765 to Chriftmas 1766, was as follows.

CountrieSj &c.
Africa
Canaiies

Denmark and Norway-
East Country
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Iceland
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Portugal
Pnissia
Russia
Spain
Straits
Sweden
I'urkey
Venice
Sardinia
Guernsey, ice.
Hudson's bay
Nevi'fouixlhnd

Imported into

ENGi-AND.

£b1,1\7 3
10,378 12
93,473 0

152,884 16
1,975,981 7
125,211 8
81,470 13
633,672 17
0,625 5
374,587 O

34,858
10,199 1

45,207 J

,154,982 4 7

812,179 4 0
6,988 17 8

347,806 2 2

684,585
55H,(X)2

14,103
195,449
106,522

63,105

SCOTLAND.

i£2,620 4
30,390 5

1,702 17

2,451 5

10,049 8

1,485 5

23,786 12

95,453

152

l,50g

33

8,878

14,179

11,274

99.752

6,876

27,892

73
3,121

12

Exported from

ENGLA

•JD.

^496,789

12

0

47,472

13

10

157,064

0

10

171,869

18

0

783,961

17

10

433,553

12

7

201,032

6

10

1,811,268

2

3

33

0

0

1,602,924

6

1,920,015

19

6

839,838

7

7

36,200

10

0

667,104

7

8

109,900

\Q

10

1,0/8,731

10

1

50,678

10

1

47,393

18

1

ioo,79('

4

4

42,613

10

0

Q5fiQ\

Q

6

4,631

6

3

G.3,77.0

HI

0

SCOTLAND.

j^4,088 14
437 5

22,939 7

30,367 11
229,496 11

67,095 5

313,921 15

206 15

228,701 9

185 lb

7,865 9

1,8U3 14

1,112 13

695 4

510 15
4,319 2 5

3,519 10 4

10,487 9 4
1,;!56 3 11

45 6

A, D. 1766.

Imported into

hxported from

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^560

Ip

2

^46,982 12

3

^700 4

9

366,573

4

11

a^5,417 15 8

1,433 9

4

14,181

6

5

141,733 4

11

15,809 5

7

409,642

7

6

9.773 0 1

67,020 11

8

315 2

8

330,829

15

8

2,088 11 5

26,851 3

1

1,292 4

2

327,314

5

3

6,854 7 4

461,693 9

4

78,859 5

10

372,548

16

1

c 37,789 19 7
^109,390 12 3

255,480 19

7

293,537 7

8

12,466 19
13,918 14

10
10

296,732

1

4

S 7,063 3 2
i 4,707 11 10

53,074 16

r

67,268

5

5

2,113 7

7

38,718

14

10

396,465 12

3

60,300 19

8

142,326

16

7

6,967 14 11

3,225 19

11

296,732 16

7

26,666 2

4

194,042

7

1

3,705 4 7

3,475 14

1

11.299

6

3

111,649 5

9

20,792

6

0

264,194 5

7

3,016 5

1

89,431

1

9

2,508 15 9

1,201,601 16

4

49,057 1

9

415,544

17

4

21,490 19 1

71,762 2

4

2,737 18

6

26,826

1

10

74,200 16

0

18,989

8

0

4,585 9

5

15,085

13

9

304,778 9

2

13,285 0

3

91,736

17

6

8,686 15 2

31,028 1

7

5,325
13

6

2

6

48,280 5

8

18,218

0

7

11,807 3

7

],425

7

0

13 15

0

581 5

0

96 1

6

1,511 3

3

11,601 2

6

3,555
1,673

1!

0

11,475,775 5

8

14,024,964

2

8

980,989 12

2
10

980,989 12

2

1,163,704

7

10

1,163,70-1 7 10

12,456,764 17

15,188,668

10

_6

Countries, i:c.
St. John's IllanJ
Quebec
Nova-Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Maiyland - - ")
Virginia - • J

North Carolina - \
South Carolina - /
Georgia
Florida
Antigua
Anguilla
Barbados
Bermuda
Dominica
Grenada
Jamaica
Montserrat
Nevis

New- Providence
St. Christophers
St. Vincents
Tobago
Tortola
St. Croix
Martinique
St. Lucia
St. Eustadiius
Havanna

Spanish West-Indies in 1
general - - J
West-Indies in general

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain -

1767 — In the beginning of January the new Britifli colony of Gre-
nada was threatened with total deftrudion by a formidable infurredion
of the negroes, and chiefly thofe belonging to the old French inhabit-
ants. An armed force was immediately difpatched into the woods and
mountains, to which they had withdrawn. But the operation of it
was in a great racafure rendered unneceflliry by the prudence and hu-
manity of General Melville, the governor-general of the ceded iflands,
who, without bloodflied or pubhc expenfe, but merely by the popu-
larity he had acquired among the negroes from their confidence in his
humanity and juflice, eafily perfuaded them to accept the pardon he
offered them, and to return to their work *. General Melville's atten-

* Upon this occafion Charles Auguftine, a eminence of being thi'!r chief, or ringleader, exert-
creole negro, who for his fupcrior talents was, by ed his influence to biliig about an harmonious ac.
the free eleftion of his aflbciates, raifed to the pre- commodation, and was in return rewarded with hi»

A.D.I 767. 457

tion to the proiperity of the ifland was on this occafion further direded
to the prevention of any alarm at home, whereby moft of the planters,
who in the infancy of their iettlements were largely indebted to the
merchants of London, would have been in danger of being ruined.
This he effeded by advifing the publifher of the newfpaper to forbear
from mentioning the infurrection, till he could at once i-elate the be-
ginning and the termination of it, which he was happily enabled to do
m his next paper : and thereby thofe, who were concerned in tlie prof-
perity of the ifland, were prevented from ever feeling the fmalleft un-
eafmefs upon that account *.

March — The Brithh merchants fettled in, or trading to, Portugal com-
plained, tliat for feme years paft their trade had been expofed to great
and unufual difficulties. The privileges and jurifdidion of their judge-
confervator, eftablifhed by antient decrees of the kings of Portugal, and
confirmed by the treaty of 1654, were trampled upon. The perfons,
properties, and books, of the merchants were feized, their houfes and
warehoules broken open, and forcibly entered, without any proper war-
rant ; and their debtors were proteded from law fuits. A company
eflabliflied on pretence of improving the wines of the diftrid of Alto
Douro polFefied the power of appretiating every vintager's wine at their
own pleafure, whereby the interefls of the Britifla merchants were great-
ly injured, and their property was laid at the mercy of that company,
who were their rivals in the wine trade, and were inverted with very
extraordinary and arbitrary powers f . The eftablifhm.ent of cxclufive
companies for the trade to Maranham and Pernambucco, contrary to
the 2d, 3d, and 9th, articles of the treaty of 1654, had ruined many
of the Portuguefe merchants, who formerly carried on a flourilhmg
trade to thole places, and t-hey being ail indebted to the Britiih mer-
chants, the greateft part of the whole lois inevitably fell upon them.

Notwithftanding the preference ftipulated for the EngUfh woollen
manufactures by the treaty of 170 5, the confumption of them was pro-
hibited by new fumptuary laws. But the Britifh merchants had the

freedom at tlie public expenfe. Not being willliijr that tliey be governed with a mild and (lei'dy au-
to remain on the fame ifland with his late mafter, thorily by men of humanity, prudence, and liberal
whofe opprefiion had driven him into rebellion, he fentimonts. But it has too often happened, that
begged of the governor to accept of his fervices men of a very oppofue charatler have acquired the
'.ipon an eftate belonging to him in Dominica. His prop-.rty of tlieni, or been fet over them by their
rcquelt was granted ; and he has ever lince been proprietors, whofe licentious abiife of power has
i-itiployed upon wages as a driver, or black over- driven the^ unKappy flavcs to acls of defperation,
iter, and has dii'charged the duties of his ofIii:e which have more than once endangered the life of
with I'ldelity and every demonftration of gratitude, every white perfon in Jamaica, and have been re-
lic is ftiU on llic general's eftate, and receives from vengcd by the eftufion of torrents of blood, (hed
him an annual prefcnt, which is regularly fent out with circumftancts of deliberate cruelty, difgracc-
along with the plaritation ftores. This little ante- ful to any people who call themfclves civilized,
dote, as containing an important lefibn to the pro- * The reader may recolleft a fnnilar inilance of
prietors of ilaves, deferves to be publicly known. prudent attention in the condu A of General Dalling
As Weft-India goods, which now occupy fo the lieutenant-governor of Jam.iica in the year 1 760.
important a place in the general commerce of f Their powers feem to l.uve been more I'uit-
Great Britain, are produced entirely by the labour able t^) the general of an invading army, than to
.of negro flaves, it is of the utmoft confequence, a commercial comiany.

Vol. IIL ^ 3 M

45 «

A. D. 1767.

mortification to fee thofe laws difpenfed with in favour of French cloths
without any difficulty.

The court of Portugal, as if defirous of ruining the Britifh trade,
cramped it with new duties upon goods and fhips, and many new op-
preflive regulations and delays.

The Britifh merchants found it next to impoffible to recover their
debts in the Portuguefe courts of juftice : they were moreover com-
pelled to take in payment adions (or fliares) of the very companies,
which had been fet up with a view to deftroy their trade, which (hares
the officers of the revenue, and even the companies themfelves, refufed
to take in payments.

The property of the Britifh merchants was frequently feized for the
fervice of the king, and even for convents of monks fupported by the
king, and the payment delayed for many years, or totally withheld.
The violences were committed not only in the prefTure of war, but alfo
during the tranquillity of peace.

Eftimate of the trade between Great Britain and Portugal.

Britain and the Britifh dominions receive froi
Portugal

Wine of Oporto, 22,000

pipes, - - /^220,ooo
■ Lifbon, 7,000, - 63,000
Madeira and the

other iflands, 1 2,000, 240,000'
Oranges and lemons.

50,000 chefls.
Salt, 40,000 moys.
Oil, morocco leather, ca-
cao, brafil wood, drugs,
&c. fay
Balance in favour of Bri-
tain,

75,000
24,000

105,000

.(.735.000

The following are original notes by the merch-
ants.

a By the cultom-houfc books at Madeira it ap-
pears, that above 1 1,000 pipes were (hipped in the
year 1765 from that ifland only: fo tl'.is article
may be prefumed to be rather under, than above,
the truth *.

b This fum is taken from a tranfcript of the
cuftom-houfe books at Lifbon, procured at a great

* Sir George Staunton ftatcj the j>roduce of the ifland of Madeira only at near 25,000 pipe» of Madeira wine,
and about 500 pipes of mabnfev, the half of all which it carried to the Britifh dominions and America. \^Emiafy
t. CLha, r. i,/. 78/?vo./.]

Portugal receives from Britain and the Britifh de-
minions

Woollen, linen, and other
manufadu res from Bri-
tain, rice fi'om Ameri-
ca, camblets from Ire-
land, carried to Lifbon, ;(^45o,ooo'''

FifhfromNewfoundland, 42,000

Butter and beef from Ire-
land, - - 40,000

Staves from America, and

coals, &c. - - 8,000

Woollens, linens, &c. car-
ried to Oporto, - 120,000

Ditto to Martinho, - 25,000

Fifh from Newfoundland

toVianna, - - 6,000

Manufadures and provi-
fions to Madeira and
the other iflands, - 44,000
£735><=>oo

expenfe. The other articles are eftimated by peo-
ple converfant in the trade.

<: The fmallnefs of the balance will furprife
thofe, who, accullomed to confider the trade with
Portugal as the mod valuable branch of the Britifli
commerce, fuppofe (witliout grounds) that it
amounts to two millions annually : and fome even
pretend, that Portugal pays Britain an annual ba-
lance of two millions.

A. D. 1767. 459

The trade to the port of Faro in Algarva is not brought into this
eftimate, but the imports and exports there are nearly equal. Neither
is there any eftimate of the diamonds received from Portugal, or of the
fugars carried from Portugal to Ireland, or the corn from Ireland to
Portugal.

May — The king of Denmark having eftabliflied a company at his town
of Altona in Germany, for carrying on a herring fifhery in the North fea,
(that is to fay, on the coafts of Shetland and Scotland), the fociety of the
Free Britifh fifhery, eftablilhed in the year 1750, were apprehenfive that
the magiftratesof Hamburgh, with whom they had entered into a treaty
for the importation of Britifh herrings, would be induced to give a pre-
ference to the herrings brought by their near neighbours of Altona.
On this occafion the fociety reprefented, that the fhips of war, appoint-
ed to attend the fifhing grounds, might eafily prevent foreigners from
fifliing too near the coaft, whereby our own fifhermen would enjoy the
preferable fifhing grounds on our own coafts, and alfb be freed from
the intolerable infolence of the Dutch fifhermen. They alfo alTerted,
that their induftry and perfeverance had now fo far furmounted all ob-
ftacles, that in foreign markets the Britifh herrings were pronounced to
be ' equal, and even fuperior, to thofe of the Dutch.' And they ex-
prelTed their hope, that the Britifh minifter at Hamburgh might be able
to prevent the Danifh herrings from being imported there on eafier
terms than the Britifh.

The truftees for fifheries and manufactures in Scotland, and the con-
vention of the royal burghs of Scotland, were confulted with refpecl to
the probable confequences to the Britifh fifhery, from the eftablilhment
of the Danifh company at Altona ; and the following facts are feleded
from the reports of thofe boards.

For fome years paft the capricioufnefs of the herrings in their migra-
tions had carried them fo clofe upon the fhores of Norway and Sweden,
that they were taken at very little expenfe by fmall boats with drag
nets, whereby the ftate of the herring trade in the Baltic and Hamburgh
markets, was totally reverfed. Formerly the Scots ufed to carry great
quantities of herrings to thofe markets : but the Swedes have fome years
ago laid a duty of nine fhillings a barrel on herrings imported from
Britain. The Swedes in each of the years 1764 and 1765, exported
from Gothenburg near 20,000 barrels of herrings to Ireland, whence
they are carried to the Britifh colonies, which alfb receive great quanti-
ties from the Dutch and Danes, by the clandeftine trade from the iflands
of Saint Euftathius and Santa Cruz.

They obferved, that the fiftiery had been much difcouraged by the
delay of paying the bounty, which was now in arrears for three years,
to the amount of ^^40,000, the debentures for which were felling at a
ruinous difcount.

3M 2

460 A, D. 1767.

The navigation of the great lakes, or inland feas, of America was
now beginning to aflume a refpedable appearance. Four brigs from
40 to 70 tuns, and fixteen armed cutters, were now failing upon Lake
Ontario, the lowermoft of the great chain of vafl lakes in the interior
part of North America. And we may believe that the trading inter-
courfe upon thefe lakes will at no very remote period emulate, or ex-
ceed, that of the Cafpian fea.

Between May 1766 and May 1767 there were 70,000 yards of cam-
bric made at Dundalk, the produce of 1 60 looms. This manufadure
had already given a check to the importation of French cambrics in
Ireland, and was expeded to be an objed of the utmoft importance.

A duty of fixpence a chaldron on coals for forty-fix years was grant-
ed to the city of London, for the purpofes of redeeming the tolls on the
bridges, embanking the river, repairing the exchange, and rebuilding
Newgate.

To prevent frauds in the coal trade, land coal-meters were appointed
by ad of parliament. The facks were ordered to be four feet long, and
two feet wide : and the buyer, if diffatisfied with the appearance of his
quantity of coals, might have them remeafured at his own door, where-
upon, if they are found fhort of meafure, the feller is fined : but if they
are found fufficient, an expenfe of fixpence a chaldron, and half-a-crown
for every hour's demurrage of the cart, falls upon the purchafer ; which,
together with a confiderable deal of trouble attending the remeafure-
ment, will generally induce the buyers to fubmit quietly to the pillage
of the carmen, againfl which there is no other precaution provided.
[7 Geo. in, c. 23.]

On the application of the magiftrates of Edinburgh, the royalty, or
jurifdidion, of the city was extended over feveral of the adjacent fields,
with a view of building new ftreets on the north fide of the antient
city, preparatory to which a bridge of communication was now build-
ing. At the fame time a theatre-royal was, for the firft time, eftablilh-
ed at Edinburgh. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 27. J

An additional duty of threepence was laid on every ell of drilling
and linen above yard-wide, imported. This duty, together with addi-
tional duties of fix fliillings per dozen upon ball or ftraw, chip, cane,
and horfe-hair, hats and bonnets, was deftined to go towards the pay-
ment of the interefi: of money borrowed this year. [7 Geo. Ill, cc. 20,

Rice, fago powder, and vermicelli, were allowed to be imported free
of any duties from the Britilh colonies in America for limited times,
viz. the rice till ifl December 1767, and the other articles till ift De-
cember 1781. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 30.]

Several ads nearly expired were further continued, viz. thole againfi;
clandeftine running of goods, and danger of infedion thereby : that for

A. D. 1767. 461

permitting rice from Carolina to be carried to any part of Europe fouth
of Cape Finifterre, in fliips built in Great Britain, and navigated accord-
ing to law ; and alfo that which prohibits the importation of books
printed abroad, and copied from books firft written and printed in this
kingdom. All thefe atls were prolonged till 29th September 1774.

{^ Geo. Ill, c. 3S■^

The free importation of cochineal and indigo, agreeable to the adt of
^^ Geo. II, was continued. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 36.]

The city of London, being engaged in building a bridge over the
Thames at Blackfriars, had borrowed ^T 144,000 on the credit of the
tolls to be taken on it : and a further fum of ^^58,500 was eftimated to
be neceflary to finifh the bridge and its concomitant improvements ; as
alfo £'],Soo for making an embankment on the north fide of the river,
fr6m the weft fide of Pov/ell's wharf near Puddle dock, to the eafl
corner of Robert's wharf near Milford lane; ^^50,000 for rebuildir.g
Newgate ; and ;^i 0,000 for repairing the royal exchange. It was n^w
enabled, that in dvie time the new bridge fhould be freed from the pay-
ment of the tolls taken upon it, and that London bridge fhould alfo be
freed from the tolls taken upon it : alfo' that the city fhould pay annual-
ly /^!^oo towards paving the ftreets of Weftminfter, and ^^480 towards
the pavement of the burgh of Southwark. And for all thefe improve-
ments adequate funds were provided and apportioned. [7 Geo. JH, c,

37-]

The Englifli engravers having now arrived at a degree of excellence,
which renders their works a confiderable objed: of commerce, it becomes
proper to obferve, that the old act [8 Geo. II, c. 13] for fee uring the pro-
perty of engravings, was found ineffedual againft piracies upon their
property ; and it was now enacled, that the proprietors of all plates of
hiftorical prints, portraits, maps, plans, or any other prints whatfoever,
engraved after the firft of January 1767, (hould have an exclufive right
to the fimie for twenty-eight years from the day of publication, fo as to
prevent any copies fioin being engraved, printed, or imported for fale,
provided the profecution is commenced vnthin fix months after the
coramilfion of the offence. And on this occafion Mrs. Hogarth, the
widow of the celebrated moral engraver, w\is indulged with an extra
term, of about fix years, in the exclufive property of the works of her
late hufband ; excepting only that copies made from the prints, of which
the exclufive property was already expired agreeable to the former ad,
might fiiill be fold. [7 Geo. IH, c. 38.]

For the protedlieTi and prefervation of the roads, the weight to be
carried in the feveral kinds of carts and waggons, was regulated accord-
ing to the nature of their wheels : and weighing" engines were ordered
to be conflruded at the turnpikes. iVmong a great number of regula-
tions for the benefit of the roads, the eftablifhment of guide -pofts, con-

462 A. D, 1767.

taining the neceflary information concerning the neighbouring towns
and villages, and of mile-ftones to inform the traveler of the progrefs
he has made, and of what remains unperformed of his journey, as alfo
the punifhments appointed for the deftroyers of guide-pofts, banks, or
other fences fet up to guard the road, and for the deftroyers of turn-
pikes or weighing engines, fhew a laudable attention to one of the moft
important branches of national police. [7 Geo. Ill, cc. 40, 42.]

In order to avoid the inconv. nience and delays, which arofe from the
revemie officers in America being often obliged to apply for inftrudions
in doubtful points to the commiffioners of the cuftoms in London, the
king was empowered to appoint commiffioners of the cuftoms to refide
in America, and perform the functions of their office independent of
the commiffioners at home. Bofton was fixed on to be the refidence of
the new commiflioners, whofe office was deftined to be but of ftiort con-
tinuance. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 41.]

An ail was palled enforcing and amending the feveral laws already
exifting againft the importation of French cambrics and French lawns,
to be ufed in Britain ; and reftriding the importation of them for re-
exportation to the port of London only. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 43.]

Inftead of the former duties upon policies of affiirance (or infurance),
all policies upon ffiip or cargo, or both, for fums not exceeding ;(^i,ooo
were charged with a ftamp duty of five ftiillings, and for all fums above
;i^i,ooo with two fuch ftamps. But no additional rifk is permitted to
be added to that which is mentioned in the original policy, by any
writing not duly ftamped. [7 Geo III, c. 44.]

Among a great multitude of regulations for the imports and exports,
manufadures, &c. of the illand of Mann, there are a fet of premiums
appointed for the encouragement of the herring fiftiery and the linen
manufadure in that ifland. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 45.]

Duties were laid upon glafs, painter's colours, teas, paper, pafte-board,
and paper hangings, exported from Great Britain to America, which
were to be paid at landing in America. The revenue expeded from
thefe duties was deftined for the fupport of the civil governments in the
colonies, and the remainder was to be paid into the exchequer, and to
be dilpoied of by pailiamcnt, towards the expenfe of defending the Bri-
tifti colonies in America. By the fame ad the exporters of China earth-
en ware to America were deprived of the drawback they hitherto en-
joyed. And at the fame time, as an encouragement to the planters of
coffee and cacao in the colonies, the whole duties payable on the import-
ation of thele articles were allowed to be drawn back on exportation.
[7 Geo. Ill c. 46.] ...

As the continental and infular colonies confidered their interefts as
very different, if not quite oppofue, this favour, whereby the later only
could be beiiefited, could have no effed in foothing the fpirits of the

A. D. 1767. 463

former, who were at prefent very far from being in good humour, and
were exafpcrated by this law to a degree of refentment and alienation
from the mother country, nothing inferior to that which was excited by
the ftamp ad, and which, after they were further imbittered by thisadl,
were continually breaking out in ads of violence and outrage (the de-
tail of which does not belong to this work), till at laft they flamed out
in thofe open hoftilities, which feparated the moft of the American con-
tinental colonies from Great Britain.

The exportation of logwood free from duty was permitted : and for
the improvement of the revenue, the duty upon fuccus liquoritiae imported,
was reduced from £'] : 2 : 6, to /^i : 10 : o, the hundredweight. A du-
ty of two and a half per cent ad valorem, according to the rate fixed in
the twelfth year of Charles II, was laid on the exportation from Great
Britain of rice, imported free of duty from the Britilh American colonies.
The ufe of foreign lace and needle-work was utterly prohibited, and
they were direded to be locked up in the king's warehoufes, and deli-
vered thence for exportation only. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 47 ]

The government now began to interfere in the affairs of the Eaft-
India company, which hitherto had been left to their own diredion.
They had acquired a vafi: territorial revenue ; and it became a queftion,
whether, as fubjeds of Great Britain, they could be fovereigns in India;
an imperium in imperio being univerfally acknowleged to be a folecifm in
politics. It was allerted, that all conquefts made by Britifh iubjeds,
though they fhould be made entirely at their own expenfe and riilc, mufl
belong to the crown, and that, in this cafe, great expenfe had been in-
curred by the nation, which at any rate mufl; be entitled to a very large
participation of the revenues. On the other hand it was urged, that no
fuch refervation to the crown had been made, when the charters were
granted and confirmed by parliament, for obtaining every one of which
the company had given a valuable confideration, and confequently were
entitled to every advantage that might accrue from it. As to the plea
of expenfe, that of the nation had been very trifling, if compared to
that of the company, and could at beft only conftitute a debt : and fuch
an infringement of property and public faith would be a moft tatal pre-
cedent, and would be defh-udive of all coi:ifidence in government.

In November 1766 parliament had appointed a committee to enquire
into the fituation of the company's affairs, their charters, their tranfac-
tions and treaties with the princes of India, the ftate of their revenues
arifing from Bengal, Bahar, and OrifTa, and even their correfpondence
with their fervants in India, and alfo all expenfes incurred by govern-
ment on the company's account, whether in the naval, miUtary, or any
other department ; all which were ordered to be printed, and it was
with difficulty that the company got their private correfpondence with

464 A. D. 1767.

their fcrvaius m India exempted from the publicity, to which all their
other affairs were foon after expofed.

At a meeting of the company on the 6th of May, their half year's di-
vidend, payable at Chrlflmas next, was declared to he JI.x and a quarter
per cent. The flockjobbers immediately laid hold of fo very large an
advance *, and, trumpeting forth with open mouth the advantages ob-
tained in India by Lord Clive, boldly predided, that the dividends
would foon rife to fifty per cent, and the price of flock to 900 or 1,000.
They actually carried it up to 263 at this time, and the nation was in
danger of a renewal of the madnefs of the South-lea year.

But thefe towering hopes were inftantly dafhed to the ground by par-
liament, who, apparently apprehenfive of flockjobbing manoeuvres for
carrying queflions in the meetings of the company, made a law againfl
the practice of fplitting votes, for the purpofe of making temporary pro-
prietors to give votes in the general courts of any of the public compa-
nies, and declared, that no proprietor fhould be entitled to vote after
the I ft of Augufl 1767, who had not held his or her flock fix months,
or acquired it by legacy, by marriage, or by the cuftom of the city of
London. And to prevent the dangerous confequences of fudden and
unwarrantable alterations in the rates of the dividends, it was enaded,
that dividends fliould be only declared at a half-yearly or quarterly ge-
neral court, at leafl live months after the declaration of the preceding
dividend ; that the declaration fhould be only for one dividend ; and
that every propofition for increafmg the rate of a dividend fliould be
decided by ballot three entire days, at the leafl, after the breaking up
of the general court wherein the propofal was made. [7 Geo. Ill, c.

48-]

This act, which was generally binding upon all the public companies,

was immediately followed by a particular law for regulatmg the divi-
dends of the Eafl-India company, in order to fecure as well ' the per-
' manent interefl of the faid company, as the flate of credit both pri-
' vate and public, from the mifchiefs, which mufl enfue from an im-
' proper and improvident increafe of the dividends of the faid company,
' which cannot be effedually done without the interpofition of parlia-
' ment.' It was therefor enadled, that after the 24th of June 1767 no
dividend fliould be made but by ballot in a general meeting of the
company, fummoned exprefsly for that purpofe by at leafl: feven days'
previous notice fixed on the exchange of London, and that no dividend
above ten per cent per annum fhould be made before the next feflion of
parliament. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 49.]

By this adl the late declaration of the increafe of dividend was ref-

* rrom tlie year 1755 to 1766 the dividend was only fix per cent for the year.

A.D.I 767. 465

cinded ; and thofe, who had fpeculated largely in India ftock upon the
hopes of a further increafe, were grievoufly difappointed.

In fupport of the ftrong meafure of reducing the dividend, it was ar-
gued, that the company ought to difcharge ail their debts, before they
pretended to enlai-ge their dividends, and that the expectation of large
dividends would introduce a boundlefs and ruinous fpirit of gambling.
On the other hand it was obferved, that no commercial company cait
ever be entirely free from debt, but that the company polleffed abun-
dant funds for the diicharge of every demand ; of v/hich their creditors
were fo well affured, that inftead of exprefling any anxiety for their pay-
ment, as parliament was doing for them, they fliowed, by the premium
they demanded for parting with the company's bonds, that at leaft a
majority of them were rather unwilling to receive payment : and finally,
that to exprefs a doubt of the company's ability to pay their debts, and
at the fame time to demand from them an annual payment, much larger
than the whole of their dividends, was at leaft very inconfiftent. The
bill was not carried through parliament without very keen oppofition in
both houfes,niany members iniifting that the objedions to the dividend
of I2y percent per annum, which was legally voted by the proper
court, were entirely without foundation, and exceedingly injurious to
thofe who had occafion to fell ftock ; and the meafure was moreover
highly exceptionable, as being an ex po/ifaBo law, which in its confe-
quences would be very injurious to private property, and alarming to
public credit.

The company, when they found themfelves in the hands of a power,
■with whom they could not deal on the equal terms of accepting, or re-
jefting, a propol'al, and with whom they could far lefs contend, had pre-
fented to parliament a petition, containing two propoficions, one of
which, they hoped, would be accepted.

By the firft, the company requefled government to grant them fome
advantages refpecting the inland duties on their teas, and a drawback on
the exportation of them to Ireland and the colonies, and fome others
refpeding raw iilks, calicoes, muflins, the recruiting fervice, and mi-
litary ftores. And they propofed in return, that, after deduding
yJ4o6,ooo a-year, in lieu of the company's former commercial profits,
the net produce of the remaining revenues and trade, after deduding
all charges, fhould be equally divided between the government and the
company, provided the company's property in the new acquifitions con-
tinued for three years.

By the fecond, the company offered, upon the fame terms, to pay to
government for three years, the fpecific fum of ^^400,000 a-year in half-
yearly payments, and to indemnify the revenue for any lofs that might
proceed from the advantages they required in the tea trade, if the ad-
vanced confumption of it, taken on an average of five yeais, £hould not

Vol. III. 3 N

466 A. D. 1767.

produce duties equal in amount to the former ones. And they entreat-
ed p.irliument to confider the many dangers to which their property had
beeh expoied, and their prodigious heavy expenfes in India, which, not-
withftanding they had loft very few fhips at fea, had for many years
kept their dividends very low, while the pubhc were in the uninterrupt-
ed pofTefTion of an annual revenue arifing from their trade, fully equal
to a third part of their whole capital.

The parliament did not accept either of the propofitions in the terms
offl^red, but dictated their own terms in two ads, which were immedi-
ately pafTed,

By the firfl, the inland duty of one fhilling a pound was taken off
thofe kinds of tea called black leas, cleared out of the Eafl-India com-
pany's warehoufes for confumption in Great Britain, for five years after
the 5th of July 1767 ; and the teas exported in the original packages to
Ireland and the Britifh-American colonies were entitled to draw back
the whole duties. This regulation being calculated to increafe the con-
fumption of teas legally imported, ai:id to enlarge the Eafl-India com-
pany's fales, they were bound, in cafe the revenue arifing from teas dur-
ing thefe five years fliould fall fhort of its amount during the five pre-
ceding years, to make good the deficiency. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 56.]

By the fecond, the Eafl-India company, in confideration of their ter-
ritorial acquifitions, became bound to pav to the public Xl40o,ooo a
year for two years, commencing from the ifl of February 1767. It was,
however, provided, that, if the company fliould be deprived of their
territories, or any part of them, during that period, a proportional
abatement of the payment fhould take place. [7 G:o. Ill, c. 57.]

The other ads of this feflion, which concerned commerce, were the
following.

' Whereas it is of the utmoft importance to the trade and commerce
' of thefe kingdoms, that all letters, packets, bank-notes, bills of ex-
' change, and other things, may be fent and convtyed with the greateft
' fafety and fecurity,' any perfon in the fervjce of the pofl-oflice em-
bezzling or deftroying any letter containing any valuable paper, or pick-
ing out fuch valuable paper, is deemed guilty of felony, and condemned
10 fuflfer death without benefit of clergy. And the robbery of the mail,
or of a pofl-ofRce, is alio made felony. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

An act was palled for improving the navigation of the river Lea, and
extending it to the town of Hartford. The navigation of it was declared
to be free to all the king's lubjeds, on paying the appointed rates and
duties; and manure carried upon the river was wholely exempted from
payment. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 51.]

The utility of inland navigation being dayly more and more under-
flood, ieveral other ads were pafied for improving the channels oi"

A. D. 1767.

467

rivers ; for they ftill adhered fo much to the old ideas, as to think a
river, that could be made navigable, preferable to a canal.

An acfi: was pafled for building a pier at, and othervv^ife improving the
harbour of, St. Ives in Cornwall, which, if the accefs to it were eafy,
would afford great protedion to Ihips on that coaft. [7 Geo. Ill, c. 52.]

For the eftablifhment of a fund of /^i 5,000 a-year, to encourage the
cultivation and drefling of hemp and flax, additional duties were laid
upon foreign canvafs and lawns, to be repaid on fuch as fiiould be ex-
ported. [7 Geo. Ill r. 58.]

Mr. Buckland, Britifli conful at Nice, who had formerly recommend-
ed a diretft intercourfe between the dominions of Piedmont and Britain,
this fummer fent home notice, that the trade, begun in confequence of
his advice, was now confiderably increafed ; and that in the years 1765
and 1766 fix rich cargoes of filk, oil, &c. had arrived at London, and
two at Exeter, from Nice and Villa-Franca : and in the fame two years
ten valuable cargoes from London, fix from other ports in England,
and two from Britifli America, had arrived at thofe ports.

Mr. Fraier, Britifli conful at Tripoli, fent home a very full and cir-
eumflantial * General ftate of the commerce of Tripoli' by fea with the
nations bordering on the Mediterranean, and by land with the natives
of the interior parts of Africa, of which the following is a fummary.

Tripoli exports to Zechins*.

Leghorn, goods to the value

of - - 14.930

Venice, - - 6,025

Conjiantinople, Smyrna, Alexan-
dria, Candia, and the other
iflandsand portsof the Lev-
ant, chiefly in negro flaves, 50,485
'Tunis, - - 000

Mahay - - 1,815

Tripoli fends annually by the

inland caravans to
Fezzan, chiefly in foreign

goods, - - 26,475

The traders remain four or
five months at Fez/ian,
where they meet wi';h the
caravans from Bi>rnou,
Zanfara, Agdes, which is

Tripoli imports from Zeciilns.

Leghorn, goods to the value

of - - 21,459

Venice y - - 1 0,7 95

Conjiantinople, Smyrna, i^c. 46,390

Tunis,
Malta,

2,300
1,480

Tripoli receives from

Fczzan, negro flaves, fena, .
dates, oftrich feathers,
gum arabic, &c. to the
value of - - 37,380

* The eechin at Tripoli if worth 8/5 fterling hetreft
3 N 2

468 A. D. 1767.

Zechini.

Gadamis, negroes, fena, gold-

duft, and oftrich feathers, 9,725

In the heart of Africa,

and Tombudoo*.
Gadamis \, the fame goods, 7,610

The produce of the provinces of Barca, (the antient Cyren-
aica) fubjecl to TripoU, is annually worth - - 20,920

The excefs of the imports in the inland caravan trade is not a balance
againft Tripoli, but the grofs profit made by the trade.

The general balance in trade againfl TripoU, is paid by the fale of
flaves taken in their piracies, and the money fpent among them by the
agents and confuls of the feveral European powers with whom they are
at peace.

Tripoli has for fome centuries been the mart in the Mediterranean
for black flaves, who are annually exported thence to Conftantinople,
and a few other ports in the Turkiih dominions. Chriflians being pro-
hibited from polTeffing flaves of the Mohamedan religion, this trade is
wholely in the hands of Moorifh merchants, and therefor fo little known
to Europeans.

Mr. Frafer obferved, that though there were no diredl trade between
Great Britain and Tripoli, a confiderable part of the goods imported
into it was of Britifli manufadture.

Mr. Frafer anticipated the zeal of the prefent day for difcoveries in
the interior parts of Africa, with which, under prudent diredion, a
more extenfive, and more mutually-beneficial commerce may fome day
be carried on, than has ever yet been driven upon its coafls : and he
pointed out the moft proper method of profecuting the difcovery, and
profiting by it.

It is worthy of remark, that crimfon leather, which forms a confider-
able part of the exports from Tripoli, was noted as a manufadure of
the fame country before the age of Herodotus.

The Britifli conful-general, and merchants, in the kingdom of Naples,
again complained of feveral oppreflive innovations upon the privileges
formerly enjoyed by the Britifh traders in that country, and particularly
of the fupprefllon of the vice-confuls in the outports, and a feizure
made by the government of an Englifti fliip fl;randed at Cuma.

So very numerous were the people in the Britifli-American colonies,
that fo long ago as the year 1755 Samuel Hazard of Philadelphia had
applied to the king for leave to eftablifli a new colony of feveral thou-

* Monrzouc, the capital of Fizzan, and the Tombuftoo to the wcftward, fo that the trade car-

j'cenc of this traffic, is about 400 miles foiith- ried on at Fezzan accomodates an extent of coun-

fouth-eaft from Tripoli. Agdes (or rather Aga- try meafuring at Icall 1,500 miles from call to

des, called Agodoll by the geegraphor Edrlffi) is weft, in the very heart of Africa,

about 750 miles fouth from Tnpoli, from which \ Called alfo Ghcdcmes and Godemfliee, about

Zamfara and Bornou .extend to the eaftwaid, and 180 miles fouth-eaft from Tripoli.

A. D. 1767. 469

fand people on the Ohio. This year the application was renewed by-
General Phineas Lyman, an officer on the American eflablifliment, in
behalf of himfelf and the reft of the officers and foldiers of the feveral
corps of American provincial troops dilhanded at the late peace ; and
alfo in behalf of 4,320 of the fubfcribers to Hazard's intended colony.
Their propofal was to fettle a tradt of country extending 100 miles on
each fide of the Ohio, and 300 miles eaft from the MiflilTippi, to be
purchafed with the free good will of the Illinois, the Indian proprietors.

The new provinces, being in a great meafure fettled by people trained
up in their early life to agriculture, and afterwards habituated to a mi-
litary life, would be an excellent military barrier, as well as a moft pro-
duclive agricultural terrritory, the country being of ib rich a foil, that the
French ufed to call it the terreftrial paradife.

The rich produdions of this country, confifting of corn, hemp, flax,
filk, indigo, madder, wines, &c. being carried down the Miffillippi,
would plentifully fupply the province of Wefl-Florida, the merchants
of which muft enjoy the benefit of fhipping the produce, and fupplying
the propofed colony with vafl; quantities of Britifh goods, the vefiTels
adapted to the navigation of the river being incapable of crofling the
Ocean. It was alleged, that thefe advantages would foon make Weft-
Florida an opulent and flourilhing province, of great advantage to the
inother csDuntry, upon which it had hitherto been a heavy burthen ; and
that the Indians, by good treatment and fair trading, would be glad of
the near neighbourhood of the white people.

What may, perhaps, appear fingular, the advocate for thefe new co-
lonies, am^ong other advantages to be derived from them, infifted, that
fuch an cftablifliment would operate as a check upon the attempts of
the inhabitants of the old colonies to become independent of Great
Britain, by draining them of their redundant population *.

* ' The period will doautlcfs come, when defcribed as a healthy, fertile, and pleafant, conn-
North- America will no longer acknowk-ge try, producing vvine, tobacco of a fuperior quali- ■
a dependcr.ce on any pait of Europe. But ty, rice, olives, &c- ' A colony there would not,
that period feems to be fo remote, as not to ' like that on the barren coaft of Nova-Scotia, be
be at prefent an objeft of rational policy or ' nine or ten years before it could draw any fub-
human prevention, [and] it will be made ftill « fiitence from the ground, and require in that
more ren.otc by opening new fcents of agricul- ' time near a million flerling from the mother
ture, and widening the fpace which the colonics ' country.'

muft lirft completely occupy.' [_Conc!ufion of He elfewhere fays, < It would be lavilliing mo-

Genera/ Lyman's Memorial.'] ' ney to no purpofe to grant annual fupplies

In the prefent ftate of affairs, it may be at leaft ' merely for the fubfiftencc of the colony, which

amufing, if not inllrudive, to fee the opinion of ' only enables new fettlers to build fine houfes,

another perfon acquainted with American affairs, ' and live idly at the cxpenfe of the mother coun-

who, upon this occafion, wrote a paper, never ' try. But to grant large premiums for the pro-

• printed, entitled. Some thoughts upon Indian ' duftions of the earth would turn the minds of

affairs,' is' c. ' the fettlers direiStly to mduftry, and the cultiva-

Hi alfo recommends colonizing the Interior ' tion of produce fuited to the climate, wlu'ch

pans of A nerica, but prefers the country of the ' v/ould enable the colony in a few years to fend

Natchti, -■ ..ther down the Miffiflippi, for t,he feat ' large returns home to this ifland.' He advifes,

of the new colony, which the French writers have that the premiums be paid at an early flage of the.

cultivatior,

470 A. D. 1767.

Though this propofal for the eflablifhment of three new governments
in the interior part of America was approved of by Sir William Jobnfon,
the venerable fuperintendant of Indian affairs in the northern d.'flrids,
every argument in favour of it was completely repelled by the lords of
trade and plantations, in a reprefcntation made to the king upon the
bufinefs, in the beginning of the enfuing year.

While this fcheme was in agitation for depriving the Indians of their
country, fome regulations were made to prevent white people from
hunting upon their grounds, or from trading clandeftinely with the Ind-
ians of the fouthern diftridl. The quantity of fpiritous liquors to be
carried into the Indian country was regulated, whereby, it was hoped,
a flop might be put to the frequent murders, and other enormities, oc-
cafioned by the immoderate ufe of thofe dangerous liquors.

Odober 28''' — At a town meeting held at Boflon in New-England,
feverul refolutions were unanimonjly voted, which fhowed a determination
rather to widen, than to heal, the breach with the mother country, and
to dired their attacks againfl her commerce, which they confidered as
her mofl vulnerable part, as well as that which they could diflrefs with-
out the infringement of any law.

In the preamble, they fay, ' Whereas the excefUve ufe of foreign fuper-
' fluities is the chief caufe of the prefent diflreffed flate of this town, as
' it is thereby drained of its money ; which misfortune is likely to be in-

* creafed, by means of the late additional burthens and impofitions on

* the trade of the province, which threaten the country with poverty

cultivation, e. g. ^20 per acre for every vine-yard * branches of navigation. If proper regulation!

not exceeding live acres, becaufe new fettltrs are ' ivere ejlablijhed, a more ufeful, and perhaps as lu'

■feldom able to wait for diftant returns for their ' cratlve, ajljhery might be found on the coajis of thit

induftry, without ruinous confequences ; and thin, ' ifland, as on thnfe of America. There appears

lie concends, would be the cheapcll method of ' fomelhinj; fingular in leaving a Britifli fjhery to the

fupporting an infant colony. ' Whoever atten- ' Dutch, and ingoing to feci another a thoufanj

« tive!y confiders the nature of our fcttlements in ' leagues off*. If tlit fi(hery of this nation be en-

« thecontinent of America, will foon be convinced, ' couraged upon the coafts of North-America,

< that it is for the intereft of this nation to check ' that will infcnfibly draw the cliief fifhcrs to re-
■* population in the northern' coloiiies, and en- ' fide there likewifc. But prudence would require

* courage it in the fouthern.' * * • • « Our ' to ktep thofe as much as pofiible at home, at
« territories in North America are neatly as large ' one of the readied refources of our naval llrength,
« as all Europe ; coiifequently, if we diffufc the ' which is the right hand of our power, and can-
« colonifts widely all-over them, efpecially in the ' not be too carefully, and too watchfully, chciidl-

* fouthern climates, we will not need to be appre- ' ed.* He concludes, by obf»-rv!ng, that 'To en-

* henfive of tlvir incrcafmg numbeis for ages to ' courage population in the fouthern colonies, i«

* come, provided means be taken to keep up the ' direftly promoting the intcrcll of this ifland, and

* popuhitiop of this idand in a due proportion. ' is the fpeedieft method of llrengthening our
' But to fuffer towns to multiply in the northern * fettlcnients on the continent of America: for,
« cilonies, and to encourage the forming of a con- ' in the fouth, where the foil and climate afford
' fiJerable naval force there, is to render thofe co- ' two or three rich harvells annually, a colony

< lonies rather the rivals, than the auxiliaries, to ' will advance more in ten years, than in an hiin-
' their mother country ; and it may be quiftion- ' dred years in the north, where nature lies dead
' cd, whether they do not rival it already in fome ' half the year.'

• « I langht to fee the zeal that miniftry had about the filhinjj of Kewfoondland (I think), while no care wis t3ic«
' againfl the Dutch Cfliing juft at oui; doori.' [fwj/).] i

A. D. 1767. 471

* and ruin * They therefor refolved immediately to leflen the ufe of
all fuperfliilties imported from abroad, viz. ' loif-fugar, cordage, anchors,

' coaches, chaifes, and carnages of all forts, horfe-furniture, men's

* and women's hats, men's and women's apparel ready made, houfe-
' hold furniture, gloves, men's and women's fhoes, ibie leather, iheath-
' ing and deck nails, gold and fiiver and thread lace of all forts, gold
' and iilver buttons, wrought plate of all forts, diamonds, flone and
' pafte ware, fnufF, muftard, clocks and watches, filverfmith's and jewel-

* ler's ware, broad cloths that coll above lof per yard, muffs, furs, and

* tippets, and all forts of millinery ware, ftarch, women's and children's
' flays, fire-engines, china ware, filk and cotton velvets, gauze, pewterer's
' hollow ware, linfeed-oil, glue, lawns, cambrics, iilks of all kinds for
' garments, malt liquors, and cheefe *.' And they refolved totally to
abftain from them after the ift of December next.

They alfo refolved by all prudent ways and means to encourage
the manufadures of Britifh America, and more efpecially thofe of their
own province : and they particularly recommended to the public atten-
tion and patronage the manufadures of glafs and paper.

They moreover refolved to retrench all fuperfluous expenfe of new-
clothes, &c. at funerals, and on fuch occafions to ufe no gloves but of
American manufadure.

The French prohibited all Britifh veffels from entering the ports of
Guadaloupe and Martinique : and two Britifli- American fchooners were
adfually feized at Martinique, though the inhabitants were at the very
time in great diflrefs for want of beef, pork, flour, 8cc. with which they
were loaded.

The Spaniards alfo fhowed a hoftile difpofition to our commerce by
contracting the time allowed for Britifli veffels to remain at Monte-
Chrifli to twenty-four hours, and preventing the logwood cutters from
working at Spiritu Santo.

Captain Holland, furveyor-general of the northern diftrid of America,
tranfmitted home an account of the former and prefent flate of the-
illand of Cape Breton. It appears that, when the French were in pof-
feflion of this ifland, they employed in the fifliery on various parts of
the coafl
300 decked fchooners and floops, carrying 2,400 men, and Quintals of fi(h.

taking, on an average, 700 quintals of fifh, - 210,000

1,459 flialops, carrying 8,754 men, and taking, on an aver-
age, 300 quintals, - - - 437,700

647,700
the value of which on the iflland at 10/ was - £323,8 io

* As fiveral articles in this lift, e. g. cordage, America, which, if not equally good with thofe

anchors, (hoes, leather, nails, S:c. ate evidently not of Britifli fabric, they determined to content them-.-

fupcrfliiities, the reafon of inferting them miifl felvcs with.
have been, tliat fuch articles were manufafturcd in

47^ A. D. 1767.

befides the value of the fifh oil, train oil, whare-bone, mackerels, and
herrings, got on this coaft, all of which were confiderable. It is more-
over a great objed: to a maritime power to have fo many feamen bred
up in an employment, which fo eminently qualifies them for encounter-
ing the hardfhips of a feafaring life.

He fays, that there were only 11 decked veflels, and 68 fhalops, em-
ployed in the fifhery, wher> he made his furvey : but the coaft, eftimat-
ing it by the extent of beach fit for curing the fifli, might afford em-
ployment for 820 decked veffels, and 2250 fhalops, which would require
above 20,000 men to man them ; and tlie fifh caught by them, together
with the oil made from thofe fifh, would find employment for 653 fize-
able veflels to carry them to markets.

Befides the important cod fifliery, Cape Breton is excellently fituated
for carrying on a fifhery for whales, which abound near its fhores, and
for falmon, mackerels, herrings, &c. ,

The inland part of the country abounds with beavers and other ani-
mals with valuable furs. It alfo produces plafter of the beft fort,
marble, lime-ftone, free-ftone for building, and timber for building ;
alfo coals, of which between two and three thoufand chaldrons were dug
this year by a company, who had contracled to pay government 2000
dollars for permiflion to work them.

Commodore Pallifer, governor of Newfoundland, in his report upon
the fifhery this year, obferved, that the number of veflels employed
therein had annually increafed of late, and the number of men returning
to Britain and Ireland had alfo been fully double of what it ever was
for fixty years paft, though ftill not equal in proportion to the number
of men returning annually to France from the limited fifhery allowed
to that country. He refleded feverely on the avaritious and cruel cuf-
tom, longpradifed by the commanders offifhing fhips, of leaving many
of their fiihermen on the defolate coaft of Newfoundland when the fifh-
ing feafon is over, whereby their families are left deftitute at home, and
themfelvcs forced into a life of idlenefs and rapine, and obliged to fell
themfelves to the colonics, or piratically run off with veffels, which they
carry to the continent of America. By thefe neflirious pracftices the
Newfoundland fifhery, which is fuppofed to be one of the moft valuable
nurferies of feamen for the navy, has long been an annual drain, which
has carried off thoufands of the ftouteft and moft valuable feamen to the
rival (rather than fiibjeci) fiflTing colonies in America *.

His accounts of the fifhery on the coaft of Labrador, which he had
rifited this feafon, ftaie, that twenty-feven Britifli fifliing veflels were
there this year ; and that thofe, who formerly objedled to the eftablilh-

* In a flatement of the ■limber of Britifh (hips rica in 1764 at 1,500, in 1765 at j,ooo, and in
and men, employed at Newfoundland during the 1766 and 1767 at 200 each year,
.lalt four years, he eftimates the men run to Ame-

A. D. 1767,

473

t

"^■^

•1

m

M

s

M

^ t:

*!

'i

c

1

t

11

Il

258

23,419

3,94f'

7,070

208,570

941

92

10,532

888

115

6,397

680

unknown

unknown

372

2,188

79.590

431

I. 151

265,150

1,240

ment of a fhip filhery there, have now addrefled him to fupport it,
which he has done agreeable to their wifhes, and has alfo confirmed
fome regulations, agreed upon among the whalers, refpeding the divi-
fion of whales filled by the boats of different {hips. He adds, that the
crews of the vellels from the colonies, who had been accuftomed to keep
the coafl in a Itate of warfare, to fet the woods on fire, and to do all in
their power to exclude and ruin, the fifhers from Great Britain, were not
fo licentious and infolent this feafoii as they ufed to be ; and all were
now convinced of the necefllty of fubmitting to order and government.
State of the fifhery in the feafon 1 767.

Britifh fifhing veflels,
Britifh lack vefl^els,
American vefl'els.
Bye boats,
Boats of the inhabitants.

Of the 258 Britifh fifiiing veffels, 27 fifhed on the coafl of Labrador.

The 115 American veffels brought cargoes of rvmi, melafles, bread,
flour, &c. the proceeds of which, with the prices of fome of the veflels
fold, may be rated at /^i 00,000, paid moftly in bills of exchange, and a
very fmall part of it with refufe fifh.

The American colonifls alfo employed about 300 veffels, eftimated at
60 tuns and 13 men each, in the whale fifhery about the coafts of New-
foundland, Labrador, and the Gulf of St. Laurence. In the gulf they
killed 100 of the beft vthales in about fix weeks; and their fuccefs in
the other flations was alfo confiderable. They alfo employed about 300
veffels, of about 60 tuns and 10 men each, on the banks of Newfound-
land and Labrador ; and each veffel may be fuppofed to take 800 quin-
tals, which they carried to the ports of America, whence they came.

There were carried to foreign markets 533,620 quintals of fifli (/. e.
cod) the value of which was from gfx.o 13/, or in barter 15/, per quintal.
The train oil was worth £1^ or ^^15 per ton.

There were fent off 1,006 tierces of fidmon, valued about 45/each,
The value of feal oil made lafl winter in Newfoundland was £,3i'^9S-

and in Labrador 4,937-

1,200 fea cows were taken at Madelaine.

Three tuns of whale-bone purchafed from the Indians, together with
furs taken by the inhabitans to the value of /^2, 041, complete the pro-
ceeds of this government, carried in Britifli veffels, for the year 1767.

Vol. III. 3 O

474 ^' ^' ^7^7

In Ocflober the governor and company of the bank of England raifed
the dividends upon tlieir capital flock from five to Jive mid a ba/f -per
cent.

December — The feveral ads prohibiting the exportation, and encou-
raging the importation, of corn of all kinds wei-e continued for a
limited time. [SGeo. Ill, c. 1,2, 3]

During the recefs of parliament feveral orders of the fame purport
had been ifllied.

■ The fociety of arts and fciences this year honoured Mr. Doflie \vith
a gold medal for his written communication of the method of making
pot-afh and barilla in America. They alfo gave Mr. Philips a premium
of /^ 1 00 for difcovering his improved method of dying leather red and
yellow, which was found fuperior to what is imported from Morocco.
They moreover prefented another gold medal to Mr. Dingley for eredl-
ing at Limehoufe a faw-mill to be worked by the wind, with an im-
proved fet of machinery for fawing timber with exadnefs and expedi-
tion. A committee of the fociety examined Mr. Pinchbeck's improve-
ment of the wheel crane, which prevents the fatal accidents, to which it
had formerly been liable.

The following authentic flatement of the commerce of Peterfburg,
tranfmitted by the Britifh conful, fliows how greatly the Britifli trade in
Ruffia was improved in the courfe of this year. In the year 1767 there
failed from that port 200 Britifh vefTels, whereof 77 were for London,
21 for Hull, 14 for Briflol, and 41 for the other ports of England; 9
for Leith, and 16 for the other ports of Scotland ; 7 for Dublin, and 4
for other ports in Ireland ; i for America ; and 10 for Lifbon and the
Mediterranean. There failed 202 veflels of other nations, of which 44
were for Amflerdam.

This year 74 vefTels were loaded at Archangel, of which 40 were for
Amflerdam, 15 for Hamburgh, only 7 for London, and none for any
other Britifli port. Hence it appears, tliat the Englifli trade with Rui-
lia, originally eflablifhed at Archangel, has almoft entirely left that port,
and fixed at Peterfburg.

According to a report from the Britifli refident at Hamburgh, 254
vefTels arrived in that city from Britifh ports in the year 1766, whereof
167 were Britifh ; and in 1767 there arrived 224 from Britifh ports,
whereof 186 were Britifh. The decreafe of 30 fliips, he fays, is owing
to the prohibition of exporting provifions, but, he adds, that the trade
was in every other refped as brifk as before. There was alfo this year
a decreafe of 34 fhips in the number of arrivals from France, but, the
vefTels being larger, the tunnage, or real quantity of fhipping, is fup-
pofed to be as great now as before.

It appeared by the cuftom-houfe books, that above a million of
money was paid for the corn imported in the courfe of this year.

A. D. 1767.

475

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7>.3.i9 vefTels of the reputed burthen of 556,905 tuns,

and of Scotland 1,546 _ _ - 84,481

Total 8,885 - - - . 641,386

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-Tndia four-and-a-

half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courle of this year, was

from the cuftom-houfe in London - ;iC2, 350)850 5 o

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 5.oco o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain /^2, 355, 850 5 o

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
27,2 1 9 pounds of gold, value - - /^i,27i8o 15 6

and no filver.~

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriftmas 1766 to Chriftmas 1767, was as follows.

Countries, &c.
Africa
Canaries .
Denmark and Norway
East country
East India
Fknders
France
Germany-
Greenland
Holland .
Iceland
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira .

Portu al

Prussia

Russia .

Spain

Gibraltar

Straits

Sweden

Turkey

Venice

Sardinia

Guernsey

Hudson's Ba ■

Ne\vfound)qnd

St. John's Island

Quebec

Nova-Scotia

New-England .

New- York

&c.

Imported into

Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

•GOTLAND.

^€55, gsi 8

6

j^558,062 5

8

^509 3 2

6,001 19

4

38,2SQ 4

5

75,303 3

10

^39,286 15 5

159,730 16

2

28,437 14 0

207,085 7

6

1.50,754 1

10

1.981,173 0

1

1,272,654 13

3

20-8,322 13

1

78 19 2

545,919 14

3

21,662 7 •)

174,089 17

4

3,207 6 10

232,031 7

4

193,606 9 7

030,963 9

10

12,697 5 9

1,506,293 10

11

40.959 2 8

7,900 17

9

999 14 ^

743,703 8

8

118,803 7 9
18 16 3

1,539,705 18

0

304,860 10 11
12 10 0

1,103,285 6

n

123,412 4 I

1,880,486 13

9

267,288 8 7

968 10 0

66 3 9

630,447 17

6

1,964 16 2

606,503 5

1

4,048 10 6

6,21 1 0

0

29,236 3 6

34,253 5

6

6e4 7 10

1,450 4 2

340,289 13

'

15,070 4 1
25,895 14 11

515,080 14

3

511 17 9
145 19 0

322,271 14

5

87,937 17 8

125,208 19

7

574 17 3

593,504 19

3

6,140 3 6
1 3 4

1,144,777 19

8

11,477 1 2
1,472 11 0

11,375 19

J J

69,772 5

4

175,515 7

6

21,248 18 S

44,336 16

5

7,887 14 I

99,9^0 15

10

44,09-1 19

10

57,457 12

7

145 16 8

31,984 3

0

36,698 13

5

2,706 16 8

59,863 8

10

3,327 12 1

9,942 10

11

4,981 18

8

48,950 18

6

1,356 17 2

53,550 10

7

1,084 19 8

1/8 12

8

1,942 0

8

42,044 12

5

992 9

194,406 3

,9

6,338 2 4

753 4

5

25,094 10

1

128,207 17

4

19,309 4 7

406,081 9

2

10,101 19 7

6] 4'i2 18

7

3,071 13 2

417,957 15

^

G 022 4 4

302

476

A. D. 1767.

Countries, kc.

Imported into

Exported from 1

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

Pennsylvania . .

^37,641 17 0

se5,02i

17 0

^^371,830

8

10

^'11,291 7 8

Mainland . . 7
Virginia . . \

437,926 15 0

{

94,908
237,156

7 2

1 437,628

2

6

f 30,538 5 7
1 184,506 3 2

North Carolina . 1
Southi Carolina . j

395,027 10 1

{

12,247
5,095

0 1

12 1

I 244,093

6

0

f 14,883 18 2
) 9,694 4 11

Georgia . .

35,856 15 7

23,334

14

2

146 10 3

Florida

12,681 6 8

• 30,963

13

11

Aiitigiia

394,727 10 2

45,894

6 3

119,740

16

6

11,128 13 5

Anguilla

4,117 13 10

Barbados .

219,682 3 9

29,924

3 0

1-15.083

4

4

4,678 17 4

Bermuda

1,417 12 5

12,133

9

4

Dominica

118,978 19 3

30,863

6

6

Grenada

243,618 18 3

8,034

9 6

89,767

19

2

6,015 13 0

Jamaica .

1,243,742 13 q

56,223

4 1

467,681

4

4

37,568 2 4

Montserrat . .

54,960 9 9

2,497

19 0

23,071

9

3

2,514 16 2

Nevis

60,690 14 7

1 1 ,875

18

8

450 13 10

New-Providence .

4,487 3 0

14,986

0

3

St. Christophers .

276,013 9 9

12,641

2 1

100,162

8

7

17,811 12 0

St. Vincents . .

24,282 7 1

14,822

2

0

Tortola ....

48,864 8 4

27,010

1

4

St. Croix ....

10,584 1 2

882

7

2

Martinique . . .

572 0 8

St. Lucie . .

629 13 9

St Martins

725 19 11

St. Eustathius

2,740 7 8

Spanish West Indies '

15,611 8 3

7,995

4

5

West Indies in general

763

13

0

Imp. and exp. of Enr.

12,073,956 0 11

13,844,511

I

8

Imp. and exp. of Scot.

1,023,197 5 5

1

023,197

5 5

1,245,490

2

7

1,245,490 2 7

Total, Great Britain .

13,097,153 0 4

15,0t)0,001

4

1}

1768, January 29''' — The ad for allowing the free importation of fak-
ed beef, pork, bacon, and butter, from Ireland, was continued; and the
free importation of the fame articles from the Britifli American colo-
nies was alfo allowed. [8 Geo. Ill, c. 9.]

February 23' — Though the affliirs of the Eaft-Iudia company were
in the moft flourifhing condition, and they were even making additions
to their territories in India, they were again prohibited by parliament
from making any dividend above ten per cent per annum, notwithftand-
ing a ftrenuous oppofiiion, not only from the company, but alfo from
many members of both houfes of parliament *, [8 Geo. Ill, c. 11.]

It is a proof of the flourifhing ftate of the commercial city of Glaf-
gow, that its magiftrates obtained from parliament powers to enable
them to make feveral improvements in their ftreets, to build an ex-
change, and alfo a new bridge over the Clyde, and to levy a toll, or

* On the fame day that this aft was paflcd, a Aly, a bold adventurer, wlio had lately acquired

treaty was concluded between the company's ferv- a tonfiderable fovereignty in the fouthern parts of

ants, in coiijuniftion witli the nabob of Arcot, and India, and was the conftant enemy of the com-

Aly Cawn nizam of the Deccan, againft Hydcr pany. I

A. D. 1768. 477

pontage, upon it, till the expenfe of btiildmg it flieulcl be defrayed.
[8 Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

Maich 8 " — An ad was pafled for paving, cleaning, and lighting, the
ftreets of London. The regulations for fixing the names of the flreets
on their corners were renewed (if not enforced), and regulations were
made for the ftands of hackney coaches, watering the ftreets where ne-
cfflary, and for feveral other matters of police. [8 Geo. Ill, c. 21.]

The law, [4 Geo. Ill, c. 13] which prohibited the allowance of twelve
per cent for leakage of wines, landed in Guernfey and Jerfey previous
to their importation into Great Britain, was repealed, and the former
allowance for leakage granted under certain conditions. By the fame
ad the encouragement for the manufadure of Britifh fail-cloth was con-
tinued till 29"" September 1774. [8 Geo. Ill, c. 23.]

The refufe of falt-works, called grey, or fcrow, fait, was permitted to
be ufed as manure on paying four pence duty for each bufliel weighing
56 pounds. — Policies of infurance to the amount of above ;((^r ,000 were
charged with two ftamps of five fhillings each. — Rum and fpirits, the
produce of the Britifti fugar colonies, exported as merchandize from
Britain, were entitled, after 25''' March 1768, to draw back the cuftom,
and be exempted from the excife duties, though they fhould be under
the full proof [8 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

The bounties and encouragements held out to the whale fifliery were
continued till 25"'' December 1770. [8 Geo. Ill, c. 27.]

The commiflioners of excife entered into an agreement with the cor-
poration of London and the company of mercers for the purchafe of
Grefham college, in order to ered on the area of it a convenient build-
ing for accommodating the bufinefs of their office .; which agreement
was ratified by parliament. [8 Geo. Ill, c. 32.]

Several ads for improving roads, and feveral for making navigable
canals, were pafi^ed in this feffion. Of the later the moft important was
the canal for uniting the rivers Forth and Clyde. [8 Geo. Ill, c. ^2>'\

The advantages of a navigable communication between the Forth and
the Clyde were perceived fo long ago as the reign of Charles IL That
prince, who (perhaps by means of his refidence in the Netherlands) ap-
pears to have acquired a juft idea of the importance of inland naviga-
tion *, propofed to have a canal executed on fuch a fcale, that tranf-
ports and fmall (hips of war might pafs upon it from fea to fea. But
the expenfe, eftimated at /^5 00, 000, was beyond the ability of the age.

* Charles II ordered furveys of the depth of ticalfurvey, V. h pp. I75) ly^.] In his reign alfo

the River Thames, which was found to have de- a bill was brought into parliament for uniiing the

creafed four feet during his own reign, and alfo of Thames and the Severn by a canal from Lechlade

the encroachments upon it. In his reign an aft on the former to the Avon, a navigable branch of

\7as pafled for improving the navigation of the Ri- the later. ^Phillips's HIJl. of inland navigation, ,

ver Medway, for the fake of carrying timber and p. 226, ed, 1795O
naval llores to tjie dock-yards. ^Campbell's PrJi-

478 A. D. 1768.

About the time of the union the idea of a navigation acrofs the nai~
roweft part of the ifland was revived, as appears by fome of the pubU-
cations of that time ; {Campbell's Political fufvey, V. i, p. 227] and it was
again dropped. In the year 1723 it was refumed, and a furvey was
made for the purpofe of executing the canal. But ftill it was, apparent-
ly, too early to engage in a work of fuch magnitude ; and it again lay
forgotten till the year 1762, when it was taken up by the prime mini-
iler, Mr. Pitt, who propofed, that it fliould be executed by the publi?,
and on fuch a fcale us to admit fea veflels of a moderate burthen : and
Mr. Mackell was employed to make a furvey and eftimate for a canal
from the mouth of the Carron on the Forth to the mouth of Yocker
burn on the Clyde. A fecond furvey and report was made by Mr.
Smeatou in the year 1764 ; and the execution of this great public work
was now left to private individuals. But the large amount of Mr.
Smeaton's eftimate induced fome of thofe, who vdftied for the naviga-
tion, to drop the grand idea of a canal navigable by fea veilels from fea
to fea, and adopt the notion of a petty ditch with only four feet depth
of water, and to extend no farther weft than Glafgow*.

The ad now pafled incorporated the proprietors of the propofed ca-
nal, as ufual, and authorized a fupplemental cut to Glafgow. It alfo in-
corporated another fet of proprietors for the purpofe of executing an
extenfion from the eaft end of the canal to-Borrowftownnefs.

The work was immediately begun, and profecuted with great fpirit
till the year 1775, when it had reached the neighbourhood of Glafgow ;
and then, the funds being all cxhaufted, a ftop was put to it for fome
years. The inhabitants of Glafgow, however, very foon availed them-
felves of the proximity of the canal by making the fupplemental cut to
their city, whereby they immediately obtained a direft communication
with the Forth and the German ocean ; and the canal began to be ufe-
fiil to all the country adjacent to it, though in a degree far inferior to
what it would be if completed. Yet even in this imperfedl ftate of it
the lockage dues amounted to from ^^4,000 to £'],qoo a year.

* While the various plans for the canal were dams, effected by two (Irong piers of ftone work

under confideration, Mr. J. Gray in 1768 publidi- at proper dillar.ces. As an improvoment, he pro-

ed Reflexions on inland navigation, wherein he pro- pofed to fct a niiU [Why not two ?] at eacii lock

j)ofed to retain the natural courfes of the Bonnie or dam, to be woiked by the water falling from

and the Carron on the eaft, and the Kelvin on the the upper part of it, and to give the cuftody of

weft, fide of ilie country, theieby avoiding the fe- the hicks to the millers, who fnould regulate the

paration of private property, and alfo all cxpenfe proper quantity of v.atcr, in order to prevent in-

of tunnels, fluices, aqucduols, f<c. as all fmall undations, and guard againft the formation of thick

itrcans would be received into the canal. Inftead ice by varying the depth during frott. He efti-

of digging out a channel, he propofed, as I may mated that a navijjable communication between the

fay, to build a river, (as fome of the canah in two fcas o^ flfleen feet depth of water, and even

Holland are conftrufted) by raifiii^ parallel em- ;«r« /jwn^/r:;.'/ feet in breadth, (except at the locks,

bankments 80 or 100 feet afunder (great part of where it Ihould be narrower) migl.t be completed

which, he obferves, is already done by nature) to in this manner for ^^"2 9 3, 444, the fum eftimated

contain the water of the rivers v.ith a depth of by Mr. Smeaton for a canal of t'-jjclve feet deep,

twelve feet, and to make a kind of triple locks or anAJlxtj-n;ne feet broad.

A. D. 1768. 479

A further account of this great national undertaking will be given at
the time of its completion.

The white people of the little colony of Montferrat were in immin-
ent danger of being exterminated by their negroes on St. Patrick's
day (17'" March). But the confpiracy being providentially difcovered
by a woman, two fhips of war and a fmall detachment of foldiers ar-
rived from the neighbouring iflands in time to prevent ihe execution
of it.

It being an objecl: of great importance to maintain a good corre-
fpondence with the American Indians, who ever fince the peace of
1763 retained many of the prejudices inflilled into them by the French
againft the Britifh coloniits, it was judged the mofl prudent meafure to
afcertain by mutual confent a boundary line, beyond which no Britifh
fubjedl fhould prefume to fettle. This meafure, calculated to remove
the chief caufe of the jealoufy of the Indians', was fo far carried into
execution, that the boundaries of the two Carolinas were adually lur-
veyed and marked oat agreeable to treaties made by Mr. Stewart, fu-
perintendant of Indian affairs for the fouthern diftrict, with the Creeks,
Cherokees, and Chaclaws-: and the Indians of the northern diftrid
cheerfully pointed out a line, which Sir William Johnfon, the fuperin-
tendant, agreed to, provided it fliould be approved of by the king. In
order to preferve tranquillity among the Indians, it was thought moil
expedient to continue the two fuperintendants, and to empower them
to make the cuftomary prefents to the Indians.

On a full confideration of the circumflances of the Indian trade it
appeared, that the confinement of the trade to particular pofls, which
was then the general principle of the trading fyftem, was expedient and
efFe(5tual with refped; to the fouthern Indians, of doubtful policy with
refpedto thole adjacent to the provinces of Pennfylvania and New York,
and evidently hurtful and dangerous with refpedl to the vaft body of
fndians on the weft fide of the province of Quebec, the inhabitants -
of which carry on a very extenfive commerce with them. Moreover
the expenfe was fo great, as, in a commercial view, to exceed confider-
ably the objed, to which it was fubfervient.

General Melville, governor-general of the Ceded iflands, made a
large botanic garden at St. Vincents for the reception and cultivation
of all plants valuable in commerce and medicine, which were Icarce,
or not at all to be found, in the Britifla Weft-India colonies ; and by
the great diligence of Dodor Young, furgeon of the military hofpital
and an excellent botanift, it w^s foon very confiderably advanced*.

• In Mny 1772 Doftor Young had, among The garden (lill continues to flourini under the care
other valuable exotics, 140 healthy plants of the of Dotlor Anderfon, another eminent botanill^ and
true cinnamon J for which, and his general botatiic by the ftill-continued good offices of General Mel-
merit, the patriotic fociety of arts and fcienceswith Tille, its original founder,
great propriety prefented him with a gold medal.

480 A. D. 1768.

This public -Ipirited example, fet by General Melviue, has fince been
followed in feveral of the other Wefl-India iflands.

In the beginning of April the coal trade was interrupted by combin-
ations of the failors and keelmen at Shields and Sunderland, who
demanded an increafe of wages. About the fame time the delivery of
the coal fhips in the Thames was put a flop to by the combinations
and riots of the coal-heavers, who, thinking themfelves injured by a
fet of people called undertakers, who, they alleged, paid them their
wages, not in money, but in liquor and goods of bad quality, would
neither work themfelves for fome time, nor allow the failors belonging
to the fliips to difcharge them. In the courfe of thefe riots fome lives
were loft.

Soon after this the failors in the Thames alio made a demand for
more wages, for which purpofe they preiented a petition to parliament
and another to the king ; and for fome time they allowed no veflels to
lail from the river.

Sir Stephen Theodore Janflcn (who has already been defervedly
mentioned with honour) conferred an effential benefit on the public,
and more efpecially on the poorer clafles of the community, by efta-
blifliing premiums to the mackerel fifhers for coming up with their
boats to market ; in confequence of which fine large mackerels were fold
for three halfpence each, which lowered the price of butcher meat one
penny a pound.

A claim was fet up by Daniel Coxe of New Jerfey and others, the
defcendants of Dodor Daniel Coxe, who in the year 1696 had pur-
chafed the titles of a moft extenfive grant made by King Charles 11 to
Sir Robert Heath of all the lands in America between the latitudes of
31° and 36'^ north, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, toge-
ther with the iflands of Veanis* and Bahama, and all other iflands near
thereto, and lying fouthward of the continent f ; which territory was
called Carolana, The claimants requefted either to be confirmed in
the poilefljon of the territories, and exercife of the powers, granted to
Sir Robert Heath, or to be paid a proper compenfatiou for furrender-
ing their titles into the king's hands. When this affair came to be
confidered by the lords of trade and plantations, it was concluded, that
the claimants, in confideration of furrendering all pretenfions to their
long- neglected grant, fliould receive 40,000 acres of unoccupied land
in the interior part of the pi'ovince of New-York.

Mr. Frafer, the conful at Algier; tranfmitted a very circumftantial
account of the commerce of that place, fimilar to what he gave laft
year of the trade of Tripoli, as follows.

* Perhaps Bimini, the ifland fiippofed by ihc Spaniards to contain the fountain of immortality,
f This defcription, in the hands o{ z powerful argumentator, might be mail? to comprehend all tl«€
Wcft-India iflands.

A. D.I 768.

Algier exports to
Alexandria, in cafh

Zechins.
60,000

Smyrna, negroes 3,oooh

blankets l,500> 10,000
bullion 5,30oJ
Leghorn, wool, oflrich fea-
thers, wax, hides, &c. 10,500
The balance in bills or prize
goods

Mar feilk, woo], 10,000
wax, hides, &c. ii,500

21,500

Algier imports from
Alexandria, in rice, coffee,

linen, and cotton goods,
Smyrna,cottony cottongoods,

drugs, iron, brafs, filk,

/;(?^/&orw,Britifh wool-
lens, - ? 5 CO

Venecia f~ cloths, cut-■^

lery, filks, linens, V26.OCJ
glafs, fpiceries, J

Marfeille, iron, - 10,000

fngar, coffee, filks,"j

woollens, paper, >30,ooo
linens, fpices, J

4S1

Zechini.

6o,oo(j
10,000

•20,950

40,000

There were no Britifh merchants ; and in the imports there were
very few Britifli goods. There were three French houfes, branches of
houfes at Marieille.

The conful at Coruna reported, that fince the laft war no Britifh
merchants had fettled there ; and that the removal of the Englifh
packets from that place had thrown fuch difficulties in the way of mak-
ing remittances, that the neighbouring country was now moflly fup-
plied with French manufadures, to the great regret of the natives, who
all prefer Englifli goods. The Britifh vefTels arriving in his depart-
ment were only about 14 annually with cod from Newfoundland, 3 or
4 with faked provifions from Ireland, and a itw with corn, coals, &c.
from other ports.

In a fubfequent report he more particularly flates, that from 25*
December 1767 to 24''' June 1768 only 7 Britifh veflels from New-
foundland, London, Cork, and Virginia, had arrived in the provinces
of Galicia and Afturias, moll of which had only landed fmall parcels of
goods there. During the fame time 1 1 French and 5 Dutch veflels
delivered their full cargoes in the fame diftrid, the Dutch having in-
creafed fince the packets to the Havana and Buenos Ayres were ftation-
ed at Coruiia, while the Englifh remained the fame as before.

The Britifh conful and merchants at Cadiz complained of the hard-
fhips put upon them by feveral infringements of the treaties, and par-
ticularly by the pojliira, an order of the magiflrates for fixing the prices
of provifions, whereby they apprehended the trade from Ireland and
Newfoundland to that port mufl be ruined. They, and the conful at
St. Lucar alfo complained of a proclamation prohibiting the importa-
tion of all printed and painted cloths and handkerchiefs, the demand
for which in the Spanifh colonies uied to be very confidtrable. They
alfo complained of the exadions of the health-office, of the indignities

Vol. III. x P

482 A. D. 1768.

put upon the commanders of their fhips, the partiality fhewn to the
French, and the arbitrary power of the governors and magiflrates of
Cadiz, who were ignorant of the treaties, and had not even any in-
ftrudions to regard them.

The diredors of the Eaft-India company, being determined to pre-
vent the fale of the command of their fhips, refolved that after 25""
March 1769 all their commanders fhould be chofen by ballot out of
perfons, who have already commanded fhips, or at leafl performed one
voyage to India as chief or fecond mate in their fervice. They alio re-
folved, that after the fame time no fhips fliould be built for their fe-
vice without leave obtained from the court of diredors.

In all the meafures taken in oppofition to government in America
the people of Boflon conflantly took the lead. Their refolutions of lafl
Odober were followed in February by an official circular letter from
the aflembly of MafTachufets bay to all the other aflemblies in Britifli
America, propofmg a ftrid union of all the colonies in oppofmg by
all legal means the operation of the late ads of parliament, and recom-
mending harmony in their applications to government for the repeal of
them. The minds of the people of Boflon were much exafperated by
the feizure of a floop, belonging to one of the reprefentatives of that
city, by the officers of the cufloms, who, to efcape from the ovurages
of the people, were obliged to take fhelter onboard a fhip of war, from
which they removed to Caflle William, fituated on a fmall ifland in
the harbour ; and there they eftabliflied the cuftom-houfe. The diffo-
lution of the affembly by the governor added fuel to the flame, and
paved the way for a convention of reprefentatives, eleded by the peo-
ple, and aflembled without any authority from govei-nment, who,
however, profefling themfelves to be only a meeting of private perfons,
earneflly requefled the governor to call together a conftitutional afTem-
bly. The governor refufed to receive their meflage, and warned them
to difperfe; but they,neverthelefs, continued their meetings for feveral
days. The day of their breaking up was diftinguifhed by the unwel-
come arrival of a fleet of fhips of war from Halifax, with two regiments
of foldiers and a detachment of artilleiy , who were quartered in Bofton.
In a fhort time after two more regiments arrived from Ireland, as alfo
General Gage, who was appointed commander in chief of the forces.

Previous to the meeting of the convention the merchants and traders
of Boflon had entered into a new refolution againfl importing any
Britifli goods from i'* January 1769 to i*^ January 1770, except fait,
coals, fifh hooks and lines, hemp and duck, bar lead and fhot, wool
cards and card wire. And they more efpecially refolved not to import
any tea, paper, glais, or colours, yll the duties on them fliould be repeal-
ed. A fimilar agreement was entered into by the traders of New-York.
Throughout the month of Odober the following premiums were
given to fuch boats as fhould deliver at Billingfgate in one tide, not lefs

A. D. 1768. 483

than three lafls of herrings, caught within forty-eight hours, at the rate
6f j^i2 : 10:0 per lafl, or about a farthing a piece, viz. the firft boat
£^'] : 10 : o ; the fecond ^"30 ; and the third ;^22 : 10 : o.

The king by additional inftrndious (dated 6''' Odober 1768) to
General Melville, governor-general of the ceded iflands, confirmed the
conflitutions he had drawn up for the feveral iflands, or divifions of his
government, viz. Grenada with the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Vin-
cent, and Tobago. In thefe inftrudions the king obferved, that juftice
and found policy required, that the new fubjeds (formerly fubjeds of
France) remaining in Grenada and the Grenadines, and having liberty
to profefs the Roman-Catholic religion on the faith of the treaty of
peace, Ihould be admitted to a limited proportion of the executive and
legiflative offices of government : and he therefor direded, that a num-
ber of them, not exceeding two in the council, three in the aflembly,
one as an afliflant judge, and one in each town and parilh or diftrid as
a juftice of peace, might be chofen and admitted to exercife the func-
tions of fuch offices in Grenada and the Grenadines, without being
obliged to take any other oaths than thofe of allegiance, fupremacy,
and abjuration, together with thofe for the due adminiftration of office.

General Melville this year fent home very flattering accounts ot the
profped of flourifliing fettlements in Tobago, an ifland, which, when
he entered upon his government, was one entire wood.

November 18'" — The king inftituted the royal academy of arts, con-
fifting of painters, ftatuaries, architeds, &c. and allotted them a houfe
in Pall-mall for holding their meetings, for the accommodation of the
fliudents, and for their annual exhibition of paintings and other works
of art. This inftitution has been of great fervice in promoting the
fl;udy of the fine arts, and alfo a taflie for them, in this country.

December 20"" — The powers poflelled by the officers of the cuftoms
to feize hories, carriages, &c. employed in carrying fmuggled foreign
fpirits, were extended to the officers of the exciie. [9 Geo. Ill, c. 6.j

Funds were appropriated by parliament for improving and prelerv-
ing the harbour of Wells in Norfolk. [9 Geo. Ill, c. 8.]

Governor PalUfer's report of the Newfoundland fifliery for this year
reprefents the number of veflels employed, and the quantity ot fifti,
&c. as ibmewhat larger than in preceding years. In the lalmon parti-
cularly there was a very great increafe, the quantity fliipped for foreign
markets, being no lefs than 40,386 tierces. The trade and fifliery car^
tied on by the American colonifts was nearly the fame as laft year,
with this difference, that their whalers in the Gulf of St. Laurence were
fo unfuccefsful as to get only three whales.

The feafon being very fliormy, about thirty fliips and a great number of
ftialops were wrecked, and between four and five hundred men were loft.

The French this year employed in the fifliery on the '^oaft of New-
foundland 109 veflels of the burthen of 17,125 tuns, and carrying-
3 3P2

484 A. D. 1768.

7,351 men, who made 214,100 quintals of fifh and 3,198 hogflieads of
oil. Their fifhers on the banks, from the beft accounts, might be
rated at 225 vefTels of 100 tuns and 20 men each ; and their captures
were eftimated at 4,500,000 quintals of fifli and 900 hogfheads of oil.
Their fifhery on the coafts of St. Pierre, and Miquelon, and in the
Gulf of St. Laurence, from the beft accounts, employed the fame
number of veflels as laft year, viz. 70 vefTels of about 50 tuns and 18
men each on an average, who were fuppoled to make 42,500 quintals
of fifh and 458 hogfheads of oil. Their traders from the Weft-India
iflands this year were only about four fmall veflels, their difuppoint-
ment in the expected fales of their rum and melafles among our people
at Newfoundland having induced moft of them to give up the trade.

Sixteen French boats were feized this year by the velTels under
Governor Pallifer's command for fifhing beyond their limits.

By the ere(51:ion of larger and more powerful fire engines the coal
mines now began to be worked with greater advantage. One of them
fet lip at Tinemouth-moor colliery was eftimated to raife a tijoufand
hogfheads of water in an hour from the depth of feventy feet *.

An improved pump for fliips was invented by Mr. C^ole, and on trial
at Portfmouth was found to be lefs cumberfome, eafier worked, eafier
cleared when choaked, and much more powerful, than the cham pump.

Mr. "William Gilchrift, a millwright in Jamaica, invented a new mill
for grinding fugar canes, having the fide rollers larger than the middle,
or main, roller. The legiflarure of Jamaica in December 1768 pafl^ed
an ad for fecuring to him the exclufive benefit of his invention for four-
teen years, and Mr. Gilchrift afterwards petitioned the king for a patent
for all the other Weft-India iflands.

A letter from the governor of Cape-coaft caftle on the coaft of Africa
to his conftituents, the committee of merchants trading to Africa, (dat-
ed 30' December 1768) complains of the Dutch coin mander at Elmina
having fe'zed and otherways maltreated feveral Portuguefe vellels for
felling Brafil tobacco to the Enplifh fettlements.

The number of negroes purchafed by the Europeans in the courfe of
this year on the couft of Africa, between Cape Blanco and Rio Congo,
was ftated as follows.

By Britifli veflels - - 53,100 7

Britifli Americans - - 6,300 J ■^^''^°°

French - - - 23,520

Dutch - - 11,300

Porcuguefe - - 1.700

Denmark - - 1 ,200

Total natives of Africa earned off in one year 97,1 00

* Thefe engines were aftei-w.'rds '•. 1 pled, and in many places fuperfeded, by the vadly more power-
ful fteam cngiiKS as JroproTcd by Mtffrs. £oulton aod Watt.

A, D, 1768.

485

The Imports at Hamburgh from Great Britain, Ireland, and the Brit-
ifh Wefl-lndies, this year amounted to £\,i6g,i']0 flerling;

and thole from France to - 993.318

There arrived at that port this year from the Britifh domini<jns 254 vef-
fels. whereof 20 were Britifh; from France 160 veflels, whereof 9 were
Pritifl], 79 Dutch, and only 2 French ; from Spain 43 vefleU, wherf of
21 were Britifh ; from Portugal and Italy 57 veflels. whe . of 22 v ere
Lriiifh; and from the nortliern kingdoms 176 vefTeis, wh reor H were
Britifh.

i'he number of vefTtls cleared out at Newcaflle this year exceeded that
of the year 1767 by 453. the number lafl year being 5,720, and this
year, 4, i 73. whereof 3,728 were coafters, and 445 for foreign countries.

Oi* 124 fhips fcnt out by the Dutch to the Greenland whale fifhery, 5
were loft in the ice ; and the remaining 1 19 caught 390 whales.

This year the white inhabitants of Jamaica were efbmated to be
17,000; there were 166,914 negroes on the tax-roll, and 135,773 head
©f cattle. The exports of the ifland were as follows.

j=

i 'i

II

-i =

<ji

.=S

i

i n

JlJ

l§

5 So

■J M

6 s>

ogwood,

ignutn-vi

icaragua

tuns.

}l

1

To

W ^

O

SS)

.S

i

X^

W^K-12

s

ffi

Great Britain ?
and Ireland, j

54,181

11,127

13,116

2,551

2,211

l,4';j

4,181

443,920

North I
America. 5

1,580

4,424

201,960

738

620

252

2,712

424,080

2,297

Totals

55,761

15,551

201,960

13,854

3,171

2,463

4,203

868,000

2,287

befides mifcellaneous articles, which cannot be reckoned.

The whole value of the exports of this year could not be lefs than
£1 ,400,000 fterling.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7)5ii vefTels of the reputed burthen of 549,191 tuns,

and of Scotland 1,498 _ _ - 85.898

Total - 9,009 - - 635,089

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Wefl-India rour-and-
a-halr-pcr-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this vear,
was, from the cufluin-houfe in Lor^don - ;^2,43i,9i6 2 6

and from the cuftom-houie in Edinburgh - 13,100 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms in Great Britain ^2,445,016 2

There were coine'i at the mint in the courie of the year
18.075 pounds of gold, vaiue - - ;C^44)554 7

and iio fzlver.

The official value of the import? and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriflmas 1767 to Chriftmas 1768, was as follows.

Countries, Sec,
Africa ...
Canaries

Denmark r.nd Nor\vay
East country
East-India

Flanders . . -
France . . -
Germ:in)r
Greenland
Holland -
Ireland

Mann . . -
Italy , - -

Madeira . - -
Poland ...
Portugal

Prussia - - -
Russia ...
Spain ...
Gibraltar

Straits ...
Sweden
Turkey

Venice ...
Guernsey, tec.
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Quebec ...
Nova-Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
Soutli Carolina
Georgia . . -

Florida - . -
Antigua
Anguilla

Barbados - - -
Bermuda ...
Dominica ...
Grenada - - -

Jamaica - - -
Montserrat

Nevis ...
New-Pro\ idence
St. Cnu-istopliers
St. Vincents
Tobago - . -
Tortola - - .
St. Croix
St. Tlioiuas
St. Lucia
St. Martins

Spanish West-Indies -
\Vcsl-lndies in general

Imp. and eip. of England
Imp. and cxp. of Scotland

Toul, Great Britain, -

Imported into

Exported from \

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^67,249 1

4

^612,392 9 &

i£734 1 0

4,785 5

5

3(),840 19 5

79,043 15

5

^29,080

0

1 178,041 7 lO

17,803 19 6

318,840 13

4

124,121 5 3

1,507,963 0

2

1,156,082 16 8

1)8,595 16

5

14

8

0 608,258 9 1

55,914 11 3

133,100 7

3

2,496

0

4 271,828 15 7

337,357 4 0

699,562 17

9

19,7'12

2

3

l,49i;,732 0 4

55,353 4 5

12,483 15

6

63 12 0

455,814 4

9

104,737

12

7

1,744,974 5 8

300,294 7 11

1,226,094 0

3

277,146
359

7
2

3
0

2,248,315 6 5

383,060 9 7
180 6 0

673,915 11

5

3,024

6

6

781,350 11 11

12,162 10 9

3,804 16

8

543

12

'-

25,588 6 3

334 12 3

25,730

1

3

711,908 4 4

3,313 3 9

391,502 3

8

15,679

10

0

711,908 4 4

481 8 0

19,358

4

9

303 5 9

934,817 13

C

104.709

7

3

126,569 14 4

363 3 6

472,045 2

6

9.6G7

14

10

1,076,005 7 10

11,559 2 8

40

0

0

682 1 11

12,212 18

6

91,000 18 2

204,278 17

2

20,664

19

11

56,352 19 7

5,610 15 10

103,679 19

4

109,194 7 8

78.209 6

4

41,294 17 8

36,287 8

C

3,010

9

0

47,456 1 fi

8,008 7

0

5,500 13 S

48,357 0

6

2,198

17

8

46,761 2 1

796 4 9

37,162 6

4

742

6

0

110.598 12 5

3,116 8 1

1,247 2

6

19,571 12 It

148,375 3

6

9.429

3

9

419,797 9 4

11,009 12 8

87,115 5

19

4,694

5

9

482,930 14 4

7,743 7 3

59,406 8

5

2,264

15

432,107 17 4

9.722 6 5

} 406,048 13

11

f 97.241
1273,364

12
5

7

]• 475,954 6 2

f 40,773 5 8
1152,795 1 9

\ 508,108 6

10

f 6,707
I 9.426

10
6

'4

} 289,868 12 3

f 6,329 1 6

I 4,727 11 0

42,402 13

10

56,562 13 5

14,078 6

3

32,572 0 7

330,013 9

4

63,609

2

4

132,139 9 t

13,895 1 4

6,607 12

1

281,461 3

8

14,021

6

3

191,601 17 7

l,7Gl 10 2

829 8

0

10,526 9 11

203,828 14

8

18,411 3 1

376,910 12

a

18,760

2

0

120,419 18 :.

5,657 12 2

1,215,628 19

9

69,458

3

1

473,146 13 3

29,129 19 3

69,563 11

3

3,430

8

4

25,572 5 IC

3,308 10 9

71,144 17

10

15.674 0 3

2,523 6

4

0,752 13 J)

301,328 15

6

24,197

14

1

143,739 0 7

24,859 18 4

35,762 6

8

24,553 13 4
485 0 2

50,443 19

10

17,746 0 f

12,3b3 19

4

•19

14

11

6,387 4 4

19 5

0

891 3

0

99J 10 9

34,633 8

4,604 18 C
3,328 15 b

11,878,661 2

7

15,117,982 16 1

1,237,619 12

7

1,237,619

■ 3

'

1,502,14^) 10 1

1,502,149 10 i

13,116,280 15

_2

16,620,132 6 2

A. D. 1769. 487

1^69 — Mr. Bougainville, who in November 1766 had failed by order
of the king of France on a voyage of difcovery, arrived at St Malos
(14''' March), after having made a fraall fettlement at Falkland's iflands,
(called by the French les Malouines), and made a circuit of the globe,
in the courfe of which he difcovered many iflands hitherto unknown.

March — The mines in the neighbourhood of Newcaftle were now fo
judicioully managed as to be very productive of the pretious metals. As a
proof of this, a mafs of lllver weighing 31 1 pounds, and another of pure
gold weighing i8 pounds, were delivered from a refinery near that town.

As the time was near at hand, when the annual payment of ;,(^40o,ooo
to government by the Eaft-India company, and alfo the parliamentary
reftridtion of the dividends, would expire, the company, plainly perceiv-
ing, that the large fum exa6led from them would thenceforth be con-
fidered by adminiftration as a part of the regular revenue, were now
only defirous of being gratified with fome compenfation for, what they
deemed, fo great a facrifice. They therefor requefted of government
to prolong their charter for five years; but it was abfolutely refufed,
and the company were more than ever made fenfible, that they were
entirely in the hands of a fuperior power, to whofe will there was a ne-
cellity of fubmitting. After holding feveral general courts, and much
correfpondence between adminiftration and the company, the following
agreement was confirmed by parliament.

April 20''' — The Eaft-India company became bound to pay to the
public ^400,000 annually for five years to come. They were permit-
ted to increafe their dividends, at a rate not exceeding One per cent each
year, till they ftiould be railed to Tzvelve and a half per cent, which they
muft never exceed. Should the company, inftead of incixafing, be
obliged to reduce, their dividends, a proportional dedudtion was to be
made from the fum payable to government, which was to be entirely
given up, if the company fhould be obliged to reduce their dividends to
Six per cent. During the five years the company were obliged to export
Britifli goods equal in value to the average amount of thofe they ex-
ported in the laft five years. And if any calh fliould remain in their
treafury, after the payment of certain fpecified debts, they were bound
to lend it to the public at the intereft of two per cent. [9 Geo. III. c
24.]

The a£l for encouraging the coinage of money was made perpetual.
[9 Geo. III. c. 25.]

The permiffion to carry rice from the two Carolinas and Georgia to
any places fouth of them, and to places in Europe fouth of Cape Finil-
terre, was prolonged to 24''' June 1774. [9 Geo. Ill, c. 27.]

May I '' — In confequence of the petition of the merchants of Jerfey and.
Guernfey concerned in the Newfoundland fifliery, they were permitted:
to export from their iflands to Newfoundland or the Brit'fh colonies in:

48S A»D. 1769.

America all goods of the growth or manufadlure of Great Britain ne-
ceflary for the fifliery, under certain reftridions, and to import to thofe
iflands any non-enumerated goods, except rum. [9 Geo. Ill, c. 28.]

Burning mills, and deflroying or damaging engines for draining any
kind of mines, or the waggon-ways, bridges, trunks, ftaithes, &c. or
fences belonging to any mine, were made felony without benefit of
clergy, [9 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

The encouragement hitherto held out to the cultivators of filk in the
fouthem American colonies, by purchaling the cocoons for government
at a price above their value, having been found to effed no confiderable
exertions in the produdion of that article, it was now determined, that
the encouragement fhould be in the form of a bounty upon the import-
ation of lilk produced in America into Great Britain in vefTels legally
navigated, as follows.

from i'^ Jan. 1770 to 1^ Jan. 1777 a premium of 25 per cent,
from i" Jan. 1777 to i" Jan. 1784 20 per cent,

and from i" Jan. 1784 to i** Jan. 1791 15 per cent,

on the value of the filk. [9 Geo. Ill, c. 38.]

The importation of raw hides and fkins from Ireland and the Britifli
colonies in America free of duty was permitted for five years ; and the
duty upon feal fkins, tanned or tawed, was altered to three halfpence
a pound, of which one penny to be drawn back upon exportation.
[9 Geo. Ill, c. 39.]

The mode of paying the prizes in the lottery was this year altered.
Inftead of giving the proprietors of the fortunate tickets annuities in
the funds proportioned to the fum of their prizes, government now en-
gaged to pay the value in cafh. Inftead of limiting the hiijheft prize to
;^ 1 0,000, one or two prizes of ;^2o,ooo, and feveral of ;^i 0,000, were
now introduced*.

The Eaft-India company loft no time in availing themfelves of the
permiflion contained in the late ad to augment their dividend one per
cent ; and their dividend for July was accordingly paid at the rate of
eleven per cent.

July lo'*" — The ifland of St. John in the Gulf of St. Laurence was de-
tached from the government of Nova-Scotia ; and the king appointed
Walter Paterfon Efquire to be the firft governor of it. Settlers had be-
gun to refort to this ifland the preceding fummer ; a town plot was laid
out ; and great hopes were entertained of the profperity of the colony.

General Carlton, governor ot Quebec, fent home a report of the ma-
nufadures in his provinces, which confilled of the following articles.

* Succeeding lotteries have had one, and fre- in order to hold out temptations to avarice, and to

quently even two, prizes of ^f 30,000; and in ge- enlarge the chance of rich prizes remaining in the

reral it has been the policy of the lottery fchemes wheel till late in the drawing,
to tjirow the moft of the money into great prizes,

A. D. 1769* 489

A confiderable quantity of coarfe linen made fbi* private ufc from
flax raifed in the country.

Some worfted ftockings knit by the women, and fome Hnfy-woolfy
Huffs.

A coarfe kind of earthen ware for milk psns, &c.

Some leather, very indifferently tanned with hemlock-fprucc, for
making mocaflins (a kind of fhoes), for which purpofe large quantities
of American tanned leather are imported from the other colonies, the
Britifh leather being too ftrong, and too dear.

About 400,000 pounds of bar iron, made at the forges of St. Mau-
rice.

Iron ware for the moft common ufes, and alfo edge tools, axes, and
hatchets, for the confumption of the country, and for the Indians.

Pearl-alh and pot-afh were made for about two years preceding this
time, but hitherto with little fuccefs. With proper encouragement
they might become important articles of commerce, as might alfo hemp
and flax.

A diftillery of rum from melaffes, newly eflablifhed at Quebec, was
expefted to five confiderable fums, hitherto fent to New-England and
New-York, and alfo to introduce a direcft trade with the Weft-Indies.

Such were the manufadures of this province ; far beneath the jea-
loufy of Britifh manufadurers. But in the difcontented provinces they
were much more confiderable *.

Auguft ly'*' — The flourifhing ifland of Antigua was greatly diftrefled
by a fire, which almofi; reduced to alhes the town of St. John's, the
capital. The damage was efl;imated at ;^4oo,ooo.

The Eafi:-India company had now been for fome time engaged in a
haraffing and expenfive war with Hyder Aly, a foldier of fortune, who
by fuperior talents, and the aflifliance of European officers in difciplin-
ing his armies, had raifed himfelf from a low fi:ation to be the fove-
reign of a great and rich territory in the fouth part of India. The
company's fervants in India were charged with having wantonly rufhed
into this war to ferve their own private ends, to the difgrace of the Brit-
ifh name, and the ruin of the interefl; of their employers committed
to their charge ; and they were moreover faid to have conducted it
more like a lucrative job than a regular fyflem of warfare. General
Smith's hands being tied up by this plan of mifcondud, Hyder, by a
judicious and rapid movement, entered the territories of the nabob of
Arcot, the faithful ally of the company ; and, after pouring out his venge-
ance againfl: him, he prefented himfelf in great force within feven
jniles of Madras, whereby he was enabled to didate the terms of a peace
to the government of that prefidency, and to compel I them to lay their

* A more general account of American raanufa<fturcs will be given under the year inS-

Vox. lU. 3 (^

49© A. D. 1769.

commands on General Smith to defift from purfuing the advantages he
was ready to reap by Hyder's abfence from his capital.

The war with Hyder having exhaufted the treafury of the prefidency
of Madras, remittances were made to it from Bengal, for which they
were obliged to have recourfe to a bafe fpecies of gold coin, on the ex-
change of which the company loft /^4o,ooo. A total flop was put to
the inveftments, which ufed to be made from Madras to China : and
the manufadurers of the country were ruined by the ravages of the
enemy, or at a ftand for want of fale. Such were the effeds of this war
upon the company's affairs in India. At home the alarm excited by the
rumour of the diftant evil operated fo powerfully upon the imagination
and the fears of the ftock-holders, that India ftock fell above 60 per
cent in a few days, though the directors publilhed the difpatches they
had juft received from India, whereby it appeared, that the company's
affairs in that part of the world were in general in a flourifhing ftate,
and that there was no reafon to apprehend any ruinous confequences
from the war with Hyder.

The directors, however, were fully fenfible, that it was abfolutely ne-
cellary to take fome vigorous fteps to corred the abufes, which were
too evident in the condudl of their fervants in India ; and they deter-
mined upon fending out as fupervifors three gentlemen of acknowleged
ability, charader, and experience, in the affairs of India, and to invefl
them with ample powers to redrefs the evils, and controul the abufes,
which exifted in that country.

As to the neceflity of fuch a meafure there was no doubt or difpute,
except with the friends of thofe who were fuppofed liable to fuffer by a
reform in India : but there were great differences of opinion refpeding
the degree of power proper to be delegated to the fupervifors. When,
after very keen difputes, this matter was at laft fettled by the court of
proprietors, government unexpectedly interfered with a demand that an
officer commlllioned fi-om the crown fhould have a principal fliare in
the diredlion of tlie company's affairs in India ; the confequence of
which was fuppofed by the company nothing fhort of a complete fur-
render of their territorial acquifitions into the hands of the miniftry,
than which, it w-as argued, it would be far better to refign them to the
princes of the country, who in return would give the company terms
of the greateft advantage to their commerce. The company thought
the government ought to be content with receiving from them annu-
ally a fum, exceeding the whole dividends paid to all the proprietors,
and exceeding the revenues of many fovereign princes, without attempt-
ing to fet up a jarring authority, which muft infalUbly involve them in
ruin. At length the conteft between government and the company was
in a great meafure got rid of by the former fending out a naval officer
with extraordinary powers, the operation of which was confined to the

A. D. 1769, 491

Gulf of Perfia, where the company had fome petty dlfputes with a few
turbulent chiefs on the coafts. Afterwards the powers to be vefted in
Meflieurs Vanfittart, Scrafton, and Ford, as fupervifors, were finally ad-
jufled ; and government appointed two frigates to condudl them to In-
dia *.

The flouriftiing and improved (late of the company's commerce was
made evident from a comparative examination of their exports, where-
by it appeared, that the manufadures, prodiidls, flores, &c. (hipped by
them in the feven years ending with 29''' September 1769 had exceed-
ed thofe of the feven preceding years by the fum of ^^959,379 : 4 : 1 1 ;
and that the gold and filver exported in the fame fpace of time were lefs
by /^i ,374,591 : 7 : 6 ; that in the year 1767 there was only ^^946 : 5 : 4,
and in 1768 none at all, the great remittances from Bengal and Madras
having been fufficient, with the goods carried from England to China,
for the inveflments from that empire. The accounts of a fcarcity of
lilver in Bengal, and the uncertainty how far that prefidency might be
enabled by the territorial revenue to fend fuppUes to China, induced
the company in 1769 to fhip filver to the amount of £162,12,"] : 10 : o
to China.

October — The difcontents of the journeymen filk-weavers were fre-
quently breaking out in combinations for raifing their wages, and for
impofing taxes upon their brethren to fupport them in idlenefs and in
their ads of violence upon the property of their employers, whofe looms,
together with the goods in them, they frequently defi:royed, in defiance of
the law, which punifiies fuch enormities by death. Their riots were at
length fupprefied, but not without bloodflied, feveral of themfelves, and
fome of the foldiers, being killed in the itirmilhes.

An account of the exports of the province of South Carolina from i''^
November 1768 to i" November 1769 was fent home by Lieutenant-
governor Bull. They amounted to ^^404,05 6 flerling, whereof there
was {hipped for Great Britain to the amount of - £260,^0^

Portugal, 24,264 barrels of rice, - - 54.594

Spain, 5,046 do. _ _ - - 11,353

The chief articles of the exports, with their prices in Charleftown,
Vy-ere as follows.

Sterling.
Rice - 123,317 barrels at £2 5 o £2']'],dfi2, 5 ®

Butter - 789 firkins 226 - 1,676 12 6

Pitch - - 6,106 barrels 070 - 2,137 ^ o

Turpentine - 4,616 o 12 o - 2,769 12 o

Tamped leather 2,413 fides i 12 o - 3,860 iG o

o

Pork - - 2,179 barrels 0170 - 1,852 3

! unhappi
3 0.2

* The Aurora frigate, onboard wiucu th.'fe gentlemen were, was unhappily loft, and it wa; never
known where or how they periflied.

492 A. D. 1769.

Tobacco -r 214,210 pounds o 15 o per cvvt. 1,606 6 G

Indigo - 380,570 036 - 66,599 15 ^

Hemp - 290,095 130 per cwt. 3,2,3^ 2 6

Indian com - ^S^'JS^ bufliels 020 - 6,575 2 o

Peas - - 11,680 020 - 1,168 o o

Flour - 2,754 barrels 117 6 - 5,163 15 o

Ship bread - 898 160 - 1,167 14 o

Staves - 329,500 5 o o per M. 1,147 ^° °

Planks and boards 678,350 feet 070 per C. 2,374 4 6

Shingles - 1,987,000 o 14 6 per M. 1,440 11 6

Deer fk ins - 184,221 pounds 020 - 18,422 2 o
Raw filk - 1,014 106 - 1,039 7 °

Befides thefe there were a variety of other articles, none of which
amounted to £1000 fterling *,

The Turks iflands ufed to be reforted to in the proper feafon by-
people from Jamaica and Bermuda for raking (or collecting) the fait,
the only produce of thofe iflands ; and veflels from North America ufed
to call there with money and provilions to purchafe cargoes of fait : and
no other trade was carried on there.

But after the eftablifliment of an agent fome people from Bermuda
fettled on the iflands, and took upon them by regulations of their own
to exclude all others from the benefit of the falt-ponds. fhe Turks
iflands foon became not merely a port for the fait trade, but alfo an
cntre-port, where veflfels from the northern colonies, St. Euflathius,
Curaijoa, Hifpaniola, and Cuba, met, and, as there was no cuflom*
houfe, carried on an uncontrouled trade in their feveral commodities
and the manufaftures of their refpe6live n^other countries, and alfo car-
ried off the rough materials of manufactures produced in the Bahama
iflands (which were illegally carried to that rendezvous), to the great
prejudice of the revenue and fair trade of Great Britain.

Such was the report made to the governor of the Bahama iflands by
Mr. Brown, an old officer of the government at New-Providence. The
report of the arrivals of vefl^els made by Mr. Symer, the agent for Turks
iflands, has only feven from Bofl:on and one from Pilcataqua, loaded
with lumber, filh, ipermaceti candles, beef, pork, onions, potatoes, &c. f
But it appears by his lifl; of arrivals from 2=' March to 1 5' ' November
1769, that iiovefl~els came to the iflands in that time from various
parts of America % and the Wefl;-India iflands, foreign as well as Bri-
tifli, which carried on a free and uncontrouled trade in Britifli and fo-

* Among thcfe there were 39 barrels of bitter-fweet oranges, (a fpecics now negleded) and 100
gallons of orange juice.

f If Mr. Brown's account of the trade is correft, the illicit arrivals of the foreign vtflels had hi-
iheito been fuppreffcd in the agent's report.

i It is worthy of being coted, that, even at this timCj one of thefe TcfTels was named The frei

A. D. 17(39.

493

reign produce and manufadures, as well as fait, whereby it was appre-
hended that the Americans might be enabled to perfift in their agree-
ments againft importing Britifh goods, as they could eafily be fupplied
through this channel with the manufadtures of other countries ; and it
was obferved, on a vifit to Turks iflands by the governor of the Bahama
iflands, that the people there were generally dreffed in French manufac-
tures.

The linen exported from Dublin, which in the year 1768 amounted
to 18,490,195 yards, was this year only 17,790,705.

The report of Mr. Swallow, the Britifh couful at Peterfburg, for this
year (hows, that the general trade of that place was increafing, and that
the Britifh trade thither, employing this year 322 vefiels, was conlider-
ably more than the whole trade of all other nations at that port *.

In the courfe of this year the goods imported into Hamburgh from
Great Britain, Ireland, and the Briiifh Well-Indies, in 216 velTels, where-
of 178 were Britilli, amounted in value to ^^949,074 5 overling,
And the imports at the fame city from the

ports of France in 203 veilcls, whereof 17

were Britifh, and not one French, - 1,208,461 10 o

The commerce of the Baltic fea appears to have been increafing at
this time ; for there were 449 more veflels which paffed the Sound in
this year, than there were in the preceding one. The following is the
ftatement for 1769.

Bremen

Courland

Denmark

Dantzick

England

Fiance

Kollaad

Hamburgh,

VefTels belonging to

VefTels belonging to

99

Lubeck

10

Pruffia

1,032

RufTia

262

Roftock

1,840

Sweden

13

Spain

2,508

20

5,784

49
296

35

62

1,149

3

1 094

5,784

Total 7^37 8

An eflimate was made this year of the trade of the North- American
provinces, mcluding Hudfon's bay and Newfoundland, wherein the Bri-
tifh VefTels employed in trading with thofe colonies are ftated to be
1,078, carrying 28,910 feamen. The exports from Great Britain are
made to amount to ^(^3, 370, 900, and the exports from the colonies to

* Mr. Swallow's flatemcrit, which is very circumftantial, was honoured with a letter ftom the lords
of trjHe, fignifying their fatisfaftion with the accuracy of his reports, which contain the quantity of
rvery article liiippcd to every port, but not their value.

494

A. D. 1769.

£^,g2^,6o6 : but, if we are to judge from the cuftom-houfe accounts,
there feems reafon to believe that the amount is exaggerated *.

In the courfe of this year the emprefs of Germany declared Oftend a
free port ; and the king of Denmark declared his port of Gkikftadt at
the mouth of the Elbe alfo free, and aboliflied the duties on veflels and
goods.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,939 veflels of the reputed burthen of 573,987 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,508 _ _ _ 80,928

Total 9,447 - - - 654,915

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-

a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,

was from the cuftom-houfe in London - ^^2 ,62 9,086 4 6

And from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 1 0,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain /^2, 639,086 4 6

There were coined in the courfe of the year
13,410 pounds of gold, value - - £626,^^2 ^ o

and no filver.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriftmas 1768 to Chriftmas 1769, was as follows.

Imported into

Exported from 1

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND. 1

jg'5 8,955 12

6

i^605,180 5

11

6fil 2 5

11

a^462

1 11

36,036 6

3

^212

9 10

82,469 8

4

38,235

0 3

16<),155 6

2

17,838

7 2

159,481 13

9

74,422 3

2

1,863,233 14

10

1,205,388 18

4

103,270 18

3

1,1 ;9

9 1

623,579 ^

10

62,676

17 0

91,245 6

11

2,235

13 5

113,310 9

11

299,498

19 10

619,181 11

9

18,433

14 9

1,338,866 Q

8

50,130

15 1

21,353 0

5

3,921

0 3

72 O

0

1

17 6

323,720 14

5

110,755

10 10

1,658,551 13

1

306,085

10 8

1,265,107 12

8

144,501

14 2

1,964,742 1

9

419,271

1 .9

788

1 7

150

19 10

930,045 19

0

3,495

3 5

746,220 6

'

6,420
2,936

12 0
1 3

4,935 9

7

470 17 8

27,459 2

3

9,543

19 11

1,667

18 4

360,120 9

1

14,54/

7 8

545,367 2

2

763

16 7

14,028

6 2

895

10 0

1,038,614 15

10

127,975

8 q

158.777 11

5

3,158

8 11

577,816 6

4

7,942

3 5

830,893 19

6

10,407

0 6

30

6 1

1 ,507

13 4

Countries, kc.
Africa
Canaries

Denmark and Norvvay
East Country
East-India
Flanders
l'"iauce
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Minorca
Madeira
Poland
Portugal
Prussia

Russia . . .
Spain
Gibraltar

* Tlie firll article, the exports from Great Brit- times nothing. In this year it was (^4,655 ; and I

ain to Hudfon's bay, is ftated at f^i6fioo ; but the do not (\wA any year in which it has reached ^f y,oco

oJfic':al value of the exports to that fettlement in ft- in the cuftom-houfe accounts,
veral of the early years is under;^' 1,000, and feme- 4

A. D. 1769.

495

Couutries, Src.
Straits
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, kc.
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Quebec
Nova-Scotia
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Antigua
Anguilla
Barbados
Bermuda
Dominica
Grenada
Jamaica
Montserrat
, Nevis
New- Providence
St. Christophers
St. Vincents
Tobago
Tortola
Turks islands
St. Croix
Spanish West-Indies

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain -

Imported into

Exported from !

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^7,775 5

7

.^^142,237 15

4

182,896 8

3

a£'l 8,408

1

11

57,211 14

8

.^3,814 18 3

144,419 17

3

90,880 12

6

60,376 5

8

74,371 8

8

32,728 0

4

1,643

17

8

65,794 19

10

7,087 5

7

4,655 13

4

50,835 3

3

4,983

10

1

64,080 5

4

961 11 3

43,434 2

3

179

7

4

174,435 5

7

2,909 3 7

2,270 3

7

19,271 0

2

129,353 3

8

13,422

9

1

207,093 14

3

15,701 17 3

73,466 3

9

39.916

4

11

74,918 7

10

1,012 U 9

26,111 11

4

2,000

15

5

199.909 17

11

5,069 19 5

1 361,892 12

0

f 9S,353
\ 299,715

6
6

8
4

1 468,362 15

1

5 51,511 4 1
1175,069 16 6

} 387,114 12

1

f 11,312
I 6,587

6
14

8
4

j 306,600 3

6

S 11,847 2 8
I 8,637 0 4

82,270 2

3

58,340 19

4

1,744 12

2

20,509 4

10

185 3 1

232,680 8

6

48,906

10

0

151,642 2

9

9,333 15 6

3,747 17

3

254,092 15

6

26,528

6

0

165,050 10

9

5,164 1 9

1,744 19

3

12,621 8

9

158,543 2

4

31,863 10

307,562 15

1

21,398

16

7

113,054 6

8

9,871 10 8

1,266,630 9

4

110,054

19

7

570,468 10

11

53,360 14 3

77,653 16

0

783

13

9

23,110 1

9

92 15 4

40,379 4

6

3,179

15

9

10,428 9

4,435 15

U

6,682 18

8

224,096 9

9

18,796

11

0

115,609 10

4

24,005 3 2

70,772 9

3

33,7-20 16

6,119 0

If

0

770 1 0

54,560 1

5

812

3

8

27,106 12

10

18,220 1

3

2,809 4

10

103 10 0

81,494 2

6

11,352 3

7

11,908,560 16

5

13,438,236 6

11

1,225,529 16

1

1,225,S29

16

1

1,563,045 19

c

1,563,045 19 0

13,134,090 12

e

15,001,282 5

7i

1770 The French Eafl -India company, notwithflanding the advant-
ages beftowed upon them by the king in the year 1764, continued to
languifh and decUne. On the 13*'' of Auguft 1769 their exclufive pri-
vilege was fufpended by an arret of council, and leave given to all
French fubjeds to fail to India, they being obliged to take out a palT-
port (free of expenfe) from the India company, to return to no other
port but L'Orient, where vvarehoufes and other conveniencies -.vere pro-
vided, and to pay a diity of Jive per cent on the merchandize of India
and China, and three per cent on that of the iiles of France and Bour-
bon.

The company thereupon offered to furrender to the king all their
ihipping, amounting to thirty veflels, all their naval and military (lores,

49^ A, D, 1770,

their warehoufes in France, their forts with all their dependencies in
India, together with 2,450 flaves belonging to them in India, for the
fum of thirty millions of livres, and they at the fame time aiked pay-
ment of fixteen millions and a half of livres due to them by the king.
But he, by his edidl of January 1770, gave them an annuity of
1,200,000 livres in full compenfation for the fums demanded by them.
This mode of fettling their affairs they were obliged to fubmit to ; and,
after fome other arrangements, needlefs to be here detailed, the French
Eafl-India company appear to have become dormant, though not ex-
tindl, as a trading company, and funk into a fet of proprietors of divid-
ends payable by the government.

From the time that the Englifh Eafl-India company fucceeded to the
territorial revenues of Bengal to April 1770, when the edid for the fuf-
penfion of the French company's monopoly arrived in India, the amount
of the duties paid by that company into the cuftom-houfe at Hougley
was as follows.

Sicca rupees.

From Septemper 1765 to April 1766 - 10,085 8 o

From May 1766 to April 1767 - 12,579 5 8

From May 1767 to April 1768 - 18,354 13 4

From May 1768 to April 1769 - 18,31.0 12 4

From May 1769 to April 1770 - 12,185 13 8

Thefe fums multiplied by 40 give the total of the French company's

trade at that fadory, as flated by themfelves. What was paid by the

French fadories at Patna, Dacca, &c. or by private French merchants,

(whofe duties were four per cent on the amount of their invoices) does

not appear from any books or accounts received at the India-houfe.

The French Eafl-India trade did not flourifh after it was laid open,
though the duties payable in France were very moderate ; and the king
is faid to have lent his fhips to fome of the adventurers. The failure of
fuccefs may in a great meafure be imputed to the want of due experi-
ence of the nature of the trade in many of thofe whom the fufpenlion
of the monopoly induced to become adventurers. But probably the
mofl effedual caufe of the want of fuccefs was the general dillrefs
brought upon the country by the difgraceful breach of faith in the go-
vernment, who reduced the interefl of the national debt to one half of
the flipulated rate, and deprived the holders of tontine flock of the be-
nefit of furvivorfhip. This fhamelefs flretch of power to plunder the
fubjedt brought ruin upon many thoufands of inc^ividuals, and was pro-
bably the principal caufe of the numerous bankruptcies, which about
this time fpread mifery and difmay through the whole kingdom of
Fxance *.

* One houfe at Marfeille failed for twenty millions of livres*

A. D. 1770, 497

March 16''' — The ad for prohibiting the exportation of all forts of
grain and malt, and the extradion of fpirits from wheat, and permitting
the importation of faked meat and butter from Ireland and America
for a limited time, was continued. And the free importation of tallow,
hog's lard, and greafe, was alfo continued till 25''' March 1773. [lo
Geo. in, cc. I, 2.]

But the exportation of malt was very foon afterwards permitted (20'''
March). [lO Geo. III^ c. 10.]

April 1 2'*" — The merchants trading to America having prefented a pe-
tition, fetting forth the great lolTes they fuftained by the interruption
of their trade in confequence of the late laws,

The act [7 Geo. Ill, c. 46] for laying duties on glafs, &c. landed in
the Britifli colonies in America was repealed, as to glais, red-lead, white-
lead, painter's colours, paper, and pafteboards, ' as the faid duties, in fo

* far as they affecT; the produce and manufadures of Great Britain, do
' in their nature tend to the prejudice and difcouragement thereof, and

• are therefor contrary to the true principles of commerce.' The draw-
back on China ware carried to America vvas alfo reftored, but the duty
on tea was allowed to remain in force, [10 Geo. Ill, c. 17] being intend-
ed as a fmall acknowlegernent (or aflertion) of the fupremacy of the
Britifh parliament in the legiflative and revenue concerns of the colo-
nies *.

The fields to the weftward of London, in the parifh of St. Mary-Ie-
bone (commonly called Marybone) having been very much built upon,
the feveral regulations for paving, lighting, &c. for the names of the
ftreets and numbers of the houfes, for regulating weights, meafures, &e.
were extended to that quarter. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 23.]

The liberty of carrying rice to any part of Europe fouth of Cape Fi-
niflerre, which had been formerly granted to the provinces of Carolina
and Georgia, was extended to the two Floridas. [10 Gee. Ill, c. 31.}

The commiffioners of the longitude were empowered to receive pro-
pofals relating to the difcovery of the longitude, and for improving the
lunar tables, or for any other difcoveries or improvements ufeful to na-
vigation ; and, if they flrould think the propofed improvements worthy
of a reward, to recommend them to the commiflioners of tlie navy for
% reward not exceeding ^^5,000. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 34.]

Of two millions of money, borrowed in the 29th year of George II,
one half million was added to the three-per-cent funds ; and one mil-
lion and a half conftituted a particular fund or flock, bearing intereft at

* The bill for this repeal vvas brought into par- an evil eye, wherein four of the town's people were

llamenf on the jtli ot March, and on the evening killed, and fevcn wounded. This was th, firft

of that veiy fame day a fquabble happened in the blood flicd in the uniiappy quan'el between Grreat

ftreets of Bollon between the town's people and Britain and the colunics.
the foldicrs, who had long viewed each other with

Vol. III. 3 R

498 A. D. 1770.

three and a half per cent, with a condition, in the option of parliament,
to be repaid any time after the expiration of fifteen years computed
from the 11^'' of February 1756; which fum was accordingly now or-
dered to be paid off at the bank on the 12"' of February 1771. [10
Geo. ///, c. 36.]

The encouragement given to the cultivation of indigo in the Britifli
colonies in America was continued till the 25* of March 1777. [10
Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

The permiffion to import Unen yarn, and the bounty of three half-
pence a yard on the exportation of Britifh and Irifh hnens not exceed-
ing 1/6 per yard in value, were continued till 24''' June 1778. A new
bouijty of one halfpenny per yard was allowed upon Britifli checqued
and ftriped linens, not lefs than 25 inches in breadth, and from "jd to ifS
in value : and the bounty of three halfpence was extended to fheetings
and table linens above yard-wide, to be computed on the fquare yard,
fo that the value do not exceed 1/6 the fquare yard. In order to pre-
vent finer linens from being entered for the bounty, the officers of the
cufl:oms are empowered to take to themfelves fuch linens on paying the
proprietor one penny a yard above the invoice price. The bounties al-
lowed by this adt are ordered to be paid without any fee, reward, or de-
duction whatfoever. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 38.]

In order to encourage the cultivation of hemp and flax in this king-
dom, additional duties had been laid on foreign linens [7 Geo. Ill, c. 58]
to conftitute a fund not exceeding ;;(^ 15,000 a year. It was now enaiTt-
ed that ;^8,ooo of that fum fliould be appropriated to thofe purpofes in
England ; and no lefs than £j,ooo a year for the fame purpofes fhould
be put luider the management of the truftees for fiflieries and manufac-
tures in Scotland. If the allotted funds fhould fall fliort, England
fhould have eight fifteenths, and Scotland feven fifteenths of the money
colleded*. [10 Geo. Ill, c. ^o.]

Whereas a regifter of the prices of corn in the feveral counties in
Great Britain was thought generally ufeful, the juftices of peace were
directed tq give orders at their firft quarter fellions after the 29'"^ of
September in every year for returns to be made weekly of the prices of
every kind of grain, and to caufe a flandard Winchefter bufhel of eight
gallons to be kept at each market town. The returns are to be tranf-
mitted to the treafury, and there to be regiftered in a book kept for
that purpofe, an abftrad of which is ordered to be publifhed weekly in
the London gazette. It was alfo enafted, that a regifter fliould be kept
of the quantities of corn exported and imported, with the amount of the
bounties paid, and duties received, on the fame, to be made up from re-

• It appears by the thirteenth Report of the been made in England for any premiums for raif-
commifTioners for examining the public accounts, in'g hemp and flax ; and that fome payments had
dated iS'*" March 1785, that no claims had then been made in Scotland on that account.

A. D. 1770. 499

turns to be tranfraitted from the comrniilioners of the cuftoms in Eng-
land and Scotland. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 39.]

The duties formerly paid upon foreign hats or bonnets made of baft
or ftraw, chip, cane, and horfe-hair, were repealed ; and a new duty iai-
pofed of i2jb on every dozen of fuch hats, &c. not above 22 inches in
diameter, and of 25/ for fuch as exceed that dimenfion; and of 6/B a
pound on plating and other materials of baft, &c. ufed in making hats.
[10 Geo. Ill, c. 43.]

Traders in exciieable commodities, found guilty of keeping falfe
weights and fcales for weighing their excifeable ftock, were fubjected to
a penalty of ^100. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 44.]

The penalty of 30 per cent, payable to the India company on goods
imported from the Eaft-Indies by Britifh fubjecls trading to India un-
der foreign commiffions, not being found fufficient to check fuch illicit
trade, it was now raifed to cent per cent on the value of all goods fo im-
ported. By the fame adl the civil and military fervants of the company
were made amenable to the court of king's bench in England for ads
of oppreffion committed in India. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 47.]

Perfons knowingly receiving ftolen jewels or gold and filver plate were
made liable to tranfportation for fourteen years. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 48.]

The delays and evafions of juftice occafioned by the privileges enjoy-
ed by the members of both houfes of parhament, and even by their fer-
. vants, were found extremely prejudicial in a commercial country. It was
therefor enacted, that after the 24''' of June 1770 fuits might be pro«
fecuted in courts of record, equity, or admiralty, and courts having
caufes matrimonial and teftamentary, againft peers and all members of
parliament, without arrefting their perfons : and the courts nlay order
the iftues levied by diftrefs infinite to be fold, and the money to be ap-
plied under the diredion of the court to pay the plaintiiFs cofts, [lo
Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

An ad of the Scottifti parliament in the year 1685 had empowered
landed gentlemen to entail their eftates with fuch provifions and reftric-
tions as they thought proper, which tallies [entails] when completed and
publiftied in the manner direded by the ad, were declared effedual
againft purchafers, creditors, and all others whatfoever : and many of the
entails, made in confequence of this ad, Hmited the pofteflbrs of eftates
from granting leafes beyond their own lives. Such a law being an ef-
fectual bar againft all improvement, it was now altered fo far as to per-
mit the polfelTors of eftates fo entailed to give leafes for fourteen years
and one exifting life, for two exifting lives and the life of the furvivor,
or for any number of years not exceeding thirty-one ; provided that
fuch leafes fhall oblige the tenants to improve the lands in the manner
exprefled in the ad. They are alfo enabled to grant leafes for ninety-
nine years of lots, not exceeding five acres to one perfon, for the pur-

3R2

500 A. D. 1770.

pofe of building villages conlifling of at leafl: two houfes upon each acre,
of the value of at lead ;^io each houfe, which rnwiX be kept in fufficient
tenantable repair. But no leafe is to be made at an undei-rent in con-
fideration of a fum paid in hand.

In order further to encourage the pofTefTors of entailed eftates in Scot-
land to improve them by incloling, planting, and draining, and to build
fuitable farm-houfes and offices for the tenants, every fuch poirelTor, on
complying with the prefcribed forms, is empowered during his Ufe-time
to charge the eftaie for fuch purpofes with a debt amouming to three
fourths of the money fo expended, but which Ihall not exceed four years*
free and net rent ; which debt the fucceeding heir of entail (liall be li-
able to pay, with intereft computed from the time of his acceffion to the
eftate, to the executor of the preceding poflefTor, unlefs fuch execu-
tor be himfelf the heir of entail, before he can make any improvements
himfelf with a view to conftitute a debt upon the next heir of entail.
In the fmie manner the pofleffor is enabled to build a manlion-houfe
for himfelf, and to throw three fourths of the expenfe upon his fuccef-
for, fo as the debt thus created do not exceed two years net rent of the
eflate.

For the further improvement of fuch entailed eftates, the poflefTors are
empowered to exchange, under the authority of the fbirref or ftewart
of the fliire, any detached parcels of land, not exceeding 30 acres of
arable or 100 acres of hill or pafture, for equivalent parcels iituated
more conveniently for the improvement of the entailed eftate, fuch
newly-acquired pieces of land being fubjecl to all the i-eftrictions of the
entail, as much as the reft of the eftate. And laftly, all tallies (or entails)
of eftates in Scotland, made either before or after the year 1685, are
equally liable to the modifications of this a6l. [10 Geo. Ill, c. 51.]

Whoever confiders the clofe connexion between improvements of
agriculture and the profperity of commerce, will not think the abridge-
ment of this law impertinent in a hiftory of commerce.

An act was made for regulating the coal-heavers on the River Thames,
and proteding them from the oppreffions of the coal-undertakei-s. [10
Geo 111, c. ':,3-'\

The corporation of the city of Glafgow was empowered to improve
the navigation of the River Clyde, and to build a bridge over the river.
[10 Geo. Ill, c. 104.]

Many canals in various parts of the country (the chief of which will
be noticed in due time), and alfo the improvement of feveral fmall har-
bours, were provided for in this feflion of parliament.

The advocates for a fettlemenrupon Falkland's iflands, in their fan-
guine expedations of advantages to be derived from it, faw not only the
facility of diftrefling the Spanifti lettlements in time of war, which (as
already obferved under the year 1766) was the objedl Lord Anfon had

A. D. 1770. 501

in view in firfl propofing it, but alfo vafl profpeds of extenfive trade
with the Indian nations of Chili and the fouthern extremity of America,
and the natives of the great continent to be difcovered in the Antarctic
regions, the vifionary 'Terra auflralis hicognita, befides the profitable clan-
defline trade with the Spanifli and Portuguefe fettlemems in South
America. Similar ideas with refped to trade feem to have prevailed
about the fame time in France, which produced Mr. Bougainville's voy-
age and a fettlement upon thofe iflands, called Port Louis, afterwards re-
figned by France to Spain.

In the later part of the year 1769 Captaui Hunt, the commanding of-
ficer at the Britifli fettlement calli^d Port Egmont, difcovered, that there
was a Spanifh colony with a governor at the head of it at the old French
fettlement, to which the Spaniards had given the new name of Port So-
lidad. A correfpoudence thereupon enlued between the two command-
ers, wherein each aflerted the fole right of his fovereign to the country,
and warned the other to depart. In February 1770 two Spanifla frigates
arrived, the commander of which protefled againft the Britiih fettle-
ment, declaring at the fame time, that he would take no further flep
till he fliould acquaint his court of the affair. Captain Hunt thereupon
thought it beft to go home to inform government of what had happen-
ed ; and he left two floops of war to keep pofllffion in his ablence, one
of which \%s afterwards lofl on the coafi: of America. In the beginning
of June five Spanifli frigates, with a confiderable military force, arrived
at Port Egmont, which obliged the Britifli commander to furrender the
place, but not his fhip, to the Spaniards. The fhip, however, by an ar-
ticle of the capitulation, was not to fail till a limited time ; and for fe-
curing the performance of that article the Spaniards thought proper to
unhang the fliip's rudder, and carry it on fliore.

The affront put upon the Britifhflag, and particularly the affair of the
rudder, was loudly refented at home ; and the minds of moil people
were much enflamed and eager for a war with Spain ; a war, which the
fuggeflions of the daemon of avarice, ftifling the wifer counicl of the
genius of commerce, too often renders popular with the unthmking vul-
gar. In ihort, this trifling objed was upoji the point of plunging Eu-
rope, or rather the whole world, inco the horroi's of war ; and the pre-
miums of infiirance uj)on outward-bound velfels adually role fn^m four
to I'JH per cent. But the king of Spain, having happily no inclination
for hoftilities, (or beingy?ro«^/|/ advifed againll them) m the begmning
of the following year (January 1771) formally difavowed the ad of his
officer, and ordered the place to be refiored to Great Britam. It was
accordingly taken pofleffion of (16'' September 1771) ; and afterwards,
upon a fufficient experience of its inutility, it was filencly abandoned in
the year 1774.

On tlie application of the planters and others concerned in the ifland

502 A. D. 1770.

of Dominica, reprefenting, that its great diftance from Grenada, the
feat of government, rendered the connedion with that ifland very de-
trimental to it, it was refolved to ere6t it into a feparate government ;
and Sir WiUiam Young, who was heutenant-governor of it under Ge-
neral Melville, the governor-general, was appointed the firft governor.

Mr. George Walker, the juftly-renowned commander of the fquadron
of private fliips of war, called 'The Royal family, and the public-fpirited
promoter of fiflieries at Campbelltown and elfewhere in Scotland, fent
home from Nova-Scotia a memorial to the board of trade, fetting forth,
that about feven years ago he had carried a large cargo of fait and fifh-
ing implements in his own fhips to America, and having eflablifhed a
fettlement on the coaft of Nova-Scotia northward of St. John's ifland,
entered largely into the fifhery. He obferves, that the coaft from Baye
vert (Green bay) to the Bay of Chaleur, a tradl of about 50 leagues, is
the moft produdive of fifli of any part of America ; that the Bay of
Chaleur abounds with falmon, cod, herring, mackerel, fturgeon, bafs
little inferior to falmon, lobfters, and oyfters; and that it is the only
place in'' that country free of fogs, whereby the fifh are caught and cured
fix weeks earlier than elfewhere, and confequently can be fo much
fooner at market ; and he adds, that about the firft of July the fi{h mi-
grate to the coaft of Labrador. That great trad of coaft, whereon he
had fettled, was now in the legal pofl'eflion of about twenty Britifti fa-
milies, and ftill inhabited by numbers of Indians, and by many Acadian
French, who took advantage of their remotenefs from the feat of go-
vernment, there being no other authority in the whole country than
a fingle imfupported magiftrate (Mr. Walker himfelf), to inftill princi-
ples of hoftility to the Britifh fettlers into the minds of the Indians.
The French moreover ufed to procure from the Indians large quanti-
ties of furs in exchange for French goods, which were run in upon the
coaft from St. Pierre and Miquelon, The total want of any legal re-
ftraint encouraged the people employed by the Britifli undertakers of
fiftieries to run off with their boats and veflels in the fifliing feafon to
remote parts of Newfoundland, where they fold the fifli, and, in order
10 elude the purfuits of juftice, entered into other fervices, whereby con-
fiderable property and many fubjeds were loft to Great-Britain. Other
fiftiermen ufed to fell their employer's fifti on the bank for rum, &c.
to the New-England veflels, whereby they rendered themfelves ufe-
lefs for the remainder of the feafon, the confequence of which to their
employers was ruinous. The New-Englanders, not contented with their
unlawful purchafes, ufed to land upon the coaft, and rob the flakes
of the fifh drying on them in the care of the women and children, and,
prefuming on impunity, frequently carried their piracy to fuch a
pitch of audacity as to fet fire to veflels that were ftranded, though they
might be got off, merely in order to plunder the iron work. Another

A. D. 1770. 503

thing ruinous to the fifhery, and a!fo a confequence of the want of go-
vernment, was the practice of throwing the refufe of the fifh overboard
on the fiihing grounds, which poifons the fifh, or drives them off the
banks. This lazy praftice had ahnoft ruined the fifhery, when the coun-
try belonged to the French, who made, and enforced, a law againll it,
whereby the fifhery again revived.

Commodore Yvalker further reprefented, that the want of a cuftom-
houfe, and the want of legally-conflituted authority in this fequeftered
region, were infuperable bars to the improvement of the foil, and to the
extenfion of the filheries and the trade with the Indian natives. There-
for he recommended, that a fub-governor fhould be appointed for this
diflridl *, and fupported by fuch a force as might enable him to pre-
ferve tranquillity and juflice among the fettlers, and that he fhould have
under his command a few cruifing vefTels to enforce order and regula-
tion, and prevent piracies and illicit trade among the fifhermen during
the feafon. He alfo advifed, that the fame perfon, or another, fhould
ad: as deputy-colledor of the cufloms for the convenience and difpatch
of trade.

For fome years paft the oppreffion of the Britifli merchants feems to
have formed a part of the policy of the Portuguefe government, of which
we have ah-eady feen many inftances. This fummer Mr. Connel, a Brit-
ifh merchant, was imprifoned at Lifbon for refufing to pay brokerage
demanded of him, contrary to treaty, by a broker whom he had not
employed.

The fituation of the Eaft-India Company's affairs being fuch as to
admit of a further augmentation of their dividend, it was declared for
the July payment at the rate ^i twelve per cait per annum.

September 17'' — An artificial navigable cut from the river Lea into
the Thames at Limehoufe was completed, and began to be navigated
by barges. As this new cut faves the long and tedious circumnaviga-
tion of the Ifle of dogs, its great utility to the inland trade of the coun-
try adjacent to the river Lea is obvious.

November 29''' — The ad prohibiting the exportation of bread and
grain (excepting rice), and the diflillation from wheat, w^as further con
tinned. [11 Geo. Ill, c. i.]

December 1 6'' — For the better fupply of feamen for the navy and
merchant fervice, merchant-fhips were allowed to have three fourths of
their crews foreigners till the i" of February 1 772. [i i Geo. Ill, c. 3.]

December 22'' — The free importation of faked provifions from Ire-
land and America was further continued till the i« of March 1772.
[II Geo. III. c. 8.]

Lieutenant-governor Bull, of South Carolina ftated the number of
white people about 45,000, and of negroes about 80,000. The land

* Th/« diilrift is now a part of the new proTince of Ncw-Brunfwick.

504 A. D. 1770.

pofTelTed by refidents, though not all cultivated, was 2,591,762 acres, as
returned in lad year's tax. Since i" January 1769 there were 5,438 ne-
groes imported, and fold for about ;(^20o,ooo llerling. Hemp was in-
crcafing in quantity and improving in quality: this year 526,131 pounds
of it. brought to Charlellown, received the provincial bounty amount-
ing to ;(^2,500 flerling ; of which quantity nearly two fifths were work-
ed up in the province. The interior part of the country, he fays, is
found to be well adapted to vines ; and one poor German adually made
eighty gallons of wine *. The tobacco and flour were in want of legal
regulations.

Mr. Bull alfo reported the profperous flate of a colony of French pro-
teftants fettled in the province in the year 1764, and of a large body of
Germans eflablifhed there in 1765 at the expenfe of a number of pri-
vate gentlemen in London.

Governor Bruere of Bermuda this year flared the population of the
iflands under his command to be about 6,000 white peoplt- of all forts,
and full as many, 01 more, negroes f. He obferves, that in time of war
thev are wealthy, their vefl^els, which fail rema)kably fafl, getting a pre-
ference everywhere for freight :{;, and alfo felling for high prices : but
in time of peace they can fcarcely fell them for the cofl. He flaies the
* fmall exports' to confift of fawed flones for buildi: g, limes, onions,
cabbages, and ducks, which they carry to Barbados, Antigua, &c. and
their vefl'els find employment by carrying paflengers and goods among
the Weft -India iflands ||. He very much regrets their negled of raifing
corn, whence their whole cafh is carried off" for that article, and, what
is worfe, not by their own veflels, but by North Americans, who bring
it, by which means the fupply is alfo precarious, and- he apprehends,

* Mr. Collinfon, the celebrated naturallft, had of them do, and is proprietor of four negro failorsi,

before this time remarked, thai the natural grapes pays no wages at all except to a mate.
of America were capable of making good wine, if || He might have added— and to the continent

properly managed ; and he added, that if proper of America. He fays nothing of their wrecking,

care were taken to improve the grape by cultivation, except incidmtally noticing, that the people are

and the wine by a diligent and flcilful procefa in accuilonicii to benefit by (hipwrecks ; nor of their

making it, America might become one of the moil catching turtle, which they cany to the WelUIn-

celebrated wine countries in the world. dia iflands and America.

■f- If this very fniall tiaft of country confiding Whales are iometimes taken near Bermuda ; but
.of chalk rock (which they work into pieces fit for they arc not very numerous, as appears by a duty-
building with a faw and a plane) in many places not or t^x (li £l on each full-grown whale not being
even covered with foil, contain I2,coo people, fufficltnt to raife jf lOO a-ycar of aduitional falary
white and black, it is probably the molt populous to the governor. This whale-fifliery is conduced
part ofthcBritiflidominion':, excepting large towns; at almoit no expenfe in open boats manned by ue-
as there murt be about one inhabitant for eviiy groes.

acre,-the whole country being on'v about 24 miles The incidents of a whale-fifhing adventure, and

long, and from half a mile to three miles in breadth, the beautiful appearance of the ifland, have been

A much lower, and apparently an accurate, (late- celebrated by Waller, who had never feen any

mcnt of the population was afterwards given by other evergreen country, and who fpent fome weeks

Governor Browne. in the ifland, whereby the fame of this trifling fpot

J In time of war other owners mud give cxor- ha; been raifed almoil above tliat of any of the

bitant wages to their feamen. The Bermudian Weft-India iflands. Such arc the crcatire powcrj

•wner, if he commands the Tcffel himfclf, as many of poetry.

A. D. 1770. 505

may fome time ftarve the people, and drive the negroes into rebellion.
He propofes the erection of a light-houfe, as a thing abfolutely neceffary:
and in time of war, he fays, the iflands fhould never be without a fri-
gate. He obferves, that notwithftanding the general poverty there is no
money fmaller than a half real, and he recommends the introduction of
copper halfpence.

The governor of the Bahama iflands fufpeding, that a great deal of
illicit trade v^'as going on at Turks illands, applied to Captain Wallace
of the nayy, v/ho fent Lieutenant Dundas in an armed fchooner up to
thofe iflands, where he feized a fnow called the Friendlhip ; and the
fame oiTicer foon after feized a brig called the Edinburgh in the harbour
of New-Providence : and both veflels were condemned in the court of
admiralty for taking onboard foreign produce and other goods prohib-
ited by law at Turks iflands.

Sir William Trelawney, governor of Jamaica, reported, that the coun-
ty of Cornwall in the weft end of the ifland was now fo much improved,
as to make three fevenths of the whole produce of the ifland. He alfo
reprefented the profperity of the north fide of the ifland to be fo much
advanced by the great number of new plantations within ten miles of
the lea, and by the increafe of commerce at the free ports of Montego
bay and Lucea, as to be well worthy of the fpecial protection of govern-
ment by ftationing fome fhips of war at Pore Antonio. ' The almoft
' total neglect of this place about the year 1748, it was fuppofed, was

* chiefly owing to the uncultivated condition of the parts about it, the
' people being then fcarcely recovered from their fears of the rebellious
' negroes, and unwilling to rifque precarious fettlements. It is find
' moreover that the place was unhealthy, that his Majefty's fhips were

' with difficulty fupplied with frelh provifions, and that the communi—
' cation by land with Port- Royal was extremely bad. But thefe objec-
' tions are now in a great meafure, if not totally, removed ; for the ad-

* joining country being now cleared, the rains are become lefs frequent,

* and the place as wholefome as any other part of the ifland. Very
' large and fruitful pens are now in the neighbourhood, fufficient to
' fupply with vegetables and cattle any number of fhips flationed there:.

* and confiderable grants of money have been made by the alfembly,
' and expended in making good roads from that port to the fouthern
' parts of the ifland.'

In confequence of an importation from North- America to Jamaica of
Spanifli gold coins, which had been mutilated to, or originally manu-
factured of, about three fourths of the real value (the irregular form of
the Spanifli hammered money encouraging fuch frauds) the aflembly ot
Jamaica paffed a fevere act againft clipping, diminifliing, or forging, the
foreign coins currrent in the ifland, or importing fuch deficient coins.
In the later end of the year the thrivine new fugar colony of Toba-
VoL. Ill, ^' 3S-

5o6

■A. D. 1770.

go was thrown into the greatefl confternation by the revolt of fome of
the negro flaves. A miUtary force was immediately fent from Grenada
by General Melville, the governor-general of the ceded iflands.by means
of which, and fome affiftance given by Captain Reynolds in the Quebec
frigate, the infurgents were foon reduced, the number of whom, it was-
found, after all, did not much exceed thirty.

The ifland of Grenada was alfo alarmed by an attack of the maroon
negroes, who lived concealed in the woods in the heart of the ifland :
but no confiderable damage was done.

The Caribs of St. Vincents about the fame time made an attack upon
the houfes and works erected by fome white people, who had intruded
upon the lands occupied by them.

An Account of the value of the exports from the Britifh Wefl-India iflands
in the courfe of this year is here inferted, in order to afford a compari-
fon with a more ample account of their produce and trade, which will
be given under the year 1788 *.

Exports from
Jamaica to
Virgin islands
Anguilla
St. Christophers
Nevis
Antigua
Montserrat
Dominica
St. Vincents
Grenada
Barbados
Bahamas
Bermudas

Totals

Great Britain

North

Total value in

and Ireland.

America.

Other islands.

Africa

sterl. money.

1,391,210

146,324

595

1,538,129

6\,Qg6

10,133

71,629

3,800

2,057

5,857

36;,074

59.794

519

68

427,455

43,827

14,155

57,982

430,210

35,551

230

465,991

89,907

12,633

102,540

46,365

16,496

62,861

79,126

13,375

92,501

454,977

51,061

672

506,710

311,012

119,828

1,173

432,013
5,919
8,013

3,279,204

481,407

3,189

68

3,777,800

Tobago alfo exported fome produce, the value of which is not afcertain-
cd : it was, however, but trifling, the ifland being then but in its infan-
cy with refped to cultivation.

The total value of the woollen manufadures exported from Great
Britain at this time was above four millions of fterling money : and it
has fince increafed confiderably.

The grofs produce of the duty on hops this year amounted to
;f 101,131 : 2 : 7.

By Mr Swallow's report of the trade at Peterfljurg it appears, that 306
Britifli veflTels, and 229 of all other nations, failed with cargoes from
that port in the courfe of this year.

* I have compiled this account from the information collefted by the induftry of Doftor Camp.
bell in his accounts of the feveral iflands. \_Politicat furvey of Great Britain, p. ii, pp. 6j8 et feqq.

A, D. 1770. 507

By reports tranfmitted from Hamburgh by Mr. Woodford it appears,
that in the courfe of the year the goods imported into that city from
the Britifh dominions in 200 vefTels, whereof 163 were Britifh, amount-
ed to ;^i,020,25i : 5 :4 fterling;
and the imports from France in 177 veflels, 1
whereof 19 were Britifh, and not one French, > 945,467 : 4 : o
amounted to j

Mr Woodford obferved, that though the number of vefTels from Brit-
ifh ports was fewer by 16 than lafl year, he beheved that deficiency was
fully balanced by the greater burthen of thefhips of this year ; and that,
fo far from there being any decreafe in the trade of thofe ports which
fent large fhips with valuable cargoes, there were five fhips more from.
London, and 10 fhips more from Glafgow, than in the year 1769.

He complained, that the merchants of Hamburgh, by means of the
great numbers of Hamburghers fettled as merchants in London, were
enabled to monopolize the carrying trade between the two ports, which
they confined to thirty large fhips of from 300 to 600 tuns, belonging
to Hamburgh, at fuch exorbitant freights as abfolutely prevented feveral
bulky articles from being fliipped ; while only one Englifliman, Mr.
Newby, ventured to employ any vefTels in that trade ; and he had three
good Ihips in it.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,898 vefTels, of the computed burthen of 593,962 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,509 88,849

Total 9.407 682,811

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Wefl-India four-and-

a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,

was from the cuftom-houfe in London - ^'^^SSI^^AS ^8 8

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 9,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain ^^2,546, 143 18 8
There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year

13,350 pounds of gold, value - £^^3^11^ ^5 o

and 22 pounds of filver, - - 68 4 o

^623,846 19 o.

3 S 2.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriflmas 1769 to Chriftmas 1770, was as follows.

ENGLAND.

.5^68,449 13 7

10,656 8 9

76,8ctS 17 2

175,552 15 6

1,941,627 4 0

113,960 11 7

65,975 19 11

684,463 S 11

22,626 6 1

352,535 6 4

1,214,39s 4 5

815,944 17 2

4,935 12 6

329,663 3 4

1,046,710 5 II

505,267 13 2

7,083 11 5

136,616 6 0

164,366 3 6

82,903 19 7

47,542 14 5

Countries, 6:c.
Africa
Canaries .
Denmark, &c.
East country .
East India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland .
Holland .
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prassia
Portugal .
Russia .
Spain
Straits
Gibraltar
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, &c.
America in general
Hudson's Bay
Newfoundland
Cape Breton .
Quebec

Nova-Scotia . .
New-England .
New- York
Pennsylvania .
Virginia and Maiyland
Carolina . .
Georgia
Florida
West Indies in general

Anguilla

Antigua

Barbados .

Bermuda

Dominica .

Grenada

Jamaica

Montserrat . .

Nevis

St. Christophers .

St. Vincents

Tobago

Tortola ....

New-Providence

St. Croix ....

St. Eustathius

Foreign West-Indies 1
& Bay of Honduras J

Imp. andexp. ofEng. 12,216,937 14 3

Imported into

Exported from

10,715 0

45.108 11 '
197 4

40,703 6

7,324 7

148,011 14

69,882 10

28.109 5 1
435,094
278.907

55,532

9 7

4 0

7 5

3 O

167 17 11

349,102 1 8

283,455 19 1

136,152 18 7

433,421 12 1

,274,807 13 6

83,947 9 1

97,152 19 S

324,287 7 8

81,965 18 3

2,323 11 10

43,230 4 4

6,387 11 10

21,386 12 9

476 18 11

87,256 19 2

Imp. and exp. of Scot.
ToUlj Great Britain,

1,213,360

13,430,298 3

£ai5 13 1)
31,469 14 :

174 2 8

4,306 1 2

24,824 16 6

2,983 6 5

90,598 9 11

166,500 9 7

359 211

3,926 18 10

357 10 8

11,949 11 2

8,382 13 6

9,563 O 10

117,716 O 2

6,278 5 11

13 14 911

22,375 17 3 II

522
486,3/6

ENGLAND.

^571,003 6 9

41,352 II 10

167,257 4 11

80,329 O 8

1,082,030 8 10

6/8,286 12 1

156,509 6 7

1,272,569 0 4

29 6 4

1,766,333 10 2

2,125,466 12 8

756,385 11 3

26,500 15 3

534,70s 19 I

145,743 6 9

887,099 1 '1

148,813 18 3

58,576 4 8

22,032 15 8

71,541 5 4

52,608 5 9

4,623 2 1

91,058 O C

231,626 6 6

45,092 4 10

394,451 7

475,991 12

134,881 15

717.782 17

146,273 17

56,193 16

221,387 12 5

2,486 10 8

,213,360 8 10

SCOTLAND.

a^2 1,459 17

67,23s 5

346,736 12

85,044 4

302,413 7

445,891 18

265 16

27,421 18

218 16

1,459 4

438 9

1,614 15

1,456 3

12,718 6

239 15

8,838 4

339,471 7

5
O
5
3
O
7
:39,857 12 11

112,533 2 0

203,568 9 8

9,705 15 6

34,209 7 10

136,792 12 8

558,219 10 6

19,297 16 5

17,307 10 3

96,834 10 1

42,821 13 11

19,123 4 9

16,985 12 9

6,060 7 7

1,069 5 3

14,266,653 17 5
1,727,917 15

|!l5,994,57l

64,322 9 5

1,727,917 15

A. D.I 77 1. 509

1771 , January 4"' — The lord mayor of London ordered the meal-weigli-
crs of the corn market in Mark lane to flick up in a confpicuous place
an exadl account of the quantities and prices of the wheat fold and the
names of the buyers. This regulation gave great offence to the dealers,
millers, &c. but was highly applauded by the public, who hoped it
would contribute greatly to prevent engrolling the mofi: neceflary^article
of fubliflence.

April 1 2''' — The increafed number of the people in the metropolis,
and probably alfo the increafed luxury of the people, rendering the 800
hackney coaches, hitherto licenced, too few to accommodate the public,
200 more coaches were licenced to ply, they paying, as the former ones,
a weekly duty of five fhillings each for their hcences. [i i Geo. Ill, c.
24.]

The important fifliery of the River Tweed was regulated ; and no per-
fon is allowed to kill any fpecies of falmon in that river or its branches
between the lo'"^ of Odober and the 12''' of January, nor at any time of
the year between twelve o'clock on Saturday night and two o'clock on
Monday morning. Taking, or even having in pofTeffion, the fpawn, fry,
or young brood, of the fifh between the i'^ of April and the x*^ of June
was alfo made punifhable by fine, as were alfo laying dirt or rubbifh in
the river, and difliurbing the fifh when entering the river. [11 Geo. Ill,
c, 27.]

The confequencc of the irregularity, or floppage, in paying the boun-
ty on the herring fifliery in Scotland, while it was regularly paid in the
ports of England, whereby the number of buffes fitted out from the
Scottifh ports, which in the year 1767 was 263, was reduced in 1770 to
19, has already been noticed under the year 1766, when the floppage
began. For the fummer filhing of this year (1771) there were only 4
bufles cleared out, fo that the filhery might be faid to be annihilated,
or rather abandoned to foreigners, who were enriched by vafl furas re-
ceived for herrings caught in the Scottifh feas, great quantities of which
found their way to our own Wefl-India iflands.

So far as the regular payment of the bounty could operate to revive
this perifhing trade, it was evident, that a fmaller bounty, regularly
paid, would be preferable to a larger one with a delay of feveral years.
The proprietors of the bufles, therefor, made a propolal to government,
which was pafTed into a law, to the following effed.

May 8'^ — A bounty oi thirty Jhillings per tun, to commence on the 22"*
of Odober 1771, and to continue for feven years, was granted to all
decked veflels from 20 to 80 tuns burthen, built in Britain after the 21" of
January 1760, and manned and navigated agreeable to the exifting laws,
which are fitted out for, and employed in, the herring fifhery. Every
vefTel of 20 tuns is to carry fix men, and larger veflels to have one man
for every five tuns above twenty j and to carry an appointed quantity

510 A. D. 1771.

of nets, fait, and other fifhing ftorcs, proportioned to the tunnage. Every
Teffel intended for the fummer fiOiery mufl be at the ftation or rendez-
vous on or before the 22'^ of June, and niiifl not begin to fifh before
the ^4"" ; after which they are to continue fifliing till the 1 2^'' of Odo-
ber, unlefs they (hall have completed their loading fooner. Thofe in-
tended for the winter fifliery mud be at the rendezvous on or before
the i" of Odober, and continue fifhing till the 1 1"" of January, unlefs
completely loaded fooner. The flations appointed for the veflels to af-
femble at previous to the commencement of the fifhery, and for their
return from it, were Yarmouth in Norfolk, Leith, Invernefs, Brafley
found, Kirkwall, Oban, Campbelltown, and Whitehaven : and the boun-
ty in Scotland was no longer to be dependent on the produce of a par-
ticular fund, but to be pundlually paid from the whole revenue of the
kingdom, as it is in England. [11 Geo. IIJ, c. 31.]

An ad for the keeping and carriage of gun-powder, among other pre-
cautions, direds, that, for the fecurity of the great number of veflels
lying in the River Thames, no veflel fhall have onboard above 25 pounds
of gun-powder, while fhe is above Elackwall. [i i Geo. Ill, c. ■^■^^

The exportation of live cattle and hogs, and alfo of the flefh of thofe
animals, was prohibited, except to Gibralter, Minorca, and fuch of the
colonies as have been ufually fupplied with provifions from Great Bri-
tain. [11 Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

For the encouragement of the whale fiftiery, the importation of the
fins, oil, and blubber, of whales, and the oil, fkins, and other produce
of feals, and other creatures caught in the Greenland feas, by vefl^els, of
which the captain, and at leafl one third of the men, are Britifh, was
permitted free of any duty. Alfo from 25''' December 1771, every
Britifh fhip, of ftrength fufficient to encounter the Greenland feas, and
manned and provided in a manner proper for the whale fifhery, that
proceeds in the proper feafon to profecute that fifhery in the Greenland
feas, Davis's flraits, or the adjacent feas, and returns to the port whence
fhe failed, is entitled to a bounty oi forty JJjillings a tun on every voyage
for five years, to thirty Jlnllings for a fecond term of five years, and to
twenty JlMlings for a third term of five years : the whole bounties grant-
ed by this ad expiring on the 25''' of December 1786 : every vefTel of
200 tuns is obliged to carry /o«r boats and 30 men, including the mafler
and furgeon ; and every fhip from 200 to 400 tuns to carry one boat and
6 men for every 50 tuns above 200 ; and every fliip to have one appren-
tice for every 50 tuns of her burthen, who is to be reckoned part of
her compliment of men.

As doubts had arifen, whether it was lawful to infure the bounty,
which the veffel is entitled to in the event of her arrival, it was declared
lawful to infure fuch bountv, and to recover it from the underwriters,
if the veflel be loft.

A. D. 1 77 1.

5"

The fame bounties were alfo granted to Britifli-American veflels, not
more than two years old, proceeding, after due infpedion, from their
ports in America before the firfl day of May for the Greenland feas,
and thence to fonie port in Britain with the produce of their fifhery.

For the encouragement of the whale fifliery in the Gulf of St. Lau-
rence, and on the American coafl-, whale fins taken by Britifh fubjedls,
were permitted to be imported till the 25'*^ of December 1786, in vef-
fels navigated according to law, paying no other duty than that called
the old fubfidy. [11 Geo. Ill, c. 38.]

While this a6t was in contemplation, a ret-rofpedl of the Greenland
whale fifhery fince its revival in this kingdom was produced, in order
to evince the propriety of continuing the bounty for fuch a term of
years as might indemnify the merchants for adapting their vefl^els, and
laying in the necefiary ftores, for fuch an expenfive undertaking : from
that retrofped, together with the more accurate information furnilhed
by the cuftom-houfes of England and Scotland, I have drawn up the
following account.

The Greenland fifhery, after having been many years abandoned by
the Englifli, was revived in the year 1725 by the South-fea company,
who carried it on with very great lofs to themfelves till the year 1733.

For the encouragement of adventurers, the government then offered a
bounty of 2q/"a tun, which in feven years after was raifed to 30/": yet
there were only from three to fix vefiTels employed in the fiflaery from
the year 1 733 till 1 749.

In the year 1750 the bounty of ^ofa. tun took place ; and after that
time the vefl^els which failed from England and Scotland for the Green-
land feas, their tunnage, and the bounties paid to them in each year,
were as follows.

FBOM ENGLAND.

FROM SCOTLAND.

ssels

Tunnage.

19

6,264

23

7,360

30

9,871

35

11,814

52

17,235

66

21,293

67

21,328

55 ■

17,221

52

15,399

34

10,337

40

12,082

31

9,789

28

8,877

30

9,416

32

10,261

33

10,099

35

10,015

39

12,284

41

12,802

44

13,471

50

14,775

Bounty paid.

4^10,507 3 3
16,530 19 10
17,231 9 5
27,693 O 11
31,328 6 9
45,634 18 8
42,103 1 O
34,450 O 8
27,006 6 1
19.273 18 1
20,540 5 6
19,247 1
13,358 e
18,465 15 „
19,463 16 1
18,748 17
19,947 2
24.537 9
,24,026 18
24,935 12
29,240 18

Years.

Vessels

Tunnage.

1750

1

333

1751

6

1,933

1752

10

3,137

1753

14

4,294

1754

15

4,680

17.35

16

4,964

1756

16

4,964

1757

15

4,530

1758

15

4,499

1759

15

4,479

1760

14

4,238

1761

14

4,238

1702

14

4,238

1763

10

3,109

1764

10

3,140

1765

8

2,559

1766

9

2,797

1767

9

2,797

1768

9

2,797

1769

9

2,797

1770

9

2,797

Bounty paid.
s£666 0 O

3,866
6,274
8,589
9,361
9,929
9,315
8,567
8,271
8,959 13
8,477 13
8,477 13
8,045 13

5,649
6.281
5,119
5,595
5,595
5,595
5,595
5;595

51* A, D. I77I-

The fiftiery from Great Britain is carried on by fhips which are, upon
an average, of 300 tons burthen*, and carry 54 men, of whom 6 are
apprentices, and is thus a very great nurfery of the mofl hardy feamen.
The American fifhery is carried on by fhalops, carrying about 6 men,
and in a great meafure by the Elkimeaux Indians, from whom the
American colonifts purchafe the oil and fins, which are much inferior to
thofe brought from the Greenland feas, the oil being adulterated with
a mixture of leal and cod oil, and the fins brittle. Befides, all the oil
and fins which can be fupplied by America, though they were of the
befl quality, are far Ihort of the demand : and thence it follows, that,
if the Britifh fiihery is given up, as it mufl be if the bounty is difcon-
tinued, we mull depend almoft entirely upon the Dutch, who may
charge what prices they pleafe, (and in fadl they have charged as high
as ^^700 a tun for whale fins) which mufl make a prodigious annual
drain of money from this country f .

Such were the fadls and the arguments which induced the legiflature
to continue the bounty on the whale fifliery.

The crime of counterfeiting the copper money of the realm, which
had hitherto been punifhed only as a mifdemeanour, was now made
felony, [i 1 Geo. Ill, c. 40.]

The importation of all kinds of unmanufaiflured wood of the growth
or produce of America, was permitted free of duty ; and the importers
of fome parcels of Honduras mahogany, landed after the i** of July
1770, were warranted to receive back the duties they had paid on them.

Goods from the Levant liable to infedion, if imported without clean
bills of health, were prohibited from being landed in Great Britain,
Ireland, or any of the adjacent iflands. In order to remove the dotibt,
whether raw filk and mohair yarn, fliipped in places fubjedto the Grand
Signior, and landed at any port of the Mediterranean for the purpofe
of being aired, are to be confidered as imported from fuch intermediate
port, it was enaded, that goods fo circumftanced are to be admitted
to entry as coming from the port where they were firft fliipped. [ii
Geo. in;c. 41.]

In order to reduce the price* of ftaves and heading, the importation
of them from America was encouraged by bounties proponioned to
their fize, to commence on the i*^ of January 1772. The ports ap-
pointed for importation upon this bounty, were London, Southampton,
Poole, Exeter, Plymouth, Brillol, Liverpool, Whitehaven, Glafgow,
Leith, Newcafile, Hull, and Yarmouth, [i i Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

* The total tnnnagc of the 32 fhips from Eng- f About this time there was a ver)- great con-
land in 1764 was 10,2^2 tuns, and that of the 50 fumption of whale bone, or fins, in very ftifF ftays
(liips in 1770 was 1477?. The blubber import- for the ladies. That rage has now greatly abated:
ed by the 32 fhips was 670 J tuns, and by the 50 thanks to the writmgs of Dodor Buchan, and the
fiiips 2,238 tuns. good fenfe of the ladies. i

A. D. 1771. 513

The feveral adls — for regulating laflage and balaftage in the River
Thames; — for admitting rum, and other fpirits, imported from the Brit-
ifh fugar iflands, to be Itored without paying down the excife duty ; —
for the punifhment of perfons armed or difguifed, acting in defiance of
the revenue laws ; — for preventing the deflrudion of the roads within
ten miles of London by overloading v/aggons or carts ; — and for ex-
porting barley (or bigg) from Orkney to Portugal, were continued for
limited times. [11 Geo. Ill, c. 51.]

The harbours in the ifle of Mann were formerly fupportcd by duties
levied under the authority of the ftatutes of the ifland upon the con-
traband trade. Thefe, fuice the fovereignty of the ifland has been in
the king's hands, having entirely ceafed, the harbours of the ifland
v/ere confequently now in a ruinous condition, and unfit to afford a
refuge to fliips taken by fudden or crofs gales of wind. Therefor, as a
fund for their improvement, certain regulated harbour-dues were al-
lowed to be taken- from all veflels arriving in the ifland; and alio
fmall dutiesupon fpirits, tobacco, tea, coffee, wine, and other foreign
goods, except fait.

The bounties granted by a former ad to the boats employed in the
herring fifhery on the coafl of Mann, and on the linen manufadure,
being made payable out of duties arifing from the herring fifliery itfelf,
were found ineffedual, only about a tenth part of the fifhermen in the
ifland having conformed to the regulations required, and they were there-
for repealed ; but the duties were continued, and added to the funds
for the reparation of the harbours. [11 Geo. Ill, c 52.]

Several ads were paffed for improvements in various parts of Lon-
don and the fuburbs ; as alfo in Winchefter, Worcefler, Edinburgh,
Leith, Wakefield, &c. Many ads for inland navigation, and for roads,
in various parts of the united kingdoms were alfo paffed in the courfe
of this feflion.

Among thefe it ought not to be omitted, as one of many proofs of
the increafing opulence of the commercial town of Liverpool, that a
theatre-royal, fandioned by ad of parliament, was now ereded in it.

The governor of New-York was authorifed, by inftrudions from
home, to grant a leafe to Mr. Philipfe of all royal mines of gold and
filver, difcovered, or to be difcovcred, within the manor of Philipfeburgh
in that province.

In confequence of an application to the king by the royal fociety,
Lieutenant Cook (who has already been noticed for his accurate charts
of Newfoundland) failed from Plymouth in Auguft 1768, in order to
make, in conjundion with Mr. Green of the royal obfervatory at Green-
wich, an accurate obfervation on the tranfit of Venus over the fun in
a fouthern latitude. After making the obfervation on the tranfit on
the 4" of June 1769 at the ifland of Otaheite, in the courfe of his

Vol. IIL 3 T

514 A. D. I77I.

voyage he difcovered many iflands in the great Pacific ocean hitherto
totally unknown to any European, made obfervations on others that
were erroneoufly defcribed, and particularly explored the coafts of the
great ifland (or continent) of New-Holland, and completed the circum-
navigation of the globe by returning round the Cape of Good Hope
to England, where he arrived in July this year. Mr. Banks and Doc-
tor Solander were induced by their thirft of knowlege to partake of the
hardfliips and the glory of this voyage of fcietice.

The indigo made in the province of Eafl-Florida was now of fo good a
quality, that fome of what was brought home this year fold by pub-
lic fale at Garraway's cofFeehoufe fo high as Syp a pound.

The Eaft- India company appointed their midfummer divided to be
at the rate of twelve and a balf per cent per annum, being the higheft
rate now allowed by ad of parliament.

September — The following was faid to be the ftate of the company's
trading llock at this tinae.

After all debts are paid, a balance of cafli, - £ 2 20, coo

Goods imported laft year, in the warehoufes, - 1,500,000

Cargoes of 1 8 fhips arrived this year, by eftimate, - 2,300,000

Cargoes of 1 1 Ihips dayly expedted, by eflimate, - 1,500,000

;^5,500,ooo

To which may be added the cargoes of 37 fhips of laft year for India,
aiod the goods provided in India and China for their homeward cargoes.

December 3'' — The king of Spain iflued an ordinance, very prejudi-
cial to the manufadlures and commerce of Great Britain, wherein he
prohibited the importation of cotton velvets, and all ftufFs having cotton
in their fabric, the ufe of which he ordered to be totally laid afide in
twenty-two months.

A new cement for the bottoms of fhips, faid to be proof againft the
worm^-^Tv^as tried at Chatham, and approved.

Mr. Bernieres, diredor of the bridges and caufeways in France, in-
vented a boat incapable of being funk or overfet, fit for inland naviga-
tion, coafting voyages, and fhort palTages by fea.

By accounts received from Grenada, the following was the flate of the
infant colony of Tobago on the 25'*" of June this year.

There were 243 white people, and 4,716 negro flaves, of whom 547
were efteemed worthy of being trufted with arms ; and there were be-
fides 125 runaway negroes, of whom only 19 were thought dangerous.
The number of acres of cleared land was 7,171, and of land in canes
2,347. The produce of this year was 724 hogfheads of fugar, and 453
puncheons of rum. The produce of the enfuing year was expeded to
be 3,372 hogfheads of fugar and 1,850 puncheons of rum.

A. D.

771.

S^S

December 27* — ^The greatefl part of the town of St. Georges in
Grenada was deflroyed by fire. The damage was eftimated at /^20o,ooo,
of which /^6o,ooo were infured in London. If it had happened at al-
moft any other feafon, the damage muft have been much greater, this
being the feafon, when there is the leall produce in the ftores.

The following account of the Unen cloth and Unen yarn exported
from Ireland, taken at intervals of ten years from the commencement
of the eighteenth century, and thenceforth annually, is extracted from
an account laid before the Irifh parliament by Mr. Archdall, infpedor
to the truftees of the linen manufadure, in order to fhow the progrefs
of the ftaple manufadure of that kingdom.

Linen Cloth.

Linen

Yam.

Years
ending

Quantity.

^i

Value.

Quantity.

Value.

tadyday

Yards.

l'^

^. s.

d.

cwt. qr. lb.

£. s. d.

1710

1,688,574

1/3

105,537 17

6

7,975 2 12

47,853 12 0

1720

2,437,984

1/

121,899 4

0

15,722 1 11

94,334 1 0

1730

4,136,2031

1/

206,810 3

6

10,088 1 9

55,485 15 9

1740

6,627,77 It

1/4

441,851 8

8

18,542 3 8

111,256 18 0

1750

11,200,460

1/2

653,369 3

4

22,373 0 5

134,238 5 0

1760

13,375,456^ ■

■ 891,697 1

8-

31,042 1 15

180,254 5 0

1761

]2,048,881t

803,258 15

4

39,699 2 25

238,198 5 0

1762

15,559,676

>l/4.

1,037,311 14

8

35,950 1 25

215,702 15 0

1763

16,013,1051.

1,067,540 7

0

34,468 0 7 ''

206,803 7 0

1764

]5,101,081|-

.1,006,738 15

8

31,715 1 25

190,292 15 0

1765

14,355,205 '

■1,070,640 7

6

26,127 0 0

156,762 0 0

]76G

17,892,102i

1,341,907 13

4

35,018 1 0

210,109 10 0

1767

20, 148,1 70 i

1,511,112 15

4

30,274 3 0

181,648 10 0

1768

18.490,019^

>VQ<

1,386,751 9

3

32,590 1 25

195,542 15 0

176q

17.796,705

1,334,302 17

6

37,037 0 20

222,223 0 0

1770

20,560,754

1,542,056 U

0

33,417 0 15

200,502 15 0

1771

25,376,808

.1,903,2<J0 12

0

34,166 0 15

204,990 15 0

The following view of the total quantities of Britifli and Irifh linens
exported from England, from the commencement of the firft bounty
on exportation, fliows the progrefs of the trade and the effedl of the
bounties upon it.

Yards British Linen. Yards Irish Linen.

^<

1743

1744

1745*

1746

1747

1749

1749

1 7.-50

1751
1752
1753
1754
1755

52,779
49,521
56,240
175,928

238,014
330,747
414,834
588,874
527,976
437,277
(541,510
1,382,796
41,367

40,907

28,255
101,928
695,002
595,277
723,663
965,897
742,032
854,490
968,319
1,030.967
843,973

.'i 1,010

Bount}'.

^^383 10 8

311 7 9

747 17 6

4,188 10 9

4,290 12 b

5,594 1 10

8,615 1 4

8,308 16 8

8,617 8 2

8,775 13 10

10,058 16 5

13,Q05 7 II

577 11 O

* This ysar the bounty was ralfcd to three halfpence per vard, :ind cilended to all linens from ^i*
to 175 a y.-iru.

3T 2

5.6

A. D. 1771.

Yards British Linen.

Yaidb Irish Linen.

Bo'.mty.

"" 1 ;.iO'

394,746

719.135

^6.932 U

8

n

1757

1,016.754

2,005,375

18,847 3

8

^

i;58

1,042,667

2,171,109

25,690 15

4

c^<

1759

1,693,087

1,956,572

22,807 11

1

3:

1760

1,413,602

2,352,385

23,538 13

1

\7Cn

1,272,935

1,819,329

19,324 11

3

.1762

1,762,643

2,930,476

29,331 19

10

■1703

2,308,310

2,588,564

30,604 6

9

1764

2,134,733

1,858,780

24,863 9

3

176.1

2,095,933

1,663,670

23,497 10

4

►0

1766

2,236,066

1,770,634

25,042 0

0

^<

176-

2,444,181

2,227,124

29,182 6

11

ri

1708

2,687,457

2,270,160

30,985 2

1

1769

3,056,950

1,855,159

30,699 3

5

1770'*

3,'i 16,506

2,707,482

36,972 18

4

.1771

4,411,040

3,450,224

44,738 8

10

Unluckily I have not materials at hand to complete the linen exports
of all Britain by adding thofe of Scotland. As a fpecimen I fhall here
give thofe of Olafgovv, the principal port of foreign trade, for the year
1-771^ from Gihf oil's Hijhry of Glafgo%i\ pp. 213-234.

Britisli linen
Irish linen
•Checks and stripes
Kenting (or Ghenting)
Printed

2,175,431 yards.
731,012
362,894

46,385

80,280{ square )-ards.

Total British and Irish linens - 3,396,002 i

Belides fome German and Rullia Unens.

Of thefe 51,837 yards were exported to Ireland, while at the fame
time 1,100,291 yards were imported from that country; a proof that
manufadures, which are fometimes too inconfiderately fuppofed hurt-
ful rivals, may be mutually beneficial.

In order to make the view of the linen trade more complete, fub-
joined is a ftate of the imports of foreign linens in England for ten
years back, with the amount of the duties paid on them.

British yards.

Duties.

1762

18,827,853^

i^l34,031 14

I

1763

26,634,851

185,476 19

4

1764

28,092,2151

201,711 3

7

\7&i

25,497,795i

182,997 0

11

17G6

25,624, 107f

184,657 1

2

1707

21,054,411

164,532 8

10

1768

23,112,349

199,467 0

10

1769

25,43 1,162^

217,386 9

0

1771?

27,101,343:J-

221,333 8

9

1771

28,243,121^

230,951 14

2t

* The bounty of three halfpence was now ex-
tended to Ihcetings and table-linens, to be comput-
ed by the fquare yard ; and a new bounty of one
halfpenny per yard was allowed on Biitifh checks
and ftripes from "jd to 1/6 a yard.

•(• Mr. Paine the governor of the bask of Eng-

land, when examined in the houfe of cornnien.s oi>
the fubjeft of foreign linens, dated the imports of
thefe years fomewhat higher than they are here
given : and he made tlie average quantity from the
year 1752 to 1756 inclufive to be 31,000,000 of
yards annually. 4

A. D. 1771.

S'7

An attentive perufal of the foregoing details may afford ample mat-
ter for refledion ; and it may perhaps appear doubtful, if all the home-
made linens of the three kingdoms much exceeded the quantity of
foreign linens, imported under the difadvantage of fuch heavy duties *.

Mr. Swallow, the Britifh conful at Peterfburg, in his periodical re-
port, flated, that 2^3 Britifli veflels, and 255 of all- other nations, had
flailed from that port in the courfe of this year. Their cargoes confifl-
ed of iron, hemp, flax, hides, briftles, ifinglafs, tallow, foap, hemp-
feed, and lintfeed oils, wax, wax and tallow candles, caviary, cordage,
tobacco, leather, .feathers, wheat, flour, tar, great variety of linens,
ducks, drills, and failcloths, deals, and the fkins of hares, bears, fquirrels,
martins, fables, and foxes.

The Dutch were very fuccefsful in their Greenland fifliery this year.
They had 1 20 fliips employed, which brought home 500 whales, and
14,320 barrels of oil. Three flrips were loft, after having caught 15
whales.

By an account laid before the houfe of commons it appeared, that
from the year 1750 to the year 1771, both years inclufive, there were
29,131 horfes exported from England, of which 7,783 during the war,
and 21,348 before and after it in years of peace.

The quantity of tobacco imported in Glafgow this year was above
46 millions of pounds, and the quantity exported nearly 44 millions,
befides ieveral cargoes belonging to the Glafgow merchants, ordered to.
proceed direct, from Virginia and Maryland to London f.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,645 vefl'els of the reputed burthen of 577 J 76 tuns,
and of Scotland 1 ,503 - - - 88,452

Total 9,148 - - 665,628

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages.

Inward
Outward

7.380

732,309
875,892

Foreign.

1,171
563

139,164
66,556

8,551
10,104

87i>473
942,448

* I fhould certainly run a great rifk, if I were
to prefume to fay, that it is cot altogether un-
worthy of confidtration — What would be the con-
fequence to our liome manufaftures in general, and
to our export trade, if the importation of foreign
linens were entirely, or nearly, free of duty ? Tlie
leader will fee fonie opinions, though perhaps not
quite difinterelltd, en that fubjedt in the year
J774-

f The tobacco trade of Glafgow for this year
is given, not as being remaikably great or fmaU,
but as being the principal article of the imports
and exports of that city, whereof Gibfon in his
H'ljiury of Glafgow '[pp. 2 13-23 j] has given a mi-
nute detail for this year. I find, however, that the
impoitition of this year was the largeft that was
ever made is the Clyd*-, except that of the ytar
1775.-

5i8 A. D. 1771.

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Weft-India four-aad-a-
half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courle of this year, was
from the cuftom-houfe in London, - £2,6^^,12^ 8 4

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh, - 4,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain, ^2,642,129 8 4

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of this year
13,650 pounds of gold, value - - £^31^19^ 5 o

and no filver.

The official value of the imports and exports of Gr«at Britain from
Chriftmas 1770 to Chriftmas 1771, was as follows.

Countries, &rc.
Africa
Canaries
Denmark, &c.
East countiy
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Pnissia
Portugal

Russia - - .
Spain
Straits
Gibraltar
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, &c.
America in general -
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Cape Breton
Quebec

Nova-Scotia . -
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Virginia and Maryland
Carolina
Georgia
Florida

West-Indies in general
Antigua
Barbados
Bermuda

Imported into

Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLA

>ID.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

a^97,486 \d

3

^712,533 7 4

6,803 18

10

23,825 9 8

83,7)1 6

4

1*^31,744

14

6

152,340 0 5

i^29,750 Q <J

195,357 0

2

95,961 19 11

1,882,139 5

9

1,184,824 13 11

142,138 2

6

\i(ii,777 16 7

92,667 5 5

5 1 ,645 8

n

2,879

7

1-0

146,128 3 2

355,091 18 -6

76o,774r 2

0

36,134

lO

8

1,316,492 1 4

97,027 6 6

13,603 5

10

64.Q 14

8

10 6 3

428,080 1

7

121,930

10

10

1,685,397 16 0

383,272 5 1

1,380,737 14

11

173,060

2

3

1,983,818 17 6

432,366 16 3

250

8

4

308 9 0

947,138 12

8

3,237

12

8

782,582 15 7

8,727 2 11

2,067 18

2

56

1

1

11,213 17 9

13,174

18

9

653 4 8

8,721

19

10

5 4 0

354,631 10

7

17,136

6

8-

716,122 3 5

1,270 2 0

1,274,620 12

0

123,504

12

5

150^59 Jl6 6

1,806 6 5

568,323 11

3

9,230

0

8

1,224,811 11 10

9.244 16 7

3,604 13

0

153,323 16 11

2

14

3

755 16 9

157,851 10

1

26,723

8

3

64,180 0 1

5,107 7 5

100,443 2

9

20,573 15 3

83,335 0

2

73,956 18 1

56,802 13

11

1,735
611,583

0

1

3
2

58,565 7 4

60 0 0
375.510 15 8

9,225 18

0

5,822 1 8

49,424 18

8

89,394 1 7

14 9

5

37,286 12

8

170,962 8 11

3,451 14

3

51,561 12 8

. !

150,381 17

2

1,420,119 1 1

95,875 8

II

653,621 7 6

31,615 19

9

728,744 19 10

577,848 16

6

920,326 3 8

420,311 14

s

409,109 9 4

,63,810 10

9

70,493 19 3

21,856 11

11

m,^7 9 1 1

213,656 16

9

60,922 12 2

180,923 3

0

118,152 JO 11

163,053 1

4

120,01 r 0 3

836 S

3

8,f;45 15 0

i

A. D. 1771%

5*9

Imported into

Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

; 170,633 19 3

55,612 2 3

3(51,839 10 7

138,431 6 6

1,261,675 7 9

494,888 0 10

63,034 4 8

15,642 0 6
19,751 7 1
95,442 17 10

67,291 3 2

268,276 16 8

123,919 4 5

35,200 1 11-

7.091 2 7

28,610 14 11

41,466 4 1

20,969 5 0

7,837 0 3

4,665 16 2

447 7 i

1,406 2 11

39,988 0 9

4,301 0 2

1,887 7

5

12,821,9')5 16 p

17,161,146 14 2

1,386,329 1 10

1,386,329 1 10

1,857,334 3 3

1,857,334 3

3

14,208,324 IS 7

19,018,480 17 5

Countries, fee.
Pominica
Grenada
Jamaica
Montserrat
Nevis

St. Christophers
St. Vincents
Tobago
Tortola

New- Providence
St. Croix
St. Thomas
St. Eustathius
Foreign West-Indies \
and Bay of Honduras J

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain -

1772 — This winter the Dutch were in the greateft diftrefs for want
of corn and cattle, having received little or no fupply from Poland, the
ufual great granary of the north (which was now ravaged and dcfolated
by the inroads of the neighbouring powers) or from any other of the
corn or pafture countries ; whereupon the Irnall quantity of provifions
they poflefled, or obtained, rofe to a moft enormous price. Such, not-
withftanding the opinion of a very great political economift, mud fome-
times be the confequence of a nation depending entirely upon others
for the firft of neceffaries, even though there fhould be the moft un-
bounded freedom of commerce in their ports.

A large quantity of the Portuguefe gold pieces, ufually called half-
joes, was carried into the province of Quebec from the neighbouring
provinces in the fpring of this year, which, l^eing deficient in weight,
produced great inconvenience in the trade of the country.

Louis de St. Pierre reprefented to government, that he had at the
expenfe of his whole fortune brought to perfedion the culture of (ilk
and the making of wine at New Bourdeaux in South-Carolina, and that
he had now 100,000 vine plants, and above twenty additional families
of French proteftants, ready to embark with him for that country.
But being unable of himfelf to fupport the expenfe, he prayed for
fome ailiftance from government. On his cafe being referred by the
treafury to the lords of trade for their confideration, they recommend-
ed Mr. de St. Pierre as deferving public encouragement and fupport ;
and the governor of South-Carolina was afterwards direded to put him
in pofleflion of 5,000 acres of unlocated land.

In the meantime the fociety for the encouragement of arts, com-
merce, &.C. had teilified their approbation of Mr. dc St. Pieire's induftry,^

520 A. D. 1772.

tind their fatistuction in his fpecimcns of wine and filk, by an honorary-
gold medal and a premium of fifty pounds.

February — The king of France illued orders for the payment of all
the Canada reconnoillances, or bills, which were the property of Brit-
ifh fubjec'ls *.

As the charter of the Danifh Eaft India company expired this fpring,
it was renewed for twenty years. The trade with China was fecured
exclufively to the company : but every fubjed of Denmark, and even
foreigners, upon condition of employing Danifli-built velTels, fliipping
a certain value of Danifli manufactures, and paying certain duties to
the company, were permitted to trade to all the Danifli fettlements in
India, and from one port of India to another. The company alfo were
obliged by their charter to export a certain value of Danifh manufac-
tures in every fliip conligned to China, and a larger amount in each
one for India.

March — The king of Denmark ercded a new light-houfe at Natche-
hovet near Helllngoer, and another on the tower of his palace of Cro-
nenburg, both to be lighted for the firfl time on the firft day of April
1772 : and in order to reimburfe himfelf for the eredion of thefe lights,
he direded the officers of his revenue to charge one dollar on loaded
ihips and half a dollar on empty ones, being an addition of one quarter
upon the light-money hitherto paid. He alfo ordered proper charts of
the adjacent coafts to be publiflied, and to be delivered at the cuflom-
houfe of Ore-fund, on payment of twenty-four ihillings Danifh (one
ilnlling flerling).

Previous to carrying thefe orders into execution he gave notice of
them to the Britifh ambafTador by a note, wherein he depends on the
equity of his Britannic Majefly for his confent to this additional charge,
as being for the general advantage of commerce.

The Baltic merchants of London approving of the lights, and think-
ing the additional charge realbnable, the board of trade recommended
it to the king to agree to it.

April — The confervators of the Bedford level were empowered to
borrow fome money for carrying on their neceffary works in draining,
banking, &c. Regulations were alfo made for preferving certain fen
lands in the fhires of Huntington and Cambridge. [12 Geo. J II, cc.
9, 26, 27.]

The corporation of Great Yarmouth were empowered to levy a duty
on all vefTels unloading within the bounds of their port, for the purpofe
of repairing and deepening their haven and the rivers running into it.
[13 Geo. ni,c. 14.]

The magiflrates of Glafgow were empowered to levy a tunnage duty
on all veflels i^except thofe loaded with provifions, fait for the fifhery,

• An account of the nature of thefe bills has already been given under the year 1766. .*'

A. D. 1772. 521

and building materials, and empty veflels) for the purpofe of enlarging
and deepening their harbour of Port-Glafgow, now become infufficient
for the increafed number and enlarged burthen of their veflels. [12
Geo. III,c. 16.]

An ad pretty much of the fame nature enabled the magiftrates of
Ayr to enlarge and improve their harbour, to ere6l docks, light-houfes,
&c. their trade having alfo confiderably increafed of late years. [12
Geo. Ill, c.2 2.]

It was made felony to burn or deflroy fliips of war or naval flores.
[12 Geo. Ill, c. 24.]

The light-houfes on the Spurn point, at the mouth of the Humber
being found improperly fituated (apparently owing to the recefs of the
water from the north Ihore of the Humber) the corporation of the Tri-
nity houfe were empowered to ereft new light-houfes, and to retain the
property of them till the duties payable fhould reimburfe all charges ;
after which they are to revert to the former proprietors. [ 1 2 Geo. Ill,
c. 29.]

In confequence of the premiums given by the city of London for
bringing mackerels and herrings to market, it appeared that 3,789,192
of the former, and an innumerable quantity of the later were brought
to Billingfgate in the courfe of the late feafon. The quantity of mac-
kerel only was computed to be equal to 3,608 oxen, or about a twenty-
third part of the oxen annually fold at Smithfield market.

May 2 1 ^* — The free importation of rice from any of the Britilh co-
lonies in America was permitted till the i*^ of May 1773 ; and a duty
of fix pence per pound ad valorem was impofed on the exportation of it.
[12 Geo. Ill, c. 32.]

Wheat, flour, rye, Indian corn, &c. were allowed to be imported free
of duty from Europe or America till the i'^ of December 1772. [12
Geo. Ill, c. 33.1

June — Several regulations were made to prevent impofitions on the
revenue with refped to tea, foap, low-wines, and fpirits, and alfo vellum,
parchment, paper, and "playing-cards. [12 Geo. III^ cc. 46, 48.]

In order to encourage the manufadure of leather, the importation of
foreign oak bark, the prefent duty on which amounted to a prohibi-
tion, was permitted after the 25''' of June 1772, on paying a duty of
only one penny, when the price of bark is £vo or more for the load.
[12 Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

In order to prevent the great confumption of timber fit for the con-
flrudion of large fliips of war, the Eaft-India company were prohibited
from building, or allowing to be built for their fervice, any new fliips,
tin the fliipping in their employment fliould be reduced under 45,000
tuns, or employing any fliips built after 18"' March 1772. But thej

Vol. III. 3 U

522 A. D. 1772.

are at liberty to build any veflel whatever in India or the colonies, or to
charter any vefTel built in India or the colonies *. [12 Geo. Ill, c. 54.]

In order to prevent the clandefline importation of goods from Ire-
land, it was enaded, that after the 5''' of July 1772 no rum, fugar, cof-
fee, nor other goods prohibited to be imported from Ireland to Great
Britain, fhould be entered outwards in Ireland for Great Britain. Any
perfon landing goods in Britain, which had been entered in Ireland for
exportation to a foreign country, forfeits the veflel and triple the value
of the goods. In order to prevent fmuggling Britifh plantation rum,
&c. the importation of it to Ireland in vellcls under feventy tuns after
the 29''' of September was prohibited on penalty of forfeiture of the
veflel : and the importation of foreign brandy, rum, or other fpirits, into
Ireland in vefl'els under a hundred tuns, beyond two gallons for each
man onboard, fubjeds the vefl^els and alfo the brandy, &c. to forfeiture.
[i2G^o. ///,f. 55.]

The expiring acts — for granting an allowance on the exportation of
Britifh gun-powder ; — for the free importation of lumber from the
American colonies ; — for encouraging the manufadure of Britifh fail-
cloth ; — for allowing fugars to be carried diredl from the Britifli fugar
colonies to foreign parts in fliips built in Great Britain, and navigated
according to law ; — and for permitting the free importation of cattle
from Ireland, were all continued till the 29''^ of September 1778, and
thence, as ufual, to the end of the next feflion of parUament. [12 Geo.
HI, c. 56.]

The a6l 26 Geo. 11, c. 6, was explained and amended fo far as it re-
lates to the efl;abli{hment of lazarets for the reception of pcrfons and
goods liable to quarantine. [12 Geo. HI, c. 57.]

For the better encouragement of the herring fiOiery on the coafl: of
the ifle of Mann, the importation into Great Britain of herrings, cer-
tified by the governor of the ifland and the cufl:om-houfe officers to be
really caught and cured in that ifland, was allowed after the 24''' of
June 1772, on payment of 3/4 per barrel of 32 gallons for fait her-
rings, and lyB per thoufand for red herrings. In the fame a6l fome
doubts refpeding the bounties on the herring fiflaery are explained.
[12 Geo. Ill, c. 58.]

To promote the exportation of tea, and prevent the fupply of it by
clandefl;ine trade, three fifths of the duties were allowed to be drawn
back upon all teas exported to Ireland or the Britifli colonies in Ame-
rica in the original packages, and in veflTels not under the burthen of
eighty tons. In order to give Britifli fugars a preference in the Irifli

* Many people, acquainted willi the ftate of ferviceable timber. One gentleman went fo far as-

the oak woods through different parts of the king- to fay, that we were in danger of being no longer

dom, had lately affeited, that there was every- a maritime nation,
where an alarming diminution of the quantity of 4

A. D. 1772. 523

markets, the drawback hitherto allowed on foreign fugars carried from
Great Britain to Ireland was flopped. Cordage, made in Great Britain
from Britifh or foreign hemp (not American), exported to any part of
the continent of Europe, was entitled to a continuation of the bounty
granted by the ad 6 Geo. Ill, c. 45. The liberty of importing rice
from the Britifh colonies in America into feveral ports for immediate
exportation to foreign parts was extended to Briftol, Liverpool, Lan-
cafler, and Whitehaven. [12 Geo. Ill, c. 60.]

Several regulations were made for making, keeping, and conveying,
the dangerous article of gun-powder. [12 Geo. Ill, c. 6r.]

The marine fociety, an allociation of gentlemen, who fince the year
1756 had contributed for the charitable and political purpofes of fit-
ting out dellitute boys and laiadfmen for the fea fervice onboard the
navy or merchant fhips, were now incorporated with the ufual powers
and privileges. The boys placed out as apprentices by them were ex-
empted from being impreffed while under eighteen years of age, and
privileged to exercife any trade in any part of Great Britain or Ireland.
[i2 Geo. Ill, c. 67.]

Parliament gave a reward of ^5,000 to Dodor Qiarles Irving for
making public his art of frefliening lea water, fo as to make it fit for
drinking ; a difcovery of the utmoft importance to all feafaring people.

It was determined to pay off ;^i, 500,000 of the three-per-cent an-
nuities, eflablifhed under the various names of three per cents confoli-
dated, reduced, South-fea, and three per cents of 1751, to fuch perlbns
as fhould in due time fignify their confent to receive at the rate of£go for
£100 of the capital ; the money, amounting altogether to /^i, 350, 000
to be paid in equal moieties on the 15*'' of July and 20''' of Odober
1772, together with the intereft or dividend to the 5'*^ of July. And
as an inducement to accept thefe terms, each proprietor of ^ 100 flock,
upon figning fuch agreement, became entitled to four lottery tickets at
the price of /^I2 : 10 : o. [12 Geo. Ill, c. yo.]

' Whereas it hath been found by experience, that the reftraints laid
' by feveral ftatutes upon the dealing in corn, meal, flour, cattle, and
' fundry other forts of viduals, by preventing a free trade in the faid
' commodities, have a tendency to difcourage the growth, and to en-
' hance the price, of the fame ; which ftatutes, if put in execution,
' would bring a great diftrefs upon the inhabitants of many parts of
' this kingdom, and in particular upon thofe of the cities of London
' and Weftminfter,' the parliament wifely repealed feveral well-intend-
ed, but ill-contrived, laws for reftriding and regulating the dealers in
butter, cheefe, milk, corn, cattle. Sec. [12 Geo. Ill, c. 71.]

By the law of Scotland any creditor could arreft the effeds of his
debtor in the hands of a third perfon, and thereby, in cafe of bank-
ruptcy, carry off the property to the prejudice of other creditors^ and

3 U 2

524 A. D. 1772.

particularly of thofe, who, living in diftant places, could not have fiich
early or certain knowlege of the circumftances and connections of the
debtor. The now enlarged commercial connedions of Scotland ren-
dered this partial mode of p'-oceeding, which was a total bar againft
diftant creditors having a chance of obtaining any fhare in the effeds of
a bankrupt, a greater and more extenfive grievance than formerly ;
and therefor new regulations were made by parliament, whereby all
creditors upon proving their debts were entitled to an equal proportion
of the efteds of their debtor. At the fame time, for the further ad-
vantage of trade, the furnmary execution and other privileges, due to
bills of exchange and inland bills, were, after the 15''' of May 1772,
extended to promiflbry notes in Scotland. [12 Geo. Ill, c. 72.]

In this feffion many ads were alfo pafled for improving the ftreets,
buildings, and police, of London and other cities and towns in Eng-
land and Scotland ; as alfo many ads for inland navigation, roads, and
bridges, throughout the united kingdom.

The admiral on the American ftation had placed an armed fchooner
at Providence in Rhode-ifland to proted the trade and fupprefs fmug-
gling. The very adive exertions of the officer, who commanded this
veffel, fo provoked the people of the place, that a party of them, fup-
pofed to be about two ♦hundred, boarded the fchooner at midnight,
took the people out of her, and fet her on fire (lo"" June). Such a
grofs affront to government was highly refented at home, and in Ame-
rica it contributed greatly to widen the breach between the people of
the country and thofe in the fervice of government, and perhaps to ac-
celerate the opener hoftilities which afterwards took place.

There were fome great bankruptcies in London, which produced very
general diftrefs, and for fome time flruck an univerfal panic, till the
principal merchants had a meeting (June), at which they concerted mea-
fures for checking the progrefs of the evil, by which means, together
with the judicious interpofition of the bank of England, the calamity
was happily prevented from fpreading fo wide as it mufl otherways
have done, the public apprehenlions were quieted, and the national cre-
dit preferved.

The firll great fiilures were followed by fo many others in various
parts of the kingdom, that the bankruptcies of this year amounted to
the unprecedented number of 525 *.

* There were 415 in the year 1726, 446 in the remedy of an over-fullnefs of commercial pro-
1727, and 388 ill 1728. In no other year till now fperity, as fome difordcrs in the human coiilUtu-
did they ever amount to 3C0, except iu 1764, tion proceed from too great a confidence in a full-
when thtre were 301. See Mr. Chalmers's cla- ncfs of health : and the export trade of Great
borate table of tlie bankruptcies from the year Britain appears to have attained a height in the
17CO to I7y3 in his EjVimaU of the Jlrengtb of years 1771 and 1772, to which it never rofe be-
Great Britain, p. y.hi, eJ. 1794. Numerous bank- fore, and which it never again equaled till the
ruptcies ave frequently both the confequence and year 1787.

A. D. 1772. 525

In the year 1769 the dukes of Buckcleugh and Qiieenfberry, the earl
©f Dumfries, Mr. Douglas (the reprefentative of the antient earls of
Douglas) and mfiny other gentlemen, chiefly of the weft part of Scot-
land, entered into a partnerfhip, and fubfcribed a capital of about
/Ji 60,000 for carrying on the bufinefs of banking at Ayr, under the
firm of Douglas, Heron, and company, with the intention of fupport-
ing and encouraging manufadures and agriculture : and the company ac-
cordingly accommodated manufadarers, land-holders, and farmers, with
money with a liberality beyond the cautious prudence of other banks,
in confequence of which, together with the prefent deranged flate of
credit, they found themfelves unable to procure cafh to anfwer the de-
mands upon them (June). The partners now difcovered how feverely
they had luffcred by their public-fpirited undertaking ; for they loft not
only their -joint ftock, but alfo funis gi-eatly beyond the whole amount
of it, which, as the bank was not conftituted by public authority, they
were obliged to pay out of their private eftates *. They therefor broke
up their bufmefs ; and in a fliort time thereafter they paid off the
whole of their debts with intereft, which they efFeded in part by mo-
ney borrowed, but chiefly by the fum of ,^450,000 arifing from the
fale of annuities for one or two lives, with a condition of redeeming
them on paying half a year's annuity over the purchafe money and the
annuity due ar the time of redemption f.

It was not only in America that fchemes for new colonies in the Ind-
ian part of that continent were in agitation :{:. A petition by feveral
gentlemen of rank and fortune in England for a grant of the country
on the Ohio, to be fettled by a new colony, was prefented to the privy
council, who, it is faid, were not averfe to the fcheme. But before an
enterprife of fuch magnitude could be carried into execution, the pro-
jectors of it were induced, apparently on account of the ftate of affairs
in America, to relinquifli the undertaking.

June 19 " No fuch caufes operated to prevent the attention of indi-
viduals, or of the public, from being direded to the northern provinces
of America. Henry Boftwick and others having difcovered mines of
copper and other metals in the Indian country adjacent to Lake Supe-
rior, they were incorporated by a charter from the king tmder the
name of T^he governor and company of adventurers for ■working mines in,
about, and under. Lake Superior in America, on condition of paying to
the king one tenth part of all the gold, filver, copper, tin, lead, pre-
tious ftoiies, &c. And in order to guard againft the evils of ftock-job-

* It was well obferved by Mr. Creech, that « general.' [Lctlers to Sir J. Sinclair in the Sta-

• Although this lofs was huitful to :i;any indivi- tijlical account of Scotland, ^. vi,/i. 597.]

« duals, the country was highly benefited ; for the f The annuities wcie redeemed in the year,

« money liaving been beflowed principally on the 1 774, as will be related under that year.

• improvement of the foi!, the gaia was lading, and \ Sec above, V. iii, /. 468.

526 A. D. 1772.

bing, fo fatally attendant on fuch fchemes in the early part of this cen-
tury, no transfer of any part of the joint flock was to be permitted till
live years after the eredion of the company.

The reports made about this time by Mr, Scammel furveyor of the
king's woods in America, and Captain Holland the geographical fur-
veyor of the northern diftricl of America, reprefent the country be-
tween St. John's river in the Bay of Fundy and Kennebeck river as one
of the grandeft magazines of pines, fit for mafls and yards for the
navy, in the world. Mr. Scammel fays, he meafured one, which was
above feventeen feet in circumference ; and he alfo obfei-ves, that the
white oak of that country is of a very good texture for fhip-building.

July 6'^ — In confequence of a reprefentation from the journeymen
cabinet-makers of London, fetting forth that prodigious quantities of
magnificent houiehold furniture were imported from abroad on pre-
tence of being the property of foreign ambafladors, but in reality for
fale, the lords of the treafury ordered a feizure to be made of fome
hundreds of chairs, fofas, marble tables, tapeftry, and other furniture,
lliid to be but a fmall part of the goods of that kind configned to the
Venetian ambaffador. He thought proper to make a demand of the
goods imported under his privilege, but received for anfwer, that the
king would not futfer his minifter at Venice to infringe the Venetian
laws, nor the Venetian minifter here to violate the laws of Great Bri-
tain. Very different was the conduct of Prince Maflerano, the Spanifh
ambaffador, who, at a meeting of the foreign ambafladors, declared,
that, as he came here to preferve, not to violate, the rights of nations,
he would keep no company with any one, who would degrade himfelf
from the dignified rank of the reprefentative of a fovereign to the
defpicable character of a fmuggler. In a few days after another meeting
was held at Prince Mallerano's houfe, where the foreign miniflers figned
a paper, to be fent to the fecretaries of flate, wherein they declared up-
on their honours, that they would permit no goods to be imported in
their names but what fhould be truely for their own ufe.

Augufl 31" — The Windward iflands in the Wefl-Indies fuffered pro-
digioufly from a hurricane of uncommon violence. In St. Chriflophers
almofl all the plantations were laid wafle : the fugar mills and works, the
canes and other plants, and even trees, were blown down, and all the
houfes in the ifland were either totally deflroyed, or very much damaged.
The fliips alfo were driven onfhore and wrecked. The diflrefs of the ifland

was dreadful, and it was univerfal At Antigua, the flation of the

fhips of war allotted for the protedion of the Windward iflands, the
admiral alone efcaped being flranded, and many merchant fhips found-
ered. The towns and houfes on the plantations met with the fame de-

ftrudion as thofe of St. Chriffophers At Dominica eighteen veffels

were lofl And at Moniierrat and Nevis icarcely a houfe efcaped

A. D. 1772. 527

deftrudlion In the neighbouring foreign iflands the deftrudive rav-
ages of the hurricane were not lefs violent. In St. Euftathius 400
houfes were deftroyed : fome of them were carried ten or twelve yards

off, and a church was carried into the fea At Saba 180 houfes were

deftroyed; and at St. Martins almofl all the houfes and plantations

At Santa Cruz the fea aflifted the wind in its ruinous operations by a
dreadful rife to the height of about 70 feet, which fwept away every
thing in its courfe, and overwhelmed about 250 people. The planta-
tions were utterly defolated, and it was apprehended, that even next
year they would fcarcely produce any thing, the very ground being al-
mofl deftroyed by deep holes made by the falling of large trees. The
damage of houfes, plantations, &c. in this illand was eftimated at five

millions of dollars (above a million of guineas) At St. Thomas's

the damage was alfo very confiderable.

September — The duke of Bridgewater added confiderably to the util-
ity of his canal by eflablifhing regular palTage-boats upon it, in each
of which about fixty people, with a reafonable quantity of baggage al-
lowed to every paflenger, may be carried above twenty miles, as quick-
ly as they could travel by land, for one {hilling a-piece *. Whatever
facilitates mutual intercourfe promotes the interefls of commerce, and
is therefor deferving of notice in this work.

The emprefs of Germany ereded a light-houfe about 100 feet high
at her port of Oftend, and alfo ordered a proper ellablifhment of pilots,
to be conftantly in readinefs for the fervice of fhips.

About this time the emperor of Morocco compelled all the Chriflian-
merchants, and alfo the European Jews, fettled at Tetuan, to remove
to Tangier, a place where there were no houfes ready for their recep-
tion.

This fummer fome gentlemen in Virginia fubfcribed for the equip-
ment of a veffel to be fent upon an attempt for a north-weft paffage.
Under their aufpices Captain Wilder failed in the brig Diligence to the
latitude of 69° 1 1' in a large bay, which he fuppofed hitherto unknown.
He reported, that from the courfe of the tides he thought it very pro-
bable that there is a pallage, but that it is feldom free of ice, and
therefor impaflable f — But an impqffable pajfage (if fuch language may
be allowed) is no paffage for fhips.

But the impollibility of finding fuch a paffage in any navigable fea
was at the fame time further demonflrated by the return in this fum-
mer of Mr. Hearne, a naval officer then in the fervice of the Hudfon's-

* The duke afterwards employed larger boats, kept by the mailer, wherein his wife ferves the
carrying from 80 to 1 20 paffengers with accommo- company with wine and other rcfrelhmcnts.
dations for different claffcs at the rates of \f, 1/6, f Tliis Virginia voyage of difcovery had efcap--

and 2/6, and each provided with a coffee-houfe ed the diligence of Dodlor Forfter, the liillorian of.

voyages and difcoveries in the North.

528 A. D. 1772.

bay company, who, in confequence of fome information received from
the Indians, was fent by the governor of Fort Prince of Wales on a
journey of difcovery in the year 1770. He penetrated to the Frozen
ocean at the mouth of the Copper-mine river, which he makes to be
in about 72"* of north latitude : and in the courfe of the journey he
learned by converfation with the Indians, that the continent ftretches
from thence a prodigious way to the weflward. From his journey we
know for certain, that any communication between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans mud be beyond the latitude of 72" : and no man will
ever venture his life or property in a long coafling navigation upon a
frozen ocean beyond that latitude.

0(3:ober 14''' — The king of Pruflia, in order to encourage and extend
the commerce of his fubjeds, eflabliflied by patent a company of mari-
time commerce with a capital of 1.200,000 crowns in fhares of 500
crowns each. And with a view to encourage his iubjedls, and alfo fo-
reigners, to take fliares in this vaft capital, he took feven eighths of the
whole to himfelf *.

Irifli linens to the amount of 1,954,496 yards were brought to Lon-
don by fea, and entered at the cuftom-houfe, of which 776,635 yards
were from Belfafl, whence the fineft linens are (hipped. Befides the
above great quantity, there is a continual importation to Chefter,
whence the linens are forwarded by land carriage to London and other
places.

Notwithftanding the flourifhing ftate of the linen manufadlure in the
north part of Ireland, it does not appear, that the people of that coun-
try found themfelves happy at home. In the courfe of two years there
failed from the northern ports of Ireland for North-America,

in 1771 32 velFels meafuring 8,900 tuns
and in 1772 30 - 8,450

62 i7v^5o

It is fuppofed, that thofe vefTels carried as many palTengers as they
meafured tuns ; and as mofl of the emigrants paid for their pailsige at
j(^3 : 10 each, and a great proportion of them were linen manufacturers
and farmers, and many of them poflefled of fome property, which they
carried off in money, we may eftimate by how many fubjeits, and how
much treafure, thefe emigrations weakened the Britifli empire in Eu-
rope, and ftrengihened America.

December 3*" — ^The Swedes had formerly prohibited the importation
of fait in foreign vefTels. But now, in order to remove every reflraint
from the herring fifhery, they admitted veffels of all nations, loaded
with that important article, to enter the ports of the provinces of Got-

* How it could be an encouragement to the owners of 300 fhares to find themfelves only ai one
io ff ven in the balance with their royal partner, I caonot conceive.

A. D. 1772. 529

tenburg and Bahus, the coafl of which had been for fome years paft
enriched by the vifits of the herrings.

December 4'''-24'^ — The ads for the free importation of all kinds of
grain from Europe, Africa, and America, and of faked provifions, tal-
low, &c. from Europe, Ireland, and America, as alfo thofe for prohi-
biting the exportation of all kinds of grain, malt, flour, &c. were again
renewed. [13 Geo. Ill, cc. 1-5.]

The free importation of rice from the Britilli colonies in America to
Great Britain was alfo permitted till the firft of May 1780 ; and the ex-
portation of it was fubjeded to a duty of 27 per cent ad valorem. By
the fame ad all perfons were at liberty to make ftarch of rice, notwith-
ftanding a patent granted to William Prince for that manufadure, Mr,
Prince having confented to refign his exclufive right. [13 Geo. HI, c. 7.]

The Eafl-India company's affiurs in India fl;ood more in need of re-
gulation now, than when the three fupervifors, who unfortunately pe-
riflicd on their palHige, were fent out. They therefor refolved to lend
out other fupervifors ; and General Monkton, together with Melfieurs
Gumming, Devaynes, Lafcelles, Wier, and Wheeler, were appointed to
that important truft (23'' Odober). But before thefe gentlemen could
proceed on their miflion, they were prohibited by an ad of the legif-
lature, whereby

December 24''' — The Eaft-India company were rcftrained for a limit-
ed time from appointing commiflioners for fiiperintending and regulat-
ing their affairs at their prefidencies in India. [13 Geo. III., c. 9.]

The company found it neceflary, in confequence of the embarrafled
flate of their affairs (which will be more fully explained in the tranfac-
tions of the enfuing year) to reduce their dividend from twelve and a
half, at which rate it had been paid from Midfummer 1771 to Midfum-
mer 1772 inclulive, to fix per cent per annum.

Mr. Poivre *, who had traveled over a great part of Afia as a na-
turalift and philofopher, having made a voyage from the French fettle-
ments in Madagafcar to fome iflands producing Ipices, and independent
of the Dutch, arrived in June 1770 at the Ifle of France with a great
number of plants of nutmeg and clove trees, as well as of the fruits
themfelves fit for fo\\'ing. A fecond, and larger, importation was made
of them this year, and great hopes were conceived of their thriving in
the ifland. But, though they were treated with the greatefl care by
rery able botanifls, mod of them periflied, and thofe that furvived
were of a poor quality, and afforded little profped of fuccefs f .

* The author of Voyages d'lin phllofophc (Tra- tliere were 1,544 nutmeg trees and 4,163 clove

vels of a philofopher) and feveral other valuable trees in the king's botanic garden, ready, with

works. many other rare plaiitu, to be given to any of the

-f They appear to have thriven better after be- inhabitants, who defired to cultivate them. \Hun-

ing naturalized to the foil. When Lieutenant ter's Journal at Port Jadjon, p. i^d.'^
King was at the Ifle of France in Aiigull 1790,

Vol. III. -? X

530 'A, D. 177^.

Among the enormities, which took place in confeq^ience of the dif-
nie ^rTiTient of Poland, perhaps the fate of the illuftrious free city of
Danrzik is the only event, which properly comes within the province
of commercial hiftory. The king of Pruffia began by feizing the ter-
ritory belonging to the city, the adjacent ifland of Holm, the two
peninfulas running into the harbour, and the fuburbs of the city. He
then furrounded the city with cuftom-houfes, at which he levied exor-
bitant duties upon every article of country produce, that was carried to
market ; and he impofed new duties upon imports and exports, the pay-
ments of which he enforced before the fhips were allowed to come into
the harbour. In open contempt of the treaties cxifting between Great
Britain and Dantzik, by which Britifla commerce hadenjoyed conlider-
able advantages, he railed the duties upon Britifh imports, and parti-
cularly upon tobacco, the chief article of them, fo as to amount near-
ly to a prohibition. Not contented with this demonftration of his gra-
titude to a people, who had fo liberally fupported him againfl the great
powers of Auftria and Rullia, now his affociates in the difmemberment
of Poland, he eredled an exclufive company vefled with the fole right
of importing and exporting fait, and gave to another the monopoly of
tees-wax. At length the magiftrates, feeing themfelves hemmed in on
evf^ry fide, fo that no corn, provifions, nor any other thing could go in
or out of the city, deprived of the navigation of the Viftula * and the
Baltic fea, and alfo deferted by their citizens, who had fled by thou-
fands to Sweden, France, and other countries, their trade utterly an-
nihilated by intolerable exadtions, and their interefl neglected by all the
numerous powers, who were bound by treaty, and even by intereft,
to proted them, were compelled to fubmit to the power of Pruffia.
Thus, with the ridiculoufly futile protection of a hundred treaties of
friendfliip and guarantee from the various powers of Europe, fell the
great and flourifhing commercial city of Dantzik, a prey to the rapacity
of the magnanimous and philofophic Frederik.

The fpirit of independence feems this year to have pervaded and ani-
mated the whole of South America, and made the European fovereigns
of that continent tremble for the fafety of their dominion over thofe
wealthy provinces. The negroes of the Dutch colony of Surinam, avail-
ing themfelves of the knowlege of fire-arms they had attained by the
inftrudions of the white people, rebelled againfl: their mafters, and re-
peatedly defeated the foldiers, who were fent againfl them. In Brazil

* The king of Priidla was faij to have extort- be placed to the account of exaggeration, it was

ci\ feven millions of dollars from the unhappy peo- ftill a pretty good (Iroke of plunder. The forcible

pie by forcibly forelkalling and monopolizing the tranfplantion of families in the ftlle of the antient

corn broiight down the Viihila or fcized in the ad- Egyptian and Perfian policy, the tribute of mar-

jacent countries, which he paid for in bafe money, liageable virgins, and the other rapacious and op-

and forced the people to re-purchafe with gooti preffive afts of the Pruflian hero, do not belong

money. Granting that even half the fum fhould to this work.

A. D. I

772.

53

the negroes and Indians combined their forces, and after two obftinate
battles, faid to have been fupported on their fide with no lefs judgement
than bravery, they were obHged to give way to fuperior difcipUne. Tlie
Portuguefe are fuppofed to have loft feven thoufand people in this war,
which after all was not at aii end. The fpirit of revolt was too widely
fpread among the numerous tribes of a vaft back country to be eafily
or quickly fubdued. The Spaniards made a new attempt to fettle upon
the ifland of Chiloe, near the coaft of Chili, that they might, like the
dog in the manger, prevent other European nations from reaping that
advantage from a friendly intercourfe with the independent Indians of
Chili, which the juft refentment of thofe brave people prevents them-
felves from enjoying. But their fruftrated attempt only ferved to raife
up a new confederacy againft the oppreflbrs of America among the Ind-
ian nations, who in great force attacked the mines, flaughtered all the
white people they found, and then laid fiege to Baldivia, of which, how-
ever, they were only able to burn the fuburbs. But it may be remark-
ed, that our accounts of affairs fo remote, and fo jealoufly kept in ob-
fcurity, are far from being accurate.

Mr. Swallow, in his periodical report, obferved, that in the courfe of
this year 237 Britifh velFels (whereof 100 for London), and 289 veffels
of all other nations, failed from Peterlburg. Their cargoes confifted of
the ufual articles.

Between the 5"" of December 1771 and the 5"" of December 1772
the following veffels palled the Sound.

Total.

Dutch

2,145

Bremen

170

French

13

Englifh

- 1,894

Lubeck

38

Courland -

7

Danifh

- 973

Hamburgh -

32

Spanifh

2

Swedifh

805

Ruffian

28

Portuguefe -

2

PrufTian

326

Roftock

21

Dantzik

211

Imperial

13

6,354 302 24 6,686

A new method of flriking whales by a harpoon difcharged from a
fwivel gun was this year tried in the Greenland fifhery *. The fociety
of arts, defirous of encouraging every improvement in fo important a
fifhery, gave a premium of twenty guineas to the inventor.

The quantity of coals imported into London this year was 725,008
chaldrons, which greatly exceeded the importation of any former year.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7>635 veflels of the reputed burthen of 582,563 tuns,

and of Scotland 1,567 _ , - 91,890

Total 9,202 674,453

* Mr. Andcrfon mentions fuch a gun being invented in the year 17.^1. It might notwithftiinding
be really invented by the perfon who now brought it forward to public notice. -5

3X2

53'^

A. D. 1772.

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain,

Foreign

Inward
Outward -

Veffels.

7,698
9,408

Tuns.
757,802
923,811

Vdlels.

563

Tuns. Veflek.

136,320 8,841

72,750 9,971

Tuns.
894,122
996,561

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Wefl-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of the year,
was from the cuftora-houfe in London - ;iC2,525,596 3 10

And there were no remittances from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh
this year, the cuftom duties of Scotland being wholely exhaufted in
filhery bounties, drawbacks, and charges.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of this year
18,060 pounds of gold, value - - £^4-3>^53 ^o o

and 108 pounds of filver, - - - 334 16 o

X^844,i88 6 o
The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain, from
Chriflmas 1771 to Ghriftmas 1772, was as follows.

Countries, &c.
jyrica
Canaries
Denmark, bcc.
East coiuitry
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland -
Ireland
Mann
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prussia
Portugal

Russia - • -
Spain
Straits
Gibraltar
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, Sec.
America in general
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
("ape iireton
Quebec
Nova-Scotia

Imported into

Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^£92,33 8 12

0

4^866,394

U 3

12,773 10

7

32,539

7 3

85,521 17

2

^27,510

3

7

161,972

14 3

^24,619 19 5

209,189 14

5

103,661

2 5

2,473,192 8

2

941,361

4 5

99-473 6

9

98

2

1

793,454

12 5

18,813 17 3

54,948 U

5

3,313

10

2

290,989

16 1

472,175 IS 8

701,813 5

1

24,594

13

10

1,354,181

6 6

79>976 8 8

23,449 16

5

10,451

7

2

36

15 4

324,901 8

8

102,831

8

3

1,99">815

1 4

358,132 I 10

l,2<t2,305 18

5

139,942

16

10

1,963,787

4 0

204,904 19 5

905

14

5

321 7 0

858.599 8

10

1,657

14

5

831,514

1 8

4,761 5 0

3,330 3

8

203

10

5

12,107

2 2

8,512

7

9

222 13 4

8,350

0

0

47 11 5

347.373 11

2

12,818

15

11

635,114

4 2

1,237 6 9

1,008,948 11

5

132,005

12

5

139,470

15 5

21,366 1 6

510,637 9

1

8,065

17

5

805,038

0 I

7,883 2 9

13,902 15

1

141,729

8 7

974 0 4

187,826 15

2

24,368

19

5

54,698

12 p

1,259 7 6

154,052 8

3

96,823

4 4

64,605 8

0

80,849

17 0

49,551 18

0

1.332

11

J

64,135

1 2

575,382

7

5

303,498 9 5

8,005 17

1

6,381

2 9

67,625 2

11

107,922

14 0

255 8

7

121

6 9

47,995 4

4

203,779

5 6

4,663 12

3

34,688

3 3

A. D.

772.

533

Imported into

Exported from )

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

a^ 1 26,265 7 6

^824,830 8 9

82,707 8 6

343,970 19 9

29,133 12 3

507,909 14 0

528,404 10 6

793,910 13 2

425,923 1 1

449,610 2 2

66,083 18 9

92,406 4 4

15,722 17 6

40,458 2 9

,^127,918 2 0

^58,052 15

3

166,351 12 4

116,074 10 11

210,842 12 6

138.841 10 7

525 2 10

11,798 14 6

215,667 7 1

1 60,526 14 2

492,974 5 3

191,774 18 9

1,483,818 19 8

592,733 5 1

82,873 18 2

23,334 7 8

82,331 17 9

18,277 15 1

302,952 2 0

118,914 4 9

155,182 18 0

38,361 18 10

19,718 19 8

36,707 4 10

58,111 9 5

30,586 0 11

5,817 18 9

1,564 0 9

24,947 18 0

815 5 0

51,079 13 10

1,535 14 10

15,580 3 0

4,728 12 11

2,488 9

1

13,298,452 2 3

16,159,412 14 4

1,2^0,263 14 6

1,210,263 14 6

1,560,755 19 7

1,560,755 19

"

14,508,715 16 9

17,720,168 13 11

Countries, &c.
New-England
New- York
Pennsylvania
Virginia and Maryland
Carolina

Georgia - -
Florida - - .
West-Indies in general
Antigua

Barbados - - -
Bermuda ...
Dominica - - -
Grenada - - .

Jamaica - . -
Montserrat

Nevis ...
St. Christophers
St. Vincents
Tobago ...
Tortola

New-Providence
St. Croix
St. Eustathius
Bay of Honduras
Musquito shore
Foreign West-Indies -

Imp. and exp. of England
Jmp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain, -

1 773 — The fpirit of launching into rafh and boundlefs projeds in
commerce, which were to be fupported by artificial credit, and the
madnefs of towering fpeculations in national funds, which carry the ad-
venturer out of the proper fphere of trade into the unfathomable abyfs
of gambling, had now fpread through the commercial world in moft
parts of Europe, and even fome of the cautious and phlegmatic mer-
chants of Holland wer't: infeded v/ith it. The evil, which had reached
its height in England in the fummer of 1772, burft out on the conti-
nent in the end of that, and the beginning of the following, year, with
fuch an extenfive crafli, that there feemed to be an univerfal wreck of
credit throughout Europe, to the amount, as was ftippofed, often mil-
lions fterling, But as the greatefi part of it was upon airy fpeculation,
if thofe individuals, who were innocently drawn into the vortex, could
have been exempted from the general ruin, it would have been perhaps
rather upon the whole advantageous to the moderate and fober part of
the commercial v/orld, that fuch ideal tranfadions fliould be expunged
and annihilated.

In this time of general diflrefs a happy mixture of generofity and
prudence in mofi; of the trading nations, thoup-h without any prcviou.s.^

534 A. D. 1773-

concert, (which the urgency of the cafe rendered impofTible) averted
many of the fatal confequences that were apprehended, and prevented
the mifchief from fpreading fo wide as it muft otherways have done.
The merchants in Holland, where the evil was greateft, adled on this
occafion with their ufual commercial wifdom. The bank of Stockholm
gave fupport to every houfe of real refponfibility in that city. And the
emprefs of RufTia ftepped forward to ward off the impending calamity,
and particularly favoured her befl cuftomers, the Britifh merchants at
Pcterfburg, by giving them a credit on her own banker for fuch fums
as they fhould ftand in need of.

The board of trade recommended to the king to permit the owners
of vefTels fent to catch cod on the Labrador coaft, to make fettlements
on the fhoi-e for the feal and falmon filhery, which, being at a different
feafon of the year from the cod fifhery, can only be carried on by people
fettled on the land.

They alio advifed that a part of the Labrador coaft fhould be detach-
ed from the government of Newfoundland, and re-annexed to that of
Quebec *.

The Eaft-India company having found it necelTary to reduce the di-
vidend upon their capital ftock to the low rate of yJJc per cent, the Ja-
nuary payment was accordingly made at that rate.

March 16'" — As it would greatly advance the improvement of fu-
gar plantations iii the Britifh Weft-Indies, if loans of money could be
obtained from foreigners as well as from Britifti fubjeds, it was made
lawful for foreigners to lend money on the fecurity of mortgages upon
Weft-India eftates at a rate of intereft not exceeding Jive per cent, and
to have the fame rights in recovering fuch debts as if they were Britifti
fubjeds, even though their own countries fliould be at war with Great
Britain. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 14.]

Hitherto the children of Britifti fubjeds refiding in foreign countries,
and being proteftants, were entitled to the privileges of Britifti fubjeds,
notwithftanding their being born out of the king's dominions, but not
the children of fuch foreign-born fubjeds, who were confidered as aliens.
But now the privileges of Britifti fubjeds were extended to thefe grand-
children of Britifti-born fubjeds. [13 Geo. III., c. 21.]

The corporation of the city of London, conftdering the high price of
corn, offered a bounty of &fj a quarter for the firft 20,000 quarters of
foreign wheat of a proper quality, which fhould be imported in Lon-
don between 30'" March and 30"' June next.

They alfo prefented a petition to the houfe of commons, fetting forth
the pernicions confequences of lotteries, and praying that they might
be laid afide, efpecially in time of peace.

* The adyice was followed, and the ve-annexatioti ratified by aft of parliament in the following
year.

A. D. 1773. 535

April — The ad [6 Geo. Ill, c. 22] for regulating the loading of fhips
with coals at Newcaftle and Sunderland, being found ufeful, was pro-
longed for feven years more. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 22.]

To prevent abufes in the fales of parts of Britifh veflels to foreigners,
no perfon, who is not a natural-born Britifli fubjedl, is allowed to pur-
chafe any (hare of a Britifh vefFil without the confent of the owners of
three fourths of the value of the veflel, exprelled in writing on the back
of the regifler. [13 Geo. HI, c. 26.]

The magiftrates of Greenock, having reprefented the increafe of the
number and fize of their fhipping in confequence of the great increafe
of their commerce, obtained an a£h for levying duties fimilar to thofe
granted in the laft feflion of parliament for the improvement of the
neighbouring harbour of Port-Glafgow, in order to deepen their har-
bour, to ered new piers, to bring in an additional fupply of frefh water
to the town, and to pave, light, cleanfe, and watch, the ftreets. [13
Geo. Ill, c. 28.]

The magiftrates of Aberdeen were inverted with a fimilar power of
levying duties for the improvement of their harbour by new piers, in
confequence of the increafed trade of their city, and for regulating their
pilots. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

The magiftrates of King's Lynn, having reprefented the dangerous
ftate of the navigation of their harbour in confequence of the fhifting
of the fands, obtained pov,^er to levy a duty for improving their har-
bour, fixing harbour-moorings, &c. and alfo to regulate their pilots.
[i3G^o. ///, c. 30.]

The enlargement and improvement of harbours is a fure proof of the
increafe of commerce.

As felons and malefadors, by flying from England to Scotland, and
from Scotland to England, ufed to elude juftice, it was now enaded,
that fuch perfons fliould be apprehended, and fent back to the place
whence they had fled. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 31.]

Before this regulation took place, the two kingdoms could fcarcely
be faid to be united.

A fociety of gentlemen were incorporated for twenty-one years, by
the name of T'be governor and company of Br'itijh cajl-plate-glafs manufac-
turers., for the purpofe of carrying on and improving the manufadory
by a joint ftock of eighty fliares of ;^5O0 each. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 38. j The
company eftabliflied their manufadure in Lancafhire, and have profe-
cuted it with fuch diligence and fuccefs, that their plates rival, or even
furpafs, the moft celebrated foreign manufadures in fize and brilliancy.

As the ad for conftituting free ports in Jamaica was near expiring,
Lieutenant-governor Bailing tranfmitted his obfervations upon the
influence of it on the commercial interefts of the ifland, to the fol-
lowing purport. The trade with the French was very trifling in the ■

53^

A. D. 1773,

articles permiitcd to be imported by the a6t. Some indigo was import-
ed, and a few negroes and other goods were given in return : but a
great and detrimental importation of other articles, and particularly of
coffee in great quantities, accompanied the indigo ; whereby the cof-
fee-planters, a ufeful clafs of people, who cultivate the mountainous
grounds incapable of being occupied as fugar plantations, and who,
being all refident, add greatly to the ftrength of white people in the
ifland, were reduced to great diftrefs. The confequence of the free-
port a(ft upon the trade with the Spanifh fettlements was, that the Spa-
nifli government immediately took the alarm, and, fufpeding that the
commanders of the guarda-coflas were corrupted by the traders, fuper-
feded them all, and appointed new ones *. In addition to the hardlhips
put upon the clandeftine trade by the jealoufy of the Spanifh govern-
ment, the ftridnefs and feverity of the cuflom-houfe officers in Jamaica
in enforcing the official formalities (which, the lieutenant-governor
thinks, ought to give way to tlie evident and great national advantage
of encouraging the trade) fo fettered that beneficial commerce, that it
was almoft annihilated at the very time when, and by the very means
by which it was expedled to be carried to a mofl: flourifhing ftate :
whereas, by proper meafures, the Spanifh trade could be made to pour
a continual ftream of filver into Jamaica, to the great benefit of that
ifland, and of the manufaduring interefl of Great Britain.

The official formalities, to which the lieutenant-governor alludes,
were attended with confequences infinitely worfe than fettering to the
Spaniards who engaged in the trade. By an unaccountable policy, the
revenue officers in the free ports were inftru6ted to keep regular ac-
counts of all foreign vefTels, the names of their commanders (who, ap-
prehending no danger from that quarter, did not think of affiiming fic-
titious names), and the quantity of bullion imported by them. The
confequences of this meafure were forefeen and foretold by fenfible
men in this country, and they verified the predidion as exadly as the
changes of the moon, or the eclipfes, can verify a calendar. The go-
vernment of Spain, ever jealous of their hard-fettered commerce, and
roufed by the free-port a6l to double vigilance and vindidivenefs, found
means, by virtue of gold, to procure copies of the cuflom-houfe entries
of the Britifh free ports : and the unfortunate people, who were thus
clearly convidled of the crime of carrying bullion to fupport the manu-
factures of Great Britain, were doomed by a relentlefs government to
utter ruin f . When the Britifh miniflry were apprifed of the dreadful

* And it appears that thefe new officers were from a refpeftable Spanifh merchant. [See his va-

niore vigilant than their predeccfTors, for feveral luable Hi/lory of the IVeJi-lndits, V. i, p. 233, ej.

fmall veSels belonging to Jamaica were taken by 17950 But indeed, without any autboiity, one

them. might venture to afTcrt, tliat fuch confequences

f For this faft I follow the authority of Mr. followed fuch meafures as inevitably as night fol-

Edwards, who then Iiad the direftion of the cuf- lows the fctting of the fun.
tom-houfe in Jaroaica, and recfivt'd the intelligence 3

A. D. 1773. s^y

confequences of the ill-advifed inftrudions, they were immediately
countermanded ; but it was too late ; it was not to be expeded that
any Spanifh adventurer would afterwards run into the gulf, in which he
faw fo many of his brethren perifh. And the Brithh colonifls were
obliged, either to fubmit to the entire privation of the Spanifh trade, or
to become the adventurers themfelves, as fome of them a6lually did,
though they run dill greater rifks of confifcation and ilavery than the
Spaniards.

To the lieutenant-governor's report may be added, that confiderable
quantities of St. Domingo cotton, (which, according to the evidence
given to the houfe of commons, is the properefl for the manufacture of
Manchefter velvets, wherein thirty thoufand people were faid to be em-
ployed), and of dying woods, as well as indigo, were brought to the
free ports in foreign veflels. And it was alfo given in evidence, that the
cotton and indigo fo imported came to the Britifh manufadurers thirty
per cent cheaper than the fame articles could be imported from France.

May 10"' — In order to regulate the corn trade by a permanent law
(inftead of the late temporary fufpenfions of exportation) which might
give fufficient encouragement to the farmer, and produce a regular
fupply of bread at moderate prices, it was enaded, that after the i"
of January 1774, whenever the average prices of Britifli grain in a dif-
trid are above the following rates per quarter of eight Winchefter
bufhels, viz.

wheat 48/; rye, peas, beans ^2/j barley, beer, or bigg, 24/; oats 16/j
they may be imported into that diftrid on paying the following low
duties, viz,

on wheat 6d; rye, peas, beans, ^dj barley, 8cc. and oats. 2<^, per quarter;
and wheat flour 2d per hundred weight : and the whole duty may be
drawn back, if the fmie foreign corns are exported within fix months.

And when, and where, Britifh corns are at, or above, the following
average prices, viz.

wheat 44/; rye, peas, beans, 28/; barley, beer, or bigg, 22/; oats 147}
the exportation of fuch corn, or of any bread, flour, flarch, &c. made
from them, is prohibited, under forfeiture of the corn, and 20/" for
every bufhel, together with the vefTel in which they are fhipped.

But this ad does not afFed the carriage of corn by coafting naviga-
tion from one part of Britain to another. Limited quantities were alfo
allowed to be carried to Gibraltar, Minorca, St. Helena, Guernfey, Jer-
fey, Mann, and Africa ; and unlimited quantities to Ireland, at any
time when the exportation of corn from that kingdom is prohibited.

In order to prevent corn from faUing much under the prices at which
exportation is prohibited, to the prejudice of the farmer and landholder,
the following bounties, to commence on the i" of January 1774, were
granted on the exportation of corn in Britifh vefTels, with at leafl two-

Vol. in. 3 Y

538 A. D. 1775.

thirds of the crews Britifli fubjedls, when, and where, Britifh corns arc
vinder thofe prices, viz.

OP whent, and malt made of wheat, 5/; rye 3/; barley, beer, or bigsf,
and malt made of them. 2/6 ; oats 2,^, per quarter ; and oat meal 2/6
per quarter of 276 pounds avoirdupois. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 43.]

By this law the legiflature endeavoured to limit the fluduation of
prices nearly between a^\J' and 48/ for wheat, and proportiorally for
other grains. The new regulations were fomewhat more favourable
than the preceding ones to the Britifli confumers of every fpecies of
grain, except oats, the exportation of which is encouraged by it, where-
as formerly there was no bounty for the exportation of oats, any more
than of peas and beans.

Inftead of the drawback of two fifths of the duty on teas exported,
allowed by the former adl, [12 Geo. Ill, c. 60.] the whole duty of cuf-
tom was now allowed to be drawn back on all teas fold at the Eafl-India
company's fales after the lo"* of May 1773, and exported as merchan-
dize to the Britifli colonies in America. The Eafl:-India company were
alfo empowered to export teas diredt from their warehoufes on their
own account, on obtaining a licence for the quantity from the lords of
the treafury, to the Britifli colonies in America, notwithfl:anding a for-
mer law obliging them to fell all their goods at home. But fuch exc
portation was only to be permitted, when the quantity of tea to be left
in the company's warehoufes fliould be at leafl: ten millions of pounds.
[13 Geo. Ill, c. 44.]

The bank of England gave notice, that after the 24'" of June they
•wonM no longer difcount bills at a lower rate of difcount than^^r per cent.

May 28'" — The manufacturers oS filver plate in Birmingham and
Sheflfield labouring under great difficulties and hardfliips for want of.a
proper eftablifliment of aflayers to certify the quality of their goods,
j^uan/i'.ns ofthejfandardof tvrought plate were appointed for each town ;
and it was enaded, that after the 29'" of September 1773 every piece
of plate, of fufficient fize to bear the touch, made in, or within twenty
miles of, either of thofe towns, before being fold or exported fliould be
marked with the initials of the maker's name, the year in which it is
made, and the ftamp of the guardians, which diftinguilhes the place
where it is made, and afcertains that it is of the ftandard of eleven
ounces two pennyweights of fine filver in the Troye pound. The marks
are the figure of Briiannia with an anchor for Birmingham, and a crown
for Sheffield. [13 Geo 111, r. 52.]

June 21" — Tt was enaded, that the paper, ifliied by the governments
of the colonies in America, as fecurity to their public creditors, fliould
be received by the public treafurers as a lawful tender for the payment
•f duties, taxes, &c. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 57.]

A regulation was made for the prices of bread, containing a table of

A. D. 1773- 539

prices of the bufhel of wheat including baking, and of the Correfponding
prices of bread. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 62.]

Whether this is an ufeful meafure of policy, or not, is a queftion, on
both fides of which much has been faid.

For feveral years bypafl the affairs of the Eaft-India company had
appeared to be in a very profperous condition, and they had thence
been encouraged to raife their dividends to tzvelve and a half per cent i
the highefl they were by law empowered to make fince the interference
of government in their concerns, and indeed the highefl that had been
ever made fmce the union of the old and new companies. The vafl
amount of their commercial and territorial revenues gave them a pleaf-
ing profped of the permanency of their profperity, and flattered them,
that, notwithftanding the heavy prefuire of the annual fum paid to go-
vernment, they would foon be enabled to reduce their debts within
very moderate bounds, But thefe fplendid profpeds foon vanifhed :
for it now appeared, that the prodigious increafe of their revenue and
authority in India had encouraged many of their fervants there in in-
numerable acts of mifcondud, profufion, and opprefTion. Since the year
1 765 the company's annual expences had increafed from ^700,000 to
£1 ,700,000. They paid almoil /^2, 000,000 every year to government in
cuftom-houfe duties*, and the indenmity flipulated to be paid for the de-
ficiency of the revenue on tea by the reduction of the duty f , together with
the tribute, or compofition, for the territorial revenue. By thefe means
government had in the lafl five years reaped extraordinary emoluments
from the company, beyond thofe of former years, to the amount of
^"3, 1 95,000 ; while they themfelves, though their mercantile profits had
in thefe five years averaged £,^6/\.,ooo annually, had received altogether
in their dividends fcarcely 2*900,000 above fix per cent upon their
capital ; whereas their trade alone, independent of their territorial reve-
nue, was capable of affording a dividend of twelve and a half per cent.
The great territorial revenue was reduced to a comparatively fmall fum
by the payment of the rent to the Great mogul, the penfions to the no-
minal nabob of Bengal and his ofRcers, the fupport of the civil efiablifh-
ment, of a military eftablifhment of near 30,000 men, and, perhaps
above all, by the profule expenfes of coUedion. The pretious metals in
Bengal, though formerly abundant, being the acquifition of induflry,
not the produce of native mines, could not hold out againft fuch drains
as the annual remittances to England, and the inveflments to China,
which had of late been regularly furniflied from that province, to fay-

On the 9"" of December 1772 the company by this indemnity not lef» than ;fi,coo,oco, of

^205,468 : o : 8 in one payment at the cuf-

loufe for duties on goods imported under

bond.

jt was calculated, that the company hsd loft

paid ^^205,468 : o : 8 in one payment at the cuf- which the government received £-jol,ooo, and
tom-houfe for duties on goods imported under the confumers had the benefit oi the remaining
their bond. ^joo,ooo in the reduced piices of tea

5Ya

540 A. D. 1773.

nothing of the lapply lent lately to Madras. The country, behig thus
cxhaufted of the circulatmg money, which ufed to invigorate the in-
durtry of the inhabitants, mull: foon be rendered incapable of either
fupporting the natives or yielding any revenue.

At this time the company were in arrears to government for ^^400,000,
being one year's tribute, or participation, of the territorial revenue, and
alfo for a large fum due on the tea indemnity, befides other large fums
owing to the cuftom-houfe for duties unpaid. They were moreover
deep in debt to the bank for money borrowed. And amidft all thefe
difficulties they were under acceptances for bills drawn upon them from
India to the amount of /"i, 200, 000. Thus circumftanced, they found
themfelves not only difabled from paying the large annual tribute of
j/^400,000, together with the indemnity, &c. but even from going on in
their bufinefs, unlefs they could obtain a large loan from government.

The company afcribed the bad ftate of their affairs in India to their
not having Sufficient power to punifh their fervants for difobedience or
malverfations in that country, where the diftance alone was too power-
ful a caufe of many enormities being committed, not only with impun-
ity, but even without ever coming to the knowlege of the company.
In order to redrefs thofe evils the deputy-chairman of the company
made a motion in the houfe of commons (30'" March 1772) for a bill
to regulate the company's fervants in India, to prohibit the governor
and council from having any concern in trade*, and to alter the mode of
adminiftering juflice in Bengal, where the mayor's court of Calcutta, ori-
ginally inftituted for the trial of mercantile caufes, had extended its jurif-
di<5lion, along with the extenfion of the company's dominion, from a fmall
territory to a great empire, to the magnitude of which it was by no means
competent. The bill was read a firft and fecond time, and then dropt :
but parliament did not thereupon lofe fight of the company's affairs.

The diftrefs and depopulation of the provinces fubject to the company
in India, the oppreflion and defpotifm of their fervants, and the mif-
management of the revenues of Bengal and the other provinces, where-
by the company were now in more ftraitened circumflances than ever
they were when they were merely merchants, were urged as motives for
appointing a committee of the houfe of commons to make a ftricl
inquiry into the ftate of the company's affairs at home and abroad : and
their invefligation gave birth to fuch arrangements as may be faid to
have thrown the company entirely into the hands of government.

On the 2" of March 1773 the company petitioned parliament for a

* Wlien by the acquifition of territory the go- cally oppofite to the duty of a fovf reign. The in-

vernois at tlie diiTereut prefidencies became the de- compatibih'ty of the charaiSers of fovereign and

piited fovereign rulers over feveral milh'ons of peo- merchant is well illuflrated by Dodor Smith,

pie, the purfuits of a merchant or factor (for fuch [^IVcalth of naticns, B. iv, c. 7.]
the governors foimerly were) came to be diametri-

A. D. 1773. 541

loan of ;£"!, 500,000 at four per cent intereft for four years, with a
liberty of repayment fooner, if they fhould be able, in fums of not lefs
than ^300,000. They propofed at the fame time to reftrid their divid-
ends x.oftx per cent till half the loan fhould be difcharged, and thereafter
to eight per cent till the final payment of the whole ; and then to appro-
priate the furplus profits above eight per cent to the difcharge of their
bond debts, till they fhould be reduced to ^^"1, 500,000 : and thereafter
they offered to divide the furplus profits equally between the public and
themfelves : and they requeffed to be difcharged from the heavy penal-
ties incurred by the non-payment of the compenfation, owing to go-
vernment in confequence of the fum produced by the reduced duties
on tea falling fhort of the amount of the former duties ; and alfo to be
difcharged from the annual payment of ^400,000 for the remainder of
the five years, for which they were bound by the late a6l of parliament ;
and they requefted permillion to export teas free of all duty to America
and to foreign countries *. They moreover propofed, that i^he accounts
of their territorial revenues, of their fales, and, in a word, a complete
ftate of their affairs, fhould be annually laid before parliament.

After keen and interefting debates in both houfes of parliament fov~
about three months, and remonflrances and petitions from the India
company, and from the corporation of London, whom the company
had perfuaded to intereft themfelves in the event, the following regula-
tions were enaded.

June 21" — The annual eledion of twenty-four new directors having
made the adminiftration of the company's affairs too fluctuating and
unftable, they are in future to remain four years in office, and fix of
them to go out every year ; fo that every year there fhall be an eledtion
of fix, inftead of twenty-four, new diredors. The election is to be made
by proprietors of not lefs than ^1,000 ftock, who only have the privi-
lege of voting in future f, which they muft have held without collufion

* This part of the petition was fpcedily complied with by an aft which received the royal af-
fent on the lo'" of May, the fnbllance of which the reader has already fecn.

f The numbers of proprietors of Eall-India ftock, holding ^joo or more, appear by the com-
pany's book to have been as follows on the 4"" of March 1773.

Proprietors of i^'iiOoo ftock or more,

English 487 - - holding a6'l,016,396 19 ■

Foreign 325 - - - 690,940 17

Proprietors of j^SOO or

naore, not amounting to

^1,000,

English 1,246 - - - 634.464

Foreign 95 - - - 50,226

1,909,339 16 J If

684,690

By the prefent aft there were 1,246 proprietors of India ftock disfranchized, and the whole govern-
ment of the company's affairs thrown into the hands of 487 proprietors. This, to be furc, favca troubl;'
to the candidates for the diredion. *

542 A. D.r 773-

or fraud twelve months, or acquired by fucceflion, the cuftom of Lon-
don, or fertlement. No perfon, who has been employed in any civil
or military capacity in India, can be elected a diredor, till he has refided
two years in England.

The civil and military government in India, and the management of
the territorial acquifitions in Bengal, Bahar, and OrilTa, were vefted in
a governor-general with a ialary of ^^25,000 a year, and four counfel-
ors with falaries of ^^i 0,000 a year each, to refide at Fort- William in
Bengal, to whom the prefidencies of Madras, Bombay, and Bencoolen,
^re made fubordinate *.

A fupreme court of judicature was alfo eflablifhed at Fort-William,
confifting of a chief iuftice with a falary of /^8,ooo a year, and threa
other judges with falaries of ^6,000 each, all a})pointed by the crown.
This court fuperfeded the mayor's court at Calcutta.

The falaries of the governor-general, counfelors, and judges, were di-
rected to be paid by the company out of the territorial revenues; and nei-
ther they, nor any other civil or niilitary fervant of the crown or of the
company in India are allowed upon any account to accept any prefents,
or to engage in any kind of trade : but counfelors at law, phyficians,
furgeons, and chaplains, are allowed to receive their profeflujnal fees.

The intereft of money in India is limited to twelve per cent. [13 Geo.

in, c. 63.]

In confideration of the prefent flate of the Eaft-India company's
affairs, parliament granted them a loan of ^^i ,400,000. And as it would
be impoflible for them to repay this fum, if government fhould con-
tinue to receive ;{*400,ooo a-year out of their territorial revenues, there
appeared a neceffity of relinquifliing that claim, till the company fhould
be enabled by the application of the whole of the clear territorial reve-
nues, and the whole of their profits upon trade, excepting a dividend
limited not to exceed fix per cent per annum, to repay the money ad-
vanced by government with the interefl on it. After the repayment of
that debt they were allowed to make dividends not exceeding feven per
cent, till the clear revenues and profits, being applied to the difcharge
of iheir bond debts, fhould reduce them to ;^i, 500,000.

The company were obliged to fubmit a liatement of their profit and
lofs every half year to the lords of the treafury ; they were reltrided
from accepting bills, drawn by their fervants in India, for above
;{'300,ooo in a year, exclufive of certificates to the amount of;^5,ooo to
the commander and officers of each of their (hips, without the confenr of
the lords of the treafury ; and they were bound to export to the Britifli
fcitlements within their limits goods of the growth, produce, and manu-

* Before the year 1707 the company's fettle- and independent ; but the want of harmony and
jnent m Bengal was dependent on that at Madras, concert produced great inconvenience and difor-
Afterwards the jirelidencies were all co-ordinate ders.

A. D. 1773. 543

failure, of Great Britain to the amount of £y6i,6y4. between 29"' Sep-
tember 1773 and 29'" September 1775, exclufive of military and naval
ftores, and of all exportatir a by the company's fervants, or by private
traders licenced by the company. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 64.]

Paper printed, painted, or ftained, was permitted to be imported after
the i" of Augull: 1773 on paying, in addition to the cuftoms already
impfjfed, a duty of one penny-halfpenny per fquare yard, which is the
the duty charged upon fuch paper manufactured at home. Paper of
the nianufadure of India imported by the Eaft- India company is ex-
empted from this duty. [13 Geo III, c. 67.]

July i" — Tiie magiftrates of London (for the city) and thejuftices of
Middlefex were empowered to fettle the wages of journeymen filk-
weavers, after the i" of July 1773. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 68.J

' Whereas the preventing the currency of clipped and unlawfully di-
' minifhed and counterfeit money is a more effectual means to preferve
* the coiji of this kingdom entire and pure, than rhe mofl rigorous laws
' for the punifhment of fuch as diminifh or counterfeit the fame ; and
' whereas, by the known laws of this kingdom, no perfon ought to pay,
' or knowingly tender in payment, any counterfeit or unlawfully dimi-
' nifhed money, and all perfons may not only refufe the fame, but
' may, and by the aarient flatutes and ordmances of this kingdom have
' been required to deilroy and deface the fame,' and the a6t [9, 10
Will. III.'\ which provided againfl; the currency of clipped and counter-
feit iilver, having made no proviiion concerning gold money, all per-
fons to whom gold money is tendered, and who fufpetl the fame to be
counterfeit or diminifhed beyond the uiual eifeds of wearing, are em-
powered to break or cut fuch pieces, the lofs failing on the perfon ten-
dering, if the money is bad, but if found good, on the peribn cutting
it*. [13 G^o.///, r. 71.]

Cod, ling, and hake, caught in Chaleur bay, or on the coaft of La-
brador, were permitted to be imported into Great Britain in Britifli
veflels lavvfully navigated, on the fame terms as filli from Newfoundland
into Ireland. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 72.]

The free ports opened in Dominica {hy l.he act 6 Geo. Ill, c. 49] were
continued i\'Q^ till the 1" of November 1780, and thofe in Jamaica till
the 1" of November 1774. Cacao and coiTee, the produce of Dojninica,
were allowed to be imported, either in or out of the hulk, after the
i" of Noveii^ibeL- 1773, 6n the fame terms as the fugar and rum of tiiat
ifland; as was alfo any coffee in the hu/k, the produce of any otlier of
the colonies. The duty on negro flaves imported into Dominica, or ex-

* In a few weeks after, the bcink, at the re- dom in quantities of not lefs than fifty guineas al ;
quell of the lords of the treafury, began to take ^Cj ; ly : ic-J- per ounce,
in the cut and defaced gold money of chis king-

544 A. D. 1773.

ported from Jamaica, after the i" of November 1773 was reduced from
j^*! : 10 : o to 2/6 a head. [13 Geo. HI, c. 73.]

A ftandard was prefcribed by law for the uniform meafurement of all
fliips or velTels, which were to pay duty, receive bounty, or be liable to
penalties or feizure, in refped of their burthen. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 74.]

Parliament gave the fum of /^2, 000 to Dodlor Williams as a reward
for making public his invention of durable green and yellow colours for
dying cotton*. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 77.]

The feveral ads for the prefervation of the highways were reduced
into one ; and the feveral ads for regulating the turnpike roads were
ulfo reduced into one. In thefe ads the furveyors of the roads are en-
joined to fet up and maintain mile-ftones, legible diredicn-pofts at every
jundion of the roads, graduated pofls at places liable to inundation, and
proper fences upon bridges and dangerous places. The weights of wag-
gons, to be afcertained by weighing engines, are determined for the
I'ummer and the winter feafons ; and all carts, waggons, and carriages
let for hire, are ordered to be confpicuoufly marked with the owner's
name and the number. [13 Geo. Ill, cc. 78, 84.]

Paper-makers, not employed by the bank, imitating the water-mark
of the bank-note paper, were made liable to fuffer death. And in order
to prevent impofitions upon the ignorant by notes made in imitation or
refemblance of bank notes, no perfon is allowed to make any engraved
bill or promifTory note containing the words Bank of England, or Bank
pojl bill, or expreiling any fum in white letters on a black ground, under
penalty of imprifonment for fix months. [13 Geo. Ill, c. 79.]

Several ads for improving fen lands, for canals, roads, inclofures, and
other improvements, were alfo pafled.

Auguft — The Britifh merchants in Dantzik having purchafed a quan-
tity of timber to be ihipped home for the fervice of the admiralty, the
whole was feized by a company authorized by the king of Pruflia, and
conveyed to Elbing, at which, and fome other of his ports on the Baltic,
he was endeavouring to equip fome fhips of war, in order to become a
maritime power.

Captain Phipps (now Lord Mulgrave) and Captain Lutwidge failed in
two fmall fhips of war in May, in order to make obfervations in the
polar regions. When they reached the latitude of 81° 39', their farther
progrels was arrefled by the ice, and they were in great danger of being
loft. As foon as they got difengaged, they therefor made the beft of their
way home, and arrived in September. This voyage proves, if any fur-
ther proof be required, that the fpace between the old and the new
continent, though it is almoft certain that it is not barred by any ob-

• The art of fixing beautiful and durable colours is of more importance to the profperity of our
mauufadlurcs than can tafily be conceived.

•A. D. 1773- 545

ilrudion of land, will never afford a pradlicable communication with
the Pacific ocean.

When it was propofed in a meeting of the Eaft-Tndia company, that
they fhould avail themfelves of the new law permitting them to export
their teas, it was flrenuoufly oppofed by fome of the members, who wiih-
ed not to depart from the old ellablifhed mode of conduding their fales,
wherein the payment was fure, for a new mode of adventure, in v/hich
they mufl inevitably wait long for their payments, and befides run great
rifks of heavy loiTes. Though the large quantity of feventeen millions
of pounds of tea, then upon hand*, was held out as an argument for
the exportation to America, it was anfwered, that that quantity was
only reckoned equal to the confumption of two years, and confequently
only the double of what they ought at all times to have on hand ; and
that by making two fales at home the firfl of them would in five months
bring into their treafury the fum of ;^ 1,200,000; a fum fufficient to enable
them to do without the loan they were then requefting from govern-
ment, which was likely to be pregnant with fuch ruinous confequences to
the company. Notwithftanding thefe and many other arguments, it was
refolved by the majority, that the teas fhould be fhipped, and feveral vef-
fels were chartered to carry them to the different ports of America.

In America all things were already tending to widen the breach be-
tween the mother country and the colonies, when the news of the
deflination of feveral cargoes of tea, which was to pay a duty in Ame-
rica, blew up a flame, which was only extinguifhed by acknowleging
the abfolute independence of the colonies.

On this, as on fimilar occafions, the people of Bofton took the lead.
Committees, affembled without any authority from the powers ellab-
lifhed by law or by royal authority, affumed, or received from the people,
power to CGunterad; the defigns of government by preventing the tea
from being fold, or even landed, in America. On the arrival of three
of the tea fhips in the harbour, the captains, feeing the flate of affairs,
offered to return to London with their ill-fated cargoes, if the con-
fignees, the cuflom-houfe officers, and the governor, would give them
permiffion. The permiffion was refufed from every quarter. The
people of the town were fenfible, that, if the fliips continued in the har-
bour, means would be found to land the teas gradually and impercep-
tibly. A flrong meafure was therefor refolved upon. A great number
of men, difguifed like Mohawk Indians, boarded the fhips in the night-
time, and, without offering the fraallefl injury to the veffels or feamen,

* For fome years the Americans had taken off of the company's diftrefs : and their ufual annual

icarcely any of the compiuiy's teas, their enmity demand for tea only was faid to have been to the

to Great Britain confpiring with the lower price amount of yr6oo,000, befides great Aims for piece

to give a preference to the other nations of Eu- goods, Cliina ware, &c. It is probable that there

rope. By the keen advocates for America this is fome exaggeration in the fum.
non-importation was afligncd as the principal caufe

Vol. III.. 3 Z

546 A. D. 1773.

who could make no refiftance, they completely difcharged them of their
cargoes, the whole of which they threw into the fea, and then went quiet-
ly on fhore, without meeting with any oppofition from Caftle William
or the fliips of war in the harbour (December 18""). Such tea ihips as
arrived at Boflon afterwards made no entry at all in the cuftom-houfe,
but returned diredtly to England with their cargoes. At New York a par-
cel of tea was landed under the guns of a fhip of war ; but the governor
was obliged to deliver it to be fecurely locked up from being Ibid, as had
been the cafe with the (lamp paper in the year 1 765 in the fame place.
At Philadelphia the pilots were ordered to conduct no tea fliip up the
river. And at Charleftown the example of Boflon was followed by
difcharging the tea into the water.

The fpirit of emigration from the north of Ireland, noticed lafl: year,
flill continued. The Highland part of Scotland was alfo infected with
the fame eagernefs for change ; and great numbers of people from
Glengary, Rofs, and Sutherland, and from the iflands of Sky, Lewis, &c.
broke through the ftrong attachment to the land of their fathers, which
had for ages been the diflinguifliing charadenftic of the Highlanders,
and crofled the Atlantic to cultivate the wafte lands, and augment the
military force, of America, where fuch an accellion of population, at
fuch a critical time, was welcomed with joy and aftoniflament*.

The emigration from the north of Ireland was owing, in fome degree
at leaft, to the great and alarming decreafe of the demand for linens f .
The reader has already feen the rapid increafe of the linen manufadure
of that country to the year 1771. From that period it declined, fo that
the exports of hnen from DubUn, which in the year 1771 were to the value
of /^i, 691, 000 fell in the year 1772 to about -/^ 1,300,000, and this year
below/^900,000; littlemorethana half of what they were twoyears before.

In Scotland the linen manuflicture was alfo declining. By the ftamp-
mafters' reports, there were damped for fale in the

year 1771 - - 13,466,274 yards,

1772 - - 13,089,006,

and in 1773 - - only 10,748,110.:!:

* Knox fays it is certain, that between the years (hipped at Derry in the fame time. And the
1763 and 1775 above 30,000 peojilc abandoned wholt emigration from the province of Ulfter was
their habitations [in the Highlands] befidcs great eftimated to amount to at lead 30,000 people,
numbers from the Lowlands. [^Fii'w 0/ ihe Brit- whereof ic,000 were weavers, many of whom car-
i/h empire, p. ly .~\ Admitting the number to be ricd their weaving utenfils to America. Almoft
juft, we may fafely venture to fay, that the emi- all the emigrants carried fome moaey with them,
grants from the Highlands only are now ( 1799) and fome of them might be confidtrcd as men of
increaled to 60,000 fubjcds of the United Hates property. [^Report of the commiltec of the Irj/ij par-
ol America. llamcnt on the liiun manufaaun; in the Irifo founial

\ About three fourths, and in fome places many 1774, /y>. 360 f/y^/y.j

more, of the looms in the north of Irjland were j: I'lie curlier progrefs of this manufaf\urc,

out of employment. Fiom the port of Bclfaft which people arc accuftomed to call the iiaplc of

3,5+1 pcrfons embarked for America between Oc- Scotland, may be feen in p. 336 of this volume.
tobcr 1 77 1 and Odlober 1773. About 6,000

A. D.I 773- 547

The fEagnation occafioned by this decline may have contributed to
induce ibme of the people concerned in the manufadure to leave the
country. It was given in evidence before the houfe of commons (ia
March 1774) by Meffieurs Anderfon and Goldy, that 600 out of 1,800
fpinners had emigrated from one diftrid: in Sutherland, and propor-
tional numbers from other places. From the evidence of thefe gentle-
men it appeared, that fome of^he linens made in the year 1771 ftill re-
mained then on hand ; that the duUnefs of the demand had funk the
average price from i2~'^, which it was in 1769, to 9/4'' in that year;
that in four fhires, which include Glafgow and Pafley, out of 6,000 looms
2,500 were unemployed, and in general a third part, or more, of the looms
were unemployed throughout Scotland and the north of England.

Mr. Paine, the governor of the bank of England, was alfo examined iti
the houfe of commons upon the fubjed of the foreign linen trade. He
ftated the quantity of foreign linens imported in the
year 1772 at 27,000,000 yards,
and in 1773 at 17,000,000.
He eflimated the quantity of foreign linens exported to be from
7,000,000 to 10,000,000 of yards annually, and the annual confumption
of them at home to be about 18,000,000 of yards.

The decline of the manufadure and importation of linens was the
neceflary confequence of the difproportionately large quantities made
and imported in the year 1771, when a fpirit of overtrading was too
generally prevalent. The failures which enfued in 1772, and the glut
of linens on hand of the fabric and import of 1771, together with the
loaded flate of the foreign markets from the too great exports of 1 770^
I 771, and 1772, efFedually abridged the powers of the manufadurers,
and the demands, as well as the abilities, of the exporters*.

For feveral years pad the officers appointed by the committee of Brit-
ifli merchants trading to Africa, and thoie of the Dutch Weft-India
company fettled on that continent, had been engaged in difputes upon
matters of commerce and pofleflion. The Dutch governor of St.
George d'el mina claimed an exclufive right to trade with the Portu-
guefe veffels, which brought Brazil tobacco to the coafl ; which was
denied by the Britifli officers, who infilled that the Portuguefe fhould
be at liberty to deal with whom they pleafed, and afferted, that it would
be impofllble without that article to trade with the Negroes. The
Dutch alfo claimed the property of the foil whereon a Britifh fort was ered-
cd at Appollonia, contrary to the ftipulation of a convention in the year
1708, wherein the River Ancobre is fixed as the utmoft boundary of coun-
try with which the Dutch have any connedion. There were alfo other
difputes about the liberty of fome roads, and the property of fome villages..

* Sec the progi-efs of the h'ncn trade from the year 1743 till the year 1771 inp. 515.
5 3Z2

548

A. D. 1773.

December — In confequence of the reprefentations of the Britifh am-
baflador at the Hague upon thefe contefts, the States-general fent over
two of the diredors of their Weft-India company as commiflaries to
London, who, however, though affifted by their ambaflador here, con-
cluded nothing.

The account of the French cod fifhery this year was as follows* :

On the coait of
Newfoundland

At St. PieiTe and!
Mlquelon /

On the banks
Newfoundland

°'}

Vessels

Tuns.

Men.

Fishing
boats.

Quintals

of dried

cod.

Pickled cod.
Number. Bar-
rels.

Barrels
of oil.

Value in

Ii\Tes
toumois.

104

15,621

7,263

1,367

190,060

2,825

3,816,580

35

2,543

456

20

36,670

253

805,490

125

9,275

1,684

2,041,000

641

122

1,421,615

264

27,439

9>403

1,387

226,730 2,041,000

641

3,200

6,043,685

The number ot bankruptcies, which, as has been already remarked,
laft year exceeded the number in any preceding one, was ftill increafed,
and no fewer than 562 names of bankrupts appeared in the gazettes of
this year.

In this year 20,000 hogfheads of fugar were imported into Briftol
from the Weft-Indies, being more by 5,000 than had ever before been
brought into that port in one year.

It was about this time that the public botanic garden of Jamaica was
eftablifhed by the legiflature of that ifland, who were unwilling to be
outdone by the fmall ifland of St. Vincents, where the liberality and
pubUc fpirit of General Melville, the governor-general of the Ceded
iflands, had eftablilhed an excellent public garden in the year 1768, as
has been related in its place.

In the year 1771 Colonel Lawrie, fuperintendant of the Mufquito
fhore, in conjundionwith fome others, bought from the Indian chiefs a
trad of land, which, they fuppofed, contained a gold mine. In the
later end of that year he applied to adminiftration for protedion in
working the mine, and was aifured, that the more valuable it turned
out, the ftronger protedion lliould be aftorded to him. Thus encour-
aged, he returned in the later end of the year 1773 with a number of
miners, and purchafed flaves to work the mine. But, owing, as is
alleged, to the mifcondud of the miners, the adventurers met with very
little iuccels. And in the year 1779 the war with Spain fortunately

• Tliis account i.s taken from Raynal, [////?. by the Britifli admiral on the flation, which will

f/jil. ei.polit. y\ X, lab. I J who may be prefumtd alfo be found, along with that of fome other years,

to be well informed upon the French fifherics. It under the year 1774.
diireri, however, from the general account girco 3

A. D, I

773-

549

delivered Great Britain from the fatal confequence of pofleffing a colony
with a gold mine.

There belonged this year to all the ports of

England 7,568 veffels of the reputed burthen of 581,801 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,578 - - - - - 91,721

Total

9,146 . - . _ . 673,522

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Inward
Outward

8,259
9-396

Foreign.

1,198
491

Ti

114,789
57.945

9.457
9,887

910,822
931,987

796,033

874,042

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Weft -India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was, from the cuftom-houfe in London - - ;^2, 439,0 17 : i : 6
The cuftom duties of Scotland being entirely exhaufted in fifhery boun-
ties, drav/backs, &c. there was no money remitted this year from the
cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of this year
28,200 pounds of gold, value - - ;Ci, 3 17,645 : o : o

and no filver.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1772 to Chriftmas 1773 was as follows.

Countries, &c.
Africa

Canaries

Denmark, kc.

Kast countiy

East-India

Flanders

France

GeriTiany

Greenland

Holland

Ireland - ' -

Mann

Italy

Madeira

Poland

Prussia

Portugal

Pvussia

J^pain

Imported into

Exported from

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^6S,424 19

.0

^662,112 7 11

10,63.5 11

p

43,889 10 1

.^132 1 3

71,044 4

0

af20,129 16

5

161,399 4 10

22,963 1 9

164,337 12

2

63,'i71 19 8

1,933,096 18

5

S J 5,707 16 6

79.957 1

4

1,006,601 6 7

44,-184 1

3

2,411 15

6

285,776 4 0

511,688 8 3

4.54,186 9

5

29,911 17

0

1,337,552 1 10

53,407 18 1

17,044 14

10

2,545 18

2

38 10 4

411,642 0

0

105,973 i(j

3

1,373,860 14 5

372,535 6 3

1,252,817 3

7

125,848 18

]

1,918,802 18 10

308,840 5 8

4,563 4

8

420 11

0

18,336 4 4

135 19 3

480,349 6

0

2,953 14

6

648,729 0 1

3,283 7 0

2,499 0

s

5,332 7
16,674 18

1
4

13,118 14 7

201 2 7

335 15 5

1,377 10 10

349,214 13

4

12,817 3

0

522,379 10 1

404 1 4

850,112 18

5

99,682 7

9

196,229 1 3

12,273 15 6

462,342 12

6

7,603 16

7

839,072 7 6

10,910 I g\

55^

A. D. 1773.

j Imported into

Exported from

— -

ConntiLffs, Sre.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

1 SCOTLAND

Straits

.^714 9 o|

^63,098 6 9]

Gibraltar

^1,203 1-

4

Sweden

161,603 16 1

^22,920 0 5

36,308 0 0! 2,378 16

10

Turkey

163,538 17 !

118,4/5 6 C

Venice

104,003 10 ;

98,371 4 C

Guernsey, kc.

55,795 15 IC

989 13 8

61,779 17 4

48 15

0

America in general -

525,028 17 1

240,591 10

4

Hudson's bay

8,p43 4 2

6,467 9 fi

Newfoundland

68,087 11 £

77,741 1 4

Cape Breton

0 16 t

984 6 4

Quebec

42,394 11 2

316,867 19 e

Nova-Scotia

1,719 9 3

27,032 18 4

New-England -

124,624 19 6

527,055 15 10

New-York -

76,246 12 C

289,214 19 7

Pennsylvania

36,652 8 g

426,448 17 3

"Virginia and Maryland

589,803 14 5

323,904 15 8

Carolina

456,513 8 4

34^,859 9. 1

Georgia

85,391 1 8

62,932 19 8

Florida

7,129 13 e

51,502 7 2

"W^est-Indies in general

118,147 5 5

67,099 17

2

Antigua

112,779 0 10

93,323 1 3

Barbados

166,682 6 1

146,817 9 3

Bermuda

509 10 0

10,051 18 9

Dominica

248,866 16 5

43,679 12 7

Grenada

445,011 0 Q

102,761 1 6

Jamaica

1,286,888 16 6

683,451 8 10

Montserrat

47,911 12 8

14,974 0 1

Nevis

39,299 7 6

9,^61 14 8

St. Cliristophers

150,512 5 5

02,607 19 10

St. Vincents

145,619 0 2

38,444 4 5

Tobago

20,453 19 2

30,049 2 0

Tortola

43,000 5 2

26,927 3 3

New-Providence

3,379 11 4

2,132 16 4

St. Croix

0,706 8 5

1,248 3 6

gt. Thomas

271 14 3

St. Eustathius

5,730 19 4

Foreign West-Indies -

35,941 S 7

16,409 7 1-

15,114 18 11

1,371 4

7

-i

Imp. and exp. of England

1,406,841 3 8

4,763,253 2 4

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

1,115,803 3 4

,115,303 3 4

1,612,177 15 10

,612,177 15 10

Total, Great Britain -

2,522,643 7 0

6,375,430 18 2

1774 — The Virgin iflunds, though a part of the general government-
of the Leeward iflands (fo called in refped of their fituation in relation
to Barbados) were hitherto without any regularly conflituted internal
government, the lieutenant-governor and council ading in a legiflative
and judicial capacity without any aflembly or jury. In confequence of
an application of the inhabitants, through the governor-general, to the
king, accompanied with an offer of paying the duty of tour and a half
per cent on all their exported produce (as the other iflands of the go-
vernment do) they were now indulged with a houfe of reprelentatives
eledled by themfelves, who held their firft meeting on the i" day of
February 1774. In confequence of the eftablifliment of a more regular

A. D.I 774- 55^

government, the merchants of Great Britain have been encouraged to
give more liberal credits to thofe iflands, which have rendered them
more flourifhing.

In the year 1769 the queftion concerning the duration of literary
property, or the exclufive privilege which an author has in the fale of
his own works by himfelf or his aflignees, was firft agitated in a court
of law. And on the 20"" of July 1770 the lords coramiffioners of the
great feal decreed in chancery, that the right vefted in the, author, or
by him afligned to another, fhould be perpetual ; and they ordered Mr.
Taylor, a bookfeller in Berwick, to accoiuit to Mr. Millar, a bookfeller
in London, as proprietor of Thomfon's Seatbns, for the proceeds of an
edition of that work publiflied by him.

This decree was thought decifive ; and the bookfellers of London
were thereby encouraged to lay out great fums * in copy-right, as it
feemed a fpecies of property fo well fecured by the laws. But the mat-
ter was not yet concluded. The queftion was carried before the houfe
of lords, by whom, after hearing many learned and keen arguments on
both fides, the former decree was reverfed. Literary property, there-
for, ftands now, as formerly, upon the ilatute of the eight of Queen
Anne, c. 19, which vefts in the author, or his affignee, an exclufive pro-
perty for fourleen years, after the expiration of which the author, if in
life, is entitled to a fecond term of fourteen years^ at the end of which the
copy-right expires, and the right of publication is open to every body.

The bookfellers of London endeavoured to get this decifion of the
lords fet afide by a new a6t of parliament, but failed in their attempt.

As conneded with this fubjed, it may be proper to anticipate, that
in the following year the univerfities of England and Scotland, and the
colleges of Eton, Weftminfter, and Winchefter, were empowered by
ad of parliament to hold in perpetuity the exclufive copy-right of all
books bequeathed or given to them by the authors, unlefs exprefsly
given for a Hmited time ; fuch books, however, being printed only
at their own prefixes, and for their own fole benefit and advantage, and
alio entered in Stationer's hall according to law — [15 Geo. Illy c. 53,
pafled 23"^ May 1775.]

I will alfo here obferve, that, after a long conteft, it was decided in
the court of King's bench, (12'" June 1777) that mufic was to be con-
fidered as literary property, and confequently proteded by the ftatute
of Queen Anne.

The houfe of commons having gone into a committee of inquiry in-
to the ftate of the linen manufadure, f which (as related under the pre-
ceding year) was now very much declined, petitions were preiented from

» I.ord Lytt'.eton in the houL- of loi-di; Hated which appeartd in evidence before this committee,
the aniouiit of them to be about jr6co,o&o. have aheady been detailed under tlie year 1773,

f Some of the fiids rcfpedi.ig the linen trade, to which in point of time they belong.

552 A. D. 1774.

Norwich *, Birmingham, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Walfall, and Wed-
nefbury, againft laying any additional duties on foreign linens, the con-
fequence of which, the petitioners obferved, mufl be fimilar impofitions
upon Britifh manufadures in other countries, whereby the trade and
manufacflures of the petitioners, and the general commerce of Great
Britain, would be materially injured. Counter petitions, praying for
additional duties, were prefented from the linen manufacturers in the
north of England and Glafgow. I do not find, that the houfe of com-
mons came to any conclufion upon the linen bufinefs.

March — For the fupport of the fugar colonies in the Weft-Indies, the
merchants were allowed to export wheat, meal, flour, bread, bifcuit, and
ftarch made of wheat, not exceeding in the whole 2,000 quarters in a
year from the port of London, and other grains, peas, beans, malt, and
oat-meal, from other ports of Great Britain, on giving bond for due
landing at the deftined ports, unlefs at times when corn may be export-
ed with a bounty. The inhabitants of Guernfey, Jerfey, and Alderney,
were alfo allowed to fhip wheat, meal, bifcuit, &c. for the filhery at
Newfoundland or other Britilh colonies m America, where the fifhery
is carried on. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 5.]

The act for confining the importation of gum-fenega to Great Brit-
ain, and for laying a duty of 30/" per hundredweight on the exporta-
tion of it, being found to operate as a premium to fmugglers, who car-
ried it to Holland either direft from Senegal, or clandeftinely from Brit-
ain, the duty on exportation was reduced from 30/" to sf, to take place
after the 5'" of April 1774. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 10.]

The ports concerned in the Newfoundland fifliery were permitted to
export limited quantities of bifcuit and peas for the ufe of their fifheries,
though the general exportation of grain fhould be prohibited, on giving
proper bonds. [14 Geo. III., c. 11.]

In confequence of the outrage committed upon the tea fhips in the
harbour of Bofion, an adl: was pafied, whereby all bufinefs of landing
and fhipping goods in the harbour of Bofton was fufpended after the
1" of June 1774, with an indulgence of fourteen days for velfels then
in the harbour, excepting only military ftores for the king's fervice,
and fuel and vidtuals for the ufe of the inhabitants of Bofton from other
parts of America : and all charter-parties, bills of loading, and contracfs
for fhipping goods for Bofton were declared null and void. [14 Geo,
III, c. 9.]

When the banking company, under the firm of Douglas, Heron, and
Company of Ayr, refolved to difcontinue their bufinefs, they found it

• Nonvich is the cliitf feat and center of the goods, for wliofe fake the h'neii manufaclure has

liqht V. ooUen manufadure. Did the people of been bolllered up with bounties, and fenced with.

Norwich confider themfelves as not having a com- high duties upon foreig«'lirens ?
Bioa caufc with the other manufaclurcrs of woollen

A. D. 1774. 5S$

would be impoflible to call in their funds immediately without fpread
ing great and general diflrefs throughout the country, and therefor
they had recourfe to other methods of railing money to difcharge the
demands upon them, as has been related under the year 1772. Being
defirous of putting the annuities they had then fold in a proper train
of redemption, agreeable to the contrad with the annuitants, they call-
ed a meeting of them on the 9* of February 1774, and made propoials
to canceil the annuity bonds, and fubilitute for them bonds of fifty
pounds each to the amount of the fums formerly llipulated, to be fe-
cured upon fufficient luientailed eftates in Scotland, and to be paid iu
London by four inflallments, (the lafl of which was payable at Mid-
fummer 1782) with interefl at five per cent, and the bonds to be tranf-
ferable in the manner of India bonds, exchequer bonds, &c. The an-
nuitants having accepted the propofals, proper gentlemen were appoint-
ed to condud the bufinefs ; and the tranfadion was fandioned by par-
liament. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 21.]

In the courfe of the month of March there arrived at Cadiz a flota
from the Spanifii Weft-Indies Vvith a cargo of filver together with forae
valuable merchandize, to the amount of 26,319,436 crowns, of which
above 22,000,000 was filver. It has been already obferved, that the
Spanifh importations of treafure are for the benefit of the induftrious
manufaduring nations.

May— An ad was pafl'ed to prevent embezzlements in the important
manufadure of woollen cloth. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

The Hudfon's-bay company were allowed to export a limited quan-
tity of grain for the fubfiftence of the people at their fidories, what-
ever the prices might happen to be. [14 Geo. Ill, c 26.]

The bank of Scotland, which was eftablifhed in the year 1695 with
a capital ftock of only /^i 00,000 fterling (or /^i, 200,000 Scottifti *) hav-
ing proved very ufefiil to the country, and having ftood imlhaken dur-
ing the late convulfions of credit, the proprietors applied to parliament
for liberty to double their ftock, which was granted. The old proprie-
tors were entitled to a preference during fix months in fublcribing for
the new ftock, fo as to double what they previoully held ; and all the
qualifications for voting and bearing offices were now doubled. [14
Geo. Ill, c. 32.]

The Eaft-India company being obliged by law to fell their teas with-
in three years from the time of their importation, and the quantity re-
maining in their warehoufes on the 5" of April 1774 being too great to
be confumed v.ithin the limited time, they were allowed fiv years for
the difpofal of their Singlo, and four years for their Bohea, teas, to

* For fome time after the union of the king- cept in reckoning fervants' wages, which, I be-

doms accounts continued tft be kept in Scotland lievc, are (till paid in old Scottilh money in fomC

in Scottifh money. But before the middic of the parts of the country,
eighteenth century it was generally difufid, ei-

Vol. III. 4 A

554 A D. 1774.

be computed from the time of their importation. The company were
by the lame ad obliged to keep a conftant fupply of teas at reafonable
prices to anfwer the confumption of Great Britain, on neglcd of which
the lords of the treafury may empower others to import teas from any
part of Europe. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 34.]

The term afligned for keeping open the free ports in Jamaica * was
lengthened till the ii of November 1780, and thence, as ufual, to the
end of the next felTion of parliament. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 41.]

It being fufpeded, that a great quantity of filver coin, deficient in
finenefs or in weight, and purporting to be the coin of this kingdom,
was imported from abroad, it was enadted, that after the i'- of June no
fuch coin fhould be imported ; and any fum exceeding five pounds
found in any veflel arriving in Great Britain, if found deficient in qua-
lity or weight, was ordered to be feized and melted down. It was alfo
enaded, thai no perfon fhould be obliged to receive above twenty-five
pounds in filver money by tale, but only by weight at the rate of 5/2
the ounce. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 42.]

An a6t was pafled for altering the conftitution of the province of
Maflachufets bay, by aboliftiing the democratical part of it, and re-
ducing it more to a refemblance of the other colonies. [14 Geo. Ill,

c- 45-]

To reprefs the fpirit of gambling in infurances upon lives and events
wherein the parties have no real or pecuniary interefi:, all policies for
fuch infiarances were declared unlawful : and the holders of infurances
upon lives were entitled only to recover the value of the interefi: they
really have in the lives infured. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 48.]

The commerce of Hull (or Kingfton upon Hull) being greatly in-
creafed, it became nccelfary to eftablifh new quays, or wharfs, where
goods may be legally ihipped and landed. It was alfo propofed to dig
out a capacious bafon in the main land for the reception of the fiiip-
ping ; and the corporation of Hull, the brotherhood of ftiipmafters,
and feveral other gentlemen, were formed into a company for carrying
on this new harbour f . To afiifi a work of fuch utility, the king gave
a piece of crown land, and parliament granted fifteen thoufand pounds,
to be paid at certain periods in the progrefs of the work out of the cuf-
toms colleded at Hull. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 56.]

All the exifl:ing laws for the encouragement of difcovering the long-
itude at fea were repealed, and one new ad pafled, which empowered

* For fome account of the trade hitherto car- being exempted from the fury of ftorms, and oiily

ried on at the free ports, fee above, p. 5 56. needing to have tlie dcpofited mud tkaned out at

t Tliis magnificent dock, hitherto one of tbe times, will be kept in repair at little ixpenlc, if

largcll in Britain, was cumjjlcttd, and opened for compared wiili tiie l"iif; piers projtfling into

the admiffion of flu'ps on the 22(1 of September ftormy feas, which have been fo often dellroycd

1778. It is of an oval figure, enclofed by a wall, and rebuilt. It is worthy of remark, that docks,

or quay, all-around it, except the entrance, over fomewhat fimilar, were ufed by the Carthaginians,
which there is a draw bridge. Such a harbour

A. D. 1774. ^^^

the commiffioners of the longitude flill to give rewards, not exxeeding
X^i 0,000, for any improvement in that great nautical defideratum,
either by time keepers, or by folar and lunar tables, which (hall be
found by fatisfadory trials to be more perfedl than thofe already in
the pofleffion of the public. They were alfo direded to give propor-
tional rewards for any other improvements in naval affairs. [14 Geo.
Ill, c. 66.]

June — The permifli on of carrying rice from South Carolina, Georgia,
and the Floridas, to the fouthern parts of Europe and the Weft-India
iflands was prolonged till the year 1781. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 67.]

The moft defedtive of the gold coins were already driven out of the
circulation by the fucceflive regulations for increafing the fmalleft legal
weight at which they fhould be allowed to be current, and that weight
was now fixed at five pennyweights eight grains for guineas, the fame
ftandard which has been kept up ever fince. On this occafion parlia-
ment determined, that all further lofs arifing from this laft abridgement
of the allowance for wear Ihould be born by the public, and for that
purpofe voted a fum not exceeding ^^2, 500,000 to make good the defi-
ciency and recoinage of the hght gold, which the officers of the reve-
nue were now direded to take in pavment and convey it to the bank.
[14^^0.7/7,^.70.]

The exportation of tools and utenfils ufed in the manufadures of
cotton, linen, wool, and filk, was prohibited under the penaky of /^2oo
to be paid by the fhipper, and X^oo by the commander of the velTel
receiving them onboard. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 71.]

Whereas a new manuflidure of fluffs, made entirely of cotton fpun
in this kingdom, had lately been introduced, and fome doubts were af-
certained, whether it was lawful to ufe it, it was declared by parliament,
to be not only a lawful, but a laudable, manufadure, and therefor per-
mitted to be ufed, on paying three pence per fquare yard when printed,
painted, or flained with colours. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 72.]

All the laws hitherto made for guarding the excife duties payable by
diflillers being found infufficient, a new ad was palTed containing ftrid-
er regulations. In the fame ad a remedy was provided againft fraudu-
lent demands for the drawback of one third of the duty on foap, allow-
ed to manufadurers of woollen goods and bleachers of linen (who ufed
to reprefent the foap ufed by them as foreign) by limiting it, after the
24"" of June 1774, to one third of the duty on home-made foap. [14
Geo. Ill, c. 73.]

The duty on great raifins, being found difproportionately high, was
reduced to the fame rate that is paid upon other raifins imported. [14
Geo. Ill, c. 74.]

Parliament determined to pay off a million of the various three-per-
cent annuities, of which a million and a half was paid off in the vear

4A2

55^ A. D. 1774.

1772, and in the fame manner, except that only ^^88 was now offered
in difcharge of /^ 100 of the capital, for which redudion of the price
the ftockholders were offered y/.r lottery tickets for every ^100 of ftock
at the price of /'12 : 10 : o *. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 76.]

An ad was pafled for the difcharge of infolvent debtors upon ftiith-
fuUy giving up their effefts to be equally divided among their creditors,
without prejudice of mortgages and other fuch preferable fecurities.
By this ad it was declared, that freehold and copyhold eftates, and
money inverted in the funds or lent upon real fecurity, fhall remain
liable to the claims of the creditors of fuch difcharged infolvent debt-
ors ; but that their perfons, and their perfonal property acquired after
their difcharge, fhall be exempted. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 77.]

All the laws hitherto made for the regulation of buildings in London
and its vicinage being found infufficient, a very ample fet of regulations
was enaded, whereby all future buildings of whatever nature were to be
diflributed into feven claffes ; and giving very minute diredions for the
chicknefs, materials, &c. of every part of every wall in every clafs of
buildings within the bills of mortality. By this ad the magiftrates are
direded to appoint furveyors, who are to fee that all buildings are exe-
cuted according to law. The ad alfo direds that ruinous houfes fhall
be pulled down ; that fire-cocks (hall be placed in the water-pipts with
oonlpicuous notices of their fituations ; that fire engines, and alfo pro-
per ladders to afTifl people in efcaping from fire, fhall be kept in every
f)arifh : and it prefcribes rewards to be paid to the engine-keepers and
turncocks, who fhall be firfl, fecond, and third, in affording affi fiance
when needed f. [14 Geo. Ill, <r. 78.]

The lenders of money on the fecurity of eftates in Ireland and the
colonies were now entitled to receive fuch rate of intereft, as is legal in
the countries where the eftates are fituated, though the mortgages are
executed in Britain, provided they be duely regiftered in Ireland or the
colony wherein the property lies. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 79.]

The province of Quebec was enlarged to its antient boundaries,
comprehending the vafl inland trad, which was exempted from the go-
vernor's authority in the year 1763, and alfo the country on the north

* See the aci 12 Geo. Ill, c. yc. they happen, and how httle damage they do in

f Qiiere, if an aft for couverting all terminable other towns, as crowded as London, where the

icafes into perpetual Icafes, for a fair equivalent, houfes are built upon freeholds or pci pet ual leafcs.

would not be more efltftual in introducing a vo- T remember being told by a coiifiderablc proprietor

luntai7 cuitom (for even in fuch matters cuftom of fuch houfes, that he never made any infurance

prevails) of crtdting fafe and fubftantial buildings, upon his property; and on my cxpreffing my fur-

than all the compiiltive laws that can ever be con- prife that he fliould run fo gre::t a rifk, he made

trived ? The materials arc to be had in abundance it apparent, that it would not be eafy, for even a

with as eafy a freight as we pay for coals, an ar- wilful incendiary, to damage any of his houfes to

tide of dayiy confumption ; and furtly no man tlie amount of jf 100.

would grudge a price for materials toereft a lioufe In June 1775 twelve people were buried in the

for the ascommodatiou of himfelf and his pofterity ruins of fomc houfes building in Chifwell ftreet,

dnrinT feveral centuries. Obferve how frequent which were too flight to (land till the tradcfmen

and dcftruiSiYe fires are in London ; how feldom were done with thsm.

A. D.I 774- 557

fide of the Gulf of St. Laurence, which had then been detached from
it, and annexed to the government of Newfoundland, that the admi-
niftration of civil governnient might extend to the numerous native-
French fettlers in the former, and that the fifhers in the later might
no longer be fubjeded to the Newfoundland regulations, which they
reprefeuted as inconfiftent with the nature of their fifliery. The Ro-
man-catholic fubjeds, faid to be in number about 65,000, were in-
dulged with the free exercife of their reUgion, fubjed to the king's
fupremacy ; their clergy were authorized to receive their accuftomed
emoluments from their flocks ; and the antient French laws and cuf-
toms were reftored, except in criminal cafes. Several duties were alfo
laid by parliament upon liquors and melalles, imported into the pro-
vince, for the fupport of the civil government of it. [14 Geo. Ill, cc.
83, 88.]

The privilege of naturalization having been abufed by many fo-
reigners, who obtained it merely for the fake of enjoying commercial ad-
vantages in foreign countries, wliich by treaties belong only to Britifh
fubjeds, it was provided by law, that henceforth no foreigner fhould
be entitled to fuch advantages, unlefs he has refided in Britain {^y^^cv
years after his naturalization. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 84.]

Among the ufual articles of expenditure voted by parliament this
year, there is the fum of ^^2,500 to David Hartley Efq. 10 allill him in
his experiments upon an invention for fecuring buildings and fhips
from fire. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 85.]

An act was paffed for prolonging a confiderable number of commer-
cial laws relative to importation and exportation. [i/\.Geo. Illy c. 86.]

The mayor and corporation of the city of London, whofe fupremacy
and confervancy of the River Thames is recognized to extend from the
city ftone above Staines bridge to a place called Kendall, Yenland, or
Yenleet, in Kent, v/ere empowered to improve the important inland
navigation of the river above London bridge. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 91.]

A number of acls, as ufual, were alfo paffed for the improvement of
feveral parts of London and other towns, for canals, drainings, and
other improvements.

Some merchants of Stockholm having entered into a company for
carrying on the whale fifliery, the king of Sweden, in order to promote
an undertaking fo ufeful to his dominions, afllfted them with an ad-
vance of 500,000 dollars at an interefl: of three per cent.

The Eaft-India company received advice, that the Spanifli governor
of ^>Ianila had lent a mefllige to Mr. Harbord to defire him to depart
from the new fettlement at Balambangan, and threatening, if he did
not immediately comply, that he would fend a fufficient force to dif-
lodge him, and defl;roy his works. Balambangan is a fmall ifland at
the north end of the great ifland of Borneo, which the company ae-

558 A. D.I 774-

quired from the kingof Sooloo (or Solor)in the year 1762, with a view
of eftablifhing on it a very capital entrepot for exchanging the produce
and manufactures of Hindooftan and Europe for thofe of Cliina, Japan,
and the Oriental iflands. This fettlement gave great offence to the
Dutch and the Spaniards, and it was probably owing to their inftiga-
tions, that the ifland was fome time after attacked by the people of
Sooloo, and plundered of property to the amount of near a million of
dollars. The Eaft-India company's officers and people thereupon re-
tired with what effeds they could fave to Laboan.

The herring filhery was fo very abundant on the coaft of Fife this
feafon, that the fifhermen fold their herrings at the rate of a hundred
for three pence, and 4,000 for 3/5.

On Monday the fifth day of September a cangrefs of delegates from
twelve * Britifh colonies in America was held at Philadelphia. This
meeting of a general reprefentative and legiflativef body, eleded with-
out any authority derived from the Britifh government, may with great
propriety be called the commencement of the independent fovereignty
of the American ftates, though the members of the congrefs ftill pro-
fefled themfelves his Majefty's fiuthful and loyal fubjeds, in a ftrong
petition to the king, and in an addrefs to tlie people of Great Britain,
' their friends and fellow-fubjedts.'

(September 22'') — One of their firfl ads was a rcqueft to the merch-
ants and traders, that they would fend no orders to Great Britiun for
goods, and fufpend the execution of all orders already fent, till the fur-
ther fenfe of the congrefs fhould be made public.

Odober ao"" — Soon after they publiflied an ample and formal aflbcia-

tion, wherein they refolved that after the 1'^ of December they would

import no goods whatever from Great Britain or Ireland, nor any goods
carried fromGreat Briiain or Ireland to any other place, norany Eaft-India
tea from any part of the world, nor any melalies, fyrups, paneles, coffee,
or pimento, from the Britiih Wefl-Tndia iflands, nor any foreign indigo.

that they would not after that day import, or purchafe, any flaves,

but wholely defift from the flave trade, and have no trading intercourfe

with any one concerned in it As the moft efFedual fecurity for the

obfervance of the non-importation, they refolved to ufe no tea on which
duty hud been paid, and after the firft of March no tea whatever, and

to purchafe no goods imported contrary to the aflbciation In con-

fideration of the intereft of their fellow -fubjeds in Great Britain, they
lufpended the non-exportation till the i o'" of September 1775, after
which day, if the obnoxious ads were not repealed, no merchandize
whatever was to be exported to Great Britain, Ireland, or the Weft-

* Georgia did not accede at the commencement ncfs or zeal of obedience, beyond wliat was ever

of the revolution. paid to any law? enafl^rd by the legally-cenflitutcd

f Their advices, or recommodations, though not authorities.
foitnally called h-ws, were followed with an eager-

A. D.I 774- 559

Tridies, except rice to Europe They alfo refolved to increafe the breed

of fheep, and encourage the manufadures of the country, efpecially
thofe of wool, to promote induflry and economy, and to difcourage
gaming, public amufements of every kind, and every fpecies of extra-
vagance, particularly, mourning clothes, gloves, and fcarfs, at funerals,

They refolved to hold up to public odium any one who fhouic 're

advantage of the fcarcity of goods to demand extravagant prices, or m
any refpedl infringe this refolution ; and that the manufaftures of Ame-
rica fhould alfo be fold at reafonable prices In cafe of anv cargoes

arriving between the i" of December and the i" of February 1775,
they direded, that, at the option of the importers, they (hould either be
fent back, flored by the committee of the town or county at the rifle
of the importer till the termination of the non-importation agreement,
or fold under the direction of the committee, who in that cafe, fhould
pay the prime cofl and charges to the importer, and beftow the pro-
fit, if any, for the relief of the fufFerers by the Bofton port bill : but
after the i " of February no goods were to be received on any account.
— And they refolved to have no intercourfe with any province of Ame-
rica, that (hould refufe to accede to, or fhould violate, this aflbciation.

The congrefs made the following eftimate of the population of the
afTociated provinces at this time.

Maffachufets bay
New Hampfhire
Rhode ifland
Connedticut
New York
New Jerfey
Pennfylvania with the '

lower counties on De- V 350,000

laware 3 Total* 3,026,678

A commercial intercourfe was foon after opened by the Britiih-Ame-
rican colonies with France and Holland, which, in confequence of re-
prefentations from the court of Great Britain, was prohibited by au-
thority, and connived at, in both countries.

Mr. Chalmers in his EJlimateoftbeJlrejigthofGreat Britain [/-. 260, ed\
1794] reckons the fhipping belonging to the American colonies, now
forming the United ftates, which were entered in Britiih ports, to have
been 34,587 tuns on an average of the years 1771-2-3-4.

The king in council had ilTued letters patent on the 20"" of July 1764,

* It was afterwards acknowlegcd, that this cal- the people of Georgia, amounts only to 2,389,300,

■ Illation was confiderably exaggerated. Governor of whom onl) about 1,700,000 were white people.

Pownal \_Memottal, p. 122] eftiinatts the whole It is not probable that the number of people in the

niinnbcrof the toloniftsthis year at only 2,141,307 : American ilates was lefs at the conclufiou, than

and the ccnfus taken in the year 1782, including before the beginning, of the war.

400,000
150,000

59»678
192,000

250,000

130,000

Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina

320,000
650,00c
300,000
225,000

1,495,00c
1,531,678

560 A.D. 1774-

cUreciing that the duty of four and a half per cant, which had been
granted under particular circumftances by the afTembly of Barbados *",
and had afterwards been extended to the neighbouring Britifh iflands,
iliould be levied on the exported produce of the ceded iflands. This
was done upon the principle, that the crown poiTefTed an abfolute do-
minion over conquered territories. But the demand was oppofed by
the planters, who infifted, that, if any fuch dommion ever exifled, it
was relinquiihed by the proclamation, which invited Britifli fubjeds to
fettle the iflands, x^'ith the afliirance of enjoying the Britifli conftitution.
The difpute was at length carried to the court of King's bencli, where
judgement was given againfl: the crown ; and thenceforth thole iflands are
exempted from a burthen, which lies hard upon all the other Britifli
Wert-lndia iflands except Jamaica.

December 23'' — An ad; was pafl'ed for permitting the importation of
Indian corn (or maize) on paying a duty of one penny per quarrer, at
any time when barley may be lawfully iniported on paying a duty of
twopence. [15 Geo. Ill, c. J.]

It was efl:imated that the poor's rate for England and Wales, which
about the year 1685 was ^^665,362, and in Queen Anne's reign flood
about ;^i ,000,000, rofe to ^'3,000,000 about the year 1750, and was
the fame this year f.

About this time there was much talk of the flourifliing ftate of fome
manufadures lately eftabliflied in Spain, whereby fome millions of
piaftres were faid to be annually faved to that country. The horrible
power of the inquifition was greatly abridged in Spain this year, which
might render a refidence in that country more tolerable to foreigners,
who might be inftrumental in promoting ufeful manufactures ; but it
requires the experience of many years to afcertain whether the new
manufadures of Spain will have much influence on the general com-
merce of Europe.

The king of Sweden this year impofed heavy duties on woollen cloths,
watches, and feveral other articles, which the Swedes ufed to get chiefly
from Great Britain. And he propofed thofe duties as a fund for efta-
blifliing and encouraging flmilar manufadtures in his own country.

The king of Denmark went farther ; for he totally prohibited the
importation of woollen goods, giving as a reafon, that the manufadures
of his own country were fully fufficient to anfwer the demand.

The trade with Portugal, ufually fo highly extolled, was now funk
down to lefs than half of what it ufed to be formerly.

By the report of the Britifli conful at Hamburgh the merchandize
imported into that city from Great Britain, Ireland, and the Britifli

• For an account of the manner in which the f For the preceding years fee the elaborate

duty of four ;ind a half per cent was impofed or work of Sir Frederic Morton Eden on The Jlatc of

obtained, fee Edwards's Hijt. of the Wejl-Indiis, the poor, F.'hpp. 9>3H-
F. i, />. ■^^■3,, fecond ed. ^

A. D. 1774.

561

colonies in the courfe of this year amounted in value to £8yg,y62 : 6 : o
fterling, and the French goods carried to the fame city to 1,157,170 : 8 :o
There arrived this year at Hamburgh 697 trading veffels, of which 248
vi^ere Britifh. It is worthy of remark, that of 23 veflels from Shetland
with herrings, 19 were Danifh, only 2 Dutch, and only 2 Britifh ; and
of 52 whale fhips from Davis's ftraits and Greenland, 45 belonged to
Hamburgh. There were 74 vefTels from Ruflia and the Baltic loaded
with corn only.

The goods imported at Bremen this year from Great Britain and
Ireland amounted to - - ^^i 62,561 : 11 : o

and thofe from France, to - - 251,523 : 17 : o

In the courfe of this year the following veflels pafl'ed the Sound.

Danifli

)2 Pruflian

284 Portuguefe

Total

Dutch

2,447

Ruffian

36

Lubeck

47

Englifh

2,3^5

Dantzick

194

Ollend

14

Swedilh

1,227

Roftock

59

Emden

207

French

39

Hamburgh

40

Oldenburg

3

Bremen

186

Spanifli

18

Courland

4

7,176

631

277 8,084

The induftrious trading town of Leeds was found by an exad enu-
meration to contain 8,041 men and boys, and 9,076 women and girls,
being 17,117 inhabitants in 4,099 families.

The great improvement of the cultivation of Jamaica will appear from
a comparifon of the ftatement, already given, of its exports in the year
1768, with the following account of its exports in this year, which was
taken by Mr. Edwards from the official books in the ifland.

To

Great Britain")

and Ireland. J

North 1

America. J

It is proper to obferve, that the great decreafe in melafTes (compared
with the exportation of 1768) may be afcribed, partly to a greater
quantity having been ufed in the diftillery, the quantity of rum being
larger this year in proportion to the fugar than in 1768, and perhaps,
partly to a more favourable feafon, which produces better fugar, and.

Vol. in.. 4^

^4 "^

j1

ay.

0

s ^

1"

.If

li

i

II

.11

11

1

76,344

17,348

4,140

14,625

2,348

2,022

3,684

437

l,286i

117,200

656

1,960

8,726

57,060

693

579

88

2,863

1

26i

12,080

8,636

78,304

26,074

61,200

15,318

2,927

2,110

6,547

438

1,313

129,280

9.292

^6i

A. D.I 774.

donfequently, lefs melafles. The decreafe of ginger and cotton may be
owing to the planters of thofe fmaller articles engaging in fugar planta-
tions ; and as to the decreafe of the woods, it is to be confidered, that
they are chiefly obtained by clearing uncultivated land, and that, confe-
quently, the quantity of them muft decreafe, as the cultivation of the
country advances. The whole value of the above produce, together
with fome fmaller articles not here mentioned, was eftimated at the cur-
rent prices to be two millions fterling.

The following retrofpedl of the fifliery and trade of Newfoundland
is extraded from the returns of the admirals commanding on that fla-
tion.

In the year 1769.
British fishing vessels
British sack vessels
American vessels
Bye boats
Boats of tlie inhabitants

1770.
British fishing vessels
Sack vessels
American vessels -
Bye boats
Boats of the inhabitants

1771.
British fishing vessels
Sack vessels
American vessels
Bye boats
Boats of the inhabitants

1772.
British fishing vessels
Sack vessels
American vessels
Bye boats
Boats of the inhabitants

1773.
British fishing vessels
Sack vessels
American vessels
Bye boats
Boats of the inhabitants

1774.
British fishing vessels
Sack vessels
American vessels
Bye boats . -
Boats of the inliabitants

tj

1

.3

>

^

In

Jl

1^
^1

Seal oil; and
oil, skins, and
teeth of sea-
cows; value.

354

23,047

1 1,089

221,340

863-

^

117

12,07]

1,232

120

8,706

727

*

>

919

7,641

429

3,147

93,220

446

1,333

263,464

1,226 J

368

22,045

11,794

252,910

722 -j

123

13,363

1,298

138

6,086

781

>

649

13,657

444

3,865

118,768

536

1,229

277,820

1,334 J

369

21,954

11,9/6

236,080

779-)

120

10,995

1,118

123

8,475

865

y.

1,258

6,799

559

6,527

147,599

718

1,173

261,240

1,226 J

306

20,950

11,803

305,391

651-)

146

14,508

1,344

1

138

6,787

760

y

734

14,091

605

7,251

155,847

890 (

1,330

298,605

1,254 J

262

18,855

9.408

262,925

864-1

93

8,553

786

125

5,962

713

^

3,543

27,840

560

6,107

150,957

767

1,276

366,446

1,612}

254

22,182

7,836

237,640

680-1

149

15,179

1,370

175

8,972

936

}

3,501

18,670

518

5,716

145,800

856

1,446

312,426

1,426 J

l§1

1,127

1,066

1,359

* The American veffels were partly traders, and partly fifhers ; but the quantity of fifli, oil, &c.
procured by them was not returned to the admirals, and is therefor unknown. 4

A, i).

1774,

5%

The number of inhabitants remaining through the winter on the
ifland during thefe years was fometimes under 11,000, and never
amounted to 12,000; and the land cultivated by them was only from
one to two thoufand acres.

The following account, fhowing the ftate of the French fifhery at
Newfoundland, is alfo taken from the returns of the Britifh admiral
commanding on that llation :

In die year 1/6^.
17-0.
1771 .
1772.
1773.
1774.

essels.

Tun-

Boats.

Men.

Quintals

Hogsheads

nage.

offish
cured.

of oil.

431

44,727

1,455

12,367

215,030

3,153

437

45,541

1,470

12,855

435,340

3,511

410

42,360

1,327

12,640

239,864

4,259

330

37,257

1,468

15,248

388,800

4,687

284

33,332

1,452

14,476

336,250

3,358

273

31,530

1,614

15,137

368,215

3,377

Befides the above numbers of quintals of fifh there were 470,000 fifhi
by tale in the year 1769, and 470,000 alfo in the year 1771.

There belonged this year to all the ports of

England 7,559 veflels of the reputed burthen of 588,620 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,646 _ _ _ _ - 93,342

Total - 9,205 ----- 681,962

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Britilh. II Foreign. n Total.

Inward
Outward

Vessels.
8.587
9-524

Tuns.

820,961
808,904

Vessels.

1,231

566

Tuns.

i35.47<5
68,980

9,818

1 10,090

956,437
877,884

The net amount of the cufloms, including the Weft-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was - - - - - £2,567,769 ■■ 17 ■ 3

being all from the cuftom-houfe in London, the Scottifh revenue of the
cuftoms being wholely employed in paying fiftiery bounties, drawbacks,
&c.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of this year

100,280 pounds of gold, value
and no filver.

£^,6B5,62S : II : o

4B 2

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1773 to Chriftmas 1774, was as follows.

Imported into

_

Exported from

Countries, &c.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAMD,

.'Vfrica

^56,503 8

7

^846,525 12

5

Canaries

6,134 3

6

43,707 0

10

Denmark and Norway

101,500 12

10

^27,984

15 9

103,103 9

6

a£23,263 17 5

East countiy

351,825 13

6

82,723 11

6

East-India

1,386,984 18

3

546,213 6

4

Flanders

120,013 15

6

917,490 4

2

France

- 68,292 7

7

5,864 11 1

197,189 10

6

226,461 15 9

Germany

791,324 3

11

35,464

U 6

1,572,611 10

11

45,554 8 5

Greenland

51,268 15

6

6,829

10 6

17 11

4

Holland

604,481 12

9

110,015

6 2

1,737,669 12

7

421,617 5 2

Ireland

1,447,497 6

10

154,744

12 0

2,105,826 15

5

232,078 15 0

Mann

7.419 1

8

84

12 3

24,980 15

1

158 1 0

Italy

736,571 19

11

302

12 8

739,847 11

11

9,054 6 0

Madeira

3,124 9

10

56

0 11

25,495 2

5

6 6 0

Poland

10,194

IS 1

523 8 4

Portugal

371,247 12

7

20.306

11 0

558,158 14

11

791 13 3

Prussia

20,849

12 0

114 2 6

Russia ...

1,161,283 18

6

149,124

16 1

254.622 13

7

7,402 4 7

Spain

582,902 18

5

10,785

4 2

969,762 19

4

67,478 10 10

Gibraltar

20

a 5

2,536 4 1

Straits

442 13

0

192,745 4

10

Sweden

190,710 14

6

22,943

13 5

88,230 13

2

7,163 1 7

Teneriffe

209

3 6

J

Turkey -

143,322 4

0

160,053 0

6

Venice

60,108 4

2

92,284 1

Guernsey, &c.

48,049 10

2

730

.9 3

72,639 14

10

America in general -

504,572

18 7

260,033 6 11

Hudson's bay

13,446 12

1

4,961 4

5

Newfoundland

46,234 1

5

77,263 4

4

Cai>e Breton

321 18

9

Quebec

74,123 8

3

307,635 10

5

Nova-Scotia

1,675 18

2

47,148 16

10

New-p;ngland

112,248 8

2

562,476 2

4

Ne%^-York - -

80,008 5

9

437,937 12

1

Pennsylvania

69,611 8

4

625,652 3

3

Maryland and Virginia

612,030 17

9

528,738 5

4

Carolina

432,302 16

1

379,110 17

11

Georgia

67,647 8

5

57,518 10

2

Florida

22,335 19

5

52,149 14

4

West-Indies in general

121,192

15 11

67,900 4 0

Antjgxia

327,094 0

1

109,0,55 15

4

Barbados

210,874 10

10

153,288 12

4

Bermuda

3 6

8

10,089 7

7

Dominica

244,729 16

2

46,052 3

5

Grenada

461.811 15

7

115,453 17

6

Jamaica

1,4q6,686 7

9

674,949 0"

4

Montserrat

67,661 9

7

16,464 7

0

Nevis

02,656 7

10

17.S20 10

4

New-Providence

1,836 17

6

1,459 3

5

St. Croix

406 ()

4

St. Eustathius

322 13

4

St. Christophers

268,278 12

2

99,044 4
52,944 19

1

St. Vincents

160,059 13

1 1

p

Tobago

45,038 3

9

36,681 15

2

Tortola

57,889 15

9

16,708 17

2

Bay of Honduras - -

25,253 IQ

3,250 19

5

Musquito shore

8,694 9

b

10,339 7

6

Imp. and exp. of England

13,275,599 9

10

15,916,343 13

2

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

1,202,276 12

5

1,202,276

12 5

1,372,142 10

10

1,372,142 10 10

Total, Great Britain -

14,477,876 2

3

17,288,486 4

0

A. D.I 775- 5^5

1775 — The net duties, paid at the cuflom-houfe of Dublin between
3* January 1774 and 3'' January 1775, amounted to J^352,;^og on goods
imported, and ,^2,951 on goods exported, being in all £355,^60.

A new method of afcertaining the longitude by obferving the diftance
of the moon from the fun with an infcrument invented by Meffieurs
Turnbull and Latimer was tried, and found to anfwer with the greateft
exadtnefs, fo that the longitude may be determined by it at fea at all
times when the obfervation can be made.

February 17"' — Low-priced wool-cards were permitted to be exported
to the Britifh colonies in America, notwithftanding the ad of iaft leffion
againfl the exportation of manufacturing utenfils [15 Geo. lll,c. 5.]

March 23'' — The free importation of faked proviilons from Ireland
and the colonies in America was continued till the 30"" of March 1776;
and potatoes and all kinds of pulfe were now permitted to be imported
free from Ireland during the fame time. — [15 Geo. Ill, c. 7.]

March 30"" — The American colonifls having refolved not to have any
trading intercourfe with Britain till their grievances fliould be redreffed,
the parliament, notwithflanding many and very ftrong petitions, from the
Weft-India planters (who dreaded the ruin of their eftates by the want
of theufual fupplies of American provifions and lumber) from the mer-
chants of London, and from all the trading and manufaduring towns in
the three kingdoms, palfed an aft to reftrain the people of MalTachufets
bay. New Hampfhire, Connedicut, Rhode ifland, and Providence plant-
ation (which provinces pafs under the general name of New-England)
from trading to any other country, notwithflanding the indulgences
formerly granted with refped to fait for the fillieries, wines from Ma-
deira and the Weftern iflands, and vidual and linen from Ireland. They
were alfo deprived of the liberty of fending their fifliing veffels to the
coafts of Newfoundland, Labrador, or Nova Scotia, or in fhort any part
of the coaft of North America ; and all fuch veiiels were declared liable
to feizure after the 20'" of July 1775, unlefs provided with certificates
from the governor of the colony they failed from.

Veflels fitted out before the i'' of July folely for the whale fifliery,
veffels entirely owned in the ifland of Nantucket, and veffels fitted out
for catching mackerel, fhads, and alewives, owned in the towns of
Marfhfield and Scituate, were exempted from the rigour of this ad. —
[15 Geo. Ill, c. 10.]

April 13'" — The reftridion laid by parliament upon the trade and
fiflieries of the New-England provinces, was now extended to New Jerfey,

Pennfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina [15 Geo. Ill,

c. 18.J

But before the pafling of thefe ads could be heard of in America,
the long-impending and threatening clouds had burft in deeds of open
hoftility, the event of which was to determine the fate oi the colonies.

566

A. D. 1775.

The former reft raining laws, which were expeded to crufti the fpirit of
oppofition, had ferved only to add fuel to the fire, and inftead of divid-
ing the colonilts by the expedlation of advantages, which might accrue
to other places from the annihilation of the trade of Bofton, they excit-
ed a generous fympathy for the fuflferers in, what was confidered as, the
general caufe of America, with a determination to aflift them by all
poffible means, and to ftand or fall together. In fhort, the northern
and fouthern colonies, who had fcarcely ever before harmonized toge-
ther, were now knit into a band of brothers, prepared with the moft
determined refolution to brave every ftorm of adverfity, and to run
every rifk of life and fortune, in defence of the liberties and privileges
they claimed as their birthright. General Gage, the governor of Maf-
fachufets bay and commander in chief of all the Britifh foixes in Ame-
rica, had for fometime thought it neceflary to ad in moft cafes as if in
an enemy's country. The people on the other hand were bufily em-
ployed in learning the military exercife, and in procuring or manufac-
turing arms and ammunition of all kinds *. The fortification of Bof-
ton neck, and the feizure of the provincial ammunition and ftores lodg-
ed at Charleftown and Cambridge (both near Bofton) by General Gage,
and the feizure of the cannon belonging to government by the people
of Rhode-ifland, and of a fmall fort called William and Mary by the
people of New Hampfliire, accelerated that crifis, to which every adion
on either fide had for fome time been rapidly tending. At laft the appeal
was made to the fword in the celebrated fkirmifh at Lexington, wherein
above fixty men were killed on each fide, and about twenty Britifti fol-
dierswere taken prifoners by the American militia (April 19""). Imme-
diately afterwards the king's forces were befieged in Bofton, where they
fuffered great hardfliips for want of room, and for want of frefli provifi-
ons and vegetables, hitherto fupplied from the adjacent country f. The
military ardour fpread over all the provinces, and the army of The
United colonies | ftarted into exiftence, and was organized at the voice
of the congrefs, who now ifllied a paper currency for the general ufe of
the whole confederacy, eftabliflied a general poft-office, and, in flliort,
afilimed all the fundions of government. In the month of July the
province of Georgia joined the confederacy, which thenceforth took the

* Mr. Penn, proprietor of the province of Pcnn- the cuftoms, who, when the harbour of Bofton was

fylvania, in his evidence before the houfe of lords (hut up bylaw, had removed to Salem, whence (the

on the lo''> of November 1775, faid, that they non-importation agreement rendering their rclid-

had the means of calling iron cannon in great ence unneceflary, and the temper of the people

plenty in Pennfylvania, and that they had already rendering it unfafe) they returned to Bofton to be

caft brafs cannon, and made great quantities of under the proteftion of the army, and there ex-

fmall arms of a very good quahty. hibited the Angular fpeftacle of a cuftom-houfe at

f To add to their hardftiips, a large reinforce- a port, where no fliips were permitted to enter or,

ment arrived to crowd them through the fummer : clear out.

and what ought not to be omitted, they had the % That was the appellation then alTumed by the

company of the commiflioncrs and other officers of confederated provinces.

A. D. 1775.

567

appellation of The thirteen United colonies. But the events of

the war which enfued, except as they afFeded commerce and our re-
maining colonies (for the thirteen revolted colonies were in fadl from
this time completely detached from the Britiih empire) do not come
within the plan of this work, but belong to the province of the general
hiftorian.

As more fuitable to the nature of this work, it may be proper here to
take a review of the principal branches of the commerce of the Ame-
rican colonies before they were diflevered from the mother country, as
it may be ufeful for a comparifon with the commerce of the United
ftates of America in their independent condition.

The foil of the New-England provinces fcarcely furnifhes provifions
fufficient to fupport the inhabitants. Their induftry has therefor been
chiefly diredled to the fea, to fifliing, navigation, and the various branches
of bulinefs fubfervient to them. The cod, falmon, mackerel, fturgeon,
and other fpecies of fifli, which frequent their coafts and their rivers in
prodigious flioles, afforded employment to great numbers in taking,
curing, and packing them. The New-Englanders alfo frequented the
banks and coafts of Newfoundland and the fifliing grounds in the Gulf
of St. Laurence as far as the coafts of Labrador. Befides their own fifli-
ing they procured from the Newfoundland fifliermen a part of the fifli
taken by them in exchange for rum of their own manufadure, and
other articles of American and \Vefl:-Indian produce*. The fifli, after
being forted in their harbours, were Slipped off to the countries, for
which each quality was beft adapted. The befl: were carried to the
fouthern parts of Europe, and the proceeds were generally remitted to
Great Britain in bills of exchange to pay for the goods they had occa-
fion for. A fmall quantity of the befl: filh was alfo brought to Britain :
and the inferior forts were deftined to give a reUfli to the plantains and
yams, which conftitute the principal part of the food of the negro flaves
in the Weft-Indies. After the peace of 1763 they increafed their whale
fiftiery in the feas between their own coafts and Labrador, in conle-
quence of the encouragement given to it by the great redudion of the
duties on their oil and whale fins (by the ad 4 Geo. Ill, c. 29) fo much,
that inftead of 80 or 90 floops, which had formerly gone upon the whale

* The following account of rum exported from the colonies now forming the United ftates (chief-
ly from New-England) to the provinces of Nova Scotia, C^uebec, and Newfoundland, affords a fpe-
cimen of the extent of that trade during a few years preceding the revolution.

West-India rum, gallons
American rum, ditto

For this account I am indebted to Mr. Chalmer'i Opinion! on American independenu, p. lay.

1770

1771

1772

1773

52,712
590,748

36,873
550,514

47736
520,525

50,716
608,025

643,460

587,387

568,261

658,741

568 A. D.I 775-

fifhery, they employed i6o in that bufinefs before the year 1775 ; and
the other branches of their filTiery increafed in the fame proportion.
In addition to the commerce fupported by the produce of their fifheriesj
they drove a very profitable circuitous carrying trade, which greatly en-
riched them, and fupplied mofi: of the money, which circulated among
them. Befides building vefTels for the fervice of their own commerce,
they built great numbers, but of no very good quality of wood or work-
manfhip, for fale : and from the melaffes, which they brought in great
quantities from the Weft-Indies (chiefly from the French iflands) they
diftilled a kind of rum, which, though much inferior to that of the
Weft-Indies, was very acceptable to the Indians, who joyfully received
it in exchange for their furs and peltry. They alfo found a great vent
for it among their own fifhei'men and others engaged in the Newfound-
land fifliery : and they carried confiderable quantities of it to Africa,
where they exchanged it for flaves, or fold it to the refident European
flave-merchants for gold duft, ivory, woods, wax, and gums. The
candles made of fperma-ceti, furniftied by their whale fiftiery, formed
alfo an article of export to the amo\int of three or four hundred thou-
fand pound weight in a year, befides what were confumed upon the
continent. Their exports to Great Britain confifted chiefly of fifti oil,
whale bone (or fins), mafts and other fpars, to which were added feveral
raw materials for manufactures colleded in their circuitous trading voy-
ages, and a balance paid in foreign gold and filver coins. In fliort, their
earneft application to fiflieries and the carrying trade, together with
their unremitting attention to the moft minute article which could be
made to yield a profit, obtained them the appellation of the Dutchmen of
America.

New York, New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, and Delaware, have a much
better foil than that of the New-England provinces, and they produce
corn and cattle of all kinds in great abundance, and alfo hemp, flax, and
lumber ; to which may be added iron, pot-afties, and pearl-aflies. Their
exports were corn of all kinds, flour, and bread, in great quantities ;
faked provifions of all forts ; live ftock, including horfes, horned cattle,
hogs, and flieep, and all kinds of poultry in great numbers ; flax, and
hemp ; boards, fcantling, ftaves,ftiingles,and wooden houfes framed and
ready to fet up * ; iron in pigs and bars ; and vefTels, fuperior in workman-
fhip to thofe of New-England. Their chief markets for thefe commodi-
ties were the Britifh and foreign Weft-Indies, Spain, Portugal, the Weft-
em iflands, Madeira, and the Canary iflands, whence they carried home
the produce of each country and bullion. Great Britain and Ireland
received from them iron, hemp, flax-feed, fome lumber, and fkins and
furs the produce of their trade with the Indians ; together with fome
articles of their imports from other provinces and from foreign coun-

* I liATc been told, that the whole of the original houfes of the town at Cape Nicola mole were
carried from Philadelphia. 3

A. D.I 775- 5^9

tries which were raw materials for Britifti manufadures, and bul-
lion.

Maryland and Virginia almofl from their firft fettlement made to-
bacco the principal objed of their culture, and it long continued to con-
ftitute the moft valuable export of Britifti America. But the qi.iantity
of tobacco was' diminifhing in thefe provinces for many years before
the revolution, owing to the foil being exhaufted by it ; and the plant-
ers had turned much of their tobacco land to the cultivation of wheat
and other grain *. Their tobacco could by law be exported only to
Great Britain : but their corn, flour, lumber, &c. were carried to the
Wefl-Indies and elfewhere.

North Carolina produced alfo fome tobacco ; and it furniflied pitch,
tar, and turpentine, of which about 130,000 barrels were annually ex-
ported, whereof the greateft part came to Britain. The exports to the
Weft-Indies confifted moftly of fait pork, Indian corn, peas, &c. But
the foreign trade of this province was very trifling in proportion to its
great extent, and even to the quantity of its produdions, and was moft-
ly in the hands of the merchants of the adjacent provinces of Virginia
and South Carolina, and of the Nevv-Englanders.

In South Carolina and Georgia rice and indigo were the ftaple ar-
ticles. The former grows on the marftiy grounds near the coaft, and
the later on the dry foil of the inland country. The planters had for
fome time applied to the culture of tobacco f ; and they made confider-
able quantities of Imnber. Their exports confifted of thefe articles;
and the merchants of Charleftown alio fliipped fome ikins obtained by-
trade with the neighbouring Indians, and part of the produce of North
Carolina.

The following accounts, copied from thofe of the cuftom-houfe for
years nearly preceding the revolution, will ftiow the ftate of the naviga-
tion and commerce of the colonies, which now compofe the United
ftates of America.

* Thefe two countries are now next to Pennfyl- f It is only of late that the cultivation of the
vania and New York in the fxportation of flour excellent fpecies of cotton, which is now enriehing
and corn. the planters of Georgia, was introduced.

Vol. Ill, 4 C

570

A. D.

775-

An account of the number and ttiunage of vejjels built in the fever al pro-
vinces under-mentioned in the years 1769, 1770, and 1771.

New Hampshire
Massachusets bay
Hhode island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia

Totals

1769

1770

1771

le

&

In .

li

&

1

c i2

i.

II

o*

II

1

9 V,

ill

H

16

29

2,452

27

20

3,531

15

40

4,991

AO

97

8,013

31

118

7,274

42

83

7.704

8

31

1,428

16

49

2,035

15

60

2,148

7

43

1,542 5

41

1,522

/

39

1,483

5

14

955 8

10

960

9

28

1,698

1

3

83

2

70

14

8

1,469 8

8

2,354

15

6

1,307

9

1 1

1,344 7

10

1,545

10

8

1,645

6

21

1,269 6

15

1,105

10

9

1,678

3

0

607

5

125

8

241

4

789

3

52

3

4

560

2

50

3

57

2

4

543

113

276

1 20,001 118 I 282

20,610

128

291

24,068

An account of the tunnage of the fnpping entered inwards in the feveral
provinces undermentioned in the years 1769 and 1770.

1709

J 770

ii

l4

1

M

Hi

1 1 i

New Hampshire

915

q,500

480

5,551

16,446

1,200

10,300

3,862

15,362

Massachusets

14,340

)7,8gs

6,595

27,618

66,451

13,916

6,213

19,917

25,225

65,271

Rhode island -

415

5,958

226

10,237

16,836

400

101

7,121

11,045

18,667

Connecticut

150

7,790

105

9,971

18,016

210

8,656

10,357

19,223

New York

5,224

6,964

2,730

11,714

26,632

5,722

3,354

8,695

7,768

25,539

New Jersey

257

25

654

9361

14C1

365

513

1,018

Pennsylvania

0,309

12,521

10,745

12,453

45,028

7,917

15,01C

15,883

i^,'99l

50,901

Maryland

15,486

4,533

4,095

6.574

30,688

13,693

5,005

5,093

6,686

30,477

Virginia

20,652

11,612

4,600

10,373

47,237

21,236

4,403

9,547

9,617

44,803

Nortli Carolina

6.415

6,702

700

9,259

23,070

6,202

44C

5,930

8,391

20,963

Soutli Carolina

15,281

6,893

3,325

5,608

31,107

10,163

2,25e

10,5Sh

^>m

29,80J

Georgia

2,523

4,288

525

2,357

9,(^93

2,275

79;

4,61 b

i,yib

9,914

Totals -

qO,71o| 94,91c

34,151

ll2,36q

332,14e

82,934

37,71/

106,71s

104,578

331,942

A. D. 1775- 57'

An account of the tunnage of the foipping entered outwards in the fcveral
provinces under-mentioned in the years i 769 and 1 770.

New Hampshire
Massachusets
Rhode island -
Connecticut -
New York
New Jersey -
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia

Totals -

The entries of the fhipping employed in the Weft-India and conti-
nental trades are much Iwelled by the frequent repetition of voyages in
the courfe of one year.

It muft be obferved, that the tunnage in all the above accounts is
taken from the regifters of the vefTels, and about fifty per cent may be
added to it to find the real tunnage. [See Mr. Irving's letter in the
fournal of the houfe of commons, fejfton 1792,^. 353.]

An account of the value, injlerling money, of the imports of the feveral pro-
vinces under-mentioned in the year 1 769 *.

I/69

11

1770

|1

ill

Ifi

li

Ill

Totals.

To "
Great Britain
and Ireland.

11"

ill
»1|

iff

1

2,822

170

12,878

3,874

19,744

1,910

185

12,419

5,678

20,192

14,044

5,102

17,532

26,988

63,666

13,778

5,4iq

20,957

30,128

70,282

540

863

6,060

10,312

"^1,7'^

Q55

755

Q,nQ

12,172

20,661

580

200

9,201

7,985

17,966

426

180

9,923

9,734

20,263

6,470

3,483

5,-466

11,440

26,859

7,357

3,018

7,005

9,273

26,653

555

538

1,093

648

533

1,181

7,2 19

12,070

ll,Q5q

11,738

42,986

7. OOP

1 1 ,395

14,830

15,421

49,654

16,116

6,224

3,358

5,298

30,996

17,967

5,337

5,118

5,052

33,474

24,594

7,486

11.307

8,531

52,008

25,123

3,682

10,096

6,278

45,170

7,805

1,030

6,945

7,333

23,113

7,393

655

6,893

6,549

21,490

15,902

5,773

6,377

5,803

33,855

12,457

6,201

8,194

5,080

32,031

3,02c

200

4,654

1,35b

9,241

3,460

320

5,179

1,645

10,604

99.121

42,601

96,3821101,195

339,30211 98,025

37,237

108,150107,552

351,664

From Great

From the Soudi

From the

Total

Britain.

of Europe.

West Indies.

N.Hampshire-v

( 052

7 0

48,528 13 7

^

Massachusets 1
Rhode island \

223,695 11 6

j 21,908
\ 2,580

5 6
19 6

155,387 I 4
56,839 17 3

180 0 0

> 564,034 3 6
J

Connecticut J

\. 267

5- 3

53,993 17 3

New York

75,930 19 7

14,927

7 8

97,420 4 0

697 10 0

188,976 1 3

New Jersey

326

18 2

1,663 19 9

1,990 17 11

Pennsylvania

204,979 17 4

14,249

8 4

180,501 12 4

399,820 18 0

Maryland 1

714,943 15 8

f 4,683
I 9,442

2 3
2 4

32,197 13 9
77,453 12 6

5,400 0 0
7,020 0 0

} 851,140 6 6

N. Carolina \
S. Carolina /

327,084 8 e

f 932
1 6,166

19 9
6 I

10,603 13 3
(35,666 4 8

1,080 0 0
124,180 10 0

} 535,714 2 3

Georgia

58,340 19 4

547

7 7

9,407 9 9

13,440 0 0

81,735 16 8

Totals

1,604,075 11 11

76,684

9 H

789,754 4 5

151,998 0 0

2,623,412 6 3

* Raynal has given- the trade of all tlie Britifn
continental colonies in this year in a table at the
end of the lait volume of his H'ljloire philofophiqiie,
fd. 17S2 ; wherein he has tranfpofcd the imports

and exports from and to Great Britain, or rather
he has ncglefted to tranfpofe them from Sir Charles
Whitvvorth's account ; and he has no account at
all of the trade of the colonies with iScotlanJ.

4 C 2 Ir

572 A. D. 1775.

An account of the valitc^ in flerling money ^ of the exports of the feveral provinces uuder-7nenSioned in the
year 1769.

N. Hampshire^
Massachusets (^
Rhode island (
Connecticut J
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Mary'land "I
Vii^inia J

N. Carolina ■)
S. Carolina J
Georgia

Tot:Js -

To Great
Britain.

To the soutli
of Europe.

To the West
Indies.

To Africa.

Total.

C 464 0

5

40,431 8 4

96 11 3

^

l-12,r;5 13 9

I 76,703 0
\ 1,440 11

4
0

123,394 0 6
05,206 13 2

9,801 9 10
7,814 19 8

V 550,089 19 2

L 2,567 4

5

79,395 7 6

J

113,382 8 6

50,885 13

0

66,324 17 5
2,531 16 5

1,313 2 6

231,906 1 7
2,531 16 5

28,113 69

203,752 11

11

178,331 7 S

560 9 9

410,756 16 1

759,961 5 0

r 66,555 11
1 73,635 3

4

22,303 9 2
6S,Q46 0 1

1 991,401. 18 6

405,014 13 1

f 3,238 3
I 72,681 9

7

3

27,044 7 9
59,814 11 6

71 15 4
619 lO 0

j 569,584 17 3

82,270 2 3

614 2

U

13,285 15 1

96,169 19 4

1,531,516 8 6

552,736 11

_2

747,910 3 7

20,278 5 1

2,852,441 8 4

uln account of the principal articles exported from all the Britijh continental colonies^ including the ifands
ofNeivfoundland, Bahama, and Bermuda, ivith the places to which they iverefent^ and their official value at
the ports of exportatiw^ during the year 1770 *.

Species of merchandize.

Pot-ashes

tuns

Pearl-ashes

Spermaceti candles

lb

Tallow candles

—

Coals - cl

aldrons

Castorium

lb

Fi^h, dried

quintal!-

Fish, pickled

barrels

Flax-seed
Indian corn -

bushels

Oats

Wheat

I'cas and beans -

Ginseng

lb.

Hemp

tuns

Iron, pig

Iron, bar

Iron, cast

Iron, -w rought -

Indigo

lb.

Whale oil

tun.s

Whale fins

lb

Linseed oil

tuns

(Copper ore

Lead ore

Bread and flour

To Great
Britain.

7,46.-)

22,066

123

6,780

11.739
74,004

5,74;
2,102

584,593

5,202

112,971

16J

41

263

To Ireland.

450

25

305,083

150

149,985

3,583

To the south
of Europe.

14,16;
1,630

431,386

307

749

17.5,22]

3,421

588,561

1,046

273

175

To tlie West
Indies.

351,625
57,550

206,081
29,582

402,958
21,438

955
49>33

3

2
8
83

268

7
23,449

7,905
240

Quantity.

Value in sterling
money.

1,173

^35,191 18

7

737

29,468 10

7

379.012

23,688 4

•J

59,420

1,237 18

4

20

25 0

0

7>465

1,679 13

6

660 003

375,393 17

Q

30,068

22,551 7

6

312,612

35,168 18

1

578.349

43,376 4

3

24,859

1,242 19

0

851,240

131,467 0

10

50,383

10,076 12

0

74,604

1,243 8

0

86

129 11

3

6,017

30,088 10

0

24,06.1

36,960 17

3

2

33 13

11

8

167 7

1

584,672

131,552 2

0

5,667

85,012 15

9

112,971

19,121 7

6

168

487 18

3

41

853 13

0

6

82 10

0

45,86s

5ai,553 6

1

It is to be remembered that in the account I have given of the trade
of all the colonies, who have fince withdrawn their allegiance from
Great Britain, as alfo in tlie fnbfequent one of the exports of the

which are of no ufe in a general view, but their value is retained in the
totals. The attentive reader may find fome difagreements between the
totals and the particular numbers, owing partly to the omiflion of the

whole colonies, the prices are rated by tlie official valuation, and confe- fraftional parts, and partly to errors, which I faw, but liad no mew.s
quently are confidcrably under the real amount. ofcorrefting.

» In this account I have omitted the fradional parts of theqoantitirf.

A. D.

775-

573

Species of meichandue.

To Great
Britain.

To Ireland,

To the soutli
of Europe.

To the West
Indies.

To Africa.

Quantity.

Value in sterling
money.

Meal - bushels

4,430

4,430

^443 0 0

Potatoes -

3,382

3,382

126 16 6

Beef and pork - barrels

2^14

tuns 2,870

66,035 1 10

Butter - lb.

167,313

300

167,613

3,491 18 9

Cheese - —

55,997

933 5 8

New-England rum gallons

600

7,931

45,310

2,574

292,966

349,281

21,836 0 0

Rice - barrels

/4,073

36,296

40,033

117

150,529

340,692 15 0

Rough rice bushels

8,200

615 9 0

American loaf sugar lb.

600

8,548

1,500

10,648

332 15 0

Raw silk - —

5U

541

541 11 3

Soap

550

85,035

1,000

86,585

2,164 12 6

Shoes - pairs

3,149

3,140

393 12 6

Ship stuff - banels

7,327

640

7,964

9.958 15 0

Onions - value

iSiie 13 4

^6,378 16 1

6,495 9 5

Pitch - barrels

8,26*

622
3,173

57
134

9,114

81,422

653

3,200 8 0
24,426 12 0

78,115

653

26l 4 0

Turpentine -

15,125

•

1,807

28

82

17,014
223

6,805 12 0
2f8 15 0

105

.

30

41

102 10 0

Masts, yards, Kc. tuns

3,043

2

3,045

16,630 0 0

Wahiut wood - value

*^105 15 11

^£9 0 0

114 15 11

Pine, oak, cedar boards feet

6,013,519

329,741

486,078

35,922,168

4,800

42,756,306

58,617 15 10

Pine timber - tuns

10,582

50

64

315

11,011

4,404 14 5

Oak timber -

3,710

IC

10

144

3,87-4

3,487 8 3

Houses framed - N°.

]63

163

3,260 0 0

4,921,020

2/828,762

1,080,403

11,116,141

20,546,326

61,618 19 5

Hoops -

18,912

7,072

3,817,899

8,500

3,852,383

8,667 16 8

Shook hogsheads -

540

62,099

30

62,676

7,834 15 0

Cattle -

3,184

3,184

14,328 0 0

6,692

60,228 0 0

12,797

4,478 19 0

Poultry - dozens

2,615

2,615

1,177 1 0

Furs - value

^91,485 14 0

91,485 14 9

Deer skins - lb.

799,652

185

799.^52

57,738 19 7

Tobacco - value

s^904,981 14 0

1,509 0 4

S7 3 9

906,637 18 1

Tallow and lard - lb.

800

183,893

450

165,143

3,857 2 11

Bees wax - —

62,794

10,980

50,529

1,820

2,400

128,.523

6,426 3 0

Total value of articles ^

shipped as American >

1,686,654 4 6

114,078 13 6

685,920 6 4

844,178 14 0

21;381 16 e

3,356,159 10 2

produce - J

Foreign merchandize, "^

mostly from tlie West >

65,860 6 s

4,69s 5 10

5,991 17 1

4,754 16 C

296 12 C

81,554 17 0

Indies - J

Total exports

1,752,514 n 3

118,776 10 4

691,912 3 .

848,933 JO C

121,678 8 C

3,437,714 7 a

574 A- I>- 1775-

' The cafh, or Ipecie, of the American Hates, previous to the non-
' importation act, which took place in 1775, is computed to have been
' between two and three milHons *.'

The legiflature of Jamaica having in February 1774 laid a duty of
£2 currency, in addition to thofe already fubfifting, upon every negro
imported, the merchants of London, Briftol, and Liverpool, engaged in
the African trade, took the alarm, and petitioned againft it.

It was alleged by the agent for the ifland, that they could find no
other means of raifing money fo ready, that the duty complained of was
in fad not paid by the importer, but by the ' cotifumer ,'f and that the
flave-merchants never failed to charge the buyers with the duty in ad-
dition to the ftipulated price of the flaves. In December 1774 they
laid a flill higher duty of £^ on the importation of negroes above
thirty years of age, which was equal to a prohibition. This was repre-
fented by the agent, itot as a meafure of revenue, but of felf preferva-
tion, being intended to check the exceflive importation of negroes,
which, fince the great demand occafioned by fettling the ceded iflands
had ceafed, was become an objed of terrible apprehenfion. He ftated
the number of negroes already in the ifland to be nearly 220,000 J, of
whom 52,500 were fencible men ; while the number of white people
of every defcription did not exceed 16,000. After confidering the ar-
guments on both fides, directions were fent to the governor of Jamaica
to prevent the continuance of the tax.

Some time after a report was fent home from Jamaica, exhibiting the
number of negroes imported into the ifland, and alfo the number ex-
ported, from the year 1702 to 1775, both inclufive. In 1702 only 843
negroes were imported, and 327 were exported. There was then no
duty on their importation or exportation. In no other year is the num-
ber imported fo low as 2,200. In 1719 a duty was impofed of 5/ a-
head, which next year was raifed to lof; and that fame year a duty of
2of a-head was laid on the exportation of negroes. About this time
the annual importation was from five to above feven thoufand ; but it
increafed afterwards to eight or ten thoufand annually, and continued
fludtuating nearly about thefe numbers till the year 1774, when the
heavy duty of ;£'2 : 10 : o took place, and then it rofe to the unexampled
number of 18,448, the number exported that year being only 2,51 1,
though a drawback of £2 was allowed on exportation. The whole
number of negroes imported from the beginning of 1702 to the end of

* I have copied tlicfe words from Lord Shef- real money in tliofe Rates was lefs in 1791 tlian in

lield. \_Obfcrvations on the commerce of America, p. 1775?

iio,fixlh (•(/.] But Mr. Coxe fays, that eftimates, f Was tliis word happily, or unhappily, chofcn ?
carefully made, appear to warrant a belief that the j If fo, above half the number of negroes im-
current fpccicof the United llatesin theyear 1791 ported fince the year 1702 (fee the next para-
was about fcTcn millions of dollars, or a million and graph) muft have died without leaving progeny,
a half of guineas, [^tw of the Uinicd Jlnles, p. and all the ilTue of the wliole, or numbeis equivii-
352.] Can it be fuppofed that the quantity of lent, mull have perilhed. 4

A. D.I 7 75- 575

1775 was 497,736 ; and the whole number exported during the fame
time was 137,114. The numbers imported in the lecond 34 years ex-
ceed thofe in the firft 34 by 38,751 ; and the numbers exported in the
later period were not equal to the half of what were exported in the for-
mer one ; a proof, according to the legiflature of Jamaica, that the fup-
ply of the Spanilh market depended on the overflow of the Jamaica
market : and, as the large number imported in 1774 were all fold with-
in the ifland, they were confident, that they had fully refuted the com-
plaints of the flave-merchants of England.

The king of PruiTia, having eftablifhed two annual fairs in new Pruf-
fia, gave orders to his fubjefts no longer to refort to the fairs of Leipfic.
He alfo built feme frigates, and, making merchant-men of them, fent
them to Spain for fait to be fold in new Prufiia and Poland. His op-
preffion of the unhappy city of Dantzik ftill continued, and, in con-
fequence, the emigration of the inhabitants ; fo that the ruin of that
once flourifhing city was now nearly completed.

About the fame time theemprefs of Ruffia relieved her fubjects from
feveral taxes, which were found oppreflive to trade. She alio lent fome
fliips to a merchant, in order to commence a trade on the Black fea, as
fhe wifhed her fubjcds to carry on an extenfive trade upon that fea, the
climate of which is fo much more favourable than that of the Bal-
tic. But it is worthy of obfervation, that of the three feas, which now
wafh the fhores of her European dominions, that on the north coaft is
frozen up during a great part of the year ; and the other two are in-
land and land-locked, and, moreover, both have vei'y narrow out-
lets, which are commanded by foreign powers, who may fometimes not
be difpofed to be fo complaifant as the Porte was to the ten vefTels,
which were flopped by the governor of the fort at the Dardanelles.

May — The fervants- employed in the coal-mines and falt-works in
Scotland being, by the ftatute law, adftrifted for life to the works to
which they belonged, and fuch a fpecies of flavery being deemed a re^
proachto a free country, it was enaded that after the i' of July 1775,
young people, who fliould learn thole bufinelTes, Ihould ferve a proper
apprenticelhip, and at the expiration of it be free; and that the grown
people, already engaged in fuch works, Ihould be at liberty to leave
them after ferving faithfully during a number of years (from three to
ten) proportioned to their ages, whereby the emancipation, though
complete, would be gradual, fo as to give no fudden ihock to the
works, or inconvenience to the proprietors. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 28.]

In order to encourage that great nurfery for hardy feamen, the New-
foundland fifliery, parliament offered premiums of ^,'40 to each of the
firft 25 velTels, of ;^2o to each of the next 100 veilcls, and of f^\o to
each of the next 100, which fliould on or before the 15' ■ of fuly in each
year land on the coafts of Newfoundland, between Cape Ray and Cape

■57^

A. D. 1775.

-de Gat, a cargo of at leaft 1 0,000 fifli, and proceed to the banks for a
fecond cargo. The veffels muft be Britifh-built, of fifty tuns burthen
or upwards, belong to Great Britain, Ireland, or the iflands in Europe
fubjed to the Britiili crown, and be navigated by not lefs than fifteen
men, three fourths of them befides the mafter being Britifh fubjeds.
Thefe bounties were to continue till the i" of January, 1787. Alfo
veffels, owned and manned as above direded, and profecuting the
whale-fiftiery in the Gulf of St. Laurence, or on the coafts of Labrador
or Newfoundland, and catching one whale at leaft, were allowed to im-
port their oil free of duty : and five premiums of £500, >C400. ;C300,
^200, and ;(^ioo, were allowed to the five veffels, which fhould bring the
greateft quantities of oil. The fkins of feals, caught by European Brit-
ifli fubjeds, were alfo admitted to be imported free of duty in fhips
legally navigated. To prevent fifhermen and artificers from being loft
to the kingdom by going from Newfoundland to America, the com-
mander of a veffel carrying any fuch perfon to America was fubjedled
to a penalty of ;^200 : and further, to prevent the fifhermen from re-
maining in Newfoundland (where, as already obferved, they generally
became robbers or pirates) the employers are direded to retain a part
of their wages, to be paid them at their return home. By this adl the -
bounties allowed to fhips employed in the whale fifliery at Greenland or
Davis's flraits were extended to fhips fitted out from L'eland.* [15 Geo.

ni, c. 31.]

To leffen the importation of oil from foreigners, and alfo to guard
againft a deficiency of oil, an article fo neceffary in the woollen and
other manufadlures, by encouraging the manufadure of vegetable oils
at home, it was enaded, that after the V of Auguft 1775, whenever the
price of Britifh rape feed fhould exceed ^^17: xo : o per laft, it might be
imported from Ireland, on paying only one fhilling per laft, inftead of
the former prohibitory duty. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 34.]

Thefe two ads were calculated to guard againft any deficiency of fifti
or oil, that might proceed from the interruption of the New England
fifheries. But the fifhery at Newfoundland muft have been defedive
this year by reafon of the dreadful ftorm, wherein eleven ftiips, about a

* Previous to the paffinj^ of lliis aft the Irirti been found by experience to be of the mofl perni-
had fent fhips to Newfouiidland, which the com- cious tendency ; fo much fo, that in praftice they
modores indulged with a pcrmifiion to fiflt, and en- have been generally difregarded, and never cnforc-
ttrcd them in their reports as Britifh veffels. Being ed, except from neceffity ; and that they would
now relieved from the ncceffity of courting fuch a gladly throw up the bounties, if they might he re-
precarious indulgence, the Irifh, hberally fupported lieved from the litigations, and other hardfhips, pro-
hy their parliament, pufhed on their Newfoundland ceeding from this aft. Indeed the bounty appears
filhery to a great extent. (from an account made up in the comptroUcr-ge-

Some of the merchants of Dartmouth and Poole, neral's office in the cuftom-houfe, figncd by Mr.
deputed from the whole body of merchants engaged Powell 9'" July 1784) to have been fo little attend-
in the Newfoundland trade, reprefented to a com- cd to, that only one inftauce occurred of its being
rnittee of the houfe of commons in the year r;93, paid in the courfe of nine years, which was only a
ihat the regulations and rclliiftioas of this aft had payment of ^^40 at Exeter i.T the year 1778.

A. D. 1775- 577

thoufand boats, and a vaft number of lives, were loll; and alfo by the
abfence of many veflels, which were obliged to leave the fifhing grounds
to return home in order to carry out provifion for the others, they hav-
ing mofl unaccountably forgotten, that they could not now have any
fupplies from America.

For the encouragement of the manufacture of red, green, and blue,
leather, raw goats fkins were allowed to be imported in Britifh yeffels
free of any duty for five years, to be computed from the ao^*" of June
1775- [15 Geo. Ill, c. 35.]

In order to prevent the fmuggling of painted earthen ware, made on
the continent of Europe, all fuch ware, except galley tiles, was permit-
ted to be imported on paying a duty of ten and a half per cent ad
valorem. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

Along with the ufual articles of expenditure voted by parliament for
this year, we find an allowance of /^2, 145 to Murdoch Mackenzie for
engraving his nautical furveys of the weft coaft of Britain, Ireland, and
the Weftern iflands ; ;C3,7i i : 15 : o to J. F. W. de Barres for engrav-
ing his furveys of the coaft of Nova Scotia ; /^46,846 : 9 : 3 to the bank
for the expenfe of receiving the deficient gold coin of the kingdom ; and
^^22,824: 19:0 for extraordinary charges incurred in the mint : alfo
;i('5,ooo for cleaning the channel and repairing the harbour at Barba-
dos. There was Ukewife the fum of/^880,000 voted for paying off one
million of the three -pcr-cent funds. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 42.]

The obligation, laid upon the Eaft-India company, to export the an-
nual quantity of Britifh goods, appointed by a former adt, to their fettle-
ments in India, was prolonged from the 29"^ of September 1775 to the
29''' of September 1778. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 44.]

The Irifli were now allowed to clothe and accoutre that part of the
army, which is paid by them, though ferving out of Ireland, with the
raanufadures of Ireland as well as thofe of Great Britain, and to export
fuch goods to the places where they ferve. And for the encouragement
of the linen manufacture in Ireland, an additional bouniy of 5/ per
hogfhead was allowed on flax-feed imported into Ireland during the
years 1776 and 1777. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 45.]

The profperous manufaduring town of" Manchefter being now fufH-
ciently populous and opulent to fupport the expenfe of elegant and ra-
tional entertainments, a theatre was licenced there on the fame footing
as other theatres. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 47.] This circumftance, as an effecft
of the fuccefs of perfevering induftry is not unworthy of a place in
commercial hiftory.

The circulation of notes under twenty fnillings, with certain condi-
tions and reftridions, being found a great hardfhip upon the lower clafs
of manufadurers, labourers, and others, it was ordered by parliament,
that all fuch notes ihguld be paid upon demand, notwithftanding any
Vol. III. 4 r>

578

A. D. 1775.

conditions contained in them to the contrary, and that no more fuch
fhould be ifTued *. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 5 1 .]

Mr. WilHam Cookworthy of Plymouth having difcovered a method
of making an earthen ware from nioor-flone, growan, and growan clay,
(folTiles quite common in Devon-fhire and Cornwal]) ponelling the
beautiful colour, the fmooth grain, and the quality of fuftaining the
adion of the flrongefl fire without fufion, which are the diftinguifhing
charaderiflics of the genuine porcelain of China, had got the king's pat-
ent, for fourteen years from the 8* of March 1 768, for the fole making and
vending of porcelain fo manufadlured. He having difpofed of his patent
to Mr. Champion, a merchant in Briftol, the term was now prolonged
by parliament to the later for other fourteen years in order to encourage
the manufadure. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 52.]

Mr. James Watt, a merchant inGlafgovv, having difcovered Ibme very
important improvements in applying fteam as a moving power in
machinery, had got the king's patent for fourteen years, not only for
England, but alfo for all the colonies. But, finding the term of four-
teen years fcarcely fufficient to render his invention public, he applied
to parliament for a prolongation of his exclufive privilege : and in con-
fideration of the great utility of his invention in carrying on many great
and expenfive works, he obtained a renewal of his privilege for twenty-
five years from the date of the ad, and for all Great Britain and the
colonies. [15 Geo. III., c. 61.]

The fmall harbour of Mevagifl'ey on the fouth coaft of Cornwall being
very conveniently fituated for the pilchard fifliery, truftees were appoint-
ed to raife money, and build a pier for the protedion of the veffels, and
to levy a tunnage duty for defraying the expenfe. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 62.]

There were alfo, as ufual, many ads for inland navigations, for the
improvement of towns and roads, and for inclofures, &c.

May 21" — On the death of Snjah Dowlah, nabob of Oude, a new
treaty was made with his fon Azuf ul Dowlah, whereby the Eaft-India
company added the province of Benares, with a clear revenue of
^^240,000 a-year, to their territorial acquifitions.

June — About 700 emigrants, moftly Highlanders, failed in four
veffels from the Clyde for America, being the lafl confiderable accef-
fion, in one embarkation, to the population of America. Soon after
all emigration to America, now a hoftile country, was prohibited by
authority.

Captain Cook failed on a fecond voyage of difcovery in July 1772,
having under his command the Refolution and Adventure, two fhips
particularly well adapted for fuch a fervice, and accompanied by offi-

• Sir George Savilk, when he brought in this the great injury of the induftrious manufadurers,
bill, fibrervcd, that there were notes citcu'ating in who were thereby totally deprived of the ufe of
York-fliire from five fliillings down to fix pence, to filver money.

A. D. 1775, 579

cers, moft of whom were aftronomers and geographers as well as navi-
gators, and alfo by Meflieurs Wales and Bailey as profefled aftronomers,
Meffieurs Forfter fenior and junior as naturalifts, and Mr. Hodges as
landfcape-painter. The objed of this voyage was to determine the long
contefted queftion, whether the unexplored part of the fouthern hemi-
fphere were only a vaft: expanfe of water, or contained another conti-
nent, as fpeculative geographers had long fuppofed, from a prefumed
neceffity of a balance of land in the northern and fouthern hemi-
fpheres.

Beiides difcovering and exploring many illands in the fouthern
temperate zone, he made a complete circuit of the Southern ocean in
two fucceffive fummers in thofe latitudes wherein the maps ufed to ex-
hibit their Terra aiijlralis^ or great fouthern continent : and three times
he went within the Antardic circle (once as far as the latitude of 71''
10') which no navigator ever entered before, and, we may venture to
fay, no one will ever enter again. Having thusafcertained, to the fatii-
fadion of all mankind, that no land of any great extent can poffibly
exift in the fouthern polar regions, unlefs fo near the pole as to be
utterly ufelefs and inacceflible, and alfo that the fouthern polar regions
are much colder, and the feas in them more incumbered with ice, and
that they are confequently lefs fit for the purpofes of cultivation or na-
vigation, than thofe of the correfponding northern latitudes, he arrived
in England in July 1775.

While Captain Cook was employed in exploring the fouthern polar
regions, Mr. de Kerguelen, a French navigator, was alfo engaged in a
fimilar purfuit. In the beginning of the year 1772 he had found land,
fituated in 49° fouth latitude, and 69° eaft longitude from Greenwich,
whence he returned, rather precipitately, to France, where he was re-
ceived as a fecond Columbus, on the faith of having difcovered the cele-
brated Terra aiijir alls, the exiftence of which was then almoft univerfally
believed. In the year 1 773 he failed again with two fliips of war, carrying
64 and 32 guns and 700 men to complete his difcovery, and to take
pofFeffion of the great Southern continent for the crown of France.
But alas ! the mountain of high expectation fcarcely brought forth a
moufe. The objed of this unwieldy armament turned out to be an
ifland of no very great extent, and fo miferably barren, that it produces
not a tree or fhrub of any kind, and very little grafs. It has no human
inhabitants, and fcarcely any land animals : nor does the fea around it
appear to be more produdive than the land. Kerguelen could not in
either of his voyages even find anchorage for his Ihips in any of the
numerous harbours of his land of promife; and we are chiefly indebted
for our knovvlege of its condition to Captain Cook, who vifited it in
his third voyage in December 1776, and who fays, that he fhould

4 D 2

580 A. D. 1775-

called it the IJland of Defolation , but that he would not rob Mr. de Ker-
guelen of the honour of giving his name to it *.

Augufl: 23'' — In confequence of the war broke out in America, the
king in council prohibited gun-powder, arms, and ammunition, to be
exported, or even to be carried along the coaft, till the ftridleft inquiries
were gone through, and ample fecurity given for the true delivery of
them according to the profelTed intention of the Ihippersf.

The prohibition immediately gave birth to a vail number of ap-
plications, efpecially from the merchants concerned in the African
trade.

Odtober 30th — The board of trade having obferved, in confequence of
a petition from Liverpool, ' that gun-powder, arms, and ammunition,
' are eflential and commanding articles in the African trade,' and ' that
' both policy and juflice require, that no rellridions Ihould be put
' upon this trade, which are not eflentially neceilkry for public fafety,'
propofed, * that each fhip clearing out for the coaft of Africa for the

* purpoie of carrying on the trade for flaves, ivory, and gold, may be

* allowed to take onboard, as an afTorted part of her cargo, as much

* gun-pow^der, and as large a quantity of trading guns %, piftols, cut-
' lafles, flints, and lead balls, bars, and Ihot, as the exporters fhall think
' necellary, provided that fecurity be given to the principal officers of

* the cuftoms of the port in which fhe is fitted out, before the fhip pro-
' ceeds on her voyage, in treble the value of the articles fo exported,
' that the fame fhall be expended in trade upon the coaft.'

December 1 2'*^ — The government of Grenada (or the Ceded iHands)
was again divided ; and Valentine Morris Efq. was appointed the firfl
governor of S'. Vincents, now a feparate government ; Sir George
Macartney being appointed governor of Grenada, and the Grenadines
together with Tobago.

December 23" — An adl of parliament was pafled, whereby all inter-
courfe with the revolted colonies, (comprehending the whole extent of
the coaft from New Hampfhire to Georgia inclufive) was ftridly pro-
hibited ; and all vefTels, whether belonging to the revolted colonies or
to neutral nations, found trading to the coafts of America, were declared
lawful prizes to any fhip of war or privateer which fhould feize them ;
excepting only veifels in the lervice of government, or velTels duely
authorized to fail to fuch ports as were in the king's allegiance. [16
Geo. Ill, r. 5.]

'- Whereas many advantages both to commerce and fcience may be

* See Cook's Third voyage, cc. v, vi. — Peroufe'i ture, to be in force for fix months, had been ifliied

(■oynge, V. \, p. 259 of Engli/h tranjlation, 1799. — 19'" Odlober 1774.

I have not fceii the accounts piibliihed by Kergue- % Thefe guns are ftated in the petitions to coft

len and his lieutenant De Pages. from $f(> to 7/6, and are faid to be fit for no

t A precautionary proclamation of a fimilar na- other trade. »

A. D. 1775- 581

•■ expefted from the difcovery of any northern pafiage for velTels by fea
' between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,' a reward of;^2o,ooo was
offered to the commander and ieamen of any fliip belonging to his
Majefty, or to the owners and company of any merchant fhip, which
fhould difcover fuch a pafiage to the northward of 52° of north latitude.
A reward of ;^5,ooo was alfo offered to the firfi fiiip which fiiould reach
the latitude of 89°, fuch a near approach to the pole being confidered
as a very great advance to the defired paffage *. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 6.]

As the great trade, which the merchants of Glafgow carried on with
the tobacco colonies, was now to be interrupted, if not abolifhed, I here
infert a fhort view of their imports of that article in the courfe of this
year.

From Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina : Total.

40,854 15,040 I5249 57,143 hhds.

Their importations from Jamaica and the other fugar iflands were

4,621 hhds, 691 tierces, and 462 barrels, of fugar,
1,154 puncheons, and 193 barrels, of rum,

and 503 bags of cotton.

The whole of thefe imports employed about 60,000 tuns of (hip-
ping.

The fadlors, whom the Glafgow merchants had eflabliflied in Ame-
rica, by their prudent exertions, and the friendly terms on which they
generally were with the planters, had been enabled to make large re-
mittances to their conflituents, before matters were brought to the lafl
extremity. But very large fums ftill remained due, and as many of the
merchants had the greatefl part of their fortunes embarked in that
trade, the event proved ruinous to fome of them, and would have been
more generally fatal, had not the great rife on the price of tobacco in
fome meafure made amends for the deficiency of their remittances, and
enabled moll of them to bear up againfi: the general fhock.

Mr. Humphry Jackfon brought to perfedion a method of feafoning
timber for fiaip-building, fo as to make it refift putrefaction and admit
no water within its pores, whereby (hips may be rendered not only
more durable, but alfo more wholefome to live in, and may carry a
greater burthen by being more buoyant : and fome (hips of war, built
of timber fo prepared, were found to pofi^efs all thefe qualities. About
this time alfo the method of laying the waves of the fea in a florm by
the firaple operation of pouring a little oil upon it, which had already
been known to illiterate people in various parts of the world, began to
attract the attention of philofophers, by whole writings it was made

* This aa was pafTed in contemplation of Cap- former aft of i8 Geo. II, c. 17 allowed the re-
tain Cook's third voyajjc of difcovery, a br'rf ac^ ward only to private Ihips, and confined the fearch
count of which will be fonnd in ..a tra'u: flions to Hudfon's bay, where, it wis now known, there
of the year 1780, when ii was concludfd. The was fcarcely a poffibihty of finding a pafl'age.

582

A. D. 1775.

more generally known. Both thefc difcoveries may be of great fervice
in naval affairs.

The Britifh minifter at Hamburgh tranfmitted the following ftate-
ment of the value of the Britifh and French imports at that city and
Bremen.

Hamburgh. Bremen.

From Great Britain, Ireland, and 7 /-, ^ ^ ^,/c v. ^ r^^.c,. o
the Britilh Weft-Indies |>Ci.030,3i6: 7:0^:224,645: 8:0

From France _ _ _ 1,270,627:14:0- 237,524:10:0

Of 768 trading veffels, which arrived at Hamburgh this year, 262
were Britifh ; and of the whole there were 242 from Britifh ports. It
is worthy of remark, that of 32 veffels, which arrived from Shetland
with herrings, there were 28 Danifh, 2 Prulfian, only 2 Dutch, and
none Britifli.

The following account of the quantity of Britifh-plantation fugar im-
ported into Great Britain, and of raw and refined lugar exported, dur-
ing the under-mentioned years, is taken from an account .made up by
the infpedlor -general of the cufloms.

Imported.

Exported.

Years.

Raw sugar.

Raw sugar.

Refined

sugar.

cwt. qr.

lb. cwt. qr. lb.

cwt.

qr. lb.

1760

1,374,720 2

5 143,683 1 23

58,650

3 18

1761

1,401,317 3

16

303,324 0 13

103,891

1 7

1762

1,444,581 1

4

322,253 2 7

87,033

2 23

1763

1,732,174 1

5

413,199 3 22

102,514

3 19

1764

1,488,079 0

15

"^97.^7^ 0 25

1/6,302

3 23

1765

1,227, 1 5y 3

18

149,125 1 5

114,851

2 0

1766

1,522,732 2

19

129,236 2 '1

27,602

0 10

1767

1,538,834 1

8

209,533 1 25

35,96s

1 12

1768

1,651,512 2

14

227,193 3 21

39.273

2 27

1769

1,525,070 0

5

216,384 0 0

34,041

2 16

1770

1,818,229 1

23

199,738 1 9

43,609

1 19

1771

1,492,096 2

24

193,859 1 1

55,210

0 13

1772

1,786,045 0

1

173,661 1 3

31,300

3 23

1773

1,762,387 3

15

186,649 3 19

29,543

3 26

1774

2,015,911 1

15

223,254 1 27

34,089

0 14

1775

2,002,224 3

8

345,012 2 0

^,7m

3 20

Tobacco being an article of very confiderable importance to the com-
merce, and alfo to the revenue, of Great Britain, and the principal
article of the imports from America to this country, I have compiled,
from feveral official returns of the cuftom-houfes of England and Scot-
land, the following retrofped of the imports and exports of Britifh-plan-
tation tobacco, and alfo of the grofs and net duties upon it received by
government, from the beginning of the year 1761 to the interruption
of the trade by the war.

A. D. 1775.

LN'GLASD.

1761

imported, I exported
pounds. pounds.
47 ,065,787i36,7SS,[m

1762 44,102,491 36,445,95
J 763 65,1 73,75240,940,312

1 764 54,433,3 1 8 54,058,336

1 765 48,306,50339, ! 21 ,423
1 766^43,307,453 32,986,790

1 767 39, 140,63936,400,398

1 768 35,545,708 30,864,536

1 769 33,784,208 23,793,272
J 77039,1 87,03733,238,437
1 77 1 5 8,079, 1 63 14 1 ,439,3 86
1772'5 1,493 ,522 49,784,009
1 773155,928,957.50,349,967
1774l56,048,393|44,S29,835
1 77.5|55,965 ,463 ;43,880,865

gross duty,'

1,225,672
1,148,502
1,697,232
1,417,534
1,257,984
1,127,79s
1,019,287
925,669
S79,797
1,020,496
1,512,479
1,340,977
1,456,983
1,459,594
1,457,434

mported, exported
pounds. pounds.
24,048,380 23,525,326
27,339,433 26,694,999
,613,17030,613,73s
26,310,21025,902,170
33,889,565 33,379,201
32,175,223 31,723,205
29,385,343 28,871,522
33,261,427 32,483,543

1 35,920,685 34,714,630
39,226,35438,498,522
49,312,146 48,488,681
43,748,415

1144,485,194

40,457,589
55,927,542

,548
43,595,102
30,533,552

•OSS duty,

699,741

795,502

919,719
765,498
986,092

936,131
854,893
967,697
,044,962
,141,279
,434,846
,272,957
,294,396
,177,203
,627,336

net duty,

se

15,219
18,751
28,944
11,817
14,850
13,074
14,812
22,516
34,863
21,078
23,961
27,406
25,899
26,887

583

The quantities and value of the produce of the French Weft-India fettlements im-
ported into France this year, and the number of fhips employed in the trade, which
may be averaged at 300 tuns burthen, as alfo the quantities and value of the fame
produce exported from France this year, were as follows*.

r ranee nnpo

tea rrom

Value

s. d.

r ranee

Value.

St. Domingo] JVIartiiiique

Guadaloupe .Cayenne

se.

exported

se s. d.

Sugar, pounds

123,067,370

24,443,858

18,838,606

4,000

61,849,381

1 0

104,099,866

38,703,720 7 2

Cotl^ee, pounds

45,933,941

9,688,968

6,302,902

65,888

29,421,039

10 6

50,058,246

23,757,464 16 1

Indigo, pounds

■ 1,808,629

114,708

143,827

334

17,573,733

0 0

1,130,638

9.610,423 0 0

Cacao, pounds

578,764

865,663

102,359

15,241

1,093,419

10 0

794,275

555,992 10 0

Rocou or arnotto, pounds

51,861

300,355

220,369

10 0

153,178

95,838 5 3

Cotton, pounds

2,689 282

1,101,240

519,375

97,260

■11,017,892

10 0

102,01 1

255,027 10 0

Hides, number

14,124

9iy

727

353

180,078

0 0

568

5,112 0 0

Turtle-shell, pounds -

4,346

2,910

1 ,656

89,120

0 0

100

1,000 0 0

CaSsia fistula, pounds -

9,019

196,635

1,262

55,752

9 0

120,759

32,604 18 8

Woods, pounds -

9274,692

12,50t

12,500

142,203

922,222

7 5

4,180,820

408,355 2 y

Small articles

], 352, 148

0 0

Silver coin - - -

2,600,000

0 0

Total value -
Ships employed in car-"^
)7ing tJie produce of >

126,375,155

18 8

73,425,538 9 11

353

122

b]

6total ships

562

each colony J

* This account is taken from the Table at the end of
Raynal's fcventh volume. He exchanges ^22 : 10 : o
French money for s£i fterling ; and thence the total amount

of the imports is c^J, 616,672
^£"3,263,356 : 12 : lO-J- llcrliiig.

16 : 4i, and of the expoMs

584 A. D. 1775-

Befides thefe exports to the mother country, a confiderable quantity
of their produce, including, perhaps, the whole of their melafies, was
carried openly, or clandeftinely, to the Britifli colonies in North Ame-
rica, in return for which the French colonifts received provifions, lum-
ber, and money. This trade was wholely carried on in American
veflels.

There belonged this year to all the ports of

England 7,549 vefTels of the reputed burthen of 605,974 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,559 ----- 91,330

Total - 9,108 ----- 697,304

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Foreign.

Inward -

Outward -

Vessels.

9.247
9.719

Tuns.

943.271
888,854

Vessels.

1,248

618

135.491
67.752

Vessels.
10.495
10,337

Tuns.

1,078,762

965,606

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was from the cuftom-houfe in London, - /^2, 48 1,031 : 5 : 7

The Scottifti revenue of the cuftoms was ftill fo much exhaufted in
paying fifhery bounties, drawbacks, &c. as to leave no balance to be
remitted to the exchequer.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
104,895 pounds of gold, value - - £/\.,goi,2iB : 17 : 6

and no filver.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1774 to Chrlftmas 1775 was as follows.

Imported into

Exported from 1

Countries, &c.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

Africa

^67,328 6

3

*^786,168 2 8

Canaries

8,676 2

7

39,045 8 6

Denmark and Norway

122,967 1

10

*^36,036 7 6

220,838 14 5

,^14,295 14 4

East country

381,838 15

2

73,254 16 9

East-India

1,091,845 18

4

1,040.642 2 2

Flanders

103,991 13

8

973,353 13 4

France

67,481 15

5

5,638 5 7

258,157 11 7

246,297 2 9

Germany

660,763 4

5

22,864 15 4

1,545,014 5 11

67,852 14 0

Greenland

22,224 15

8

2,834 0 9

11 5 9

Holland -

513,561 16

6

131,414 13 5

1,887,400 11 6

329,944 2 9

Ireland

1,486,325 3

6

137,694 14 1

2,169.608 18 3

283,063 8 5

Mann

10,316 15

11

101 17 9

21,043 9 9

16 16 0

Italy

818,171 7

11

22,948 6 0

1,003,528 4 7

4,539 1 0

Madeira

2,221 11

11

22,064 7 5

Poland

6,022 10 8

1,758 18 2

Portugal

367,093 4

1

16,811 0 2

632,989 4 8

1,142 11 4

Prussia

15,540 16 3

127 18 6

Russia . - -

1,016,280 10

8

136,337 4 8

213,121 19 5

3,678 13 8

Spain

564,386 6

0

12,893 11 9

1,205,215 2 9

46.274 6 1

Gibraltar

43 18 1

5,338 8 11

Straits

4,723 6

5

33,578 6 11

Sweden

237,041 17

11

41,962 15 9

110,001 4 8

3,698 8 2

Teneriffe

82 17 0

Turkey

168,882 12

Q

226,997 1 4

Venice

88,412 12

10

79,118 8 2

Guernsey, &c. •

34,637 17

7

779 6 9

63,489 12 9

112 10 0

America in general -

540,860 6 5

41,637 4 5

Hudson's bay

7,412 0

0

5,653 17 6

Newfoundland

50,331 16

2

123,067 4 5

Quebec

74,212 14

9

472,368 4 8

Nova-Scotia

2,622 11

5

56,306 7 0

New-England

116,583 1

4

71,625 4 0

New-York -

187,018 4

5

1,228 2 6

Pennsylvania

175,962 17

1

1,366 8 0

Maryland and Virginia

758,356 11

9

1,921 11 5

Carolina

579M9 13

6

6,245 9 6

Georgia

103,477 1

3

113,777 15 10

Florida

21,504 19

6

85,254 7 10

West-Indies in general

136,520 IS 4

63,220 2 0

Anguilla

1,79; 1

1

Antigua

353,563 4

0

163,092 1 9

Barbados

112,971 12

3

138,384 15 9

Bermuda

0 13

4

13,405 18 4

Dominica

185,131 12

5

62,945 2 10

Grenada

486,035 15

4

139,946 0 3

Jamaica

1,653,735 15

5

786,728 10 5

Montserrat

56,815 12

6

24,323 7 6

Nevis

71,463 19

9

17,014 9 7

New- Providence

2,962 4

10

14,799 16 8

St. Croix

4,637 0

10

67 4 0

St. Christophers

282,019 14

6

125,264 9 6

St. Thomas

1,346 10

5

1,218 3 10

St. Vincents

164,199 11

6

69,246 14 11

Tobago

75 984 6

0

39,332 10 7

Tortola

64,526 7

10

34,524 14 0

Honduias bay

43,180 6

4

3,639 4 9
13,639 6 3

Musquito shore

7,849 18

6

Falkland's islands

0,335 17 0

Imp. and exp. of England

13,543,467 10

7i

15,202,365 13 10

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

1,267,388 6

3

1,267,388 6 3

1,123,098 0 6

1,123,998 0 6

Total, Great Britain -

14,815,855 17

_2

10,326,363 14 4

Vol. hi.

4E

586 A. D. 1776.

1776 — About the beginning of the year 1776 a worthy citizen of Lon-
don, who had unfortunately failed in bufinefs fome years before, and had
now, by the blefling of God upon his honeft induftry, again got above
the world, called a meeting of his creditors, and honourably paid them
every fhilling he owed them. The name of this honeft man, though
unknown to me, deferves to be enrolled in the temple of Virtuous Fame,
along with that of Sir Stephen Theodore Janflen, whofe condud I have
already gratified my feelings by making honourable mention of in the
tranfadions of the year 1765.

The ao'*" of January was the day appointed by the congrefs of Ame-
rica, if the obnoxious ads of the Britifh parliament fhould not then be
repealed, for difcharging all the officers of the cuftoms ading under
authority derived from the Britifh government, and for opening all
their ports to the fhips of all nations, who fhould be defirous of trading
with them, for the reception of all merchandize, except teas and the pro-
duce and manufadure of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Britifh Weft
Indies *. And, in order to encourage foreigners to refort to their ports,
they declared, that, in cafe of a reconciliation with Great Britain, they
fhould, notwithftanding, remain open to them for two years after it.

March 3' — The ifland of New Providence was taken by an American
fquadron, confifting of two frigates and five fmall veffels from Phila-
delphia, commanded by Commodore Hopkins, who immediately quit-
ted the place without leaving any garrifon to keep pofleflion, and car-
ried off the governor with him.

At a court of proprietors of Eaft-India ftock it appeared, that the
loan of /^i ,400,000, granted by government to the company, was now
reduced to the funi of;^420,ooo; and that the affairs of the company
were in general in a profperous condition.

Very different was the fituation of the Dutch Eaft-India company.
Their charter had expired in the year 1773, and the Slates-general had
then given them a fhort renewal of three years, in order to have time
to inveftigate the juftice of the plea fet up by the company for a dimi-
nution of the fum they ufed to pay for a renewal, on account of the
declining ftate of their trade. Having found upon an inveftigation,
that the company had adually fuftained very great lofTes, whereby their
circumftances and their trade were greatly reduced, the States-general
granted them a new charter for thirty years, on paying two millions of
florins (inftead of three millions paid for the former charter) and a year-
ly payment of 360,000 florins, which they were indulged with the li-
berty of making either in money or goods. Immediately after the
renewal of their charter the price of their ftock rofe nineteen per

* We rtiall have occafion to fee, that thefe exceptions were not very ftriclly adhered '

A. D. 1776. 587

March 25"" — ^The permiffion to import cattle and falted provifions
from Ireland free of duty, which had hitherto been allowed by tem-
porary ads, was now made perpetual. But America, having become a
hoflile, if not a foreign, country, was now totally excluded from the
trade. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 8.]

The fre importation of tallow, hog's lard, and greafe, was prolonged
till the 25ti, of March 1779. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 12.]

To accommodate the inland trade in iron, lime, potter's clay, and coals,
at Coalbrooke dale, which was frequently obftrudled by the infufficiency
of the ferry on the Severn at that place, truftees were appointed and
empowered to build a bridge over the river of caft iron or any other
material, and to take tolls upon it ; no ferry-boats being permitted to
ply within 500 yards of the bridge, unlefs it (hall happen to be in a
dangerous condition. [16 Geo. HI, c. 17,] This bridge of cafl iron,
which was the firfl of the kind ever executed, has fince been followed
by feveral others.

Gonfiderable improvements in the conflruction of engines for making
blocks, fheeves, and pins, for fhips, in iron, brafs, and wood, having
been invented by Walter Taylor blockmaker in Portfmouth, he ob-
tained the king's patent for fourteen years, as ufual : and feveral im-
provements having been made after his death by his fon, a further term
of fourteen years was granted to him by parliament, to be computed
from the expiration of his father's patent. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 18.]

April 2^ — It was now difficult to find feamen in fufficient. numbers for
the fervices of war and commerce ; and therefor merchant vefTels were
allowed to carry foreign feamen for three fourths of their complement.
[16 Geo. III,c. 20.J

The corporation of Boflon in Lincoln-fhire, and a number of com-
miflioners aflbciated with them, were empov/ered to improve the har-
bour and town of Boflon, and to regulate ihe pilots. [16 Geo. Ill, c.

23-]

May The fociety of merchant venturers of Eriftol were empowered

to enlarge the floating dock, formerly made by them, and to build a new
quay and proper warehoules for floring goods. Regulations were alfo
made to prevent combuftible articles lying too long on the quay, and
for other matters of harbour police. [16 Geo. lily c. ^^.^

Additional taxes were laid on wheel carriages (except hackney
coaches) indentures, bonds, newfpapers, parchment, playing cards, and
dice. And two millions were borrowed on the terms of ;^77 : 10: o
in the three-per-cent funds, and three lottery tickets, for every /^i 00
paid by the fubfcribers. In this year's lottery the old plan was revived,
whereby the government retained the whole price of the tickets, and
paid an annuity on the amount of the prizes at the rate of three per
cent; fo that a prize of X^i 0,000 was an income of ^^300 a-year, or
i 4£ 2

588

A. D. 1776.

worth whatever that income in the funds would fell for. [16 Geo. Ill,
c- 34-]

The regulations for conducing the fifhery for pilchards in the Bay
of St. Ives, on the coaft of Cornwall, were fandtioned by parliament.
[16 Geo. Ill, c. 2,'^.'\

The filheries on the Banks of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of S'.
Laurence, having felt their Ihare of the hardfhips which the American
war had brought upon all the iflands belonging to the Britifh empire in
the Atlantic ocean, the permiffion to export provifions, contained in
the adl 14 Geo. Ill, c. 5 which was almoft confined to the fugar
iflands, was now extended to S'. Helena and the other fettlements be-
longing to the Eaft-India company, and for bifcuit and peas to New-
foundland, Nova Scotia, and Labrador. The exportation was permitted
till the I*' of January 1777, and was reftrided to the following ports and
quantities.

For the fugar iflands.

For the filheries of Newfound-
land, &c.

Wheat, wheat-flour.

Bifcuit.

Peas.

bread, bifcuit, &meal.

London « - _

50,000 quarters.

850 tuns.

1,200 quarters

Briftol

20,000

650

850

Liverpool

20.000

150

130

Glafgow - - _

10,000

Poole

_

600

600

Dartmouth

_

800

800

Topfliam and Teignmouth

-

1,000

1,200

Weymouth

-

60

120

Chefler

-

120

120

And the fupplies, allowed for the Eaft-India company's fettlements,
were not to exceed ic,coo quarters of wheat, meal, rye, &c. [16 Geo.
Ill, c. 37]

The a6t [ 1 4 Geo. Ill, c. 77] for the dicharge of infolvent debtors was
renewed with fome additional claufes. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 38.]

A bounty of 5/ per hoglhead was allowed on flax-feed from the
United provinces or Auftrian Netherlands, imported into Ireland, for
two years, to be reckoned from i" January 1776. [16 Geo. Ill, c. 41.]
This article had for many years been imported from Philadelphia to the
amount of about 300,000 bufliels annually. Since the American war
the Irifli have fallen into the pradtice of faving their own feed, which
they find anfwer very well.

The punifliment of tranfportation to America was changed to that of
hard labour in raifing fand, foil, and gravel, from the flioals in the River
Thames, for fturdy convidts ; and to labour in confinement for female
convids, and for fuch males as are incapable of hard labour. [16 Geo.
JU, c, 43-1

A. D. 1776. 589

It being found that a profitable whale fifhery may be carried on in
feas fouth of 44 degrees laorth latitude, premiums from £100 to ;i^5oo,
to continue for eleven years, were offered by parliament to the five
fliips, owned, and carrying men and apprentices, agreeable to the regu-
lations enabled for the Greenland fhips, fitted out after the i" of Au-
gufl*, and returning to port before the i" of November, which fhould
bring home the five largeft quantities of oil, each being the produce of
at leafl one whale caught by them. [16 Gfo. Ill, c. 47.]

Truflees were appointed to ered a light-houfe, and to place land-
marks and buoys for the harbour of Chefter, and to regulate the pilots,
&c. [i6G^o. ///, f. 61.]

Several ads for inland navigations, improvements of towns, &c. were
alfo pafled in the courfe of this feflion. .

About the beginning of this year Mefheurs Blair and Irving had
lately begun to exprefs oil for the ufe of the woollen manufadurcs from
vegetables produced on the Mufquito fhore, in which country a form of
government fubordinate to that of Jamaica had been eftablilhed. But
their bufinefs was broken up on the ^o^^ of April by a piratical feizure
of a veifel belonging to them, as {he lay at anchor in. the road of Black
river, by two Spanifh guarda-coftas, who carried her to Porto-bello.

During the feffion of parliament the old eflablifhed merchants in the
American trade made loud complaints, that the fuppreffion of commer-
cial intercourfe with America was in a great meafure illufive, and that
the trade was only changed into a monopoly in the hands of a fet of
obfcure pretended merchants, who, by an abufe of the licences granted
for carrying out neceffary ffores and provifions for the army, and by
clearing out their velTels for Bofton, Halifax, or Quebec, with liberty to
go to any other port in America, fent out large cargoes of all kinds of mer-
chandize, and managed their bufinefs with great fecurity under the
fhelter of that very prohibitory adl, which they were fo grofsly violating.
The bufinefs was brought under the confideration of parliament ; but
from the public attention being taken up with the duchefs of Kingfion's
trial, or from fome other caufe, the inquiry mifcarriedf.

Hitherto the American war, which, according to the predidions of
fome politicians, was to bring with it the utter ruin of the commerce
of Great Britain, was not found to be fo very diftrefsful to commerce,

• By that time the Greenland fhips are gener- Thus this worthy gentleman behind the curtain,

ally returned into port. who was the real expoiter, (for the nominal mcrch-

f While this affair was under inveftigation, it ant was only his tool) not content with enjoying .•'.

appeared, that one of thofe nominal merchants, great income out of the revenue drawn from the

who loaded no lefs than five large fhips with valu- commerce of the country, wanted to engrofs and

able cargoes, had carried about a letter from a drain the very fountains, whence his emoluments

perfon, who filled a very confiderable olTice in the flowed, and whence he had derived the capital he

ferviee of government, in order to obtain credit for was now making fo bud a ufe of.
goods in the city, where he was utterly unknown.

590 A. D. 1776.

as even moderate men apprehended it would have been: and there were
many circumftances, which greatly alleviated the calamities, infeparable
from a ftate of hoftility. Among the firft of thefe may be reckoned
the integrity wherewith many of the merchants in America difcharged
their obligations to their correfpondents here, before the total interrup-
tion of friendly intercourfe took place ; and the advanced prices, which
American produce fold for on the profped of an approaching fcarcity.
The war itfelf, if it turned many fhips, formerly engaged in the Ame-
rican trade, out of employ, found employment for perhaps fully as
many in tranfporting the forces acrofs the Atlantic, with all their ne-
ceflary ftores, including horfes, live cattle, Iheep, and hogs, and even
hay for their fupport after being landed in America, fuel for the fires,
and, in fhort, every minute article of neceffary expenditure * ; fo that
the velTels and feamen were flill employed, though not, as formerly, in
advancing the commercial profperity of the nation. Another branch
of trade alfo took its rife in fome degree from this war. The American
whale-fifhers, when they found the whales fcarce in their own feas, ufed
to ftretch over to the coafl of Ireland, and often as far as Africa, Brafil,
and even the remote Falkland's iflands, in purfuit of the fpermaceti
whales, the mofl valuable of the cetaceous tribes. That fiihery being
given up in confequence of the war, many of the harpooneers were in-
duced to enter into the fervice of Britifh merchants, who fitted out vef-
fels for the Newfoundland and Southern whale fiftieries. For the later,
which was quite a new bufinefs in this country, there were equipped
fifteen vefl^els of about 170 tuns, and each carrying four American har-
pooneers ; and though their acquifitions were only about forty or fifty
tuns of oil for each vefl^el, yet the fuperior quality, and the price of it
advanced by the war from £;^^ to ^'jo per tun, were fuflicient to en-
courage the merchants to perlevere in the bufinefs f . To all thefe we
may add an increafed demand for goods in Ruflla and Turkey in con-
fequence of the recent peace between thofe empires, and alfo in Poland
in confequence of the pacification after the partition of that country.
Even the warlike preparations of Spain at this time againfl Algier made
fome extraordinary demand for Britifh goods. Neither was the Ame-
rican trade totally lofi. It was only diverted from the dired, into cir-
cuitous, channels, by which Britifli goods flill found their way into the
territory of the United ftates. For the invitation given by the Ameri-
cans to all the world to refort to their ports had no very great efted up-
on any of the nations of Europe, except the French, who, in the hopes
of reaping golden harvefis from the fpoils of Britifli commerce, fitted

* Hay, oats, and beans, for a finjle regiment f We (liall I.ereafter have occafion to fee, that

of cavalry, (hut up in Bollon, are faid to have coll the Southern whale fifiiery has become an objeft

about (^2 2,000. Vegetables and vinegar, with calks of confidcrable magnitude and importance as a

to pack thtm in, amour.ted to an equal fum. nurfcr)- for feamen.

A. D. 1776. 591

out fome hundreds of veflels for America : but fuch was the vigilance
of the Britifh naval commanders, that, according to a French author,
fcarccly thirty of the whole of them returned to France, and thefe made
but very unprofitable voyages for their owners. \Ravnal V. ix, p. 211.]
The trade carried on by the Americans, in their own veflels, and en-
tirely at their own rifk, with the French, Dutch, and Danifh iflands in
the Weft-Indies, was more conflderable and had alfo a longer continu-
ance. The traders of thefe iflands, however, foon found, that the ar-
ticles of the fabric of their own mother countries, wherewith they hoped
to fupplant the Britifti manufadures, were not fo acceptable in Ameri-
ca ; and that, notwithftanding the interdidlion of Britifli goods by the
congrefs, they muft be provided with Britifli goods, if they ex-
peded to have American buyers *. Thefe iflands were therefor foon
filled with Britifli manufadures, which were exchanged for American
provifions, lumber, tobacco, and other produce, to the great emolument
of the dealers on both fides ; but with a very great additional espenfe
to the American confumer. And thus the Britifli manufadurers of
goods for the American trade were as fully employed as before ; and
only the freights were loft, which was the lefs felt, as fuch prodigious
numbers of merchant fliips were immediately taken up in the fervice ot
government as armed fliips and tranfports, and the fwift-failing refl^els
were foon afterwards converted into privateers.

On the firft of May the regulation took place, which is ftill in force,
for limiting the fmalleft weight, at which guineas fliould pafs current,
to five pennyweights eight grains. But guineas coined prior to 1" Ja-
nuary 1772 were to be received in payments to the revenue tiU the
19''' of Auguft 1776, though two grains lighter.

• The following extraft from Lord Sheffield's ' variety of channels, was fo great during the war,
Oifervalions on the commerce of the American Jates ' that the French miniller refiding at PliiladelphiV

[/. 10 of 2" ed.'] contains fuch proofs of what I ' rcmonftrated againfl; it more tiiaii once, beh)re

have now advanced, that I think it proper to give ' the lead attention was paid to hlni by congrels.

it here, though a little anticipated in regard to ' An aft was then made, prohibiting the inanu-

chronologv, in his lordlhip's own words. « faftures of this country under certain penalties ;

« The following faft is a ftriking proof of the ' neverthelefs, they continued to be imported to

« fupcriority of our woollens to the French in the ' fo great a degree, that a remonllrance from the

« opinion of the Americans. When France grant- • comt of France was prefented to congrefs,

' ed a fam of money to congrefs for cloathing the ' threatening to withdraw' theii aid, if more dfec-

' American troops, Mr. Laurens junior was era- ' tual means were not taken to prevent the im-

' ployed to provide it ; but, inftead of laying out « portation of BritKh goods, which, being accom-

' the money in France, he went to Holland, and ' panied with ftrong recommendations from Doc-

♦ bought EngliiTi cloths, and fent them to Ame- ' tor Franklin and the other commiirioners in
' rica. The French miniller was inftrufted to ' France, produced fome efFeft. Some feizures

♦ complain to congrefs of this tranfaftion, fo un- ' of Britifh manufaftures were made, though im-
« grateful and injurious to France ; but Mr. Lau- ' ported through Holland. This fevcrlty took

♦ rens juilified himfelf by faying, it was his duty ' place a little more than a year before the peace.
' to do the bed he could with the money, and that ' In fome inftances the goods fcized were returned
' the Enghfh cloths, of equal price with the French, ' to the owners. Prior to this the Ihopkeepers,,
' were much better. And farther to iTiew the pre- ' &c. ufed to adveitife as Englilh goods, what, in.
' fercnce given to Britifh maaufaftures in the Ame- ' faft, were Dutch or French manufadures, im

♦ rican ftates, we need only recolleft, that the im- « order to recommend them to the piirchafer.'
' portation of g ods from this country, through a

592 A. D. 1776.

The governor and legiflature of Bermuda, greatly alarmed at the
power exercifed in the Turk's iflands by the governor and legiflature of
the Bahamas, fent home a memorial, wherein they ftated, that thofe
iflands, originally difcovered by their anceftors, had been occupied by
them for above a century without any interruption, except from hoflile
powers ; and that in the reign of Queen Anne the Spaniards, after tak-
ing pofleflion of them, had been driven off by the Bermudians. They
reprefented, that, fi nee they had given up the culture of tobacco, which
could be more profitably raifed on the continent, they had no other
method of employing their people than in raking fait on Turk's iflands,
and that of 800 people, now refiding there for that purpofe, 750 were
Bermudians. That the pretenfions of Bahama to the fuperiority of
Turk's iflands were quite new, and the interference of any other legif^
lature than their own in a bufinefs hitherto carried on folely by them-
felves mufl: be ruinous to them and their families, and detrimental to
the northern fiflieries and the general commerce of the Britifh em-
pire.

July 4^*' — The congrefs of America, laying afide all thoughts of a
reconciliation with the Britifli government, ifliied a proclamation on the
fourth day of July, whereby they declared The United states of x\me-
RICA free and independent, with ' full power to levy war, conclude peace,

* contradl alliances, efl:ablifli commerce, and to do all other ads and

* things, which independent fliates may of right do.' This day forms a
new aera in America ; and from it the dates of all public papers are
dated in fuch a year of their independence, as kings date theirs by the
years of their reigns.

July The people employed by the manufadlurers in the neigh-
bourhood of Shepton-Mallet in Somerfet-fliire, being offended at the
ereclion of fome machinery in that town for the abridgement of labour
in the woollen manufacture, affembled in a riotous manner, and de-
ftroyed the obnoxious machinery, before they could be difperfed by the
military.

All enlightened writers on the fubjed of commercial and political
economy agree in the great advantage of the abridgement of labour,
even to the very people, who feel fome inconvenience on the firft intro-
dudion of it, and have not fufficient fagacity to fee that the extenfion
of the manufadure muft foon find increafed, and more profitable, em-
ployment for them all. It is machinery that produces the great works
of ci\'ilized nations with lefs manual labour than favage nations beftow
upon procuring a fcanty fubfiftence, which fcarcely keeps them alive.
It is machinery that enables the Britifti manufadurer to give higher
wages to his workmen than thofe of other nations do, while he fur-
nifties liis goods fo much cheaper, and alio better (for machinery works
with uniform regularity) that they obtain a decided preference in every

A. D. 1776. 593

Country on the face of the earth, and render the commerce of Great
Britain the commerce of the world *.

It may be fuppofed to afford a fufficient proof of the profperous flate
of Scotland, that money was now fo plentiful in that country, that above
half a million was about this time lent out at an intereft of three per cent,
and more was ready to be laid out on good fecurity. As a further
mark of the profperity of Scotland, fome fhares of the Royal bank flock
were fold at £21^, the higheft price ever given before having been
j^20i. But it may be doubted, whether the depreflion of the rate of
intereft, and advance in the price of bank ftock, were not, at leaft part-
ly, occafioned by great fums of money, which ufed to give life to a vi-
gorous trade with America, being now for a time thrown out of em-
ployment, and, during the ftagnation, thrown into the hands of the
banks and bankers at three per cent, which they ufed to allow for mo-
ney payable on demand f .

Auguft i" — A light-houfe was ereded on the Smalls, a dangerous
parcel of rocks in the Irifli channel, with a light fo well contrived as to
be clearly diftinguilhed at the diftance of nine leagues.

Auguft — It being difcovered that the Mediterranean paftes, by which
Britifti veflels are exempted from the depredations of the piratical cruif-
ers of the ftates of Barbary, were frequently forged, they were all called
in by proclamation, that new ones of a different form might be iffued
from the admiralty office, in order to remove any jealoufy, which the
Moors might conceive, of the property of their enemies being proteded
by the Britifh flag ; and probably to prevent the Americans from be-
nefiting by thofe in their poffeffion.

Odober 26'^ — Mr. Stuart, fuperintendant of Indian affairs in the
fouthern diftridl of America, complained, that the traders, who went
among the Indians, carried chiefly rum, and fcarcely any ufeful goods,
in confequence of which the Indians were naked, difcontented, and
wretched. Of 30,000 gallons of rum lately imported at Penfacola, not
one gallon was to be found in the ftores in three months.

The Emperor of Germany made a new attempt to eftablifli a trade
with the Eaft-Indies, whereof Oftend was to be the port, which about

* Much has alfobecn faid, and written, by well- againft water mills and wind mills for grinding com

meaningpeopleagaiiift the ufe of machinery, which, inllead of hand mills, and againft the ufe of the

they fay, by enabling one man, or boy, or girl, to plough in agriculture, becaufe digging the ground

do the work of twenty, throws nineteen out of em- with fpades, would require more hands, as is well

ployment. In anfwer to this, it mud be acknow- obferved by Sir Frederic Morton Eden : and the

leged, that all human inftitutions are liable to in- fame objetlions have repeatedly been made againft

conveniencics : but the workmen generally do find canals. But car.als and machinery will notwith-

employment, if willing, during the time of the hard- ftanding continue to be encouraged by all wife go-

Ihip confcquent upon the firft introduftion of a new vernments, efpecially in commercial nations.

piece of machinery ; and foon after, fometimes Im- f After this time, many of tlie merchants of

mediately, they feel the great benefit of an increaf- Glafgow thren- their capitals into manufactures :

fd demand. The fame objeftiofi Is equally good but it requires time to efFedt the change.

Vol, hi. 4 F

594 A. D. 1776.

the fame time was improved by the addition of a magnificent wet dock
or bafin. He alfo commiflioned Mr. Bolts, who had been in India in
the fervice of the Englifh Eaft-India company, to make commercial and
colonial fettlements in Afia or Africa. Mr. Bolts, in conjunction with
fome merchants of Flanders, fitted out a large fhip at Leghorn, well
armed, and loaded with a valuable cargo, and alfo carrying a body of
people fufficient to eftablifli a fmall fettlement. At Delagoa bay on the
eaft fide of Africa he fixed his refidenCc on a piece of ground purchafed
from the chiefs of the country. The principal article of trade in the
place is ivory ; but fugar-canes, cotton, rice, and all the tropical pro-
dudions grow luxuriantly. From this port he carried on a prolperous
trade with India and the adjacent countries for about three years : and
then the Portuguefe, who pretend to an exclufive right to the eaftern
coaft of Africa, found means to ivndermine Bolts's intereft at the Impe-
rial court ; the confequence of which was, that the colony atid the
trade were given up to their mercy, and an armament, difpatched from
Goa, the principal Portuguefe fettlement in India, deftroyed their build-
ings, and carried off their fliipping and property of every kind.

November i^'-^-The expenfes of the lord-mayors of London for
many years paft had greatly exceeded the income attached to the office ;
fo that the gentlemen, who had fupported the dignity of the mayoralty,
had been from two, to near four, thoufand pounds out of pocket in the
courfe of the year. It was therefor refolved, that fome cafual emolu-
ments, which ufed to be paid to the lord-mayor, fhould henceforth be
paid into the chamber of London, and that one thoufand pounds a-year
fhould be added to the fixed falary.

The fatal effects of American hoftilities were earliefi: and mofi; fevere-
ly felt by the Wefi-India colonies and thofe concerned with them. The
iflands were greatly diftrefled by the failure of the accufl;omed fupplies
of American provifions, and of lumber, almoft as eflential to them as
provifions. The infurance on homeward-bound Weft-India fhips rofe
to the enormous rate of tiventy-three per cent. Nor were the underwriters
;\t all benefited by thofe high pr'jmiums, for the lofles greatly exceeded
the proportion on which the premiums were calculated. A fleet of about
1 20 fail of fhips was loaded and ready to fail from Jamaica in July, when,
on account of fome difcontents among the negroes, they were detained
by the governor for about a month. The Americans were thereby
apprized of the delay, and with extraordinary difpatch fitted out a vaft
number of privateers, which took a great number of them. Many fhips
from the other iflands alfo fell into their hands. And the whole value of
ftaips and cargoes, taken by the Americans this year, was eftimated to be
confiderably above a million of money, exclufive of tranfports and ftore
fhips in the fervice of government. On the other hand the Britifh

A. D. 1776.

595

cruifers made prizes of great numbers of fmall American veflels bound
to the foreign Weft-India iflandswith cargoes of provifions and lumber,
which, though of trifling value, being carried into our iflands, afforded
them a feafonable relief, though by no means adequate to theii wants.
The following retrofpedl of the Scottilh herring fiihery from the com-
mencent of the bounties fhows the flow progrefs it made during feveral
years, its rife to fome degree of importance, the rapid decline of it in
confequence of the protracted and irregular payment of the bounty,
and the good effedl of the regular payment, which afterwards took
place, at a reduced rate of bounty.

Years.

1751
1752
1753
1754
1755
1756
1757
1758
1759
1760
1761
1762
1763
1764
1765
1766
1767
1768
1769
1770

1771

1772

1773
1774
1775
1776

2

4

S

6

I

1

2

3

3

13

17

49

87

119

157

261

266

207

87

19

f summer fishing
" l winter fishing

169 {
i9o{

249{
281 I
294 {

summer

winter

summer

winter

summer

winter -

summer

winter -

summer

winter -

Tunnage.

Men and
boys.

148

33

301

67

518

116

403

89

77

17

77

17

103

24

181

41

181

41

554

130

745

174

2,061

489

3,691

865

5,131

1,206

7,056

1,651

12,476

2,881

12,633

2,918

9,692

2,241

3.969

924

861

201

- 4

210

47

25

1,039

336

95

4,029

948

74

3,373

789

86

3,621

859

104

4,718

1,094

115

4,913

1.150

134

6,436

1,584

101

4,277

1,003

180

8,795

2i028

68

2,8S9

6-0

226

11,334

2,695

Barrels of her-

rings taken.

213

td

424

"g §

519

■^ v^'

564

g Pi

67

9

64

Y'

317

245

4

3,089

g'

4,046

c

12,9495

3,054i

i

8,831

39,691

1

21,146

28,328

~3 ?

15,629

fl

1 8,289

5-1

1,878

385

2,447

8,489

}|

13,759

17,197
24,853

■' 9

25,134

h

31,459

13,396

}p

40,070

7,748

44,115

Bounty.

5,140

10

0

.9.228

17

0

12,828

0

6

17,642

5

0

31,190

15

0

31,564

10

0

24,232

2

6

9,924

7

6

2,154

15

16

2,018

10

10

10,876

17

G

12,510

12

0

17,025

5

0

19,609

15

0

21,290

7

6

After this year the fiftiery again declined as long as the war conti-
nued.

The Eaft-India company obtained by treaty a confirmation of the
property of the ifland of Salfette, which their forces had taken pofl~ef-
(ion of in the year 1773. It is a fertile ifland, about 15 miles in length
and nearly as much in breadth, feparated by a very narrow channel from
the ifland on which Bombay ftands : and, as that fettlement had no ter-
ritory beyond the limits of its o^vn fmall ifland, and confequently de-

4F 2

59^ A. D. 1776.

pended entirely on other places for its fubfiftence, it was a Very conve-
nient acquifition.

This year Captain Forreft, an enterprifing navigator in the fervice of
the Eaft-India company, who had formerly explored the coafts of New
Guinea and many others of the remote Oriental iflands, eftabUfhed a
plantation of nutmeg trees in Bunwoot, a fmall ifland near the capital
of Magindano, which the king of that great ifland bellowed upon the
company. The plants were brought by him from Manafwary, an ifland
near the coafl: of New Guinea, and the chief difference between the
fruit and the nutmegs monopolized by the Dutch, is that it is of a longer
fhape.

September 22"* — The caifl^e d'efcompte (office, or bank of difcount)
was this year eftablifhed at Paris by a fociety of bankers and others,
who fubfcribed a capital of twelve millions of livres. They propofed
to accommodate the public by difcounting bills at four per cent per an-
num, to deal in gold and filver bullion, to receive depolits of money
from fuch as chofe to lodge it with them, and to enter into no other
branches of bufinefs. The whole of the regulations for conducing
their affairs were thought to be very wifely planned ; and the infliitution
was fuppofed by the French to be a confiderable improvement upon the
bank of England. It was foon found, however, that the profits of dif-
count at four per cent, when the charges of management and fometimes
lofles, were deduced, were by no means adequate to the amount of the
capital employed in this bank, and therefor they were empowered to
iffue notes, the fum total of which was reflrided to the amount of their
capital ; and the partners, being moftly dealers in money, found no dif-
ficulty in giving extenfive currency and credit to their notes, which were
readily accepted by the public, as they could at any time be converted
into cafh.

The Britifh and French imports at Hamburgh and Bremen in the courfe
of this year were in value as follows..

Hamburgh. Bremen.

from Great Britain, Ireland, and 7 r- r,-Q ^-,fi • -. • n

the Britifli Weft Indies, \k.91^A^^■ 5-o £^1^1^- 3-o

from France, - _ - 1,099,559:12:0 307,580:15:0

The Britifli cargoes carried to Hamburgh employed 226 vefltils,
whereof 1 64 were Britifh. The French cargoes to the fame port load-
ed 192 vefTels, whereof only 10 were French, and 20 were Britifh.

The French trade, notwithftanding the great inferiority of fhipping,
continued to have the afcendancy in thefe two cities, the later of which
belongs in fovereignty to the king of Great Britain. But with refped
to Hamburgh, the freights, if they are not included in this valuation,
muft turn the fcale greatly in favour of Britain.

The emprefs of Ruflia, pofTefling the fpirit, as well as the dominions-,
of Peter the Great, was indefatigable in her efforts to improve and po-

A. D.I 776. 597

lifh the manners of her fubjeds, and to elevate her dominions to that
rank among the commercial and maritime powers of Europe, which
their vaft extent and refources feem to entitle them to. She projected
the union of the inland Cafpian fea, not only with the Baltic and the
Black fea, but alfo with the Northern ocean, by improving the naviga-
tion of the vaft rivers of her empire, and uniting them by canals, to be
executed upon a grand fcale ; and by the fame means fhe propofed to
extend her inland navigation from Peterfburg to the confines of China,
an extent of about 4,500 miles, with a portage of only 60 miles. Fully
fenlible that human induftry, and not merely a vaft extent of territory,
conftitutes the power and riches of a ftate, llie ufed every means to in-
vite foreigners to fettle the boundlefs uncultivated, but fertile, trads of
her empire, by religious toleration and other encouragements, in confe-
quence of which the banks of the Wolga were now peopled by above
6,000 adventitious families. In order to render the communication
with China as convenient as poflible to the caravans, every encourage-
ment and afliftance were given to cultivate the defert lands, and ered
villages along the tradl of their long and tedious journey. The greateft
encouragement was alfo given to fettle the ports of the new-acquired
territory on the coaft of the Black fea, and to profecute the navigation
of it and the Mediterranean, to which a free paffitge through the Dar-
danelles was ftipulated in the treaty of peace with Turkey. And, after
the conclufion of a moft bloody and rancorous war with that empire,
a great Ruflian mercantile houfe was adtually eftabliftied at Con-
ftantinople itfelf under the immediate patronage of the emprefs. By
thefe vigorous raeafures has the commerce of Ruflia advanced to con-
fiderable magnitude ; and at this time the exports of that empire
were double the amount that they were twenty years before. Part
of the increafe however was owing to the revolution in America,
whereby Great Britain was obliged to return to the northern countries
of Europe for the fupply of naval ftores, which had for many years
been obtained from the American colonies : and part, alfo occafioned
by the fame event, was owing to the increafed demand and greatly ad-
vanced price of tobacco in Europe, whereof great quantities grow in
Ruflia, which now began to export it to Lubeck and Plolland, whence
a good deal of it was reftiipped for France,

But the unfavourable nature and fituation of the very fmall portions
of navigable fea alTigned to that vaft empire by the diftribution of na-
ture, and the enflaved condition of the people, feem to oppofe barriers,
perhaps infurmountable, (or at leaft requiring the labour and prudent
attention of ages) againft the progrefs of Ruflia towards a ftate of ag-
grandizement, in any degree proportionable to its extent, or even to its
population.

Mr. Spalding, a citizen of Edinburgh, received a handfome premium
from the fociety for the encouragement of arts, manufactures, and com-

598

A. D. 1776.

merce, for his great improvements on the diving-bell, whereby the div-
ers can lower themfelves down without fear of being overturned by
rocks or other impediments at the bottom, and can re-afcend to the fur-
face at pleafure : and they can alio, when at the bottom, move to a con-
siderable diftance from the fpot on which they lighted*.

A much more ufeful and important difcovery was this year made
public in France by Mr. de Brofles, prefident of the parliament of Di-
jon. His granaries being infefted by weevils, he threw fome lobfters
among the wheat, the fmell of which, whether alive or dead (and the
more putrid, the better) is fo noxious to thofe infeds, that they imme-
diately come out of the corn, and leave the granary. The fimplicity of
this remedy puts it in the power of every farmer and dealer in corn to
preferv'e from the depredations of devouring vermin a property, fo ex-
ceedingly valuable to the owner and to the community, fo very import-
ant in commerce, and fo eflentially neceflary to the fubliftence of man-
kind.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,7 84 velTels of the reputed burthen of 604,07 1 tuns j

and of Scotland 1,640 _ _ - 91,502

Total 9,424 695,573

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Inward
Outward

VefTcls. Tuns.

8,135765.220

9,9461872,108

areign.

Vedels,
1,569

Tans.
191,999
74,323

VdTels.
9.704

Tuns
957,219

10,589946,431

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Wefl-Tndia four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was

from the cuftom-houfe in London jr2,4.6o,/^o2 11 2

and from the cuflom-houfe in Edinburgh ao,ooo o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain ^^2,480,402 1 1

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year

107,145 pounds of gold, value ^'5,006,350 2

and I o I pounds 9 ounces of filver, 315 8

^5,006,665 II O

• The ingenious author of thefe improvements fdl a viditn to his own art on the coaft of Ireland in
May 1783. 4

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1775 to Chriftmas 1776 was as follows.

Comitries, &c.

Africa

Canaries

Denmark and Norway

East Country

East India

Flanders

France

Germany

Greenland

Holland

Ireland

Mann

Italy

Madeira ••

Minorca

Poland

Portugal

Prussia

Russia

Spain

Gibraltar

Straits

Sweden

Turkey

Venice

Guernsey, &c.

America in general

Hudson's bay

Newfoundland

Cape Breton

Quebec

Nova Scotia

New England

New York

Pennsylvania

Maryland and Virginia

Carolina

Georgia

Florida

West Indies in general

Antigua

Barbados

Bermuda

Dominica

Grenada

Jamaica

Montserrat

Nevis

New Providence

St. Croix

St. Eustaihius

St. Christophers

St. Thomas

St. Vincents

Tobago

Tortola

Bay of Honduras

Musquito shore

Falkland's islands

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain

Imported into

1 Exported from |

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

1 ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

3^99,674 13

11

^470,779 1 1

4,428 17

10

37,960 1 2

103,029 11

5

5^17,414 11

8 232,970 2 3

a£20,239 18 3

240,658 19

4

60,203 0 5

1,468,077 13

;

726,398 8 5

107,633 4

10

1,038,483 1 Ol 1

56,865 2

8

2,904 19

6\ 178,319 0 I0| 233,580 12 0|

666,080 2

2

11,023 13

11

1,460,776 0 0

88,179 12 4

41,058 g

7,278 1

0

24 12 3

381,098 7

3

101,709 0

3

1,427,396 15 9

179,002 18 11

1,516,532 1

10

136,978 13

0

2,178,227 17 3

279,890 15 2

6,473 18

4

q6 6

6

11,156 8 11

538 16 5

910,354 6

e

4,551 4

4

873,448 1 0

1,352 0 0

2,372 14

5

46 14

6

24,801 16 0
147 15 0

795 18 6

7,201 9

8

773 10 0

372,439 19

A

21,700 12

22,152 0

2

530,784 13 1

1,507 4 1
1,392 2 6

1,077,355 0

11

166,975 7

2

249,381 14 8

2,492 8 8

561,071 11

p

12,747 12

9

1,191,477 19 3

13,426 9 4

95 15

7

747 8 6

2,876 5

6

24,337 18 6

248,836 6

c

24,860 19

9 1 113,131 10 4

1,957 7 1

240,738 3

5

215,756 4 T

46,293 5

1

64,824 5 11

33,040 4

J-

625 3

7

58,573 6 9

1,803 10 10

95,5q6 1

2

71,559.15 1

6,634 12

3

5,778 2 5

50,442 3

1

130,280 4 1
164 11 0

54,925 13

4

446,928 2 11

6,529 ■•s

2

245,036 10 10

762 13

0

55,050 9 7

2,3]8 la

5

1,421 4

2

365 0 0

73,226 3

2

13,668 1

5

1-2,569 13

4

30,628 15

4

174,175 3 1

112,661 14

0

121,584 7 6

297,535 14

9

169,436 10 9

191,531 19

1

142,134 U 6

238 11

4

11,413 3 11

257,775 15

3

64,6g7 18 6

370,884 9

0

163,366 11 6

1,359,033 2

1

632,315 5 9

04,521 19

5

22,938 12 8

93,231 11

5

23,836 14 5

2,950 13

2

5,422 16 8

16,869 1

3

40U 3 0

709 13

6

1,650 9 2

293,482 0

7

160,635 2 10

1,675 17

8

2,388 8 7

135,919 14

2

45,993 11 6

83,066 19

0

21,913 13 7

44,451 lb

5

28,841 18 5

30,007 9

0

2,215 8 10

2,468 16

0

12,797 5 5
321 16 &

783 5

0
6

11.696,754 14

13,720,7(1 7 0

746,680 2

7

746,680 2

7

1,025,972 10 11

1,025,972 10 11

12,443,434 17 1

14,755,703 17 11'

6oo A. D. 1777.

1777, January 3"* — The Eaft India company having now paid up the
whole of the money advanced to them by government in the year 1773,
together with the interefl: on it, they were confequently at hberty, agree-
able to the ad of parliament, [13 Ceo. Ill, c. 64] to raife their dividend
from fix to fcven per cent : and they accordingly declared their half-
yearly dividend to be three and a half'^tv cent.

The French private merchants in Bengal had carried on their trade,
after the fufpenfion of their company's exclufive privilege, on paying the
fame duties which had formerly been paid by the company. But in
April 1776 the governor-general and council of Bengal direded their
revenue officers to charge them, as individuals, with four per cent on
the amount of their invoices, on all goods except foreign fait, on which
all perfons, whether companies or individuals were to pay 10 rupees for
every 100 maunds.

Mr. Chevalier, a principal French merchant, remonftrated againfl
this regulation, and urged that the duties of tivo and a ba/f -per cent had
been paid with great exadnefs by the French merchants at Chandena-
gore according to immemorial ufage and the privileges of their nation.
The other French merchants, and alfo the Dutch and Danifh private
traders, joining in the application, the governor-general and council de-
termined, as it was an objed of no great confequence, to let the goods
of French private merchants pafs on a duty of two and a half per cent.
Hill referving their right to four per cent, when they fhould think pro-
per to claim it (24'" March).

February 21'' — Sir Jofeph Yorke, the Britifli ambaflador to Holland,
had prefented feveral memorials to the States-general, complaining of
the favour and countenance fhown by the Dutch to the Americans in
the Weft-Indies : and he now again prefented one, complaining in the
ftrongeft terms of the governor of S^ Euftathius, a Dutch ifland in the
Weft-Indies, who from his fort had returned the falute of an American
fhip, and infifting on a formal difavowal of fuch proceedings, and
the recall of the governor. In about five weeks thereafter the
Dutch ambafiador at London gave in an anfwer, wherein the States-
general exprefsly difavowed the condud of their governor, whom they
had ordered home to lay an account of his condud before them. They
alfo declared, that they had fent repeated orders to all their governors
in the Weft-Indies, enjoining a ftrid obfervance of their placards
againft furnifliing military ftores to the Americans, The Dutch traders
in the Weft-Indies continued, notwithftanding, to pay no attention to-
any orders, which they thought contrary to their own intereft. Neither
is it probable, that their government ever intended, that they ftaould be
ftridly obferved.

Mr. Hartley, having in April 1773 obtained the king's patent for
fourteen years for his invention of a method of fecuring buildings

A. D. i777» 6oi

and ihlps from fire, and having reprefented that he could not in that
period be reimburfcd the charges he mufl neceflarily be at, parliament
indulged him with a prolongation of it for thirty-one years from the
date of paffing the adt ; exempting, however, from his exclufive pri-
vilege the king's dock-yards, rope-houfes, &c. [17 Geo. 111^ c. 6.]
(3* March.)

March 27'" — A permanent committee of the manufadurers of the
weft riding of Yorkfliire, Lancalhire, and Chefhire, was appointed to fit
at Halifax, to prevent frauds in combing wool, reeling yarn, &c.
[17 Geo. Ill, C.J I.}

The a6l to prevent frauds in the meafurement of coals was continued
to the i" of June 1798, and thence, as ufual, to the end of the next
feffion of parliament. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 13.]

An order of the boufe of commons enables nie to lay before the
reader

An

Vol. hi. 4 G

602

A. D. 1777,

An accoHfH of the value^ as rated in the infpeSior''s booh, of all the woollen goods
of all forts, viz. bays., cloths, cottons (or coatings), flannels, ferges, fays, fluffs, fluffs
mixed, carpets, and zvorffed floe kings, i^c. exported from England to all countries during
the folloiving years.

Africa

Canaries

Denmark, &c.

East country

East-India

Flanders

France

Germany

Holland

Ireland

Mann

Italy

Madeira

Portugal

Russia

Spain

Straits

Sweden

Turkey

Venice

Guernsey, &c.

Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Cape Breton

Quebec

No^'a Scotia

New England

New York

Pennsylvania

Maryland and Virgin

Carolina

Georgia

Florida

Antigua

Barbados

Bermuda

Dominica

Grenada

Jamaica

Montserrat

Nevis

St. Christophers

St. Vincents

Tobago

Tortola

New Providence

St. Thomas

Bay of Honduras

Mus(|uito shore

Falkland's islands

Totals

1772

1773

1774

1775

1776

^167,571 10

3

223,362 8 2

I78,54i

TT

n

177,132

TT

11

68,507 13 ('

18,395 7

b

24,869 5 C

29,151

6

3

23,415

4

2

25,692 0 (

29,416 0

0

16,353 0 7

22,323

16

3

42,380

0

7

44,277 3 IC

40,855 12

2

24,308 5 9

29.384

4

4

23,162

17

4

24,325 1 IJ

232,643 19

C)

182,422 4 8

148,021

17

6

164,472

13

e

99,172 19 8

203,975 7

6

212,828 14 6

195,699

13

4

258,022

7

7

252,075 2 7

2,990 7

b

2,660 12 2

1,306

6

6

16,480 17

lo

813 10 0

233,647 16

11

249,696 17 11

277,507

10

7

304.560

16

10

312,759 17 1

411,140 3

5

361,-124 5 4

38L9I2

11

5

307,443

12

2

388,917 19 5

169,044 17

7

209,167 15 6

253,806

10

IC

318,944

0

11

276,053 IS 6

1,800 15 0

3,ogo

0

0

2,807

18

0

2,402 10 0

454.992 1

3

367,69s 5 5

395,162

2

3

519.007

16

0

483,905 5 1

3,726 17

6

4,449 15 0

IO.I69

9

4

5,609

0

7

2,716 5 C

500,296 13

11

408,270 17 6

428,811

12

11

448,078

13

2

3.50,104 17 10

53,0] 1 1

1

71,027 15 11

59.8I7

13

1

48,576

4

8

58,852 7 2

552,575 7

6

5-9.373 2 5

655.318

14

3

867,648

S

859,119 7 7

110,811 1

0

50,799 9 4

134,694

1

8

28,111

6

21,668 6 0

8O9 3

c

75 1 0

6ia

9

6

847

13

2,723 8 10

59,191 10

0

62,732 15 0

89,566 17

6

131,857

13

6

115.306 10 6

13,375 10

0

15,309 17 0

13,132

12

0

12,687

6

0

14,821 0 0

6,801 6

6

3,843 1 2

7-280

15

c

8,054

10

6

11,749 11 2

1,643 3

2

1,928 12 10

1,288

7

s

1,697

10

S

1.658 15 6

9.-51 5

3

4,538 3 5

5,066
43

18
12

4

e

5,231

12

5

6,153 16 11
600

64,045 1

3

106,237 18 1

100,887

15

4

171.782

1

6

200 560 12 4

15,428 11

7

4,414 12 10

13,031

5

5

9,601

19

3

53,727 12 2

284,553 9

ic

147.717 15 4

168,815

16

p

8,382

9

3

I5,t557 2 5

128,870 b

10

76.498 5 3

129,547

5

s

345

0

0

216,055 2

2

135,119 2 8

217,205

13

4

210

10

3

185,437 5

3

99,308 14 6

133,912

10

J

5

18

0

84,236 11

10

73,403 18 9

91,361

1

2

1,106

2

6

26,492 0

3

16,982 15 3

14,627

3

9

39,719

11

3

17,357 5

0

20,778 2 0

23,122

11

22,518

3

4

42,366 14 0

11,219 16

5

8,355 0 11

10,879

11

11

14,328

13

10

19,931 2 6

11,968 I

1

18,417 9 5

11,737

5

0

15,208

14

2

7.955 4 1

1,999 0

9

1,189 15 1

072

14

5

2,255

14

0

2,239 3 5

3,067 3

2

1,277 7 8

9.210 10

4

3,521

9

0

1,976 1 4

10,130 12

3

3,037 12 5

2,223

4

3

5,037

13

1

5,384 14 2

63.841 16

5

68,219 18 2

66,128

17

6

89,403

8

6

68,925 15 6

1,512 3

0

505 9 8

483

8

4

2,207

11

4

1 ,047 5 0

1,050 19

4

1,018 0 0

1,471

16

4

1,-28

16

1

2,422 16 0

7,488 11

1

4,164 0 0

7,516

1

6

7,274

12

3

12.924 9 1

1,271 2

6

4,302 0 5

3,460

9

10

8,167

13

2

2,440 18 3

1,990 4

0

226 14 0

2,218

16

2

1,604

18

3

1,111 12 0

1,701 7

3

2,878 12 8

625

17

5

1,438

5

9

2,711 1 4

2 15

C

25 0 0

138

14

0

6,809
162

13
15

3
0

1,085 0 0

0 16

K

0 17 9

4

8

0

62

10

0

196 5

C

2,909 14 3

2,267

10

0

209
588

0
6

0

8

893 18 4

4,436,783 4 5

3,875,929 17 8

4.333,583

4

2

4,220,173

0

2

3,868,053 19 6

A. D. 1777. 603

Such was the value, according to the cuflom-houfe computation (and
it was confiderably more in reality) of what could be fpared from the
produdions of this mod important manufadure, befides fupplying the
home confumption of all England and Wales, and nearly the whole
home confumption, and moft of the exportation, of Scotland, which
later was much more confiderable before the American revolution, than
it has been fince. This capital branch of manufadture is faid to give
employment to a million and a half of people in various parts of
England*.

April 24"" — Thehoufe of commons having required the lords of trade
to confider the ftate of the African trade, and the application of the
money allowed by parliament for the fupport and protedion of it, they
made up a report, of which the following is nearly the fubftance. .

Their lordfliips find, that the proceedings of the African committee
previous to the year 1758 have been examined, and approved of.

It appears, that fince that period the important trade for flaves, ivory,
and gold, in exchange for Britiifh manufactures and India piece goods,
has altered greatly for the worfe. The price of Gold-coaft flaves (the
moft valuable fpecies of flaves) has increafed from £1^ to £2-] fterlingf ,
which is intolerably burthenfome on the Weft-India planters : ivory
has become fcarce, and confequently advanced in price ; and gold, in-
ftead of being imported in large quantities, as formerly, in exchange for
Britifti manufadures, muft now be carried out by the free merchants,
or purchafed on the coaft at an exorbitant rate, as no flaves can now be
procured without it \.

It appears, that the eftablifliments of governors and other officers at
the feveral pofts on the coaft of Africa, which are fupported at the na-
tional expenfe, with a \dew to enable every Britifli fubjedl to trade on
the coaft in a free and open manner, has been perverted to a monopoly,
utterly fubverfive of the intentions of parhament, and ruinous to the

* The large book, from which I have com- fome other years, the vahie of woollens fliipped
preiTed and digefted this account, Ihuws, that now, from London was jf 2,247,570 : 3 : o, and from th;
as well as formerly, a much greater value of woollen out ports ^1,972,602 : 17 : 2.
inanufaftures was fliipped from London than from It may be agreeable to fee the value of the ex-
all the outports of England. In the year 1775, ports of the fame fpecies of goods from England a
when the exccfs of London was much lefs than in century earlier.

In 1698 from London ,^2,102,634, and from the outports ;f 1,017,981 Total ^3,120,615

1700 2,021,145 968,018 2,989,161

1701 2,045,951 1,082,414 3.'^^>365

-|- Some of the witneffes ftated the price to have been only ^f 10 for male flaves in the year 1748,
which in the year 1763 had advanced tO;fi3. A chronological Itatement of the prices of that article
of trade will be found under the year 1788.

J It was given in evidence by the flavin,^ captains, that the black Have merchants infilled on having
two ounces of gold, value /^8 (in which of the currencies :) in the price of every flave. And, the gold
being all coUcttcd by the rc'idcnt governors and other officers in their petty dealings with the negroes,
the captains are obliged to purchafe it from them at any price they pleafe to put upon it.

4 G 2

6o4 A. D. 1777.

free trade, by the governors of the forts, in conjun(5lIon with fome
people at home, one, or more, of whom have at the fame time been of
the very committee, which is authorized and fupported by parUament
for the exprefs purpofc of correcting and reftraining abufes in the trade.

The governors carry on a continual petty retail trade with the negroes
in fpirltous liquors and tobacco, whereby they colledt almofl all the
gold on the coaft. Part of that gold they pay to the commanders of the
Dutch forts for Brazil tobacco, an article nearly as indifpenfible as gold
in the purchafe of flaves.

The governors, availing themfelves of their relidence on the coaft,
and of the ufe of the ftores, flaves, and vefl^els, belonging to the public,
committed to their charge, have been enabled to engrofs more than one
half of the whole Britifh trade on the coaft*; and, if they are not
Ipeedily put under proper reftridions, they will foon effedually exclude
every Britifh free merchant from any fliare in it, except in a dependence
upon them f .

By the pre-emption of the beft flaves, and by purchafing flaves from
the Dutch governors, they are enabled to difpatch their fliips with full
cargoes, while others, attempting a free and independent trade, are ob-
Kged to lie a long time on the coaft at a vaft expenfe, before they can
complete their cargoes ; and are generally under the neceflity of having
recourfe to the governors at laft, and paying them an exorbitant price
for fuch flaves as they do not think good enough to be fliipped on their
own account |.

Ships, with cargoes fuited to the African trade, are configned to the
governors by their partners here. Thefe fliips carry out, not only
Britifli goods, but aUb great quantities of Dutch manufaclures, to the
great prejudice of our own §. The inferior kind of rum, diftilled in
New-England, has been imported to the coaft in fuch abundance |],
that in the year 1 775 no lefs than thirteen fliips from Bofton and Rhode-
ifland carried off" from the Gold-coaft 2288 flaves, bought folcly with
that article, and chiefly from the governors ; and another fliip from

* It was ftated by the flaving captains, that the ing the black chiefs and tradfrs at the national

j»overnors receivtd their goods free of freight, and txpenfe to turn tlie whole of the trade to their

ftored them in warchoufes built and kept iip at tlie private advantage, whereby, they fuppofed, they

national expenfe, ys they alfo lodged their flaves in might foon be enabled to engrofs the whole of it.
the flave -holes, of which there is one in every fort. ( General O'Hara, governer of Scnegambia, in

f It was aflerted in evidence, that the governors the year 1766 eftimated the damage done to the

are exprefsly prohibited by their inllruftions from manufafturing intereft of Great Britain by the f.ilc

having any concern in trade. But it may be aiked of foreign manufaflurei at the Britifh fcttlenicnts

on the ether hand, what could induce them to in Africa to be confiderably above ^^200,000

accept fuch offices, if their emoluments were to be fterling annually,
confined to their falarics. || Lord Sheffield ftatcs the quantity of rum car-

^ The commanders of the flaving fliips declared, lied from North America to Africa, on the

that the more money government bellowed for average of the years 1768, 17691 17/0, to b?

fapporting the freedom of the trade, the more the 270,147 gallons. -^

povcrnors vyere enabled to monopoliie it, by brib-

A. D. i777» 605

Rhode-ifland fold her whole cargo of rum to the governors for gold and
bills of exchange. The governors, having fuch a command of the
flave trade, have availed themfelves of the fuperior charadler of the
Gold-coaft flaves by buying up others of inferior quality, and pafling
them upon unexperienced purchafers as Gold-coafI; Haves.

By the returns of the flaves fhipped off from the, coafl, which are
tranfmitted by the governors to the African committee, the annual ex-
portation of Gold-coaft flaves appears to have been almoft doubled in
the laft fix years : but, notwithftanding the apparent authenticity of
thofe returns, the lords of trade are of opinion, that the merchants of
London, Briftol, and Liverpool, are warranted in aiferting, that the
trade for real Gold-coaft flaves is diminiftied, the trade for ivory much
leflened, and the trade for gold totally loft ; that the Britifli manufac-
tures have fallen greatly in value on the coaft, while every article of Afri-
can produce has rifen prodigioufly *.

Though parliament has adually made grants for tlie fupporc of the
feveral forts on the coaft of Africa, amounting, from the year 1750 to
1776, both inclufive, to the fum ofjr343,400,exclufiveof/^i 12,142 -.Sis
paid as a compenfation to the Royal African company for the furrender
of their charter, forts, and effeds ; yet all the forts, except Annamaboe
and Dixcove, are in a ruinous condition, and their ordinance totally un-
ferviceable. Nor do the forts, if really fortified, afford any protedion
to the free merchant : but, being merely repofitories, or ftore-houfes,
for private trade, they operate to the extreme prejudice and difcourage-
ment of the general trade.

It appears, that the public money is every year invefted by the com-
mittee in goods fuitable to the African market, which are given to the
committee's governors and other fervants in payment of their falaries
and other claims upon the public, and applied by them to the purpofes
of their private trade. Thefe payments being often advanced by the
governors out of their private ftores before the arrival of the ftore fliips,
they take the opportunity of putting off goods of a very inferior quality,
for which they charge the price of the bcft.

No lefs than three different currencies had been eftabliftied on the
eoaft, and ufed in the books kept at the forts, to the utter fubverfion of
all perfpicuity in the accounts. The committee, fenfible of fo grofs an
impropriety, (to call it no worfe) had ordered, that all accounts fhould
be kept in one currency, called Company''s pay, which is ftated to be at a
permanent exchange of 50 per cent : but, notwithftanding that order, it
was difcovered by Mr. Camplin, the fecretary of the African committee,
that the governors ftill found means, by a ftroke of management in the

* Is not fuch the natural progrelj of til trades continue to be profecutec'., will a (Icin, which is
between civilized and uncivilized nations ? If the worth loo dollars in China, cuiitinue to be tiuichai ■
fW traJc on tl'.e north.-well coaft of America (hal! td for a bit of iron hoop ?

6o6 A. D. 1777.

exchange, to convey into their own pockets one fifth part of the whole
of the public money. By thefe and other means the governors have
made up accounts, whereby the committee, or rather the pubhc, appears
to be indebted to them £i^,g62 : 3 : 5 fterUng, over and above the va-
hie of the pubhc goods in the ftores, at the end of the year 1775 ; and
it is prefumed, that the debt is greatly increafed during the year 1776.
Upon the whole of the inquiry it appears, that the number of flaves
exported from Africa has greatly decreafed, and the price greatly in-
creafed* ; that the importation of gold, which was formerly at the rate
of 100,000 ounces annually, procured in exchange for Britifh goods
upon very profiti^ble terms, is now annihilated ; and that, while the trade
is thus going to ruin, the expenfe of fupporting it is increafed to an en-
ormous degree.

A reply to this report was prefented at the board of trade in July
lyyg, wherein the governors and other fervants of the African commit-
tee, ftationed on the coaft, endeavoured to repell the charges made
againft them.

April 30^'' — ^The corporation of London, finding their operations in
improving the navigation of the River Thames above London cramped
by the interference of private proprietors of tolls, &c. apphed to parlia-
ment, and obtained authority to purchafe all the private tolls, and to
take a moderate fimplified toll inftead of them, after the i" of May,
from every barge in proportion to the tunnage and diftance. [17 Geo.
III,c. 18.]

The improvement of the ftreets and paflliges, communicating with
the naval ftreet of Wapping, which was now regulated by parliament,
may, not improperly, be mentioned, as a proof of increafing and flour-
ifhing commerce. [17 Geo. III^ c. 22.]

May 16"' In order to prevent the frauds committed in the fale of

annuities for life by means of the fecrecy wherewith they ufed to be
tranfafted, a memorial of all the circumftances of every fuch annuity
was direded to be regiftered in the court of chancery. All annuities
fold by minors are by this ad, with great propriety, declared null and
voidf. [17 Geo. Ill, c 26.]

To encourage the exportation of tea to Ireland, the whole duty of the
cuflom was allowed to be drawn back. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 27.]

In order to prevent frauds in the revenue of excife with refped to tea,
all perfons making counterfeit tea of leaves of floe, liquorifli, afli, elder,
&c. or of tea that has been ufed, are fubjeded to a fine of five pounds

» Is not the iiicrcafc of price a natural confe- mod benevolent intentions, has been perverted by

quencc of the decreafe of quantity ? Perhaps miftakes and violent mifconftruftions fo as to be

Africa begins to be exhauftcd of its live (lock. made to hold out encouragement and proteflion

t This remedial aft, framed with the wifell and to many infamous frauds.

A. D. 1777. 607

for every pound weight of fuch leaves fold by them, or found in their
pofrefTion. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

In confequence of the advantage refuking to the public from fupprefl-
ing the circulation of notes for lefs than twenty Ihillings, parliament
now determined to extend the reflridion to all notes drawn in England
for any fum under five pounds ; and all fuch were diredted after the 1"
of January 1778 to be made' payable at twenty-one days after date, to
exprefs the name and refidence of the receiver, and to be transferable
only by an indorfement, which fhould alfo contain the refidence, as well
as the name, of the indorfee : and the original drawing, and every in-
dorfement, were required to be further authenticated by the fubfcrip-
tions of witnelles. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 30.]

The dyers of Middlefex, EfiTex, Surrey, and Kent, were relieved from
the hardlhip impofed on them by an adl of Queen Elizabeth, which pro-
hibited them from employing as journeymen any perfons, who had not
ferved an apprenticefliip of feven years ; and they were thenceforth per-
mitted to employ fuch journeymen as they thought proper. [17 Geo.
Ill, c. "^-^.^^ This was a confiderable advance towards the emancipation
of handicraft trades from the fliackles of a miftaken feudal policy.

The ad for prohibiting the importation of foreign filks and velvets,
and for preventing unlawful combinations of workmen employed in the
filk manufadure, was continued to the 14''' of June 1782. [17 Geo. Ill,

Some new regulations were made refpeding the duties payable on
glafs, and the materials for making it. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 39.]

j une — The commanders of fliips in tlie Eaft-India company's fervlce al-
lowing goods to be received onboard their fliips, or delivered out of them,
at fea, were fubjeded to a forfeiture of triple the value of the goods fo

taken onboard or delivered All commanders of Britilh or Irifli vcf-

fels arriving at any port in the Baltic, where a Britifli conful refides, are
direded to deliver to him manifefi:s fpecifying the particulars of their
cargoes. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 41.]

The fizes of bricks and tiles were regulated by law ; and all combin-
ations to advance their prices, or to engrofs them, were ftridly prohibit-
ed. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 42.]

Some new regulations were made refpeding the duties payable on the
importation of currants and raifins And tobacco-pipe clay was per-
mitted to be exported to the fugar colonies for the purpofe of cleanfing
fugar, or making what is called clayed fugar. [17 Geo. HI, c. 43.]

The feveral ads — for encouraging the culture of indigo in the Britifii
colonies — for regiftering the prices, and the imports and exports of
corn — for regulating the duty on tanners' bark in proportion to the
prices — for allowing the exportation of timber, the produce of Domi-
nica, to any other Britifli colony — and for a bounty on the exporta-

6o8 A. D. 1777.

lion of Britifh-made cordage, were all continued for different limited
times. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 44.]

Five millions of money were raifed this year by a loan ViX. four per cent,
with an annuity of ten (hillings for ten years : and half a million more
by a lottery, the fubfcriber of every /^loo of the loan being entitled to
one lottery ticket at /^lo. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 46.] By thefe terms the per-
manent interefl on the real money borro<ved is or\\y four per cent : and,
as there was no creation of fiditious capital, which makes a real high
interefl appear a low one, this maybe confideredas a good bargain made
by the minifter for the public *.

The commiffioners of the longitude were empowered to beftoW;^5,ooo
m a reward, or rewards, to any perfons difcovering improvements re-
fpeding the longitude, or in any branch of navigation. [17 Geo. Ill, c.

Audioneers within the bills of mortaUty w^ere fubjeded to an annual
payment of twenty (hillings, and other audioneers, of five (hillings,
for licence to carry on their bufinefs, after the 29'*" of September
1777 : and at the fame time a duty was laid on all property fold
by audion. But from this duty were exempted, all property fold
by order of court ; the fales of the Eaft-India and Hudfon's-bay
companies ; fales by order of the commi(fioners of the cuftoms, ex-
cife, ordinance, navy, and the vidualling office ; goods diftrained for
rent ; the efteds of bankrupts ; the produce of the Briti(h colonies fold
within one year after their importation ; veflels and cargoes taken as

prizes ; wrecked goods ; and fales for the benefit of creditors By

the fame ad a great variety of new (lamp-duties were impofed upon
conveyances of property, policies of infurance, &c. [ 1 7 Geo. Ill, c. 50.]

Strider regulations were enaded for fecuring the duties payable on
the manufadure of foap, and the importation of rum. [17 Geo. Ill, c.

'llie hatmakcrs were relieved from the hard(hips of an ad of Eliza-
beth and another of James I, whereby they were prohibited from em-
ploying any journeymen, who had not ferved feven years as apprentices,
or any foreigners, and are direded to employ as many journeymen as
apprentices, if they offer themfelves. [17 Geo. Ill, c. ^^^ Another
flep towards breaking the (hackles of feudal tyranny.

Penalties were enaded for the embezzlement of materials intrufted to
work-people in the manufadures of hats, wool, linen, filk, &c. [17 Geo.
Ill c. 56.]

The law afcertaining the property of engravings to their original au-
thors was corroborated. [17 Geo. Ill, c. 57.]

* The high inttreft upon the real fum borrowed the holders of Tome branches of the funds, in cafe

is not the only pernicious coiifequeiice of creating of paying off the debt, may deiiiand, and aflualiy

a liftitious augmentation of the capital. The no- receive above ;f 2O0 for C\QO originally lent to the

minal hundreds may become real hundreds; and public.

A. D. 1777. 609

Several a6ls were alfo pafled, asufual, for the improvement of various
parts of London, for building bridges, making canals, draining- fens
and dividing commons.

The company who eftablifhed the great iron works at Carron in Stir-
ling-fliire in the year 1760, had now brought their manufadure to
fuch a degree of pcrfedion, that their exportation was at this time an
obje6l of great national importance. Their great guns, which were caft
folid, and bored by a drill worked by the whole force of the River Car-
ron, were exported to Ruflia, Denmark, Spain, &c, : and the quantities
were fo confiderable, that the government was unwiUing to let them be
carried in ordinary Hiips, left they ftould fall into the hands of the
American cruifers. The company thereupon fitted out a ftout fliip of
their own, properly armed and manned, for the purpofe of carrying to
Spain 300 iron guns from three to twenty-four pounders. This is given
as a fpecimen of the cargoes fhipped by that great manufaduring com-
pany, who befides lupplying the demand in Britain, about this time fur-
nifhed many other cargoes of great guns to Spain, Ruflia, and other fo-
reign powers. The war alio greatly increafed the demand for their iron
ballaft, which was unlverfally ufed in the navy, and alfo in many mer-
chant ihips. Their ftoves, which are now in every apartment all over
the kingdom, were at this time beginning to come into ufe.

In the year 1755 the corporation of Liverpool employed Meffieurs
Taylor and Eyes to furvey the country, with a view to confider of a plan
for joining the River Trent on the eaft fide of the country with the Mer-
fea on the wefl fide, whereby the navigable communication with Hull,
which by fea is a circuit of a thoufand miles, and in time of war with
France is peculiarly expofed to the enemy's cruifers, might be perform-
ed with eale and fafety in a Ihie of lefs than two hundred miles. In
the year 175S the marquis of Stafford and Lord Anfon promoted an-
other furvey for the fame purpofe, which was executed by Mr. Brindley,
the fame heaven-tatight engineer, who fhowed the world the wonders of
the duke of Bridgewater's canal. In 1766 this important canal was
begun by Mr. Brindley ; and it was fmiflied, after his death, by his bro-
ther-in-law, Mr. Henfliall, in May 1777, to the great joy of the whole
country. It has obtained the name of the Grand trunk navigation, be-
caufe it goes under ground at five places, the mofl remarkable of which
is Harecaftle hill, where it extends 2,880 yards (above one mile and five
furlongs) under the mountain, the furface of which is more than 200
feet above it ; a work projeded and accomplifhed by the happy boldnefs
of Brindley's genius, after being ridiculed by other engineers as imprac-
ticable.

The main canal betv/een the Trent and the Mcrfea was greatly im-
proved by the jundion of a branch, of 46 miles in length, extended to
the Severn at Bcwdley in Worcefter-fhire, which conneds the three great
Vol. III. 4 H

6io A. D. 1777.

commercial towns of Brirtol, Liverpool, and Hull, between which goods
can be conveyed without any trouble of unloading and refliipping. This
work was alfo planned and executed by Mr. Brindley.

To this later canal was foon after added another of 26 miles : and
thereafter fo many other branches were connected with it, for extend-
ing the communication through a wide range of the country, that it
would be tedious to recoimt them all.

May 27'" — Meflieurs Clark and Berkenhout applied to the lords of
trade for a reward for an invention, whereby they can dye cotton in
fcarlet and crimfon colours, both in grain : and their lordfhips recom-
mended their invention to the king, as worthy of a reward, in order
that it might be made public for the benefit and extenfion of the ma-
uufadures of the kingdom.

Grenada, and fome of the other iflands in the Wefl-Indies had for
feveral years been infefled with the carnivorous ants (the formiccc omm-
vora of Linnaeus) in fuch inconceivable numbers, that the furface of
the ground was often entirely covered with them, and carcafes of large
animals were reduced to fkeletons with aflonifhing difpatch. The ra-
toon canes*, lime trees, and, in general, all plants, which form a ftool,
or arched affemblage of roots, under ground, were totally deftroyed by
their burrowing imder them : and fome planters were adlually obliged
totally to abandon the cultivation of fugar, and put their lands in cot-
ton and other produdions exempted from the ravages of that tremend-
ous fcourge. Many attempts were made to extirpate them ; and Mr.
Phillips of Grenada, who had difcovered a powder to deflroy them, ap-
plied to the lords of trade for a reward, who recommended it to the
ireafury to give him a proper recompenfe, in confequence of which, the
houfe of commons voted him a reward of /!^3,6oo for his invention in
the year 1781 f. But as it was impracticable to cover the whole fur-
face of an ifland with his powder, and thole ants, which were at a con-
fiderable depth under ground, were totally inacceffible by it, it was foon
found, that the operation of the remedy mufi: ever be too limited to
produce any important efFed: and thofe deftrudlive little animals con-
tinued to diftrefs and ruin the planters in feveral illands, and particu-
larly in the French ifland of Martinique, till the year 1780 |, I ought

* Ratoon canes are thofe which fpring up from of Martinique, who, notwithftanding a moft dr€ad-

the roots of the canes, after they are cut. The ful hurricane in the year 1766, had been eleven

ground, according to its ftrength, will produce ra- years fuifrring from the dtllruftion occafioned by

toons for more or. fewer years, each fucceeding thofe vermin. But before that time Mr. Defvou-

year's ratoons, however, yielding lefs and Icfs fu- ves, a planter of that ifland, had difcovered, that

gar. by burning the cane trafli in which the ants har-

-)• That is, after the ants in Grenada, then a boured, uling plenty of manure, planting his canes

French ifland, were deftroyed by the aft of Pro- anew every year, allowing room for the free circul-

vidence in the hurricane of Oflober 1780. ation of air through them, and frequent weeding,

X According to Raynal, a reward of 666,000 he could obtain good crops of fugar. [_HiJl. fhif.

livres had been offered in the year 1775 for the dif- et pol'u. V. vii,/>. lOycd. 1 782.]
covery of a remedy againft the ants hy the planters

A. D. 1777. 61 1

nt the fame time to obferve, that thofe ants, wherever they csme, com-
pletely cleared the cane fields of rats, another dreadful kind of enemy
to the fugar planters, whofe ravages, in canes devoured, or rendered un-
fit for making fugar, are generally reckoned at not lefs than a third of
the whole crop. Mr. Edwards has been informed, that they alfo remove
the blaft, which, after being long fuppofed a difeafe in the cane, has
been found to confift of millions of animalcula, invifible to the naked
eye, which extrad the juices from the cane. [Hiji. of the Weji-Indies, V.
u,p. 214, ed. 1794.]

The American cruifers now covered the ocean, and even infefled the
narrow feas of Great Britain and Ireland. Ships were taken in fight of
the land ; the communication between England and Ireland was inter-
rupted ; and a convoy was adually appointed for the prote^lion of the
velfels bringing linen from Ireland, which had never been neceflary in
any former war. The city of Dublin was terrified, and its harbour fort-
ified : the coafts of England, Scotland, and Ireland were alarmed, and
fome places were even infuked and plundered. The citizens of Chefter
faw their fair poftponed, becaufe no linens were arrived from Ireland.
But another fight, not lefs melancholy than new to the prefent race of
Britifli merchants, was exhibited on the River Thames, which was cover-
ed with foreign vefl^els, and particularly French ones, loading for vari-
ous parts of the world with Britilh cargoes, the fliippers of v^hich were
now afraid to trufi: their property under the protection of the Britifh
flag.

The American cruifers found flicker, and alfo, underhand, encourage-
ment, in the ports of France. However, partly in order to fave appear-
ances, but more to protrad the commencement of open hoftilities, for
which France was not yet fully prepared, an order was ifllied by the
French government, in confequence of a remonftrance by Lord Stor-
mont, the Britifli ambaflfador, enjoining all the American privateers
with their prizes to quit the ports of France. But the order was fo uni-
verfally eluded, that it was evidently never intended to be enforced.

The Britifli and French imports at Hamburgh and Bremen in the
courfe of this year were in value as foflows.

Hamburgh Bremen

from France - - r ,i 29,61 6 : 1 8 : o 259,409 15:0

The cargoes carried from the Britiflti dominions to Hamburgh em-
ployed 1 67 vefl^els, whereof i 35 were Britifli. The French trade to the
fame port employed 185 veflels ; but only 13 of them were French.

The total number of veflels arrived this year at Hamburgh was
2,991, whereof 2,420 were fmacks and other fmall craft from Holland,
Yuteland, Bremen, &.c.

4H2

6i2 A. D. 1777.

The following account of the gold coin circulating at the end of this
year is given by Mr. Rofe fecretary of the Treafury *.

' In the year 1773, previous to the ad 14 Geo. Ill, c. 70, the Bank

* of England was authorized to buy up by weight certain light gold at
' flandard price ; and, by fubfequent proclamations after the ad, to ex-

* change other deficient coin, as was therein fpecified : and it appears
' by the books of the Mint, that the gold fo bought and exchanged

* was received there between the 25"" of Augufl 1773 and 10'" of June
' 1777, amounting in ftandard weight to 326,298 lb, i oz, 8 dwt, 4 gr,
' value . - - - ^Ci 5,246,279

' In 1 772 (the year preceding the com-
' mencement of the great recoinage) the
' Bank of England fent to the Mint, ingots

* from foreign gold, in flandard weight

* 20,337 ^ ' ^'^^» ^^ ^° P^^^ °^ ^^ money

* into which it was coined, was iflued from
' the Bank before the recoinage took

* place, its amount confequently made a
' part of the new money produced within

* the time of the recoinage, being - 950,245

' The Bank alfo fent to the Mint in-
' gots from foreign gold, within the time
' of the recoinage from the year 1773 to
' the end of 1777, in ftandard weight,
' 62,0331b: the coin produced therefrom
' made a further part of new money if-
' fued within the fame period, amounting
'to - - - - - 2,898,491

' And there was alfo farther fent by the
' Bank to the Mint, from 1775 to the end
' of 1777, ingots from guineas (which ig-
' norance or negled had prevented from

* being brought in time to be exchanged
' under the proclamations) making in
' ftandard weight 28,935 lb. This gold
' was bought by the Bank, and fent to

* the Mint, in ordinary courfe of coinage,

* unattended with any other charge to the
' public, and made a part of new money,

"• Other accounts were piiblil'hed about this time, gold coin exporud, or claadellincly melted, in the

which differ from that here given : but there can courfe of thefe years, which mud have fomewhat

be no reafon to doubt of the fuperior authenticity reduced the amount of co-exifting gold money at

of Mr. Rofe's. It may, however, be fubmitted, the end of the year 1777.
whether fome allowance (hould not be made for >

A. D. 1777' 613

alfo IfTued'within the time of the recoin-

age, in value - - - - 1,351,987

5,200,723

* Amount of new gold money at the end of 1777 - 20,447,002

* By eflimation of men converfant, from their habits

* and obfervation, to judge of the money in currency, the
' heavy gold coin remaining in circulation (i, e. guineas

• weighing 5 dwt, 8 gr, and upwards) was taken, on the

• loweft, at - - - - - - 5,000,000

* [Befides which it was underftood, that about two
' millions of light guineas had been taken out of circula-
' tion, and fent to America, which it is fuppofed, were
' brought back to this country after the war, but no cre-
' dit is taken for them here.]

* Makes the amount of gold money circulating at the

end of 1777 to be - - ^^25,447 ,002'

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England - 7,575 velTels of the reputed burthen of 610,201 tuns,,
and of Scotland 1,521 - _ - 88,729

Total - 9,096 - - - 698,930

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Foreign

Inward
Outward -

Veffels. I Tuns. Veflels.

8,390 815,517 1,992
9.556 I 830,545 I 877

Tuns.

252,437
102,310

Tuns.
1,067,954
932,855

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft India four-and-a-
half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was from the cuftom-houfe in London - ^^2, 199,1 05 : 19 : 4

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 30,000 : 0:0

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain £2,22^,10$ : 19:4.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
78,780 pounds of gold, value - - jC3^^^3y995 '- to:o

and no filver.

Ti:e ofFiciai value of the imports and exports of Great Britain froir^
Chriftmas 1776 to Chriitmas 1777 was as follows.

Imported into

Exijorted Imni |

Countries, &c.

ENCUAND.

SCOTLAND.

KNOL AKP.

SCOTLAND.

Africa

^£62.740 1 4

e£'239.2l8 3

0

Canaries

3,379 5 2

18,055 17

8

Denmark and Norway

103,547 10 7

i£25jO\5 2 7

202,903 3

6

^11,220 11

7

East countiy

403,166 7 1

85,521 10

2

East-India

1,834,221 14 (J

785,825 2

3

Flanders -

133.290 11 4

04-1,267 4

10

France

71,493 7 2

6,062 16 1

130,802 0

10

53,083 3

10

Germany

709,599 6 3

33,914 14 7

1,323,499 9

10

11,305 1

8

Greenland

50,337 16 4

1,748 3 3

Holland -

581,632 2 11

130,758 16 0

1,090,644 2

11

78,727 1

7

Ireland

1,502,893 7 1

150,139 9 11

1,931,800 14

1

269.887 14

1

Mann

6,6Q8 G 6

240 7 10
653 5 8

22,835 3

3

846 10

0

Itah-

774,099 9 9

846,160 2

4

2,775 2

0

Madeira

3,323 10 2

184 2 6

9,261 10

7

Minorca

55 1

10

Poland

12,979 1 10

-

8.-,8 14

3

Portugal

382,708 8 5

21,873 1 3

554,449 8

2

2,021 16

10

Prussia

13,805 12 9

389 3

10

Russia ...

1,117,315 G 4

199,795 14 10

203,124 14

11

3,267 J

4

Spain

533.641 15 11

10,369 9 1

843,075 4

0

11,740 3

6

Gibraltar

105 7 7

345 2

6

Straits

3,600 0 0

82,003 12

0

Sweden

206,034 1 11

27.484 13 1

69,981 6

6

2937 4

I

Turkey

225,586 5 4

177,214 7

0

\'^enice

65,892 8 5

41,665 8

5

Guernsey, &-c.

49,523 19 1

989 16 10

60,136 10

7

40 0

0

.\merica in general -

11,277 2 3

256,169 6

0

Hudson's bay

8,243 4 4

6,048 4

0

Newfoundland

46,066 12 3

122,367 17

3

Cape Breton

567 13 5

Quebec

56,682 3 0

586,01 1 5

11

Xova-Scotia

8,030 5 4

934,164 3

9

New-England

1,879 11 6

New-York -

8,429 12 3

57,294 13

6

Pennsylvania

16 19 1

Maiyland and Virginia

58 711

Carolina

2,233 ig 0

Florida

48,322 5 11

137,617 9

9

West-Indies in general

145,79<5 15 0

131,973 17

3

Antigua

134,061 13 0

114,028 0

8

Barbados

140,137 16 4

132,081 8

4

Bermuda

2,069 17 9

7,239 12

3

Dominica

177,397 17 5

47,230 12

0

Grenada

360,088 12 11

95,209 17

5

Jamaica -

1,303,289 18 8

536,574 6

3

Montserrat

27,336 19 5

9,514 7

3

Nevis

45,142 3 0

12,268 0

s

New-Providence

4,808 4 10

3,619. 5

7

St. Croix

8,685 13 4

St. Eustathius -

1,632 5 4

720 10

6

St. Christophers

233,652 5 6

83,333 17

1

St. Thomas

4,748 3 2

St. Vincents

130,195 2 11

40,230 17

0

Tobago

42.680 7 0

21,853 1

8

Tortola

• 46,945 11 0

21,427 1

1

Honduias bay

27,744 7 6

490 3

4

Musquito shore

5,282 6 1

1,503 18

6

Falkland's islands -

5,984 5 0

196 11

4

11,721.327 19 1

12,632,522 2

0

Prize goods *

120,249 14 2

20,841 5

8

Imp. and cxp. of Englanc

11,841,577 13 3

12,653,363 7

8

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

802,253 12 11

802,253 12 11

837,642 15

2

837,642 15

2

Total, Great Britain -

12,643,831 6 2

13,491,006 2

10

No prize goods appear by ihe cuftom-houre books t o have been brought to account before this year.

A. D. 1778. 615

1778 — After the declaration of independence theCongrefs of theUnited
Hates of America fent plenipotentiaries to feveral of the European courts
to aflure them of their determination to fupport their independence, to
folicit the afllftance of Germany, France, Spain, and Pruffia ; and in par-
ticular to propofe to France a participation of the trade between the
United ftates and the Weft-India iflands •, and to concert with France and
Spain an arrangement for the divifion of the conquefls to be attempted by
the arms of the propofed alliance. According to the plan propofed by
them. Nova Scotia, Cape -Breton, and the half of Newfoundland (Canada
is not mentioned) were to be annexed to the United ftates ; the other
half of Newfoundland, with a participation of the fiftiery in all the ad-
jacent feas, was to be fecured to France, Britain being totally excluded ;
and the Britifh Weft-India iflands, to be reduced by the united forces
of France and America, were to belong entirely to France. Spain
was to have only the town of Penfacola ; and the free navigation of
the Miflifllppi was to be referved to the Americans.

Though the French were exceedingly eager to enjoy the trade with
America (of their fuccefs in which, as we have already feen, they had
little reafon to boaft) the government, not being fufficiently prepared
for war, or perhaps not fully determined how to adt *, were very referv-
ed and dilatory in formally acknowleging the independent fovereignty
of the United ftates, while remonftrances on our fide upon their partial-
ity to the Americans, and temporizing anfwers on theirs, fpun out the
time till the French Newfoundland fleet got fafe into their ports, and
their marine forces were brought to a ftate fit for the commencement
of hoftilities : and then a treaty of friendfliip and commerce, and an-
other of alliance, with the United ftates of America were figned on the
fame day at Paris (6'" February).

By the firft of thefe treaties

Articles 2, 3, 4,) The contracting powers engaged to treat each-other
as the raoft favoured nation in all commercial arrangements, in pay-
ments of duties, and in all privileges and immunities, in the ports of
the French dominions in Europe, and in thofe of the United ftates.

6, 7) The king of France engaged to protedl the veflels and efteds
of the Americans in his ports, and on his coafts ; and that his ftiips of
war fliould protect the American traders upon the Ocean, fo far as they
fliould keep company with his fliips. And the United ftates promifed
equal protection to the veflels and eflfeds of the French.

8) The king promifed to ufe his intereft with the emperor of Mo-
rocco, and the other piratical Moorilh governments of Africa, to ab-*-
ftain from molefting the American trade.

9) Both parties agreed to abftain from the fllhing grounds belonging

* There is good rearprfi to believe lliat the king was dragged into the war, ngainft his own julgc-
mtiit, by ihofe about him. »

6i6 A. D. 1778.

to the other, provided no other nation fliould have the indulgence,
which they hereby agreed to withhold from each-other.

10) The French vi^ere to retain all the rights to the Newfoundland
firtiery, conferred upon them by the treaties of Utrecht and Paris.

1 1) The fubjeds of either power were to enjoy all the privileges of
fubjeds, and be exempted fi'om the burthens impofed upon aliens, in
the dominions of the other.

29) Either power had the right of maintaining confuls, vice-confuls,
agents and commiflaries in the ports of the other.

30) The king of France promifed to allow the Americans one or
more free ports in Europe, to which they might bring all the commo-
dities of the thirteen ftates, and alfo the free ports already opened in
his Weft-India iflands.

The other articles are filled with regulations for the examination of
veflels bound to the ports of powers at war with either of the contrad:-
ing powers, and for paflports to proted their veflels in cafe of fuch a
war, an enumeration of the goods to be confidered as contraband and
Hable to confifcation, regulations for prizes taken by the cruifers of
either power, for the treatment of wrecked veflels, &c.

By the other treaty it was provided, that ' in cafe Great Britain in

* refentment of that connedion and good correfpondence, which is the

* objed of the faid treaty [of commerce] fliould break the peace with

* France, either by dired hoftilities, or by hindering her commerce
' and navigation,' his Majefty and the United ftates Ihould make it a
common caufe, and aid each-other with their councils and forces, in
order to maintain effedually the abfolute and unlimited independ-
ence and fovereignty of the United ftates. The northern parts of Ame-
rica and the Bermuda iflands, if conquered by the allied powers, were
to be annexed to the United ftates ; and any of the iflands in, or near,
the Gulf of Mexico, to be taken from Great Britain, were to belong to
France. Neither party was to make peace without firft obtaining the
confent of the other, nor without an exprefs acknowlegement from
Great Britain of the independence of the United ftates. And both
agreed to fulfil the conditions of the treaty without any claim for com-
penfation on either fide, and to admit into the alliance any other
powers, who might have received injuries from England. Such were
the firft of the treaties between powers feparated by the Atlantic ocean ;
treaties, which were in a fliort time to fpread the flames of war from
America to every quarter of the globe.

March 13'" — The French government, having now decifively chofen
their ground, in a few weeks fent a declaration to the Britifh court, giving
notice of the treaty of friendfliip and commerce with the United ftates of
America, but without faying a word of the treaty of alliance ; profefling,
neverthelefs, a determination to cultivate the good underftanding fub-

A. D. 1778. 617

Ming between France and Great Britain, and hoping his Britannic
Majefty would equally avoid every thing that might tend to interrupt
their harmony. The declaration conc'luded, however, with an aflur-
ance, that the king of France was determined to proted the lawful com-
merce of his fubjeds, and to maintain the dignity of his flag, and had
in confequence taken eventual mcafures in concert with the United
ftates.

Immediately after this declaration, which was virtually a declaration
of war, the Britifh ambaflador was recalled from France, and the French
ambaflador left London. The French laid an embargo on all fhips in
their ports, and, in return, an embargo vv'as laid on all the French fhips
in the ports of Great Britain, which were, however, very few, moft of
them, in apprehenfion of fuch a meafure, having previoufly failed.

February 11'" — In a committee of the houfe of lords upon the ftate
of the nation, the lofTes fuftained by the war with America were ftated
as follows.

There were 733 veflels taken by the Americans, of which 47 had
been releafed, and 127 retaken. The value of the remaining 559
appeared, from the examination of merchants, to be at lea{l;^2,6oo,ooo:
and the lofs in falvage, interefl on the value of the cargoes, and lofs
of markets, on the retaken fliips mud have amounted to a very con-
fiderable fum. Of 200 fliips, annually employed in the Afi'ican trade
before the commencement of the war, there were not now above
40, whereby there was a deficiency of 160 fliips, which, valued on an
average at 2?9,ooo each, made a diminution of /^i, 440,000 annually
-in that one branch of trade*. Infurance to the Weft-Indies and Nortli
America was raifed from 2y to 5 per cent with convoy, and to 15
per cent, if without convoy and unarmed, though in general no infur-
ance at all could be made on fliips in fuch circumftances. Seamens
wages were raifed from £ \ 10 o to>C3 5 ° per month ;
Potaflies, - - -o8o_ 3100 per cwt ;
Sperma-ceti oil, - 35 o o _ 70 o o per tun ;

Tar, - - - 070 — iioo per barrel ;

and fugars, and other Wefl;-India commodities, as well as all kinds of
naval ftores from North America, greatly advanced. The number of
American privateers, of which authentic accounts were received, was
173, which carried 2,556 guns, and near 14,000 men. Of thefe 34
were taken, which carried 3,217 men.

In order to comfort the nation for thefe lofles, it was urged on the
other hand, that the lofles of the Britifli merchants were not fo great as

* With great dcfcrincc to the high authority, year 1777 (the year to which the flatemeiit mult

from which this ftateiutiit is derived, it may here be fuppofed to refer) were 5S,and tliat the cargoes

be obfervtd fi<.m later and more con eft accounts, of fuch (hips, on an average of feveral years, were

that in the year 1771, whcM the African trade wai under^4,90O. The numbers of fhips, &c. will be

at its greateft height, the (lilps fitted out for it ftated more fully under the year 1788.
from Brit: -n were only 192, that tlie fliips in the

Vol. III. 4 I

6i8 A. D. 1778.

they were laid to be, and that thofe of the Americans were ftill greater ;
that 904 veffcls had been taken from them, which at the very moderate
valuation of /?2,ooo each, would amount to ^^^i, 8 08, 000* ; and if to
that fum the value of the fifheries, of which the Americans were now
deprived f , were added, it would appear that this country was already
benefited £.2,200,000 by the war, and that the advantages flowing from
the war would be ftill greater in future.

March — The permiftion to employ foreign feamen onboard mer-
chant fhips, in a proportion not exceeding three fourths of their whole
complement, was prolonged till the 25'" of March 1779. [i8 Geo. Ill,
c. 6.]

The mercantile city of Briftol, which had hitherto been without a
theatre-royal, had now one licenced by parHament. [r8 Geo. Ill,
..8.]

In a few days after the treaties with America had been concluded at
Paris, a conciliatory plan was propofed in parliament, which, it was
hoped, would detach the Americans from their new allies, and induce
them to return to a connexion with the mother country, which ftiould
be much more favourable to them than their former condition. In
purfuance of this meafure, the adl [14 Geo. Ill, c. 45] for altering the
conftitution of the province of Maflachufet's bay w-as totally repealed.
[i8 Geo. Ill, c. II.]

And the Britifh legiflature now declared, that ' the king and parlia-
' ment of Great Britain will not impofe any duty, tax, or afleirment
' whatever, payable in any of his Majefty's colonies, provinces, and
' plantations, in North America or the Weft-Indies ; except only fuch

* This reafoning puts one in mind of the ftory f The mod important confequence of the ex-
of the attorney, who, when his cHent complained pulfion of the American fifliermen from their pro-
that he was reduced to his lad guinea by his law per employment was, that almoft all the men, and
fuit, comforted him with the afl'urance that his ad- all the fall-failing veffels, were immediately, and of
verfary was reduced to his lafl farthing. But, neccfTity, employed in privateering : and the con-
granting that the ruin of fifherman, merchants, fequence of that was, that 1,095 Britilh velFcls, and
and fliip-owners, in America were an advantage to the cargoes of 13 more, were in the courfc of the
this nation, it was furely no rccompenfe to the in- war carried into the fifhing ports of Bollon, Salem,
dividual fufferers in Britain ; nor could the value Beverly, Newbury-port, Marble-head, Gloucefter,
of the American prizes be near fo high as it was Haverhill, and Ipfwich, in the middle diilriiSl of
calculated. None of tliem were of very great va- Mafraciiufct's bay, as appears by the records of the
lue ; and a very great proportion of them were maritime court, bcfides what were carried into
fmall (loops and fchooners, worth lefs than ^^500 other ports, and thofe that were retaken, which
for veifel and cargo. As to the fidieries, that of are eftimatcd to have been above half as many as
Newfoundland and Labrador was fcaicely at all were carried into port by the captors. At lead
increafcd by the expuUion of the Americans from 550 fail were computed to have been taken by the
it, becaufe men could not be found to catch the privateers belonging to the other two diftrifts of
quantity of ii(h, which the American filhermen MafTachufet's bay ; and thofe belonging to the
ufcd to catch : the Southern whale filhery, being filhing ports of the other New-England govern-
yet in its infancy, produced but a mere trifle ; nor ments were equally fuccefsful in dedroying the
does it at all follow, that if there had been no war, Britifli commerce. Infinitely better had it been
that fUhery could have remained exclufively in the for the Britifli merchants, if the hodihties of thofe
hands of the Americans, as it cannot be fuppofcd men and veffels had dill been dircfted againd whales
that the Britifh merchants would have abdained and cods. [Sec Coxe^j Vwm of the UnUidJlaUs cj
from it merely in complaifance to them. America, p. 345.]

A. D. 1778.

619

' duties as it miiy be expedient to impofe for the regulation, of com-
' merce ; the net produce of fuch duties to be always paid and applied
' to and for the ufe of the colony, province, or plantation, in which

* the fiime fliall be refpeclively levied, in fuch manner as other duties
' colleded by the authority of the refpedive general courts, or gen-

* eral affembUes of fuch colonies, provinces, or plantations, are or-

* dinarily paid and applied.' The duty payable upon tea in North
America (by act 7 Geo. Ill, c. 46) was alfo repealed [18 Geo. Ill,
c. 12.]

Moreover parliament empowered the king to appoint five commif-
fioners to go to America, and there to treat with any perfons whatfoevcr
concerning the redrefs of any grievances exifting,. or fuppofed to exift,
in the government of the colonies, or the laws of this country relpecl-
ing them, and concerning any aid to be furnifhed by any of the colonies
for the common defence of this realm and the dominions thereunto be-
longing. Thole commiffioners were authorized to order a ceffation of
hoililities, to fufpend the operation of any law relating to America paff-
ed fince the 10'" of February 1763, to grant pardons, and to eftabUfh
government in the king's name. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 13.]

In coniequence of this act five commiffioners were appointed
(April 13"'), who finding the congrefs firmly determined againfl en-
tering into any negotiation with them, which fiiould tend to efla-
blifli a dependence ,of the colonies upon Great Britain, foon return-
ed home.

A new adl was pafied, permitting the exportation of limited quanti-
ties of corn, &c. for the ufe of the fifheries at Newfoundland, Nova-
Scotia, and Labrador, from the following ports, viz. *

London, _ _ _

Briftol,

Poole,

Dartmouth,

Toplham and Teignmouth,

Barnftaple,

Liverpool,

Weymouth,

Chefter,

[18 Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

The duty of one halfpenny on every chaldron of coals fhipped at
Newcaftle and Sunderland, impofed for the improvement of the harbour
of Scarburgh. and alfo fome duties on the trade of that port impofed

* The fpccilication of tliefc quantities of provilions may ferve to (how the proportion of the
fiftiing trade of each of the towns.

4I2

Wheat-floiir,

Peas,

Biscuit,

1,400 qrs.

900

900 qrs.

800

850 tuns

800

3,200

2,450
2,400

1,300

950

l,2CO

1,400
1,000
1,100

400
300

200

120

60

300

120

100

620 A. D. 1778.

for the iame purpofe, were prolonged for twenty years, to be comput-
ed from 2j}^ June 1783. [18 Geo. Ill, e. 20.]

Six millions were raifed by a loan, for which the fubfcribers received
a permanent intereft of jT'^, together with a terminable annuity of
£2 : 10 : o for thirty years, or, in the option of the fubfcribers, for
life, for Q.vtvy £ioQ paid in ; with a privilege to the fubfcriber of ^^500
to have four tickets at ^^ro each in a lottery, by which the further fum
of ;i^48o,ooo was to be raifed. And, in order to guard againfl; the many
frauds and abufes pradifed in the negotiation of lottery tickets, it was
now enaded, that office-keepers felling (hares of tickets, which they
were not polfelled of, fliould fuffer three months imprilbnment, and
pay a fine of >C5oo * ; that every office-keeper fhould pay ^^50 for a
licence, to be in force for one year; that no fmaller (hare of a ticket than
a fixteenth fhould be fold f ; that all fhares of tickets Ihould be ftam^ied
by an officer appointed by the lords of the treafury : and all fchemes
grafted upon the lottery were declared unlawful, and prohibited %. [18
Geo. Ill, c. 22.] In confequence of this aft the number of dealers in
lottery tickets was reduced to fifty-one for all England; whereas in
the preceding year there were above four hundred lottery offices in
and about London only. There was ftill, however, much room kfc for
reform in lottery tranfadions.

April 16'" — Tobacco, which bad been exported from Britain, was
allowed to be re-imported in the original package, if not manufadured,
though it had been fold abroad, paying duty as on the firfl importation:
and tobacco, produced in the ifland of Dominica, was admitted to entry
on the fame terms as tobacco produced in North America. [18 Geo.
Ill, f. 24.]

By an ad for impofing duties on dwelUng houfes, the warehoufes and
other buildings ereded for carrying on manufadures or trades were ex-
empted from the duties. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 26.]

* When fuch tickets proved blanks, their price before me) that offered three-hundredth rtiares at

was clear profit to the office-keepers : and, as on one Shilling each.

the other hand they thereby obliged themfelves to % Bclides miniature lotteries with fliiUing tick-
pay the prizes out of their own pockets, the ad- ets, there were tickets iffued by publidiers of lady's
venturers foractimes faw the cup of their good for- pocket books, almanacks, fong books, and maga-
tune daflied from their lips, when they thought zines, who all had agents all over the three king-
ihemfelvcs fure of it. One office-keeper at York doms, and alfo by bakers, dealers in potatoes, pen-
became bankrupt for a large fum, in confequence ny-barbers, &c. promifing certain fums to their cuf-
of having fold feveral copies of one number, which tomers, if their numbers (hould turn out confider-
unfortunatcly for him, and indeed for all concerned, able prizes in the lottery. But all thefe projec-
came up a prize of ^20,000. tors wifely excluded the fmall and middling prizes

\ Before this regulation to»k place, fixty-fourth (almoft the whole in point of number) as beneath

fhares were fold in every office, which brought a the attention of the adventuiers : and accordingly

lottery adventure within the reach of all, who could it frequently happened, tiiat their agents in the

by any means command five (hillings. And there country towns accounted to them for feveral hun-

was at lead one office in the year 1777 (whofe ad- dred tickets, without having one prize to retain for

vertifcment npon the cover of a magazine is now their own neighbours, who had bought the fwindl-

ing tickets from them.

A. D. 1778. 621

An additional duty of /^8 : 8 : o per tun was laid on all French
wines, and of ^^4 : 4 : o per tun on all other wines. [18 Geo. Ill, c.

The duties, formerly collected for improving the harbour of Rye in
Suflex, were continued for twenty-one years. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 32.]

The corporation of the Trinity houfe was empowered to rebuild and
maintain the Hght-houfe on the rocks called the Smalls, in S'. George's
channel, (tirft ereded in the year 1776) and to levy a fmall tunnage
duty on all veflels benefited by the light. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 42.]

Several ads, which were near expiring, were continued, as follows.

The ad for granting an allowance on the exportation of Britifh-made
gun-powder, continued to 29'" September 1785.

The ad for the encouragement of Britifh-made fail-cloth, continued
to 29'" September 1785 *.

The ad for carrying Britifh fugars from the place of their growth in
Britiih-built veflels, navigated according to law, diredly to foreign parts,
continued to 29"' September 1785.

The ad for punifhing perfons going armed in defiance of the reve-
nue laws, continued to 29"' September 1785.

The ad prohibiting the importation of light filver coin, &c. continu-
ed to I'' May 1783.

The ad for allowing a bounty on flax-feed imported into Ireland,
continued to i'"^ January 178c.

The ad for the better regulation of pilots conduding veflels into the
Thames, continued to 25'" March 1792.

The ad for allowing the exportation of wheat, &c. to the fugar colo-
nies, S'. Helena, India, and the fifheries of Newfoundland, &c. continu-
ed to i" May 1779. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 45.]

The city of London was empowered by various ads to borrow fcveral
fums of money for the purpofe of completing fome public works, wid-
ening flreets, and making other improvements. [18 Geo. IIl^ cc. 48-51,
']l,jT„'T],etfeqq.']

Among the articles of the expenditure of the public money this year
we find /^io5,227 .'8:3 for defraying the expenfe of recoining i^e de~
ficient gold money. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 54.]

May 28'" — When the Navigation ad [12 Car. II, c. 18] was pafled,
the advantages fecured by it to the national commerce were extended
to Ireland as well as to England. But, by a reflridion, which was now
fligmatized in parliament by Mr. Burke as ' a left-handed policy,' and
afterwards by Lord North, as ' narrow prejudice and blind policy,' the
Irifh were foon deprived of the commercial benefits refulting from this

* Perhaps we may afcribe to the continutJ cii- there were i \,<^fo pieces in tlie rear 1774 ; 6,757 '
couragement of thofe afts the following rapid de- pitcesin 1775 ; 2,659 pieces '" '776; l,;c5 picccsi.
creafc of the importation of fail-cloth from Ru0i;! : in 1777 ; ar.J +-i p:c-.-e5 in il~:'i-

621 A. D. 1778.

famous a6t, and placed, with refpeft to commercial liberty, almoft in the
fituation of foreigners. The commercial diftrelles fuffered by Ireland from
thofe reftridions, it was now afferted, had rendered that country incap-
able of fupportine the great expenies attached to the government of it,
and called aloud for relief. On the firft introduction of a propoial in
parliament for the relief of Ireland (April 2'^) the motion, which was
made by adminiftration, had the uncommon good fortune to be alfo
cordially fupported by the principal members, and the greatefl: number,
of the oppofition, as a meafure, not only ofjuftice, but alio of prudence
and real policy. It was obferved, that the rellrictions upon the com-
merce and manufadures of Ireland, which originated in a great degree
from a zeal for promoting the profperity of the favourite woollen ma-
nufacture of England, had produced effedls diametrically oppofite to the
intentions of thofe who planned them, and driven the IriQi into a ne-
ceffity of exporting their wool, in a manner too open to be called clan-
deftine *, to the rivals of England, who bought it up with the greatefl
avidity at a higher price than was given by the Englifh manufadurers,
and were, notwithftanding, enabled, principally by the cheapncfs of
their living, to underfell us in foreign markets. The bufinei's being
thus brought into parliament, the fijrther confideration of it was poft-
poned till after the Eafter holidays, when, from fuch an harmonious
commencement, it might have been expected to go fmoothly through
the parliamentary forms : but the event was very ditferent.

During the recefs a ftrong oppofition was indufirioufly formed againfl:
the Irifli bills ; and moft of the commercial and manufaduring com-
munities in Great Britain, forgetting that reciprocity and competition
ferve to animate, inflead of injuring, conunerce and manufadures, efpe-
cially thofe intended for foreign confumption, were ibmehow made to
apprehend, that whatever fhould be granted to the Irifh muft be taken
from them, and were thereupon ftirred up to petition ftrenuoufly againfl
any indulgence to Ireland, which, they alleged, would be enabled by
the low price of labour, and the low rate of taxes f, to underfell and ruin
the Britifli manufadurers. In the midft of this buftle and alarm, which
infeded almofl all ranks of people to a degree that pofterity would, per-

* Similar caufts produce fimilar eiTcifts. Doc- only 10/ each on an average to the revenue, while

tor Anderfon was informed in the year 1 784, that thofe of Britain paid £z each ; and thence the Irifh

they had begun to finuggle wool to France fiom could afford to work fo much cheaper than Britifh

the Weftern iflands of Scotland : and he obferves, workmen. If as great a prcjportion of the people

that all the fmuggling trade now carried on in Brit- were employed in profitable labour as of the people

ain is believed to owe its foundation to the fmugg- of Britain, that argument miglit have Its fullweight ;

hng of wool. He moreover aferibes the degencr- but it needs not be demondrated, that the payment

ated quality of our wool, and feveral other bad con- of ic/"may be a greater haidlhip upon one man,

fequences, to the fevere laws againll the export- than that of a^2 is upon another : and i; , as well

ationofwool. \_jiMkrfons Prefentjlate of the Heh- oblcrved by Mr. Burke upon this occuiloi!, that

ridei (Wejlern i{laniis),p. 1 2 1.] ' taxes mull follow wealth, not precede it.'

f It was urged that the people of Ireland paid

A. D. 1778. 623

haps, fcarcely credit if it were to be enlarged upon, the city of London
had the honour to maintain the fuperiorlty of its charader, remaining
unmoved by the clamour, and taking no concern in oppofing the eman-
cipation of Ireland.

Without entering into the queflion, whether the capacity of executing
work cheaper be a fufficient reafon for tying up the hands of thofe, who
can furnilli a commodity on the lowefl terms, in order to tax ourfelves*
with a monopoly for the benefit of thofe, who are already in pofleflion
of a manufadure, for which they make the public pay great prices ; or
into the queftion, whether the higheft prices are not generally given to
workmen by thofe manufadurers, who from the greatnefs of their capi-
tals, the fuperiority of their machinery, the privilege, conferred by the
greatnefs of their bufinefs, of feleding their cuftomers, and other ad-
vantages infeparable from the eftablifhed pofleflion of a trade, are en-
abled to underfell their poorer and younger competitors in bufinefs ;
and confequently, whether the propofition, that lower wages will in-
fallibly, and in all cafes, produce cheaper goods, be not fallacious ; it is
fufficient to relate, that after ajceen altercation in parHament, and hear-
ing counfel, and examining evidence, on various parts of the bufinefs,
ihe friends of Ireland thought proper, at leafl; for the prefent, to give up
fome part of their demands ; and

The Irifli were allowed after the 24'" of June 1778 to export to the
Britifli fettlements in America and Africa the produce and manufadures
of Ireland, with the exception of wool and woollen manufadures of
every fort, cotton manufadures of all forts mixed or unmixed, hats,
glafs, hops, gun-powder, and coals. They were alfo allowed to export all
kinds of Britifli goods lawfully imported, except woollen goods and
glafs ; and they were moreover allowed to export foreign goods legally
imported by certificate, except linens. But they were prohibited from
exporting iron, and iron wares, till the Irifli parliament fliould lay a
prefcribed diity on them ; and they were in like manner enjoined to
charge duties and taxes on all their manufadures, equivalent to thofe
paid on fimilar manufadures of Britifli fabric, whether on the raw ma-
terials or finiflied goods. Vefl'els, owned by the Irifli, were intitled to
receive the bounties for fiflieries of every kind ; and veflTels, built in Ire-
land, were thenceforth to be confidered as Britifli-built vefl'els. [18 Geo.
UI, c. 55.]

Cotton yarn, fpun in Ireland, was alio allowed to be imported into
Great Britain free of duty. [18 Geo. Ill, c. 56.]

All fugars, fliipped from any Britifli colony, without a proper certi-
ficate of their being the produce of the colony at which they are fhip-
ped, were made liable to pay duty as foreign fugars. [i 8 Geo. Ill, c. 58.]

* Only ourfelves ; for foreigners will pay no attf ntion to our lawsj but buy v here they can hr.
.■Leaped ieived. 2,

624 A. D. 1773.

A proper harbour on the fouth fide of the Murray firth being much
wanted for the protedion of veflels navigating the northern feas, and
the mouth of the River Findhorn being efteemed a commodious place
for that purpofe, Mr. Munro of Novar undertook to ered and main-
tain the necefliiry buildings, on being empowered by parliament to re-
ceive a fmall duty from veflels ufing the harbour, and goods landed in
it. [}S Geo. ni,c.yo.]

June 23'' — In the light-houfe at Ipfwich a trial was made of a new
improvement in the manner of conftruding lights for the benefit of
veflels at fea, which confifls in refleding the light of a great afll;mblag9
of lamps from about a thouland fmall mirrors ; and it was found to
produce the appearance of a vaft globe of fire, when oblerved at fea in
the night.

The Eaft-India company ralfed their annual dividend to ei^ht per cent,
at which rate the Midfummer dividend was paid.

The naoft: anxious apprehenfions were entertained for the fafety of
two fleets of Eaft-bidia fliips, which could not poflibly be fufficiently
prepared for war, and alfo of two fleets of Wefl;-India fliips, now on
their way home, which together confl;ituted a great proportion of the
Britifli trade, were of a prodigious value, and were all now in danger
of running into the arms of the enemy ; for the Channel was at this
time covered by a French fleet, the frigates of which were very numer-
ous beyond the ufual proportion, and very widely difperfed ; while the
Britifli fleet, commanded by Admiral Keppel, was placed between them
and the coaft of France. This pofition of the two fleets, and the preval-
ence of the wefl;erly winds, might have enabled the French frigates to
pick up our ftiips, even in fight of the Britifli admiral, who would have
been unable to go to their affiftance. But happily all thofe apprehen-
fions were removed by the confequences of the engagement between the
two fleets, after which the French immediately retreated in the night to
the harbour of Breft (July 27"') : and though they afterwards put to fea
again, they ftill evaded coming to adion, and fpent the feafon in cruif-r
ing on the coaft of Spain to no vifible purpofe. In the meantime Ad-
miral Keppel, having left; two fliips of the line to proted the houieward-
bound trade while he refitted his fleet at Plymouth, was very foon at
fea again, and rode triumphant in the Channel during the remainder of
the feafon, whereby the fituation of the floating property of the two
countries was entirely reverfed. All the Britifli fliips from every quar-
ter of the world arrived in perfed fafety ; and a very great number of
the French fliips fell into the hands of our cruifers *. Thus the adion
of the 27-'' of July, though not decifive with refped to the contending

* The damage fuffered by the French commerce on this occafion is efliir.utcd by Raynal at
from 80 to 100 railUons of livres. [_Hi/l. phil. el polit. V. in, f. 2i6.'\ *

A. D. 1778. 625

fleets engaged, was produ6live of all the beneficial confequences which
the mofl complete victory could have conferred, with refpedl to the
commercial profperity of this kingdom.

The duty of four and a half per cent on all dead produce fhipped
from Barbados and the other fugar colonies, except Jamaica and the
Ceded iflands, having ever fince the firfl commencement of it in the
year 1663 been paid in kind, a collector of the cuftoms in one of the
iflands, in his great regard for the intereft of the crown, refufed to re-
ceive the fugars, &c. as formerly, alleging that tlie worfl produce was
given in payment of the duty. The planters thereupon refufed to fhip
any produce ; and fo the matter refted till the arrival of Admiral Har-
rington, who carried over orders to receive the produce according to the
old eftabliflied cuftom.

From the very commencement of the troubles in America the Dutch,
as I have already had occafion more than once to obferve, had taken
every opportunity, compatible with their charaderiftic national cau-
tioufnels, to enter into commercial engagements with the Americans.
Soon after the French concluded their treaties with them as indepen-
dent ftates, the politics of that nation fo far prevailed in Holland, that
Mr. Van Berkel, confelor and penfionary of the city of Amfterdam,
which is well known to influence the whole Dutch confederacy, com-
miflioned Mr. Neufville, a merchant of that city, to draw up, in con-
cert with Mr. Lee, the commiflioner from the American congrefs, a
flcetch of a treaty of amity and commerce, in order to eftablifli, as Mr.
Neufville exprefles it, the union of the Twenty JIates, (i. e. the Dutch
feven and the American thirteen) and, as they wifhed flill to keep it
fecret, thofe gentlemen met at Aix-la-chapelle, where they figned the
treaty (September 4'"), the fubftance of which is as follows.

After premifing that their connedion fliould be eftabliflied on the
bafis of perfed equality and reciprocal utility, and that each party
fliould be at liberty to admit other nations to a participation of the ad-
vantages now agreed upon to be mutually enjoyed by the contrading
powers, it proceeds to ftipulate, that

Article 2) The Dutch fliould pay only the fame duties in the Ame-
rican ports, that the Americans themfelves pay, and fliould alfo enjoy
equal privileges with them, as well in pafling between the different
fl:ates, as when bound to other parts of the world.

3) The Americans fliould enjoy all the fame advantages in the ports
of Holland.

4) The fubjeds of either power were to have perfed freedom to tra-
vel in the territories of the other, conforming however, to the laws of
the country.

5) The fubjeds of both fliould have liberty to import in their veflels
all kinds of goods not particularly prohibited ; to open warehoufes for

Vol. III. 4 K

0i6 A. D. 1778.

dirppfing of their goods by wholefale ; to purchafe all kinds of goods
npt particularly pjohibitpd ; and to carry thern wherever they pleafed.

8, q) The Dutch engaged to pvote6t the veflels and efFeds of the
Americans in their ports and on their coafts ; and that their fhips of
war fhould proted the American traders at fea, fo far as they fhould
keep company with them. And the United ftates promifed equal pro-
tedion to the veflels and effeds of the Dutch.

10) The Dutch promifed to ufe their intereft with the emperor qf
Morocco, and the other piratical Moorifli goveriiments of Africa, to ^b-
ftain from molefting the American trade.

II — 27) The next feventeen articles contain regulations for preferv-
ing the property of the deceafed ; for the condud of merchants, com-
manders ofvefTels and feamen ; for examining vefl'els at fea, and ho\y
to proceed with refped to contraband goods ; for fhips of war and pri-
vateers with refped to vefl^els taken or retaken by them ; for the treat-
ment of veflels wrecked, &c.

28) The veflels of either power were at liberty to navigate to and from
all ports whatlbever, not excepting thofe of the enemies of the other
power, and freely to carry the property of fuch enemies, and alfo thei;-
perfons, except only their military forces, as paflengers.

29) In the enumeration of goods, which might be freely carried
by the vefiTels of either power to a nation at war with the other, except-
ing only to towns befieged or blocked up, are not only wool, filk, &c.
and the goods manufadured fi'om them, gold and fllver, corn, an4
other articles of provifions, but alfo fliip timber, fails, canvafs, and
whatever is not formed into thefhape of warlike weapons.

30) In cafe of either of the powers being engaged in war, the vefl'els
belonging to the other were to be furniftied with annual paflports and
certificates.

34) Each power agreed to receive confuls, commiflaries, &c. appoint-
ed by the other.

So very clofely was this treaty conduded, that the Britifh miniilry
got their firfl; knowlege of it by a copy found in the poflTeflion of Mr.
Laurens, when he was taken at fea in his paflTage from America for Hol-
land in September 1780.

The ifland of Dominica, ever fince the year 1766, when its harbours
of Prince Ruperts bay and Rofeau (the name of which General Mel-
ville, the firft Britifli governor-general, changed to Charlottetown) were
declared free ports, had enjoyed a confiderable fliare of commercial
profperity from the refort of French and Spanifh vefl'els, which brought
mules, cattle, indigo, cotton, and bullion, in exchange for negroes and
Britifli manufadures. Its produce was alfo confiderably increafed,
though not in the proportion that might be inferred from the cuftom-
houfe accounts of the imports from it, a great part of which mufl; be
allowed to be the produce of foreign iflands brought into its free ports.

A. D. 1778. 627

The fituation of it between the French iflands of Guadaloupe and
Martinique, both in fight, renders it a poft of |great importance in time
of war; and accordingly no pains nor expenfe were fpared in fortifying
it. But fortifications and guns are of no avail without men. The
whole military force fliationed in the ifland confifted of fix officers and
ninety-four privates, when it was attacked by the marquis de Bouille,
the governor-general of Martinique, (7='' September) with a large fleet
of frigates and privateers, carrying above 2,000 regular troops befides
a crowd of volunteers. After a gallant defence by the few foldiers and
the Britifli part of the militia (for the French inhabitants difappeared
during the attack) the ifland fubmitted to the marquis, who granted
very liberal terms of capitulation, whereby the inhabitants were allow-
ed to retain their religion and civil government, and all their property
on the ifland of every kind, which privilege was alfo extended to the
abfent proprietors.

The neighbouring iflands muft have immediately followed the fortune
of Dominica, had not the opportvme arrival of Admiral Barrington pro-
tected them, and checked the career of the French for the prefent.

September, Odober — The acquifition of Dominica by the French
was fully balanced by the heavy lofl^es fuftalned in their floating com-
merce in confequence of their fleets relinquifliing the protedion of it.
Among the prizes taken from them about this time, the mo ft import-
ant were the Modefte from China, loaded chiefly with tea, and valued
at ^^300,000, taken by the Porcupine floop of war ; the Gafton, alfo an
Indiaman, taken by two privateers of Liverpool, and eftimated at
^(^500,000, the moft valuable part of the cargo of another India-man,
which was wrecked, being onboard her in addition to her own; be-
fides about forty fail of Weft-India fliips with valuable cargoes, eftimat-
ed on an average worth £1^,000 each *.

In the Weft-Indies the lofs of Dominica might have been fully compenf-
ated by the acquifition of S". Lucia. Since the peace of 1763, where-
by the pofl^eflion of that ifland was confirmed to France, it had been
cultivated with confiderable fuccefs. It contained fifty-three fugar
plantations, befides a very great number of fettlements in coffee, cacao,
and cotton: and its population confifted of 2,300 white people, 1,050
free people of colour, and 16,000 negro flaves. Of the produce export-
ed, amounting to 3,000,000 livres {£1 3,T),3'^2 • ^ •' 8 fterling) in value,
about two thirds went mto the hands of the Americans, Britifli, and
Dutch, in payment of their commodities and manufadures, and the
remainder was fent to Martinique, whence it was fhipped for France.
But it was fuppofed capable of raifing produce to the amount of nine
or ten millions of livres annually, if fully cultivated. Such was the ifland
of S'. Lucia, according to the Abbe Raynal, [V. vii, p. 50] whofc

» * So covered was the fea at this time by Britiili cruifcrs, tL»t a Llfljon packet was boarded l>y
above forty of them in t!ie courfe of her rtiott paflage.

1 4 K 2

628 A. D. 1778.

account of a French colony may be prefumed to be corred, when it
was reduced (December) by Admiral Barrington and General Mea-
dows : and the amount of its imports to Britain during the war fhows,
that, if it had remained under the Britifh dominion, a proper applica-
tion of capital and induftry could foon have rendered it one of the mod
important of our Weft-India iflands after Jamaica.

While thefe various operations of war were going forward in the
Weft-Indies, the planters and merchants concerned in the profperity of
Dur fugar colonies made frequent and earneft applications to the mini-
ftry for a naval force to be fent for the protedion of their property.
To thefe they conftantly received paUiative anfwers, but no pofitive
afTurance of relief, the whole naval force that could be ipared from
home fervice, being, in truth, engroffed by the hoftile operations
againft the American ftates. So, finding no profpecl of help from that
quarter, they defifted from further application, after defiring the firft
lord of the admiralty to remember, that they had difcharged the duty
they owed to themfelves and to the public, by warning him of the great
danger to which the vaft Britifti capital, employed in the cultivation of
the iflands, was expofed by the total want of a protedling force, and the
hoftile preparations going forward in the French and Spanifli iflands.
They next addrefTed (16'" December) a petition to the king, as the con-
Jlitutional guardian of the property of all his JubjeSls, wherein they repre-
fented to him, that by the privation of the wonted fupplies ofprovifions
and lumber from America, the iflands were reduced to a fcarcity of
food almoft approaching to famine, and their eftates were in abfolute
want of many articles eflentially neceflary to their culture, whereby
their produce was greatly diminiflied ; that their property to a very
great amount had been taken by the enemy upon the feas ; that their
applications to his minifters had been without effed ; that the war of
defolation, declared by the commiflloners againft America, would pro-
bably provoke retaliations, in the courfe of which the unprotected fugar
iflands might be ruined, even by a fmall armament, conduded by peo-
ple perfedly well acquainted with every part of them ; and that fuch
calamities muft greatly affed his revenue and maritime power, and alfo
the manufadures, commerce, and wealth, of his fubjeds in general.

In the meantime the Dutch were in great hopes, that, by virtue of
their profefled neutrality they fliould be enabled to recover their for-
mer pre-eminence as the general carriers and fadors of Europe. But
great numbers of their veflels being feized by the Britifti cruifers, as
having French property and naval ftores onboard, the Dutch merchants
and owners of veft^els made heavy complaints to the States-general, that
their fliips loaded with mafts, planks, hemp, and other articles from
the Baltic, and even fliips loaded with other kinds of goods, bound to
Jrance, were feized and carried into Britifti ports. In confequence
of their complaints the Dut-ch ambaflador at London prefented a me-

A, D. 1778. 629

morial to the king, wherein he remonflrated againfl the detention of
their vefTels, and demanded their releafe (September 28'"). In reply,
the earl of Suffolk informed him, that the king had given orders, that
all the Dutch veffels loaded with unexceptionable cargoes fhould be re-
leafed, and the naval commanders fhould be direded not to interrupt
their lawful commerce ; and that the naval flores, which were feized,
ihould be paid for at a fair valuation, together with the freight, and a
reafonable allowance for expenfes and damages (Odober 19'").

Notvvithflanding the flattering pidture of the profits and advantages
accruiag to the nation from the war, drawn by fome fpeakers in parlia-
ment in the beginning of this year, the calamities infeparable from a
flate of warfare, which the buflle of preparations at the commencement
of it had in a great meafure kept out of fight, and the rapid fortunes
inade by thofe, who were drawing great emoluments out of the national
purfe, had varnifhed over with an impofing glare of profperity, were
now too generally and feverely felt by the commercial part of the com-
munity in the lofs of their velfels, and the derangement and ruin of
their trade. Hence the number of bankruptcies this year role to the
unprecedented number of 675, of which there were 83 in the one
month of November ; confiderably more than twice as many as there
were in a year at the beginning of this century : and the excefs would
be ftill greater, if we could compare the amount, as well as the num-
ber, of the bankruptcies at the beginning of the century with thofe of
this year. It has been affumed as a maxim, that a great number of
bankruptcies is a proof of the greatnefs of commerce, and that the in-
creafe of the one keeps pace with the extenfion of the other. But the
events of this year furnifh at leafl one exception to that rule ; for the
exports of it appear to be above five millions Ihort of thofe of the year
1774, during which there were only 360 bankruptcies*: and a confider-
able part of the goods now exported were carried, not into the ports they
were configned to, but into American and French ports, by prize-mafters.

This year the legillative affembly of Jamaica granted an exclufive pat-
ent to Mr. Samuel Sainthill for introducing the ufe of clarifiers in the
procefs of boiling fugar f .

For ages after tiie difcovery of the art of printing there was no per-
ion in this country capable of making good types for the printers, and
they continued to be imported from Holland, Germany, &c. till Gallon
arofe, who firfl; attempted with fuccefs to make elegant types : and thofe
-of his manufacture foon obtained fuch a charadter, that the continent

* See Mr. Clialmers's Table of bankruptcies provement to his friend John Prociilus Baker Efq'j

t'.uring this century iii his EJl'imate of ihe compara- whofe Effay on the art of tnaiinj mufcovaJo fugar,

ttvijirenglh of Great Britain, p. xlvi, ed. 1794. piiblilhtd in the year 1775, he favB, is ' a per-

t For a defcription of the.clarificr ;and the ufe ' formance, tliat, for ufeful knowledge, lucid or-

^f ft, the reader is referred to the Hiftory of the ' der, and elegance, both in airangeincnt and com-

JVe^-In<Jus,,F.ii, p. 225, f</. 1794, by Mr. Ed- ' pofuion, would have done honojr to the CrJ:

j^.urds, vli» afcribes the ffrifina/ merit of the iin- ' wvittr of the age.' 2

630 A. D. 1778.

of Europe, inftead of fupplying us with that moft important article,
imported the types of his founding. Mr. WilHam Caflon, who furvived
his father about twenty years, and died this year, carried the art to ftill
higher perfection. But he was not the only man, who improved upon
his father's art, which foon fpread into various parts of thefe kingdoms,
and was carried to great perfedlion, efpecially by Mr. John Bafkerville *
of Birmingham and Meflieurs Foulis of Glafgow : and it is Hkely to
flourifh as long as a tafte for literature {hall continue to adorn the na-
tion. It is owing to the improvements of thofe friends of their coun-
try, that printed books come now to be confidered as an important Brit-
i(h manufadure, and conftitute a very great article of exportation.

The Britifti and French imports at Hamburgh and Bremen in the
courfe of this year were as follows.

Hamburgh. Bremen.

From Great Britain, Ireland,-) /^, ,„^,„< ,< ^ ^,c« ^-.^< ^ ^
and the Britifh Weft-Indies I ^^^^5.426 16 o ^182,906 3 o

from France - - - 810,217 14 o 211,412 12 o

The cargoes carried from the Britifh dominions to Hamburgh em-
ployed 131 veflels, whereof 87 were Britifh. The imports from France
to the fame city employed 143 veflels, of which only two were French.

This is the firft time for feveral years that the Britifh imports at Ham-
burgh exceeded thofe of the French, who thus appear to have begun
immediately to feel in their commerce the effeds of the war, they very
wantonly plunged themfelves into. Unfortunately in fuch cafes the au-
thors of the war are exempted from feeling the calamity, which falls
entirely upon thofe, who had no hand in the pernicious policy whereby
they are ruined.

It may be obferved, as a proof of the incrcafing opulence, as well as
luxury, of the kingdom (for luxury cannot exift without opulence) that
the duty upon coaches, which in the year 1774 produced ;{'42,ooo,
arofe this year to the ium of j^i 17,000 ; whence it appears, that 23,000
coaches were now kept. The increafe of coaches was not, however,
quite in proportion to the increafe of the duty, becaufe additiwial du-
ties were laid on in the year 1776.

The Eaft-India company had not been wanting in their preparations
for the expetted war with France. So prompt, decifive, and fecret, were
their meafures, and lo peculiarly fortunate were they in a rapid con-
veyance of their difpatches, that their forces appear to have attacked
the French fadlories at Chandenagore, Yaman, Karical, and Mafulipa-
tam, and taken fome French vefTels m the Ganges, fo early as the be-
ginning of July. Afterwards their troops under the command of Gen •

• After the death of Mr. Bafkerville in the where, it is faid, they have expended a hundred

year 1775 ^'* ^^"^ wdied to Jifpofe of his types ; ikoufand pounds (Qiiere, if French, or Britifli, mo-

and, ftninge to tell, they could not find a pur- ney ?) in printing; the works of Voltaire. [/f»/-

chafcr for them in Britai:i. At length they were ton's iJift. of Binn'ingbam, p. 123, ed. 1795.]
fold for *^3,700 to a iiterar)' focicty in Pans,

A. D. 1778.

631

eral Munro, in conjunction with the few Britifti fhips of war in thofe
feas, commanded by Sir Edward Vernon, reduced Pondicherry, the
chief fetilement of the French, after a fiege of nine weeks (16'" Odober).
By thefe events the power and commerce of the French were extinguifh-
ed in India.

The following is an account of the net produce, in French money,
of the public fales at L'Orient of merchandize imported by the fubjeds
of France, who engaged in the Eaft-India trade after the fufpenfion of
iJie French Eaft-India company in the year 1769*.

i'ears.

Merchandize imported from

Total j
sales of the yeai-.

India.

^,., the isles of France
'-''""^- and Bourbon.

\774
^775

T77e

17//
1778

3^3,256,620 2 5
9,180,129 17 3
8,711,734 9 u

8,475,0'91 14 4
10,1)00,218 17 ]
19,402,422 1 10
16,616,961 14 6

9,561,869 19 0

^5,173,712 13 4
4,699,843 2 7
5,822,047 18 0
8,575,808 ?■ 5

10,912,593 12 q

6,504,327 17 6
10,110,327 4 0
4,300,303 5 6

^1,906,171 8 11
1,468,173 16 10
650,128 15 6
563,904 14 3
507,769 11 6
1,019,329 16 8
782,475 14 0
164,021 14 0

^10,336,504 4 8
15,348,146 16 8
15,183,911 3 5
17,615,404 16 0
22,326,562 O 7

26,926,079 16 0

27,509,764 12 6
14,026,194 18 6

86,111,648 16 4

56,098,963 15 4

7,061,995 11 8

149,272,588 3 4

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 7,368 vefTels of the reputed burthen of 606,150 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,617 _ _ _ - 94.9^5

Total 8,985 701,065

There were entered this year at all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages.

Inward
Outward

Britifti.

7,687

6,378701,735

732,558

i>742
798

199.365
93,778

8,I20

8,485

901,100

826,336

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of tliis
year, was

from the cuftom-houfe in London - ;^2, 142,681 2 o

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 20,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain ;;{'2, 162,681 2 o

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
7,500 pounds of gold, value - - ^35°.457 1° ^

and no filver.

* This account is taken from Raynal, who may France, wliile they involved all matters of finance
be depended upon for his ftatements of French in impenet.oble myllery, did not fuppn.rs, nor lock
commercial accounts; as the oM srovernmcnt of up, official accourts tf cun nurcial l.tls.

gove

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1777 to Chriflmas 1778 was as follows.

Imported into

Exported

from 1

Countries, &c.

ENGLAND. 1

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

Africa

,^81,951 l6 4

^154,086 1 10

Canaries

4,901 19 0

81,840 13 4

Denmark and Norway

88,819 4 11

^20,189 1

5 163,655 10 0

^6,289 12 5

East country

310,306 8 5

73,110 3 6

East-India

1,526,130 10 7

1,199.827 12 4

Flanders

71,355 15 2

1,077,982 17 3

France

23,260 U 2

6,145 5

8

29,411 16 7

Germany

588,198 14 0

10,383 4

o|

1,214,929 19 7

3,881 15 5

Greenland

35,358 11 0

2,750 0

258 12 0

Holland

346,357 18 9

107,434 17

0'

1,390.174 7 5

78,665 2 11

Ireland

1,360,688 7 11

121,468 17

10;

1,470.671 18 2

345,960 14 2

Mann

12,123 8 10

ISO 6

10

25.779 1 4

296 14 8

Italy

395,742 12 6

1,917 11

7\

555,632 18 8

Madeira

1,593 16 8

23,083 0 9

Majorca

648 12

6

Poland

9.989 a

3

578 6 9

Portugal

340,576 14 9

25,264 10

0
7

430,936 16 2

182 1 8

Prussia

11,950 18

Russia

987.674 7 11

115,565 18

5

194,915 18 2

7,818 11 9

Spain

415,702 1 2

9,427 18

7

980,352 18 1

3,849 16 11

Gibraltar

0 1

8

Straits

2,176 7 2

70,568 3 0

Sweden

223,155 12 11

18,541 13

5

62,282 14 1

1,221 14 2

Turkey

148,919 1 6

50,128 19 11

Venice

53,409 16 10

31,063 9 10

Guernsey, &c.
America in general

49,145 18 8

1,952 19

q

54,586 4 6

725 0 0

32,691 4

6

120,542 8 6

Hudson's bay

6,589 10 1

8,196 13 11

Newfoundland

• 45,550 14 7

133,577 13 1

Cape Breton

42 0 0

Quebec

73,430 4 6

555,061 1 5

Nova Scotia

5,329 18 4

332,1561 0 0

New England

371 14 1

New York

16,192 4 1

26,449 2 8

Pennsylvania

56 5 0

7,537 6 7

Carolina

1,073 18 ^

Florida

48,236 7 7

64,165 8 1

West-Indies in general

243,951 14

e

132,808 5 1

Antigua

160,635 7 7

107,344 12 8

Barbados

80,008 8 0

106,641 4 1

Bermuda

4,130 1 1

14,584 10 8

Dominica

162,408 10 8

31,813 5 3

Grenada

374,689 9 3

85,829 3 3

Jamaica

1,372,677 1 4

486,870 4 6

Montserrat

45,725 3 1

8,6Q3 16 6

Nevis

73,636 7 11

20,020 12 2
1 ,453 10 0
75,544 15 C

St. Eustathius

2,093 15 1

St. Christophers

223,690 13 9

St. Thomas

404 8 7

St. Vincents

112,252 4 4

25,014 18 fi

Tobago

. 95,284 17 £

22,t33 5 C

Tortola

61,840 0 C

32,305 15 7

Bay of Honduras -

44,003 14 C

1,174 14 C

Musquito shore

6,620 19 €

3,935 2 It

Southern fishery

2,049 10 C

10,086,536 8 3

•1,507,525 4 (

Prize goods

206,707 0 t

43,544 18 C

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

10,293,243 17 1

||i 1,551,070 2 (

740,654 3

740,654 3

702,820 4

702,820 4 7

Total Great Britain

11,033,898 1 (

|l2,253,890 7

A. D. 1779. 6si

1779, February 5'''— There being a great fcarcity of Italian organzined
lilk, which is indifpenlibly neceflary for the warp in filk manufadtures,
the importation of thr proper kinds of it, from any port, and in any
vefTels whatfoever, was permitted till twenty days after the commence-
ment of the next feflion of parliament : and it was ordered, that all filk,
imported in confequence of this permiflion, {hould be entered in the cuf-
tom-houfe at London, wherever it might be landed. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 9.]

March 16'*' — The permiflion to navigate merchant fhips with foreign
feamen for three fourths of their complements was continued till the
25''' of March 1780. [19 Geo. HI, c. 14.]

Seven millions were raifed this year by a loan, for which the fub-
fcribers received a permanent interell of ^3, together with a terminable
annuity of /^3 : 15 : o for twenty-nine years, or in their option for life,
for every ;^ioo paid in ; with a privilege to the fubfcriber of £1000 to
have feven tickets at ^^Tio each in a lottery, by which the further fum
of ^490,000 was to be raifed. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 18.]

April i" — Several adls which were near expiring, were continued for
limited times, as follows.

The ad 8 Geo. I, &c. for encouraging the importation of lumber,
&c. from the Britifh colonies in America, continued to 29'" September

1785.

The a6t permitting rum to be landed before the excife duty is paid
down, continued to 29"" September 1785.

The ad permitting the importation of tallow, lard, and greafe, free of
duty, continued to 25"* March 1782.

The ad for regulating the fees of cuftom-houfe officers in America,
continued to i" Augufl: 1782.

The ad permitting the exportation of wheat, &c. to the fugar iflands,
Eall-lndia, Newfoundland, &c. continued to i'' May 1780.

And at the fame time rum, or Ipirits of the produce of the Britifli
fugar colonies, fhipped as ftores onboard vefTels bound to foreign coun-
tries, in calks containing not lels than 100 gallons, was allowed the fame
drawback of duty, as if fliipped as merchandize. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 22.]

A new duty of five per cent on the former duties of cuftoms and ex-
cife was laid on all articles hable to them, with fome few exceptions.
[19 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

The adventurers in the herring fifliery on the weft coafl of Scotland
were fo much diftrefl'ed by the increafed prices of barrels, fait, naval
flores, and feamen's wages, thefe articles having advanced fince the
commencement of the war from 100 to 400 per cent, that the bufinefs
had been rapidly declining fince the year 1776*. But thefe were not

* For its increafe after the commencement of fifliery, was raifed by it from having only 4 fmall
llie reduced bounty, regularly paid, fee above, p. veflcls nnd 3,oco or 4,000 inhabitants in the year
595. Campbelltown, the chief rendezvous of the 1730, to the poffeflion of 62 ftout .veflcls carryiitir

Vol. in. 4 L li^

634 A. D. 1779.

the only obftrudlions to the fuccefs of that important nurfery of feamen,
and fource of opulence. The a61, [ii Geo. Ill, c 31] by which the
bounty was reduced to thirty fhillings per tun, obliged the bufles to be
at the place of rendezvous on or before the 22'' of June for the fummer
fifhing, and on or before the 1" of Odober for the winter fifhing. And,
as if the reftridions of the ad had not been fufficiently oppreflive, the
officers of the revenue at Edinburgh declared, by a very aftoniihing
conftrudion of the ad, that, if they failed before the 22^ of June, or
i" of Odober, they fhould forfeit all title to the bounty, for that the
words on or before mufl be underftood to mean on jind not before *.
The owners of the bufles, after having in vain remonflrated with the
commiffioners upon the obvious meaning of the words, applied for re-
drefs to parliament, who, as the former ad for the bounty was now ex-
pired, continued the fame bounty of thirty fliillings per tun for feven
years more, to be computed from the 22" of Odober 1778, and left it
to the fifhers to be at the rendezvous at any time between the i'' of
Augufl and the i" of Odober. To the former places of rendezvous
there were now alfo added Stornoway in the ifland of Lewis, and Stran-
rawer in the fouth-weft corner of Scotland f . [19 Geo. HI, c. 26.]

An embargo had been laid in the year 1776 on the exportation of
faked provilions from Ireland, in the apprehenflon of the French fur-
nifhing themfelves with a flock of Irifli provifions for vidualing their
fleets in the impending war ; and it was flill in force. The French
fleets, however, were not dilappointed of provifions. Neither did the
French Weft-India illands fufFer any inconvenience from the want of
Irifh provifions, the American market being open to them. But it was
a grievous, and a ruinous, difappointment to the Irilh to have their
flores filled with beef, pork, butter, &c. which were perifliing on their
hands. Their dlfcontent was almoft converted into indignation by a
belief, which prevailed very generally among them, that the meafure
did not originate from the profefled motive, but from a defign of giving
enormous lucrative contrads to minifterial favourites. Neither was the

750 men, and a population of above 7,000 inhabi- fjhcry, whence it is extradled by that zealous
tants in the year 1777. But that increafe is a iriend of the fifheries, Mr.John Knox, whofe /'/i-Tti
fraall objedl, in point of national utihty, when o/'/Zie firi/j/I& fw/iir^ may be confuked by the read-
compared with the increafe of fearaen produced by er, who wifhes to fee a fuller account of the na-
the bounty, it being calculated, that two thirds of tiire of the fifheries, and the harddiips that prevent
the feamen who man the fliipping of the Clyde, their fuccefs, than my bounds will admit of.
befides a confiderable proportion of thofe in the f But experience has proved, that even thefe re-
veflels belonging to Liverpool, Briftol, and even laxed reftridions are incompatible with the fucceU
London, and great numbers in the navy, have been of the filhery, which without any limitation of tiirc
bred in that fifhery. or place, (liould be free to follow the flioles of tlic
* Though 1 have myfelf feen, and alfo fuffered herrings, which, as Mr. Knox has well obferved,
by, as grofs perverfions of law, yet I think it ne- pay no regard to a&s of parliament, and are, perhaps
ceffary to fupport my account, of what may feem more irregular on the weft coaft, than in any other
improbable, by faying, that this ftrange mifcon- place, owing, apparantly, to the changes of winds,
ftruftion is pofitively afferted in the printed Memo- currents, &c. in a fea fo remaikably crowded with
ri/'J of the adventurers of the BritiJI/ tvh'ile herring illands.

A. D. 1779. 6^5

diflrefs likely to be fhort or tranfient. The northern parts of Germany,
and alio the neighbouring countries, were already attempting to avail
themfelves of the opportunity thrown into their hands, and of their
low prices of cattle and labour, fo as to get pofTeffion of the provifion
trade : but, though they made great efforts, and fpared no expenfe in
obtaining curers and fait proper for the bufinefs, the cargoes they fent
to France were found to ftand in no degree of competition with the
Irifh provifions. The Irifh, however, could not fail to be much alarmed,
when they faw the main ftaple of the trade of the greateft part of their
country * in danger of being annihilated. Nor was the condition of
the northern part of the ifland, the feat of the linen manufadurc, much
better, the exportation of that article having been greatly reduced by
the war. In addition to thefe grievances, many of their veflels were
taken by the enemy, the lofs of which, though not of fo great a value
as thofe taken from Britain, fell heavier upon a country poflefled of lefs
capital. Thefe derangements of the commerce of Ireland were attended
by their never-failing confequences, a llagnation of credit, and the dif-
miflion of many thoufands of workmen, who, with their families, were
reduced to a flarving condition. Though the charity of the higher
ranks was fo very liberally exerted on this occafion, that, it is faid,
twenty thoufand poor people were dayly fed in the one city of Dublin,
yet that was only an alleviation, which could not poilibly be permanent,
and the poor people were ftill unhappy : for it is not gratis food, but a
capacity to buy their own food by means of fufficient employment, that
can give fubflantial relief to the labouring part of the community, and
make them feel themfelves comfortable and happy.

It was reprefented in parliament, that, if the grievances of Ireland
fhould not be fpeedily redrefled, that country would infallibly be depo-
pulated ; that the people, actuated by the impulfe of the tirfl: law of na-
ture, would emigrate to America, where their countrymen already
formed a principal part of the armies now combating againft the mo-
ther country ; and that, when that event fliould take place, the exports
of Great Britain mufl: be abridged by confiderably more than two mil-
lions a-year, befides the lofs to be fuftaincd by the failure of Irifh rents
fpent in England, and the drains by penfions, finecure places, law-
fuits, and journies of bufmefs and pleafure.

The clamour, which had lall year been fo violent againfi admitting
the Irifh to a participation of commercial privileges, had now in a
great meafure fubfided. But flill there were fome petitions prefented

* The magnitude of the Irifli provifion trade tions on IrcluncI, p. 9,, eH. 1 785.] Cork, to he

may be judged of from the duty of one penny per fure, is the chief feat of the provifion trade ; but

head on all cattle entering the gates of Cork there are fevcral other towns, which do a vaft deal

amounting to ^{^600 yearly, wliencc tiie number ap- in it.
pears to be 144,000. \_Lord SlieJfiiLiVs Obfcrva-

4 L 2

636 A. D. 1779.

againft it, and particularly from Glafgow and Manchefter. The friends
of Ireland in the Britifh parliament at firft propofed a free and general
exportation of all kinds of goods, except the woollen manufacture, ' that
article being reckoned too facred to be yet meddled with ;' but they
found it necelTary to contrad their views, and they only demanded per-
miffion to carry fugars from the Wefl-Indies diredly to Ireland. But
the minifter, who had hitherto kept himfelf neutral, fnddenly declaring
himfelf againft the motion, the degree of relief granted to Ireland fell
greatly fhort of what was generally expeded. The three following ads
may be confidered as favourable to that country.

April i" — The bounties allowed by former ads on the exportation of
Britifh and Irilh linens, the property of perfons refiding in Great Britain
or the American colonies, were continued to the 24''' of June 1786;
and perfons refiding in Ireland were now entitled to receive the bounty
on Irilh linens exported from Great Britain, though their property at
the time of exportation. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 27.]

May 1 8'" — The ad of 12 Car. 11, prohibiting the culture of tobacco
in England and Ireland (enaded for the encouragement of the culture
in America) was now repealed with refped to Ireland, ' as it is of the
* greateft importance to the ftrength and fecurity of thefe kingdoms,
' that every attention and encouragement fliould be given to fuch of
' the produce and manufadures of the kingdom of Ireland, as do not
' materially interfere with the commercial intereft of Great Britain.'
But the tobacco, produced in Ireland, was allowed to be exported only
to Great Britain, and in cafks of not lefs than 450 pounds, under the
fame duties and regulations as American tobacco. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 35.]

As ' a m.eans of introducing trade, manufadures, and induftry, in
Ireland, the following bounties were granted on the importation ot
hemp, the growth of that kingdom, viz.

from 24'" June 1779 to 24 June 1786 - ;^8 0

thence to - - 24 June 1793 - 7 > fterling per tun :

and thence to - 24 June 1800 - 6j

and the importers were obliged to make an offer of all fuch hemp to
the commiflioners of the navy, and not to fell it to any other perfon till
twenty days after making fuch offer. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

But the Irilh do not feem to have felt themfelves very much grati-
fied by thefe ads, efpecially with fuch clogs annexed to them : and they
foon after renewed their demands more ftrenuoufly than ever.

French wines, as well as other foreign wines, were allowed to draw
back the whole duty on being exported to any of the Britifh colonies
in America, or to the Eaft-Indies. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 41.]

June 1" — As doubts had been entertained, whether goods, manufac-
tured in foreign parts of Europe from raw materials, the produce of
Afia, Africa, or America, might not be imported into Britain, it was

A»D. 1779. 637

now declared, that no fuch goods could by any means be imported,
except the oils of cloves, cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg. [19 Geo. III.
c. 48.]

The pilchard fifhery having of late been fo abundant *, that the
demand in the foreign markets was infufficient to take off the quant-
ity prepared for exportation, it became an objeft of confequence to in-
creafe the home confumpt. For this purpofe the duty on fait ufed in
curing pilchards was entirely taken off; and inftead of it a duty of 5/27
was laid on every barrel containing 50 gallons of cured pilchards to be
confumed at home. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 52.]

The duties payable on the exportation from Great Britain of cotton
wool, the growth ot the Britifh colonies, were taken off. [^i^Geo.
JII,c.53.-]

June 14'" — The Eafl-India company having now difcharged their debt
of ^1,400,000 due to the public, and reduced their bond debt to, or
under, ^1,500,000, the public became intitled to a participation of the
territorial acquilitions and revenues lately obtained in India, They
were, however, continued entire to the company by parliament till the
S"' ot April 1780, they being reftrided from making any dividends
above eigbi per cent during that time. The company were moreover
direded to prefent a ftate of their affairs every half year to the lords of
the treafury ; and they were prohibited from accepting bills from India
for above ^^300, 000, exclufive of certificates for ^8,000 each to the
commanders of their fhips, without the confent of the lords of the
treafury. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 61:]

In confequence of the great incxeafe of fmuggling, and of the peti-
tions prefented to parliament by the dealers in tea, fpirits, 8cc. of Lon-
don and many other places, it was enaded, that all fpiritous liquor, im-
ported from any part of Europe in any cafk or veffel containing lefs
than 60 gallons, (except an allowance of two gallons each for the fea-
men) fhould be forfeited, and alfo the veffel importing it, of whatever
burthen fhe fhould be. All velfels, not of above 200 tuns burthen,
found hovering within two leagues of the coaft, and having onboard
tea, brandy, &c. were made liable to forfeiture. The commanders of
veffels, not being Eafl-India fhips, having onboard 100 pounds of tea,
or more than 100 gallons of foreign fpirits in cafks holding under 60
gallons, over the allowance of two gallons for each feaman, were made
liable to a penalty of jCs^°- Foreign thread lace was required to be
fealed at each end of the piece by a cuflom-houfe officer, and all fo-

* So wonderfvilly great are the fwarms of pil- edfi-ven thou/and /.'O^/J^eads, each of which was ei\iw-

chards, that the capture of one day is frequently a ated to contain 35,000 filh, which brings tlic whole

prodigious great objeft. In S'. Ive'sbay as many of the fifti taken at once to the aftonifliing iminbc-

were taken at once on the5"'ofOftoben 767,33 fill- of 245,000,000

638 A. D. 1779.

reign lace, not having fuch feals, is liable to forfeiture. [19 Geo. Ill,
c. 69.]

Among the various articles of the public expenditure of this year,
the only one to be noted here is a grant oi ^e^.ooo to Meffieurs Berken-
hout and Clark of Leeds for difcovering to the public their improve-
ment in dying. [19 Geo. III., c. ']!.']

Several ads were pafTed, as ufual, for draining fen lands, and for
making and improving canals and roads, &c.

March 3'' — The commander of a Having veflel from Liverpool was
profecuted by the African committee, as a warning to their other com-
manders, and fined ^^500, for having fold a free negro, whom he had
hired as a failor, for a flave in the year 1774, and who by the exertions
of his friends in Africa had been redeemed from flavery in Jamaica,
and now appeared in court againfl his kidnapper.

On the 16'" of June the marquis de Almadovar, ambaflador from
Spain, delivered to Lord Weymouth, one of the fecretaries of flate, a
declaration of war againft Britain by his fovereign, who, after fome he-
litation, was now prevailed upon to join with France and America in
their efforts to humble the power, and ruin the commerce, as well as
difmember the empire, of Great Britain. The marquis at the fame time
informed Lord Weymouth, that he had orders to return immediately
to Spain.

The threc-per-cent confolidated funds, which are ufually confidered
as the ftandard for the value of all the others, and which had been at
G-:^^ in April, immediately funk to 60, though the real value, as the
dividend wanted but a few days of being due, was now about one half
per cent more than in April. Such was the confequence of the com-
mencement of the Spanilh war upon the funds, or ftocks, as they are
more generally, though lefs properly, called.

As an inftance of the greatnefs and promptitude of the mercantile
maritime force of this country, when it is thought expedient to turn it
afide from the purpofes of commerce to thofe of warfare, I fliall here
obferve, that the one port of Liverpool, between the 26'" of Auguft
1778 and the 17"* of April 1779 fitted out no lefs than 120 privateers,
meafuring 30,787 tuns, and carrying 1,986 guns and 8,754 men, inofl
of wliich were fhips of from 14 to 20 guns, though fome of them car-
ried even 30, and a few only 10 or 12 guns. It is worthy of remark,
that the fleet, which England oppofed to the invincible armada of Spain
in the year 1588, and which excited the aftonifliment of Europe, though
it carried alnioft twice as many men, meafured (or was computed ar) but
1,198 tuns more than this fleet of Liverpool privateers *; the number

• For this accurate account of tlie Liverpool privateers I am indebted to the induftrlous refearch
of Mr. Chalmers. \^EJlmateofthtJircn^th of Great Britain, p. 40, ed. 1 794] 3

AD. 1779" 639

of which, we may believe was foon confiderably augmented, if we con-
fide r how popular a Spanifli war is at all times with our feamen, and
how eafily fhips fitted for the flave trade can be converted into (hips 0/
war.

The homeward-bound Wefl-Tndia fhips were aflembled about the
middle of June at S'. Chriftophers in order to fail thence under convoy
for England. But Admiral Byron, the commander of the Britifli fleet
in the Weft-Indies, confidering how great a force the French then had
in thofe feas, and that another French fleet was alfo upon the way from
Europe, concluded that it would be extremely dangerous to detach a part
of his fleet to convoy the trade home, as it would be in the power of the
French admiral to fend off a force fufficient to overtake the Weft-India
fleet, or intercept the fhips of war on their return from efcorting them,
and alfo to overpower that part of his fleet which he fliould retain, as
there was no port in the Weft-Indies capable of protecling them againft
a force fo far fuperior, and he therefor determined to convoy the
merchant fhips a confiderable part of the way with liis v/hole fleet. But,
as no human prudence can at once guard againft every difafter, it ap-
peared, that the fafety of this very valuable fleet of merchant fliips was
purchafed at the expence of expofuig our Weft-India fettlements to the
enemy ; and two valuable iflands were immediately loft.

That part of the ifland of S'. Vincents, occupied by the Britifli fettlers,
at this time contained 61 fugar plantations ; and it had 500 acres in
coffee, 200 in cacao, 400 in cotton, 50 in indigo, and 500 in tobacco,
befides grounds for raifing yams, plantains, and other articles of pro-
vifion. About one third of the ifland was now acknowleged to belong-
to the Caribs, or Charaibes, the indigenous proprietors of the whole.
But many unwarrantable attempts were faid to have been made by fome
of the planters to expell thofe people from their pofTeflions, which in the
year 1772 brought on a petty fanguinary war (to the great difcontent
of the ofiicers and foldiers employed in it, who execrated it as a difgrace
to their profeffion) which was terminated by an infincere peace in
February 1 773. It was, perhaps, owing to the refentment ftill felt by
the natives for this invafion of their property, that the ifland, though
garrifoned by feven companies of regular troops, now fell, an unrefift-
ing prey, to fo fmalla force as 450 men from Martinique, led by a lieu-
tenant of the French navy ; as the Caribs, who immediately joined the
French, were believed by fome to have invited the attack * (June 19'").
The French officer granted liberal terms of capitulation, modeled upon
thofe of the marquis de Bouille on the furrender of Dominica.

The comte d'Eftaing, the French admiral, being reinforced by the
arrival of the fleet expeded from France, now faw himfelf the unrivaled

* It ought, however, to be remembered, that the French were their antient friends, with whom-
they had formerly had much intercourfe, and whofe language many of them had learned.

640 A. D. 1779.

mafter of the Weft-Tndia feas : and, indeed, the fate of the iflands feem-
ed to be in his hand. His firft objed was Grenada, which he at-
tacked with no lefs than twenty-five fhips of the Une and ten frigates,
together with 5,000 foldiers. To that vafl force the ifland could only
oppofe 90 foldiers, 300 militia men, and 150 feamen drawn from the
merchant fhips. But this handful of men aded the very reverfe of the
condud of the people of S'. Vincents, and, notwithftanding the enorm-
ous fuperiority of the enemy, made a brave defence. Their bravery
was unavailing, and Lord Macartney, the governor, was obliged to fur-
render to the irrefiftible power of the enemy (July 2*).

Grenada at this time contained 106 fugar plantations, worked by
I 8 293 negroes, from which in the year i 776 there were exported
14,012,157 pounds of mufcavado 7 o c a cc

9.273,607 pounds of clayed | 23.285,764 pounds of fugar.

and 818.700 gallons of rum.
The other articles of produce exported that year, were
1,827.166 pounds of coffee,
457,719 pounds of cacao, or chocolate nuts,
91,943 pounds of cotton,
27.638 pounds of indigo,
and fome fmaller articles, the value of the whole year's exports at the
ports of fhipping being eflimated at ^^"600,000, exclufive of any charges.
The number of white people, which in the year 1771 was above 1,600,
had decreafed in 1777 to 1,300, and the negro flaves were in all about
35,000 ; befides whom there were free people of colour to the number
of, probably, about i ,000 *.

No attack was made upon any of the other iflands at this time.
D'Eflaing, after feeing the French homeward-bound merchant fliips
clear of the greateft danger, left the Weft-Indies, and went with the
moft of his fliips to North America, where he accomplifhed nothing
worthy of his great force ; and foon after he abandoned his American
allies, and went home to France, the ifland of Grenada being in fad the
only conquefl achieved by fo mighty an armament.

July 15"" — In compliance with a mefTage from the king, the lords of
trade direded that the fum of ;^i 3,000, granted by parliament for fup-
porting the fettlements on the coall of Africa, fhould be inverted in
iiipplies fultable for the fervice of the year 1780; which, on their ar-
rival in Africa, fhould be appropriated to defray all charges incurred
after the i'' of January 1780, including the falaries of the feveral
officers, &c. for that year : but that no part of it fhould be expended
in iatisfying any debts incurred, or alleged to be incurred, previous to

* The crops antl population of the ItfTcr dependent iflando, called Grenadines, arc includtd in this
ildteinent. 4

A. D. 1779. 641

that period. And they recommended the appointment of an agent, or
agents, to be refident on the coaft in order to fuperintend and controul
the expenditure of the pubhc fuppHes.

July — I have already given an account of the commencement and
progrefs of the great canal between the Forth and the Clyde till the
year 1775, when the fubfcribers, having expended all the funds they
were enabled by parliament to raife, were obliged to defifl *. A me-
morial from the convention of the Royal burghs of Scotland was now
prefented, by their agent Mr. George Chalmers merchant in Edinburgh,
to the lords of trade, as the guardians of the trade of the empire,
wherein, after ftating that the company, who had fvibfcribed for carry-
ing on the canal between the Forth and the Clyde, had carried it as far
as Glafgow, fo that vefTels fit to navigate the open feas could now pro-
ceed from any part of the eaft fide of Britain to that city, they rcpre-
fented, that in fo doing they had not only exhaufted the whole of their
fubfcription funds, but alfo incurred a heavy debt ; that for four years
pad ' this great national work, the nobleft and moft ufeful that ever
• was undertaken in any country, in refpedl that other inland naviga-
' tions are only for carrying lighters (fo far as the memorialifls know f )
' but this is alfo for vefTels fit to navigate in any open fea,'- had been
entirely at a ftand ; and that the tolls now taken on the canal were
found to be too heavy for bulky goods of fmall value.

There was given in to the board at the fame time a recommendation
by a great number of noblemen and gentlemen of Great Britain and
Ireland, wherein they fubmit to the miniflry the propriety of govern-
ment taking up this great objecfl, in which they aflert that England
and Ireland are fully as much (and probably even more) interefled as
Scotland ; as, if it were completed from fea to fea, it would fhorten
much of the coafling, and part of the foreign, navigation, which in the
winter is impracticable, and in time of war extremely hazardous in all
feafons, whereby much time, and great expenfe and lofs, may be avoid-
ed, to the great advantage of the general commerce of the three king-
doms. They add that an aid of ;;C70,ooo from the public would com-
plete the work in about two years, and would alfo enable the proprie-
tors to reduce the tolls on bulky goods ; and that the three kingdoms
would be more than compenfated in one year of war for the whole fum
now required J.

Auguft — The combined fleets of France and Spain, confifling of
above fixty fhips of the line, with a proportionable attendance of fri-
gates, being, perhaps, the moft powerful afTcmblage of warlike fliips

* See above, p. 477. fo interediiig ta the Britifli empire (for the benc-

j- The Gloucellcr caual, which carries fliips of fits of this canal are not local, like tiiofe of others)

300 tuns, was not begun till the year 1703. was accomplilhed by the patriotic attention of Mr.

J It was in the year i -8j. that this great chjcd, Dund»s.

Vol. III. 4 M

642 A. D. 1779.

ever colleded in one fleet, rode mafters of the Channel for a few days ;
but they made no attempt upon the land, and did fcarcely any harm
iipon the water, being obliged by the very fickly condition of their
feamen to return almoft immediately into port. Mofl providentially
a very valuable fleet of abovit two hundred vefTels from Jamaica got
fafe home a few days before the Channel was covered by the formid-
able armada of the enemy, and eight homeward-bound Eafl-India (hips
with rich cargoes, got intelligence of the danger, and made for Lime-
rick in Ireland, where they arrived fafe.

The Eaft-India company, with a liberality of patriotifm worthy of
the greateft commercial company that ever exifled, and at a time too,
when they had fcarcely emerged from very great embarralTments in
their own concerns, gave a large bounty for railing 6,000 feamen for
the public fervice ; and they moreover made a noble addition to the
navy of three complete fliips of 74 guns each, which were called by the
appropriate names of Bombay-cajile, Carnatic, and Ganges. Their ex-
ample was followed by feveral other communities, both in railing men
and building fhips, according to their abilities.

September — The Spanifh governor of Louifiana, having been very
early apprized of the commencement of hoftilities, immediately feized
an armed floop and fome fmall veflels carrying troops and provifions to
the Britifli polls on the River Miflillippi, after which he found it an eafy
matter, with a very fuperior force, to compell their fmall garrifons to
furrender prifoners of war.

This acquifition of territory, no advantage to a nation already pof-
fefling more lands than people, was more than balanced by the value of
a number of very rich Spanifh veflels, which fell into the hands of fome
Englifli privateers ; among which may be noted, as the mofl confider-
able, a Spaniih fliip of war from Manila to Cadiz, taken by the Ama-
zon of Liverpool and the Ranger of Briflol, and fuppofed the richeft
prize ever taken fince Anfon's capture of the galleon in the South fea ;
the Nueftra Senora de Piedad of 600 tuns, and carrying 16 guns and.
70 men, taken by the Dart of Dartmouth of lefs than 200 tuns, and
carrying 14 guns and (iO men, with a cargo confifting of goods to the
value of about /^8o,ooo, bcfides gold and filver in ingots to a great
amount, and coined money to the amount of 181,066 dollars : alfo
another fhip, ftill larger, from the Havannah to Cadiz, valued at
,^200, coo, taken by the Autigallican.

September 23'' — The general aflembly of Pennfylvania by a folemn ad
deprived the family of Penn of the property of the foil of that province,
and placed it, with certain reflriclions, under their own diredion,as they
thought the pofleflion of fuch a vafl property now inconfiftent with the
fafety of the commonwealth. At the fame time they ordained a compenfa-
tion of ^^Ti 30,000 flerling to be paid to the proprietors, by inflallments of

A. D. 1779. 643

not lefs than ;^i 5,000, nor more than /^2o,ooo, a-year, to commence at
the end of one year after the conclufion of the war. Thus was a landed
eflate (I might almofl: fay a territorial fovereignty) which, confidering
the extent and rapidly increafing value of it, was perhaps the moft va-
luable ever poffelfed by any fubje<3:, transferred, after a pofreflion of
above ninety-nine years, from a private family to be the property of
the flate *.

The relief afforded to the commerce of Ireland by the laft feffion of
parliament was fo far ihort of the demands and expedations of that
country, that the fpirit of difcontent was little or nothing abated.
Meetings were held in Dublin, and afterwards in other places, at which,
after branding the oppofition to the complete emancipation of their
commerce as not only illiberal and unjuft, but alfo impolitic, they en-
tered into refolutions neither to import nor confume any articles of
Britifh produce or manufadure of any kinds, which could be produced
or manufadured in Ireland, till a more enlightened policy in Britain
fliould abolifli the reflraints on the trade and manufactures of Ireland.

While the affair was thus refumed with increafed ardour by the Irifli
and their friends in this country, the oppofition to it became much
fainter on the fide of the Britifh manufacturers : and in the meantime
an unintentional combination of circumftances gave a new accelfion of
force to the refolutions and demands of the Irifh, which could not very
eafily be refifted. A confiderable part of the army llationed in Ire-
land had been drawn off to be employed in America ; whereupon many
noblemen, gentlemen, farmers, merchants, and traders, had formed them-
felves into volunteer affociations for the defence of the country againft
invafion; and their number foon increafed to about 42,000 men, weH
armed and difciplined, among whom there was no diftindion of reli-
gion, whether proteftant or catholic, and fcarcely any diflindion of
perfons, men of title and fortune ferving in the ranks along with their
tenants and dependents. It was impoflible that fuch a body of men,
deeply interefted, as they were, in the profperity of their country, fhould
not feel their own power and importance ; and they refblved, not only
to repell foreign enemies, but alfo to aflert their right at home, and to
command that freedom in trade, which, they faid, had, as in the cafe of
America, been denied to their humble folicitations. The matter was
now become too ferious to be trifled with ; and the recent example of
America convinced the adminiflration and parliament of Great Britain,
that no time was to be lofl in giving real and effectual fatisfadion to fo
refpedable and powerful a body of fuppliants. The Britifh parliament

* Befides the compenfation allowed to them by their late tenants, or valTals, the family got an allow-
ance of ;f 4iCOO a-year from tiie Britifh revenue, which was ftcured by adi of parliament, 30 Ceo. III.
c. 46.

4- M2

644 A. D. 1779-

accordingly prefeiited an addrefs to the king (May ii'"), praying him
to confider the diftreffed condition of the loyal and well-deferving people
of Ireland, and to order fuch information to belaid before them, as
might enable them to promote the joint profperity of his fubjeds in both
kingdoms. But the feflion was clofed foon after without any thing
being done in the affair ; and the Irifti, who apprehended, that they
were trifled with, were in as bad humour as ever.

Oftober 12"" — Such was the fituation of affairs, when the Irifli par-
liament met, who immediately addreffed the king with a declaration
that nothing fhort of a free trade could fave Ireland from ruin : and
then, in order to fhow, that they were truely in earneft, they paffed the
money bills for fix months only.

November 25'" — The Britifh parliament met for the winter ; and
very foon after fevere cenfures were thrown out in both houfes upon- the
miniflry for endangering the lofs of Ireland, as they had already accom-
pliflied that of America, by delaying to grant what it would no longer
be in their power to withhold, whereby they were now reduced to a ne-
ceflity of yielding, as a matter of right, much more than would have
been thankfully received as a favour, if granted with a good grace at a
proper time. At lafl: the minifter was roufed to take up the bufinels in
earned ; and in his fpeech upon the occafion in the houfe of commons
(December 13"') he gave the following hiflorical retrofpe(ft of the en-
croachments upon the commercial liberty of Ireland.

' Before the reftoration the Irilh enjoyed every commercial benefit
' and advantage in common with England. The commerce, import
' and export, was held equally by both kingdoms till the reign of
' Charles IT. Even the ad: of navigation, the great foundation of our
' plantation laws, put England and Ireland upon exad terms of equal-
' ity ; nor was it till two years after, that the firft commercial reftridion
' was laid upon Ireland, and that not diredly, but by a fide-wind, and
' by dedudive interpretation. When the ad firft paffed, there was a
' general governing claufe for giving bonds to perform the conditions
' of the ad : but when the ad was amended in the 15'" of Charles the
' Second, the word Ireland was omitted ; from whence a conclufion was
' drawn, that the ads of the two preceding parliaments, 12'", 13"", and
' 14"', of Charles II, were thereby repealed, though it was as clearly ex-
' prefled in thofe ads, as it was poffible for words to convey, that ftiips
' built in Ireland, navigated by the people thereof, were deemed Britifh,
' and qualified to trade to and from the Britifli plantations ; and that
'■ fhips built in Ireland, and navigated by his Majefty's fubjeds of Ire-
' land, were intitled to the fame abatements and privileges, to which
' importers and exporters of goods in Britilli-built fhips were entitled.
' However, Ireland had been as much excluded from trading with the
' Britifh colonies as France, Spain, or any other foreign nation, in the

A. D. 1779. 645

* way of a dired export or import trade, excepting in a few trifling in-
' ftances. Some of the reftraints refpeding Ireland in the reign of
' Charles II were luppofed to have originated in a diflike or jealouiy of
' the growing power of the then duke of Ormond, who, from his great
' eftate and pofleflions in Ireland, was fuppofed to have a perfonal in-
' terefl in the profperity of that kingdom. So far, indeed, was this
' fpirit carried, whether from peribnal enmity to the duke of Ormond,
' from narrow prejudices, or a blind policy, that the parliament of Eng-
' land pafTed a law to prohibit the importation of Irifh lean cattle *.'

The minifter proceeding in his hiftorical narrative, obferved, that in
the year 1692 f the parliament of England recommended to the king a
kind of compad between the two kingdoms, whereby England fhould
exclufively enjoy the woollen manufadurc, and Ireland fliould exclufive-
ly enjoy that of linen. Ireland accepted the terms, and in confequence
of the compad abftained from the woollen manufadure, and even, by a
temporary ad, laid a duty equal to a prohibition on the exportation of
wool and all kinds of woollen goods J. England however did not ab-
Itain from the linen manufadure^ but carried it on to fully as great an

* So the profperity of a great nation was ap- ' were thereby enabled to fet up woollen manufac-

parently the fport of private refeiitmtnt, or, what ' tures, and by the cheapncfs of labour in their

is falfcly called, politics. The law againft import- ' country, underfell us in that moft beneficial

ing lean cattle mud, however, have b'cen a real be- 'branch of our commerce. The Engliih have

nt fit to the Irifli, unlefs the enemies of Ormond 'fince fufficiently felt the mifchlefs of this proceed-

could at the fame time have deprived them of their ' ing ; which were in truth obvious enough to be

excellent pailures for feeding and fattening their ' forefcen at that time by a man of common under-

cattle, and of fait for curing the ftcfh of theai. It ' IVandiiig, but it will puzzle the wifeil to find a

turned out in faft alfo a benefit in another way, as ' remedy to remove them, now they have aclually

it roufed their attention to other articles of com- ' happened. It would be well, if any experience

merce ; for, as we are told by the biographer of ' could make them wifer, and difpofe them to treat

Ormond, ' Ireland better.' \_Carte's Life of Ormonde, V.ii, fi.

' The Irifli till then had no commerce but with 337. See alfo the following pages for the com-

' this kingdom, and fcarce entertained a thought of mencement and progrefs of fome of the manafac-

< trafficking with other countries. They fnpplied tures of Ireland And fee LordSheJJidd's Obferva-

' us with their native commodities, which made tions on the trade of Ireland, p. \\(), third edj\

« work cheap, and carried off our artificial ones to f The date ought to be 1698.

« a value which exceeded that of their own ; fo that % The Irifti parliament impofed an ndditional

' they were rather impoveridied than improved by duty of 20 per cent ad valorem on the exportation

< the traffick. The Englifh were undoubtedly the of broad cloths, and 10 per cent on ferges, baize,
'gainers by this mutual trade, from which they kerfeys, and other new drapery, frizes only excepted ■
' now fo vyantonly cut themfelves ofl by forbidding (and to them alfo it was afterwards extended)

« the principal part of it, and rendering the rell im- which was in effeft a prohibition. The confe-

« practicable. They foon felt the confequence of quetices were, that the woolkn manufadure of Ire-

< this unhappy ftep : the Iiiih, forced by their ne- land for exportation was entirely deilroyed ; fcveral
« ceflitits to be indiillrious, fet themfelves to im- thoufand manufaflurers left the kingilom ; fome of
' prove their own manufaftures, and carried their the fouthern and weftern diftridls were almoft de-
' trade to foreign parts, from whence they brought populated ; and the whole kingdom was reduced
' thofe commodities which they ufed to take from to the utmofl; poverty and dillrcfs. [^Journals <f
' England, In this country the price of meat rofe the Iri/h houfe of commons, IT]2, p. 400, and 1774,
' confidcrably as foon as the aft pafied, even before />. 362.] Such were the fruits of banilhing a na-

• the end of thislcffion of parliament (which broke tural manufacture of native materials, and forcibly

< up on F(.b. 9) the price of labour and rate of introducing a mannfaihire from foieign materials,
' wages were thereby enhanced ; and the wool of the fnpply of which mnft depend upon ihepUaluii;
' Ireland, which never before had any vent but in of rival, or perhaps hoftile, nations.

' England, being now carried abroad, foreigners 3

646

A. D.

1779.

extent as Ireland, and moreover, without confulting the parliament of
Ireland, paffed an adt [10. 11 Will. Ill] making the heavy duties on the
exportation of Irifli wool, 8cc. perpetual; by which, and fome others
that followed it, the woollen trade of Ireland was annihilated *. He
ftated the exports from Britain to Ireland upon an average of fix years,
1766-1772, at fomewhat above two millions annually, and in the fuc-
ceeding fix years, extending to 1778, about as much more, whereof
nearly one half was Britifh manufadture or produce, and the remainder
certified articles, whereof this country was the medium of conveyance.
Of thefe exports the woollen goods amounted only to about /^20o,ooo a-
year ; fo that it would be very bad policy to rifle an export tf ade of na-
tive produce to the amount of a million for the fake of an export of
woollens to the amount of /^200,ooo f . He obferved, tliat the woollen
trade of Ireland, though freed from all the reftraints it had hitherto
been (hackled with, mufl long continue in fuch a ftate of infancy, as
would render it impoffible for that country to compete with England
ia foreign markets, feeing that now, notwithftanding the low rate of
wages in Ireland, Englilh fine cloths, though loaded with the various

• ffiight be finuggkcl from both iflands. The
' foundations of maiuifadures were laid, or they

• were promoted, highly to the prejudice of Eng-

• land ; and thus fome return was made for the
« manufadures eitablilhed in the Britilh dominions
' by the equally wife [revocation of the] edidl of
« Nantz.' ILonl ShefhU's Obfervatioiis on the trade
of Inland, p. 151 ed. 1785.]

* ' The woollen manufafturers of Ireland, who,
' or their anceftors, came chiefly from England,
' now emigrated from Ireland ; certainly, however,
' in fmaller numbers than were at the time repre-
" fented. In their refentment and nectfuties many
' of the proteftants moved to Germany, many of
' the Roman catholics to Spain, and others of each
' defcription to France, where they received en-
* couragement, and iliewed the way how our wool

f The amount of the trade -between Great Britain and Ireland, according to the Britifli cuftom-
houfe accounts, may be feen in the annual accounts of imports and exports, by which Britain appears
to draw almoft every year a very confiderable balance from Ireland. But it is necelTar)' to obferve,
that the linens, which generally conftitute above one half of the whole imports from Ireland, are there-
in rated at ^d a yard, rather lefs than one half of their true average value, which mull neceflarily pro-
duce an error, or falfification, of very great magnitude. In the Iriih cullom-houfe accounts the linens
are rated from \^d\.o \']d, which, though dill under the truth, turns the balance in favour of Ireland
to a very confiderable amount. The following is tlie Irilh account of the trade with Great Britain in
mod of the years referred to by Lord North.

176y
1770
1771
1772
1773
177-1
1775
1776
1777
1773

£1

Ireland exported to Great Britain ;

whereof in linens,'and in linen yarn.]
,2(56,151
,408,838
,514,030
,405,507
,178,664

,117,6g5i£'l,237,I21 ^I75,ie

,379,858 1,458,543 183,502

,551,211 1,435,110 216,915

,552,296 1,387,584 178,190

,718,145 1,542,748 168,653

Ireland imported from Great Britain j
whereof in woollen goods
1^1,776,996
1,878,590
1, 806,732
1,586,023
1,679.212
1,711,174
1,739,543

1,875,525
2,233,192
2,076,460

f 1 >^270,399

The year 1777 is noted for the uncommonly great amount of the importation of Britifh goodf,
which in confequence of non-importation agreements and other circumilances, fell ofFveiy mucU in tb«
cnfuing years. \l,ord SbeffieWs Obfervathns, pp. 8, 160, 276, 284.]

A. D. 1779. 647

charges of land and fea carriage, infurance, fadlorage, &c. were fold
cheaper than thofe of their own manufadure. He obferved, that the
hnen manufadure of Ireland, however profperous it might appear, was
flill capable of great improvement ; and he oppofed the idea of abolifh-
ing the bounty on Iriih linens, becaufe it appeared, that the Britifh
bounty was a great encouragement to the Irifh linen manufadure, and
the amount of it was trifling, being Uttle above /^i 3,000 in the higheft
years.

Previous to an ad of ip"" George II Ireland imported glafs from other
countries, and alfo manufadured fome of the coarfer kinds. That ad,
which prohibited the Irifh from importing glafs from any country but
Britain, and grievoufly opprefled the manufadure of glafs in Ireland,

ought to be repealed The propofition of allowing Ireland a free

trade to the colonies, which had been fettled, and reared to their prelent
ilate by Great Britain only, could upon no account be claimed as a
matter of right, but mull be received as a mere favour * : and the
minifler declared it as his opinion, that fuch a permiflion, accompanied
by a flipulation for equalizing duties upon imports and exports, would
be no lofs, but an advantage, to Britain, as it would convince the Irilh
of our fincere defire to render them wealthy and happy : and they, when
reftored to their former good humour, and united to us by friendfliip
and interefl, would be again, as they have heretofore been, the beft cuf-
tomers of this country.

December 23'^ — In purfuance of this manifeftation of liberality, the
ads of 1 1 "' Will. Ill, and the 1 9"' Geo. II, which prohibited the Irifli from
exporting their own woollen manufadures and glafs ware, were repealed.
[20 Geo. ni,c. 6.]

Alfo,. the many ads, by which the commerce of Ireland v,^is fettered,
were fo far repealed, that aU goods, which may be legally imported from
the Britifh fettlements in America and on the coafl of Africa to Great
Britain, may in- like manner be imported diredly from thofe fettle-
ments to Ireland. And all fuch goods, as may be legally exported from
Britain to the Britifh fettlements in America or Africa, may in like
manner be exported from Ireland to the fame places, on condition that
duties, equal to thofe paid in Britifh ports, be impofed by the Irifli
parliament on the imports and exports of Ireland f. [20 Geo. Ill, c. lo.J

At the fame time the permiflion to import Italian organzined filk was
further continued till the 25'" of March 1781. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 4.]

* Miglit not the Irilh allege, that they alfo great proportion of the planters, probably above a

oould have planted colonies in the weftern world, third part of the whole, are Irifh, or of lri(h

as well as fend out their emigrants to Ihengihen origin.

the armies of every Roman- catholic country in \ Some further relaxations of the reftraints on

Euiopc : As it is, the ifland of Montferrat is en- the trade of Ireland were enadted in the enftiing ,

tirely occupied by planters of Iriih origin, the de- fpring, as will be related in due time.
f,:Endeni3 of the original fettleis J and in Jamaica a . t .

648 A. D. 1779.

The Britifh fettlers oi\ the Mufquito fhore having, by a memorial to
the lords of the trcafury in March 1779, requeued permiflion to import
fugar and rum produced on their plantations without being fubjeded to
the duties payable upon foreign produce ; and the law, which fubjeded
them to thofe duties, having been intended merely to guard againft
foreign fugars being fmuggled from the Britifh-Arnerican provinces lying
north of the Gulf of Mexico, it was thought juft and proper that the pro-
duce of the Mufquito fhore fliould be exempted from the operation of that
law : and iherefol'

The rigour of the ad 18 Geo. Ill, c. 58 was foftened, and fugar ac-
tually the growth of any of the Britifh fugar colonies, though imported
into Britain from other Britifli colonies, was admitted to entry without
being charged with a foreign duty. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 7.]

The northern ports were now indulged in building a few fhips for the
navy. Several fhips of war were built in the River Were. The Syren,
a frigate of 32 guns, built at Newcaflle, and the Fury, a fhip of 16 guns,
built at Leith, were launched in the courfe of this year. The Fury was,
I believe, the firft fliip for the navy built in Scotland fince the acceffion
of James VI to the crown of England.

The invention of extrading tar from coals may be confidered as a
fmall mite of alleviation of the multiplied calamities flowing from the
American war. The failure of the fupply of tar from America put the
proprietors of a manufadure ^ lamp-black at Briftol upon making ex-
periments on the oil extraded from pit-coals in their works ; and they
found, that, by different degrees of boiling, it could be brought to the
confiflence of tar, and alfo of pitch. The tar, befides being much
cheaper, proved more efficacious in preferving the bottoms of fhips from
the worm than vegetable tar. Moreover the coal, after the tar is ex-
traded, becomes excellent coak, whereby a great faving is made in many
manufadures, for which coal ufed to be charred on purpofe, in which
operation the valuable tar was totally loft in fmoke, as it is in a great
meafure in our common fires This invention has been greatly im-
proved, fo as to make the coal produce oil, volatile fpirits, and varnifh,
as well as tar, pitch, and coak, by the earl of Dundonald, a nobleman,
who devotes his time, his fortune, and his great knowlege in chymiftry,
to advance the national profperity, and improve the condition of the
people in his neighbos-'rhood.

Before the war tlax-feed ufed to be a conliderable article in the im-
ports from America, efpecially to Ireland. The annual quantity on an
average of the years 1768, 1769, and 1770 was

to Great Britain 12,436 buihels

to Ireland 255,851

268,287 at 2/3 amount to - £>'^'^ ,'i-2,'2- : 5 •" 9

A. D. 1779. 649

After the commencement of the war the Irifh preferved the feed of their
own flax, which was found to anfwer fo well as to render them more
independent of foreign flax-feed than they had hitherto thought them-
felves. Before the war England imported flax-feed from the continent
of Europe, chiefly Holland and Ruflia, the average quantity of which
in the years 1772, 1773, and 1774, was above 102,000 cwt. value
;(^239,869 ; and in the years 1777, 1778, and 1779, the flax-feed import-
ed from thofe countries continued the fame, viz ;(^239,869 5 3

The quantity imported from them to Scotland in the

fame years averaged _ _ _ _ . 186,941 18 6

being above 4,000 tuns ----- £/\.26,Sii 3 9
[Lord SheffieJ(Cs Obfervations on American commerce, p. 116, ed. 1784.]

That branch of architedural engineering, which is appropriated to
the accommodation of fliipping, was carried to great perfedion in
Sweden by Mr. Tunberg, who conflruded a grand bafin at Carlfcroon,
containing twenty-four docks for the reception of fliips, in any one of
which they may lie either dry or afloat, as the bufinefs of the vefl^els in
each of them may require.

In the courfe of this year 1,651 Britifh veflels, 2,075 Dutch, and not
one French one, pafl^ed the Sound. So completely was the French trade
with the Baltic annihilated by the war, at leaft; as to the carriage, which
was entirely transferred to the Dutch.

There were at this time no lefs than 1,104 empty houfes within the
city of London, as appeared by the returns of the deputies of the feveral
wards ; and their annual rents were efl;imated at £^6,^"]$, which is furely
rating them very low, being under ;^24 a houfe.

The following is the quantity of coals imported iiito London fincc
the year 1772, when the importation, as already related, was fo uq,com-
monly great.

1 776.. 700,207 i779-«587>895
1777.. 694,437
1778.. 647 ,361

1773 . . 624,781 chaldrons
1774.. 623.727
1 775.. 672,785

The magnitude and importance of the cotton manufadures of Great
Britain render every information which marks their progrefs interefl:-
ing. I have therefor extraded, from feveral ofl[icial papers, laid before
the houfe of commons at various times, the following concife account of
the importation of the raw material in the under-mentioned years, during
which the manufadure, compared with its prefent extenfion, may be.
faid to have been in its infancy.

Vol. III. 4 N

650

A. D.

779-

1768
1769
1770
1771
1772

i773

177-1

17

1776

Mil

There were imported into

BNGLANO. 1

,C0Tt\ND.

Cotton of

Cotton of

Cotton of

Cotton of

the British

foreign
growth,

Total,

the British

foreign

Total,

colonies * ,

colonies.

growth,

pounds.

pounds.

pounds.

pounds.

pounds.

pounds.

3,294,297

836,504

4,130,801

114,916

259

115,175

3,234.652

1,171,403

4,406,055

119,659

1,988

121,647

2,838,816

773,600

3,572,416

106,042

420

106,462

2,177,071

370,385

2,547,456

86,991

1,232

88,223

3,103,400

2,204,012

5,307,412

106,883

106,883

2,290,331

615,458

2,905,789

86,785

20,295

107,080

3,084,758 i 2,622,523

5,707,281

77,693

79.880

157,572

2,726,298 1 3,967,436

6,693.734

98.454

98,454

3,325,01012,891,237 6,316,247

113,850

113,850

1.1,041,109 2,995,996 7,037,105

220,400

27,102

247,502

4,314,430 1,726,681 6,541,111

3,917,332

1 372,154

[4,289,486

1

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 6,955 veffels of the reputed burthen of 574,620 tuns:

and of Scotland 1,521 _ - - 88,321

Total 8,476 ^ 662,941

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, and including repeated voyages.

Foreign

■ Vcn-els.

Tuns.

Veifels.

Tuns.

VelFels.

Tuns.

Inward

5.362

583.704

2,213

240,296

7'575

824,000

Outward -

6,832

642,981

1,306

149,040

8,138

792,021

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-a-
half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year, was
from the cuftom-houfe in London ;(;2,502,273 19 8

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh there was nothing remitted
this year, the whole cuftoms of Scotland being paid away in fifliery
bounties, drawbacks, &c.

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
36,300 pounds of gold, value ;^i, 696,1 17 10 o

and 82 pounds of filver, 254 4 o

X;i,696,37i 14 o

* The infpedor general has claffed St Croix, St Euftathius, and St Thonia?, along with the Britifti
Weft-India iflands in this account.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from

Chriftmas 1778 to Chriftmas 1779. was as follows.

. Impor

ed into

Exported from '

Countries, &c.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

Africa

^33,960 16 9

£i59,2i7 19

7

Canaries . -

2,091 15 7

17,494 7

6

Denmajk, &c.

73,iri 13 5

^18,111 3 0

150,613 2

4

^6,269 18 6

East country

201.982 8 5

50,326 7

0

East-India

716,323 9 10

703,191 14

4

Flai;ders

524,413 lb 7

1,041,721 4

4

France

12,972 1 2

2,812 18

C

German/

552,6®4 19 2

12,357 3 0

1,263,515 7

2

32,036 7 7

Greenland

23,620 15 1

7,776 9 g

124 16

0

Holland -

517,170 17 4

131,016 8 3

1,250,015 13

9

85,476 7 0

Ireland

1,384,117 15 4

163,061 6 7

1 1,359,415 2

1

280,538 17 1

Mann

15,252 14 10

2,059 3 6

1 20,407 4

3

760 14 10

Italy

47,477 18 7

307,548 17

1

2,827 10 0

Madeira

3,031 5 2

18,719 1

11

Poland

11,134 13 1

1,944 8 0

Portugal

285,334 3 10

10,411 6 5

647,813 19

9

1,745 4 9

Russia ...

1,201,377 14 4

145,978 17 6

306,072 15

11

23,966 9 0

Prussia

8,073 4 3

60 b 0

Spain

220,748 5 3

3,369 4 1

599,765 17

0

700

Gibraltar

50 0 0

Straits

1,547 2 0

4,534 1

0

Sweden

252,431 4 2

21,471 13 7

108,403 4

7

3,027 5 9

Turkey

1,474 12 6

229 19

0

Venice

78,532 3 2

29,465 14

1 1

Guernsey, &c.

76,799 18 4

1,304 8 5

54,117 13

n

351 18 10

America in general -

38,952 10 1

235,875 33 11

Hudson's bay

5,116 15 7

5,447 6

0

Newfoundland

65,723 10 8

87,947 8

11

Cape Breton

22 8

0

Quebec

61,924 12 7

521,240 6

10

Nova-Scotia

1,956 8 2

227,181 12

2

New-England - -

807 10 10

New-York -

14,86) 19 6

349,712 r

2

Pennsylvania

569 13 9

Carolina

3,732 8 9

Georgia

607 7 1

65 4

2

Florida

23,804 19 0

128,311 14

11

West-Indies in general

199,695 16 5

162,329 6 0

Antigua

85,957 5 11

90,110 1

0

Barbados

145,293 12 6

140,170 12

5

Bermuda

9,292, 2 10

27,463 6

8

Grenada

317,965 1 7

42,368 8

10

Jamaica

1,453,764 6 6

484,365 10

10

Montserrat

62,204 13 2

9,132 13

2

Nevis

57,922 6 2

) 6,01 3 2

3

New- Providence

1,256 6 8

"

683 18

1

St. Croix.

283 11

3

St. Eustathius -

1,813 16 5

14,474 2

11

St. Christophers

320,639 11 9

1 18,747 6

4

St. Lucia . -

18,839 12 1

14,210 10

9

St. Vincents

103,399 S 4

6,228 19

8

Tobago

45,562 6 7

10,867 8

8

Tortola

44,879 7 10

44,135 0

6

Bay of Honduras -

10,690 1 6

2,060 19

11

Musquito shore

48 12 3

1,030 18

6

Falkland's islands

3,400 0 0

Southern fishery

3,267 10 0

9,096,740 13 4

10,437,729 1

4

Prize goods

1,563,751 12 2

2,255,700 9

9

Imp and exp. of England

10,660,492 5 6

12,693,429 U

~1

Imp. and exp. of Scotland

774,772 7 11

774,772 7 11

837,273 1

3

837,273 1 3

Total, Great Britain -

11,435,264 13 5

13,530,702 12

_4

N 9.

652 A. D. 1780.

lygo — After a long leries of altercations with the Dutch by remon-
ftrances on both fides, they ftill infifting on their right, as a neutral nation,
and more efpecially in virtue of the marine treaty of the year 1 674, to
carry fupplies for the French, and the Britifb ftiips of war ftill feizing
their veflels loaded with ftores for France, wherever they found them, the
Dutch deterniined to protcd their navigation by an armed force, and
fent Admiral Byland with five fliips of war to convoy a fleet of mer-
chant fhips. 1" January — Near Portland they were met by Commodore
Fielding, who requefted the admiral's permiffion to fend his boats to
examine the merchant fhips, which was refufed. He notwithftanding
fent his boats, which were fired upon by the Dutch, whereupon Com-
modore Fielding fired a (hot ahead of the Dutch admiral, who im-
mediately fired a broadfide. Commodore Fielding returned the com-
pliment, and the Dutch admiral, without further conteft, ftruck his
colours. All the merchant fhips, that had naval ftores onboard, were
taken pofteflion of; and the commodore gave notice to the Dutch ad-
miral, that he was at liberty to hoift his colours and profecute his
voyage. He hoifted his colours, but infifted upon keeping by his convoy ;
and accordingly he attended the fleet into Spithead. The merchant
fhips, that were detained, were all condemned as legal prizes. The
Dutch were now more incenfed than ever, and exclaimed, that, in de-
fiance of treaties, their property was feized to a very large amount, and
alfo their flag grofsly infulted * ; and they vehemently demanded im-
mediate fatisfadion in a tone that made it very evident, that Holland
would foon be added to the confederacy againft Great Britain. The
Britifli court, however, were fo far from yielding any thing to their
clamours, that they foon after iffued a proclamation, whereby all foreign
veffels, found affifting the enemy with warlike ftores, were declared law-
ful prizes to thofe who fhould feize them (21'' January).

The beginning of this year was diftinguiftied by the fucceffes of Ad-
miral Rodney againft the Spaniards. Having fallen in with a convoy
of fixteen fhips from S'. Sebaftians, bound for Cadiz under the protec-
tion of feven fhips of war from 64 to 10 guns, he took the whole of
them, not one^of the men of war or merchantmen efcaping (8'^ January j.
Of the later, twelve were loaded with wheat and flour, three with naval
ftores, and one with tobacco. And foon after this important capture
he engaged the Spanifh fleet, confifting of eleven fail of the Une and two
frigates, whereof he took fix fhips of the line (i6'^ January). The reft,
except one fliip of 70 guns, which blew up, made their efcape.

« It was with a very bad grace that the Dutch the mod glaring partiality, they threatened to

pretended to vindicate their officioufnefs in the fer- puni(h by fevere penalties any one of their fubjefts,

vice of France upon the principle of unlimited who fhould ufe that freedom of commerce in fup-

freedom of commerce, while at the fame time, with plying the garrifon of Gibraltar with provifion>.

A. D. 1780. esz

The great force, which the French now had in the Weft-Indies, could
not fail to be very alarming to all who were interefted in our remaining
pofleffions in that part of the world. The planters and others concerned
m the ifland of Jamaica, as being the moft numerous and confiderable
body, therefor prefented a petition to the houfe of commons (lo'** Fe-
bruary), and another to the houfe of lords (21'' February), wherein
they reprefented, that that ifland, One of the moft valuable of all our
foreign pofleflions, with the profperity of which the intereft of Great
Britain is intimately and infeparably conneded, was totally deftitute of
tiefence, and owed its being now a Britifli colony to the mere accident
of the forces of the enemy being diredted to another object : that the
planters of Jamaica, confidering the diftrefl'es brought upon them by
the war, had gone far beyond their abilities in taxes and contributions
paid both in Jamaica and in Britain, and alfo in very burthenfome per-
fonal fervices. They complained of the negled of their petitions by the
miniftry ever fince the year 1 773, and, having affirmed that they and their
interefts were worthy and deferving of protedion, they concluded by
demanding it as their undoubted right *.

Every wellwiftier to the profperity of the Britifti empire will approve
of my paying a tribute of refped to the memory of Mr. David Loch,
merchant in Edinburgh and afterwards general infpedor of the fiftieries
of Scotland, who finiflied his ufeful life this year (February 21"). This real
patriot, whofe ruling paflion was zeal for the welfare of his country, exerted
himfelf ftrongly in promoting the improvement of Scotland, and efpe-
cially the increafe and improvement of the breed of ftieep, and the pro-
fecution of the woollen manufadure, which very many natural advan-
tages evidently point out as the proper ftaple of Scotland. He infifted,
that the extenfion and fuccefs of the woollen manufadure in Scotland,
inftead of being, as fome narrow-minded people fuppofe, injurious
to England, would greatly promote the general welfare of the united
kingdom, and be the fureft means of fubduing the competition of the
French and Dutch. He aflerted ' that millions of additional flieep may
' be raifed without encroaching upon a iingle acre of land capable of
' bearing corn, or rearing black cattle :' and his public-fpirited advice
produced a great augmentation in the breed of that valuable animal in
Scotland, and particularly in the Highland diftrids. Thus it is in the
power of one patriot to increafe the happinefs of millions. The con-
queror has for his objed the empty aggrandizement of his own name at

* It is worthy of remark, that at the very time with warlike (lores, under the command of Colonel

thefe petitions were prefented, a military force, Polfon and Captain (now Lord) Nclfon, failed

confifting of about 500 regulars befides volunteers, from Jamaica on an (xpedl'.ion agaiiiil tlit Spauifli

and feveral fmall ftiips of war and tranfports, with Main.
a good train of artillery, and fuitably provided

654 -^^' ^' 1780.

the expenfe of the ruin of millions. So oppofite are thefe two cha-
racflers *.

March 2i« — ^Twelve millions were raifcd for the fervice of govern-
ment by a loan, the fubfcribers to which received an annuity of ^4,
with a terminable one of /^i : 16 : 3 to continue" for eighty years, for
every /^i 00 paid in, together with a privilege of having four lottery
tickets at £10 each for every fubfcription of j(^i,ooo; the whole fum
to be raifed by the lottery being /'48o,ooo. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

The feveral a6ls, which prohibited carrying gold or filver coin to Ire-
land, were i-epealed. The Irilh were allowed to import foreign hops,
and to receive a drawback of the duty on Britifli. They were alfo
allowed to become members of the Turkey company, and moreover to
carry on a dired trade between Ireland and the Levant fea in the fame
manner as the Turkey company of England had hitherto exclufively
done. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 18.]

Several afts which were near expiring, were continued as follows.

The ad for fecuring to the Eaft-India company the exclufive trade to
India, and preventing Britifli fubjedls from trading thither under foreign
colours, continued to 25"> March 1781.

The ad for importing fait from Europe to Quebec, continued till
24'^' June 1785.

The ad for permitting the free importation of raw goat-ikins, continu-
ed till 20''' June 1785.

So much of the ad for allowing the exportation of limited quantities
of wheat to the fugar iflands and other places, as relates to the fugar
iflands, continued till i« May 178 1.

So much of the ad 17 Geo. Ill, c. 43, as relates to the exportation
of tobacco-pipe clay to the fugar iflands, continued till 24'h June 1783.
S^ioGeo. Ill, c. 19.]

The liberty of navigating Britifli fliips with foreign feamen, not
excceeding three fourths of their complement, was prolonged till 2$^
March 178 1. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 20.]

April — The chevalier de Pinto, the Portuguefe ambaflador, prefented
fome memorials complaining of infradions of the treaties between
Britain and Portugal, and remonflrating againft an additional duty pro-
pofed to be laid upon Portugal wines. The feveral articles of his com-
plaint were found to be frivolous, or unfupported by proof: and with
refped to the propofed duty on wine, it was anfwered, that, as the wines
of France would be affeded by it in the proportion, ftipulated in the

• The reader may compare Loch's EJfays on the of Scotland confidered, 8"" Edin. 1733, written by

trade, commerce, manufaSures, and fjler-es', of Scot- Mr. Lindfa) , alfo a merchant in Edinburgh and a

land, 8110 Edin. 1775 and 1778, with the fpicious, friend to the profperity of his country, when the

but miftaker (not ill-intended) arguroenti for pre- inftilled rage for the linen manufafture was in its

ferring the linen manufadture, urged in The inlcrejl youth and greateft vigour.

A. D. 1780. 655

commercial treaty with Portugal, his nation could have no juft caufe of

complaint.

Soon after the Europeans began to trade to China, the emperor
eftablifhed a co-hong, or company of merchants, confifling often hongs,
or mercantile houfes, and invefled them with an exclufive privilege of
tranfading all bufinefs with the Europeans, who were not permitted to
deal with any other Chinefe merchants, unlefs with their confent. The
co-hong were made conjundlly refponfible to the government and to the
foreign merchants. They fixed the prices of all goods, imported or to
be exported, and regulated the terms of all trade with foreigners : and
it is faid, they were never known to abufe fo extraordinary a power. In
the beginning of the year 1771 the co-hong was dilTolved : but the
officers of government at Canton declared, that no foreigner fhould do
any bufinefs but with the ten houfes formerly incorporated in the co-
hong, or fuch perfons as fhould be recommended by one of them, or by
one of the three principal linguifi;s ; and that if they dealt with any other
perfons, the government fhould not be anfwerable for any lofi^es they
might fuftain by trulling Chinefe traders.

The ten hongs now flrove to fupplant each-other in the favour of the
officers of government : and the property of Britifh fubjeds was lavifiied
in bribes (called prefents) to thofe officers, who confequently proteded
their favourite hongs againfl the complaints of the Europeans. As thofe
complaints were very frequent, the hong merchants procured a declara-
tion from the officers of government at Canton, that they would in
future receive no memorial or petition from any European, but fuch
as fhoitld be prefented by a hong merchant. The Britifh merchants at
Canton, finding themfelves thus fhut out from all pofllbility of obtain-
ing redrefs there, tranfmitted reprefentations of the lai-ge amount of
Britifli property, thus circumflanced in China, to their creditors in
London and Madras. The creditors in London applied to the diredors
of the Eaft-India company, who thought that the debt due to the Britiih
fubjedls in Canton ought, on account of its great amount *, to be con-
fidered as an objed of national concern. On the application of the
creditors in Madras, the commander of the Britifh fleet in the Indian
feas, lent a frigate to Canton two years fuccefiively to demand juflice
for the Britiih fubjeds in the name of his Britannic majefty. This
reiterated demand procured a curious mode of fettling the affair. The
debts due by two of the hong merchants being adjufled, with interefl to the
end of the feafon 1779-80, were found to amount to about /'4oo,ooo.
One half of that large fum was entirely lopped off; and payment of the
remainder was ordered to be made in ten years by annual inftaihnents,

* A letter from Canton, dated 15"* January the creditors in 1778 il.itcd it at jf i,oc;,cco : and
1780, Hated the amount of the debts to be Mr. Smith's acmnnt of tiic dtbts railed the tut;\l
3,808,075 dollavs : the memorial for the agents of to ^'2,025, 86j I'eiling.

656 A. D. 1780.

but without any intereft. The funds for the payments were not drawn
from the effefts of the two hongs, who were the defaulters, nor from
the exchequer of China, nor from any pubhc or private Chinefe pro-
perty; but from a new tax, laid, for the purpofe, upon the European
trade with China. The Chinefe government, I believe, jullified the
meafure by a law of the empire forbidding foreigners to make any loans
(which might perhaps be extended to giving credit in commercial
tranfadions) to any fubjecl of China : and thence they even claimed a
merit of generofity to the individual fufferers in doing what they did.
With refpedl to the debts due by another of the hongs, amounting to
near ^^400,000, a promife was made, that they fliould be put in a train
of fettlement, after the others {hould be paid off. But as to the debts
due by the red: of the hongs, no kind of promife of any fatisfadion
whatever could be obtained.

Upon this tranfadion a committee of the Eaft-Tndia company re-
marked, that, * It may appear extraordinary, but it is no lefs true, that
' the company have fuflained great injury from individuals having be-
' come the creditors of the Chinefe.' It may be added, that it was at
leafl: as extraordinary, that the Europeans fhould have been better ufed
in their commercial concerns by a company poffefling an exclufive
monopoly, than by the partners of that company competing individually
for the advantages of their trade.

April iy\ — ^The king pubHfhed a declaration announcing, that the
Dutch, by their negled or refiifal of furnilhing the fuccours ftipulated
by treaty, had deferted the alliance between Great Britain and the
republic ; and that thenceforth they fliould be confidered as in the
fituation of a neutral power, not privileged by treaty, and all the
advantages granted to their navigation and commerce in time of war
by the marine treaty of the year 1674 fhould be fufpended till further
orders *.

* The truth is, that the marine treaty of 1674 ' faid States to places under the obedience of the

appears to have been \ery loofely drawn up. The ' enemies of his faid Majefty.' It wat upon

third article, which declares what goods are to be this article that the Dutch founded their claim to

clleemed contraband, includes only artillery, am- an abfolute freedom of commerce. But there was

munition, arms, armour, foldiers, horfes, and their a fecret article, which exprefsly prohibited the

furniture : and the fourth article fays, that « all fubjefts of either power from furnilliing any (liips,

' provifion which fcrves for the nourifliment and foldiers, feamen, vifluah, money, injlrumenls of

« fuftenance of Ufe ; likewife all kind of cotton, -war, &c. to the enemies of either party. And

• hemp, flax, and pitch; and rope», fails, and this article, fo contradidlory to the other, was
' anchors ; alfo mails and planks, boards and what the Britifh ambaflador mlilled on in his re-
« beams of what fort of wood foe»er, and all other monftrance to the States-general, and was made

• materials rtquifite for the building or repairing the rule of conduft for out naval commanders, who

• (hips' ' Ihall be wholly reputed amongft free would, no douLt, conOder the materials of fhips as
' goods, even as all other wares and commodities, the mod important infirumcnts of war. See Chal-

• which are not comprehended in the next pre- mers': ColleSion of Ireal'ui, V. i, //>. 178, 179, or
' cedent article ; fo that the fame may be freely Andcrfon's brief^ account of this treaty under the

• tranfported and carried' « by the fubjefts of the year 1674. »

A. D. 1780. 657

May 4'" — The duties upon pot-aflies and other aflies, imported from
the continent of Europe, and ufed in manufadures, being found to be
a difcouragemenc to fome manufa(3:ures, were reduced to 2/ on pot-
aflies and pearl-aflies, and 6d. on wood and weed afhes, per hundred-
weight of 1 1 2 pounds. The ad to continue in force till 31'' May 1783.
[20 Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

The trade of Aberyftwyth being confiderably increafed, and larger
vefTels being employed in it than formerly, a number of gentlemen of
the neighbourhood were incorporated for the purpofe of deepening and
improving the harbour. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 26.]

The iflands of Grenada and the Grenadines being now under the
dominion of the French, an ad was palfed, proteding the property of
the Britifli fubjeds of thofe iflands, fliipped onboard neutral velTels for
neutral ports, againft being taken by Britifh fliips of war or privateers,
provided the whole cargo was taken in at the iflands, and the certificate
attefled by any five of a number of gentlemen named in the ad,
[20 Geo. in, c. 29.]

An additional duty of eight guineas was laid on every tun of French
wine or vinegar, and of four guineas on the wines and vinegars of other
countries. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 30.]

A great proportion of the Britifh mercantile fhipping being at this
time withdrawn from the purpofes of trade by being converted into
tranfports or privateers, it became almoll impoflible to find vefTels fuf-
ficient to export the corn, which was now very plentiful, that were legally
qualified to receive the bounty allowed on the exportation of it. It was
therefor enaded, that half the bounty fhould be allowed on the ex-
portation of corn in neutral vefTels preceding the 25"^ of March 178 1.
[20 Geo. Ill, c. 31.]

When the American colonies withdrew their allegiance from Great
Britain, and the eflablifhed form of government was confequently dif-
folved, thofe, who fucceeded to the adminiftration of affairs, either
wanted fufRcient energy, or were unwilling to run the rifk of giving
offence to the people by enforcing the coUedion of taxes fufTicient to
defray the public charges, and provide for the redemption of their bilU
of credit. Thefe by the extraordinary charges of the war increafed tq
an amount fo difproportionate to the funds for their redemption, that a
depretiation of their value foon took place, which, though fmall at the
beginning, increafed with fuch alarming rapidity, that at this iwciQ forty
paper dollars were given for one filver one. Indeed, it was difhcult, or
rather impoflible, to fix any flandard of value for them ; fo that no man
could know what he was doing in money matters, or could carry on
trade with any certainty or regularity, fuch money being no longer
a ftandard, whereby the value of any property or labour could be
afcertaiued.

Vol. III. 4 O

^5$ A. D. 1780,

Notwitliftanding the embarrafTments infeparable from the degrad-
ed ftate of the continental currency, the council and aflembly of Maf-
fachufets bay incorporated The Ainerican academy of arts and Jciences
for promoting improvements in agriculture, arts, manufadlures, and
commerce, and every art and fcience tending to advance the intereft,
honour, dignity, and happinefs, of a free, independent, and virtuous,
people (May 4*^). Even if fome of thefe expreflions might be afcribed
to oflentation and the eagernefs of the citizens of a young ftate to make
a parade of their independence, yet a friend of mankind muft be pleafed
to fee the arts, which polifh and improve human nature, and which
generally (hrink from the rude blall of war, attempt to raife their heads
amidfl its ftorms and ravages.

June 2''-8th — The metropolis was in the greatefl danger of utter de-
llrudion by conflagration. A mob, fuppofed to confift of about 50,000
perfons calling themfclves the Protejlant ajfociation, after prefenting to the
houfe of commons a petition, faid to be figned by above 100,000 people,
praying for the repeal of an ad:, which the more liberal policy of the
prefent age had induced the legiflature to pafs, for moderating the hard-
fhips impofed upon the Roman catholics by an adl of King William III,
proceeded to demolifh the Roman chapels, not fparing thofe of the
foreign ambafladors, kept the whole town in terrors, and trampled
under foot all law and authority. In refentment for the imprifonment
of fome of their companions, they fet the gaol of Newgate on fire, and
gave liberty to the prifoners of all defcriptions. Many of thefe im-
mediately took advantage of the general confufion to fet open fome of
the other prifons ; and then, reinforced by the abandoned inmates of
them, demolifhed the furniture, and every other kind of property they
could lay their hands on, belonging to Lord Mansfield, Sir John Field-
ing, and other magiflrates who were obnoxious to them. They threat-
ened to deftroy the bank, the inns of court, the palaces, and the arfenal
at Woolwich ; and they actually fet fire to the King's-bench and Fleei
prifons, New Bridewell, and many houfes in various quarters of the
town. The bank, the royal exchange, Gildhall, the inns of court, the
pofi;-office, S'. James's park, Hyde-park, and many private houfes, be-
came camps or garrifons for the army and militia, by whofe exertions
the rioters were at laft fupprefled, after keeping the town in the moft
defperate ftate of anarchy and diftrefs for a whole week. Such were the
Unhappy effeds of religious bigotry and intolerance.

June — Tobacco, the produce of the American colonies now at war
with the mother country, ufed frequently to be bought at the neutral
iflands in the Weft-Indies, and carried thence to fome of the Britifh
iflands, where it was refliipped for Britain. As it was thought advan-
tageous to receive it, even with the load of all the circuitous freight,
infurance, &c. the doubts, which had arifen concerning the legaUty of

A. D. i78o« 659

fuch importation, wei*e removed by parliament, and the tobacco im-
ported in Britifh veflels admitted to entry during tbe prefent hoftilities
on payment of i~ penny per pound of additional duty. [20 Geo. Ill,

An ad: was palled, for laying feveral additional duties on goods carried
from Britain to the ifland of Mann ; for allowing a drawback on teas
carried to it; for allowing veflels, not under 70 tuns*, carrying her-
rings from Mann to Madeira and the Mediterranean, to import wines
of any country, except France, diredl to Mann ; and containing alfo
feveral other regulations for the trade and fiihery of that ifland.
[20 Geo. Ill, c. 42.]

The navigation adl was fo far difpenfed with, that every member of
the Turkey company was allowed to import into Great Britain or Ire-
land in neutral veflels the goods ufually brought from the Turkifh
dominions till the i"'of June 1781 ; the danger of capture being fo
great, that the trade could not otherways be carried on. Cotton,
imported in foreign vefTels, was made liable to a duty of i^V penny per
pound, without being entitled to any drawback on exportation. [20
Geo. 111,^.45.]

Such places in America as were under the protection of the Britifh
arms were allowed to have a free commercial intercourfe with Great
Britain, Ireland, or any of the colonies acknowleging the fovereignty of
the mother country, [20 Geo. Ill, c. 46.]

Lord North made a motion in the houfe of commons, (21" March)
that notice Ihould be given to the Eafl-India company of the intention
of parliament to pay off the capital flock or debt of ^^4, 200, 000, to-
gether with the interefl upon it, due by the public to the company, on
the j'** of April 1783 agreeably to the power of redemption in the ad:
of parliament, and the flipulation of three years' notice ; after which the
company's exclufive privilege would expire. He faid, he had expeded,
that the company would have made fome fuitable offer of terms for the
renewal of their charter ; but, though the time was fo near, when it
would be necelTary for government to give notice of repayment, no pro-
pofal had hitherto been offered on the part of the company, which came
near to the expedation, or right, of the public, who were entitled either
to the whole of the territorial acquifitions and revenues, or, if the com-
pany were permitted to retain the monopoly of the trade, to a partici-
pation of the profits.

The terms propofed by the minifter for a renewal of the company's
exclufive privilege were, that they Ihould pay down /^ 1,000,000, and
alfo account to the public for three fourths of all the furplus of the
profits of their trade above a dividend of eight per cent, which they were

' Till now no vcfTcIs under loo tuns could import wines into the ifland.

4O2

65o

A. D. 17^0.

never to enlarge. By this propofal it is evident, that the company were
to ftand to the rifk of all lofles without any adequate profpeft of profit
(for it is to be obferved, that ;^8 was only the bare interefl at five per
cent upon the average price, which ;,^i 00 of India flock fold for about
this time, and lofTes in trade might reduce the dividend ftill lower) while
the public, without running any rifk at all, were to have, what would
in general be, the largefl ftiare of the profits.

In the courfe of the invefligation of the Eafl-India company's affairs
■upon this occafion, the following eflimate was made of the flate of their
joint property, or flock.

Original flock *

Bonds and other debts

Net furplus eflate,after

deduding original

flock, as well ,as

debts

;^3, 200,000
1,800,000

15,000,000

;;(^2O,O0O,O00

Property in India, 7 /•

above j^

Debt due by the 1 ^ ^^^ ^^^
, ,. •' > 4,200,000

public J ^

Effedls in England,

at leafl

13,000,000

2,800,000

;^20,000,000

From this flatement it was afferted, that, in the event of a diffolution
of the company, every fliare of ;^ioo original flock would be wortli
much more than ^^500 f .

The final fettlement of the bufinefs of the charter was poflponed for
the prefent by a temporary ad of parliament, whereby

July 3" — The Eafl-India company were allowed to retain the entire
revenue arifing from the territorial acquifitions in India, though their
debt to the public of /^i, 400,000 was paid off, and their bond debts
reduced to, or under, /^i, 500,000, till the 5"^ of April 1781, and till
then to make dividends not exceeding eight per cent per annum ; the
furplus revenues and profits being referved for the difpofal of a future
agreement between the public and the company, who are laid under the
fame rellridions with refpecl to accepting bills from India, the govern-
ment of their fettlements, fubmitting the flate of their affairs to the
lords of the treafury, and the difpofal of their funds, as by the preced-
ing ads (13 Geo. Ill, c. 64. — 19 Geo. III^ c. 61) with the exception of

* The fubfcribed (lock was jf 3, 200,000. But ;C5'9^3'S'7' exclufive of their pofrcffions abroad

all the iiittallments paid in by the fubfcribers and at home, their forts, their houfe in Leadenhall

amounted only to 874- per cent, being ;(^2, 800, 000; ftrcet, warehoufes, &c. all which were valued at

and the ftock-holders are ftill liable to a call above /;'7,coo,ooo more; their whole property of

for the remaining \i\ per cent, amounting to every kind being by this eftimate fomewhat under

jf4OO,000. \_Accoiint prefcnied ly the company to jf 13,000,000, inftead of ;f l8,200,000. It is

parlmmtnt, in 1784.]

■J- But by another flatement, laid before the
C( mpany on the 9"' November, the net balance of eftimatioa
their ftock iu England, India, and China, was only

evident that the valuation of many branches of
their property can only be mad« by arbitrary

A. D. 1780. 661

being indemnified for expending a large fum in building three fhips of
74 guns tobe prefented to the public. [20 Geo. JII, c. ^.'\

The company were alio indulged with time for receiving the draw-
back on the exportation of fome coffee, imported in the year 1775,
beyond the period limited by law. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 58.]

The ufe of copper fheathing being now univerfal in the navy, that
metal came to be confidered as a part of military (lores, and as fuch,
it became an objedl of the attention of the legiflature, that it Ihould be
carefully guarded againfl the rifk of capture by the enemy. The ex-
portation of it, and even the carriage of it by water from one port of
Britain to another, were therefor ftridly prohibited. [20 Geo. Ill,

^- 59-]

The whale filhery In the Greenland feas, and that in the Gulf of
S^ Laurence, being under different regulations, the latitude of 59" 30
was fixed as the legal limit between them. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 60.]

For the advantage of trade and the honour of this kingdom, the re^i-
wards held out for the difcovery of the longitude, or improvements in
the calculation of it, were continued. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 6r.]

Among the articles of public expenditure the only one meriting to be
noted here is that, which gave ^^i 0,000 this year, inflead of the cuflom-
ary ^^5,000, to the Levant, or Turkey, company. [20 Geo. Ill, c. 62.]

July 4"" — As fome counterpolfe to the unfriendly operations of the
Dutch and the apprehended effeds of the Northern armed neutrality, a
negotiation was entered into with the king of Denmark for an explanation
of the 1 6'*^ article of the treaty of alliance and commerce between Great
Britain and Denmark in the year 1670, wherein the fpecies of goods,
prohibited to be carried by the fubjeds of either of the contracting fo-
vereigns to the enemies of the other had been fuperficially defcribed
under the general name of contrabanda. It was now agreed that, befides
all kinds of artillery, ammunition, arms, armour, foldiers, horfes and
their furniture, they fliould alfo include, under the denomination of
contraband, timber for fhip-building, pitch, tar, rofin, copper in flieets,
fails, canvafs, cordage, and in general every article ufed in fitting out
fhips ; excepting only iron in a rougji ftate, and fir planks. But it
was exprefsly declared, that fifii and meat, whether frefla or faked, grain
and fiour of all kinds, oil, wine, and all other articles for the nourifh-
ment and fuftenance of life, fhould be freely carried to any port be-
longing to the enemies of the other party, provided it is not in a fiate
of blockade *.

July 17'^ — The parliament of Ireland, having refolved to encourage
the cultivation of flax and the manufadure of linen in their own coun-
try, repealed the bounties payable on the importation of flax-feed, and

• The original is publiflicd by Mr. Chalmers in his CollcS'wn of treaties, V. i, /. 97.

662 A. D. 1780.

applied the annual average amounts thereof, together with that of a new
duty now laid on lint-feed oil imported, to encourage the growth of flax-
feed and hemp-feed in Ireland, and alfo to give bounties on the export-
ation of certain fpecies of Irifh linens to Africa, America, Spain, Por-
tugal, Gibraltar, and Minorca ; and to Irifh fail-cloth exported to any
place except Great Britain. It was faid that native feed was found to
be better and more certain than that which is imported, and it was
evidently the interefl: of the Irifh to give every reafonable encourage-
ment to the internal produdion of materials', on which their flaple
manufadure depends, and to which their foil and cUmate are peculiarly
fuitable.

In the courfe of an examination into this fubjed by the lords of trade
it appeared, that the Britifh bounties given on the exportation of Irifh ■
linens had operated in the following proportions.

In 1743, the firfl year of the bounty, the Irifh linens exported from

England were - - 4o>907 yards

1753 - - 1, 039.967

1763 - - 2,588,564

1773 - - 2,832,246

It may be obferved that the increafe was aided by enlarged duties
on foreign linens, which took place during that time ; though fuch
duties are faid to have operated to the prejudice of our own woollen
trade by inducing foreign powers to lay reciprocal burthens and re-
ftridions on our manufadures.

The whole Irifh linens imported into London and the out-ports of
England were in 1 743 - 6,418,375 yards

1773 - 17,876,617

The total value of linens exported from Ireland, was

in 1741 - - £^So,si6

1751 - - 75i>993

1761 - - 803,258

1771 - - 1,691,787

and it is eflimated, that about feven eighths of the whole quantity ex-
ported comes to Great Britain.

That this great increafe was more owing to the fyflem of bounties
and duties, than to the general increafe of our trade, appears from the
decreafe of the imports and exports of foreign linens at the fame periods
in London and the out-ports of England, which were as follows.

Imported. Exported.

18.584,5036115 in 1743 9,894,837 ells.

8,954,649 1773 4,385,276

iecreafe 9,629,854 * 5»509,56i

A. D. 1780. 66^

The exports of Britifh linens entitled to bounty were

in 1743 - - 52,779 yards

1753 - - 641,510

1763 - -. 2,308,310

1773 . 7 - 3-279.808

befides which the increafe in the exportation of the finer linens, not
entitled to bounty, has been nearly as great in value, though not in
quantity *.

Upon the whole, the lords of trade gave it as their opinion, that the
bounties propofed by the Irifh parliament for encouraging the growth
of flax-feed and hemp-feed in Ireland ' cannot affed the interefts of the

* linen trade of this kingdom, and are, fofar as bounties may in any cafe

* be expedient^ wifely and providently applied by thefe new proviflons to

* promote the intereft of the Irifh linen trade.' — that the expenfes upon
the importation of Irifli linens to be exported from Britain amount to
5^ per cent, and that confequently, the bounties being equalized in the
two kingdoms, the Irifli exporter will have an advantage of 54- per cent
over the Britifli exporter: but the long credits to be given in foreign
markets, the uncertainty of returns, the inability of the Irifli merchant
to aflbrt his cargoes with the vaft variety of manufadures and foreign
goods to be found in England, together with the difficulty of diverting
any trade from its accuftomed channel, will long bear hard on the ad-
venturers ; though an exifting operative advantage in favour of any
branch of trade muft in all probability ultimately effedl its eftablifli-
ment. Should any inconvenience to the trade of Great Britain proceed
from the expedted fuperiority of the export linen trade of Ireland, they
obferve, that, notwithfl;anding the combined operation of bounties and
duties, amounting to near 15 percent, the foreign manufafliirers are
ftill enabled to keep up a competition, efpecially in the finer linens;
and that a fmall redudion of the duties would therefor bring them as^
cheap as ever to Great Britain, and with advantage to the revenue.
' It might probably, too, obtain in return a larger confumption of

* woollen manufadures and other goods upon the continent of

* Europe.'

' Having obferved, that our fyftem of linen bounties and linen

* duties, though pojjibly in many cafes exceptionable in the great fc ale of co?n-
' mercial policy, has proved an eflential encouragement to the Irifli ftaple,'
they fay, ' we think it right to add, that it has alfo been the means of

annua

For a more particular account of the linens land, and thofe moftly of the fined quality. The

aally exported from England to the end of the lords of trade have reckoned the home confumpt

year 1771, &c. fee ahove, p. 515. It is worthy as at Icq^ft four fifths. In the copy of this Report

of obfervation, that, from a comparifon of the publifhed by Lord Sheffield in his Obfervations on

Eno-lifh imports and exports of Irilh linens, it ap- the trade of Ireland the number of yards of Britiili

pears, that four fifths, or perhaps feven eighths of bounty linen exported i[i 1773 is 5,235,266; ap-

the whole were confuraed by the people of Eng- parently a typographical erioi.

664 A. D. 1780.

* Jorcitig forward an extenfive linen manufadure In this kingdom,

* though Jli'uggl'ing under a great difddvantuge as to the growth andfupply of
' the razv material*.''

Auguft 8'" — The outward-bound fleets for the Eaft and Weft Indies,
under the convoy of a fliip of 74 guns and two frigates, were met by
tlic combined fleets of France and Spain, which almoft furrounded
them. Our ftiips of war efcaped : but five Eaft-India ftiips and forty-
feven Weft-India fliips were taken. The fliips and their cargoes were
of fuch value, that, it is fuppofed, fo rich a capture was never before
made upon the ocean ; and it certainly was one of the fevereft blows,
that ever the commerce of Great Britain iuftained.

In the fummer of 1776 Captam Cook failed on a third voyage of dif-
covery in his former fl:iip the Refolution, accompanied by the Difcovery,
which was commanded by Captain Clerke. In this, as in the former
voyages, the officers were men of fcience, as well as navigators : and. in
addition to the naval eftablifliment, Mr. Bailey again embarked as aftro-
nomer ; Mr. Webber, a German artift, was engaged as painter ; and
Mr. Anderfon, who had already made the circuit of the globe as fur-
geon of the Refolution, took upon him the obfervations in the depart-
ments of natural hiftory and philology. The chief objedl of this voyage,
befides the improvement of the geography of the globe for the fervice
of navigation and commerce, was to explore the north-weft coaft of
America, and, if poflible, to' return home by the fuppofed north-weft
paffage, or by the fea which feparates the north part of the continent
of America from Europe and Afia. Another objed of the voyage was
to fupply fome of the iflands of the Pacific ocean with feveral kinds of
ufeful animals and vegetables, which, if they are allowed to multiply,
will add, not only to the comforts of the iflanders to whom they are
given, but alfo afford reftorative nouridiment to fuch navigators, as
opening views of commerce may afterwards induce to refort to thofe
illands.

After vifiting fome of his former difcoveries and feveral new-found
ifiands in the Pacific ocean, he arrived on the weft coaft of America in
the latitude of 44" 2>3 north, whence he ranged along the whole of that
extenfive coaft, and having furveyed every opening which promifed any
probability of a paifage to the Atlantic, he at laft arrived at the ftrait
which feparates America from Afia, pafled through it, and failed in the
Frozen ocean, till the accumulation of ice rendered a farther progrefs
impradicable. After his return from the Frozen ocean, in order to pafs
the winter in a temperate climate, this moft illuftrious navigator, un-

* Notwithftanding the fcvcre ccnfures thrown me to fee, the idea, I ventured to Aiggeft in a note

out in the houfe of commons by Mr. Burke in p. 5 1 7, fupported by the judgement of men of

a<^ainil the Kirds of trade for their deficiency in fvich eminent abihtJes, as thofe who then compofed

•oMmercial knowlcge, it is no finaU fatisfadtioa to that board. i

A. D. 1780. 66^

fortunately for the world, loft his life at Ovvhyhee, one of the iflands
difcovered in this voyage, by the hands of the natives, with whom he
had previoufly been on the moft friendly terms. After his death
Captain Gierke made a fecond attempt to penetrate the Frozen ocean,
and met with a fecond repulfe from the ice ; which is a fufficient proof,
that, though there is no reafon to doubt that there is a fea unobftruded
by land between the old and new continents, yet the pi-odigious raafles
of ice, which are fcarcely ever thawed, oppofe an everlafting bar, as in-
fuperable as the moft folid mountains of rock, to the efforts of the
navigator.

In ranging along the coaft of America Captain Cook difcovered
Nootka found, fince become famous from the difputes with Spain con-
cerning it, and as being the carlieft, and principal, feat of our fur trade
on that coaft, the firft fruits of which were gathered in this voyage.
And during the courfe of the voyage plans for the moft advantageous
profecution of that lucrative trade were projected by Captain Cook, and^
after his death digefted and matured by Captain King *.

At the Ruflian harbour of S'. Peter and S'. Paul on the eaft coaft of
Kamtfchatka, where the navigators were treated with the moft generous
hofpitality by Colonel Behm the governor, the oflScers, and inhabitants,
they obferved, that, even in that remoteft corner of the habitable earth,
the manufadures of this country made a principal part of their im-
ported conveniencies f .

The two ftiips having loft both their captains, arrived in Britain
under the command of Meflleurs Gore and King, who had embarked
as firft and fecond lieutenants of the Refolution, in the month of
Odober 1780.

This brief account of Captain Cook's laft expedition ought not to be
clofed without making honourable mention of the liberality and gener-
ofity of the French government, and, in imitation of them, of the
Spaniards and Americans, who gave orders to all their fliips of war and
privateers, in cafe of meeting with the two weather-beaten fhips which
had for fo many years encountered the hardfhips of every climate, by
no means to. offer to mole ft them, but rather to give them every
friendly afliftance in their power. Such conduct is a ftriking mark of
the diftindion between the humanized warfare of modern enlightened-
nations, and the indifcriminate maffacres of the barbarians of former

*See Cooi's Third voyage, V: \\, p. 401 ; V. iii, Philofophlcal tranfad'wns /vjt le&rn, that Mr. Bogit,

/. 438. when at the court of the Lama of Thibet, in tht

t Captain King dwells with great fatisfaflion interior part of Alia, faw tlicre many European

on the plcafing ideas of home excited in liim by picliircs, lookingglaircs, ^and trinkets of gold,

the fight of an old_ pewter fpoon with the word filvcr, and Heel, chiefly Englifli, which he had rc-

London flamped on the back of it. Indeed there ceived by means of the Tartar fubjcd^s of Ruffia,

is fcarcely any part of the world, to which Bvirifli and particularly a Graliam's repeating watch,

manufattures have not found their way. Fiom which had been dead, as they faid, for fomt.

Mr. Stewart's letter to Sir John Pringle {in the time.

Vol. III. 4 P

6li A. D.I 7 80.

ages. And fuch was the honourable teftimony of applaufe beftowed by
foreigners upon the Britifli voyages of fcience ; voyages, wherein (hips
of war were employed, not for the deftrudion, but for the general ferv-
ice, of mankind ; and which conferred a dignity on all concerned in
them, not excepting even thofe who embarked in the lower ftations,
feveral of whom were fo far ennobled by having failed under Cook, that
they afterwards became principals in fcientific refearches in every
quarter of the globe.

No man ever extended the fcience of geography, that fcience fo
fundamentally and eflentially ufeful to extenlive navigation, more than
Cook, or was a greater ornament to it. To him we are indebted for
the difcovery, or the improved knowlege, and accurate pofition, of
mofl of the iflands, which have lately been added to the geography of
the world, whereby our modern navigators are emboldened to double
the formerly-tremendous Cape Horn, and traverfe the vaft Pacific ocean,
with lefs danger than their predeceflbrs of the fifteenth century incurred
in llretching acrofs the Bay of Bifcay ; and alfo for the chief informa-
tion refpeding the manners and language of that widely-difperfed race
of people, who occupy the innumerable iflands fcattered between the
eaft coaft of Africa and the weft coaft of America ; an extent of more
than half the circumference of the globe. To him we are indebted for
the complete and final decifion of the grand queftion, which for ages
had agitated the minds of fpeculative philofophers and clofet voyagers,
upon the neceffary exiftence of a great fouthern continent : and in his
laft voyage the repeated difappointment in attempting to navigate the
oppofite polar feas, together with the then-afcertained vicinity of
America and Afia, very nearly amounted to a demonftration, that the
long-looked-for northern pailage is equally vifionary. ' The method,

* which he difcovered, and fo fuccefsfully purfued, of preferving the
' health of feamen, forms a new aera in navigation, and will tranfmit
' his name to future ages amongft the friends and benefactors of man-

* kind. It was referved for Captain Cook to ftiew the world, that

* voyages might be protraded to the unufual length of three, or even
' four, years in unknown regions, and under every change and rigour

* of climate, not only without aflfeding the health, but even without

* diminiftiing the probability of life in the fmalleft degree*.* If he
had never conferred any other benefit on mankind, for this alone

His nameJJjall live as long as (he ocean JJjall be navigated.

* Thefe are tlie words of Captain King-, who to his other great aud ufeful talents, making a very

wrote the remainder of the voyage, contained in refpcftable figure as an author. And here it is

the third \olume, after the death of his rcfpedcd proper to obferve, that the account of the laft

commander. The account of the preceding part voyage in three volumes quarto, with a fplendld

of the voyage, contained iu the two firft volumes, accompaniment of illuftrative and ornamental

is written by Captain Cook himfelf ; as is alfo the plates, was publiflied at the national expenfe, as a

account of his fecond voyage, publifhed in two public tribute of refpefl to the memory of the

■volumes quarto. Thus we find Cook, in addition worthy commander.

A. D. 1780. 667

As being conneded with Captain Cook's laft voyage, I have deferred
till now the mention of two attenapts to find a pafTage from Baffin's bay-
to the weftward. The firfl was conduced by Lieutenant Pickerfgill in.
the armed brig Lion during the fummer of 1776 ; and the fecond was
undertaken by Lieutenant Young in the fame vefTel in the following
fummer : and the objeft of both was to endeavour to penetrate to the
Pacific ocean, in hopes to meet with Cook coming from it. It is al-.
mofl needlefs to add, that neither of thefe voyages produced any dif-
covery.

Odober 3"^ — It pleafed God to vifit the fugar colonies with one of the
moft tremendous hurricanes that had ever afflidled the Weft-Indies. In
Jamaica it attacked the leeward (or weftern) end of the ifland in con-
jundion with an earthquake and an inundation of the fea, which with
one fudden fweep carried away the whole town of Savanna-la-mar (a
place of confiderable trade) fo completely, that fcarcely a veftige of a
building was to be feen after the retreat of the water *. In the whole
of the two weftern paridies of Weftmoreland and Hanover, and in the
adjacent parts of S'. James's and S*. Elizabeth's, very few houfes, trees,
or plants of any kind, were left ftanding. Many white people and
negroes, and vaft numbers of cattle, perifhed, and thofe who furvived
were deftitute of flicker, clothing, and food. General Bailing, governor
of the ifland, as foon as he knew of the defolation, afl^embled the mer-
chants of Kingfton, who, with a generofity worthy of the charaders of
Britons and Weft-Indians, immediately fent a fupply of neceflaries, to
the value of /^io,ooo to the reUef of the unhappy fufferers. In the
parifli of Weftmoreland, which comprehends Savanna-la-mar, the dam-
age was computed by a committee, appointed for that purpofe, to
amount to/^950,000 Jamaica currency (^^678, 571 : 8 : 7 fterlingf.)

Ocftober lo""-!!'" — In Barbados the hurricane deftroyed almoft every
houfe in Bridgetown, which was juft recovering from the effeds of two
dreadful fires, and alio moft of the houfes in the fmaller towns and on
the plantations all-over the ifland. All the fruits of the earth of every
kind were deftroyed. Nearly one half of the cattle, 2,033 flaves, and a
great number of white people and free people of colour, were killed.
The whole damage done to the property in the ifland was ftated at
;^i,32o,564 : 15 : o fterling. The fliips at anchor fortunately got out
to fea. One good confequence refulting from this calamity was, that

* It may be nccefTary to obferve, to thofe who publiflied his Hiftory of the Weft-Indies (1793)

have never feen any lioufes but fuch as are built Savanna-Ui-mar was fo far recovered as to contain

with Ilone or brick, tliat the town was built en- from 60 to 70 houfes.

tirely of wood ; fo that the houfes were as liable f The fufferers of Jamaica and Barbados alfo

to be floated off from the ground on which they got fome relief from parliament in the enfuing/ ,

flood by an inundation, as veflels lying aground are year, as will be obferved in its place,
by the flowing of the tide. — When Mr. Edwards

4 P 2

668 A. D. 1780.

the negroes were thenceforth treated with more tendernefs, and feveral
machines for abridging their labour were introduced *.

In Tobago the hurricane was but flightly felt, and did no great
damage.

In Grenada, now under the dominion of France, it made great de-
folation : and it alfo produced fome benefit as an alleviation of the
calamity. The devaftations committed in this ifland by the carnivorous
ants, and the inefFedual attempts to deftroy them, have already been
related (p. 6io). They had lately decreafed in confequence of the
decreafe of the canes, their principal (helter, as many of the planters
had been compelled by their ravages to abandon the cultivation of
fugar. But their complete extermination was now effedled by the hur-
ricane, which tore up the trees, canes, and other plants, under which
they burrowed, and let the water in upon them, which drowned them
all. Thus did a dreadful fcourge operate in fome degree as a blefling
by relieving the ifland from the continual ravages of thofe invincible
vermin f.

All-over the Wefl-India feas vail numbers of fhips of war and mer-
chantmen belonging to different nations were loft. Of the crews of two
of our frigates wrecked on the coaft of Martinique only thirty-one men
efcaped alive, and they were immediately fent to Commodore Hotham
at S'. Lucia by the generofity of the marquis de Bouille, who declared,
he could not confider as prifoners of war men whom the fury of the
elements had thrown defencelefs upon the fliore of his government.

The powers of Europe had long beheld with eyes of envy and
jealoufy the naval fuperiority of Great Britain ; and they hoped, that
the fecefllon of the revolted colonies of America, and the alliance of
France and Spain with them, would be fully fufficient to humble the
power of this country, which ftood unfupported by a fingle ally. But
when it appeared, that the maritime force of Great Britain alone was
capable of maintaining the arduous conflid: againft the fleets of France,
Spain, and America, and that even the Britiih privateers conftituted a
naval force fuflScient to curb the attempts of the fubjecls of the neutral
powers to convey warlike ftores to the enemies of Great Britain, a plan
was formed for a more extenfive, and more powerful, oppofition to,
what was called, the maritime tyranny of Great Britain.

Ruflia is a vaft empire, which can pour forth a mofl: formidable
army, but which the hand of Nature has fliut up from ever becoming
a maritime power, or having any immediate connection with the ocean,
except in the frozen regions of it, and the almoft-unnavigated northern
extremity of the Pacific. Neverthelefs, the emprefs of Ruflia, whom

* See the anfwers from Barbados in the Report Cailles Efq'. in a letter to General Melville F. R. S.
if the privy council upon thejlave trade. in the Philofoph. Tranfadions, V. Ixxx,/. 34.6.

f See Obftrvationi on the fugar ants by John

A. D. 1780. 669

Great Britain had numbered among the friendly powers, and whofe
fubjeds certainly derived a principal part of their commercial emolu-
ments from the trade of this country, now took it upon her to didate
a new code of maritime laws, very unfriendly to the interefls and power
of Great Britain, and, in fhort, to aflert the empire of the fea.

The emprefs having previoufly fecured the concurrence of her neigh-
bours (for ihe was not willing to expofe herfelf fingly to the refentment
of Great Britain, however encumbered already with powerful enemies)
iflued a declaration (February 26"') addrelTed to the courts of London,
Verfailles, and Madrid *, wherein, after the ufual preliminary profeflions
of juftice, equity, and moderation, her ftriil regard for the rights of neu-
trality and the liberty of commerce, fhe complained, that her fubjeds
had been often molefted in their navigation by the Ihips of the
belligerent powers f ; and Ihe proceeded to lay before all Europe the
principles adopted by her, which fhe found ' contained in the laws of
' the primitive people,' and are comprifed in the following points.

I) That neutral fhips fhall enjoy a free navigation, even from port to
port, and on the coafts, of the belligerent powers.

II) That all effeds, belonging to the fubjeds of the faid belligerent
powers, (hall be looked upon as free onboard fuch neutral {hips, except
only fuch goods as are flipulated to be contraband.

III) That her Imperial Majefty, for the proper undei-ftanding of this,
refers to the articles X and XI of her treaty of commerce with Great
Britain:}:, extending her obligations to all the other beUigerent powers.

IV) That in order to determine what characterizes a port blocked up,
that denomination fhall not be granted, but to fuch places, before which
there are adually a number of enemy's fhips ftationed near enough to
make its entry dangerous.

V) That thefe principles fhall ferve as rules in the judicial proceed-
ings and fentences upon the legality of prizes.

And then, after announcing, that fhe had ordered a confiderable part
of her naval forces to proted the honour of her flag, and the fecurity
of the commerce and navigation of her fubjeds, againft whomfoever,
without, however, deviating from the llridefl neutrality, moderation,
and impartiality, fhe concluded by inviting the belligerent powers to
contribute to the accomplifhment of her iiilutary views, and to give
inftrudions to their courts of admiralty and commanders, conformable
to the above principles ' drawn from the primitive codes of peoples.'

The new code of maritime laws was fpeedily communicated to all the
courts of Europe. It was greatly applauded by the kings of France and

* It is not unreafonable to fiippofe, that it was ment, that not a fiiiglc Ruffian fliip had ever been

preconcerted wiih the courts of Verfailles and detained by any of our cruifers.
Madrid, and probably alfo with the Dutch. % For thefe articles fee the account g;v>;n of that

t We muft fuppofe, that (lie only meaned, that treaty in p. II9.
they were ejoimined. It was declared in parlia-

6f6 A. D. 1780.

Spain ; and a civil anfwer, with profeflions of friendfhip, was returned
by the king of Great Britain. The king of Denmark fent declarations
to the courts of London, Verfailles, and Madrid, wherein he adopted
almolT: the very words ufed by the emprefs : and the king of Sweden
fent a limilar declaration to the fame courts, and alfo, in concert with
the emprefs, improved the plan of an alliance comprehending the three
northern powers, and inviting the acceflion of all others, the operations
of which, they declared, were to be confined to the fea, and were to be
enforced againfl all nations, who fhould prefume to violate the articles
agreed upon by the contrading powers, who immediately put in com-
niifTion a very refpedablc fleet confifting of above eighty (hips of war.
Such was the commencement of the armed neutrality, which hence-
forward detached a naval force to proteft each fleet of the merchant
fliips belonging to the powers united in the confederacy. And it was
not long before a new phoenomenon appeared on the fouth coafl: of
England. A Ruffian fquadron of five ftiips of the line and a frigate
aftually arrived in the Channel, in order to give efficacy to the regula-
tions of the emprefs and her allies, or, indeed, to rule the Britifh fea.

The Dutch muft have been very well pleafed to behold thefe pro-
ceedings of the northern powers, as they were at leafl: as much inter-
efted in the objed of their alliance as any of them ; yet, fuch is the
charaderift:ic tardinefs of their refolutions, that they did not accede to
the armed neutrality till the 20"" of November.

The treaty between the American ftates and the Dutch, figned in
September 1778, which had ever fince been mod cautioufly kept fecret,
was accidentally difcovered by the capture of an American veflel,
(September 1780) onboard which Mr. Laurens, late prefident of the
congrefs, had taken his paflage in the quality of ambaflador to the
States-general. A flrong memorial was thereupon given in to the
States-general by the Britilh ambaflador (November lo'*'), demanding
that an exemplary punifliment ftiould be inflided on the penfionary
Van-Berkcl and his accomplices, as difturbers of the public peace, and
violators of the rights of nations. But the States-general being in no
hurry to comply with the ambaflador's demand, the Britifti government
immediately determined on hofliilities ; and a manifefto was publiflied
(December 20'''), which, after charging them with many ads of enmity,
gave notice, that ' fuch vigorous meafures, as the occafion fully jufti-
' fies,' fliould immediately be purfued. Accordingly commiflions of
reprifals againfl: the Dutch were iflhed at the fame time. All their
^efl^els in our harbours were detained : and in a few days, many of their
fliips, unapprifed of the commencement of hoflilities, were taken in the
adjacent narrow feas.

Thus was Great Britain involved in hoflilities with no lefs than four
great maritime powers, each one of whom poflefl'ed a greater marine

A. D. 1780. 671

force than any other nation in the world unconnedted with the war j
while even thofe called neutral nations kept up a very confiderablc
navy with defigns at bell not friendly to Great Britain. And all this
formidable combination (for fuch it may be juftly called) of all the
fhips of the Ocean did not llaake the maritime power of this one
ifland.

Mr. Alexander Fordyce, in a petition to the lords of the treafury,
reprefented, that he had invented a method of extracting from fea and
rock fait a marine acid and a mineral or foffile alkali of the nature of
barilla, fit for the purpofes of foap-makers, bleachers, calico-printers,
and glafs-makers : that he had eftabliflied a manufadure at South
Shields, and propofed to eflablifli another on the weft foaft of England,
if government would exempt him from the very heavy duty payable on
fait, for which he adduced feveral precedents in fimilar cafes. But he
alleged, that it would be utterly impofhble to carry it on, if the fait, of
which three tuns are expended in procuring one tun of pure alkali, is
loaded with a duty of 800 per cent above the price of fait in France, or
even in Ireland, in both which countries the price of labour is much
lower than in England. He ftated the value of foreign alkali annually
confumed in the manufadures of England and Ireland at ^^400,000 *,
befides what is expended in Scotland, and was confident, that the whole
of that fum might be faved to the kingdom by enabling him to carry
on his works free of the duty; but that the whole advantage mufl be
utterly loft, if the exemption is denied to him, as he muft be ruined, if
he were to perfift in it on fuch difadvantageous terms.

In the year 1712 the port of Harwich had only three filhing fmacks
of about 30 or 40 tuns burthen, carrying in all about 20 men and boys.
In a few years after the perfevering exertions of Richard Orlibar, the
owner and raafter of one of them, in extending his voyages to the
Cromar and Dogger banks, encouraged them to attempt to come in for
a (hare with the Dutch in the fupply of frefh fifh at the London mar-
ket. About the year 1 770, by means of an Englifliman who had been
in the Dutch fifhery, they acquired the method of ufing long fines in
the winter. By the fuccefs attending thefe improvements the filhing
fmacks of Harwich gradually increafed in number and fize ; and this
year there were fevcnty-two of from 45 to 55 tuns, carrying on an
average 4 men and 5 or 6 apprentices each f . It is computed that they
fupply the metropolis with about 2,000 tuns weight of cod, haddocks,
whitings, holibut, fkate, and coal-filh, frelh or falted. They complain
of the reftridions and duties upon fait, which frequently oblige them
to throw away their fiflr rather than cure them, and of the charges at

» In the cudom-houfe books the value is ftated f The fifhery declined from the year 1780;
to be ;^350,oco ; and it pays on entry a duty of and in 1785 the number of fmacks was reduced
itboiit ;fii,ii6. * to 58.

§J2

A. D. 1780.

the coaft-office in London. The Dutch rival them in the fupply of
the London market with 40 or 50 veflels from 30 to 70 tuns, and by
long experience they have attained the art of feeding the market with
fuch nice and fparing exadnefs, as enables them to keep up a continual
exorbitant price.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England - 6,689 veflels of the reputed burthen of 534,512 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,493 - _ - 84,341

Total

8,182

618,853

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain,
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Britifh. I) Foreign. || Total.

from

Vessels.

Inward - | 5,170
Outward - | 7,443

Tuns.

574,934
731,0261

Vessels.
2,015

1,395

228,496
154,111

Vessels.

7>i85
8,838

Tuns.
803.430
885,137

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the \Vefl:-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was from the cuftom-houfe in London - ^2,712,920 8 o

and from the cuftom-houfe in EdinbuLTgh - 11,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain ^^2,723,920 8 Q
There was no money coined this year.

The official value of the imports and exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1779 to Chriftmas 1780 was as follows.

Countries, &c.
Africa

Denmark, &c.

East country

East-India

Flanders

France

Germany

Greenland

Holland

Ireland

Mann

Italy

Madeira

Poland

Prussia

Portugal

Russia

Spain

Straits

Gibraltar

Sweden

Turkey

Venice

Guernsey, &c.

America in general

Hudson's bay

Newfoundland

Quebec

Kova Scotia

New England

New York

Pennsylvania

Carolina

Georgia

Florida

West-Indies in general

Antigua

Barbados

Bermuda

Grenada

Jamaica

Montserrat

Nevis

St. Christophers

St. Vincent*

Tobago

Tortola

New Providence

Bay of Honduras

Musquito shore

St. Croix

St. Eustathius

Curasao

St. Lucia

Foreign West-Indies

Northern fishery

Southern fishery

Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain

Vol. III.

Imported into ||

Exported

from

ENGLAMD.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

3^21,689 0

7

^195,907 14

0

86,731 4

4

^24,843 8

10

156,125 19

6

e^22,125 2 e

299,832 4

9

60,285 18

3

970,726 9

1,116,341 11

4

873,160 12

11

1,535,849 4

10

4,283 4

3

5,744 0

0

685,110 5

0

10,423 8

1

1,017,820 2

7

11,513 4 3

38,158 17

6

1,440 0

0

165 0

0

643,327 15

3

117,095 10

1

1,151,064 14

0

95,239 1 2

1,549,387 11

3

194,030 6

5

1,030,338 7

4

298,046 4 3

13,970 3

6

2,734 15

7

20,194 8

6

884 5 3

80,405 6

3

1,704 10

2

312,600 3

2

3,437 9 0

2,612 5

4

11,225 14
7,214 9

6

51,907 15

5

904 11 8
73 0 0

522,393 18

2

28,608 15

1

459,673 16

10

1,520 18 7

1,150,429 12

11

203,423 8

5

161,031 10

5

7,098 19 4

86,398 9

4

469 19

3

1,362 19

10

8,532 0

3

AQ 5

5

46,836 17

7

651 17 4

144,180 17

1

21,194 0

6

49,678 10

5

1,270 13 1

2,463 6

6

1,797 11

7

85,526 17

7

28,864 10

11

130,867 7

3

3,808 8
83,913 13

4
9

70,037 10

2

1,485 17 4
254,386 0 11

15,017 10

4

3,622 10

4

100,257 4

5

102,640 13

6

3,498 3

4

486,419 17

1

711 11

6

244,158 6

4

32 2

7

15,532 9

3

496,602 7

5

36 19

4

7O8 4

0

236,940 16

2

2,351 6

4

91,888 4

8

16,486 8

0

165,421 4

2

54,760 13

2

296,357 14 2

57,120 5

8

106,703 19

3

120,384 1

6

254,847 18

5

1,229 13

10

15,556 18

9

25,063 4

1

1,541,575 3

11

728,659 10

11

44,696 1

2

11,075 4

5

45,796 2

6

17,745 a

2

323,445 5

5

207,562 14

8

7 4

4

78,927 5

3

27,916 11

0

49,023 6

5

25,379 4

9

40O 8

4

14 1

0

1,527 3

0

152 7

3

7,688 13

'

118,249 17
1,760 7

8
0

137.200 19

3

25,130 2

6

53,977 13

6

7,0-14 4 0

525 14

9

1,798 2

6

9,983,833 5

"7

11,667,417 8

0

828,401 2

8

029,721 1

8

10,812,239 7

9

12,696,138 9

8

902,727 0

2

902,727 0

2

1 ,002,039 2

10

1,002,039 2 10

11,714,966 7

11

13,698,177 12

_t

40.

74

A. D. 1780.

The foreign trade in corn is by fome thought the mofl: important of any, as producing great
fums, which are acquired wliolely from the fertility of the earth and the labour of the people ;
while others confider any attempts to extend it beyond the natural limits, which are regulated by
the abundance of one country and the deficiency of another, as prejudicial to the general interefts
of both the exporting and importing countries. As it is at any rate an objed of confiderable
importance, and that in more than one point of view, I fhall here exhibit the progiefs of this
very precarious trade in tables of the quantities of grain exported and imported ' fince the com-
mencement of the corn regiftcr, which are taken from accounts made up in the cuilom-houfe
by order of parliament.

Wheat and flour
Barley and malt
Oats and oatmeal

Beans

Peas

Barley and beai
Bear and meal . .

Rye

Indian corn ....

f Wheat and flour
Barley and malt
Oats and oatmeal

Beans

Peas

Barley a^d bear

Rye

Indian corn ....
Buck-wheat ...

" Wheat and flour
Barley and malt
Oats and oatmeal

Beans

Peas

Barley and bear

Rye

Indian corn ...

.Buck-wheat ....

Wheat and floor

Rye

Barley and malt
Oats and oatmeal

Beans

Peas

Indian corn ....
Buck-wheat ....
Barley and bear

Exported from

Imported into

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

British,

Foreign,

Bounties and

British,

Bounties

and

Quarters.

Duties received.

Uuarters. Duties received.

quarters

quarters

drawbacks paid.

quarters

drawbacks

paid.

£ s ti

^

s d

^ s <

£ s d

10,08p

"

2,50C)

'

2^

31,160

203

"

228

V 547 8 U

23,364

[■Nil

6,170 7 0

11, 86c

198,072

14,255

j

13,345

3

67

3,701

3

2,82f

l^

> Nil

64

2,17.0
3

> 13,170 2 1

6,Q5g

1

23,134

2,340

1

13,789

2,107

961

23.511

I Nil

Nil

&;

^

70,542

36,277

13,321

> Nil

460

3,77.5

242

17

4,799
3

1

> 2,393 6 U
J

4

\ 1,372 14 11

J

?,G37

]

50,3 1 2

6,545

2,-l-1.5

51,221

18,6/1

} Nil

Nil

106

^

234,366

95,088

10,733

1

18

> Nil

49,858

4,002

. Dutyfree

4,430

J

30

3,254

0,253
6,322
53 _

> Duty free

4,002

12,695

2

15,171

* 757

269,235 '

1.0,914

1,434

826

41,427

2,416

155,148

16,286

25

|. 5,961 12 0

122

1

312,908

• 12,379 4 3

86,591

9,4-13

797

9

61 1

16,401

2,505

'1,336 11 8

3,211

107

1

I 10

2.780

2,705

1,880

1

5.9-15 J

50

J

1

4 ■

4gi

-

1

16,360.

* When foreign grain is imported, and not sold, it is pftrmitted by act of parliament
exported again., it is here arranged under the title oi foreign to distinguish it from British.

be warehoused without paying duty ; and if

Wheat and flour
Rye

Barley and malt
Oats and oatmeal
Beans
Peas .
_ Indian corn . . .

r Wlieat and flour

By

I Barley and malt
I Oats and oatmeal
I Beans

Peas

I Indian corn . . .
L Barley and btar-

f Wheat and floui-

I Rye

Barley and malt
1 Oats and oatmeal
Beans
Peas
Indian corn . . .
Barley and bear
Buck-wheat . . .

Rye

Barley

Malt

Oats

Oatmeal

and beans .
Barley and bear
(, Biscuit, CNvt

4 0.2

676 A. D. 1 78 1

1^81 — In the beginning of the year 1781 Mr. Necker, diredor-gencral
of the finances of France, laid before the king his celebrated work, en-
titled ' Compte rendu au roi^ being an account of his adminiftration of
the finances of that kingdom.

In the later end of the year 1776 that great financier and honeft
ftatefman was placed at the head of the finances of France, which he
found greatly deranged, the receipts of the treafury being twenty-four
millions of livres (above one million fiierling) fhort of the ordinary ex-
penditure *. In the following year the French were bufily preparing
for war; and in the year 1778 they were adually engaged in it. Not-
withfl:anding the extraordinary expenfes unavoidable in fuch a ftate of
affairs, Mr. Necker found means to make the king fenfible of the force
of that greatefl: of all maxims of finance, that economy is the surest
SOURCE OF ABUNDANCE f . And, in confequence of the adoption of fo
falutary a maxim, the French revenue, from being unequal to the ex-
penditure in time of peace, was fo greatly improved, that in the year
1780, while war was raging, there was an excefs of 10,200,000 livres
above the expenditure, \Compte rendu, p. 10] which of courfe was pro-
dudlive of great advantages in the negotiation of loans, the value of
the funds, &c.

Such a fyflem of economy, if perfevered in, would have raifed the
finances of the kingdom to a very high pitch of profperity and credit.
The effeds of it were fo important, that fome of our flatefmen, in their
fpeeches in parliament, profefi^ed their apprehenfions of greater danger
to this country from the improved ftate of the finances, than from the
efforts of the armies and fleets, of France. But, if we were in any
danger from the reformation of the French finances, it was not pro-
bable that it would laft long. For the man, who fets himfelf <o check
corruption, and to prevent peculation, muft; foon fall a vidim to the
interefted malice of fuch a hofl of peculators, of corrupters and cor-
rupted, as he incenfes againft himfelf by his virtuous endeavours to
ferve the country, to which he has devoted the fervices and the fi:udies
of his life. As a reward for rendering the greatefl; fervice to the nation,
Mr. Necker was difmifled from his oflace ; and the revenue reverted to
its former flate of corruption and peculation.

The flate of the commerce, current money, and population, of
France, as given by Mr. Necker, may be confidered as more im-
mediately connected with the nature of this work. The annual aver-
age of the imports he flates at 230 millions, and that of the exports at
300 millions, of livres. He eftimates the current money of the king-

f' Mr. Ntcker [^. 27] ftatea the annMal charge all the penfions given by all the other fovereignt

under the name of penfions only (and there were of Europe amount to half the fum.
many gratuitous payments under other names) at f ' Non intelligunt homines, quam magnum

iwenty-eight millions of livres : and he doubts if ' veftigal fit parfimonia,' fays Cicero, a great

1 ftatefman of antiquity.

A. D. 1781. 677

dom to be two ihoufand millions of livres (above eigbty-feven millions
Jlerling) in coin * ; and the yearly coinage of money to be forty or fifty
millions of livres. And he eftimates the population at twenty-four
millions of fouls. \Compte rendu, pp. 54, 68, 74.]

The war with the Dutch appears to have funk the price of the three-
per-cent confolidated funds, which fince the commencement of the war
with Spain were betvreen 60 and 62, down to $']\. The depreflion in
the other branches of the funds was, as ufual, in proportion to that in
the ^three-per-cents.

The Dutch ifland of S'. EuHathius (called by feafaring people Statia)
is not above fix miles long. It confifls of two hills of rock with very
little foil upon them, and has not a fingle rivulet or fpring of frelh
water ; fo that it is not worth occupying for any purpofe of cultiva-
tionf or comfortable refidence. Yet the wonderful induftry, and com
mercial fpirit of the Dutch have made it a mofi; valuable pofleflion, and
of at leafl as much importance as any other of the windward iflands in
the \Vefi;-Indies. By giving the greatefl: pollible accommodation to all
Grangers, of whatever nation, this barren ifland foon became an univer-
fal repofitory for the produce and manufadures of every quarter of the
globe : and, as the Dutch were not fo often engaged in hofl:ilities as the
other maritime powers of Europe, the feafon of war has at all times
been their peculiar and richeft harveft. There the Americans with
their cargoes of provifions, tobacco, lumber, and naval flores, the French
with their wines, brandies, and manufadures, the Britifli with their in-
numerable manufadures, and the merchants and planters of almofi all
the neighbouring iflands, Spanifli, French, &c. flying with their pro-
duce to elude the grafp of monopoly, or fliun the dangers of warfare, as
well as the Dutch, whofe ftores were filled with every defcription of the
commodities and manufadures of all the world, met as in a great fair,
and without any refl:raint, or taking the fmallefl: concern in the quarrels
in which their refpedive fovereigns might happen to be engaged, tranf-
aded their fales and purchafes in this trntXy free port and general maga-
zine of all nations. Hence an ifland, which produces almoft nothing,
ufed to fliip more produce for Europe than many of the fertile fugar

* Necker [p. 6S] fays, ' II n'eft aucune con- was worthy of being tranfciibed entire. If the

• quete, il n'cll aucune alliance, qui puiffe valoir a king, to whom it was addrcfled, had regnlatid his
' votre Majefte ce qu'elle pourra tirer un jour du conduft by fuch maxims, his country might then

* developpement de fes propres forces. L'ctTor de have enjoyed peace with a mod flourifhin^

I'agriculture ct de I'ltidultrie par la bonne repart:

tion des inipots, I'tiTor du credit par la fage reigning. M. de la Place, and fome other cal

' adminiftratlon dc-a finances, voila lout ce qi

' manque a la puiiTance d'un royaume, qui con

' tient vingt-quatn; millions d'ames, ct deux mil

'iards d'argent monnoye.' A prodigious fum

impute any part of it to gafconade. This fen

merce; and he might have been ftill living and

culators, about the fame time calculated the popu
lation of France at confiderably above twenty-five
millions. IMem. de lacHchmlc, A. D. 1783,
^693.]

but the charafter of the man does not allow us to f There are, however, two or three plantation*

tence, containing fo much wifdom in fo few words, a fmall quantity of fugar.

the valley between the two hills, which produce

678 A. D. rySr.

colonies in its neighbourhood ; a prodigious ftream of weahh flowed in
upon the Dutch, through whofe agency mofl; of the bufinefs was tranf-
aded ; and money was plentier there than in any other of the Weft-
India iflands.

The great accommodation, which the trade of S'. Euftathius afforded
to the enemies of Great Britain, pointed it out as the firft objed to be
attacked by the Britifh forces after the commencement of hoftilities
again ft the Dutch, /.nd accordingly Admiral Rodney and General
Vaughan with a great- force inverted the ifland (February 3'*), which,
being totally unprepared with any means of defence, was immediately
furrendered at diicretion. Above 150 veflHs, many of them richly
loaded, were found in the bay, beftdes a Dutch frigate of 38 guns, and
five veflels of from 14 to 26 guns. The ftores on the ifland were full
of produce and goods of all kinds; and the very beach was covered with
hriglueads of fugar and tobacco. Every fpecies of property found on
the ifland, whomfoever it belonged to, was made prize of, to the
amount, as was eftimated, of above three millions fterling ; a meafure
which afterwards became the fubjed of fevere animadverflon in parlia-
ment. The conquerors, by keeping the Dutch flag flying, entrapped
17 more vefTels, which quietly and fecurely failed into their pofleflion.
Moreover, having learned that a rich fleet of about 30 large ftiips had
failed for Europe under the convoy of a Dutch fliip of 60 guns only two
days before their arrival, the admiral dilpatched Captain Reynolds with
three fliips in purfuit of them, who next day (February 4'') came up
with them, and took the Dutch fliip of war with every one of her con-
voy. At the fame time three large fliips from Amfterdam with naval
ftores of all kinds were alfo taken by the fleet, and fent to the royal
dock-yard at Antigua.

When the Britifh forces arrived oflf S'. Euftathius, a detachment was
fent to reduce the Dutch ifland of Saba (the inhabitants of which had
little concern either in commerce or warfare, being gardeners and
planter? of cotton) and the ifland of S'. Martin's alfo belonging to the
Dutch; and both furrendered at difcretion (February 5'').

March 14'" — ^The Dutch continental colonies of Demararay and Ifle-
quibo (called by feamen Ifacape) on the coaft of South America, were
alfo reduced to the dominion of Great Britain by Admiral Rodney and
General Vaughan. All the floating property *, and the property of the
Dutch Weft-India company, were feized ; but the inhabitants of thefe
colonies were more favourably treated than thofe of S'. Euftathius, and
permitted to retain their property on the land. Berbicia, another

* A cniifideiable number of Dutch mercliant loiiy ; and as they had no coir.miffions to aft
Jliips had been taken hy fome Briti(h privateers in agaiiift tlie Dutch, their prizes became a droit of
t!.e river Demararay before tlie capture of the co- the admiraUy.

A. D. 1781. 679

Dutch fettlenient on the fame coaft, was aUb taken, together with feveral-
veflels, by two privateers.

Admiral Rodney, from the information of the Dutch colonifls, fiated
the annual produce of Demararay and Ilfequibo to be 10,000 hogfheads
of fugar, and rum in proportion} 5,000,000 pounds of coffee; 800,000
pounds of cotton ; befides cacao and indigo : and he gave it as his
opinion, that in the hands of Great Britain they might foon be brought
to produce a vaft deal more, and might employ more fhips> and yield
more revenue, than all the Britifh Weft-India iflands.

This rapid career of conquefts at the commencement of the war with
the Dutch was moft diftrefling to all the enemies of Great Britain, who
ufed to find every thing neceffary for carrying on their warlike oper-
ations at S'. Euftathius : and it was abfolutely ruinous to the Dutch, and
alfo to vaft numbers of merchants in the Weft-Indies belonging to the
other nations concerned in the war, as it overturned the whole fyftem
of their commerce in that quarter of the world.

March 16'" — The fmall French ifland of S'. Bartholemew was alfo
reduced by the Britifti forces at the fame time. It was of little con-
fequence in a commercial view, (its only produce being a fmall quantity
of cotton) unlefs in depriving the French privateers of the fhelter,
which, according to Admiral Rodney's difpatches to government, they
ufed to find there.

The whole property of every kind found upon the ifland of S'. Eufta-
thius having been feized upon the furrender of it, it was fold by order
of the admiral and general by public audion, which commenced on the
ij'*" of March, and lafted till the beginning of May, advertifement hav-
ing been previoufly made in the neighbouring iflands, that all purchafers
fliould have whatever they bought properly fecured to them, and fliould
be allowed to fliip their goods either in Britifti or neutral bottoms, and
either for Britifti or neutral ports. It was afterted, that the goods were
fold for about one fourth of their value ; and Mr. Burke alleged in the
houfe of commons, that by means of thofe fales the French and Ameri-
cans were fupplied with ftores from S'. Euftathius fifty per cent cheaper
than they could formerly have had them from the Dutch, and that
thereby the profeft^ed purpofe of the rigorous proceedings againft the
inhabitants of the ifland was diredly counteraded.

The merchants of S'. Chnftophers, as foon as they heard of the
indifcriminate confifcation of private property in S'. Euftathius, much
of which belonged to themfelves as proprietors or conflgnees, had pre-
fented a memorial to the two commanders, reclaiming their property ;
which being, refufed, they tranfmitted by the hands of Mr. Glanville,
the folicitor-general of their ifland, a fecond very ftrong memorial and
remonftrance, ' for themfelves, and as agents and fadors for many of
" the moft commercial houfes in Great Britain and Ireland,' wherein

68o A. D. 1781.

they reprefented, that the property belonging to themfelvcs and their
correfpondents in Great Britain, for whom they were agents, which was
fairly bought under the fandion of adts of parliament, was forcibly
taken from them, without permitting them even to mark or number
the packages, or to know in what veflels they were to be fhipped, while
infurances were already made at home on Ihips, which were engaged to
carry the goods to Great Britain. They therefor gave notice to the
commanders, that they fhould hold them accountable for all damages to
be fuftained in confequence of the detention of their property and the
annullment of their infurances, and fliould feek redrefs for their dam-
ages from the laws of their country : and they demanded permiflion for
their partners and factors at S'. Eullathius to afcertain the amount of
their goods fliipped off under their authority. They alfo warned their
excellencies of the fatal confequences of fetting fuch an example to their
enemies, who by the fate of war might become mafters of the Britifli
iflands ; that the confequence of fuch a mode of warfare muft be the
ruin, not only of every one concerned in the iflands, but alio of their
generous creditors at home, who were fo liberally fupporting the ex-
penfe of the war by fubfcriptions. And they held up as a warning and
example to them the condud of the comte d'Eftaing at Grenada, who
by iflliing edids to forbid the payment of debts due in Great Britain,
though he feized no private property, drew upon himfelf the univerfal
deteftation of the enlightened people of France, in confequence of
whofe remonftrances, carried to the throne of an abfolute monarch,
his condu6l was feverely reprobated, his edids were refcinded, and the
Britifli inhabitants of Grenada were put upon the fame footing with the
French fubjeds.

Admiral Rodney gave a very brief anfwer, fignifying, that he had not
leifure to perufe the memorial ; that he was furprifed that Britifli fub-
jedts fliould lodge their property in an ifland, where, they mufl: know,
it was to be applied to the fervice of the enemies of their country ; and
that he confidercd every thing on the ifland as Dutch, and was firmly
refolved to treat it as Dutch.

April 6"" — The merchants in Britain were too deeply interefted in
the property feized at S«. Euftathius to fit down unconcerned fpedators
of the event. They commenced adions againft; the commanders *, and
they alfo prefented a petition to the king in the following words f .

* After litigations, protrafted through feveral but every fentence of this petition is fo full of

years, the admiral and general were call in many cemmercial argument and commercial fadls, that

fuits for heavy fums. I thought, I could not do juftice to it, or to xhr

f I by no means approve of a large book, and reader, vrithout giving it entire,
very fcldom load my work with long tranfcripts :

A. D. 1781. 681

' TO THE king's MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

* The petition of the Wejl-India planters and merchants mq/i humbly JJjeivetb,

' That your petitioners have very confiderable property, and debts
■ due to them in the feveral iilands in the Weft-Indies fubjed to the
' crown of Great Britain, as alfo in the iilands of Grenada, the Grena-
' dines, Dominica, and S'. Vincent, which have in the courfe of the
' prefent hoftilities fallen under the dominion of France.

' That they have always conceived it to be a maxim among civilized
nations, eftablifhed in humanity and found policy, * that war fhould.
' be carried on with the leaft pollible injury to private property found
* in any countries or towns, which may be invaded or conquered ;' the
happy efFeds of which wife principle your petitioners have hitherto
experienced in the fecurity of their eftates and effeds from rapine
and plunder, which have been reciprocally difcountenanced by the
governors in the Weft-Indies, as ruinous to individuals, and pro-
dudive of no decifive advantage to any of the fovereign ftates con-
cerned.

' Your petitioners are therefor ferioufly alarmed at the general feiz-
ure, made by the commanders of your Majefty's fea and land forces,
of goods, merchandize, and fpecie, found in the iflands of S^ Eufta-
tius and S'. Martin, on their furrendering without refiftance, and at
difcretion, to the faid commanders ; humbly conceiving, that the in-
habitants of places which fubmit to the will, and furrender themfelves
to the difcretion, of an invading enemy, immediately upon fuch fub-
miflion become the fubjeds of that fovereign, or ftate, to whom the
vidorious army belongs ; and confequently by their allegiance are
entitled to fecurity in their perfons and property ; it being as repug-
nant to policy as humanity to permit one clafs of fubjeds to plunder
another, the trader having an equal claim with the foldier to the pro-
tedion of government.

' Your petitioners humbly beg leave to reprefent to your Majefty,
that thofe Dutch iflands did belong to a fovereign ftate, by whole au-
thority and permiftlon they were made, and have ever fince httx\,free
ports ; and that they have been recognized as fuch by Great Britain
and all the other maritime powers of Europe, who have pofleflions in
the Weft-Indies.

' That Great Britain, in particular, has never interdlded, or pro-
hibited, to her fubjeds the trade of thofe Dutch iflands, but has on
the contrary permitted the exportation of great quantities of various
articles of goods of the growth, produce, and manufadure of this
country, which have been regularly, and openly, entered out at the
feveral ports of this kingdom for the faid Dutch iflands.
Vol. in. 4 R

682 A. D. 1 78 1.

* That an a(5l * was pafled lafl: feffion of parliament for removing any

* legal doubts arifing out of the Navigation ad:, refpeding the importa-
' tion of tobacco of the growth of the colonies in North America,

* which, having efcaped Britifh capture, had been imported from the
' colonies in rebellion into thofe Dutch iflands, declaring and enading,
" that fuch tobacco might be legally imported from thofe, or any other
*' neutral iflands, into any Britifli ifland, and from thence into Great
*' Britain ;' by which ad the trade to the faid iflands of S'. Euftatius

* and S'. Martin, which had always been in many refpeds legal, be-
' came an objed of public encouragement, by being extended beyond

* what the fl:rid conftrudion of law feemed formerly to authorize.

* That fince the pafllng the faid ad, and even before, during the
' prefent rebellion, a great part of the tobacco, abfolutely neceflary for
' the confumpiion and revenue of Great Britain, has been imported

* through that channel to the manifefl; benefit of the navigation of this

* kingdom : for, if the market had not been fupplied by thofe means,

* there would have been an indifpenfable neceflity for admitting
' tobacco from Holland, after having been carried thither from thofe

* iflands in Dutch veflels ; and Great Britain would, confequently, have
' been deprived of the profit arifing from the long navigation of that

* bulky commodity.

' That fince the commencement of the American rebeUion the faid
' iflands of S'. Eufl:atius and S'. Martin have been frequently of the

* mofl: efliential fervice to the Britifli Leeward iflands, particularly in

* the years 1777 and 1778, when the iflands of Antigua and S'. Chriftio-
' pher would have fuffered all the miferies of adual famine, had not

* they dravv'n from S'. Euftatius thofe fupplies which they formerly re-

* ceived from North America.

' That fince the capture of Grenada, the Grenadines, Dominica, and

* S'. Vincent, thofe iflands have been principally fupplied with the

* feveral neceflliries for their confumption, and for the cultivation of
' their plantations, through the medium of S'. Euftatius, and that many
' Britifli fubjeds, having property in thofe captured iflands, have been

* obliged to eftablifli houfes in the faid ifland of S'. Euftatius, for the
' exprefs purpofe of fupplying thofe iflands, and have ordered various
' articles to be fliipped for S'. Euftatius from Great Britain, as well as
' from Holland f .

' That the great want of plantation ftores and other neceflaries in

* thofe captured iflands has alfo obliged many of the planters to fliip

* from time to time a great part of the produce of their plantations

* to S'. Euftatius for the purpofe of purchafing fuch plantation ftores
' and necefiaries.

* 20 Geo. Ill, c. 39.

f See the annual tables of imports and exports fince the commencement of the war.

A. D. 1781. 683

' That many of your Majefty's faithful and loyal fubjeds, on the
faith of Great Britain having recognized the trade, ■ have fettled as
general traders in thofe Dutch iflands, and have confiderable property
in goods, merchandize, and money, in the faid iflands ; and that
others of your Majelly's mod faithful and loyal fubjeds, as agents for
the Dutch, as well as Britifh, merchants in thofe iflands, have fliipped
confiderable quantities of goods and merchandize on account of the
faid merchants.

' That thofe Dutch iflands, particularly S'. Eufl:atius, have therefor
been, and ought to be, confidered as free ports, open to all the world,
where the fubjeds of all fl:ates in amity with Holland were equally
welcome, where the goods imported by the hand of commerce were
at open market, ready to be fold to the beft bidder, without favour
and afFedion, without any partial, or political, attachment or predi-
ledion to any of the powers at war, without regard to any other ob-
jed than that of mercantile profit, which is the fpring and foul of all
commerce whatever ; and that the value of the faid iflands to that
fovereign power to which they belonged, as well as to your Majefl;y's
fubjeds and other nations, confifl:ed in their being univerfal open'
marts, and not in the inconfiderable produdion of their foil.
' Your petitioners humbly beg leave to reprefent to your Majefty,
that, as a very confiderable part of the property found in thofe Dutch
iflands muft neceflarily belong to many of your Majefliy's mofl; faith-
ful and loyal fubjeds, from the caufes above ftated, fo there are like-
wife others of your Majefl:y's fubjeds refiding in Great Britain and
the Britifli Leeward iflands, who are large creditors of the Dutch and
Britifli merchants in thofe Dutch iflands, not only on account of goods
and merchandize openly and avowedly fliipped by them, as the agents
of the faid merchants, but alfo in refped of dealings and engagements
antecedent to, and unconneded with, the trade carried on by fuch
their debtors in thofe iflands.

' With refped to the property found in the faid iflands belonging to
the fubjeds of the fi:ates of Holland, or any other of your Majefty's
enemies, your petitioners, having already ftated what they humbly
conceive to be the humane and political pradice of war, feel them-
felves impelled by the principle of gratitude to prefent to your royal
view the condud of the commanders of the French king's forces, and
of the court of France, in the cafe of the conquefl: of the iflands of
Grenada and the Grenadines.

' When the ifland of Grenada, after having made a zealous, but un-
fuccefsful, defence againfl: the enemy's force, furrendered at difcre-
tion, there was ncr plunder allowed, except on the Hofpital hill, which
was taken by ftorm, and where the fmall effeds, that were lodged,
necellarily fell in furore belli to the firfl of the aflailants who could lay
4 4 R 2

684 A. D. 1 78 1.

' their hands upon them. The goods and merchandize in the town of

* S'. George in that ifland, to a very large amount, not merely in-

* tended for the ufe and confumption of the ifland, but for the general
' market of the Weft-Indies, remained untouched ; and every Ipecies
' of property whatever was left inviolate, even the goods upon the keys
' and beach in various parts of the ifland.

' There were indeed certain ordinances ifliied by the French govern-

* or on taking pofleflion of the faid ifland, by which the produce of all
' plantations belonging to abfentees was to be fequeftered until a peace ;
' and the payment of all debts due to your Majefty's fubjeds, refiding

* in any part of your Majefty's dominions, was prohibited under pain

* of military execution. But, on the application of the parties inter-

* efted to the court of France, thofe ordinances were immediately

* revoked by his Moft Chriftian Majefty, and all perfons whatever,
' whether prefent or abfent, were fecured in the full pofleflion of their
' eftates and effeds ; his Moft Chriftian Majefty, having been pleafed

* at the fame time to exprefs his difapprobation of thofe ordinances,
" as tending to injure civil contrads, which are founded on the law of
" nature, and which form the moft facred bond of fociety, being the
" prmcipal fource of that reciprocal communication and intercourfe
" fubfifting between the lubjeds of all nations; to which contrads, and
** to private property in general, the pradice of war, among civilized
" ftates, has ever had the moft tender regard.'

' Your petitioners, likewife, with pleafure reflcd, that your Majefty,

* in the very beginning of your reign, gave a ftriking example of cle-

* mency upon the capture of Dominica, the inhabitants of which ifland

* were fettled there againft exprefs treaties, unacknowledged by any

* fovereign, profcfllng neutrality, yet exercifing hoftilities againft your

* Majefty's fubjeds ; and, when fummoned to fubmit to your Majefty's
' arms, not only refufed to furrender, but, provoking an aflault, were

* reduced fword in hand. — Yet by your Majefty's wifdom and gener-

* ofity, the inhabitants of that ifland were preferved in the pofleflion

* of all their property.

• Your petitioners do not conceive, that thofe defencelefs Dutch

* iflands were furprifed, and taken pofl~efllon ©f, by your Majefty's arms

* for the fake of mglorious fpoil, but merely with a view to great poli-

* tical objeds in condudmg the prefent hoftilities againft the combined
' enemies of Britain, by depriving them in future of the convenience

* and advantage of thofe marts. They have ever conftdered Great

* Britain as priding herfelf in ads of generofity and humanity, not lefs

* than in brilliant atchievements of valour in war : and they are con-

* fident, that your Majefty will not permit the Britifli name to be
' ftained by a departure from that line of condud, which has hitherto

* fo peculiarly charaderized this nation, and her facred regard to the

* rights of mankind. *

A. D. 1781. 685

* They beg leave to repeat to your Majefty, that the confifcation of
' private property in thofe Dutch iflands would grievoufly afFedt many
' of your Majefty's moll faithful and loyal fubjeds, who have traded
' there under the fandion of our laws, or who are creditors of merch-

* ants in the faid iflands ; and at the fame time to ftate to vour
' Majefly their apprehenfions, that fuch a meafure, fo far as it would

* injure the property of the fubjeds of the enemy, muft necellarily tend

* to increafe the calamities of war, by exciting defperate refiflance, by
' exafperating our foes againft the trading inhabitants of thofe iflands
' which may hereafter be obliged to fubmit to their arms, and by

* eftablilhing a prasdatory fyftem, deftrudive and ruinous in its con-

* fequences to individuals, and of no foHd benefit to the feveral ftates
' concerned.

' Your petitioners, therefor, do mofi: humbly, but fervently, pray,
' that your Majefty will be gracioufly pleafed to take the premifes
' into your ferious confideration, and remove the apprehenfions of
' your petitioners by adopting fuch meafi.u-es on the prefent
' occafion, as to your Majefty in your great wifdom, juftice, and
' clemency, ftiall feem meet.

* Signed by order, and in the name, and on the behalf, of the Weft-

' India planters and merchants,

' William Crichton,
' London, April 6, 1781. ' Chairman of the general meeting

^ ' 'on this Ipecial buimels.

The Portuguefe, after ftridly prohibiting the importation of cotton
goods from Britain, now refufed to admit woollen goods and printed
linens from Ireland ; a meafure, which was fufpeded by the Irifti to
have originated in England.

March 12'" — The regulations concerning the admiflion of prize goods
into the kingdom being now extended to prizes taken from the Dutch,
fome others were enaded, refpeding the fale of, and duties upon, Eaft-
India goods condemned as prize in the port of London ; for permitting
the purchafers of prize goods condemned abroad to import fuch goods
into this kingdom, as well as the captors , and for reducing the duties
on foreign prize tobacco. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 5.]

The permiffion to import Itahan organzined filk was prolonged till
the 25'" of March 1782. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 6.]

The permiflion to navigate merchant fliips with foreigners for three
fourths of their complement was alfo prolonged for the fame time.
[21 Geo. Ill, c. Ti.]

March 22'' — Twelve millions were raifed this year for the fervice of
government by a loan, and ;^48o,ooo by a lottery. The terms of the
loan were/^150 in the three-per-cent confolidatedfund, and £2^ in the

686 A. D. J781.

four-per-cent confolidated fund, for every ;^i 00 paid in; with a pri-
vilege to the fubfcribers of /^ 1,000 to have four lottery tickets at/^io
each.

By this bargain, to fay nothing of the douceur (or in the jargon of
flock-jobbing the bonus) of the lottery tickets, the real permanent in-
terefl payable for the money borrowed was jive and a half per cent^ be-
lides the charge for management ; and the capital o^ the debt created,
inflead of tzvelve millions, was twnity-one millions, which may adually
require twenty-one millions to cancell it. The terms of tlie loan were
feverely animadverted upon in both houfes of parliament ; and it was
affirmed by fome members, that the minifter's friends were enabled to
pocket nine or ten per cent on the fums affixed to their names the very
next day, without advancing one penny. Such high intcrefl with
government fecurity evidently makes it extremely difficult, if not quite
impoflible, for individuals to borrow any money upon legal interc/l, either
for the extenlion of commerce and manufadtures, or the improvement
of agriculture.

March 29'" — The difcounts, hitherto allowed on the duties payable
on the importation of foreign goods, were now repealed ; and addition-
al duties were impofed, of \\d on every pound of tobacco, and 478 on
every ii2 pounds of fugar, together with a further charge of five per
cent upon thefe additional duties. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

The additional five per cent was alfo extended to moll of the excife
duties. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 17.]

April n"" — Flax and flax-feed were allowed to be imported into
Great Britain and Ireland in neutral veflels from the 20''' of April 178 1
till the termination of the war.

The king of Pruifia having joined his fmall maritime force to the
armed neutrality, which, upon his acceffion to it, comprehended all the
powers, whofe dominions border on the Baltic fea, a new article was
thereupon added to their maritime code, declaring, that the Baltic fea,
on account of its inland and incloled fituation, ought to be preferved
free for the fafe navigation of the fliips of all nations, and that no war-
like fhips, belonging to the belligerent powers or their fubjeds, fliould
be permitted to enter it, with a view to commit hoftihties againft the
fubjeds of any flate whatfoever. The king of Great Britain lb far
approved of the refolution of the northern powers, as to iflue a pro-
clamation (April 21"), prohibiting all Britifh fliips of war and privateers
from molefling any veflels in the Baltic fea.

The freedom of navigation was a moft important objed to the nations
fltuated on the fliores of the Baltic, who were reaping fuch a golden
harveft from the heavy expenfes of the belligerent powers, as they had
never at any time enjoyed before. The oak forefts of Great Britain
are very from being iufficient to fupply the building yards in time of

A, D. 1781. 687

war ; France and Spain have almoft no building timber ; and Holland
has none at all. Therefor almoft all the oak timber confumed in the
fleets of the European belligerent powers, and alfo the mafts, yards,
iron, hemp, and fail-cloth, were brought from the countries bordering
on the Baltic, where they were bought with ready money, the inhabit-
ants of thofe regions not being fo far advanced in the improvements,
or the corruptions, of civilization, as to require many of the fine manu-
ladures or the luxuries of the more polifhed nations of Europe*.

May 7^ — A great number of veflels loaded with the plunder of
S', Euftathius, which were on their way home under the convoy of four
fhips of war, were met by a French fleet, which took all the merchant
fliips except nine. The fliips of war, which had onboard moft of the
treafure, made their efcape.

May 9'*" — Penfacola, the capital of our new province of Weft-Florida,
was befieged by the Spanifti governor of Louifiana, and, after a gallant
defence by Governor Chefter and General Campbell, was obliged to
furrender to the fuperior force of the enemy, who granted the garrifon
honourable terms, and treated them with great generofity.

June 2^ — The ifland of Tobago was attacked by the French forces
commanded by the marquis de Bouille and the comte de Grafle.
Governor Fergufon and the planters, with the help of a few regular
foldiers, and fome failors, and a few negroes, the whole number in arms
being only 427 men, made a gallant defence, which they kept up from
the 23^* of May to the 1^ of June, when they furrendered the ifland to
the very fuperior force of the enemy f . The marquis, with his ufual
generofity, granted the inhabitants the fame liberal terms he had grant-
ed to thofe of Dominica. And thus was this fine ifland, after being
brought from a wildernefs to a ftate of high cultivation by the efforts
of Britifli induftry and capital, transferred to the dominion of France.

May i8tii — The duties upon paper were repealed ; and new duties, to
be rated according to the value and fize of the paper, were eftabUflied.
[21 Geo. Ill, c. 24.]

The adl of laft feflion, [c. 45] allowing the members of. the Turkey
company to import their goods in neutral bottoms, and laying a duty
on cotton imported in fuch veflels, was prolonged till the end of the war.
[21 Geo. Ill, c. 26.]

* Tlie drain of money occafioned by tliefe im- of our imports and exports with Ruffia, Sweden,

portations was felt, for fome years aftt-r the war, Poland, and Pruflia, or the countiies compreliend-

in France ; and they were adually propofing in ed under the name of the Eaft country, during

the year 1784 to make a law for coining the filver the war..

pkte belonging to private individuals iito money, f A reflcftion was thrown out bv Admiral

and to prohibit the wade of gold in gliding and Rodney in parliament, that the guns, ne had fent

ornaments. The quantity of mon-y," Ici.t from to Tobago in the preceding year, were allowed to

for the produce of thofe cou.itries, may be lie unmounted. It ought to be remembered, 1
judged of by running, the eye over tlie accouuJs ever, that guns are of no ufe without men.

688 A. D. 1781.

For the fame reafon the produce of the Portuguefe colonies was
allowed to be imported in Portuguefe vefTels from Portugal, or from
the iflands of the Azores and Madeira. Wool of all forts, linen yarn,
barilla, and jefuit's bark, were alfo allowed to be imported in any-
neutral bottoms, on paying alien's duty, during the war. [21 Geo. Ill,
c. 27.]

The following ads were continued for limited times, viz.

The free ports in Jamaica (thofe of Dominica being fhut) were con-
tinued open till i" November 1787.

The free importation of fago powder and vermicelli from the Britifh
colonies in America was continued till i" December 1796.

The free importation of raw hides from Ireland and America was con-
tinued till i" June 1786,

The commercial intercourfe with fuch places in America, as were
under the protedion of the Britiih arms, was prolonged till i" June
1782.

The ad for preventing frauds relating to the cufloms was prolonged
till 29'" September 1788.

The ad to prevent the danger of infedion by fmuggled goods, and
fubjeding copper ore produced in the Britiih colonies to the regulations
provided for other enumerated commodities, was continued till 29""
September 1788.

The ad for encouraging the growth of coffee in the Britiih colonies,
except that part of it which relates to foreign coffee, was continued till
24'" June 1788.

The ad for preventing frauds, committed by bankrupts, was pro-
longed till 29"" September 1785.

So much of the ad for permitting the exportation of wheat, &c. to
certain foreign fettlements, as relates to the fugar colonies, was con-
tinued till i" May 1782.

The ad prohibiting copper from being exported, or even carried
along the coaft, was continued till i" April 1783.

The drawback allowed on rum, fliipped as ftores, was continued till
1" April 1783.

And the ad for allowing a bounty on the exportation of corn in neu-
tral velTels was continued till 25'" I^-Iarch 1782. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 29.]

Verdigris ufed formerly to be made nowhere in Europe but in the
fouth parts of France : but for fome years pafl Meffieurs Bindley and
Maud had produced, from their works at Newham in Gloucefter-lhire,
verdigris, which upon trial by chymiffs, coach-painters, paper- flainers,
hatters, and others, was found in all refpeds equal to the beft French
verdigris. In the year 1763 Mr. Bindley had received a premium of
^^50 from the patriotic fociety for the encouragement of arts, manufac-
tures, and commerce, and alfo in 17^4 another premium of ;^ioo, as an

A. D. 1781. 689

encouragement for introducing in Britain the manufadure of fo valuable
an article, without which, it is afferted, that not a fingle hat can be
dyed. Therefor, in confequence of the manufadure being now fully
eftablifhed at home, parliament laid a duty of ^-^-^d per pound on com-
mon verdigris, and i yV fliihing on the chryftallized, to be paid on import-
ation, without allowing any drawback on re-exportation. [21 Geo. IIT,
c. 32.]

June 19'" — In compliance with the application of feveral manufac-
turers, the exportation of all machines, tools, and utenfils, ufed in the
woollen, cotton, or lilk, manufadures, or of any models or plans of fuch
machines, &c. was raoft ftridly prohibited : and the cuflom-houfe of-
ficers allowing fuch to be fhipped, and alfo the commanders of veflels tak-
ing them onboard, were fubjeded to heavy penalties. [2 1 Geo. Ill, c. 37.]

The owners of veffels being liable to lofe them for ads of fmuggling
committed by the commanders or feamen, it was enaded, that every
mailer or commander of a veflel, concealing uncufiomed goods onboard
his veflel, (hall forfeit to the owners all his wages and triple the value of
the goods fo concealed : and mates and feamen fliall alfo forfeit their
wages, and ten lliillings for every gallon of fpirits concealed by them
over the quantity allowed by law. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 39.]

July 5"" The rewards offered for any improvement in the method

of afcertaining the longitude, or other improvements ufeful to naviga-
tion, were further continued by parliament. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 52.]

This year the Levant, or Turkey, company received an aid of/^8,000
inflead of the cuftomary ^5,000, from the public. And, in compliance
with the petitions of the planters and merchants concerned in the iflands
of Jamaica and Barbados, and alfo of the lord mayor and corporation of
the city of London, parliament granted £80,000 for the relief of the
fufferers by the dreadful hurricane of laft Odober in Barbados, and
jT^o.ooo for thofe in Jamaica, who had fuffered by the fame calamity :
and they ordered, that both fums Ihould be paid free of any dedudions
of taxes or fees. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 57.]

As the' charter of the bank of England was to expire in the year
178.5, that company made a propofal to lend the public two millionsfor
three years at an intereil of three per cent, one million to be paid on
the 15'" of November next, and the other on the 15" of February 1782,
on condition of obtaining a renewal of their privilege of exclufive bank-
ing and other advantages, to be continued to them till the 1" of Auguft
I 8 12, and a notice of twelve months after that time ; upon which no-
tice, and the payment of the money advanced to the public being com-
pleted, the bank may be diflblved. Thefe conditions were approved
of, and ratified by parliament. [21 Geo. Ill, c. 60.]

July 18" — Orchillia weed and cobalt were permitted to be imported
free of duty in Britifli, Irifli, or neutral, veffels during the war. And

Vol. III. 4 ^

690 A. D. 1781.

fugars produced in the colonies of Demararay and IfTequibo (or Efle-
quibo) lately taken from the Dutch, were allowed to be imported as
Britifti fugars, notwithflanding the act, [6 Geo. Ill, c. 52] which con-
fidered as foreign all fugars imported from the continent of America.
[21 Geo. in,c.62.']

The Eafl-Tndia company made up an account of the profits of their
trade and territorial revenues to the i'' day of March 1781, whereby
there appeared a balance, after paying ^^400,000 to the public accord-
ing to agreement, of ^^288,025 : 17 : 10. This fum they were after-
wards authorized to pay in dividends to the proprietors of the ftock :
but they chofe rather to employ it in their trade ; and they have kept
a diftind account of it under the title of 7'be company's Jeparate fund,
which they have annually credited with interell.

The fervants of the Eaft-India company had engaged in hoftilities
with the Mahrattas, a fierce and warlike nation of freebooters, whom
the Moguls, when in the zenith of their power, had never been able
to reduce to their dominion. At the fame time they were alfo at war
with Hyder Ally, a prince of capacity and power, beyond any that had
ever appeared in that part of the world. In conjundion with thefe two
great powers, almoft all the lefler princes of Hindooflan were confeder-
ated againft the interefts of the company ; and they were, moreover,
aflifted by the French, of whom Hyder had a confiderable number in
his own army. Hyder defeated a Britifh army commanded by Colonel
Baillie (lo"" September 1780), over-ran the whole country belonging to
the company and their allies, and (31" Odober 1780) took the city of
Arcot, the capital of a nabob, who had long been very clofely allied with
the prelidency of Madras, whereby he threw the whole of the company's
afifairs in that quarter into the utmoft confufion and diflrefs, which were
not a little aggravated by the diflenfions, which at the fame time dif-
traded the counfels of that prefidency. In ihort, from the concurrence
of fo many dilaflers, many people were induced to think the lituation
of the company's affairs utterly defperate. Sir Edward Hughes gave the
firft turn to this run of adverlity in India, by deftroying feveral warlike
veilels belonging to Hyder in Mangulore, his principal port (8"' Decem-
ber 1780). And afterwards Sir Eyre Coote, having arrived in March
1 78 1 with a fmall reinforcement from Bengal, and affumed the com-
mand of the army, the affairs of the company began to put on a more
profperous appearance. That able commander regained feveral of the
places, which had fubmitted to Hyder, and with a very inferior force
defeated him in a great pitched battle on the i'' of July 1781 ; after
which fucceis continued to fmile upon the arms of the company through-
out the remainder of the war*.

* It appears, however, very probable, that and by their hoftilities, with the European powers,
the princes of Hindooftan, by their alliances, will in time become raafters of the European art

3 of

A. D. 1 78 1. 691

The company's fervants at Bombay in the mean time direfted an ex-
pedition againflthe Dutch, by which they were expelled from their fac-
tories at Baroach near Surat.

The fervants of the company in the fupreme prefidency of Bengal,
though they found means to keep adual warfare at a diftance from their
own refidence, were very far from being in a ilate of tranquillity. The
reader will recoiled that in the year 1773 the Britifhlegiflature eftablilh-
ed a fupreme court of judicature in Bengal, co-ordinate with, and inde-
pendent of, the governor-general. That court in a great mcafure fuper-
feded the authority of the mayor's court of Calcutta, the judges of
which, being gentlemen in the company's fervice, not bred to the pro-
feflion of the law, were fuppofed incompetent to the difcharge of fuch
duties ; though, as they regulated their proceedings by the eftablifhed
laws and cuftoms of the country, and with the alTiftance of the native
magiftrates, their decifions had generally given much fatisfadion. The
new eftablifhment was undoubtedly intended, and was alfo confidered
by moft people, as a meafure of humanity as well as policy, calculated
to protect the natives from the oppreflion of the company's fervants, to
conciliate the jarring interefts of the natives and Europeans, to adminif-
ter impartial juftice to all, and to guard the company's revenues and
commerce from the depredations of their own fervants. Perhaps, if the
change had been effeded gradually, and with great addrefs and mildnefs,
it might have been produdive of fome of the benefits expeded from it ;
though even that is very doubtful. But the eftablifliment was fudden,
and the operations of the court were reprefented, as rigorous and fevere
in the extreme, by great numbers of petitions, which were repeatedly
received at home, but which had not hitherto met with much attention.
Of the petitions fent home this year complaining of the condud
of the judges and their adherer.ts, one was figned by Mr. Haftings,
the governor-general of the Britilb fettlements in India, and by
the members of the fupreme council ; another by 648 Britirti fub-
jeds in Bengal, Bahar, and Oriffa ; and a third, written in the Perf-
ian language,' and addrelTed to the king, by the natives of the pro-
vince of Patna. In thefe petitions and other communications it was
aflerted, that the condud of the judges was calculated, not to con-
ciliate, but to exafperate ; not to introduce order and regularity, but to
fubvert the eftabUfhed fimple and fuitable laws, which had been re-
vered and underftood by the civilized and polifhed anceftors of the na-
tive Hindoos, probably, for ages before a human footftep had prefFed
the fliore of Britain, and to fubftitute in their place the unknown laws
of England, the incomprehenfible diftindion between law and equity,
and the endlefs intricacy, the fidions, and the perplexing jargon of the

of war : and then it will be impoflible for a hand- fifty times their prcfcnt number, to keep fo many
fill of lb-angers, though they were augiriented to millions of the natives in fubjcftioii.

4.S2

69a A. D. 1 78 1.

Englifh courts, with all their ruinous train of extorfions, oppreffions, de-
lays, quibbles, and abufes ; though at the fame time they refufed to
Britifh fubjeds the benefit of that glorious boaft of the Englifh law, the
trial by jury. The judges were moreover accufed of invading the privi-
leges of the governor-general and council, which were clearly defined
and limited by act of parliament, and by the king's letters patent ; of
ftretching their power in a mofl arbitrary manner to many perfons and
adions beyond the extent of their commiffion, (which was at leafl fuffi-
ciently ample) and of bringing before themfelves trials for adions of
times long bypaft. Of many ads of enormity, with which they were
particularly charged, I fhall only mention that, which was mofl inftru-
mental in bringing matters to a crifis between the governor and the
judges. The officers of the court, ading under the authority of the
judges, had cruelly abufed and infulted a native prince (zemindar) tri-
butary to the company, polluted the private apartments of his women,
and prophaned the temple of his religious worfhip, without making the
fmallefl allowance for the national cufloms and religious prejudices,
which none of the fervants of the company had ever prefumed to viol-
ate, and which even the furious bigotry of the Mohamedan conquerors
had refpeded. The natives, who are remarkable for their flrong at-
tachment to their hereditary princes, even in their prefent flate of hu-
miliation, flew to the rcfcue of his family from violation and rapine.
The bailiffs were reinforced with a frefh gang of eighty-fix armed men :
and the feizure, begun in the name of juftice, ended in battle and
bloodfhed. It is proper to obferve, that the zemindars are by no means
amenable to Britifh laws, and, indeed, have no further connediou
with the company than to pay them the fixed rent or tribute, formerly
paid by their ancellors to the fuperior princes of the country. The
governor-general and council, thinking it incumbent upon them to pro-
ted their tributary princes, and convinced that llich exceilcs threatened
the very exiflence of the Britifh power and influence, confidered it to be
their duty to oppofe by force the proceedings of the fupreme court. And
tiicn was exhibited to the aftoniflied natives the fjiedacle of a large gang
of Britifn officers of the court and their troop of followers carried pri-
foners to Calcutta by a military force, fent after them by the Britifli
governor, or, in fhort, of a houfe divided againft itfelf, which cannot
iiand, and all order and government fub verted and buried under an-
archy and irreconcileable pretenfions. Indeed, fo wretched was the
flate of the country, as it was reprelented in the petition of the natives,
that many had flown from their native country ; and they declared, that,
if they could obtain no redrefs, all, who had the means, would abandon
their deareft connedions, and fly wherever they could ; and thofe, who
>iad no ability, would lay themfelves down in refignation, and hope for
reUef in death. ' After this, let the foil of this country remain, and the

A. D. 1781. 693

* court of juftice! let the court of juftice remain upon the earth, or the
' earth cover it !'

The governor and council declared in their petition, that, if they had
not aded as they did, the interefts of the Eafl -India company, and thofe
of the Britifli nation, inieparably conneded with them, mufl have been
abfolutely ruined. And, as they had been compelled by the urgency of
the cafe to take fteps, which were irregular, they requefted an ad: of
indemnity for themfelves and others, who had aded under their au-
thority.

It was very evident to every perfon, that fuch a flate of affairs in
Bengal, wherein neither the European nor the native inhabitants could
polFibly know, to which of the two contradidory powers, both of whom
they v>'ere bound by law to obey, they fhould yield obedience, could
not continue long : and it was univerfally agreed, that a change was in-
difpenfibly neceflary.

In the meantime the attention of the minifler was turned upon the
agreement to be made with the company for the renewal of their char-
ter, which was now approaching to the end of its term. But the con-
ditions he propofed were ftill thought fo exorbitant by the company,
that there appeared no profped of any cordial accommodation taking
place : and it was even repeatedly propofed in their meetings, that,
rather than comply with fuch demands, they fhould difpofe of all their
property at home and abroad, diflblve their partnerfhip, and reft their
claims on the decifion of a court of juftice.

May 23'' — When the confideration of the renewal of the charter
was again refumed in the houfe of commons. Lord North ftrenuoufly
infifted, that the company fiiould pay to the public ;^6oo,ooo as a com-
pofition for three fourths of the furplus of the net revenues over the
dividend of eight per cent, which, he alleged, belonged to the public.
But Mr. Huffey made it apparent, from a ftatement he laid before the
houfe, that the commercial and territorial revenues taken together, upon
an average of lixteen years paft, had amounted only to fixteen per cent,
7nne of which proceeded from the company's commerce, and confequent-
ly there were or\\y /even remaining of that part of the profits, to whicli
the public could form any pretenfions.

July 18'" — After many debates in parliament, and in the India houfe,
the affairs of the company at home and abroad were fettled by two ads
of parliament in the following manner.

It was agreed, that the Eaft-India company fhould pay into the ex-
chequer the fum of ^^400,000 by four inftaliments in the courfe of this
year, as a full compenfation for all claims the public might have upon
them from the time that their bond debt was reduced to ;^i, 500,000 to
the i" of March 1781. The company's exclufive trade, and the pof-
fellion of their territorial acquifitions, were thereupon continued to-

694 A. D. 1781.

them till the 1' day of March 1791, and thereafter till parhament give
three years' notice of an intention to difcontinue them, and pay off the
capital or debt of /"4, 200,000 due to the company, with all arrears of
interefl:, &c. and, after a termination of their exclufive privileges, they
are to have a right to remain a corporation, and to trade with their
joint flock, in common with other Britifh fubjeds. The public were
henceforth to receive three fourths of the annual furplus of the net pro-
fits and revenues of the company, which Ihould remain above eight per
cent computed upon their capital flock of ^^3, 200,000. The remain-
ing fourth, together with money to be allov/ed them in confideration of
victualing his Majefty's fhips in the Eaft-Indies, they were allowed to
apply in enlarging their dividends, fo as the augmentation fhould never
exceed one per cent in a year, nor altogether ever rife above twelve
and a half per cent, the bond debt being alfo limited never to exceed
^^"1,500,000.

In order to afcertain the amount of the proportion of revenue payable
to the public, the company were direded to prefent annually to the
lords of the treafury a balanced flatement of their accounts, "with an in-
ventory of their flock in hand, debts, 8cc. and diflinguifhing the flate of
their flock at each of their fettlements in India, made up to the 4"" day
of March in every year, and figned by two of the diredors ; and alfo to
fubmit to the infpedion of the fecretaries of flate all letters and orders
to be fent out to India. They were alfo to lay copies of the accounts
before the general courts of proprietors.

It was alfo fettled by this a6l, that the company fhould pay in India
two lacks of current rupees annually to the king for every regiment
confifling of one thoufand men, employed in India at their requeft,
over and above the extraordinaries now paid by them, and reckoning
.from the embarkation of the regiments to their return to Britain : and
that they fliould fupply all the vidualing for his Majefly's fliips, em-
ployed in India at their requeft, from the 5"' day of July 1782, till the
termination of the war, one fourth part of the expenfe of which fliould
be returned to them by government : provided, that the three fourth
parts of the victualing, to be defrayed by the company, do not difable
them from making dividends of eight per cent ; in cafe of which the
part of the expenfe to be defrayed by the public muft be enlarged fo as
to admit of the company making fuch a dividend, unlefs the whole is
found inadequate to it. But after the peace the whole expenfe of fuch
vidtualing falls upon the company. And they are alfo obliged to buy,
and carry out, all fuch naval and military ftores for his Majefty's fhips,
as fhall be required by the commifhoners of the navy, for which they
are to be repaid by the treafury the principal part of the coft in forty
days after delivering the account, and the remainder after certificates are
obtained of the ftores being furnifhed to the king's fhips in India. The

A. D. 1 78 1. 695

company are alfo to fupply all neceflary ftores for the repair of the
king's fliips in India, for which they are to be paid during the war : but
after the peace fuch ftores are to be fupplied at the company's expenfe.

The company were, as before, reftrided from accepting bills from
India for more than ^300,000 in one year, befides the ufual warrants of
j^8,ooo to the commander of each of their Ihips, without the permillion
of the treafury.

Doubts having arifen, whether, in confequence of great numbers of
foreigners being proprietors of India ftock, the fliips in the company's
fervice could be abfolutely confidered as Britifli vefTels, it was declared
by this act, that all their Ihips are confidered as Britilh fliips within the
true intent and meaning of the a6t.

The governor-general and council of Bengal were continued in office
during the continuance of this acl, unlefs removed by the king : and,
in cafe of death or refignation, the diredors may appoint fucceflbrs to
them with his Majefty's confent.

As fome compenfation for the refl:raints now laid upon the company,
the prohibitions againft Britifh fubjeds being in any way whatever con-
cerned with foreigners in India were made fo Arid, that even lending
money, diredly or indiredly, to any foreign European was declared
unlawful. [21 Geo. III,c. 6^.']

The doubts and difficulties concerning the authority of the fupreme
court in Bengal having been found produdive of much difl~enfion be-
tween the judges of it and the governor-general and council, and of
many evils to the inhabitants ; and it being ' expedient, that the lawful

* government of the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Orifla, ftiould be
' fupported, that the revenues thereof fhould be colleded with certainty,

* and that the inhabitants fliould be maintained and proteded in the
' enjoyment of their ancient laws, ufages, rights, and privileges,' it was
enaded, that the governor-general and council of Bengal fliould not be
fubjed to the jurifdidion of the fupreme court for any thing done in
their public capacity, nor any other perfon for any thing done by a
written order from them ; that the fupreme court fliould have no jurif-
didion in matters of revenue (except to punifli moderately any abufe or
extortion committed in the colledion of it), nor any authority over any
perfon by reafon of his being a landholder or farmer of lands. Among
a variety of regulations for the proceedings of the court, it was ordered,
that caufes between the Mahomedan or Hindoo inhabitants of Calcutta
{hould be tried by their own laws, and, if the parties were of diflterent
religions, by thofe of the defendant ; and that what is allowable by their
laws fliould upon no account be adjudged to be criminal, though it
might be fo by the law of England. Finally, the governor-general, the
council, the advocate-general, and all perfons ading under their orders,
were indemnified for any thing done in refiflianceto the authority of the

696 A. D. 1781.

fupreme court between the 1" of January 1779 and the i" of November
1780. [21 Geo. Ill, c. yo.']

Commodore Johnftone wasfent out with a fquadron of iliips to attack
the Dutch fettlement at the Cape of Good Hope, and alfo to convoy the
outward-bound India fliips. When lying in harbour at the Cape de
Verd iflands, where he had put in for refrelhments, he was attacked by
a French fleet under Mr. de SufFrein, whom he beat off. But, as they
«ot before him to the Cape, the objed of his expedition was thereby
fruftrated. However, in Saldanha bay (July 21") he furprifed five
hom.eward-bound Dutch India fl^iips of about 1,100 tuns, and carrying
from 20 to 24 guns, which were immediately fet on fire by the Dutch s
but four were faved from the flames, and brought off". Whereupon he
direded his courfe homeward with his prizes, the number of which was
augmented by an outward-bound Dutch India fliip, taken by one of
his fquadron ; and the fliips of his convoy proceeded on their voyage
for India.

Auguft: 5'" — The firfl: general engagement between a Britifli and a
Dutch fleet, which was maintained with great bravery on both fides,
and without a decifive vidory on either, was attended with a circum-
fl:ance very advantageous to the commercial interefts, as well as the war-
like operations, of this country ; the fafe arrival of above a hundred
fail of merchant fliips from the Baltic with naval flores and other goods,
■under the convoy of Admiral Hyde Parker, which he, having the ad-
vantage of the wind, detached from his fleet before the engagement.
The Dutch Admiral Zoutman had alfo a fleet of merchant fliips under
his protedlion, which likeways got fafe into port. But there was this
important difference in the circumftances of the two fleets. The Britifli
fliips had completed their voyages, and brought their cargoes fafe into
port : the Dutch by putting into port were difappointed of their
voyages ; and their country was difappointed of the naval flores, they
were deftined to bring home.

The lofl^es fuftained by the Dutch in confequence of the capture of
S'. Euftathius v.'ere feverely felt, not only by thofe who were fettled on
the ifland, whofe moft extenfive and lucrative trade, confifting moftly of
confignnients, was thereby aboliflied, but alfo by almofl every perfon in
the mother country : for the Dutch being a nation confifring alnioft en-
tirely of people engaged in trade and nianufa(fl:ures, or dependent upon
them, there can Icarcely be an individual in fuch a community unaffect-
ed by a fevere blow upon any particular branch of their commerce.
Hence arofe a great clamour againft the partizans of the French interefl.
who were charged with having unneceflarily involved the nation in a
war with their antient and natural allies and befl cuftomers. The pro-
vince of Zeland even went fo far as to prefent, in a corporate ca})acity,
a memorial to the States general, earneftly requefling that a negotiation

A. D. 1781. 697

fhould immediately be entered upon for the reftoration of peace. That
province was particularly engaged in commercial conne(5lions with Bri-
tain ; and it was faid that near two thoufand * Britifh traders adlually
refided in Middleburg, the capital, befides great numbers in the other
towns of it.

But the French intereft prevailed ; and all the efforts of the people to
induce their high mightinefles to feek for peace were inetfedual. In
the meantime applications were made by the Dutch government to the
northern powers, their late aflociates in the armed neutrality, alleging
their accellion to that confederacy as the principal caufe of Great Bri-
tain entering into war with them, and therefor claiming their affirtance.
But, however deiirous thofe powers might be of procuring unlimited
freedom to the commerce of their own fubjeds, and even of contribut-
ing to the humiliation of the naval power of Great Britain, they were
by no means willing to draw upon themfelves the adual hoflility of that
power. The emprefs of Rullia fent orders to her ambafTador at London
CO offer her mediation, and alio lent Prince Gallitzin as her envoy-ex-
traordinary to the States-general to acquaint them of her kind inten-
tions in their favour. The king of Sweden in like manner fent offers
of mediation in favour of ' a nation entirely commercial,' and alfo com-
plaints of the hardlhips fuflained by the commerce of the neutral na-
tions, and by his own commercial fubjeds in particular, which mufl: be
increafed and aggravated by the further extenfion of the war.

The offers of both thefe powers were refpedfully received by the
Britifli court. The Ruflian offer of mediation was accepted, in cafe the
Dutch were really defirous of returning to a (late of amity with Great
Britain : and the Swedilh ambaflador was informed, that the preferva-
tion of public tranquillity was the firil objecl of his Majefty's care. But
it was obferved, that the conduct: of the Dutch was very different from
that of a nation merely commercial : for they had refufed to fulfill
their engagements with Great Britain, and had moreover, with the mofl
glaring partiality, given every alliflance to the enemies of this country.
Neverthelefs, his Britannic Majefly had ftill expreffed ' the mofl earnefl

* defire to bring back the republic to that fyflem of clofe union, effica-
' cious alliance, and mutual protection, which has fo much contributed

* to the profperity and glory of the two ftates.' And the ambaflador
was civilly informed, that the emprefs of Rullia being prior in her offer,
his Majefty would not fo far deviate from the refped due to her Imperial
Majefty, as to aflbciate ' to her mediation any other, even that of an ally
' the mofl relpedable, and for whom the king entertains the mofl fin-
' cere friendfliip.'

Thefe negotiations were not attended with any fuccefs. But they are
worthy of our notice ; becaufe they fliew (as I had occafion to oblerve,

♦ I (hould fuppofe, tliis number may liavi; compiehei.d.'d the families of the traders, including thei.
rkrks, and even their menial ftrvaiits.

Vol. III. 4 T

698 A. D. 1781.

of the Rhodiaiis in the antient part of my work) how much the interefl
and the lafety of a nation, whom others confider as merely commercial,
engage the attention and goodwill of their neighbours.

The emperor of Germany wifely kept clear of the war, and embraced
the favourable opportunity to promote the improvement of arts, manu-
factures, and commerce, in his dominions. He alio gave a free toler-
ation of religion through all his territories, and in many other refpeds
confiderably curtailed the papal power. He traveled all-over his do-
minions, that he might fee with his own eyes the condition of his fub-
jedts ; and, when he was at Bruflels this fummer, he admitted all peti-
tioners to his prefence, and, divefling himfelf of all pomp, allowed every
one to tell his own tale in his own way to xhc father of the people. Upon
that occafion he alio eftabliflied regulations for the improvement of the
inland navigation of the Netherlands, and on the n'" of June he de-
clared Oftend a free port.

Odober 9"" — The armed neutrality, which already comprehended
Ruffia, Sweden, Denmark, and Prulfia, (the Dutch being no longer neu-
tral) was now flrengthened by the acceffion of the emperor, though
we are not told with what proportion of maritime force *.

September — The combined fleets of France and Spain, to the number,
as was faid, of forty-nine fail of the line, cruifed for fome time at the
mouth of the Englifh channel, where they hoped to intercept our rich
homeward-bound fleets from the Weft-Indies, and alfo a large outward-
bound fleet, which, they knew, was foon to fail from Cork. Their
great number enabled them to form a line, or bar, from Ufliant quite
acrofs to Silley, fo that they were confident, that no veflel going in or
out could efcape them. Admiral Darby, who was then at fea with
twenty-one fail of the line, was indebted to the accident of receiving
notice of their fituation by a neutral veflel for not falling into their
hands, to avoid which he put into Torbay, where his fleet was increafed
to thirty fliips of the line, with which he proceeded to fea on the 14""
of September, his orders being to protect the homeward-bound merchant
fliips at all hazards.

In the meantime an invafion was apprehended in the fouth of Ire-
land. The unfortified harbour of Cork could not prote61: the rich fleet
of fliips in it, and the vaft ftores of provifions colledled in the warehoufes
would be a moii defirable prize to the enemy. The military forces in
Ireland were therefor marched to the defence of that city ; and thelrifli
volunteers made an offer of their fervices, wherever they fliould be
wanted.

While preparations to withftand their attack were going on at Tor-
bay, and in Ireland, a council of war was held onboard the combined
fleet, wherein fome of the admirals propofed. to attack Admiral Darby

*• It is fcarcely worth while to take notice of a treaty between Ruffia and Portugal, whereby tie
later acceded to tin- armed neutrality, in February 1783, ichen ihc war was ot an end.

A. D. 1781. 699

while lying at anchor, and they aflerted, that the total deflrudion of his
fleet, which muft be inevitable, would at once ruin the naval power of
Great Britain, and put an end to the war. But it was contended by-
others, that the Britifh {hips were fo pofted that they muft have a very
great advantage over thofe of the combined fleet, the Ihips of which
could only follow each-other in a line, whereby each one muft be ex-
pofed fingly to the fire of many of the enemy's ihips ; and that the cap-
ture of fuch a large merchant fleet, which, there could be no doubt,
muft fall into their hands, an unrelifting prey, would be a much fcverer
blow upon the refources of Great Britain. The later plan was adopted,
and they drew off from Torbay, leaving Admiral Darby at liberty to
proceed to fea, thus exhibiting an additional proof of the ineflacieucy
almoft infeparable from the operations of confederated forces. But, be-
fore he left Torbay, it pleafed the Almighty to employ the elements to
fight for the prefervation of the Britifli commerce more effedually than
any human force could have done. In the beginning of September the
weather became fo ftormy, that the combined fleets, which were in
many refpeds in very bad condition, and crowded with fick men, wei'e
obliged to abandon their towering hopes of deftroying the maritime
power, or the commerce, of Great Britain, and leek for fafety in their
own ports. And thus the French and Spaniards, after having a fecond
time filled the entrance of our channel with fleets, which feemed to
defy all power of refiftance, returned home, without accompliflnng the
fmalleft objed of advantage to themfelves, and on the prefent occafion
without fo much as taking a fingle prize. The whole of the Weft-India
fleet, which was fo providentially detained later than was expeded, ar-
rived fafe in a few weeks after.

September 23** — At a meeting of the proprietors of bank ftock it was
determined to raife their dividends from Jive af/d a ba/f to Jixpev cent, and
alfo to make an addition of eight per cent to their capital ftock by four
inftallments, to be completed by the 15"" of February 1782, whereby the
capital of the bank was increaied from /^i 0,780,000 to /^i 1,642,400.

November 26'" — The marquis de Bouille with about 300 foldiers, at-
tended by three frigates, and fome fmall veflels as tranlports, landed at
an unguarded bay in S\ Euftathius, furprifed Colonel Cockburn with
his garrifon of 723 men, and immediately got pofl^eflion of the ifland.
The marquis that fame day reftored the Dutch inhabitants to the civil
government of the ifland, and aflhred them, that the French fliould keep
poflefllon, only till a Dutch garrifon could arrfve to take charge of the
ifland, which he had reconquered merely in frieadflaip to them. He alfo
reftored a large fum of money, which was found in the government
houfe, to fuch of the inhabitants as could prove their right to i —
The ifland of S'. Martin followed the fate of S'. Euftathius now, as it
had done in the beginning of the year. And thus ended our tranfitory
poflefllon of thofe iflands.

. ^ 4T2

700 A. D. 1781.

December 12'" — Admiral Kempenfelt fell in with a French fleet with
a great number of tranfports under convoy : and, though the French
were greatly fuperior to him in force, he took fourteen of the tranf-
ports ; and five more of them were taken fome days after by two fliips
of his fquadron. The prizes were filled with foldiers, artillery, and
ordinance Hores ; and the capture may be confidered as an event of im-
portance in commercial hiftory, as it was probably the means of faving
fome of our remaining pofTeflions in the Wefi;-Indies, perhaps Jamaica
itfelf, from falling into the hands of the enemy.

Such was at this time the glut of Britifh manufadures, and of import-
ed goods in general, in the few ports of America, which were under the
Britifta dominion, owing to the exceffive fpirit of adventure *, and pro-
bably alfo to the large fales of goods greatly under value at S\ Euftathius,
that fpeculators, efpecially in New York, found, they could employ their
money much more advantageoufly in buying goods on the fpot, which
were every day felling under their original coft, than by importing them.

The antient colony of Barbados contains only 106,470 acres of land,
and it has at all times been more populous than any other of the fugar
iflands, and, perhaps I might add, more populous than mofl parts of
Europe, exclufive of great towns. About the year 1670 it is faid to
have had 50,000 white, and above 100,000 black, inhabitants; but
from the following enumerations, it will appear that thefe numbers
mufl have been greatly exaggerated.

The population of Barbados was in

White inhabitants. Free people of colour. Slaves. Total.

1676 - 21,725 - - - 32,473

1712 - 12,528 - _ - 41,970

1748 by a lift - 15,252 107 47,025

Thefe numbers being made up for the purpole of taxation, flaves
under age were exempted, and the Ufts were further falfified by conceal-
ments. Governor Grenvilie reported the real numbers in i 748 to be

25,000 white and - - 68,000 Haves.
In 1768 they were 16,139 448 - 66,379 " 82,966

1773 - 18,532 - . - 68,548

From the apparent carelefs manner, in which thefe accounts, at leaft
the earlier ones, have been made up, little dependence can be placed
upon them for judging of the progreflive ftate of Barbados. The exports
of fugar, the principal ftaple of the ifland, will furnifh a better flandard.
According toPoftlethwayte, there were in the year 1736

22,769 hogfheads containing 295,997 cwts,
and on an average of eight
years 1740-1 748 they were
only 13,948 209,220

* See the exports to New York, &c. in the table at the end of this year.

A. D. 1781. 701

The principal fource of the opulence of the ifland being in a progreflive
ftate of decline, owing to the ftrength of the foil being exhaufted, and
the inhabitants being flill too nimierons (though great numbers had
emigrated to other iflands) to be all employed in, or comfortably fup-
ported by, the cultivation of the foil, it became an objed of ferlous at-
tention to difcover other means of employment and fupport. Therefor
feveral gentlemen of the ifland this year eftabliflied afocietyfor the encour-
agement of a7-ts, maniifaBiires, and commerce, in Barbados : and they advertif-
ed premiums — for the manufadure of lace from the fibres of the cabbage-
tree leaves, filk-grafs, or plantane ftalks — for the greateft quantity of all
thefe fibres prepared in a proper ftate for manufaduring — for the great-
eft quantity of cotton yarn fit for weaving — for knit cotton ftockings,
and ufeful fabrics woven from cotton — for mufquito nets made from any
native material — for the difcovery of valuable native dyeftufFs — and for
the beft horfe bred in the ifland.

Money, however, appears to have been continually becoming more
plentiful in Barbados ; as a proof of which, the legal intereft, which be-
fore the year 1668 was 15 per cent, was, after fucceflive redudions
fettled in 1754 at 6 per cent: and Governor Cunningham in his official
letters, aflerted, that it was now in contemplation (probably in confe-
quence of the large fum granted by the Britifti legiflature to thefufferers
in the late hurricane) to reduce it to 5 per cent, a rate of intereft below
the legal ftandard of any of the foreign dominions fubjcd to the crown
of Great Britain, even including Ireland.

The following enumeration of the houfes chargeable with the window
tax in each of the counties, or ftiires, of England and Wales, in the
years 1750 and 1781, is taken from the accounts made up at the tax
office.

Bedford - -

Berks - - -

Buckingham

Cambridge

Chester

Cornwall

Cumberland

Derby

Devon _ _ -

Dorset

Durham

Essex _ _ -

Gloucester

Hampshire - -

Hertford - - -

In 1750

In 178]

6,802

5,360

9.762

8,277

10,687

8,670

9,334

9,088

16,006

17,201

14,520

15,274

11,914

i3,4ig

13,912

14,046

30,049

28,612

11,711

11,132

10,475

12,418

19,075

18,389

1 6,251

14,950

18,045

15,828-

9,251

8,628

702 A. D. 1781.

In 1750 In 178 1

Hereford - - 8,771 8,092

Huntingdon - - - ^,363 3,847

Kent - - - 30'029 30,973

Lancaster - - - 33,273 80,906

Leicester - - - 12,957 12,545

Lincoln - - 24,999 24,591

Middlesex, with London and Westminster 7 1,977 74,704

Monmouth ' - 4,980 4,454

Norfolk - - - 20,b97 . 20,056

Northampton - - 12,464 10,350

Northumberland - - 10^453 12,.i31

Nottingham - - - ^h^Ol 10,872

Oxford ' - - - 10.362 8,698

Rutland - - - 1.873 1,445

Salop - - - 13,332 12,895

Somerset - - ■ - 27,822 26,407

Stafford - - - 15,917 16,483

Suffolk - - - '8,834 19,589

Surrey, with Southwark - 20,037 19,381

Sussex - - - 11.170 10,574

Warwick - - - 12,759 13,276

Westmoreland - - 4,937 6,144

"Wilts - - - 14,303 12,856

Worcester - - - 9,9^7^ 8,791

York - - - 70,816 76,224

Anglesey

1,334 2,264

fiSnock - - - 3,234 3,407

Cardigan . ^ - - 2,542 2,444

Carmarthen - - - 5,020 5,126

Carnarvon - - - 2,366 2,675

t I Denbigh - - - 6,091 5,67 s

15 ^ Flint - - - 3,520 2,090

Glamorgan - - - 6,290 5,146

Merioneth - - - 2,664 2,972

Montgomery - - - 4,890 5,421

Pembroke - - - 2,803 3,224

LRadnor . - - - 2,425 2,076

729,048 721,351

Of the chargeable houses in 1781, there were reported to be

having under 10 windows - _ - 497,801

under 20 windows - - - 171,177

above 20 windows _ _ - 52,373

721,351

The cottages, or houses not chargeable were - - - 284,459

Total houses and cottages in 1781 . - - - i.005,8io

A. D, 1 781, 703

But the accuracy of thefe accounts, though official, has been queftion-
ed by fome writers of eminence, who have beftowed great attention on
the fubjed. And, indeed, it ftrikes one at the firft glance, that a dc-
creafe is ftated in fome counties, where there ought certainly to be an
increafe. Lancafhire in particular is here dated as having fallen off.
Eut it is unqueflionable, that the two rapidly-increafing towns of Liver-
pool and Manchefter with their thriving dependencies, fituated in that
county, have greatly augmented their number of houfes between the
years 1750 and 1781 ; and it is equally certain, that the county in
general has been in an advancing ftate of population and profperity. It
is not to be fuppofed, that Wililhire, Somerfet, and Gloucefter-fliire, the
feat of the flourifhing and increafing woollen manufacfture, can be de-
clining in the number or goodnefs of their houfes ; or that Surrey,
wherein a coUecHon of buildings, which, if remote from London, would
be reckoned a large town, has within that time ftarted up in S'. George's
fields only, befides the vaft numbers of other new buildings, the effedls -
of the growing opulence of the capital, could have fewer chargeable
houfes in 1781 than in 1750. On the other hand, we canfcarcely fup-
pofe, that fome counties have advanced fo very much as appears by theie
accounts, e. g. Weftmoreland, Anglefey, &c. But there feems very
good reafon to believe, that, upon the whole, the number of chargeable
houfes (that is, houfes of the better fort) inftead of decreafing 7,697
throughout the whole kingdom of England and Wales, has more pro-
bably increafed as many in thofe thirty-one years. Sir Frederic Morton
Eden has with laudable patriotic induftry colled:ed the numbers of
houfes and people in a great number of towns and parifhes, in ninety of
which, whereof he has obtained the numbers of the charged and
exempted houfes, the charged are 24,464, and the exempted 30,005 :
and thence he infers, that the whole number of exempted houfes in
England and Wales mufl be confiderably above 900,000, or above three
times as many as were i-eturned ; and that the whole population mufl
be near to nine millions. And Mr. Chalmers, from comparing the
proportion of the charged and exempted houfes in the year 1690, con-
cludes, that the exempted houfes in 178 1 could not be fewer than
865,000, making in all 1,586,000 houfes, inhabited by about eight mil-
lions and a half of people. Upon the whole it is very evident, that the
exempted houfes are much more numerous than they appear in the ac-
coum, and that any eflimate of the population or condition of the
country, founded on the returns of the furveyors of the houfe and win-
dow duties mufl be very fillacious. {See Cbalmers''s EJlimate^ c. xi

Edeti's State cf the poor, F". iii, p. cccli.]

I have now before me copies of accounts of the numbers of houfes in
England and Scotland, made up at the office for taxes 23'' January
3781, which, enumerating the inhabited and chargeable houles together
v/ith the cottages, in each county make the whole number of both de-
fcriptions in England, including Wales and Berwick upon Tweed, to be

7^4

A, D. 1781.

only 952,734; and the chargeable houfes in Scotland, the cottages
being entirely omitted, to be only 17,734.

The following comparative enumeration of the chargeable inhabited
houfes in the principal cities, towns, and villages, is taken from the fame
accounts ; and as the fubjefts of it lie in a narrower compafs, we may
fuppofe it more corred than that of the counties.

London, city - 16,332

Westminster and liberty 17,013

Marylebone - 3,664

Chelsea - 6lO

Kensington - 700

Pancras - 1,273

Islington - - 828

Hackney - 1,1 68

Southwark - 12,120

Deptford - - 926

Greenwich - 1,555

• 56,189
Bristol - 39471,

S'. Philip and Jacob 555 J *'^"'-
Liverpool f - 3,974

Plymouth - 1 5 1 0 \ ^^

Stoke Damerel 1151/''^°"'
Manchester f - 2,519

Oxford and University 2,3 16
Norwich • 2,302

Birmingham - 2,291

York - - 2,285

Newcastle upon Tine 2,219
Sheffield - 2,092

Bath - '1/31 , ni^n

Walcotand suburbs 786/'^^
Cambridge and University 1 ,925

Leicester

Nottingham

Leeds

Exeter

Hull and county

Derby

M'hitehaven

Chester

Ipswich

1 lover

Lincoln

Shrewsbuiy

Coventry

,561

1,533

1,529

1,474

1,370

1,358

1,298

1,244

1,244

1,193

906

904

890

Canterbury

Gloucester

Colchester •

Hereford

Salisbury

Sunderland

Chatham

Maidston

Northampton

Worcester

Woolwich

Wolverhampton

Yarmouth

Berwick upon Tweed

Reading

Lynn

S'. Edmundsbury

Walsall

Scarburgh

Chichester

Winchester

Croydon

Stockport

Rochester

Lancaster

Deal

Shiels

Stanford

Whitby

Wakefield

Newark

Southampton

Folkstone

Poole

Doncaster

Alnwick

Mansfield

Warwick

Tavistock

Warrington

Brtntlbrd

841
828
810
804
792
765
727
706
721
690
683
682
678
672

644
628
621
613
612
612
607
604
600
579
57(5
548
544
538
535
533
523
514
513
510
495
439
479
477

Edmundton

Peterburgh

Boston

Wisbech

Mitcham

Haltwesel

Newbury

Faversham

Grantham

Ramsgate I

Macclesfield

Wandsworth

Darlington

Leominster

Halifax

Loughburgh

S'. John's ki Thanet

Tiverton

Stockton

Kingston

Carlile

Carmarthen

Ludlow I

Windsor ^

Lichfield

Sandwich

Bradford, Yorkshire

Preston

Hexham

Hertford

Gravesend

Richmond

Edinburgh, city f
Glasgow §
Aberdeen
Dundee

474
473
469
469
462
455
453
452
451
450
449
449
444
444
440
440
440
435
431
431
430
430
430
2 8
407
406
403
402
402
401
401
400

2,017

1,005

449

419

All other towns were rated at
lewer tlian 400 inhabited and
chargeable houses.

* Much more might be comprehended under the general appellation of London in the largcft extent
o the name : but it is impofTible to draw the line, where the town ends and the country begins. In-
deed, the villages, and even the roads, for ten mile* in every direftion, may almoll be confidcred as parts
of the town, being filled and fupported by the overflowing opulence of the capical.

•j- -j- The whole houfes in Liverpool were reckoned in 1773 - 5,928, and in 1783

and in Manchcfter with Salford - - 4,268

Thefe numbers prove the tiuth of the oLfcivation upon the incrcafcd numbers of Lancafhire
C/Mi/mers's 1-J}'imate, p. 218, id. 1794.]

X So long ago as 1 722 there were 5,975 families wuhin the city of Edinburgh j and in 1791
many had removed to the fnburhs for the fake of more room, theie were 6,434 famih'es within the
city, aud 12,220 in the fuburbs, being in all 18,654 families, exclufive of the inhabitant* of the caftle
. and of the hofpitals. \_Simlair' s Stal^.'icul accciinl of SiOllanJ, V. vi,/>. 560.]

$ By an enumeration in 1785 the inhabited houfes in Glafgow, txcluiive of the fuburbs, were
found to be 9,102. By another enumeration in 1791, which is believed to have been very accurate,
they were incrcafed to 10,291. {Sinclair, V.s, p. ^xq-I 3

6,819
6,178

, when

A, D. 1781. 705

The following enumeration of the Britifh and Dutch fliips, which pafP
ed the Sound to, and from, the Baltic fea in the years 1780 and 1781,
fhows very ftrongly the effed: of the war upon the commerce of the
Dutch, and efpecially their carrying trade, the favourite branch of it ;
and it alfo accounts for the anxiety exprefled by the northern nations
for an unhmited freedom of commerce.

1780
1781

And not one French vefTel entered the Baltic in thefe two years. But
the French trade was carried on in neutral bottoms. And many of the
Dutch merchant fliips continued in the trade under Imperial, Swedifli,
Pruflian, and DaniQi, colours. Some Britifh veffels alfo, in order to
lelTen the expenfe of their infurance, procured neutral papers during the
war.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 6,567 velTels of the reputed burthen of 540,909 tuns,
and of Scotland 1,489 - - - 85,537

Britifh fliips.

Dutch fhips.

1,701

-

-

2,058

2,001

-

-

9

Total - 8,056 - - - 626,446

There were entered this year in allthe ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

I Vessels.

Inward - 4.715
Outward - I 6,939

Tuns. I Vessels.
503,8721 2,108
608,319! 1,564

Vessels.

262,594 6,823

70.775 I 8,503

i'ur

766,466
679,094

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-
a-half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of this year,
was from the cuflom-houfe in London - ;{'2,73r,428 7 10

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh - 60,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain £2,'jgi,j\.28 7 10

There were coined in the mint in the courfe of the year
18,765 pounds of gold, value - - ^^876,794 12 6

and 20 pounds of filver, - - - 6200

;^876,856 12 6

Vol. III. 4- U

The ofticial value of the imports and exports of Great Britam from.
Chriftmas 1780 to Chriftmas 1781 was as follows.

Counuies, &c.
Afi-ica

Denmark and Norway
East country
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Iceland
Ireland
Mann
ItRly
Madeira
iPoland
Prussia
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Gibraltar
Straits
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, &c. *
America in general
Hudson's bay
Newfoundland
Quebec
Nova Scotia
New England
New York
Carolina
Georgia
Florida
West-Indies
Antigua

general

Bermuda

Jamaica

Montserrat

Nevis

New Providence

St. Christophers

St. Eustathius

St. Lucia

St. Martins

St. Thomas

Tobago

Tortola

Demararay

New Orleans

Soutliern fishery

Prize goods

Imp. and exp of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain

Imported into

Exported

from

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

a£36,386 8

10

^312,822 7 10

c>4,639 1

0

5£'26,)81 19

0

172,012 19 9

j£35,011 11 1

447,845 8

0

86,848 19 3

2,526,339 2

2

595,131 18 2

1,204,860 4

5

45,803 19

4

1,968,383 U 3

56,452 G 10

1,909 14

4

873 12 0

617.185 6

5

26,659 2

6

1,000,078 11 2

20,458 11 3

28,255 13

1

8,291 13

3

100,048 18

11

13,563 8
4ti5 1

3

313,487 7 10

1,433,835 15

2

195,685 13

0

1,769.589 19 1

305,167 11 11

11,204 17

10

802 a

0

19,418 19 9

1,818 IS 6

133,645 18

0

262,760 7 4

2,433 8

2

24,000 9 10

7,389 19

0

161 6 1

9,648 U

9

82 5 4

355,723 3

0

14,614 10

0

523,493 7 3

G78 14 9

1,206,806 18

7

209,325 1

8

137.967 6 7

5,915 5 0

114,492 7

2

99-t 2

4

3,550 5 6

6,165 10 0

212,414 19

U

18,793 7

11

62,510 8 10

4,793 13 7

24,180 2

6

1,562 19 10

37.035 12

3

17,819 16 3

94,876 7

2

5,443 9

6

75,79s 13 1)

17,285 5 0

49,626 19

2

183,620 10 2

14,763 17

0

6,228 3 5

51,593 18

10

74,001 4 3

48,547 17

11

422,807 13 6

4,023 19

6

32,474 10 1

2,063 6

0

2,901 18

5

502,977 5 L

94,368 8

2

330,847 2 10

506 5

0

14,058 19 0

30,715 5

1

16,446 9 1

16q,3?5 U

1

141,220 9 6

152,445 4

2

65,223 11 2

81,177 13

11

152,681 6 10

2,673 14

9

2,346 3 6

869,751 14

K

442,695 5 2

56,402 10

«

14,707 12 6

83,513 8

2

22,634 11 2

3,553 16

2

1,776 15 10

385,527 17

IC

133,312 15 0

5,159 17

1

453 8 5

103,565 19

0

89.394 3 0

28,010 4

3

4,127 15 3
26,606 12 11

29,330 2

8

14,442 17 10

70,960 0

10

33,-133 0 9

20,232 19

6

4,473 13 6

98 17 4

4,151 0

Cj

1,087,928 18

&

806,564 1 5

11,918,991 9

(

10,5(39,186 10 10

603,870 12

IC

803,870 12

10

-63,109 9 0

76:i,]09 9 0

12,722,862 1

IC

11,332,295 19 10

A. D. 1782. 707

1 782 — The city andfortrefs of Negapatnam, belonging to the Dutch on
the coafts of the Carnatic in the fouth part of Flindooflan *, were taken by-
Sir Edward Hughes and Sir Hedor Munro (12"' November 1781) : and
this conquell was immediately followed by the retreat of Hyder's troops
from the neighbouring country, belonging to the company and their
allies. From Negapatnam Sir Edward proceeded to the coafl: of Ceylon,
where he alfo took the Dutch fettlements and forts at Trincomalee (Jan-
uary T 1 "'). Two battles were fought in the early part of this year by the
Britifli and French fleets in the Indian feas, which both terminated to
the advantage of the Britifli, as did alfo moft of the many battles on the
main land with Hyder Ally : and there were feveral viciilitudes of fac-
cefs and defeat in the enfuing part of the feafon, none of which were of
fuch importance as to merit particular notice in commercial hiftory.
But in the profecution of thofe hoflilities the provinces, which were the
theatre of the war, were ruined by pillage and extortion ; the agricul-
ture, the manufadures, and commerce, of the country were almofi: an-
nihilated \ : and the whole condud of the war, with refped to the un-
happy natives, was equally repugnant to the principles of found policy
and to the commercial interefts of the Eafl:-India company.

The Dutch Eaft-India company, who were for a longtime the greateft
and moft powerful mercantile aflbciation that had ever appeared in the
world, had hitherto continued tolerably profperous, notwuhilaDding the
general decline of the tafle for fpices in Europe, and the relaxacion of
economy and condud in their fervants in India. But their recent mis-
fortunes in India gave fuch a check to their commercial profperitVj
that they mufl; have been brought to the verge of ruin, if the States-
general had not given them the mofl: liberal fupport by loans to a vei'y
large amount.

In the weftern hemifphere a continued ferres of misfortunes attended
the pofleflions of Great Britain in the beginning of this year. The mar-
quis de Bouille and the comte de Grafle took the fmall, but fertile, ifland
of Nevis (January 14'" ); after v/hich they attacked the larger and more
valuable neighbouring illand of S'. Chriftophers, which, after a gallant re-
fiftance, was alfo obliged to furrender (February 13"") ; and the ifland of
Montferrat fliared the fame fate. The French commanders granted thoj e
iflands the mofl liberal terms, whereby their properties, their religious ■
and civil liberties, and, in a great meafure, even their forms of govern-
ment, were preferved to the inhabitants. In the meantime a French

* I am aware that the gre.it extent of country larg« acceptation, it is gcnerall)-, List improperly, .

fouth of the River Nerbudda is not properly any extended to.

part of Hindooftan ; and that the proper genereil -f Thefe miferles were followed by a moll

name of the whole peninfula (if a mafs of land, fj dreadful famine, whereby 300,000 people are faid

formed, can be called a peninfula) has been from to have perilhed In the territories, of the company

ail antiq_uity Deccaii. But I iife the name in the and thofe of Hyder Ally.
I 4 U 2

7o8 A. D. 1782.

Iquadron arrived at Demararay, and took pofTeflion of that place and
IlTequibo, together with feveral Britifh vefTels (January 31").

February 31 — Jamaica, though it was not attacked by any hoftile
force, fufFered feverely from a fire, wb.ereby Kingflon, the principal
commercial town in the Britifli Weft-Indies, loft houfes, flores, and
merchandize of all kinds to the value, as was eftimated, of half a million
of money.

In Europe Britain loft the if! md of Minorca, which, after a long and
obftinate defence by General Murray, furrendered to the united forces
of France and Spain (February 6"').

February — The month of February inth's year may be noted for the
loweft price, at which the funds of this country have ever been fold,
prior to the great depreflion in the prefent war with France, the three-
per-cents having been as low as 53|-.

March — The permiflion to import Italian organzlned filk was further
continued till the 25'" of March 1783. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 7.]

The fum of thirteen millions and a half was raifed for the public fer-
vice by a loan, to which was attached a lottery for the further fum of
^{^405 ,000. The fubfcribers received ;{^ 1 00 in the three-per-cent confol-
idated fund, and £^0 in the four-per-cent confolidated fund, together
with a terminable annuity of 17/6 for feventy-eight years to be com-
puted from 5'" January 1782, for every /J 1 00 fubfcribed ; and more-
over three lottery tickets at the price of /^lo each for every £1,000 fub-
fcribed, the number of tickets on this occallon being only 40,500.

The following ads were continued for limited times, viz.

The ad for encouraging the manufadure of fail-cloth in Great Bri-
tain, continued till 29"' September 178S.

The ad for encouraging the manufacture of filk in Great Britain,
-continued till 24"' June 1788.

The ad for allowing the free importation of cochineal and indigo,
continued till 29'" September 1788.

The ad prohibiting the importation of foreign editions of books,
originally compofed and printed in Great Britain, continued till 29'"
September 1788.

The ad for fecuring the duties on foreign fail-cloth, continued till
24"' June 1788.

The ad for allowing the boimty on corn exported in neutral veffels,
■continued till 25''' March 1783.

The ad for allowing the exportation of provifions, merchandize, &c.
to the ports in America, which were under the protedion of the Britifli
army, continued till i'' June 1783.

The ad prohibiting the tranfportation by water of copper in bars or
Iheets, continued till i" May 1783.

A. D. 1782 709

The acft for allowing the exportation of wheat to the Britifh fugar
colonies only, continued till i'' May 1783. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 13.]

The act, allowing merchant fhips to have foreign feamen for threr
fourths of their complement, was alfo continued till 25" March 1783,
[22 Geo. Ill, c. 16.]

April 12'' — In the Weft-Indies a general engagement took place
between the Britifh fleet commanded by Admiral Rodney and the
French fleet commanded by the comte de Grafle. The battle, which
began in the morning, was kept up the whole day with unremitting
fury on both fides, and terminated in the evening by a complete vic-
.tory gained by the Britifli fleet. One French fliip of the line was funk,
and five were taken, one of which, called the Ville de Paris, was a pre-
fent made by the city of Paris to the king at the expenfe of ^176,000:
flie carried 1 10 guns, and was efteemed the finefl: fliip that ever fwam
upon the ocean *. The comte de Grafl^e, who was onboard her, confe-
quently augmented the fplendour of the -^ddory by the capture of the
commander-in-chief. As the whole train of artillery, intended for a
grand attack upon Jamaica, was onboard the fliips which were taken,
this vidory mayjuftly be confidered as having effeded the fafety of that
important colony, and alio as having given a complete check to the
career of French conqucfl: in the ¥/efi:-Indies, where for fome time pafl:
almoft every event had been adverfe to the interefl of Great Britain.
And it was not lefs critically fortunate to the reputation and intereft of
the admiral, as it prevented him from being fuperfeded in the command,
and from being fubjeded to a rigorous parliamentary inquiry refpeding
the tranfadions at S'. Euftathius, and alfo procured him the thanks of
both houfes of parliament, together with a peerage accompanied by a
penfion to himfelf and his heirs.

April 22'' — After Mr. Adams had fpent a whole year in foliciting the
Dutch to acknowlege the independence of the United ftates of America,
and to enter into an alliance with them, as the republic in the whole
world mofi: fimilar to their own, in religion, in manners, and even in
the events by which both had obtained their independence, they at lafl,
with their national dilatorinefs of confultation, publicly received him as
ambafl^ador from the United flates, whofe independence they only now
acknowleged ; though they had from the beginning of the contefl;
covertly, and for fome time pafl; overtly, done all in their power to ailill
them againft Great Britain. It is worthy of remark, that the public re-
ception of the American ambafliidor took place at the very time, when
propofals for a feparate peace with the Dutch, under the mediation of
Rulfia, and admitting a free navigation on the full principles of the
armed neutrality, were offered by Great Britain.

• This proud tiopliy of the Biitlfli vlclory was loft at fca. But another faip of equal ir.agniiude
was iniinediately built to cany her name. »

710 A. D. 1782.

May 8*'' — The ifland of New Providence furrendercd to the arms of
Spain : and the innumerable clufler of the Bahama iflands, of which it
was the feat of government, and then altb the only one containing any
confiderable number of inhabitants, was comprehended in the capitula-
tion. Of all the numerous iflands and fettlements in the Weil-Indies,
colonized or conquered by Great Britain, there remained now only
Jamaica with its dependencies, Barbados, Antigua, the Virgin iflands,
Anguilla, Barbuda, and Bermuda.

May-^The redudion of the bounty being found to diminifli the
number of veflels employed in the Greenland whale fifliery, it was again
railed to forty fliillings a tun. And, whereas in time of war it is ex-
ceedingly difficult to procure the number of men required by the law,
the fliips were permitted to take in men, not exceeding two for every
fifty tuns of their burthen at Shetland, and to land them there on their
return from the fifliery. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 19.]

The ad:, permitting the importation of tallow, hog's lard, and greafe,
free of duty, was continued till the 25 '' of March 1785. [22 Geo. til,
c. 20.]

Some regulations for preventing the fraudulent importation of foreign
fnuff, and to prevent fmuggling by vefl'els fitted out as privateers, were
enaded. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 21.]

The praflice of ranfoming fliips taken by the enemy being found
liable to great abufes, it was prohibited under a penalty of ;^500, and all
ranfom bills were declared to be null and void after a limited time. [22
Geo. Ill, c. 25.]

An additional duty of four pence on every pound of tobacco, and of
eight pence on every pound of fnuff, imported, was ordered to take place

after the i'' of June 1782 The duties of cufl:oms upon brandy and

arrack were repealed, and a new duty impofed of ^8 : 8 : o with -an ad-
dition of five per cent upon that duty, upon every tun, containing 252
gallons, of brandy, or fpirits entered under that name, imported from
any foreign country, and the fame upon arrack. [22 Geo. HI, c. 28.]

The Britilh planters in the iflands of S'. Chriflophers, Nevis, and
Montferrat, now living under the dominion of France, were permitted
to carry their produce to any part of the Britifli dominions in Europe
or America, and to pay only the duties payable upon the produce of the
iflands fubjc(5l to Britain. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 30.]

The ad [6 Geo. Ill, c. 22] for regulating the loading of fliips with
coal at Newcafllc and Sunderland, being found beneficial, was pro-
longed till 25''' March 1789. {22 Geo. Ill, c. 32.]

Inland bills of exchange, promiflTory notes, and other notes not pay-
able on demand, were fubjeded to flamp duties*. [22 Geo. III^ c. ^^.^
This regulation made a confiderable addition to the income of the pofl:-

* As thofe ftamp duties were afterwards augmented, it is ncedkfs to take further notice of them here.

A. D. 1782. 711

office by abolifliing the pradice of drawing bills on the paper of the
letters, which accompanied them.

June 1 9"' — Tobacco, the growth of the Britifh plantations, was per-
mitted to be imported during the continuance of the war, from any
port of America, the Weft-Indies, or Europe. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 38.]

In order to put a flop to the violence and outrages frequently com-
mitted by riotous and ill-difpofed perfons, the crime of entering houfes
or lliops, and cutting or deftroying woollen, filk, cotton, or linen,
goods, or any tools or utenfils ufed in fpinning, preparing, or weaving,
fuch goods, was made felony without benefit of clergy. [22 Geo. Ill,
c. 40.]

Tickets for the lotteries eftablifhed by the parliament of Ireland were
permitted to be fold in any part of Great Britain, except the univerfities
of Oxford and Cambridge, under the lame regulations with refped to
licences, fhares, &c. which are enaded for conduding the bufinefs of the
Britifli ftate lotteries. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 47.]

The affairs of the Eaft-India company were now become almoft as
much the fubjed of parliamentary difcuflion as the national income and
expenditure. INIr, Henry Dundas, the lord advocate of Scotland, who
had examined the affairs of India. with uncommon induftry and acute-
nefs, declared in the houfe of commons, that the revenue of the pre-
fidency of Bombay fell fliort of its civil and military inveftments
vr20o,ooo annually, which deficiency was made up by Bengal; that the
revenue of the prefidency of Madras, though in the four years of peace
between 1767 and 1779 it had exceeded nearly one half as much as the
'cx.penfes, had not been equal to the civil and military inveftments
during the eight years of war; and that even in Bengal, the moft fertile
and lucrative of the Britifh pofl'eflions in India, the expenfes of the war
with the Mahrattas threatened a partial, if not a total, fufpenfion of the
inveftments for England. He condemned the thirft for conquefts and
frantic military exploits, too often difplayed by our governors in India,
who, he faid, inftead of ading as the faithful ftewards of a commercial
■company, were too apt to fancy themfelves Alexanders or Aurengezebes,
and he hinted the propriety of placing the management of the territor-
ial .pofleflions imder the diredion of the crown. The houfe of com-
mons afterwards reiolved, ' that the orders of the court of diredors of
' the Eafl-India company, which have conveyed to their fervants abroad
' a prohibitory condemnation of all fchemes of conqueft and enlarge-
' ment of dominion, by prefcribing certain rules and boundaries for the
■• operation of their military force, and enjoining a ftrid adherence to a
' fyftem of defence upon the principles of the treaty of Illahabad, were
' fotjnded no lefs in wifdom and policy, than in juftice and moderation ;'
and that the many deviations from thofe orders, and the unnecefFary
interferences in the affairs of the native princes had been piodudive of

712 A. D. 1782.

fuch prejudice to the interefls of the company and to their influence
in the country, as could never be compenfated by the temporary fuccefs
of any plan of violence or injuftice. The commons in their refolutions
alfo cenfured fome parts of the conducl of the diredors of the Eaft-
India company, as well as that of their fervants and agents ; and they
declared, that Mr. Haflings the governor-general, and fome others of
the company's fervants, ought immediately to be recalled from India.

May At the very time when thefe harfli meafures againfl: Mr. Raft-
ings were refolved upon in parliament, he appears to have performed
the moft eflTential fervices in India by diiTolving the grand confederacy
of princes leagued againft the company. He had already found means
to detach a branch of the Mahrattas from that confederacy by means of
a treaty of peace and alliance entered into with them on the 1 3'" of
Odober 1781 by Colonel Muir. And now another treaty was con-
cluded with the principal Mahratta ftate, which was conduded on the
part of the company by Mr. David Anderfon, upon liberal principles on
both fides, whereby

Articles, r, 2, 17) The company agreed to reftore the countries,
forts, &c. lately taken from the Mahrattas, excepting the iflands of Sal-
iette, Elephanta, Corranja, and Hog ifland.

3, 4) The poflefTion of Baroach, with a territory of three lacks of
rupees, had been ceded to the company by a former treaty ; but they
now relinquiflied their claim to the territory, referving only the city.

9) The pefliwa of the Mahrattas engaged to oblige Hyder Ally to
evacuate the territories of the company and their allies.

11) It was agreed, that the veflels of each party fliould have free
accefs and protedion in the ports belonging to either.

I 2) The company were to enjoy the privileges of trade as formerly
in the Mahratta territories, and agreed to grant equal freedom of trade
to the Mahrattas in their territories.

13) The pefhwa engaged to fuffer no other European nation to be
eflablilhed in his territories, or thofe depending upon him, the fettle-
ments of the Portuguefe being, however, underftood to remain upon
their antient footing.

This treaty was figned on the 17'" of May 1782 by Mr. Anderfon,
and confirmed on the 6'" of June following by Mr. Haftings the
governor-general, and Meflleurs Wheeler and Macpherfon members
of the council, at Calcutta.

The people of Ireland had obtained from the Britifli parliament fome
liberal conceflions refpeding the freedom of their commerce. But
they were not fatisfied with enjoying as a favour, liable to be refumed
by the fame power which granted it, what they confidered as their in-
herent right ; and they proceeded to declare, that no parhament, but
their own, fhould have the power to legiflate for Ireland. The majority

A. D. 1782. 713

of the members of the Irifh legiflature fliowing, however, lefs ardour for
their emancipation from the controul of the Britifh parUament, than
the people at large thought they ought to do, the volunteer affociations
determined, that the people of Ireland fliould not be trifled with by
thofe ' who pretended to be their reprefentatives ;' and at a meeting
held at Dungannon (February 15''' 1782) the reprefentatives, delegated
from 143 corps of the volunteers, refolved, ' that a claim of any body
' of men, other than the king, lords, and commons, of Ireland, to make

* laws to bind that kingdom, is unconflitutional, illegal, and a griev-

* ance ; that the powers exercifed by the privy council of both king-

* doms, under colour or pretence of the law of Poynings, are uncon-

* ftitutional and a grievance; that a mutiny bill, not limited in point

* of duration from fefllon to feffion, is unconflitutional and a griev-

* ance ; and that the ports of Ireland are, by right, open to all foreign

* countries, not at war with the king, and any burthen thereon, or ob-

* flrudion thereto, fave only by the parliament of Ireland, is uncon-
' ftitutional, illegal, and a grievance.' They further declared, in anfwer
to thofe who had afferted, that volunteers, as fuch, had no right to give
their opinions on political fubjedls, ' that a citizen by learning the ufe

* of arms does not abandon any of his civil rights :' and they made
known their determination to ufe all conftitutional means to obtain a
fpeedy and effectual redrefs of their public grievances.

On this fide of the water the bufinefs was alfo taken up with fincere
intentions of giving all poffible fatisfadion to Ireland, which, ' being a
' part of the Britifli empire, is entitled to the full and equal participa-
' tion of all the benefits and all the immunities enjoyed in England, and

* which are confonant to the principles of the Britifh conftitution.'
An aft was accordingly pafTed (June 21"), whereby the a6l of the
iixth year of King George I, for fecuring the dependence of the king-
dom of Ireland upon the crown of Great Britain, with the feveral
matters and things therein contained, was totally, and immediately,
repealed. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 53.]

The parliament of Ireland, as a teftimony of gratitude to the legif-
lature of Great Britain, immediately voted twenty thoufand men for
the Britifla navy : and in their addrefs to the king they declared their
confidence, that the independence of the legiflature of Ireland, both as
to internal and external objeds, would be inviolably maintained.

July — A petition having been prefented to parliament by the calico-
printers, wherein they fet forth, that the Eafl-India company had taken
advantage of the improvements, introduced into their bufinefs fome
years ago, in printing upon engraved plates of copper and other metals,
by fending out plates and workmen to their fettlements in India, where
the low price of labour enabled them to print their calicoes much
cheaper than the petitioners were able to do ; and that great quantities

Vol. III. 4 X

714 A. D. 1782.

of fuch printed goods were imported, and, it being next to impoffible
to diflinguiih them from Britifh printed goods, the petitioners were in
danger of being ruined, and the trade and revenue of the kingdom
were in danger of being greatly injured. It was thereupon enad-
ed, that whofoever fliould entice any workmen employed in print-
ing calicoes, cottons, muflins, or Unens, or in making blocks, plates,
or uteniils, for fuch manufadure, to go beyond the fea, fhould be
puniflied by a fine of /^5oo, and alfo be imprifoned for twelve months ;
and, in cale of a fecond offence, the fine and imprifonment fliould be
doubled. Any perfon found guilty of exporting blocks, plates, or uten-
fils, for the printing bufinefs, is alfo liable to a fine of £500 ; and com-
manders of veflels, knowingly fuffering fuch blocks. Sec. to be re-
ceived onboard their vefl^els are fubjeded to a penalty of /^loo. [22
Geo. Ill, c. 60.]

An additional duty of three pence per pound, with five per cent on
the amotmt of the duty, was impofed on white, or manufadured, bee's
wax imported. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 61.]

An addition of five per cent, upon all former duties upon goods
imported, exported, or carried by coafling navigation, and alfo upon
the excife duties, with fome exemptions, was voted by parliament. [22
Ceo, III, c. 66.]

An ad was paiTcd to prevent his Majefty's enemies from being fup-
plied with fliips or veflels from Great Britain. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 71.]

The prohibition of importing foreign filks and velvets [Ad 6 Geo. Ill,
c. 28] was prolonged till 14'" June 1788. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 72.]

The ad, of the twelfth year of Charles II, againfl: cultivating tobacco
in England, was now declared to extend to Scotland. But, as feveral
people in Scotland, after the interruption of the American trade, had
planted tobacco *, all fuch tobacco, already cured, or now growing, was
direded to be entered before the 20"' of Augufl; 1782 at the nearefl
cuflom-houfe, and the duties payable on the importation of American
tobacco, to be paid for it. The Scottifli tobacco was not permitted to
be carried by land into England, but might be carried thither by
water : and no drawback of duty was allowed on the exportation of it.
[22 Geo. III. c. 73.]

As the drugs, produced in Hungary and Germany, ufed in times of
peace with the Dutch to be imported from Roterdam, fuch drugs were
jiow permitted to be brought from any port in the Auftrian Nether-
lands or Germany in Britifli-built veflels, and to be confidered, with
refped to the duties, as brought from the place of their growth. Wine
and organzined filk, the produce of Hungary, the Auftrian dominions,

* Some tobacco was alfo planted in the county of Cork in Ireland, and the crop was worth ^^40 per
acre. \^Lnrd Sheffltld's conf deration] on jimencan trade, p. icC/T.v.A <•</.] 3

A. p. 1782. 715

or any part of Germany, were permitted to be fliipped at any port in
the dominions of the emperor of Germany or the houfe of Auftria, fub-
jed; to the duties payable on Rhenilli wines and Itahan filks. Timber
and fome other articles were alfo permitted to be imported from any
part of Europe in veflcls belonging to the fubjeds of the fovereign of
the country, whereof the articles are the produce, though fuch country
may not have been under the dominion of fuch fovereign, when the
Navigation ad was paffed in the reign of Charles 11. All goods imported
under this ad in foreign veffels, or being the property of foreigners,
were ftill fubjed to alien's duty. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 78.]

In the beginning of the year 1780 Lord Shelburne (now marquis of
Lanfdown) in the houfe of lords, and Mr. Burke in the houfe of com-
mons, made motions for a thorough reform in the national expenditure.
The later, in a powerful fpeech, laid down as fundamental rules — that
all unnecefTary and oppreffive jurifdidions fhould be abolifhed — all
pubhc eftates, held for the purpofe of creating influence rather than
adding to the revenue, Ihould be difpofed of — all offices of Httle or no
utility iliould either be fuppreffed, or ingrafted upon others — all offices,
which obftrud the views and operations of the general fuperintendant
of finance, fliould be aboliflied — an invariable order fhould be eftablifh-
ed in all payments, to prevent partiality — every eflablifhment fhould
be reduced to certainty in all its parts — all fubordinate treafuries, as the
nurferies of mifmanagement, and as perplexing the public accounts,
ought to be abolifhed.

Of all the branches of Mr. Burke's vafl plan of reformation, the one,
which chiefly concerns this work, was the abolition of the board of
trade and plantations. Mr. Burke aflerted, that that board had never
been of any fervice to the commerce of this country, and, whenever
they interfered, their injudicious tampering had been prejudicial ; that
they had never been of any ule to the plantations or colonies. New
England, Virginia, and all our wealthy colonies in the Weft-Indies, were
fettled before their eftablilhment : Pennfylvania and Carolina were
fettled after the extindion of the firft, and before the formation of the
prefent, board, during the whole exiftence of which only Georgia and
Nova Scotia were fettled ; two colonies which had coft more, and were
lefs produdive, than any of the others*. He remarked, that, however
ready adminiftration might be to defend the board of trade and planta-
tions, they were very cautious of employing them. They were not
confulted on commercial points of the greateft importance ; nor did
any of the innumerable regulations for trade originate with that board.
Not one of the Eaft-India bills was planned there. The board had no

* Mr. Burke forgot Canada, the two Floridas, (Iruftions drawn up by tlic board of trade ; and
and the four Ceded iflands, which were formed of tliefe, the iflaiids very foon became valuable and
into provinces after the peace of 1763 under in- produitive coloniea.

4X2

yi6 A. D.I 782.

concern in any of the commercial ads, fach as they were, which were
preludes to the American war. When commiflioners were fent out to
negotiate a peace with America, and an entii'e new commercial fyflem
was in contemplation, the board of trade were not confuhed on that
occafion, nor on the important changes made in the commercial fyflem
by the laws, which allowed Ireland to enjoy a free trade. A member
of parliament, who was a lord of trade, vindicated the utility of the
board; he appealed to their records, confifling of 2,300 volumes of in-
terefting and important papers : and he adduced the names of Locke,
Addifon, Prior, Lord Molefworth, Charles Townfend, and many other
refpedable charadlers, who had been members of the board, as proofs
of its importance. But thefe arguments wei-e ridiculed by Mr. Burke.
And the fpeaker of the houfe of commons declared, that the board
was not only ufelefs in its fundions, but mifchievons in its effeds
in regard to influence ; for he confidered it as efficient in no other
refped *.

Mr. Burke's plan of reform was rejeded in the fefllons of 1780 and
1 781. But now, himfelf and his friends being in office, he again called
the attention of the legiflature to his propofals, which were more fa-
vourably received; in confequence whereof, on the fecond day of May
1782 the lords commiffioners for trade and plantations feverally re-
ceived an official letter from the earl of Shelburne, one of his Majefty's
principal fecretaries of ftate, informing them, that his Majefly had no
further occafion for their fervices as lords of trade — By this notification
the bufinefs of the board of trade was difcontinued, although it was not
aboliflied till the ad of parliament for that purpofe pafled on the ii'" of
July following, when

The office of third fecrctary of fl;ate, or fecretary of flate for the
colonies, the board of trade and plantations, the lords of trade and
police in Scotland, the principal offices in the board of works, and fome
others of the inefficient offices, were fupprefled ; and a new and eco-
nomical plan was adopted for conduding feveral branches of the public
expenditure. The duty and authority of the board of trade were

• On the other fide of the queftion, Lord ' derftand, the concerns of commerce.' — ' Boards

Sheffield, whofe opinion in commercial matters, ' of treafury and admiralty, comparatively, are of

will certaiiJy be thought worthy of attention, fays, ' little confequence, the bufinefs of the commifGon-

• It is a mod extraordinary circumftance, that a ' ers or lords, except the firft lord, being nearly,

• nation, which ftates itfelf to be commercial, • no more than officially to fign their names. If
« fliould not have a miniiler, or board, or perfon « the board of trade gave improper influence,

• whatever, who nectfTarily attends, and applies to, ' (which few people feem now [1783] to think
' comprehends, or confiders, the ftate of com- • it did) or was improperly filled up, the objeftions

• merce.' — ' A committee of the privy council ' might have been removed, without the ifrangeft

• may now and then fpare a moment to try a • negleft of our colonies and commerce by the
' plantation caufe : but it is an infult to the under- ' abolition of the only board, which could be ufc»
« Handing of any man acquainted with this country « ful to both.' \_Obfei-uations on the commerce of tie
' to fay, that the privy council will ever form or American Jlatcs, p. 261, fixth edition.']

« follow any fyftcm, examine into, and really un-

A. D. 1782. 717

transferred to a committee of the privy council, who are to a.d- with-
out falary, fee, or penfion : and any public money, which was under
the management of the lords of trade and police in Scotland, was
transferred to the management of the convention of royal burghs.
[22 Geo. in, c. 82.]

Several confiderable improvements in London and the fuburbs, and
in other cities and towns, as alfo improvements of roads, and other
matters of police throughout the kingdom, were carried on under the
fandion of ads of this feffion of parliament.

In the beginning of this fummer the emperor of Germany, being
defirous of promoting the commerce of Triefle, the moft confiderable
of his two ports in the Mediterranean, advanced four millions of florins
to the merchants of that place to enable them to extend their com-
mercial enterprifes to Afia and Africa, and alfo to America.

In the coiirfe of this fummer the Spaniards were driven from every
one of the pofts, which they had fortified on the Mufquito fhore in order
to harafs the Britifh fettlers.

Auguft — Two of the fmall fettlements belonging to the Hudfon's-
bay company, called Fort Prince of Wales and Fort York, were in-
vaded by a French armament, confifting of one fhip of 74 guns (the
only fhip of the line, that ever was in Hudfon's bay) and two frigates
of -^^ guns each, with 250 foldiers, 40 artillery-men, cannons, mortars,
&c. and commanded by Mr. Peroufe, who was afterwards loft in a
voyage of difcovery in the South fea. Againft fo very formidable an
attack the company's few fervants had no defence, and confequently
fubmitted at difcretion. Mr. Peroufe, according to his orders, de-
molifhed the forts, whereby the company loft property to the amount,
as is faid, of ;^5oo,ooo ; and then he retired, having firft humanely
landed arms and provifions for the defence and fupport of fome of the
company's fervants, who had fled into the woods on his approach.

The Dutch were deprived of Accra, Commenda, and moft of their
other trading pofts, or forts, upon the weftern coaft of Africa by Britifh
fhips of war in the courfe of this year.

The king of France having advanced to the congrefs of the United
flates of America,

from 28"' February to i" November 1778 - 3,000,000 livres^
from 10'" June to 21" December 1779 - 1,000,000

from 29'" February to 27"" November 1780 - 4,000,000
from 15'" February to 15"" November 1781 - 4,000,000
and from lo'" April to 5'" July 1782 - 6,000,000

the congrefs ftood bound to pay the whole fum of 1 8,000,000

with intereft at five per cent to the king's banker at Paris on the i " of

January 1788. But the king, defirous of fliowing kindneis to his

7i8 A. D. 1782.

American allies, inftead of requiring the payment in one fum on a
iixed day, propofcd that it fliould be repaid in equal annual inftallments
in twelve years, to begin the third year after the peace, with liberty for
the congrefs to pay the debt fooner, if convenient for themfelves : and
he made them a prefent of all the intereft, due, or accruing, till the day
of the date of the treaty of peace*.

The king was alfo fecurity for 10,000,000 llvres, borrowed for the
congrefs from the Dutch on the 5th of November 1781 with intereft at
five per cent, to be repaid by inftallments commencing on the 5^ of
November 1787. And the whole of both debts was acknowleged in a
treaty or contrad:, figned by Do6tor Franklin, as ambaffador for the
United ftates, on the 16'" of July 1782, and confirmed by the congrefs
in January following.

It was not till the 8'" of Odober, that the Dutch finally completed
with fome very trifling alteration, and publicly confirmed, the treaty
with America, which had been fecretly negotiated in the year 1778.
As a brief extract of that ti'eaty has been already given, it would be
fuperfiuous to repeat it here f .

The nation being very clamorous for peace, and the events of the war
having fufficiently convinced the advocates for the fubjugation of Ame-
rica, that there was no probability of their objed being accomplifhed,
the parliament empowered the king to negotiate for a peace with the
Americans : and Mr. Grenville was fent to Paris, fully authorized to
treat with all the powers allied againfl: Great Britain, and particularly
to offer a preliminary and unconditional acknowlegement of the inde-
pendence of the American ftates. The commanders in America were
alfo direded to notify the pacific difpofition of the Britifh government
t(7 the American congrefs, who, however, declared, they would liften to
no propofals for a pacification, but in conjunction with, and with the
confent of, their allies. In truth, all the belligerent powers were now
tired of the war. T.'ie French, though they had taken many of our
Weft-India ifiands, had no reafon to congratulate themfelves upon the
fuccefs of tlieir interference: their commerce had fuffered feverely;
many of their merchants were ruined ; and even the national credit
began to ftagger under the weight of their own expenfes and the fup-
plies to America. The Spaniards found themfelves totally difappointed
of their expeclations in every inftance, except the conqueft of Minorca ;
that of Florida and the Bahama iflands being no advantage to a nation,
who already had too many unproductive diflant fettiements. The
Dutch had at leaft as much reafon to be tired of the war as any of their

* In the year 1792 the United ftates had paid f Tlie chief difference is in the arrangement of
all the inltallments that were due, and alfo, to ac- the various articles, apparently with a view to
commodate the French, who were then in want of make it appear different from the orijjinal.
money, a part of that which was not yet due.
J^Coxc's Fuw of the Unitedjlates, />. 364, 370.]

A. D. 1782. 719

allies, as they had acquired nothing, but loll many of their moft valuable
trading fetdements, and almofl: all their trade, which, to a nation poi-
feffing fo little land, is their all. This unfortunate war had hkeways,
by expofing their internal weaknefs, and by obliging them to rely on
the afliftance of France, funk them into the condition of a province of
that kingdom, and thrown them down from the rank they had hitherto
held among the powers of Europe. Perhaps ^America, though the firft
caufe and principal theatre of the war, fuffered in mofl: refpeds lefs than
any of the other belligerent powers. The Americans had no diftant
territories to protect, or to lofe : and, though deprived for a while of the
ufe of fome of their towns, they in fad: loft not an inch of ground. The
enormous expenfe of the armies, fent over to fubdue them, in reality
enriched them with a profufion of hard money, infinitely beyond what
was ever feen in the country before : and their merchants were great
gainers by the flour, provifions, and lumber, they were allowed, when
the Spanifli colonies began to feel the hardfliips of the war, to carry to
the Havanna, for which they got principally gold and filver in return *.
But a long continuance of the war muft have alfo become very diftrefl-
ing to America. The cultivation of the foil required the whole labour
of a people, not yet fufficiently numerous to fpare great numbers from
produdive induftry, and whofe export trade confifted moftly of rough
produce, or fuch as had undergone only the firft ftage of manufadure.
Therefor, in fuch a community the long-continued fupport of a great
army muft have become produdive of ruinous confequences. The
fplendid and decifive vidory gained by Rodney in the Weft-Indies,
and the brilliant defence of Gibraltar by General Elliot, we may pre-
fume, had their {hare in difpofing to peaceful counfels the enemies of
Great Britain, who, alone, and unallied, had fuccefsfully oppofed her fleets
to thofe of all the principal maritime powers of the world, while her com-
merce, if compared with that of her enemies, might be faid to be but
little depreffed. Peace being thus the wilh of all parties, the pro-
vifional articles for a treaty with America were figned at Paris on the
30"" of November ; and from that day, though the diplomatic formal-
ities fpun out the negotiations for many months, the war may be faid
to be at an end.

It has already been obferved, that during the American war the quant-
ity of Britifli goods, really carried to, and confumed in, America, was
not very much diminiftied by the interruption of the dired intercourfe
with that continent, [fee above, p. 591] But befides the goods, which
the Americans obtained by the circuitous trade of the neutral iflands,

* So lucrative was this track, that, if half their iflands were indebted for a confiderable part of

veflfels were taken, they were ftill able to carry it their fupplies from the year 1780 till the termina-

on with very great advantage. It was to the cap- tion of the war,
tures of fome of thofe veffels, that our Weft-India

^20 A. D. 1782.

what they got by the capture of Britifti veflels, and what were fmuggled
into the revoked territories from NovaScoiia, (the exports to which will
be found by the annual accounts of imports and exports to have in-
creafed prodigioufly after the commencement of the war) from New
York, and from Carolina and Georgia when in pofleflion of the Britifh
troops, * many fhips, which cleared for New York and Halifax at the

* ports of London, Briftol, Liverpool, and thofe of Scotland, and Ire-
' land, went at great rifk,*and in the face of the act of congrefs, diredly
' to (the United ftates of) North America. One fliip in particular,
' loaded with Britifh goods, cleared from London for New York, but
' went diredtly to Boflon; the cargo was fold wholefale for 270 per cent

* profit — what did the confumer pay, who bought the articles by re-
' tail ? Several cargoes, that went to the American ftates, were paid

* for in ready money before their departure from England ; and all

* this happened, when the markets of France, Holland, &c. were open

* to them.' {Lord Sheffield's Obfervations on American commerce, p. 250,
fixth ed.]

Neither was the quantity of American produce, which found its way
into the ports of Great Britain, fo very much dimimlhed, as might have
been expeded, when the Americans declared the ports of their country
open to all the world, and the Britifli vefTels, which ufed to have a
monopoly of the carrying trade, were excluded from them. Confiderable
quantities of tobacco, the principal commercial article of American pro-
duce, were imported into Britain from the Dutch ifland of S'. Eufta-
thius, till the commencement of hoftilities with the Dutch, and the fub-
fequent capture of the ifland, (hut up that free port. After that it was
imported by the medium of the Danifh ifland of S'. Thomas : but a
much greater quantity found its way into the Britifli ifland of Tortola,
which in the courfe of this year fliipped almoft a half of all the tobacco
that came into the ports of Great Britain *.

It is proper here alfo to take notice of a very profitable clandeftine
trade, which was faid to be carried on, and, I believe to a very confider-
able amount, by fome people, within the towns occupied by the Britifli
forces in America, and others, connected with them in the revolted
fl;ates, by preconcerted friendly captures of vefl'els to be naet with at a
certain time and place, whofe cargoes, confiding frequently of provi-
fions, fometimes of tobacco, &c. came to a moft excellent ready-money
market by being fold at vendue (audion) as prizes. Articles of provifions

* The toliacco imported this year was, in England - 7,203,262 pounds

in Scotland - 2,624,807

9,828,069

of which there came from Tcr^ola, to England - 3,274,909

to Scotland - 1,505,057

4.779>9'56

The remainder, partly produced in, and partly fmuggled into, Carolina and Eall~j

Florida, paitly the produce of capture, or fmuggled into llic Well-India iflands, and > g ^^^
partly impoi ted from the continent of Europe, was * J >' + > J

A. D. 1782.

721

efpeclally fold at monflrous prices, in confequence of the very crowded
flate of the towns, which had almoft no back country, acknowleging the
Britifh government, to fupply them.

An eftimate was made, by order of the congrefs, of the numbers of
inhabitants in the United flates, in order to proportion the alleiTments
upon each ftate, which was as follows.

bitants, being 34 thoufandth

- H7
21
85

- 84
54

- 134
15
92

167

- 84
71
II

New Hampfhire

-

82,200

parts of the whole.

Maflachufets bay

-

350,000

Rhode ifland

-

50.400

Connefticut

_

206,000

New York

_

200,000

New Jerfey

-

130,000

Pennfylvania -

-

320,000

Delaware

_

35,000

Maryland

-

220,700

Virginia

-

400,000

North Carolina

-

200,000

South Carolina

-

170,000

Georgia

-

25,000

on

ndj-:

Total of inhabitants

all ages, colours, and ^ 2,389,300 *' - - 1,000

conditions, _

December 23" — The harveft having been dreadfully deficient this
year, the parliament allowed the importation of all kinds of grain, upon
payment of low duties, v/hich was to continue till the 25"^ of Auguft
1783 in England, and till the 25''' of September 1783 in Scotland.
[23 Geo. Ill, c. I.]

A view of the increafe of the Scottifh herring fifhery from the year
175 1 to the year 1776, has already been given ; and the decline of it
after that year has alfo been noticed [pp- 395, 633.] The following
view of its declining flate during the war, and alfo of the exportation of

* This eftimate was cenfuied as too high by-
Lord Sheffield, who obferves, that the beft ac-
counts ftate the number of whites in tlie American
flates as not exceeding 1,700,000 [^Conjideralions
on the commerce of America., p. 2yj,f:vth eit.~\ He
docs not lay any thing of the number of negro
flaves : but if the eftimated proportion of 10 ne-
groes to 1 1 whites be nearly true, it makes the
total number in the eilimate corrcfpond very well
with that number of whites. Mr. Coxe (hows,
apparently upon good grounds, that the eilimate

Vol. III.

was rather under, than above, the truth ; and
Mr. Jefferfon makes it exceedingly probable, that
the number in Virginia this year was 567,614, of
whom 270,762 were flaves. Succeeding enumera-
tions, more accurately taken, (how, that the num-
bers have increafed in all the ftates with ailonilli-
ing rapidity. [See Coxe''s Vietu of the Umtcdjlatcs,
pp. 197, 280. — Jejftrfon'j Notes on yirginia, p. 1 43.
— See alfo Tatbam's Political economy of inland
navigation, p. 36. j

4 Y

722

A. D. 1782.

herrings and cod from Scotland, is taken from the official accounts,
made up in the cuftom-houfe at Edinburgh by Mr. Boyd, examiner of
fait and fifliery accounts.

Years

Busses.

tnnnago.

men.

1777

240

11,727

2,600

J 778

220

10,877

2,504

1773

205

10,191

2,343

17^0

181

8,963

2,061

1781

136

6,449

1,4Q4

1782

147

7;291

1,667

Barrels of

herrings
taken.

43,313
40,958
29,367
19,885
16,593
13,457

1

E.xported

II

1 Herrings

Cod 1

fe

white,

total

cwt.

bar.

number.

bar.

bar.

barrels.

hundreds.

800

41,2174

42,0171

12,302

441

843

35,620

36,463

8,727

110

334

32,110

32.444

6,583

63

119

25,122

25,241

13,703

6

78ffl

190

14,0824

14,2724

14,485

id

12,522i

12,522t

14,038

I84i

144I

Bounties paid
to busses, and
on exportation
of fish.

25,104 8 1
22,475 18 4

20,600 17 O

19,058 19 11

13,746 0 1

14,414 12 10

It mufl be obferved that the numbers of barrels taken, here ftated,
include only thole taken in the firft voyage in each feafon, called the
bounty voyage. But, as the bufles often made a fecond, and fometimes
even a third, voyage, and as the herrings taken in thofe after voyages
are believed to be, one year with another, equal to thofe taken in the
bounty voyages, the real quantity of herrings caught and cured by the
bufles may be fairly eftimated at double the quantity here ftated. The
number of herrings taken by boats, and confumed frefli, or llightly
faked, in the country, of which no account is taken, muft alio be pro-
digioufly great; efpecially when an extraordinary plenty, and confe-
quently low price, encourages the cadgers (higglers) to carry them as
far as polhble into the inland parts of the country.

The precarious nature of the fifhery appears very ftrongly from the
great inequality of the exportation from the fame port. Campbelltown,
which in the year 1755 exported 24,436 barrels, and has been generally
one of the chief ports of Scotland for the exportation of herrings, ex-
ported this year only 396 barrels. Stranrawer in the year 1758 export-
ed 13,121 barrels, and has in fome years exported none at all. Cod is
chiefly exported from Shetland, next to which Campbelltown, and of later
years fometimes Stornoway and Aberdeen, have been the chief fifhing
places for the exportation of cod *.

The exportation of falmon, which formerly ufed to be a very con-
liderable branch of Scottifh trade, is now almofl entirely annihilated by
the demand for the confumption of London : and it is thought that the
method of conducing the fifhery in the rivers is annually diminifliing
the breed of falmon.

The following view of the trade of England in herrings and cod.

* Thefe comparative remarks arc taken from Mr. Boyd'a account, which is too bulky to ba
inftrted entire. 5^

A. D. 1782.

m

during the fame years, is extraded from accounts laid before the houfe
of commons.

Year,.

Herrings

1

exported

consumed at home 1

1777
J 778
1779
1780
1781
1782

red,
barrels.
12,115
I2,703i
18,942i
24,083 }
19,386
21,091

white,

barrels.

ii.775i

11,738

13,829

12,513
14,268i

total
barrels.
23,890i
'iAM\\
32,77)i
31,781
31.899
35,359X

red,
thousands*.
12,898,357
11,235,909
19,327,045
13,350,544
I2,7t)9,786
12,944,130

white,
barrels.
6,765
5,814
8,352
3,744
4,394
1,563

Cod
eocported,

cwt.

3,473
3,539

4,139
6,905

1,341

Total of bounties
paid on vessels,
nd on exporta-
tion of herrings
and codf.

4,024 Q 0
3,666 4 6
3,583 15 0
3,925 10 0
4,493 12 6
3,970 10 0

The fifhery of pilchards on the coafl of Cornwall is alfo a confider-
able objeft, affording employment to above 3,000 fifhermen befides the
feamen employed in carrying the filh to foreign markets, which are
chiefly the ports in the Mediterranean, and in importing fait, fl:aves, and
other materials for the fifhery, and four or five thoufand people em-
ployed in the bufmefles connedled with it on fhore. Pilchards are fo
much in requefl in the Italian flates, that the orders from them for
lead, tin, copper, leather, &c. have been often conditional, that if fuch
a quantity of pilchards could not be fent, the other articles could not
be received : and the Venetian government allowed Britifh veflels im-
porting a certain proportion of pilchards to take in currants at their
iflands, though the carriage of that fruit was reftrided to their own
vefTels. The annual export of this fifh on an average of ten years
1747-1756 was about 30,000 hogfheads ; but it had now declined to
12,000 or 13,000.

The herring fifhery on the Yarmouth coaft has alfo declined very
much. At this time it employed only 94 veffels ; whereas in the year
1760 it employed 205 of from 30 to 100 tuns, and gave employment
to about 6,000 men, women, boys, and girls, befides 30 or 40 vefTels
from Folkflone, Haftings, &c. which have now deferted it entirely.
For about twenty years preceding 1760 the annual capture of herrings
on the Norfolk coafl was above 47,000 barrels, of which about 38,000
were exported. The fifhery, which the people of Yarmouth, with the
afliflance of the Shetland fifhermen, ufed to carry on, in about two
hundred vefTels of from 40 to 60 tuns, in the neighbourhood of Iceland,
where the cod mofl faleable in the Spanifh and Italian markets are

* The numbers here given art the totals of each whereas, I think, it may be doubted, whether

year, according to the account made up at the every individual, one with another, confumei

fait office in July 1784 by order of the committee twenty red herrings in a year. Q^icre, if for

of the houfe of commons. But they ajipcar un- thoufanJs we fliould not read fingle herrings ?
accountably great, being, independent of the bar- f For the funis in this column I am indebted

rels, far beyond a thoufand red herrings for every to Doftor Andcrfon. See his ^tale of the Hdr'uUt

pcrfon, young and old, in all England and Wales ; (Weflern iflands) ;>. 446.

4Y2

7H

A. D. 1782.

caught, has been annihilated by the operation of the fait laws. Several
gentlemen from Yarmouth informed the committee of the houfe of
commons that they would willingly revive that fifhery, if it fhould be
relieved from the oppreflion of thofe laws.

In confequence of the liberal encouragement, given to the fiflieries
by the parhament of Ireland, [fee above, p. 405] the herring fifhery of
that country was now confiderably advanced. The Irifh, however, flill
continued to import herrings to anfwer the great demand for the Weft-
Indies. The following is a view of the progrefs of their trade in that
article.

Annual average number of barrels"^
from 1756 to 1/64 i. e. before >
the bounty J

D". from 17(34 to 1773
D". from 25'" March 1763 1
to 25'" March 1767/
D'. from 25'" Marcli 17791
to 25'" March 1783/
In the year ending 25'" March 1773
of which there were for the A^'est
Indies

Imported.

troui ijieat

from the

Total.

Britain.

East country.

23,201

1,847

25,048

\6,657

25,365

42,022
32,824

12,277
4,324

Exported.

4,672

24,273
48,48 li
35,960

Such have been the decreafe of the imports, and the increafe of the
exports, fmce the commencement of the public encouragement.

The other articles of fifli exported from Ireland to any amount, in the
year ending 25* March 1783, were - cod 272 barrels,

hake 1,367 cwt,
and falmon 253 tuns.

In the year 1780 the herring fifhery in Loch Swilly employed
130 bounty vefTels, which expended 1,708 tuns of fait, wherewith they
cured, by computation _ _ _ 51,240 maize*.

In the fame feafon 7 1 vefTels from Liverpool and Mann

purchafed in the fame loch - - 39,ooo

for making red herrings, at lod per hundred,

amounting to ^^8,125.
In 17 81 there were 147 bounty vefTels in Loch Swilly,

which expended 1,914 tuns of fait, and cured 57.420

And 1 17 vefTels from Liverpool and Mann bought 49,95°

for which they paid £1 2,487 : 10:0.

The total taken in the two years - 197,610 maize,

or 98,805,000 herrings, befides what were ufed frefh in the adjacent
country.

* A maize contains 500 herrings. 3

A. D. 1782. 725

A great proportion of the herrings imported from Scotland is con-
fumed in the country, being preferred on account of their fuperior
curing ; the reft are repacked in Irifh barrels of 28 gallons for exporta-
tion. Thofe from the Eaft country, which ufed to be fold in Ireland
fo low as 14/" a barrel, are alfo repacked for exportation to the Weft-
Indies in Irifli barrels *.

The Irifh have great advantages in the herring fifhery. The arrival
of the herrings, fo precarious upon the extenfive weft coaft of Scotland,
is certain on the north-weft coaft of Ireland ; and they fwim clofe to
the ftiore. The fift\ery is free from reftridtions, and the adventurers
either fifli themfelves, or purchafe from the fiftiers, as they find moft
convenient, whereby they are often enabled to complete their loading
in two or three days, and to make feveral trips during one fiftiing fea-
fon, which generally lafts fix weeks, or two months. And thus they
can obtain a much greater quantity of fifti in the fame fpace of time,
and alfo run their cargoes much earlier to a mai-ket, than the Britifti
fiflierman, who is tied down by reftridive laws to lofe a great deal
of time, and fupport a very heavy expenfe, that he may be entitled to
the bounty.

The certainty, and great abundance, of herrings have induced many
of the fiftiermen of England and Scotland to prefer the Irifli fiftiing
grounds to thofe of their own coafts. But there is an unneighbourly
jealoufy upon the fubjed; of the fiftieries between the Irifli and the Scots,
greatly againft the true interefts of both. There are furely herrings
enough in the fea for both : and, if the fifliery is wifely and har-
monioufly conduded, markets may be found, notwithftanding the
decline of popery, fufficient to employ the induftry of both to great
advantage.

Upon the whole, the Irifli fifliery may be confidered now as but in
its infancy. But if Nature and the legiflature fhall continue to favour
it, as they have hitherto done, it muft undoubtedly in a few years fur-
mount all rivalfliip, at leaft in Great Britain, unlefs an entire new fyftem
of fifhery laws fhall be adopted.

As the fifli trade of Ireland was formerly fo much conneded with
that of Sweden, it may be proper here to give fomc account of the
later. For above twenty years paft about 200,000 barrels had been
annually cured on the Swedifh coaft in the neighbourhood of Gotten-
burgh. The exports from thence to Ireland, which ufed to be very
confiderable, were now, as we have juft feen, greatly reduced by the
improved ftate of the Irifh fifhery. Several cargoes of Swedifh herrings
were fent to S'. Euftathius in the years 1779 and 1780, whence they
found their way into the various fugar iflands. In the French Weft-

* The legal meafure of hen ing barrels in Britain is 32 gallons ; and it appears to be the fame ■»•
Sweden ; but the information lefpedling their nicafure varies.

726

A. D. 1782,

1775

177s

1777

1779

1780

1781

25,836

56,400

19.267

7,313

13,243

6,278

7,437

5,826

20,849

7,281

2,700

3G0

4,267

5,413

8,369

12,615

24,225

41,552

37,091

64,465

53,069

44,747

80,474

20,627

23,272

37,075

40,485

28,778

29,250

94,593

,128,467

132,046

135,085

106,664

136,649

Indies they were not admitted, and few went to France. The principal
markets were within the Baltic fea, as will appear by the following

Account of exports of herrings from Gottenburgb

in tlie years

To Cork and other ports in Ireland
Madeira, and the West-Indies")

(chiefly S'. Eustathius) J

France and the Mediterranean
Different ports in the Baltic not ")

subject to Sweden J

Different ports of Sweden

Totals of barrels measuring 32^^
gallons *, and containing about >
goo herrings each J

So fuperabundant was the capture of herrings on the Swediih Ihore,
that it exceeded every poflible demand for them ; and they were ob-
liged to boil many miUions of them for oil, one barrel of which was
obtained from eighteen barrels of herrings. In the year 1781 they
exported to the Baltic, Holland, and Spain, 14,542 barrels of herring
oil of about 42 gallons each ; and from 1,000 to 1,500 barrels were an-
nually confumed in the country. But the herring oil is greatly inferior
to whale oil, or even liver oil, and is hable to congeal in cold weather
to a confiftence fomething like honey f .

The herring fifhery of Holland, once fo pre-eminently great and
flourifhing, employed now only 200 bulles of about a6 tuns burthen.

The French for fome few years pad had caught fome herrings of an
indifferent quality upon their own coafl, part of which they dried for
the Mediterranean trade, but the greateft part was fliipped for their
Weft-India fettlements.

The war was of fome fervice to the city of Dantzik in reviving its
commerce. In the courfe of this year 549 veflels failed from that port,
many of which were employed to great advantage in carrying timber
for the ufe of the Britifh navy ; and 502 arrived, not one of which was
under Dutch colours, though many of them were, prob.ably, Dutch
property.

• So the fize of the barrel is dated by the au-
thor of tills information. But from a number of
other authorities the Swedidi barrels appear to
contain thirly-fix gallons.

f The oil-maktrs ufed to throw the refufe of
the herrings into the fca, wliicli praftice, being
ttought prejudicial to the filhery and to naviga-

tion, was prohibited by an edift from the king.
The oiUmaltcrs remonftrated, and were permitted
to make fome experiments, which, as they alleged,
proved, that the filhery was improved by throwing
the refufe into the fea. Strange, that it fhould
not occur to them, how valuable fo vaft a quantity
of animal fubftance mud be as a manure !

The official value of the imports ajid exports of Great Britain from
Chriftmas 1781 to Chriftmas 1782 was as follows.

Countries, Sec.
Africa
Canaries

Denmark and Norvvay
East country
East-India
Flanders
France
Germany
Greenland
Holland
Iceland
Ireland
Man a
Italy
Madeira
Poland
Prussia
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Gibraltar
Straits
Sweden
Turkey
Venice

Guernsey, Sec.
America in general
Hudsons bay
Newfoundland
Quebec
Nova Scotia
New York
Carolina
Georgia
Florida

West Indies in general
Anguilla
Antigua
Barbados
Bermuda
Jamaica
Montserrat
Nevis

New Providence
St. Christophers
St. Croix
St. Eustathius -
St. Lucia
St. Martins
St. Thomas
Tobago
Tortola
Demararay
New Orleans
Southern fishery
Prize goods

Imp. and exp. of England
Imp. and exp. of Scotland

Total, Great Britain

Imported into |

Exported from j

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

ENGLAND.

SCOTLAND.

^68,475 16 5

^351,734 18

6

1,341 12 11

73,038 9 2

^31,640 10

7

164,732 2

4

^34,575 11 i>

332,738 7 2

130,524 7

g

62tJ,3 1980

1,467,844 10

u

1,083,002 6 5

92,300 4

2

2,069,983 7

1

65,559 8 2

4,783 13 6

8,153 11

2

524,882 14 2

13,636 15

8

1,549,745 U

8

19,417 17 2

39,539 1 2

1,420 16

0

91 4

0

2,485 12 7

6,522 6
37 10

8
0

90,933 17

4

1,348,510 11 10

149,889 19

4

1,715,889 0

7

201,182 19 IC

15,644 9 6

253 4

0

28,059 12

8

176 19 1

177,608 8 8

488,103 10

4

975 0 t

3,8(57 7 6

50,256 13

2

12,695 13

9

43 11 0

14,863 5

10

3,325 2 2

280,654 14 C

8,657 13

1

687,324 11

10

2,800 15 10

1,185,844 14 4

90^,804 14

8

196,577 9

10

11,165 8 8

144,541 12 5

21 2

4,046 19

4

344 3 4

9,451 10

0

163,219 7 11

22,698 12

0

56,083 2

7
0

7,629 18 6

41,325 10 7

4,248 3

53,540 16 4

42,113 4

0

60,684 10 9

7.171 1

1

87,809 1

10

1,782 0 2

110,637 10

5

73,3 U 4 0

6,801 18 8

8,183 8

11

68,825 4 10

125,388 16

5

144,291 7 10

496,579 8

3

2,943 5 10

71,505 5

2

7,690 3 2

186,242 4

5

14,182 4 2

69,742 15

8

6,804 1 JO

339 15

0

30,935 13 6

4,707 0

11

132,791 18

5

231,762 17 10

48,239 18 6

5,297 7

2

231,019 5 5

131,438 9

2

1/6,999 2 5

201,314 13

5

880 15 11

16,649 9

8

1,157,121 0 11

670,669 7

7

47,695 14 9

428 14

10

47,386 16 9

4,387 2

5

1,034 14 4

248,916 0 4

23,304 17
850 0

8

C

7,637 18 7

258,141 l6 11

139,853 6

9

40,580 16 1

443 7

5

3,952 10 5

222,632 10

7

4,100 7 10

1,893 5

10

l6l,388 1 2

92,720 12

2

47,913 1 4

4,426 11 10

14,318 3

1

9-i 5 0

521,007 3 1

663,089 7

9

9,532,606 19 8

12,355,750 0

1

809,021 15 8

809,021 15

8

653,708 13

10

653,708 13 10

10,341,628 15 4

13,009,458 13 11

728

A. D. 1782.

There belonged this year to all the ports
of England 6,495 veflels of the reputed burthen of 537,257 tuns;

and of Scotland 1,441 _ - - 78,024

Total

7.936

615,281

There were entered this year in all the ports of Great Britain, from
and to foreign countries, including repeated voyages,

Britifh II Fereign |[ Total.

Veffels.

Tuns. Vdfels.

Inward

4.652

496,907 2,582

Outward

6,973

625,731 2,314

Tuns. I Veflels. Tuns.

280,3461 7,234 777,253

225,781} 9,287 851,512

The net amount of the cuftoms, including the Weft-India four-and-a-
half-per-cent duty, paid into the exchequer in the courfe of the year, was
from the cuftom-houfe in London /^2, 801,563 o 9

and from the cuftom-houfe in Edinburgh 60,000 o o

Total net revenue of the cuftoms of Great Britain X^2,86i ,563 o 9

There were coined at the mint in the courfe of the year
14,940 pounds of gold, value £6gS,o']/^ 7 0

and no filver.

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

X"