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Z-**r** m ■ ijungjULf »m iiuuiii ■ il,| I.I 11 aijti.....■ mil ■ i '■■■yl1 -jgijliiiiiiuj i " Nww.wirwiiiii i i " i i i in' ■ T-|-ir Hi"| | f"fi|i J" 1 ""-It i»tKiif||tIll|llll*>M 'h^jinil|ill||||l......Mlllilf IMI«|l||IIIMI|llll|linilMIIII«||||ltkkl*l< --..-.Hill*'!..!., I Ijl C11111 f ■ ■ ■ • ■ ■ ■ ■ ""lllllllli" -■■■tlfclllllllililHIIillliril tiHIII ll.ilil niill llliTllltllltilillltllJMta^B MIIIM1I.....lllllHMIIIIMMMlllllllMMIIIt IIIIIMlllllllHtll. ^a.««ini)iM»*fi«*>aiH linn iiiiiiiiiiiiii HMO >• *" ■1 i«i*lfl-»«»«»«t>»'«»i»>« « a ii i ii iiwiiiiiiniiHiiimiiiiii'nii'iHiHiiiiiiumuuiiniiiluuu 11 TV 1 Ti m uiTiiUTri ■ii" ■!! jhhii^h ■■iiitimiminnnuiii I uiiUJiUmLlilill ITT11 Yl IIllI»' ii 11 h h1111»lllli 14184701 THE american traveller: OBSERVATIONS (jjj^a ON THE \i i Ul jS« Present State, Culture and Commerce o f t h e BRITISH COLONIES in AMERICA, And the further Improvements of which they are capable; w i t H An Account of the Exports, Imports and Returns of each Colony respectively,—and of the Numbers of British Ships and Seamen, Merchants, Traders and Manufacturers employed by all collectively : t o g e t pi e r with The Amount of the Revenue arifing to Great-Britain therefrom. In a SERIES of L E T TERS, written originally to the Right Honourable the Earl of * * * * * * * * * By an Old and Experienced TRADER. L O n D O n : Printed tor E. and C. DILL Y, in the Poultry, and J. A L M O 1st, Piccadilly. MDCCLXIX, TO T H e ■ SOVEREIGN of the BRITISH EMPIRE, THE FATHER OF HIS PEOPL E, whom HEAVEN HAS BLESSED WITH INCLINATION, and TRUSTED WITH P O W E R, To PROMOTE their GENERAL WEAL and HAPPINESS, Thefe Labours of a private Individual, humbly directed to that great End, are, with all Deference and Duty, Infcribed by i His Majesty's Moji faithful SubjcEl and Servant, The American Traveller. advertisement. The prefent Situation of Affairs between Great-Britain and her American Colonies, will juftify this Publication. Mutual Advantage is the mod folid Balis, the ftrongeft Cement of Union, in all Connexions, whether political or private. To (hew fuch Advantage therefore, muft be the moft effe&ual Means of preferring that Union, fo much and fc wifely wiftied for, by every Friend of his Country, a m i a i t r a v a a CONTENTS. Letter Page I, & II. General Introduction* &c. — — i III. Obfervations on Hudfons Bay, — — 11 IV. Continued — — — 17 V. Continued — — — — 22 VI. Continued — — — 2 5 VII. Objervations on Labrador, — — 3 2 VIII. ■---on Newfoundland, — 36 IX.--on Canada* — — — 41 X. - on Nova Scotia, — — 51 XI.---on St. jolms and Cape Breton-^ 56 XII.---on New England^ — — 59 XIII.---07% Connecticut, Rhode If and and 1 , New Hamp/hire, — S ^ XIV.---- on New York* — — 73 XV. - on Pennfylvania, — — 77 XVI. —- on Virginia and}-Maryland, — 8r XVII.--on North Carolina, •— — &7 XVIII.--on South Carolina, — — 93 XIX.--on Georgia, — — 99 XX.--on Eaft Florida, — — 105 XXI. ----on TVfl Florida, — 108 XXII. Recapitulatory Re ma?-is, — — 1 ' 3 XXIII. Total Amount oj 'the American Trade, S:c. &'c i2i C) B S E R- observations ON THE CULTURE and COMMERCE of the british colonies, &c. LETTER I. My Lord, ?*")$0{(;$()$O3 H E laft: Time I had the Honour of converting S T ^ with your Lordfhip, you intimated a Defire, that £ $ I mould draw into one Point of View, the feveral k.&&)!0$Cjk Hints, which I had at different Times, taken the Liberty to fuggcft to your Lordfhip, on the prefcnt State of the Britifb Colonies, and the Improvements poflible to be made in the Culture, and Commerce of them, to their and the Mo- B ther ther Country's mutual Advantage, that you might be able with the greater Eafe and Accuracy to form a Judgement yourfelf, and convince others of the Reality or fuch Advantage, and the Fealibility of the Means propofed to obtain it. Every Intimation of your Lordfhip's Pleafure is a Law to me ; becaufe I know from Experience, that it is founded in Wifdom, and tends to the public Good. I fhall therefore enter readily upon the Tafk you have prefcribed, without any often-tatious Parade of diffidence in my own Abilities, (which would be an Infult to your Lordfhip's Judgement, rather than a Proof of my Modefty) and in the plain Words of Truth, and good Intention, lay before your Lordfhip thofe Ob~ fervations, which much Experience has enabled me to make on this important Subject., together with the Fads upon which fuch Obfervations have been formed,; without ftudying any of thofe Ornaments of Writing (a Study indeed, which my Life has been too clofely employed in other Matters to fpare Time for) that are ofteneft ufed to glofs over a bad Caufe, and miflead rather than inform the Judgement, fully fenfible that your Lordfhip, in Things of this Nature, confiders the Matter more than the Manner ; and will never turn your Face away from Reafon, for not being introduced in the moft fafhionable Drefs. In the Execution of this Attempt (for by no other Name cm the Labours of any one Man to invefTigate a Subject of fuch immenfe Extent be properlv called) I have made Choice of of this Method of conveying my Thoughts to your Lordfhip, in a Serks of Letters, for feveral Reafons. The firft, and mod applicable pcrfonally to myfelf, is, that having been moftly, if not folely accuftomed to the epiftolary Style, in a Life of Bufinefs, I can exprefs my Thoughts more readily, and perhaps more clearly in that, than in any other. Though were not this the Cafe, there are abundant other Reafons to determine me to this Choice. By this Manner of writing, I have an Opportunity of dividing my Work, fo as to avoid the grievous Difadvantage of having the Reader break off, perhaps in the middle of my Argument, becaufe he does not fee a refting Place prepared for him ; the moft indolent, or inattentive, feldom having fo little Curiofity, or being fo foon tired, as to flop before they reach the End of a Letter of moderate Length. Befide, in this Method, I may myfelf take the Liberty of flopping a little while, or going a few Steps out of my Way, now and then, to take Notice or any Thing that may illuftrate my Subject, or enforce my own Sentiments, without Fear of giving that Offence, which might be taken at fuch Freedoms, in a Work of a more regular Nature; and alfo of recapitulating my Argument in proper Places, fo as to keep it always in View, and upon Occafion collect its Force into one Point to face any Oppofition. I mention thefe Particulars, my Lord, not as unknown to your Lordfhip, but to obviate the Objection of Vanity, which B 2 may may probably be made to my tiling this Mode of Writing, as if I intended to infinuate by it, a greater Intimacy with a Perfon or your Lordfhip's high Rank, and higher Character, than I really am honoured with, or ought to difclofe, if I am. In like Manner, it is my Duty to obferve, that in the Courfe of thefe Letters, I mall frequently have Occafion to mention, and often to dwell upon the Proof of many Things, which are already fufficiently known to your Lordfhip ; but this, as I faid in the former Inftancc, is not done with the raoft diftant Infinuation of informing you; but folely to convey that Information to others, who may not have had the fame Opportunity of acquiring it; to which Knowledge I niuft alfo beg your Lordfhip's Pardon, and Indulgence for taking the Liberty of appealing upon many Occafions, where I apprehend that the indifputable Authority of fuch a Voucher may be necefTary to fupport my own Credit. Having thus, my Lord, given the Reafons both for my pre-fuming to addrefs my Thoughts on this Subject to your Lordfhip particularly, and in this particular Manner, I fhall in my next Letter give an Account of the Matter, which I propofe to fubmit to your Judgement, and the Method in which that Matter fhall be arranged ; and then proceed to obey your Lordfhip's Commands, without trefpaffing upon you with any farther Preface, or Apology. I am with Attachment and Refpect, My Lord, Your Lord/hifs moft humble, and obedient Servant* LETTER II. My Lord, IT is an old Remark, that the Value of a Friend is feldom known, 'till he is loll:. I moft fincerely wifh, this may not be the Cafe of Great-Britain with Regard to her American Colonies. While we went on fmoothly together, we enjoyed the Advantage of our Intercourfe, unequal as it was to what it might have been rendered, without ever confidering the Quarter it came from, or the Means of improving, or even preferving the Continuance of it, as is too often the Cafe, in Refpect to the greateft Bleilings of Heaven. I would not be underftood to limit this Remark to either Side. It is unhappily too applicable to both. But as the nrft Object of every Man's Thoughts, who turns them to Matters of public Concern, is, or at leaft fhould be, the immediate Advantage of his native Country, I (hall firft coniidcr how far the Colonies are advantageous to Great-Britain; as alfo how that Advantage may be ftill farther improved, and then the reciprocal Advantage received by the Colonics will follow of Courfe, and prove the mutual Intcrcft of both to preferve that good Agreement, and Unanimity, by which alone fuch Advantage can be prefervcd; in the Dif- ciiilton cuffion and Proof of which Points, the Means necefTary to obtain that great End, and accomplifh the many Improvements of which that Advantage is capable, will naturally, and obvioufly be included. When I fay, that " the firft Object of a Man's Thoughts mould be the Advantage of his native Country," I do not in any Senfe mean that he fhould do, or devife any Thing un-juft in itfelf, or injurious to the juft Intereft of any other Country to procure that Advantage. All I intend, is, that where the oppofite Interefts of his own and another Country are ballanced in the Scale of Juftice, he owes a Duty to the former, which will necefTarily make it preponderate in his Thoughts; a Duty of the fame Nature, and derived ultimately from the fame Origin, with that fo ftrongly enforced by Reafon, and Revelation, which we owe to our Parents, the Place where, as well as the Per/ons through whom we are called into this Lire, being appointed by the Divine Giver of all Life, and confequently entitled to the fame filial Attachment and Affection, though in a lefler Degree, as the Force of Filiation, by being centered in one Point is pre'erved entire, whereas that of Patriotifm is divided perhaps between Millions, and thereby leflcned on each Individual ; not to infift upon the obvious Reafon of the more immediate and intimate Connection in the former, than in the latter. And tfeia fhews the Error in the general Application of the antient Philofopher's faying, that he was a Citizen of the World, as if it implied, that all Countries ought to be equally dear to a Man of Senfe, the true Meaning of it being only to inculcate Phi!anth?'opy, or in the lacrcd Style, Good-lFill towards all Mankind; and not by any Means to deny, or invalidate invalidate the natural, and indifpenfible Attachment, by which every Man is bound to his native Country. How univerfal the Senfe of this Attachment has ever been, and in what high Eftimation the Exertion of it held, is fufficientlv proved by the Honours paid to thofe, who have even facrihced to it the neareft Connections of Nature, as in the Inftance of the Roman Brutus, and the nrft Principle of human A&ion, Self-prefervation, in thofe of the De-cii, with many others, both Romans and Athenians, unneceflary to be enumerated here ; and this among the mod civilized Nations; thofe more ignorant carrying the Point ftill farther, and in the enthufiaftic Ardour of their Gratitude, thinking human Honours too little, and therefore conferring divine, on fuch general Benefactors of Mankind. Your Lordfhip will pardon this little DigrefTion in Elucidation of a Point fo dear to you, as to be made the evident Rule of your public Life, for the Neceffity of it to obviate the Imputation of Partiality, in thefe Researches into a Subject of fo delicate a Nature in itfelf, as the In-tercourfe between a Mother Country, and her Colonies ; and more particularly fo at this Time, and in this Inftance. In Order to give due Weight to what I fhall fay on this important Subject, it is necenary that I mould explain the Origin and Extent of that Experience, which I hinted at in my firfl: Letter, as the Reafon that induced your Lordfhip to prefcribe this Attempt to inc. I have I have had the Honour to inform your Lordfhip of the Difcoveries I made in the Year 1744 ; as alfo that fince that Time I have traverfed the whole Coaft of America, from Lat. 68 North, to Cape Florida; and penetrated fome thou-fands of Miles weftward, into the Wildernefs, many Parts of which, were never before trodden by European Foot. The Accounts therefore, which I fhall give of thefe, I had almoft faid boundlefs Regions, are not taken upon Truft, on the Relation of others. They are the Refult of real Experience, on the Teftimony of my Senfes; as the Obfer-vations I fhall offer on them arc founded on the unerring Evidence of Facts. The fame Foundation of Experience alfo fupports what I fhall offer in Refpect to the Commerce of the TVeJl-hidian Iflands, as well as of the Colonies on the Continent. In the Courfe of more than thirty Years, which I have been clofely and conftantly engaged in mercantile Bufmefs, in all its various Extent, I have had Intercourfe in dealing with the Colonics of Hud/on s Bay, Newfoundland, Quebec, New England, Penfylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia------With Barbadocs, Grenada, St. Vincents, Dominica, Antigua, Montferrat, Nevis, St. Chriflophers, and Jamaica.------The Commerce therefore of thefe Places cannot reafonably be fuppofed to be unknown to me, or my Remarks upon it, only the chimerical Dreams of groundless Speculation, as has moft fhamcfully been the Caie with too many of thofe who have written on this important Subject. A clear A clear but concife Account of what particularly ftruck my Obfervation in the different Parts of America, with which I propofe to begin, will be the beft Introduction to thofe Flints of Improvement, which I would humbly fugged to your Lordfhip, in the Culture and Commerce of our Colonies there, and the molt folid Balis, upon which to found the Expedience, and Practicability ol them; and at the fame Time afford the molt convincing Proof of the ineftimable Value oi thofe Colonies to the Mother Country ; and the in-difpenfible Neceffity in every Senfe of political Prudence, of healing thofe unhappy Differences, which feem io alarmingly to threaten an Interruption at lealt, if not a total Lofs of Intercourfe with them, at this moft critical Period. It muft not be expected though, that this Account mall include Defcriptions of the Appearances of thofe Countries, or of the Perfons, Manners, Cuftoms, &c. of the Inhabitants. Thefe Points have long been fufficiently fet forth ; or if any Curiofity concerning them ftill remains, it may foon and eafily be gratified, by Recourfe to the many Accounts extant of every Particular of this Kind in them. The Nature of the Soil, and its Aptitude by Climate and Situation for Agriculture and Commerce, in the Production of the Neceflaries and Conveniencies of Life, both for the immediate Support and Ufe of the Inhabitants, and Communication and reciprocal Interchange with other Countries; and for the Tranfportation of them for fuch Interchange, and receiving the Returns of it, were the Objects oi thofe Obfer-vations, which I here propofe to fubmit to your Lordfhip's and the public Confideration ; and from the Difcufhon of which, as I have faid before, the Improvements that may be made in them, will naturally follow. C No No more would I be understood to intend entering into the Difputes agitated at prefent between the Mother Country, and her Colonies, as a Partizan of either. I am too confcious of mv own Infignincancy to obtrude mv Sentiments on a Subject fo much above my Sphere. Such Ofticioufnefs much oftener prejudices, than ferves a Caufe; the Pride of the human Heart turning; awav with Difdain from the Advice of an Inferior, however juft and wife in itfelf, becaufe the very Act of giving Advice implies a Superiority in that Inftance. I do not by this, mv Lord, preclude myfelf abfolutely from either of thefe Topicks, when in the Courfe of my prefent Undertaking, they fhall fall naturally in my Way. Wherever the Manners and Cuftoms of the prefent Inhabitants, Native or European, appear to me to influence the Intereft of the Colony, either to its Advantage or Prejudice, I fhall hold it my Duty to point out fuch Influence, and to fuggeft anv Alteration of Manners or Cuftoms, which I fhall conceive likely to remove that Prejudice, or extend the Advantage. The fame Liberty I fhall think myfelf entitled to, with Refpect to the Syftems of Policy adopted in the Admini-ftration of our Colonies both here, and on the Spot. Wherever they fhall obvioufly appear to promote or clafh with the Interefts and Advantage of both in any Inftance, for fepe-rated they carmot be, I fhall not hefitate to fhew that Inftance, and the Manner in which it is fo affected, nor to fuggeft with proper Deference and Submiflion to better Information and iuperiour Power, what Means I think moft eflicacious to improve the former, and to remedy the latter. / have the honour to be, &c. &c. LETTER III. My Lord, IS H A L L begin this Review with one of the leafl noticed, but far from the leafl: important in itfelf, of our Settlements, were the Advantages, obvioufly, and moft eafily to be made of it, properly attended to, which is that of Hud/on s-Bay. The Time, Manner, and Occaiion of the Difcovery of this vaft Sea, and the Regions bordering on it, fo far as they are yet difcovered, are fo well known, that it is un-necefiary to recount them here. Though the Defign, whioh firft led our daring Countrymen into the dark RecelTes of the North, failed in its firft Object, the Difcovery of a PalTage that Way to China, the Attempt failed not of producing other Confequences which well repaid to their Country, if not immediately to themfelves, the Fatigue, Danger, and Expence of it to the bold Adventurers, by laying them under a Neceflity of flopping, when the Severity of the Climate made the Seas no longer navigable, to explore their inhofpitable Shores, for the Support of Life, till the Return of the Seafon proper for pur- C 2 fuing filing their Project, whereby they opened with the Inhabitants an Intercourfe of Commerce, unthought of before, and which but for this Caufe, would never have been fought for through fo many and fuch difcouraging Difficulties. The Seclufion of thefe Inhabitants from the more informed Part of Mankind by their Situation; and the Sterility of then-Country, which confined their Cares within the narrow Circle of the indifpenfible NeceiTaries of Life, without f upply-ing a fingle Article, that could fuggeft, much lefs gratify a Thought of any Thing farther, neceflarily brought Commerce with them back to its original, of immediate Barter^ or Exchange of one Commodity for another, without the Intervention of Money, the artificial Medium made ufe of in Countries of more extended Intercourfe, and Produce, to fupply the Defects, and remedy the Inconveniencies of fuch Barter. The Advantages of fuch a Commerce to a Country able to avail itfelf of them are fufficiently obvious. It takes off fuch of its Produce and Manufactures as are moft plenty, and cheap, at their real Value to thofe who want, and not being able to procure them elfewhere, beat not down their Price on Account of that Plenty, nor require fuch Accuracy and Ornament in the manufacturing of them, as make them come dearer to the Vender without being of greater Ufe to the Pur-chafer ; and for any Deficiency in which they would be rejected by other Purchafers; and brings in Return the Produce of the Country of the Batterers, at the low Rate let upon it by thofe who do not want it, who have no other Vent for it, and confequently are glad to exchange it at any Rate for what what they do want, and cannot obtain otherwife ; not to dwell Upon the great natior a Advantage of its being unmanufactured, and thereby affording Employment to the various Artificers, who prepare it for Ufe. Thefe Circumftances were too ftriking not to be immediately perceived ; but their Effect was circumfcribed in fuch a Manner by the verv Means injudicioufly taken to improve and extend it, that what would have been a moft important Advantage to the whole Nation, was, by the Grant of an exclu-five Charter, confined to a few Individuals, who actuated by the moft felflfh, fordid, and fhort-fighted Policy, or rather Cunning, reftrained, inftead of extending that Commerce, for Fear of its becoming an Object of publick Confederation, and the Monopoly of it taken from them, mould the (comparatively immenfe) Profits which it might produce, be known; and thereby with the grofTeft Difhonefty defeated intentionally, the exprefs End for which fuch Charter had been originally granted, on the moft plaufible Pretences, and ftrongeft AfTu-ranee to the contrary, and was frill from Inattention, or Mifreprefentation, fufrcred to remain with them. This will be beft explained, and proved by the following Lift, and Eftimate of the feveral Articles exported from England to, and imported into England from this Settlement, which are drawn with the utmoft Exactnefs, and from the beft Authority. Com mo Commodities exported from England Hudson VBay. to Coarfe Woollen Cloths — Checks — Cottons-' Britifh Linens — Fowling-Pieces —Birding Guns —Gun-Flints—Gunpowder— Shot— Cutlaffes— Wrought-Leather—Salt—Wheaten Meal— Oaten-Meal—Barley—Peas—Beans—Malt—Bacon ■—Beef—Pork—Butter—Cheefe—Bifcuit—Mo- ~ g lajfes—Wrought-Steel—Iron-Bra/s-Copper ^ ** 1 » 00 -Pewter-- Pipes-Tobacco-Hof cry- Hats-Tallow-Candles—- Ship-Chandlery- Stationary Wares--Bugles-Groceries— -Oil -Briti/b Spirits--Wines-All which coll: at an Average of three Years - The firft View of thefe Lifts, and Eftimates will moft probablv be thought to contradict what has been advanced before of the Importance of this Settlement; but when it is confidered that in the above Lift of Exports is included all that the Company fends for the Support and Maintenance of their Settlements, and for which conlccpicntly there can be no Return, as it is immediately confumed by their People ,-. When it is proved that the Commerce of it is kept thus low by Defign, and the Means taken to accomplifh that Defign Commodities imported into England from HudsonVBay. Thirty-four thoufand Beaver Skins-16,000"] Marten-2000 Otter-1100 Cat-3000 Fox-5000 Wolf-7000 Wolverine-650 black Bear-40 white Bear-500 Fifher- 250 Mink—3000 Mufquafh-30CWL to 50CWL Bed-Feathers-20cwt. to 30CWL Whale-bone -A few Tons of Oil-150,000 Goofe-quills -20001b. Cut Beaver-1000 Elk-2000 Deer Skins-2501b. Cajloreum--Worth, as bought at the firfl Hand at Quebec, at a like Average of three Years - ) £ 29,340 Defign are (hewn, the Truth of my Pofition will appear in its full Force. But this muft be the Subject of another Letter. I have the Honour to be, &c. P. S. Your Lordfhip will obferve, that in eftimating the Imports from Hudfon s-Bay, I ftrike the Price of them by that paid for the fame Articles at Quebec, The The Reafon of my doing this is, that the Hudfoii s-Bay Company conduct all their Affairs with fuch impenetrable Secrecy, that it is not poffible to know at what Rate they exchange their Goods for thofe of the Natives; an Oath of Secrecy being impofed upon their Servants; and the Obfervation of all, upon whom they cannot impofe fuch an Oath, prevented by the moft brutal Inhofpitality and Exclufion from every Kind of Intercourfe. Nor will the grofs Qua?itity of the Exports open any fatis-factory Infight into this Myftery; as it is not known, nor can, for the above Reafons be difcovered with any Degree of Pre-cifion, how much of that Quantity is confumed by the Com-piny's Servants ; and confequently no Return for it brought Home in the Imports, This much I know from my own Experience, that there is no fixed Rate for the Barter of any Commodity, the Company allowing juft what they pleafe, at that Time ; in which Allowance, they are fo equitable and reafonable, that I myfelf have feen Inftances of their being confeicntioufly content with a Profit of not above one thoufand per Cent, upon particular Articles. Thefe Lifts therefore only fhew what Advantage the Nation reaps at preient, from the Commerce of this Settlement, under their Monopoly. What it would reap, were there no fuch Monopoly, with a more particular Account of the curious Methods taken to keep it in its prefent State of national Infignificancy, fhall be fhewn in the proper Place. L E T- LETTER IV. My Lord, IH A V E fhewn the prefent inconfiderable State of the Commerce to Hud/on s-Bay. I have afferted that it is capable of fuch Improvement as would make it a considerable Advantage to the Nation. It remains now that I prove this AfTertion. In doing this it will be necelTary for me to look back for a Moment to Circumftanccs not attended to at prefent, but which have influenced this Commerce, from its very firft Inftitution, and do ftill influence it, in the moft pernicious Manner. At the Time when the Hudfo?is-Bay Company was cfta-blifhed, in 1670, the Minds of all People of Power, or Property, were fo fixed upon the Intrigues of the Court, and the Confequences immediately apprehended from them at Home, that they would not (pare a Thought for any Thing fo remote in Situation and Effect, as foreign Colonization, by which Means that moft important of political Enterprizes fell to thofe, who were in every Fvefpect. leaft qualified to purfue it to Advantage. D Under Under thefe inaufpicious Circumftances, an exclufive Charter for trading to the Countries confining on the Sea, called Mudjons-Bay, was without enquiring into the Confequences, granted to a Set of private Adventurers, who without Support or even Countenance from Government, undertook upon the narrow Foundation of their own Fortunes to eftablifh a Trade, attended with fuch Difficulties in Appearance, as would have diicouraged any Men not fully perfwaded of the Certainty of Succefs. Nor were they difippointed; the Event exceeding their moft fanguine Expectations, in their very firft Experiment. Such Succefs from fo weak a Beginning, fhewed to an Height it might be carried, on a more extended Foundation. But the Scheme it fuggefted was very different: Tnftead of extending their iirft Plan, and making their Succefs known to procure an Enlargement of their Capital, the Company turned all theifc Care to conceal the whole, (which the Diftractions of the Times gave them too good an Opportunity of doing) and keep the Profits of the Trade entirely to themfelves, contracted as it was, rather than run the Hazard of their being fhared in by others, mould it be pufhed to its natural Extent; a Care, which, as i have before obferved to your Lordfhip, has never been relaxed fince. For this fordid Purpofe, they contented themfelves with proceeding on the low Capital, which Neceflity had at firft obliged them to fet out upon, and making a few pan] try Settlements, barely Sufficient to carry on the reftrained Trade which fuch a Capital could fupport. The Event has in this alfo C 19 ] alfo too well anfwered their Defign. The inconliderable A-mount of their Exports, and confequently of the Returns, have kept the Trade in fuch Obfcurity, as to feem beneath the Attention of Government, whereby it has remained, according to the Letter, however contrary to the Spirit of their Charter, exclufwely in their own Hands. It muft be owned that the Temptations to this Conduct, were powerful. Without hazarding, or even advancing more than a comparative Trifle, they have long reaped, and do frill reap a Profit, which a Capital ten Times as large could not produce in any other Channel of Commerce; a Reafon, which too many Inftances prove fufhcient, in the prefent Times, to over-barance national Advantage, and juftify Breach of Faith ; for by no other Name can fo manifeft a Violation of the Pro-fefTions of promoting that Advantage, upon which all fuch Charters are granted, be called, without as manifeft a Violation of Truth. I am aware, that it will be obje&ed to this, by thofe who arc interefted to keep thefe Affairs in their prefent State of Darknefs, that the Impo?~ts prove the Sufficiency of the Capital for the Trade, and that it is abfurel and unnatural to think any Men fhould be fo blind to their own Advantage, as not to make large Exports could they have adequate Returns for them. The latter of thefe Objections has been already obviated. i fhall now {hew the Fallacy of the former, and in what Manner the Imports arc kept down to their prefent low Stand ; low, i mean as to what they might be, for they are high beyond all parallel, coniidering what they coft. D 2 Though \ Though the Natives of the vaft Countries around Hud/onr-Bay, with whom the Traffick ot the Company is carried on, are ftili in that State ot natural Ignorance, which People more informed, have arrogantly prefumed to call favage, Heaven has not denied them the Knowledge neceflary for the lew Purpofes of their narrow Sphere of Life. They were not long engaged in this Traffick, therefore, before they difcovered fome of the grofs Impositions practafed upon them, though they could not poffibly form even a Conception of the whole. I have obferved to your Lordfhip, that the Commerce of the Httdfons-Bay Company confiffs in bartering fome of our Manufactures and Commodities, the cheapeSt and worft of their Kinds, with the Natives, for their Furs. The firft Thing, which Reafon would fuggeft to be done in fuch a Traffick, by thofe, who had the Lead in it, muft be to fix the Rates of the feveral Articles to be brought by them for Barter, at lit eh a Standard, as Should obviate their being ever under a Neceflity of altering it, and thereby railing a Sulpicion of Injuftice in the others, who being neither able to judge of thefe Terms, nor of the accidental Circumftances, which might at particular Times make an Alteration in them neceflary, were they ftruck with exaefnefs, would certainly take Offence at fuch Alteration, though they could not avoid fubmitting to the firft Eftablifh-ment, in the making of which I have not prefumed to mention the leaft Regard to Juftice. But inftead of this, a new Standard is arbitrarily impofed by the Company every Seafon, not on Pretence even of any Alteration [ " J Alteration in the Value of their own Commodities, or thofe of the Names, but folelv according to the Quantity of the latter, the whole of which be it more or lefs than on other Years, they calculate fo as to get for their own, whofe Quantity is nearly the fame every Seafon. Such an Imposition was too glaring to efcape unnoticed even by Savages, who though they could not mew their Refentment of it, in the Same Manner, as People in other Circumftances, by difconti-nuing the Trade, yet did not fail to take the obvious Means of preventing it for the future, by bringing no more Furs, than their little Experience had taught them would fuffice to procure in Exchange all the Commodities of the Company, the Quantity of which they alfo knew by Experience. The Remainder, for in their huntings for Food they flay many more of the various Animals, than they bring the Furs of to Market, they either confume themfelves in Ufes they might dif-penfe with, could they turn them to any better Ufe, or actually throw away; practising out of Refentment the fame Policy with the Dutch, in Regard to their Superfluous Spices. The Effects of a different Conduct muft be the Subject of another Letter. I have the Honour to be, &c. LET- LETTER V. My Lord, THE Caufe, and Confequences of die Conduct, which has been invariably purfued by the Hudfon s-Bay Company, ever fince it was eftabliihed, having been coniidered, let us now confider what would be the Effect, had they adopted a different Svftenf, or rather had no fuch Eitabliihment been made from the beginning, but the Trade left open in its natural State; indeed the only State in which any Trade can prove beneficial to a Nation, all Monopolies by their Principles counteracting the publick Intereft, and letting up a private one in Opposition to it. The only Trade (or at leafl the only one worth taking any Notice off carried on at prefent by the Hudfon s-Bay Company, is the Fur-trade. But befide this, there are others already difcovered, which if puflied to their proper Extent, would very foon not only equal, but moil probably even exceed that; not to mention the Probability of diicovcring Hill more. The firft of thefe which I fhall mention \ and which to the Surprize of Reafon has not hitherto been thought of any Confequcnce, is the Fifhery. I will take upon me to fay, that the Whale and Seal Fiflieries in Hudfon s-Bay, and Baffin"s-Bay, are. capable of affording Sufficient, and fufficiently profitable Employment ploy men t to feveral hundred flfhing Vefilis. Nor is this a va~ue Aftertion. I fpeak it from Experience, having been fome Years personally engaged in the Greenland Fifiiery, alter my being at Hudfon s-Bay, and gained a clear Infight into every Branch of it. 1 he Advantages which would neceffarily refult from this are moil obvious. It would encreafe the Numbers of our Seamen and Shipping, and every Branch of Commerce which does that, encreafes the effential Strength of the Nation. And it would not only fupply us with a Sufficiency of the Produce of thefe Fifheries for Home Confumption, but alfo give us the Command of the Trade fo effectually, as to enable us to underfell all Rivals in it, at foreign Markets. That it is impoflible for fuch a Trade to be carried on properly under the unnatural Reflraints of an exclufroe Charter, even were the Company to make the Attempt, is too evident to require Proof; and how much the Nation fuffers by being fccluded from it, may be judged from this one Circumflance, that inftead of feveral hundreds of VciTeJs, and thoufands of Seamen, which this fngle Trade would employ if laid open to publick Emulation, the whole Trade of the Hudfon s-Bay Company employs no more than four Ships, and one hundred and thirty Seamen. Another moil valuable Article of Commerce, which thofe Countries would fupply in the greateft Plenty, is Copper. In the Year i 744> 1 myfelf difcovered there feveral large Lumps of the finefl Virgin Copper, which in the honeft Exultation of my Heart at fo important a Difcovery I direfily flic wed to the Company; but the thanks I met, may be eafdy Judged from the Syilem Syftem of their Conduct. The Fact, without any Enquiry into the Reality of it, was treated as a chimerical Illuiion ; and a Stop arbitrarily put to all farther Search into the Matter, by the abfolute Lords of the Soil. The Advantages whieh would arife from a fufficient Supply of this Metal, are alfo obvious to every Capacity. It would afford Employment to all our various Artificers who work in it; and enable us to underfell all Competitors at foreign Markets; and this at a Time, when our internal Supplies of it feem to be nearly exhaufted, and the Ufe of it is daily encreafing in all Parts of the World. I have Said, that Copper is to be found in Plenty in thofe Countries, for this Reafon. Wherever any Metal is found in Lumps, on or near the Surface of the Earth, it is a certain Proof that the Earth abounds with it deeper down ; fuch Lumps being protruded from the Body of the Metal, like-Sparks from a large Fire. Nor is it unreafonable to expect, that Metals ftill more valuable might be found in the Purfuit of this; the richeft Gold-mines in the Fait being intermixed with thofe of Copper, as Copper itfelf is with Gold in Proportion to the Finenefs of the former ; and finer, than the Lumps I found there, have I never feen. It muft not be objected to what I have here advanced, that the IntenSity of the Froil in thofe Climates would dc-feat all Attempts of mining, or at the beft render them fo difficult and destructive to the Lives ot the Miners, as to make it not worth the Attempt. This is only a vulgar Error. Error. It is known that Froft penetrates but a little Way into the Earth; no farther than the immediate Action of the Atmofphere; where the Sphere of that Adfcion therefore ceafes, Froft ceafes of Courfe; and the moft ignorant Labourer knows that the deeper he can work into the Earth, the warmer Air he will breath. nlnlioO :.; *k> £&3tlronX >di at____JB»ii! oi ildhnsdna I have the honour, 8cc. LETTER VI. My Lord, HAVING traced the prefent State of the Trade to Hudfon s Bay to its Caufe, in the Conduct of the Company, and fliewn fome of the Confequences which would follow a different Conduct, the next Thing is to fhew what that different Conduct Should be. The Impoflibility of attaining to a juft Knowledge of any Country, without firft conciliating the Confidence of the E Natives, Natives, is clear to Reafon, and has been proved by invariable Experience, as alio that iuch Confidence is not to be conciliated, especially among le/s informed People, any Way but by long Acquaintance, much Intercourfe, and manv gooel Offices, to wear off the natural Shvneis and Sufpicion, in'epe-rable from their feeing Actions not only new, but alfo incomprehensible to them.-In the Knowledge of a Country, I include its various Produces, and Connections, as well as the exterior Face of it. In order to this, the firft Thing neceflary (indeed indii-penfibly fo) is to iettle Colonies, to which the Natives may re fort at all Times, to gratify Curiofity, carry on Commerce* or implore Afliftance in any Circumftances oi accidental Di-ftrefs ; and where they Should always be received in an humane, and friendly Manner, without any Appearance of immediate Diftruft, though at the fame Time, without appearing to relax the Vigilance and Care neceflary to preferve Refpec~t, and obviate their being tempted by too great Security, to meditate any Thing holtile ; which Colonies fliould be planted in as many different Parts of the Country, as coniiftent with Conveniency, to make the Acquaintance with the Natives as general as poiTible, and prevent the Misrepresentations, which are always made, by thofe who go between different People, for the Purpofes of Trade, in order to enhaunce the Merit of fuch Mediation, and keep it exclusively to themfelves; and this as well among favage as civilized Nations, from the fame interefted Views. The C *7 ] The Effects of fuch an Intimacy of Intercourfe are moft obvious. The hofpitable Natives would communicate to their beneficent Guefts, all the Knowledge which Nature had learned from Experience. They would fhew them the Secrets of the Land, and affift them with their Labour to turn every Thing to their own Advantage. -dO fh' fho J i » fo ana-vi The Numbers of Beggars, who infeft our Streets, fhew that we have more People, than we can give Employment to, or at leafl, than will apply themfelves to the Employments proper for them; and confequently, who can be well fpared, to be lent elfewhere. It will be faid perhaps, that while the Streets of our great Cities fwarm, our Fields and Villages are thin ; but this alters not the Cafe. Their Labour, not their Number is an Advantage to the Publick ; and when that is difcontinucd, they become an Incumbrance to Induftry, like Drones in a Hive, and had better even not to be at all, than to be fupported at a Lofs. 'Till it is thought proper therefore to put the Laws againft fuch Vagrants, in Execution, or to frame others, if the prefent are infufficient to reftrain the labouring People from leaving their own Settlements, where their Work is wanted, and crowding to the Cities, particularly the Metropolis, where there is not proper Work fuif icient for them; every Scheme for removing them to Places, where they can get fuch Work, makes an Addition of that Work to the general Stock, and fives the Value of their preient un-carned Confumption. Beiide the Notion, that planting Colonies depopulates a Country has been long refuted, it being proved by Experience, that in C 29 ] in Countries where Induftry is encouraged properly, there will always be as many Inhabitants, as there is good Room and Employment for, an encreafed Generation, like Bees, fupplying the Place of thofe who go away; and ic is the Want of this Induftry, the NeceiTity of which is feemingly removed, by the Treafures returned from her Colonies, that has depopulated Spain, not the Numbers of the People fent to form thofe Colonies. As to the other Objection of the Climate, it is no more than a meer vulgar Error, derived from the ancient one of uninhabitable Zones, it having been long proved, that there is no Climate under Heaven to which the human Conftitution cannot be reconciled by very little Care; the Neceffity even of winch Care would ceafe with the firft Settlers themfelves, as the Climate would be natural to their Children born and bred up in it. Nor is there greater Weight in the Mifcarriage of the poor Attempts hitherto made to raife Corn, and Vegetables for the Support of thefe Colonies, in thofe Parts of the Country which lie near to the Company's Forts; fuch Mifcarriage being far from proving that better Succefs might not attend more judicious Attempts made in other Parts, particularly on Moufe, and Alba7iy Rivers, which lie nearly in the fame Latitude with London. Or even iliould all Attempts fail; Meal, Flour, Cheefe, Butter, and efculent Roots mav be carried thither at an eafv Rate, and Fun and Flefh, particularly that of Fowls, are molt excellent in their Kinds, and fo plenty, as to be below Price. Having thus, my Lord, fhewn the Lofs fufFered by the Nation, from the injudicioufly granted, and more injudici- oufly oufly (not to give it an harder Name) conducted Monopoly of the Trade to Hudfon'"s-Bay, and the natural and eafy Means of preventing fuch Lofs for the future, on a Revocation of that Monopoly, I muft beg Leave to trefpafs upon your Lordftiip a little farther, while I lay before you a lriort View of the pre/ent, and propojed State ot that Trade, brought together for Comparifon. The Hudfon s-Bay Company employ four Ships, and 130 Seamen.-They have tour Forts, which contain 1 86 Men. .--And they export Commodities to the Value of £16,000 a Year, and bring Home Returns to the Value of £* 2934.0— which yield to the Revenue £ 3734- If the Trade were laid open, the Fiihery alone in Hudfon s-Bay, Baffin s-Bay, and Davis's Streights, (in the laft of which the Dutch find Fifli as Plenty as in Japan, where they kill them folely for their Bone) would afford Employment for Soo Veffels of every Kind, and 16000 Men.- The Trade would require and fupport Twelve Colonies, confifting of 3000 fettled Inhabitants of both Sexes.—And, the Exports would in the Courfe of feven Years at the very farthcft, amount to £ 320,000. the Returns to £ 586,800, which would yield to the Revenue £ 74,680, being twenty Fold the prefent Amount of each, with a certain Profpecr. of farther Increafe. But fo it is, that all thefe national and great Advantages are facrifced to fatten a few worthy Individuals.— I need not purfue the Subject, any farther. The Inference, from what has been fhewn, is obvious \ and muft open the Eyes [ 3i ] Eyes of all, who are not determined to keep them fhut. Happy for the Nation, that fuch is not your Lordfhip's Cafe ! That you hold not yourfelf above receiving Information from your Inferiors ; and that Heaven has blelled you with Abilitv to turn that Information to the beft Advantage. / have the Honour, &c. P. S. Among the Things neglected by the Hudfon s-Bay Company, and what will always be neglected by every monopolizing Company, as foreign to their immediate Profit, I have not made any Mention of civilizing the Natives, and inftruct-ing them in the Chriftian Religion, though to pafs over the moral Duty of doing it, the great Advantages in Point of In-tereft, which the French have reaped from their Labours in this Way, in other Parts of the World, fhould be an Incitement to other Nations not to neglect it.- LET- e 32 ] **«#####«##*#######«**«##*####**#«««# LETTER VII. My Lord, TH E Country, I wiiTx I could fay Colony, that comes next under Confideration, in our Return from the North, is Labrador. The ftrange Neglect of forming any Settlement in this Country, is one of thofe glaring Tnftances of the Blindnefs of Man to his belt Intereft, which prove the Infufficiency of his boafted Wifdom, and the indifpenfiblc Ncceffity of a ruling Providence to lead him right in the plained Road. For though this Land does not immediately yield Gold, Silver, precious Stones, or thofe Foods for Luxury and Orientation, which are in fuch mad Requeft, it would yield a Trcafure much more folid, permanent, and advantageous to the Commonweal, in the Fruits of Induftry, which cncrcafes the Strength along with the Wealth of a Nation; Labour rewarded by Plenty invigorating the prefent Race, and encrealing Population, in its happieft Appearance, an healthy and vigorous Progeny. The The Climate on the Coa.1 of La^ra-hr is lefs fever.', than that of the Countries confining on Hudfon s-Bay'* The Country is covered with Forefts of valuable 1 miber, abounding with various Animals, whole Furs would be a mofh profitable Addition to our Trade in that Branch, and whole Flelh, in the general, is moft wholefome, as that of the various Fowls with which the whole Country alfo abounds, is moft delicious Food. The Soil, with proper Cultivation, is capable of producing Corn, and moft Kinds of cxculent Roots, and Vegetates; and the Rivers and Sea-Coafts yield Fi(h, excellent for Food, as well as Trade, in a Plenty^ that almoft exceeds Conception. All tins is immediately on, or near the Sea-Coaft; our Difcoveries extending but a very little Way farther. Were the interior Parts of the Country known, it is more than probable, that many other Advantages would be difcovered in them; and of this the Fewnefs of the Natives hitherto feen gives the ftrongeft Prefumption ; it being much more agreeable both to Reafon and Experience to fi p-pofe, that thofe few we fee are only Vagrants, and that the Body of the People find Attachments to fix them in the Centre of their Country, than that fuch a Country fhould be fo thirjy peopled throughout. The only Attempt hitherto made to carry on any Trade here, has been in the Fifherv ; which makes the following Exports yearly to Great-Britain, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. F Whale- IF hale-Oil - 1500 Tons Seal-Oil - 310 Tons ■ Whale-bone - 72 Tons Seal-Skins - 12000 at £ J5 - jC 22>5°° 0 0 ^ £ I5 - 41.650 o o at £ 300 - 21,600 o o at 6^. - 300 o o £ 49>°5° 0 0 7 here are no Exports from Great-Britain, that can with any Propriety be placed againft this. With the Natives we have no Trade. In the Country we have no Settlement; and the Confumption of the People, employed in carrying on the Fifhery, is fupplied by the different Places whence they come every Seafon, and whither they return at the End of it; and for the Time they flay, confifts of the bare Necefiaries of Life, and Implements of their Bufinefs, without entering at all into our Manufactures. How different would the Cafe be were thefe Colonies efta-bliihed. The Advantages of fuch Effiblifhments have been explained in the preceding Inftance of Hudjon s-Bay. All thofe enumerated there (except the local one relating to the North-weft Pajfage) are applicable to this Country, in the iVicteft Senfe. They would be filled with People of our own, whom it were a faving to the Publick to fend abroad ; or with People of other Nations, who allured with the Advantage, would fettle with us, and become our own. They would turn to proper Advantage the Articles of Commerce already difcovered there, and moft probably diicover null many more. They would take off our Manufactures, and lend us in Return the Produce of the Country to be manufactured factured by us ; and they would neceffarily encreafe the Numbers of our Shipping, and Seamen, the beft Wealth, and Strength of Great-Britain. The Number of Colonies proper to be planted here, is not for me to determine. If we would begin with only two, or even one, the Experiment would foon prove its own Utility, and fhew where, and in what Manner we fhould proceed farther. I have the Honour, &c. i i [ si, •.. .j P. S. Another (and that a moft important) Advantage that would arife from the Eftablifhment of Colonies, on this Coalt, is the convenient Opportunity it would afford of boiling down the Blubber, and making the Whale-bone merchantable on the Spot; by which Means they might be carried diredly to Market, and the Lofs of Time and Expence of bringing them Home in the Grofs, as at prefent, faved. F a LET- LETTER VIII. My Lord, ^"^ONTINUING our Courfe from the North, we come \^JL next to the Ifland of Newfoiwdland. The Climate of this liland differs not very much from that of Labrador; and that Difference, is ftill lefs to its Advantage, the heavy Fogs which hanp- over it, for fo great a Part of the Year counter-ballancing any little Abatement in the Intenfity of the Froft. The Country is well flock'd with Timber fit for the moft valuable Purpofes of Si ip-building. It has many iine Rivers; and on the Coaft are feveral large, commodious, and fife Harbours. But, on the other Hand, the Soil is fo poor, and unfit for the Purpofes of Vegetation, that the Heat of the Slimmer, though Very great, cannot force it to produce any Thing in Pkntv, or Perfection. This is on, or very near the Sea-Coaft, to which our Knowledge of the Country has been hitherto confined. When the interior Parts o[ it mail be known alio, it is far from being in the leaft improbable, that this Complaint may in in a great Meafure ceafe, and many Advantages, as yet un-thonght of, be difcovered. But it is not the Ifland, or its Produce, that is the Object of our Attention. It is the Cod-Fifhery on the Coaft, or as thev are called, the Banks of Newfoundland, the greateif, and the bell: Fifhery in the known World, The Importance of this Fifhery to Great-Britain has been long and well known to the People of this Nation. Would to Heaven, it had been as well taken Care of by its Governors. At the Peace of Utrecht it was ceded to us by the French, and difcontinued by the Spaniards; but both foon broke through their Engagements, and refumed the Trade, not indeed avowedly in the Names of the respective Nations; but in private, and feemingly clandestine Attempts of Individuals, which were taken fo little Notice of here, if they were not even connived at, that the French in particular before the breaking out of the Lift War, had gradually worked themfelves, into a great Share of it, which has been fince confirmed to them, at the.Peace of Paris. I muft not, my Lord, indulge my Thoughts upon this Subject! It is too late! The Deed is done, and all that remains now is, to remedy its Effects, as far as poffible; in order to do which, it is neceflary to take a diftincct View of the prefent State of this Trade. commo- Commodities exported from Great-Britain and Ireland, to Newfoundland. Coarje Cloathing — Cottons—Checks — Britijh 1 Linens—Guns—Gunpowder — Shot — Gun-Flints j — Fijhing-Tackle—Wrought- Leather—Wrought-Steel— Iron — Bra/s— Copper — Pewter—Pipes ■-. Hofiery — Hats-1 allow- Candles-Ship- y£ 273,400 Chandlery--Stationary-Wares-— Grocery—Oil-Bacon—Beef— Pork—Malt—Britip-Spirits and Wines-All which at an Average of three Years coft j In carrying the above feveral Articles to Newfoundland from London, Pool, Weymourh, Dartmouth, Tynemouth, Top-/ham, Bri/lol, Liverpool, and different Parts of Ireland, and in bringing the Fiih, and Oil to the feveral Markets in Portugal, Spain, and Italy, as alfo in catching and curing the faid Fifh, there are employed Ships 380 - with Twelve Men in each! Beats 2000 - with Eight Men in each, >20560 Men. making together - - J In the above Lift of the feveral Articles fent to Newfoundland, I have not included Salt-Wheaten-Meai--Oaten-Meal—Barley—Peas—Beans, Sec. carried from Philadelphia, and our other American Colonies thither) which though they do not go immediately from Great-Britain, yet as they incrcafe the Trade of thofe Colonies, their Profits confequently centre with her. Cod- Exported from Newfoundland. Cod-Fijh - 30,000 Tons - at £ 10 - ^300,000 Oil - 3000 Tons - at £ 15 45,000 The Ballance of £ 71,600 in the Favour of Great-Britain, which appears upon the Face of this State, is by no Means to be taken for the whole Amount of the Profits of the Trade. The Prices here fet upon the Cod-fifh and Oil, are only what they are worth upon the Spot. At the feveral Places where they are difpofed of, they bring much more than twice that Sum; fo that at the molt moderate Computation, this Trade adds annually a clear Profit of more than half a Million to the Wealth of the Nation. The Importance of fuch a Trade proves itfelf at the firft View; and the Variety, as well as the Amount of the Articles exported, fhews howextenfively, and deeplyr it enters into our Manufactures; and the Numbers of the Seamen bred up in it, to everv Hardihip of that laborious Life, make it the Nurfery of our Navy, and therefore one of the main Sinews of our moft natural, moll eilential Strength. Nor is this Importance bounded by its prefent State, profperous as it is. The Profpe£t extends ftill farther; and I will be bold to fay, that the Advantages reaped from this Fifherv, may be doubled wiihin the Courfe of a very few Years, if the proper Means are taken, and purfued with proper Vigilance, and Vigour. I have C 40 ] I have obferved to your Lordfhip, that the Coaft of this Ifland abounds with large, and Jafe Harbours. The firft Thing to be done to improve the Trade to its natural Extent, would be to plant Settlements on fuch of thefe Harbours as lie mofl convenient to the Banks, for curing the Fifli, where Stages, 6cc. mould be erected cf Strength fufficient for long continued Ufe, and preferred for it, fo as to lave the E'.pence, Inconvenience, and Lofs ot Time, experienced from the temporary ones now ufeu. As the Quantity of Fifh upon the Banh is inexhauftible, by having fuch Settlements eftablifhed, ready prepare^ j0r curing them, we fhould immediately be abfe to fupply all ou IVeft-huiia liiuiids, with Fifh for the Support of their Negroes, fo much cheaper than the Way thev are fupported at prefent, that they would be able not only to fupply the Mother Country with Sugars for Home Confumption, infinitely cheaper than at prefent; but alfo to underfell every other Rival in the Trade at foreign Markets.-- Let Britain ever preferve its hitherto urJ allied Flonour of kee inn inviolable the Faith of Treaties! — Let the French enjov what they have gotten; hut give them no more, nor let them encroach beyond the Bounds (too cxten-five already) indulged to them. / have the Honour to he, c\c. LET- [ 4t ] V $P * ^ tP w ^ v * V|lw99vV (P (I & -S6 * >*• * '"^ J»* -' 5>. ? »■ >': LETTER IX. My Lord, WE will now, if your Lordfhip pleafes, quit the Coaft of the main Ocean, for a few Moments, and make a fhort Excurfion up the great River St. Lawrence, to our newly-acquired Dominion of Canada. The Advantages that muft neceffarily arife from this Country to Great-Britain, have been fo lately, and fo fully canvafled, as is the Cafe of all new Acquifitions, that it cannot be neceflary to enter into the Proof of them here. A bare Recital of a few of the moft considerable for Reference, is all therefore which I fhall trefpafs upon your Lordfhip's Time with at the prefent. G By C 4* jr.-- • By expelling an inveterate, active, and infidious Enemy from the Centre of our Colonies, on that vaft Continent, we fecure them from the Danger of being attacked from behind ; and enable our People to attend with proper Spirit, and Induftry, to the Improvement, and Extenfion of their Settlements in the interior, and more remote Parts of the Country, where the Fertility of the Soil, or any particular Production, or Convenience, may induce them to lettle. It removes a rival Power out of the Sight of the Natives, and leaves them without Affiftance, or even Hope of Impunity in any hoftile Attempt againft us. It brings their Refource for all the Con-veniencies ot Life folely to ourfelves, and thereby puts us in the fole Pofleffion of their Commerce. It gives us an Opportunity to pufh that Commerce to its full Extent, and to enlarge it with thofe farther Difcoveries of new Articles, which the little Experiments we have hitherto been able to make, give us juft Reaion to expect there. It affords Employment for a great Addition to the Numbers of our Ships and Seamen; arid thereby encreafes our national Strength.-And laftly, it doubles all thefe Advantages ten-fold, in our Hands, by taking them out ot the Hands of our Enemies. Your Lordfhip will obferve, that in hamming up thefe Advantages, I iuppofe all proper Means to be taken lor making the molt of our Acquifition. On the contrary Supposition, the whole will be revcrfed. The Advantages will flip out of our Hands, and arm the Hands of our Enemies againft us. Nor muft this be looked upon as only meer Speculation, or railing Phantoms of improbable Danger. The Pertinacity, with which the French Crown iniifted on the Reltitution of the Ifland of Cape-Breton, when taken from them in the War before the laft,—the enormous Sums expended in fortifying it for, and defending it in the laft War,—and the Reluctance with which they gave up their Claim to it, after it had been again taken from, and was evidently impoffible to be recovered by them, prove, beyond a Doubt, their Conviction of the Importance of this Country, for keeping in their own Hands the Command of the Navigation to which, as well as for the Support of their Encroachments upon us in the Newfoundland Fifhery, thefe Fortifications were built, and defended ; as our unvaried Experience of their political Faith, and Regard to Treaties fufficiently fhews their Intention in the Infringements already made by them upon the Bounds fet them by the Treaty of Paris; and muft open our Eyes to what we are to expect, whenever they fhall find a favourable Opportunity for letting up a Claim of Right to what they fhall get hold of by fuch Infringements. The belt Means therefore of obviating fuch Intentions, arc the proper 'Objects of our prefent Consideration; as the Efficacy ot thofe Means will beft appear from a Reprefentation of the prefent State of our Commerce with that Country. Com Commodities exported from Great-Britain to Canada. Wollen-Cloths — Britiff-Linens — Cottons —^ Cmcis — Ca'licoeSy and fundry I?idia Goods — Paijley Lawns—Guns—Ctttlajfes—Gunpowder— Shot—Gun-Flints—Haberdafhery-Wares— Gold and Silver Lace — W?aring-Apparel — Cotton-Ve foe's—Stuffs—Hoftery—Hats—Gloves—Books —Stationary Wares—Drugs—Glafs—Wrought- Leather•—Wrought-Steel—Iron—Copper—Tin— Brajs — Pewter—Pictures—Painter s Colours— Bees-Wax — Vermillio?i — Millene?y Wares — Blanket s—Sadlery Warcs —Sail- Cloth—Cordage - - Fiffjing-Tackle—Cheefe—Tobacco-pipes—Strong Beer—Britifh Spirits—Wines—All which colt at an Average of three Years J > ^105,000, The above View of the Nature, and prefent Amount of this Trade proves beyond a Doubt the Practicability of puihing it to fuch an Extent, as muft make it of the moft elTential Importance to this Nation. The Commodities it takes oft' are all, except the India-goods, immediately of our own Produce, and Manufacture; and the Returns it makes, are Commodities imported from Canada into Great-Britain. Ninety thoufand Beaver Skins—9000 Bear—1 11,000 Otter—4000 FiJJjer—36,000 Marten— | 350 IVilj—4000 Cat— 2 000 Mink— 2 000Fox— \ £ 7 6,00 o 5 0,000 Mufquajh— 100,000 Racoon—Elk and Deer 24,000— And 2000 of Cafloreum Whale-bone—Whale, P or pus, andotherFip-Oil. - 3,500 Wheat 1 2000 Quarters at 20s — — 12,000 Ginfeng—Snake-root, and Capillaire—Sundry - 3>ooo Timber—Plank—Deals—Lu?nber, &c. — 11,000 105,500 Which Trade is carried on by 34 Sail of Ships, navigated By about 400 Men. arc in the unmanufa&ured Produce of that Country; which (Ingle Circumftance of their being unmanufactured, doubles their Value to us, by the Employment it affords to our Manufacturers, whofe Labour is one of the chief Sources of our national Wealth. As to the Quantities both of thofe Co??tmo-dities, and the Returns for them, the leaft Attention to the Circum- L 46 ] Circumftances of the Country will mew how fhort they fall of what they may be. In all new Conquefts, the Inhabitants naturally have a Diffidence and Dread of their Conquerors, however humane in their Manner of waging war, and beneficial in their Mea-fures of governing after. If it fhould be objected in the prefent Inftance, that the only Inhabitants of this Country, who can pjoperly be faid to have been conquered, are the French, the Natives only exchanging one Mafter for another, it alters not the Cafe. The Dominion, which the Frenh had acquired over the Minds of the ignorant Natives, as well thofe apparently free and independent of them, as their immediate Subjects, by the Arts of their Priefts and Friars, always fuccefsful in Proportion to the Ignorance of thofe upon whom they are practifcd; and the Animofity and Abhorrence which they inftilled into them againft us, have been feverely experienced in too manv Inftances, during the whole Courfe of the War: While any of thefe Priefts and Friars therefore are permitted to remain among them to keep up thofe Prejudices, and fow the fame pious Seeds of Difcord and Hatred, it is in vain to ex peel:, that the Natives fliould enter into fincere Amity, and Confidence with us. The firft Thing therefore to be done, in Order to conciliate their Confidence, is to banilh effectually the French Pric/ls, and Re'igious of all Denominations, and to lend in their Room a lab urin? Clergy f our oicn, who breathing the true Spirit of Chrifti.mity themfelves, and pracliiing it in its molt facred Fruits of univerlal Benevolence, and Philanthropy, or in the Phrafe Phrafe of holy Writ, in Charity to all Men, fhould fet fuch an Example to their Flocks, as could not fail to eradicate their Prejudices againft us, and implant in their Stead, Confidence, Respect, and brotherly Love. Tfee common Reproach brought even by curlelves againft our Clergy, that they follow only the Loaves and Fifhes of the Church; and are too lazy, and too much attached to the prefent Enjoyment or the good Things of this World, to la-' bour in the Vineyard of their Lord; and bear the Heat and Burthen of the Day, in converting favage Nations to his Laws, muft not be oppofed to what I have here offered. The Pains taken to this End bv fome Individuals, in other Parts of America, and the Succefs with which Heaven has blefled thofe Pains, prove at our Religion gives not a Sanction to fuch Neglect of Duty ; and that Proteftants, can be as indefatigable in propagating the Gofpel of Chrift, as Papifts of any Denom ination whatloever. Bv Proteftants, my Lord, I mean Christians protefling a-gainft spiritual Tyranny in all its Exertions, and obeying in the Freedom of Conference the Laws and Doctrines of Chrift, as explained by the beft Power of Reafon, without stooping to enter into the nominal Distinctions, into which the Reiilefs-nefs of human Imagination, more than any real Difference, has divided that Name. I muft not, my Lord, be understood by thus urging the Banifhmcnt of the Popifli Clergy to contradict myfelf, and propofe a Practice opposite to the Principles of Chriftian 1 j- bertv j berty which I profefs. Where the Principles of any Set of Men are profefiedly hilrverfive of that Liberty, and exprefsly contrary to the moll: efiential Principles of that Religion which they profefs in common with us, the moll, indeed the only effectual Way to preferve both, is to drive them out from a-mong us; and that fuch are the Principles of thofe who af-fume to themfelves a Right to put Shackles on the human Mind, and limit God's Mercies to the Profeifion of their own Opinions, is too evident to require Proof. The fecular Advantages to ourfelves, which muft necefla-rilv follow from this Attention to the fpiritual Welfare of diefe People are moft obvious. Informed in their Minds, they would become civilized in their Manners. They would foften from that Ferocity, which prompts them to thofe barbarous Wars, and Murders, that have almoit dcfolatcd their Country, and increafing in their Numbers would proportionably increafe in their Demands for the Conveniencieb of Life, with which our Trade fupplies them ; and would coniequently apply themfelves to procure an equivalent Fncreafe of their own Produce to give in Exchange for them. They Would allill us with their Strength and Experience of their Country to improve the Trade at prefent carried on between them and us, and to pro-fecute with better Profpcct of Succefs our Endeavours to enlarge it by the Difcovery of new Articles. And by their Intercourfe with us in the fraternal Amity of Religion, they would acquire Knowledge of the Excellence, and be glad to put themfelves under the Protection of our Laws, and fo in the End make their Numbers our Strength, and become one People with us. In enumerating thefe Advantages, your Lordfhip may pofli-bly be furprized at my confining myfelf to fuch as are immediately fecular. But in this I conform to the Humour (if I may fo call it] of the Times, to which Propofals for Practice mult never run counter: But I live, my Lord, in Hopes of feeing better Times , when the Advantages of this Life fhall be held in Efteem only as they are conformable to the more valuable ones of that which is to come; anel no Means purfued, at leaft profefiedly, to procure the former, which fhall not alfo conduce to the latter. And in this Hope I am, humanly fpeaking, confirmed by the Experience of all Ages, in which it has been invariably obferved, that when Things arrive at a certain Point, they always change; and if Immorality and Irreligion arc not arrived at their Height among us, Lord have Mercy upon thofe who are to behold their Advance!— The next, and only Thing farther, which I would propofe for the Improvement of this important Acquifition, is Agriculture. The other Branches of its Trade are in the Hands of the Natives, and fhould be left undifturbed with them, as belt qualified to purlue them with Succefs, I mean the Fury and Peltry-trades, for any Encreafe that can poflibly be made in the former of which, either in this, or any other Part of our Dominions, or in any of the Countries where we have Settlements, we can never want advantageous Vent; and for a large Encreafe in the latter we have fuilicient Room, and fuilicient Reafon to expect that Encreafe, particularly in th: Article of Deer-Skins, a much greater Quantity of which than is now imported could be brought with the greatcfc Advantage into our Manufactures; but as for Tillage, they II do [ Bo ) do neither understand, nor are yet sufficiently fettled in their Difpofitions to attempt it. The internal Advantages of purfuing Agriculture, are fufli-ciently known. It lupplies Employment, and plenteous Support to the People, and that Plenty lupplies more People to be fupported and employed. Nor is this Article liable to be carried too far, as moil others are, it being "impofiible that Bread mould ever be too plenty ; the Mouths to eat it encrea-hug in Proportion as there is Bread for them to eat; and externally it would enable us to fupply with the Overflowings of our own Plenty, thofe Countries which might Hand in Need of fuch Supplies; and this without Danger of ever interfering with the Corn-Trade of Great-Britain, or our other Colonies, there being, as I have before obferved, a fufficient Demand for both, and that neareft hand being always the Iirft taken pffi The Qaantitv of Corn at prefent exported from Canada, has tedft ihewn to be i 2000 Quarters ; but this is rather a Proof that the Country can produce Corn, than any Meafure of its Production ; as I will be bold to fay, that fifty Times that Quantity may be produced annually without neglecting proper Attention to any other Branch of Commerce. In a Word, my Lord, by proper Application to this finglc Article of Agriculture, Canada may be made within the Com-pafs of a few Years, to reimburfe to Great-Britain, all the Blood and Treafure, expended in the Conqueft of it. / have the Honour, &c. LETTER X. My Lord, FROM Canada, we will defcend with the Stream to Nova Scotia, a former Acquisition from the fame Power, fituate on the Mouth of the River St. Lawrence. Though this Province has been in our PoiTeflion above half a Century, fince the Peace of Utrecht, little or no Advances were made in the Settlement of it, 'till after the War before the laif, when a moft numerous Colony, amply provided with every Thing neceflary, was fent and fettled there, and an excel -lent Dock-yard, &c. built for the Service of the Navy, stationed in thofe Parts of America, with good Houfes for the Officers and Artificers employed in it, and Barracks for the Army, compoling together the handfomc Town of Hallifax, all at the great Expcnce of Government. But the Succefs has no Way anfwered this Expcnce, except fo far as it refpects the particular Sen ice of the Navy ; the only Advances made in cultivating and improving the Countrv, being confined within the narrow Limits of the immediate Environs of the Town, all at any DiOance remaining in the fame unprofitable State as before ; fo that there is not a fuilicient Supply II 2 Of of the poor Products of the Place even for the Inhabitants, who inftead of being able to make any Exports, are obliged to depend for their own Support upon our other Colonies; which they would not be able to pay for, but for the Money fpent among them by the Navy, and the Army; the only Benefit received by them from the latter, who are found totally incapable of defending them from the Outrages of the Natives. How far this Benefit may be equivalent to the Expence ; and whether Part of that Expence might not anfwer the End better, if applied in another Manner, not to mention the Lofs of fo many Men's Labour and Lives, the Scurvy carrying them off in Numbers, are Points well deferving the Attention of Government. As to the Navy, the Advantage to that is very great, as the Shipping have not only a fafe and convenient Harbour to be laid up in, during the Winter Seifon, when all Navigation is impracticable in thofe Seas; but can alfo be repaired, and fupplicd with any Thing they may want, without the Fatigue, Danger, and Lofs of Time of coming Home, upon every Occafion of the Kind, as heretofore. The Mifcarriage in the Settlement of this Province, muft not be attributed folely to any infuperable Incapacity in the Province itfelf. The Climate, though far from being the bell, or moft a-grceable, is yet equally far from being un whole fome, or unfit for the Purpofes of Vegetation, if taken timely Advantage of, nor is the Soil fo poor, but that with proper Cultivation and Care, it would produce the moft valuable of all vegetable Productions, Wheat in great Plenty ; and many of the cfculent Plants and Roots Roots in Requefi among us, if not in fo high Perfection as other Countries, yet wholefome and good for Ufe* The true Reafon of this Mifcarriage, is the inveterate Hof-tility of the Natives, who, though very few in Number, yet bv lying in wait always, and in all Places, frequently find Opportunities of committing the moft: horrid Cruelties and Murders upon the Settlers; and even where they fail of this, they keep them in fuch a State of continual Alarm and Dread, that they cannot apply themfelves to make any lading or confide rable Improvement. An Enquiry into the Caufe of this Malignity in the Natives towards our People is not fo immediately to the prefent Purpofc. The fird Thing neceflary to be done is to guard againd the Effects of it; and for this, fad Experience has proved that European Soldiers are utterly unqualified, being neither active enough in themfelves, fufficiently acquainted with the Country, nor fufficiently inured to the Severity of the Climate, to watch and purfue an Enemy pofTefled of all thefe Advantages, and actuated by the keened Hatred and Animofity. Indead therefore of fending Soldiers from hence, the mod effectual Means to put an End to the Inroads of thefe Savages, obvioufly is to procure a Body of the Natives of fome of the neighbouring Colonies, moft firmly attached to us to encounter them. Thefe, from the natural Ferocity of their Difpofition, might be brought at a very trifling Expence, comparatively to what we are now at to no Purpofc; and when once let loofe upon the others, would in a very fhort Time citabliih the Country in a State of Safety, by cutting oF all thofe C 54 ] thofe actual^/ engaged in Hoftilities, and whom Experience has proved it to b- impoflible to reconcile to us; and taking the left oi all Ages and Sexes Prifbners, to be difperfed among other diftant Colonies, where they lhould not imbibe, nor have an Opportunity of practising luch Prejudices. I am very far mvlelf, mv Lord, from approving of the Extirpation of the Natives of any Country, by their Conquerors; and even if I did, have the Honour of knowing }our Lordfhip too well to venture fuch a Propoial to yon. But here the Cafe is very different. The Country is io large, and fo very thinly inhabited, that our Settlements upon it can hardly be called an Intrufion, and are by no Means even an Inconvenience to the Inhabitants; notwithstanding which, and notwith-fla.idi ig all the Advantages held out by us to them, we have eve found it impoilible to fubdue their lavage Hatred in the lcaft ; fo that this Severity againft them is fancliiied bv the great, and eternal Law of Sdf-prcieivation. The Safety of the Settlers being once eftahlifhed, they would be able to leek our, and eftablith their Settlements in the Places, moft fertile in them elves, and moft convenient for their different Purpofes of living and Commerce; and foqn make fuch Returns, par icnlarly in Wheat, Hemp, and Flax, for the Production of which, the Soil of the Country is in moft Places excellently adapted, as would amply reimbuile the Expence of fending them thither. Our t If ) ■ Our Exports to Nova Scotia at prefent confift of the following Articles. Woollen-Cloths—Foreign and Br it if? Linens— Wr ought-Iron — Steel—Brafs —Pewter-—Tin— Hats—Hofiery—HaberdaJJjery—Millenery, and Tur?tery-Wares — Sail-Cioth —Cordage — Ship- ~ Chandlery-Wares-Fiflring Tackle--Sadlery- *f Wares—Gold and Silver Lace-Britifo Spirits —Wines, and Medicinal Drugs, which coll at an Average of three Years — J The Articles exported from Nova Scotia, are Salted Mackareland Shads, 3000 Barrels at 20s. — £ 3000 Cod-Fi/h 2500 Tons at £\o — — 25,000 Fi/h-Oi/, 300 Tons at £15 — — 45°° IVhale-bone, 5 Tons at £300 — — 1500 Ship) and other Timber, Majls, Lumber, &c. — 4000 £ 38,000 Bv this State, the Trade of this Country appears to confift entirely of Timber, and the Produce of the Fifhery -y but if if it were once well fettled, not only thefe might be advanced (the latter to more than double its prefent Amount, and the former without Bounds, as the Forefts cover the whole Face of the Country) but alfo a new and molt advantageous Trade be opened in the feveral Articles of Tillage before enumerated; befide what more might be {truck out, upon Experience, and a better Knowledge of the interior Fart? of the Country. / have the Honour, &c. LETTER XI. My Lord, WE will now take a Trip, for a few Moments from the Continent to the adjacent I Hands of St. Johns, and Cape-Breton. The Bland of St. Johns differs very little in Climate, but moft materially in Soil, from Nvva Scotia ; the latter being much fitter for Tillage, and the former for Failure. But this Difference Difference is far from a Difadvantage to either, as it gives Rite to an Interchange of their respective Producb, in its Nature ^ neceffarily attended with Advantage, which their Nearnefa to each other frees from all Inconvenience, or Danger of Inter-ruption. While the Inhabitants therefore of Nova Scotia apply themfelves to Agriculture, thofe of St. Johns may turn their Lands to Pafturage ; and thereby not only have their Time more at Command to purfue their own Fifhery ; but alio be able to fupply thole engaged in the other Fiiheries with Beef for their Support, and to eftablifh a moft profitable Trade in that Article, with the ITVefi-bidian Iflands, where it will always me t abundant Vent.—I do not mean by this, that Nova Scotia is utterly unfit for Pafturage ; or St. Johns for Agriculture. I only fpeak of the Produce, for which each is moft fit, and which confequentlv it muft be their Intereft to purfue principally, as a Point of Commerce. The Spirit, with which the Settlement of this Ifland was undertaken immediately at the Conclufion of the laft War, and the Numbers, Rank, and Wealth of the Perfons engaged, gave Reafon to expect: a farther Progrefs by this Time, than appears to have been yet made in it; but whatever has been the Caufe of the Delay, it is to be hoped that the bad Con-fequenccs of it are fuflicientlv feen; and that the Undertaking will be re-a (Turned w'oh Effe£t. As to the Ifland of Cape-Breton, its Importance confifts folely in its Situation, of which the French took fufficient I Advantage, Advantage, while it was in their PoiTeiiion, for the Protection of their own and Annoyance of our Fifhery upon the Banks of Newfoundland. But that Importance has ceafed upon its falling into our Hands, who are in the acknowledged Superiority of PoiTeiiion of the whole Fifhery 5 and therefore the Fortifications erected by them for their Purpoies, have been demoliihed by us, as not being of Ufe equivalent to the Ex-pence of maintaining them. the Ifland though does not thereby lofe all Ufe to us; for as the Cod-Banks extend up to, and all along the Coaft of it, it affords a convenient Station for curing the Fifh caught there, without the Trouble, Delay, and Expence of carrying them to any other Place for that Purpofe ; not to dwell upon the Importance of its Harbour, to the Navigation of the River aSV. Lawrance. Other Purpofes it can anfwer but very few ; the Climate being itil 1 worfe than that of Nova Scotia, and the Soil more unfit for Vegetation of every Kind, both on Account of the Rockinefs of the Ifland itfelf, and its Expofure equally to the Cold of Winter, and Heat of Summer, there being no Forcfts to flicker Cultivation from them, as on the Continent. To attempt making any permanent Settlements therefore on this Ifland, muft be in vain, as they can never fucceed fufficiently to induce the People to ftay, or to reimburfe the Expence. / have the Honour^ &c. 4 LET C 59 ] LETTER XII. My Lord, 1A M now come to New England, a Country that well deferves that Name, as being both the firft, and greateft Colony eftablifhed by us in America. The Climate, Soil, and Produce of this Country are fo well known, that any Account of them here muft be utterly unneceflary : It's Importance to the Mother Country will fut-iiciently appear in the following State of the Trade carried on between them. I 2 Com- Commodities exported from Great-Britain to New England. Wrought-Iron, Steel, Copper, Brafs, Pewter") and Lead — Wollen-Cloths — Stuffs —Flannels— Colchejler-Bays—Long-Ells—Britiffj, Irijh, and Forcign-Liliens—Silks—Gold and Silver Lace— Millenery, Haberda/hery, and Ho fiery-TVares— Hats—Gloves—Manchejler Goods—Birmingham and Sheffield Wares—Hemp—Sail-Cloth—Cordage Upholftery, and Sadlery Wares—Cabinet - Maker s Geo is—Painter s Colours—Ship-Chandlery Wares —Earthen Ware—hidia Goods—Grind/lones— Fi/bing- Tackle —Cheefe—Pickles —Toys—Seeds— Tobacco-pipes—Strong Beer —tFines — Spirits— Medicinal Drugs—All which colt at an Average of three Years ------ j r £395>O0° The above Amount fpeaks for itfelf; but when the Nature of the Trade is considered, and that molt of the Arties exported from New England being carried to other Markets, the greateft Part of the Returns made to us for our [ 6i 3 Commodities imported from New England. Cod-Fijh dried — ioooo Tons - at,/" ic - £ Majis, Boards, Staves, Shingles, and joifls Ships ah out 70 Sail — — at £ joo -Pidled Mackarel and Shads, 8000 Barrels at 20 s -Whale and Cod-Oil, 7000 Tons - at Y15,-Whale-hone — 28 Tons - at £ 300 -Turpe?itine, Tar, and Pitch 1500 Barrels at 8s -Horfes and live Stock — — -— — Potaffj — 8000 Barrels — at 50 s -Pickled Beef and Pork - 9000 Barrels at 30 s Bees-Wax, and fundry other Articles, valued at > an Average of three Years J 100,000 45,000 49,000 8,000 105,000 8,400 600 12,000 20,000 i3j5°° 9,000 £ 37°>5oc> our Exports are in the Money for which theirs are fold, the Confequencc of it will appear in a ftill ftronger Light. It is moft delicate, my Lord, to mention any thing that may fcem to allude in the remoteft Senfe to the unhappy Difputes at at prefent fubfifting between Great-Britain and her American Children. I fhall therefore only obferve, that if the Trade of this Colony, on it's prefent Footing, is fo advantageous, what muft it have been before thofe Difputes arofe, when our Exports thither amounted to near £ 550,000 per Annum ? And what fhould we not do to bring it back to that Amount ? The Complaints made by the Colonies (this along with the reft) of the Scarcity of Coin among them, muft not be taken to invalidate what I have here advanced of our being paid in Money, for the greateft Part of our Exports to New England. The Fact is the very Reverfe. That Money comes not immediately from thence, but from the Countries where her Commodities are vended, whence it is brought directly to us, the Imports of New England from all other Countries but Great-Britain, being too inconsiderable, to have any Weight in the Scale of Commerce ; fo that the Scarcity of Coin there proceeds neceflarily from their paying us in Money, inffead of preventing it. If it fhould be enquired how this Colony can difpcnfe with the want of the feveral Articles of Commerce, their dif-continuing to take which, as formerly, has made fuch a Fall in our Exports thither, the Anfwer is obvious. It appears from the foregoing State of thefe Expoits, that by very much the greateft Part of them coniitts of the Luxuries, or at beft the difpenfible Conveniencies of Life, the Country fupplying the Neccnaries in abundance. Now, as the Inhabitants pride themfelves more than any other People upon Eartli in that Spirit of Freedom, which firft made their Anceftors leave their native Country and fettle there; and do really, as Individuals, enjoy more Independency, from feveral peculiar Circumftances in their Manners, Laws, and Situation, it is natural to conceive that upon the firft Apprehenfion (whether juftly founded or not makes no difference!) of any Invafion of that Freedom, and Independency, they fhould take Fire, and facrifice to Refentment, (May I not fay virtuous Principle ?) the Paflions whofe Gratification confirmed thofe Articles of Convenience and Luxury, and confine themfelves to meer NecefTaries. That they have already begun to do this, is too well known and felt. How much farther they may proceed in it, is far from being pleafing in the Profpect. Such Principles gain Strength by Practice; and that Practice will foon make thofe Wants, which at the firft may have been moft painful, become fo familiar as to be no longer felt. I am well aware, my Lord, that this contradicts the Notion of a necejfary Dependence upon us for thofe Articles, which by artful and induftrious Propagation has become popular here. But upon a proper Enquiry, this Notion will be found unable to fupport itfelf. The People of New England owe that Independency of Individuals, in which the very Eflence of true Liberty exifts, and which is the beft Protection of it, to a particular Law of Inheritance, by which the Pofleffions of the Father are divided equally among all his Children; fo that they arc kept in that happy Mediocrity, which by obliging them to turn their Thoughts to Induftry, in order to avoid Want, exempts them from Temptation to, as as well as denies ihem the Means of gratifying Luxury ; and at the fame Time, by fupply in g them with a Foundation for that Induftry to work upon, exempts them alfo from the Ne-ceffity of fubmitting to any Encrcachment on their Liberty. A State, which they are known not to be vet refined enough in their Tafte, to hazard, much lefs barter, for any Gratification whatfoever; and confcquentlv the Necejjlty of their Dependence for fuch Gratification, is meerly imaginary. I have before obferved to your Lordfhip, that the Products of which this Country is capable, are fufficiently underftood. The onlv Articles in which there is Room for Improvement are Hemp and Flax; Commodities for the Production of which their Soil and Climate are peculiarly proper, and of which it is impoilible for us to raile too much, even for our own Confumption. The Advantages which muft necejjarily arife from our having a fufficient Supply of thefe moft elfential Articles offer themfelves to View, at the firft Mention of it; nor can the In-tereft of any Set of Individuals engaged in that Channel of Trade by which they are at prefent fupplied, delerve to be put, but for a iingle Moment, in Competition with that of the Nation in General, fo nearly concerned in having this Trade brought home thus to ourfelves. / have the Honour, &c. L E T- LETTER XIII. My Lord, TH E Colonies of Connecticut, Rhode Ifland, and New Hampfoire come naturally under Consideration next after New England, of which they originally were, and flill in moft Refpe&s may be confidered as a Part; the Obferva-tions therefore made upon that are all neceflarily applicable to thefe it's younger Brethren. The Produce of thefe Colonies is moftly the fame as that of New England; and their Trade with Great Britain car-ricd on in the fune Articles, and fo blended with it, that it is more difficult, than it may feem neceffarv, to draw the Line between them in many particulars. However, in order to throw as much Light as poilible upon fo interefting a Subject, I here lay before your Lordfhip a State of their fcpe-rate Trade, as far as it is carried on with any apparent Separation. K ( o.v; - C 66 I Commodities exported from Great-Britain to Connecticut, Rhode-IJland and New Hampjhire. Wrought-Iron, Steel, Copper, Brafs, Pewter^ and Lead—WMen-Cloths — Stuffs —Flannels— Colche/fer-Bays—Long-Ells—Br it iff, Iri/h, and Foreign-Linens—Silks—Gold and Silver Lace— Mtllenery, Haberdafhery, and Hoffery-Warc.— ats—Gloves—Manchejler Goods—Birmingham and Sheffield Wares—Hemp—Sail-Clot h—Cordage \ r Upholflery, and Sadlery Wares—Cabinet-Maker s 1 Goo Is—Painter s Colours—Ship-Chandlery Wares —Earthen Z/7"are—India Goods—Grind/tones— Fijhing-Tackle —Cheefc —Pickles —Toys—Seeds— Tobacco-pipes—Strong Beer —Wines—Spirits — Medicinal Drugs—All which coft at an Average of three Years ------ j 2,ooa The Difference between thefe Exports, and thofe of New-England is evidently no other than is always, and every where between different Parts of the fame Country, all the Articles in the above Lift being included in that of the Exports of New England, as Part of an Whole. As E 67 ] Commodities exported from ConneSiicut, Rhode-ijland and New Hampshire. Mafls, Boards, Joifls, Staves, &c. - jt 30,000 Salted Beef— Pork— Hams— Butter— Cheefe—1 Callivances—and Flax heed - J I55°°P Whale and or her Fifh-Oil, 1 500 Tons - at jT 15 - 22,500 Pickled Mackare', Shads, and other Fife - 7,000 Horfes and live Stock — — — — 25,000 Pot aft — 6000 Barrels — at 50 s - 1 ^,o;o As to the Balance againft Great Britain, upon the Face of this State, it is only in Appearance. Their Trade directly with us has been (hewn to confift almoft totally in the Con-vcniencies ncareft to being abfolutcly neceflary to Life. If therefore it may appear that they do not take from us a Quantity of thefe, proportioned to their Numbers, the Rca K 2 fon [ 68 1 fan is,, that they get them nearer at hand from the other Colonies, particularly New York, and New England, who in a great Meafure carry on their Trade for them; fo that the Produce of the Excefs of their Exports over their Imports is to be placed to the Credit of thofe Colonies, and centers ultimately with us, as I have had the Honour to intimate to your Lordfhip in the preceeding Letter. And now, my Lord, as the four Colonies of New England, Connecticut, Rhode Ijland, and New Hampflnre are fo infepe-rably connected with each other in every Senfe, I ihall here lay before your Lordfhip fome farther Hints concerning them, which will probably be found to affec~t the general Intereft of them all; and confequently that of Great Britain, which is as infeperably connected with them. As the Importance of the Colonics arifes folely from the Numbers of their Inhabitants, not from any Production of their own, or Advantages of Situation for Commerce peculiar to them ; the firft Thing to be thought of, is how to turn thole Inhabitants to fuch Purfuits, as (hall beft fupply their NecelTities, and at the fame Time engage their Attention too cloiely to give them Leifure for forming thole Schemes, which Contemplation of their Numbers might, in a State of Idlcncfs, {ucr5oo Tongues, Butter, and Cheefe — — 8,000 Deer, and other Skins — — — 35,000 Flax-Seed, 7,000 Hhds at 4.0 s — — 14,000 Horfes, and Live Stock — — — 17,000 Timber, Plank, Mafts, Boards, Staves, and Shingles 25,000 PotaJJj, 7,000 Hhds at 40 s — — 14,000 Ships built for Sale, 20 at jT 700 — 14,000 Copper Ore, and Iron, in Bars and Pigs — 20,000 The whole at a like Average of three Years jT 526,000 for ours made in Money, the mod advantageous Syftem of Trade, that can be carried on with any Country. The flourifhing State of this Province has led many to conclude that it is come to it\s Meridian. But the contrary L 2 is t ?6 J is the Fact. The lame Encouragement to Agriculture, and Manufactures of the coarfer and more immediately neceflary Kinds, that has been propofed in the proceeding Letter to be given to New England, Connecticut y Rhode-Ifland, and New Hampjhire, would be found to be equallv beneficial to New York, and through that to Great-Britain. The Realons which irrefragablv fupport this. Opinion are obvious in themfelves, and have been fo fully fhewn in thofe Inflances, that a Repetition of them cannot be neceflary here. I fhall diere-fore only obferve to your Lordfhip, as a Proof of what this Province can produce, above its immediate Exports, that there are above 2000 Tons ol Hemp and Flax, of it's own Growth, worked up there annually for it's own Ufe. Nor are the Improvements of which this Province is ftill capable, confined to the particular Channels above-mentioned, highly advantageous as they are: The Succefs of repeated Experiments has proved that it abounds in valuable Metals. Iron, and Copper, have already been raifed in fuch Quantities, as to become capital Articles of Commerce ; and there can fcarce be a Doubt, but other Metals, ftill more valuable, will alfo be found, when properly fought for ; and fo open new Sources of Trade, ecpially advantageous to the Colony and the Mother-Country, with whom all it's Wealth ultimately centers. I have the Honour, ike. LETTER XV. Mv Lord, TH E adjoining Colony of Pennfyhania equals New York in all the Gifts of Nature, and perhaps exceeds it in thofe of Fortune, as we fpeak \ it's Form of Civil Government being better calculated to promote private Happi-nefs, and confequently Publick Prosperity, than any other, with which we are acquainted, under the Sun. That this is not an Exaggeration in either Inftance will appear from the following State of the Commerce of this Colony with Great Britain. Com L 78 ] Commodities exported from Great Britain to Philadelphia, the only Sea-port in Pennfyhania. Wrought Iron, Steel, Copper, Pewter, Lead,'* and Brafs—Birmingham, and Sheffield Wares— Hemp — Cordage— Sail-Cloth— Broad-Cloths— Colchefler-Bays—Long-Ells—Stuffs—Flannels— Manche/ler-Goods — Ho fiery, Haberdaffery, and Millinery Wares—Hats-—Gloves—Britiffj, Foreign, and Iriff Linens—Silks—Gold, and Silver y £ 611,000 Lace—Toys—Painter s Colours—Ship-Chandlery, j and Sadlery Goods — Cabinet-Wares -— Earthen Wares— Grind ft ones— tiffing Tackle— Seeds— Pickles—-Cheefe—Strong-beer—Smoaking Pipes— Snuffs—Wines—-Spirits, and Drugs, all which coft at an Average of three Years — The Nature of thefe Exports from this Colony fhews that a] noft the whole of them is carried to other Markets, befide Britain, and confecpiently the Returns, for ours, are made in the Money for which thele are Ibid there ; a Cir-urrru uk\, the Advantage refulting from which, as well as from the Amount of our own Exports in this Trade, has been obicrved in the Letter preceding this. As Commodities exported from Philadelphia to Great Britain, and other Markets. Bifcuit Flour, 350,000 Barrels, at 20 s — £ 350,000 Wheat, 100,000 Quarters, at 20 s — 100,000 Beans—Peas—Oats—Indian Corn, and other Grain 12,000 Salt-Beef—Pork—Bacon—Hams—Venijon 45,000 Bees-Wax, 20,000 lb at 1 s. — — 1,000 Butter—Cheeje, and Tongues — — 10,000 « Deer, and jitndry other Sorts of Skins — 50,000 Live Stock, and Horfes — — — 20,000 Flax-Seed, 15,000 Hhds at 40 s — — 30,000 Timber—Plank—Majls—Boards—Staves, a?td Shingles 3 5,000 Ships built for Sate, 25 at £ y00 — — 17,500 Copper-Ore, and Iron in Pigs and Bars — 35>ooo The whole at an Average of three Years £ 705,500 As this Colony is in every Refpeft circumf lanced in the fame Manner as New York, it is capable of equal Improvement by the fame Means, a Repetition of which cannot be ncccnary here. The Province of New Jerfey is fituated immediately next to New York, and Pennfylvania, and yields to neither in the Bleftings C 8° ] Ble'ffi.ngs of Nature, but in other Circumftances is yet far behind them. The Produce of this Country is in every Inftance the fame with that of the others, as is it's Trade ; both of which are capable ot much greater Improvements than the formei, for this Reafon, that they are not yet nearly fo much improved. The Caufe of this Backwardnefs though being no other than the ImpoiTlbility of attending to too many Things at one Time, it is to be hoped that it will ibon ceafe ; and New jferjey, from the Example of it's Neighbouring Countries, perhaps from the Spreading of their Inhabitants, as the Means of Improvement are the lame, rife to that Figure in itfelf, and Importance to Great Britain, for which it is fo well and abundantly qualified. The Trade of this Province being at prefent carried on folelv with and fiom New York and Pennfyiva?iia, though it wants not good and convenient Ports of its own, is inleperably included, both inwards and outwards, with theirs, to which it makes no inconfiderable Addition, efpccially in the valuable Article of Copper-Ore, the greater Part of which, exported by them, is raifed here. / have the Honour, &c. L E T- LETTER XVI. My Lord, FROM New Jerfey we come to Virginia and Maryland, two Colonies in all Refpects circumftanced fo exactly alike by Nature, and fo inexplicably connected with each other in Trade and Intercoufe, that though politically divided into diftinct Governments, they are in themfelves to be confidered rather as Parts of one, than as different Countries, any Attempt at drawing a Line between them in the Scale of their Commerce, being much more difficult to execute, than die Execution of it would be advantageous. I fhall therefore lay before your Lordfhip a State of their Trade, as it is jointly carried on by them at prefent, with out entering here into any other Specification of their Produce; or Proof of their natural Aptitude for Hill farther Im provement. M Con- f £ N 3 Commodities exported from Great Britain to Virginia and Maryland, Wrought Iron, Steel, Copper, Pewter, Lead,'* and Brafs — Hemp — Cordage — Sail-Cloth — Broad-Cloths— Stuffs—Flaime. s— Colchefler-Bays — Long-Ells—Brit iff, Irijh, and Foreign Linens —Silks—Gold, and Silver Lace—Toys—Millinery, Haberdaffery, and Ho fiery Goods—Hats— Gloves—Birmingham, and Sheffield Wares—Up- >£865,ooo holflery, Cabinet, Ship-Chandlery, ami Sadlery \ Wares—Earthen Wares—Grindftoncs—Painter s Colours— Pickles—S&i Is—Fifhing Tackle— Cheefe —S'rong-beer—Snrmklng Pipes—Snuffs—Wines —Spirits, and Medicinal Drugs, all which coir at an Average of three Years — — The firfl: Thing that ftrikes the View, in this State of the Trade of thefe Provinces, is the Balance that appears upon the Face of it, againft Great Britain. Bnt this, as hath been obferved in other Inftances, is only in Appearance. All the Articles exported from Great Britain to Virginia, and Maryland^ are of our own Produce and Manufacture, except a very few; and thefe alfo are of our own Importation, in the moft lucrative Channels of our Trade ; fo that our Proiit upon them bears a near Proportion to, if it does not equal their Commodities exported from Virginia and Maryland to Great Britain^ and other Markets. Tobacco, 96,000 Hhds at £ 8 — — I?idian-Cor?i—Bea?ts—Peas, &c. — -Wheat, 40,000 Quarters, at 20 s — Deer, and other Skins — — — Iron, i?i Bars and Pio-s — — — Ma/is—P.ank—Staves—Turpent'vie, and Tar Sajjajras—Snake-root—Ginfeng, 6tc. — Flax-Seed, 7,000 Hhds at 40 s — -Pi kled Pork—Beef-—Hams, and Bacon Ships built for Sale, 30 at ^ 1,0co — * Hemp, 1,000 Tons, at £ 21 — — £ 768,000 30,000 40,000 25,000 35,000 7,000 14,000 15,000 — 30,000 21,000 The whole at a like Average of three Years £ 1,040,000 th«5r firft Con to us: Whereas, not an inconfulcrnhlc Pari of the Exports of Virginia and Maryland,' goes to the neighbouring Colonies, in Exchange for Articles of their Produce, with which we could not lupply them, but at fecorid he \ end eonfcquciuly fo much dearer, that it would be equally abfurd and oppreffive, to expect they fhould take them from us. M 2 But ■• Ii.TicV this Qranrity of Hemp exported raw to Great Britain, they raife < :>'] ens more, and 2,coo lens ui Max, which they work up at home for their own VLs. But this is far from being the Circumftance of moft Advantage in the Trade of thefe Provinces. The capital Article of their Produce is Tobacco, a Commodity, which, ex-clufive of the private Profits of Trade to the Merchant, yields immediately to the Publick a Revenue greater than any other, in the whole Circle of our Commerce. To prove this, I muft beg leave to obferve to your Lordfhip, that of the 96,000 Hhds of Tobacco imported annually into Great Britain from Virginia and Maryland, only 13,500 Hhds are corifumed at home, the Duty paid by which, at the Rate of JT 26 1 o per Hhd, amounts to ^351,675; the remaining 82,500 Hhds being exported by our Merchants to the other Parts of Europe,, and their Value returned to Great Britain, It muft be unneceflary to enter into a Detail or Proof of the Advantages ariling from fuch a Trade, which from, the Overflowing of a JVon-neceJfary, keeps in our Hands a Balance againft thofe Nccejfaries, which we are obliged to purchale lrom other Countries, indiipenfibly, and therefore at a Lois- They prove themfelves on the bare Mention of them. I fhall therefore only add, that this fingle Trade gives conftant Employment to 330 Sail of Ships, and 3,960 Sailors, to (hew that it's Advantages are not confined only to our Wealth, but extend to the moft effential Part of our National Strength alfo. It it natural to think that Advantages fo obvious, and fo great, have not been neglected. The Truth is, the Cultivation, tion of this Commodity has been carried as far as it will bear, there not being Vent for any greater Quantity than is now railed. But this does not preclude thefe Provinces from Improvement in other Inftances. Attention to their Tobacco has made them in a great Meafure neglect the Tillage of Corn, and be too remifs even in the Articles of Hemp and Flax, for all which they are moft happily fituated. To thefe they fhould be encouraged to apply themfelves with Spirit, as alfo to the Manufactures of moft immediate Necef-fity to them, and lealt Profit to the Importer horn other Countries. The Evils indeed arifing from the Neglect of thefe indif-pcnfibly neceflary Articles, at length begin to be perceived; by the People of thefe Colonies, who have accordingly made fome weak Efforts in Agriculture to raife the Corn neceflary for their own Subfiftence, and free themfelves from the Ex-pence and Danger of depending for their daily Bread upon other Countries, when put fo bountifully within their reach by Heaven. But the Attempts of Individuals are liable to too many Interruptions; and at the beft will advance too (lowly to remedy an Evil, that has taken fo deep Root, if they are not both encouraged and affifted by publick Munificence. I prcfumc not, my Lord, to direct the Manner in which this is to be done. The bare Hint is all that can come with Propriety from me to your Lordfhip; nor is it to be doubted, but thofe to whom his Majefty has delegated the Care, will with the Example of our Tillage-Act before their Eves, foon. lee [ 86 3 fee the Expediency of what is here fuggefted, and apply the moft effectual Meafures for carrying it happily into Execution. The Benefits which muft neceiTarily arife from this Policy have been fhewn in the former Inftances, in which it has been recommended. To what has been there faid, I fhall not trefpafs upon your Lordfhip with any further Addition, than that in the Cafe of thefe Provinces, it feems in fome Meafure more immediately neceflary, than in any other, the Want of a Variety of internal Employment having weakened the Spirit of Induftry, and of courfe introduced a Turn to Diffipation and Expence in the Inhabitants, ot all Degrees, that muft inftantly affect, and if not corrected, in Courlc of Time totally overturn- the Profperity of any Country. / have the Honour, &fc* L E T LETTER XVII. My Lord, NEXT to Virgmia and Maryland, lie the two Provinces of North, and South Carolina. The almoft total Neglect, under which the former of thefe Provinces lay, till very lately; and the very little Advances made even yet, in the Improvement of it, can be accounted for only from this Obfervation, that the firft Settlement of Countries is directed by Chance, much more than by Choice; and that even where fuch Choice can be made, all Things cannot be attended to, at one Time. Well it is, that our Eyes are at length opened to Advantages, which Blindnefs only could overlook ; and that Leifure begins to be found to improve a Country, whofe Soil and Climate court Cultivation with/ Af-furances of the moft grateful Returns. Under fuch Di fad vantages, it cannot be expected that the (I had almoft faid infant) Trade of tins Province, can hr.ve arifen to any ccnfidcrable Height. The following Account fhews it in it's prefent State. What it may be improved to fhall be confidered alter. Com- t 88 ] Commodities exported from Great-Britain to North Carolina. Wrought-Iron, Steel, Copper, Lead, Pewter,* and Brafs—Birmingham, and Sheffield Wares— Hemp— Cordage— Sail-Cloth— Broad-Cloths— Stuffs—Flannels—ColcheJler.Bays, and Long Ells —Sadlery—Haberdajhery—Millinery, and Ho-Jiery Goods—Hatts—Gloves—Gold and Silver La:e—Silks—Britijh, Irijh, and Foreign Linens} ^18,000 — Upholjlery, and Cabinet-Wares — Earthen-Wares— GrindJlo?ies—Fiffing-Tackle— Garden-Seeds— Toys— Cheefe— Pickles— Strong-Beer— Smoaking-Pipes— Snuffs—Wines— Spirits—Medicinal Drugs— All which colt at an Average of three Years — — — — The Exeefs of the Expoits of this Province over it's Imports from Great Britain, is to be accounted for in the lame Manner, as the like Excefs has been in other Inftances. Much the greater Part goes to the neighbouring Colonies, in Exchange for Commodities of their Produce, fo that the Ba!anoe upon the whole is in Favour of Great Britain. But no Judgement can juftly be formed of the Value of this Province from the prefent Amount of it's Trade, as hath Commodities exported from North Carolina to Great-Britain, and other Markets. Rice, 2000 Barrels, at 40 s — — — £ 4,000 Tobacco, 2000 Hhds at £ 7 — — — 14,000 Pitch, Tar, and Turpentine, 51,000 Barrels, at 7s 17*850 Boards, Staves, Joifts, Shingles, Mafls, and Lumber 15,000 Indian Corn, Peas, and other Grain — — 7,000 Live Stock of different Kinds — — — 5>ooo Skins of different Kinds — — — 5>5oo The whole at an Average of three Years £ 68,350 hath been obferved Before. Every Article of it's Produce might be pufhed to many Times the Quantity it is now at; and many new Articles introduced with a Certainty of Succefs, were the Advantages of Nature properly purfued. Pitch, Sec. and Rice, are the only Commodities which North-Carolina now fends to Europe. The two former mult neceffarilv incrcafe, with the Encreafe of Inhabitants, from the Clearino-of the Country, as the Settlements are extended ; and the Certainty of a good Market will encourage the Cultivation of N the 0- 9? h the latter, as an Article of Commerce, as well as for Home-Conlumption. The moil obvious of the new Articles, which may be introduced into the Trade of this Province, are Corn and Wine. No Argument can be wanted to enforce the Cultivation of thefe firft Neceffaries, if not Indifpenfbles of Life, wherever Nature will allow it. Bread (made of Corn) is a the Staff of Life : " and " Wine maketh glad the Heart of Man."—; All therefore that can be neceffary for the prefent Purpofe is to prove, that this Country is not improper for their Production. And in this, my Lord, I have the Advantage of having Reafon fupported by Experience. The Appearance of the Soil, and Temperature of the Climate foon tempted the European Settlers to try the Growth of Corn in various Parts of this Country, in every one of which the Succefs has invariably anfwered their moft fanguine Expectations. But they have gone but little, or no further. Satisfied with the Experiment, or unable to purfue it, at leaft with any View to Commerce, they go on in the beaten Path, turning their Backs to an Aelvantage fo obvious, and fo great, That fuch Advantage muft really arife from the Culture of Corn for Exportation, will fufficiently appear from this fingle Con-fideration ; that this is the laft of the Brit iff Provinces, to the Southward, that will produce Corn ; and confequently that it can fupply the more Southern Colonies, at a cheaper Rate, than thofe at a greater Diftance. Though [ 9i ] Though the Experiments hitherto made for the Culture of $>e Vine, have not, for obvious Reafons, been fo many, nor fo extenfive as the former, the Succefs has been abundantly fufficient to encourage the Purfuit of them ; and fcarce leaves a Doubt but this Country is capable of producing the Wines of Switzerland, Germany, and France, in Quantities fufficient to fupply all our Colonies, and of fuch Quality, as perhaps in Time to tempt the Mother-Country to give it a Share of that Trade with her, in thofe Articles, which is now wholly in the Hands of Strangers. The Advantages, which muft refult from this, are in a Manner felf-evident. Wine is in fuch univerfal Ufe, that the Countries which cannot produce, muft purchafe it; as the Want of it will not be difpenfed with by any. That the Climate and Soil of Great Britain will not bring the Grape to fuch Perfection as to make it's Juice in Requeft, either for Health or Pleafuie, has been long known! That the Climate, and Soil of feveral of our Southern Provinces in /America, beginning at this of North Carolina, will, has been fufficiently proved by Experience ! Why we fhould not then encourage our own Subjects to produce a Sufficiency of it, not only for their own Ufe, but alfo to fupply us, and fo give the Profits of the Trade to them, from whom it will return ultimately to ourfehes, rather than to other Nations, cannot be reconciled with any Principles of common Prudence, much lefs of found Policy, I have I have mentioned only thefe two Articles, my Lord, not as all which may be added to the Commercial Stock of this Province, but as the moft obvious, and eafieft to fucced in; and becaufe I would not diffract the Attention, by pro-poling too many Objects at once. In the Purfuit of thefe, many others will naturally open themfelves,. in Circumftances which will beft point out the proper Methods of purfuing them alfo; and thefe I have only juft touched upon here, as I fhall have Occafion to purfue the Subject in other Inftances. / have the Honour, oco holflery, and Cabinet-TVares—Earthen Wares— Grindjlones — Toys — Garden-Seeds — Cheefe— Pickles— Strong Beer-^ Smoaking-pipes—Snuffs —Wines—Medicinal Drugs—All which coil at an Average of three Years - - j The high Amount, and Nature of the Exports from Great Britain to this Colony (all confiding of it's own Produce and immediate Manufactures) mew the Importance of it : The Excefs of the Exports of South-Carolina over thefe Imports, is to be accounted for in the fime Manner, as the like Excefs has been in other Inftances. What Improvements this Country, and of Courfe, it's Trade, is ftill capable of, comes now to be confidercd. The Commodities exported from South-Carolina, to Great-Britain\ and other Markets. Rice, 110,000 Barrels, at 40 s — £ 220,000 o o Pitch, Tar, and Turpentine, 8,000 Barrels, at 6 s 8 d 2,666 13 4 Pickled Pork, and Beef — — — 25,000 o o Deer and other Skins — — —: 45,000 o o Indigo, 500,000 lb. at 2 s — — 50,000 o o Boards, Mafls, Staves, Joifts, &c. — 20,000 o o Indian-Corn, Peas, Beans, and Callivances — 12,000 o o Live Stock and Sundries — — — 15,000 o o Ships built for Sale, 10 at ^ 600 — 6,000 o o The whole at an Average of three Years ,£395,666 13 4 The favourable Reprefentation which I have made of this Province to your Lordfhip, muft not be applied indifcrimi-nately to the Whole, nor taken to preclude all Neceflity of farther Improvements of it. The firft Settlements being naturally made as near as pofti-ble to the Sea; the Improvements of the Country of Courfe begun there: But though they have been extended from thence a great Way inwards, there ftill remains a much greater er Extent unimproved, at leaft comparatively to what it is capable of. .mAi.Mifi isujo oris c\\wr.a-\vvnd In Praife of the Spirit and Induftry of the Inhabitants, and for the Encouragement of their Succefibrs to follow fo laudable an Example, it is proper to be obfen'ed, that by much the greater Part where the Improvements above-mentioned have been lo luccefsfully made, was not only the moft difficult to work upon, but alfo the leaft qualified by Nature to make a fuitable Return, the Country adjoining to the Sea, and from thence near eighty Miles inwards, being moftly a dead Flat, and of a light, fhallow, fandy Soil; though a late Difcovery has lhewn that this very Soil is in a peculiar Manner adapted to produce one of the moft valuable Articles of Commerce. But from the Commencement of the Hilly Country to the Extremity of the Province, Heaven has beftowed it's Bleflings with a moft bounteous Hand. The Air is infinitely more temperate, and healthful, than nearer to the Sea. The Hills are covered with valuable Woods ! The Vallies watered with beautiful Rivers! and the Fertility of the Soil is equal to every vegetable Production. All that remains therefore is to turn thefe Bleflings to our beft Advantage. From the foregoing State of the Exports of this Country, it appears that the capital Article of it's Production is Rice, Great as the Quantity already railed of this is, a ftill greater might be railed, to anfwer any new Demand. J he Quantities of Skins, and Pitch, fee. would neceiiarily increafe with the the Settlement of the back Country. The Importance of Indigo, the Produce of the fandy Soil hinted at above, is already too well known, to require any Iftuftration, or Argument to urge Attention to it, r The only new Article, both of Commerce and Home-con-fumption, obviouily and immediately neceflary to be introduced into the Stock of this Country is Wine. The Expediency of making this, wherever Nature will allow it, has been fufliciently {hewn in the preceding Inftance of North-Carolina. To what has been there advanced, it is fufficient to add, in the prefent Cafe, that South-Carolina has been proved by repeated Experiments, to be capable of producing the fame Wines of Switzerland, Germany, France, and Portugal as her more Northern Sifter, and that too with an equal, at leaft, if not a greater Decree of Perfection. I am aware that there is another Article, of which fome Experiments have been made, and fpeculative Men talked much, as capable of being cultivated with Advantage in this Colony. This is Silk. The Importance of fuch an Addition to the Trade of any Country requires no Proof. The only Queition is, whether that Importance, great as it is, may not be purchaied at too high a Price. The Thinuefs of Population, in all our Colonies, makes every Article, that requires many Elands, come fo dear, that it is found better to import than make them. Add to this, that our next Colony of Georgia is in every Refpccf much better adapted to the Production ot this valuable Article, than South-Carolina, Let us then confine the Cultivation of it to the latter, and O not, C 98 ] not, by feeking more than we can compafs, run the Hazard of neglecting what is in our Power, and fo lofing the Sub-ftance to grafp at the Shadow. The fame may be laid with Refpecr. to Cotton, which, though poffible to be produced here, is yet the natural Produce of the more Southern Colonies, from whence it may, of Courfe, be had with more Advantage. I have not, my Lord, faid any Thing of the Probability of difcovering valuable Mines, in either of the Colonies of North or South-Carolina, for feveral Reafons. Where the certain Advantages are fufficiently great, it is unneceflary, if not dangerous, to propofe fuch as are doubtful to the Pur-fuit. Befide, that I really think the Riches earned by gradual Induitry are in their Confequences infinitely more valuable, than thofe which come upon us, as it were, in an accidental Shower. / have the Honour, @sfc; LET- LETTER XIX. My Lord, OU R next Province, to the Southward of the Carolinas, is Georgia. Though the Neceffity of eftabliihing a Barrier between ours, and the Spani/b Colonies, the firft Motive for forming a Settlement in this Country, has been removed by the Ceffion of the Floridas to Great Britain, the Attempt has opened other Advantages of Weight abundantly fufficient to determine us not to relinquifh the Undertaking, the Soil and Climate being found to be particularly proper for the Production of fome moft valuable Commodities, which our other Colonies cannot produce in equal Perfection, nor at all without much more Labour and Expence. But before I enter into an Inveftigation of what this Country is capable of producing, I fhall firft lay before your Lordfhip a State of it's prefent Trade, according to the Plan I have purfucd, through the Courfe of this Undertaking. O 2 Com- Commodities exported from Great Britain to Georgia. Wrought Iron, Steel, Copper, Pewter, Lead," and Brafs—Birmingham, and Sheffield Wares— Hemp — Cordage — Sail-Cloth —Broad-Cloths— Stuffs—Flannels— Colchejler-Bays— Long-Ells— Sadlery—Haherdaffery—Millinery—and Hofiery Goods—Hats—Gloves—Gold, a7id Silver Lace— ■ Silks-—Britifb, Irijh, and Foreign Linens—Earth- y ^49,000 en Ware—Grindflones—Fijhing Tackle—Painter s j Colours—Ship-Chandlery Goods—ManchefterGoods — Upholffery, and Cabinet Wares — Stationary Wares— Books—Toys— Gardeit Seeds—S?noak'mg Pipes— Snuffs— Stro?ig-beer— Wines—Medicinal Drugs, all which coft at an Average of three Years Jnconfiderablc as the Amount of this may at hrft View appear, yet when the very late Eftablifhmcnt of the Colony, and the very manv Difficulties it has had to ffruggle with, are taken into the Confideration, it will appear more worthy of Remark, that it mould have rifen fo high. The Reafon of the Excefs of it's Exports over it's Imports has been already explained in iimilar Inftances. The [ iox ] # ■ Commodities exported from Georgia, to Great Britain, and other Markets. Rice, 18,000 Barrels, at 40 s — — £ 36,000 Indigo, 17,000 lb. at 2 s — — ■— ^700 Silk, 2,500 lb. at 20 s — — — 2,500 Deer, and other Skins — — — 17,000 Boards, Staves, Sec. — — — — 11 ,ooo Tortoife-Shell, Drugs, Cattle, and Live Stock, cxc. 6,000 The whole at a like Average of three Years L 74,200 Li The capital Articles in the prefent Trade of Georgia, are Rice, Indigo, and Skins; every one of which may, and moil; probably will, for the Reafons given in the preceding Inftances of the Carotinas, be pufhed to many Times the above A-mount, as the Settlement of the Country fhall be extended. But the Importance of this Province is not refted on thefe Articles alone, important as they evidently are. In Addition to them, others of equal, perhaps greater Weight in die Scale • of of Commerce, may be introduced. Thefe are Wine, and Silk, The Expediency, I may almoft fay Neceffity, of cultivating the Vine, wherever it can be brought to Perfection, has been already fhewn. To what has been there laid down, it it fufficient to add in the prefent Inftance, that this Province of Georgia, has been proved by Experience to be in every Refpect proper for producing the Wines of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Madeira, and the Canaries, of Quality at leaft not inferiour to what we purchafe from thefe Countries, and in Quantities equal to our Demand for them. The National Advantages which muft neceiTarily refult from bringing" home fuch a Trade to ourfelves, from the Hands of Foreign Nations, are felf-evident. I fhall therefore fay no more on the Occafion, than that if the Conduct of the Firft of the Countries above-mentioned, from whence we are now chiefly fupplied with Wine for our Home-Confumption, for fome Years paft, is adverted to, indignant and juft Refentment will enforce the Purfuit of fuch a Meafure. The Arguments adduced in the Cafe of Wine, may, in a oreat Degree, be applied to Silk. Ufe has brought it to be reckoned almoft a Neceffarv of Life. At leaft the Want of it will not be difpenfed with by thofe who can poftibly purchafe it, at any Price. The Production of this Article therefore, if only in Quantity fufficient for our own Ufe, muft be an important Saving ; if fufficient to be introduced into foreign Trade, a moft important Addition to the publick Stock. The C *°3 ] The Climate of Georgia has been found to agree in every Refpect with the Silk-Worm; the Vegetables, which are it's natural Food, are indigenous to it; and the Silk, that has been produced there, has proved equal in Quality to the beft, that can be purchafed any where. The only Obftacle then that appears to oppofe the Purfuit of fo advantageous an Object, is the Want of a fufficient Number of Hands to prepare it in fuch a Quantity as may deferve publick Attention. But even this Obftacle leflens, when taken into nearer Confider-ation. The only Hands, required to fit the Work of the Silk-Worm for Trade, are thofe of Women, and Children, before they arrive at Age and Strength for more laborious Occupations. That the Application of thefe to this Branch will not interfere with any other that can be of publick Concern, is obvious; as it is alfo a known Fact, that the Number of People encreafes in Proportion to the Encreafe of the Support which they can earn by their Induftry. While the Men therefore turn their Attention and Time to fuch Bufmefs, as they only can execute, that Part of their Families, which would otherwife be a Burden upon their Induftry, and keep them in continual Want, and Depreffure of Spirits, will, by the Means here propofed, reverfe the whole Scene, filling their Habitations with Plenty,- and their Hearts with Gladnefs, the true, and never-failing Sources of Population. That this is not vifionary Speculation, and that this Trade is capable of producing the Effects here afcribed to it, appears in all the Countries, where it is purfued, which though labouring under many Difficulties, and Difcouragements unknown in the Dominions Dominions of Great Britain, are ftill full of an healthy and chearful People. I have thus, my Lord, endeavoured to point out the Advantages, which may be reaped from this, till very lately neglected Country. That in the Purfuit of thefe many others may open themfelves, is more than probable. But I have re-ligioully adhered to the Principle laid down at my Entrance upon this Undertaking, to advance nothing upon meer Conjecture, or which I cannot vouch upon my own Experience. There are other Particulars, befide what immediately relates to the Produce and Trade or this Colony, which in their Confequences muft affect them, and therefore well dc-ferve Attention. But I fhall referve thefe for another Letter, as thcv are applicable alfo to the Country which comes next under Confederation ; anel this is already fwelled to too great a Length. / have the Honour., Qg c. L E T- i m 3 LETTER XX. My Lord, WE are at length arrived at Florida, the Boundary of the Britijh Empire, and confequently the End of our Travels on the Continent of America. A new Acquifitiori of Territory is always the Subject of much Speculation, and Controverfy. This of Florida has been fo much, and fo con-trarily defcribed, fince it came into our Pofleffion, that a Word on either Side of the Queftion is fure of meeting Contradiction. In fuch Cafes, the middle Way is generally held to be the fafeit 5 in this it is certainly the right; the Advantages and Difadvantages, the Praife and Difpraife of this Country being equally exaggerated, in every Particular, and that from the fame Motive of Self-intereft. This will appear when it is confidered who the Perfons are, who have giver^ fuch Descriptions. The People, who have obtained Grants of Lands in Florida, and want to fettle or fell them, reprefent the whole Country as a Canaan, iC flowing with Milk and Honey/ in order to tempt Purchafers, or allure Adventurers to go thither with them. The Army, who have been fent there to take and keep the PoiTeiiion, exclaim againft it as an Aceldama, " a Field of Blood/' dcfigned to be the burying Place of ail Stingers, who are fo unhappy as to go there. P Contra- L 106 J Contradictory as thefe Reprefentations are, it is not fo difficult, as it may appear, to reconcile them, The Sea-coafts, where the Fortreffes, judged neceflary for protecting the Navigation, and maintaining the Pofleffion, have been erected,, are barren, and unhealthy, in an extream Degree. ! The inland Country, from the Commencement of the Hills, is healthful, and not only fertile in all it's aboriginal Productions; but alfo fit to produce many exotick to it, in the high eft Perfection. All neceflary therefore to decide between the different Characters, drawn with equal Warmth and Confidence of Aflertion, of Florida, is to diftinpuifh between thofe two Parts of it, and give to each it's own. The Conic-quence in refpcct to the former is obvious. Of the latter, it is not mine to judge : All that comes within my Province, being to point out the Advantages, in a commercial View, which this Country is capable of producing to Great Britain. Florida is divided, like Carolina, into two Provinces of the fame Name, and diftinguifhed only by their Situation on the Fa/fem, or wejfetit Sides of the Country. Moft of the Difadvantages, indifcriminately imputed to the whole Country, fhould be confined to Raft Florida, which is for the greater Part, a flat, fandy, and almoft barren Defert. The moft confiderable Fortrefs and Port for Trade in this. Province is St. Augujlme. It is not to be expected, that a Settlement fo new, and under fuch Circumftances, can have yet made any very confiderable Advances m Trade. Our Exports to Si. Auguftine confift of the fame Commodities, as thole to the neighbour^ ihg ing Provinces of Georgia and Carolina, and amount to about £7,000 annually. Imports from thence, we have yet received none worth bringing to Account. It muft not be concluded from hence though, that the Country is incapable of producing any Commodities proper for Exportation; or that it may not be brought to take off much greater Quantities of ours, than it does at prefent. The Contrary is the Fact, in both Inftances. With proper Cultivation it will produce Rice, Indigo, Silk, Wines, and Cochineal, fo as to be brought into Commerce on advantageous Terms. The Importance of thefe Articles requires no Proof, The laft in particular will be one of the moPc advantageous Additions, that can be made to our commercial Stock, as it enters deeply into the Manufacturing of fome of our molt valuable Commodities, for which Purpofe we are now obliged to purchafe it from others, at what Price they pleafe to im-pofe ; whereas if we produce it ourfelves, we fhall not onlv ia\e the greater Part of that Price, and thereby be enabled to carry thofe Manufactures to Market on cheaper Terms, than we can at prefent; but alfo to turn the Scales, and fet our own Price upon it to other Countries. The Importance of this Colony though arifcs not from the immediate Produce of this or any other Article, however important in itfelf; but from the Advantage of it's Situation, indeed of the whole Country of Florida, for carrying on a Trade with the Spantjh Colonies ; it being certain that a regular Intercourfe might be cftablifhcd with them, which would open a Vent for the Commodities of Great Britain, P 2 and [ io8 ] and yield Returns for them in Gold and Silver, the moft profitable of all Kinds of Commerce, to an Amount fupe-riour to any Trade we have. / have the Honour, Sec. LETTER XXI. Mv Lord, AS the Difadvantages under which Eaji Florida has been ftiewn to labour, extend not to it's Sifter Province of IFyl Florida, the latter confequently adds the Importance of internal Produce, and Aptitude for Population, to that of peculiar Situation for Trade with the SpaniJJj Colonies, in which, as hath been obferved before, it fhares equally with it; there not being perhaps on the whole Continent of America, any Place better qualified by Nature to afford not only all the Neceflaries of Life, but alfo all the Pleafures of Habitation, than that Part of thus Country, which lies upon the Tanks of the Mijfifp'u Of this Difference between thefe two Provinces, the different Amount of their respective Trades, occalioned by the Difference between their Population, is the beft Proof. Com- / [ I09 ] Commodities exported from Great-Britain to Penfacola, the Capital of JVefl Florida. Wrought-Iron, Steel, Copper, Pewter, Bra/}') and Lead —Birmingham and Sheffield Wares-Hemp— Cordage—Sail-Cloth—Broad- Cloths — Stuffs —Flannels—Colcheffer-Bays—L ong-Ells— Manchefier Goods—Hojiery—Haberdaffery—and 1 Millenery Goods—Gloves—Hats—Britiff, Irijh, and Foreign Linens—Gold and Silver Lace—Silks ^ £ 97,000 —India Goods—Cabinet—Upholftery—and Ship-Cha?idlery Wires—Painter s Colours—Pictures— Books — Stationary Wares — Earthen Wares— Grind/lones— Toys — Smoaking-pipes—-Cheefe— Strong Beer—Wines—Pickles—Snuffs—all which coir at an Average of three Years The Commodities exported from Penfacola to Great-Britain, are Skins—Logwood—and other dying Woods Saver in Dollars andl amounting annually to 000 The Infancy of the Colony will fufficiently account for the Fewnefs of the Articles in the above Lift of Exports; as .it it will alio for the Balance againft them in Value; the Surplus being hidifpenfibly neceffary to effect the Settlement, and keq> a Stock in Hand for the Spani/h Trade, till a fufficient Fund ilia 11 be eitabliilied for that Purpofe. Be fide the Articles here enumerated, Weft Florida /ields all the Weft-Indian Produce naturally; and is a' capable of producing many of the moft valuable Art-:. <•'.-; of other Countries, particularly Medicinal Druggs of feveral Kinds, Wines, Indigo, and Cochineal, all of which are of fuch known Importance in Commerce, that no Argument can be neceflary to enforce the Cultivation of them. A Country fo rich in commercial Produce, and fo happily fituated for the richeft Species of foreign Commerce, cannot want People. It's Advantages only want to be known to draw Men of Enterprize and Genius from every other Country to the HarvefT, efpecially under the Protection of fuch a Government as that of Great Britain, which enfures the free Enjoyment of their Acquifitions to them ; and fo makes every Son of Freedom it's own. In what I had the Honour to fuggeft to your Lordfhip concerning the Province of Georgia, I mentioned rcftrving fome farther Flints to another Place. This, my Lord, is the Place i meant. It has been obferved, that the original Motive of Great Britain for fettling Georgia, was to eftablifh a Barrier between our our other Colonies, particularly the Carolinas, and the Spaniards and their Indians, in Florida. The Acquisition of Florida, inftead of taking away, has in reality heightened the Neceffity of fuch a Barrier, by changing the Place of it; as it is evident, that the Spaniards will be doubly jealous of a Colony, advanced fo much nearer to their's, and fituated fo conveniently for a Trade with them, that counteracts a fundamental Principle of their Government, that of keeping the Supply of their American Dominions with European Commodities entirely in their own Hands, That a military Force, and FortrelTes, or Places of Arms are indifpenfibly neceflary for the Purpofe of protecting a Country that lies open to the Inroads of Enemies is evident; but though they may be the firft, they are by no Means the only Neceflaries in the prefent Inftance; where the Indians, the Enemies principally to be guarded againft, act entirely by Surprize, invading in fmall Parties like Robbers, murdering the People, and destroying all the Effects which they cannot carry off. The Incfficacy of Forts, and the Inability of European Soldiers to protect a Country from fuch Ravagers, have been f v/n in former * Inftances; and the t Remedy proper to be applied in the prefent Inftance, pointed out. Againft the Indians, while Enemies, there is no Safety, They muft be P*& 53- t Pages 25 and 26. be made Friends, to make their Neighbours fafe. Nor is this difficult. In their natural Difpolitions they are brave, honeft, generous, and friendly; and as grateful for Benefits, as revengeful of Injuries. Honeft, generous, and friendly Treatment will therefore evidently win them to our Intereft; and this the more readily, as they know the Difference between it, and that of the Spaniards, whofe Oppreftions and Cruelties they have a moft lively and indelible Senfe of; and will eagerly, and cordially connect themfelves with thofe, who fhall not only ufe them better ; but alfo give them a Profpect of Protection and Afiiftance, whenever Occafion may offer for their gratifying their darling Paflion of Revenge. I mean not by this, my Lord, to flimulate thefe uninformed People, to Acts of Violence againlt others, which we complain of ourfelves. I only fhew how we may avert this Violence from our own Heads, fo effectually as even to turn it againft thofe of our Enemies, if we fhould be authorized by Neeeiilty fo to do. Nor is this the only Advantage, to be propofed with moral Certainty of Succefs, from fuch a Conduct towards the native Indians. Thev would foon learn our Manners, and, incorporating themfelves with us, become a Part of our own People ; i will confidently fay, a moft ufeful Part, ai> they would take that Labour upon them, which from the Difference of Climates, we are unequal to; and fo free us from the Necef-fitv, and Danger of importing the untraceable Negroes of Africa, whofe N umbers hourly threaten the Safety of our Colonies Colonies, as their Expence is an heavy Burthen up>n their Trade. I fliall not enter here into the Advantages, and Duty of informing thefe Indians in the Chrijlian Religion; as it will properly come into another Place, where the Application will be more general. / have the Honour, &c. #*###«#«## **«**## **###*#•***#*»• # LETTER XXII. Mv Lord, HAVING thus ran down the whole Length of the Britijh Empire, on the Continent of America, I fhall beg your Lordmip's Leave to flop here for a Moment, and call a Look back, over the immenfe Regions we have tra-verfed. At our fetting out on this Journey, I faid it was the mutual Inrereft of Britain and her Colonies, to preferve Harmo-nv, and good Agreement with each ctiter. To prove the iirft Part of this Pofition, The hitcrejl of Britain, I have Q_ diftin&ly [ in 3 diftinctly and faithfully fhewn the great Advantages, which, at prefent are, and the greater which yet may be received by her from thefe her thriving Children. The Advantages reciprocally received by the Colonies, require no Proof. They appear felf-evident, from the Nature of the Connection, and Intercourfe between them. Their Wants are fupplied! Their Weaknefs is fupported! They ileep in Peace, and they awake in Freedom ; under the Protection of a powerful and indulgent Parent! It will probably be remarked, that in the Courfe of thefe Obfervations, I have univerfally recommended Agriculture, and Extention of Settlement. The latter eftablifhes itfelf: it being evident, that the Wealth, Strength, and Importance, of every Country are in Proportion to it's Population. As to Agriculture, however ffrange it may appear to thofe, who fearch no deeper than the Surface, to propofe the fame Thing, in fo many Countries, differing fo widely from each other in every Circumfiance, it will be found, upon clofer Enquiry, that this is cffentially, and equally proper and he-ceilary for them all. The greateft Difudvantage poffiblc for any Country to labour under, is not to have the indifpenfible Neceflaries of Life within itfelf; not only becaufc of the conftant Danger of Delay or Mifcarriage of Supplies from other Countries ; but alfo becaufc thofe Countries always have it in their Power to dillrefs the Purchasers by impofmg what Price they pleafe upon that, the Want of which they know cannot be difpenf-cd with. The full Thing therefore to be taken Care of in eftablihV eftablifhing foreign Colonies, is to enable them to raife their* own immediate Subfiftence at Home, without being obbVed to depend upon other Countries for it. Subfiftence, may be faid to be a Term fo comprehenfive as to include every Thing, that may be eaten; but in the prefent Cafe, I ufe it in a more limited Senfe, anel intend only that Iirft Neceflary of Life, Bread, whether made of our Corn, or of Rice, the Corn of the Southern Hemifphere ; any," if not indeed all, other Kind-of Food, animal or vegetable, being unnecefiary, in Comparifon with this. This fufficiently proves the general and indifpenfible Ne-ceflity of Agriculture; a Neceflity for which Heaven has made as general Provifion, there not being any known Country on the Globe, which will not, with proper Cultivation, yield this Support, this Staff of Life. And this Neceflity was fo obvious, that Tillage was the firft Exertion of Human Induftry, and that to which the higheft Honour was an-, nexed, in the uncorrupted Simplicity of antient and true Wifdom. Nor was the Preheminence given only by Man, The Purfuit of it has ever been encouraged by Heaven above all others, with the Rewards of Health, Strength, and In-; creafe, the firft Bleflings of Life. I would not be underftood by diis to recommend Agriculture equally, in all Countries. Many Circumftances may vary the Degree, in which it fhould be purfued. Climate, Soil, Inconvenience for Exportation may clog it with fo many > Difadvantages, that to attempt more than acquiring a Sufficiency for immediate Subfiftence would be moft impru- 0^2 dent. [ n6 J dent. Let that be amply provided every where ! But let thofe only who can carry their Harveft to an advantageous-Market, and on Terms of Advantage, go further. Plenty of Corn at home makes every Thing neceffary for the Support of Life plenty, and confequently cheap ; but as an Article of Commerce, too much will glut the Market, and make it of no Price: A Caution applicable alfo to the Fifheries on the feveral Coails of Hudfon s Bay, Labrador, and Newfoundland, Sec. of the Produce of which, taken in proper Proportion, there may be found advantageous and fufficient Vent to efta-blifh their Profperity; but if purfued too far in any one Place, it would ruin not only diat, but alfo all the reft, The fame Reftric"tioii, my Lord, I muft beg Leave to make in other Inflances. In the Accounts I have given of the feveral Provinces, which we have reviewed, I have carefully and faithfully enumerated every Article, which I know, or have juft Reafon to think them capable of producing. But I do not by this recommend the Culture of every Article indifctiminately, every where. Thofe only, which can be produced to beft Advantage would. I have purfued, at leaft with any View to Commerce. An Inftance or two will perhaps explain this more fully. It has been flicwn, that South Carolina will produce Silk ; and Georgia Cochineal. This they moft certainly can do, and that to Advantage, if we had no other Places, which would produce them to greater; hut as it is known that Georgia will produce Silk, better than South Carolina ; and Florida Florida Cochineal better than Georgia, what an Abfur-dity would it be to fly in the Face of Nature, and purfue the Cultivation of either, where fhe has denied the Advantage. It is right to know the Extent of every Country's Produce ! It is right to purfue only the moft advantageous. There is another Particular, my Lord, which I have juft glanced at in one or two Inftances, but which I am convinced is the Means moft eflentially neceflary to be taken to pufh the Advantages of thofe Colonies, to their natural Extent. This is cultivating, civilizing, chriftianizing, if I may fo fay, the Natives. The Advantages of this in a political, and the Duty in a religious Light, are equally obvious. Nor can it be attended with any Difficulty, that fhould difcourage the Attempt. Except in the Angle Inftance of Nova Scotia, the Difpofition of the native, and neighbouring Indians of every Country we poflefs, invites it. Their own Vices and Virtues are thofe of uninformed Nature. Like a too luxuriant Soil, they want only proper Cultivation, to make the Produce uniformly good, that is, as far as the weakr unliable Nature of Man can be fo. This much is certain, that they have learned their greateft Vices from us; and therefore we furely have no Right to upbraid them with them. For Good, they naturally return Good : as they naturally return Evil for Evil; becaufe thev have not been taught otherwife, either by Precept or Example. Ought we then to complain if the Meafure, with which they mete to us our own, overflows ? Was their Re-fpe6t, their Efteem, their Affection won by good Oflices, by upright C "8 ] upright and generous Dealing, they would return them an hundred-fold. They would lie down at our Feet; they would work for us by Day ; and guard us by Night. The Duty in a religious, is ftill greater than the Advantage in a political Light, as befi.de the greater Excellence of the Object, it alfo includes that Advantage. To explain this Duty, to a People profefling Chriftianity, would be an Infult either upon their Principles, or their Underftanding. If they know it not, they have the Scriptures! If they will not believe them, " neither will they believe the Voice of one rifen from the Deadmuch lefs that of a Man coming without Power or Authority to fpeak to them. I /hall therefore only fay, that to expect Advantage from any Undertaking, without firft driving to conciliate the Favour of Heaven by fuch moft obvious, moft indifpenfible Means, is to contradict the Light of Reafon as well as of Religion, and flight the Experience of all Ages. I muft not prefume to fay more. The Duty is fufficiently known. The Right, the Power of enforcing it, with any Profpect of Succefs, is not in me. I have the Honour, 8cc. LET C 1*9 ] LETTER XXItl. My Lord, THOUGH I hope I have clearly proved by the unerring Evidence of Fads, the mutual Advantages, which Great Britain and her Colonies reap from each other \ yet as Matter diffufed over a large Space may not operate fo llrongly upon the Mind, as when collected together, I fhall beg Leave to draw the Whole into one Point of View, and then leave Reafon to form it's own Concluiion. The firfl Ends propofed in planting Colonies, are to encreafe the Strength of the Mother Country by providing Room for an Encreafe of People; and to encreafe it's Wealth by efta-bliiliing with them an Intercourfe of Commerce, mutually advantageous, Colonization in any other View than one of them, or tending to them, being abfurd, and fubverfive of That our Colonies, on the Continent of America, will abundantly anfwer the firfl of thefe Purpofes, has been proved by Experience, wherever the Experiment has been made ; and is clear to Reafon in thofe others, where either Want of Time, or other lefs juftifiable Caufes, have hitherto prevented the Trial in any Extent, as at HudfonV Bay, Labrador, Nova Scotia, &c. See. The L 12° ] The only Objection poflible to be made to pufhing this Advantage to it's lull Heighth, is the Danger of depopulating tlie Mother Country, on a Suppofition of it's not having People to fpare for fuch Tranfplantations: but this Suppofition, and of Couric the Apprehenfion arifing from it, are groundlefs. The Overflowings of this Metropolis {London) who, for want of being properly employed, are a dead Weight upon the Induftry of thofe who are, and upon the Trade of the Nation, their unearned Confumption being the real Caufe of the Scarcity and Dearnefs of the Neceflaries of Life, which makes all our Manufactures come fo dear to Market, would afford a greater Stock to breed, than would be requifite to plant every Colony I have propofed; and confequently fending them out for that Purpofe, inftead of diftrefiing the Mother Country, would double the Advantage immediately to her, bv delivering her from that dead Weight, as hath been aheadv fhewn at large *. The quick Encreafe of Population, where there is proper Encouragement, and Room for Induftry to procure Plenty, is fufficiently known. That the fecond of thefe Ends, the Eftabliihment of an advantageous Commerce has been already anfwered by every Colony we have planted, will be proved to Conviction byr the State of the refpective Trade of each- Mow much farther that Advantage may ftill be carried, bas been repeatedly and clearly fhewn in the preceding Remarks. * Pxgts 28 and 29. Total c 121 ! Total Amount of Britijh Ships, and Seamen employed in the Trade between Great Britain, and her Colonies on the Continent of America-of the Value of Goods exported from Great Britain to thefe Colonies,—and of their Produce Colonies Hudfon's Bay Labrador 1 American Fef-\ feh i 20 J Newfoundland 1 (2000 Boats) i Canada Nova Scotia New England Rhode-Hland, 1 Connecticut and I New HampihircJ New York Pcnnfvlvania Virginia and 1 Maryland J North Carolina South Carolina Georgia St. Augiifliinc Penfacola onw min Jo I n$nl bnA Ships Seamen Exports from Exports from Great Britain the Colonies 4 130 £ 16,000 £ 29,340 49,050 380 20,560 273,400 345,000 34 408 105,000 105,500 6 72 26,500 38,000 46 552 395,000 37°>500 3 36 12,000 114,500 30 33° 531,000 526,000 35 39° 611,000 705,500 33° 3>96° 865,000 1,040,000 34 40 8 1 8,000 68,350 140 1,680 365,000 395>666 24 240 49,000 74,200 2 24 7,000 10 120 97,000 6 3,000 1,078 28,9 r 0 3,370,900 3,924,606 R Let: r 122 ] Let the Addition of the above Numbers of Ships, and Seamen—The Profits upon the above Colt of the Goods exported from Great Britain, and upon the Value of the unmanufactured Produce of the Colonies fent in return, with the Employment given to the Manufacturers, be taken into Confederation ! And then let him who will prefume to fay that our Americafi Colonies do not pay an Equivalent for every Benefit they receive, Hand forth, and prove his AfTertion, by the fame Evidence of Facts, as this. Nor do I reft the Point here. I will be bold to fay farther, to your Lordfhip, that when the Amount of the Revenue received by Government from thefe Exports, and the returned Produce is added to the Account, it will incontefti-bly appear, that inlfead of being a Burthen upon Great Britain, her Colonies do in reality lighten her Burthen, by taking fully their Proportion of it upon them. But this, my Lord, muft be referved till we (hall have continued our Progrefs through the Weft-Indian Iftands; as ■ attempting to divide the Revenues a riling from their blended Trade and Produce would only caufe Confufion, and cm-barrafs the Queftion. 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