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Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — »- signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols y signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartas, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte A das taux de reduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est fiimA A partir da I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'imagas nAcessaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 I ] M ^ Prin Stf^^'''^' " — ^1 w THE IMPORTANCE OP CAPE BRETON CONSIDERED; I N A L E T T E R T O A Member of Parliament, From Ml Inhabitant of NEW^ENGLAND. LO N D if t , Printed for R. Dodsley in PaU^maU, and fold by M. Cooper, ip Pater^mfter-Bcw, MDCCXLVL Vtk^ One Shilling. 87l8'rV ^ V*,***^-^ % [ 1 ] SIR, T your repeated Requeft that I would colledl and form from proper Materials, fuch an Ac- count of the Ifland of Cape Bre- ton as would fhew forth its true Value, and being perfuaded that this your Dciire proceeded wholly from a fincere Regard for your Country's Welfare, which may hereafter poflibly much depend on your right Apprehenfions in this Particular, I have, tho' unequal to it, undertaken the Tafk J and as all things derive their Re- commendation and Value fropi the Ufe they are of, I flwll confider 11 B Finl, [2] Firji, The Ufefulnefs of this Illand to France $ and Secondly, It's Ufefulnefs to Great Bri- tain, With refpcdt to France y it was ^'feful to that Kingdon for the following Purpofes. 1. This Ifland having the Harbour of Louisbottrg well fortified, was a Place of fafety for the Reception, Succour, and Pro- tedion of the Enemy's Eaji and Wejl In- dia Fleets, and where they might rendez- vous 'till provided with Convoy for their more fccure PafTage home. 2. The Enemy, by means of this Place, was enabled the more eafily to fupply their Sugar Colonies with Fifh and Lumber: By thefe and other Advantages join'd to their Policy and prudent Management, 'tis notorious, they had before the War well nigh beaten the Englijh quite out of the foreign Sugar Trade. 3. This Place was the Guard of the common Entrance into the Gulph of St Laivrcnccj and of the principal Paflage up on up [3] up to Canada, where of late the Enemy build large Ships ofWar, a thing, J believe, not known, or at leaft not much noticed in this Kingdom : From thence a lixty-Gun Ship built there came down the Summer before laft to Louisbourg, and failing from thence, made a Cruize upon the Englip, took feveral Prizes of Confequence, and then returned to Louisbourg^ and became part of the Convoy to fix'Ea/i India Ships put in there for Safety and Convoy, and to other valuable Ships, making up a Fleet of upwards of fixty Sail in the whole, pro- ceeding with them to France. From Ca- nada alfo the Enemy reap the Benefit of all the Furr Trade, from a large Part of the American Continent j and from thence the Enemy joined by the Savages in Alliance with them, and whofe Friendihip they court by all pofTible Methods,* iffue out. Ravage, Burn, and Deftroy the Outward EngliJJ^ Settlements. 4, Upon this Ifland the French carried on a confiderable part of their Cod-fifhery, B 2 and [4l and by means thereof they covcr'd, fup- ported, and protetfled all the reft. This Fiflicry they had of late Years greatly in- crcafed, to the proportionable Diminution and Prejudice of the Britijl) Fifhery, and the large Trade thereon dependent ; fo that according to Accounts collected with Ac- curacy, Judgment and indefatigable Pains, it produced them yearly fuch Quantities of Firti and Oyl, as were of the Value of near a Million Sterling, upon a very moderate Computation ; and which you are fenfible, according to the Nature of Fifheries in ge- neral, was almoft all clear Gain to them : A great Part of this Fifh they carried to ^pain and other foreign Markets, and there exchanged it for other Commodities, which they afterwards carried to other Ports, where they frequently made the like Ex- changes, and then proceeded elfewjiere, flill encreaiing their Profits as they length- en'd the Courfe of their Voyage, 'till the whole finally center'd in "France : So that this Fifhery was the Foundation of a great Part \\\ [s] Part of that large Trade, which they have of late carried on in many different Parts of the World : This was their original Out- fet or Stock whereon they traded, and which it muft be confefled they improved to the utmoft, thereby gaining daih on the Englijh. And this Filhery was not only beneficial to them on account of the large immediate and confequential Profit produc'd by it, but it alfo employ'd in the taking, making, and tranfporting of the Fi/li caught, between 25 and 30,000 Fifliermen and Seamen, the Fifhermen being, or in Time becoming, good Seamen.— .You arc doubtlefs fenfible. Sir, that the Marine in France hzsh^tn put under exxellent Regu- lations by their Miniflers, fince they apply*d themfelves with fo much Zeal and Dili- gence to the Advancement of their State by the Increafe of their Navigation and Com- merce, as they have done of latter Years ; and among others, one wife Provifion I have underftood, was, that their Fifh Ships fhould carry a Proportion of what they call Trent€' I'! n i,\ [6] I'rente'ftX'mois, that is, Lads who were Bound for thirty fix Months, in which Time they were fuppofed to become fufficiently qualified for the Bufinefs and who therefore at the Expiration of that Time left the Clafs of Learners, making Room for other raw Lads, which every Year came into the Service. And thus this Fifliery, by its Na- ture, Extent, Healthfiilnefs, and the Po- licy of our Enemies, was their principal Nurfery of Seamen, breeding up conti- nually large Numbers of flout Sailors, fo that they could with Eafe annually or oc- cafionally draw out of it a very confider- able Number for manning their Royal Navy, or the Ufe of their other Navi-- gation. 5. This Place, by its Situation with refped to the BritiJJj Fifliery, was well fuited to anfwer our Enemy's ancient and prefent political maxim of dhide & impera ; for being fituated between New- foundlaiid and Canfo^ the two principal Seats repai from toth 1 Brit 7- the ^ for out I JKUI [7l Seats of the EngliJIi Fifliery, the Enemy was enabled thereby greatly to diftrefs and diminifh, if not finally to deftroy the whole ; from thence, immediately after breaking out of the prefent War, they made a Defcent upon Canfo and burnt it, carrying away the Garrifon and Inhabi- tants Prifoners ; and from thence they had certainly attempted, and in all Probability carried, a valuable part of Newfoundland y had not a mere Contingency favourable to the £w|^///^ prevented. 6. This Place was very convenient for the Enemy, not only to fit out Privateers from thence, but alfo to receive, protedt, repair and fupply fuch as fhould come from France^ and harbour all their Prizes, to the great and general Diftrefs of all the Pritijh American Trade. 7. This Ifland was very convenient for the Enemy, as a fafe Place of Rendezvous for any Armament that might be fitted out for the taking or deftroying any of the Englijh Northern Settlements. The ad- jacent r i [8] jacent Country of Nova Scotia having a fertile Soil, many excellent Harbours, and its Coafts and Rivers abounding with Fi(h, and being already fettled, fo far as any Set- tlements are made, with French Catho- licks, the Enemy regret the lofs of it, and continually look upon it with a longing and eager Eye; the Dominion of that whole Country is held by the fingk Fort o^ Annapolis Royal, a Place of fuch doubt- ful Defence, that the Enemy have already fate down before it three different times during this War ; and the Lofs of the Place muft have enfued, if Governor Shirley, with the Help of the Province under his Command, had not interpos'd and pre- vented it : But the Prudence, the Vigi- lance, the indefatigable Induftry of this Gentleman, with the ready Affiftance of that publick-fpirited Province in fend- ing Succours, join'd to thofe fent from hence to Annapolis Royal, could not have kept it much longer from filling into the Enemy's Hands without the Conqueft of Cape !■ ; IV ing a , and Fi(h, Set- atho- t, and onging f that Ic Fort doubt- already : times e Place Shirlev, der his d pre- Vigi- of this iftance fend- t from t have to tlie left of Cape (9) Cafe Breton ; a Point acknowledg'd as unqueftionable by uU Intelligent Perfons well acquainted witli the Situation of that Country. But in order, Sir, flilly to comprehend the Extent of this Illand's Ufefulnefs to France^ it will be neceflary, in my Opi- nion, to call to mind her fond Defire of becoming Miftrefs of all the Weflern World, and to confider what Meafures chiefly advance her Defign of making her felf fuch : To the Attainment of this Pur- pofe, you are fenlible, fhe bends all her Counfels and Adtions ; for this fhe declares War, makes and breaks Treaties, unites and divides Kingdoms, and her Miniftcrspradlife all the Means and Devices that the moft refin'd Policy can didtate ; and among all the various Meafures calculated for the Accomplifhment of this grand dellru(Stive Project, there have been none, in my humble Opinion, more dangerous to this Kingdom in particular, or more likely to advance their Defign in general, than C that ( lo ) that fuccefsful Policy, whereby they have of late Years fo greatly increas'd their Fifheries, Commerce and Colonies j there- by fupplanting the Ejtglifi in divers of their principal Branches of Trade, and lay- ing the Foundation of a moil dangerous Naval Power. 'Tis remarkable that France made but a very inconfiderable Figure at Sea, till fiich Time as her Princes and Mi- niilers forming their large Schemes of Em- pire, and obferving that Commerce was one of the principal Means of making si People rich and powerful, they apply'd thcmfelvcs with the greateft Diligence, Art, and Judgment to the Eflablifliment of Manufa(Slures, and the gaining and In- creafc of Plantations and Fiflieries, and to the Encouragement of Trade and Naviga- tion in every Shape ; thefe were fome of •the principal Engines, wherewith they la- boured to form that great Idol of Power, to which they hoped to make all Nations bend the Knee. Henry IV. indeed did Wonders for that Kingdom, by fetding the Silk, ( II ) Silk, Linen, and other ManufaAures ; but Cardinal Rkhlieu, who drew the Outlines of the Plan for this general fvveeping Do- minion to be raifed in the Weft, was, I think, the firft who propofed an Empire of the Sea for France^ and which was indeed requilite for the Attainment of the other. Ikying, »* that Nature fcems to have offer- " ed this Empire to her by the advanta- " geous Situation of her two Coafts, equal- " ly provided with excellent Havens, on " the Ocean, and on the Mediterranean. ** And Lewis XIII. having eredled a new Of- fice for this great Minifter, whereby he was conftituted, Grand Mafter^ Head and Superintejtdant General of the Navigation and Commerce of France^ he, notwith- ftanding his being continually encompaf- fed with an endlefs Variety of other weighty and perplexing Matters, with a View chiefly to advance the Naval Power of France, found Time to attend to the Care and Promotion of her Trade and Manufactures ; and what was begun in the m \ ! -11 C 2 Rei2;ns MX ?U/ ( .2) Reigns of Henry IV. and Lewis XIII. to ufe the Words of an ingenious Author *, was happily improved by the Care of the memorable Monfieur Colberty who under Lewis XIV. not only eftablifhcd every Thing that remained imperfed, but alfo gained by Art and Manage- ment, not only Filheries and Plantations, but a Profpe«5t of every other Improve- ment ; by which means that Prince was able to maintain a War againft the moft powerful Confederacy, that ever has been formed in thefe latter Times, to " furround his Kingdom and Frontiers with the ftrongefl Fortrefles in the World, to maintain an Army of abqve 300,000 Men during two long Wars, ** to difpute the Dominion of the Seas a- *' gainfl the united Powers oi England and " Holland', an Expence fuppofed to W " three times as large as ever that King- ** dom was capable of fuftaining before. ' —When • See Mr. C,e,\ Preface to his Treatife on the Trad': and Nayigation of Qreat Biitifin, (i cc cc c< (( cc cc cc cc cc 3 ) — When Mom'. Colbert framed his famous Plan for his Matter's obtaining univerfal Sway, to prevent the Execution whereof thofe powerful Confederacies were form'd^ you arc fenfible he laid the Foundation of it in the Increafe and Improvement of La- bour, Manufa<5tures and IPoreign Trade, and that he made a Command at Sea, a principal Part of it -, propofing that his Prince, in order to his Exaltation to the defir'd Pinnacle of Glory, (hould keepfuch Fleets on the Ocean, as would make him Matter of all the Powers and Trade of the North. His Plan, I think, the Enemy have ever ttnce purfued, departing from it only as Circumttances and Occafions required : and all the Battles fought, and Vidories gain'd by the Confederates, only made that afpiring Nation to fufpend for a Time her Thoughts, not of purfuing, but of exe- cuting her darling Project ; and when the Terms of Peace came to be fettled at the End of the laft War, 'tis obfervable how hard fhe ftruggled for the Ifland of Cape Breton, wT. ■ ( 14) Breton, and what Arts and Policy (he praftis'd to gain it, well knowing that it was a Place containing plentiful Seeds of that Naval Power, which (he hoped in Time to rear up to the Overthrow of the Britifi Navigation and Commerce, and the Advancement 4of her beloved Scheme of Dominion. Where Strength foiled, the mofl fubtle Artifices and Management were ne- cefTary ; by tliefe therefore (he carry 'd her Point ; and, which is obfervablc, France was not content with having the Ifland wholly refign'd up to her, without having an exprefs Agreement made that (he might have all manner of Liberty to fortify any Place or Places there. . , From tlie Peace of Utrecht to the Com- mencement of the prefent War, Cardinal Fleury having had for the far greater Part of the Time the Adminiflration of the Affairs oi France mMi^ Hands, he, I think, may be faid to have made War upon this Kingdom by all the Arts of Peace, efpe- cially by his continual Care and politick Advance- l^ Hi ( «5 ) Advancement of their Commerce, and which was thereby enlarged within this laft Period of Time to a Degree aftonifh- ing even to Perfons well fkill'd in Trade j which Increafe fell chiefly and heavily up- on the Efjglijh, either diredly leflening their Trade in divers of its principal Ar- ticles, or preventing the Growth of it ; and in cffeding this, Cafe Breton was ex- ceedingly helpful to him ; and his Senfe of its Importance was fuch, that he laid out an immenfe Sum for his Mailer in order to fecure it, fortifying it to fuch a Degree that it was generally deem'd impregnable. This great Man feem'd to be well aware of the Neceflity of obferving the Caution given to the French King by Monfieur Colbert, when he form'd the Scheme for his obtaining univerfal Monarchy, telling him, that tho' " all Things confpired to " give France Hopes of Succefs, the Work " however was fuch as muft be leifurely carried on, and perfedted by little and little i fo great a Dcfign continually " alarm- C( C( 1:1 ^^i ii ( 16 ) alarming Europe, Afm^ Africa^ and Ame^ " rica^ Friends ai\d Foes, the Precipita- " tion of it would be its Ruin." And had the Condudl of this great Genius, together with Cape Breton and the Cod-fifliery, been continued to France for fome Years longer, there would, I fear, have been fome Dan- ger of their telling us by the Fadl, what Monfieur Colbert propofed in Words to the King of France^ viz. " That the Point of Brifajmy is the Gate to enter into, and go out of the Channel, fifty Ships of War at Brejl would keep thofe Gates faft fliut, and they would not open them but at the King's Command. How fatal to the Britljh Intereils the Enemy's PofTeflion of this Place might have been, has been already fhewn in fome Meafure \ but it will be more evident upon further confidering the Value of the Cod- fiiliery, whereof this Place gave the Ene- my the chief Command. It is, I think, a certain Maxim in Politicks, that all States are powerful at Sea, as they flourifh in the Fifliin^ tx cc i London, and of divers other Parts of this kingdom, having bid fair for gaining the irhole, Philip his Father fent a Fleet of about 80 Sail of large Ships to tranfport ^orces from France in fupport of his Caufe j this Fleet was met by 40 Englijh Ships, ^vho gii/c the French Battle, and took and funk it cc ( 30 ; funk the greateft Part of them ; and 'tis obfervable the Hiftorians fay that hither- to the Frejich were not accuftomed to Fights by Sea, and afcribe their Defeat to| their Want of Naval Skill ; but of the | Englijh they fay, " That they, being war- like and fkilled in Sea-fights, funk their I Ships, Gfr.'* And the fimous St'ldcn\ in his Mare Clmifum^ cites an Author co- temporary with the Fa(^, who fays, ** Thatl " in the Month of Mtv 1294, there fdll out a Quarrel between the Seamen ofj the Cinque Ports of Etigland and tliel "Seamen of France^ and it was deter- " mined by a Fight at Sea, wherein tkj " Englijl\ with a Fleet of one hundreiij " Sail, took two hundred Ships of Franal ** and drown'd or kill'd almoft all tli| " Seamen of Fr^wtr." You arc fenfible) Sir, that the Fates of Kingdoms ofte depend much on the Events of generJ Battles by Sea or Land ; and what the fef vend l)c on to ob' c has done ibitious and ;rtained for I a Scnfc ot that thofe f the libe- ral ( 51 ) ral Encouragement ihe conftantly bellows upon them, are not only much enlarged and improved, but new ones alfo have been found out and work'd upon with the greatcfl Diligence and Succefs. In the Year 1 70 1 , the Deputies of the Council of Commerce, in one of their Memorials to th^ Court of France^ exprefs themfelves in the following Words, 'dix, " The EngliJId with lefs Advantages than we, and in Terri- tories of lefs Extent, have found Means " to employ yearly above 500 Ships, while we do not without great Difficulty em- ploy •\ 100." But it is melancholy to fee how much the Scene is changed, the Trench now adlually employ more Ships than thtEngliJh in that Branch oitht Ameri- can Trade, to which this Memorial refers. To fet forth to the full Extent the Va- lue of the Britip Plantations to their Mo- ther Country would perhaps be a harder Task than to lay open the particular Ufe- fulnefs of Cape Bretoji to them : According G 2 to t Sec the Memorial of the Deputies of th« Council of Commerce, />. i. (( (( (( (( \\ ( 52 ) to a Computation made about the Begin- ning of the lall Reign, the annual Expor- tations from hence of Britifi Manufac- tures, native Produft and foreign Commo- dities to all the BritiJIj Colonics, as well Soutliern as Northern, for their own Ufe, and to carry on their Trade to other Coun- tries, amounted at leafl to two Millions per Annum ; and if you will fuppofe, as of Neceffity you muft, a Profit in the Returns for thofe Exportations, the Imports from thence muft have amounted to a much larger Sum, befides the Freight of the whole. And by an Account taken the Be- ginning of the prefent Reign of the Num- ber of Ships and their Tonage enter'd in- wards from the Plantations in America, from Chrijlmas 1720, to Chrijlmas 1730, it appear 'd that there was employ 'd in that Trade no lefs than 6607 Ships of 645704 Tons in the whole, and naviga- ted by 52856 Sailors, reckoning eight Sai- lors to every Ship, without taking in the Number of Ships, Tonage and Sailors em- ployed M le Begln- al Expor- Manufac- Commo- , as well own Ufc, her Coun- 'illions per ofe, as of le Returns )orts from ) a much bt of the ;n the Be- :he Num- nter'd in- America^ las 1730, loy'd in Ships of i naviga- eight Sai- ig in the ailors em- ployed ( 53 ) ployed between Colony and Colony, or iblcly on the Fifliiiig Banks, which will make an Increafe of no Icfs than a fourth Part to be added to the Account ; fince that time the Inhabitants of the Northern Colonies are become much more numerous, and their Demands for EfigliJI: Goods are increas'd in Proportion to their Numbers, ornear it. And I think it is worthy of Notice, that thefe Colonies are not only in a diredl and immediate Tendency ferviceable to their Mother Country, but indirectly, and by their mutual Dependance upon each other : The Northern Colonies would find it ex- tremely ditficult to fubfift without the Su- gar Iflands, and the Sugar lilands without them, and the Mother Country would languifh without both j fo that the true and real Interefts of all are llrongly link'd and interwoven together ; it is the Bufincfs, it is the Duty of the Colonies to be fub- fcrvient to the Policy and Trade of Great Bnfaifiy and on the other Hand it i^ no lefs ,\ 4 ( 54 ) lefs the Concern of Great Britain to che- rifli unci fupport the Colonies in the moft tender and effedual Manner. In the laft Reign, divers Perfons well acqtiaintcd with the ways of enriching a Nation proposed the fupplying of this Kingdom with Naval Stores of all kinds from the Plantations, inftead of being fup- ply'd from the Eaji Country, by which means the Nation would be more fure of thefe ncccfliiry Commodities, when pro* duc'd in her own Plantations, than when coming out of the Baltick, where it was pofTible the Ballance of Power might alter, and an Enemy to Great Britain become poffefs'd of it } in which cafe the want of Naval Stores, things abfolutely neceflary for the Security and Trade of the Kingdom, would be attended with pernicious Con- fequences j and by having them from your own Plantations, inflead of purchafing them from other Coimtnes in a great mea- fure with Money, which when paid is Utterly lofl to the Kingdom, you would exchange 1 to che- the mod ■fons well nriching a g of this " all kinds being fup- by which )re fure of when pro* than when lere it was night alter, in become le want of necelTary Kingdom, cious Con- lem from purchafmg (ireat mea- en paid is fon would exchan'jc ( ss ) exchange them for your own Manufadurcs, thereby faving every Year a large Sum to the Nation, and giving Employment to yeur own People, to the great Improve- ment of your Norther?i Colonies, the in- creafe of your Seamen and Navigation, and the general Security and Advantage of his Majefty's Dominions : And Mr. Gce^ a Gentleman of very cxtenfive and accurate Knowledge in Trade, afterwards propos'd fuch fiirther Improvements of the Northern Colonies, and the Trades from thence, as properly encourag'd and regulated would yield to this Kingdom, according to his Computation, a yearly Profit of above a Million, befides fupplying the North of England, Scotland and Ireland with plenty of Hemp and Flax, thereby giving Em- ployment to a Million of People fuppos'd to be then out of Work, and adding by that means yearly to the publick Stock a- bove a Million more : And upon the Czar of Mufcovy and the King oi Sweden's forming a Defign to prevent your being fupply'd ill fupply'd with Naval Stores from their Do- minions, otherwife than at their own Prices and in their own Shipping, Great Britain took fuch Meafures, that fome Species of Naval Stores liave been firrce produc'd in the Plantations in large Quantities, to the great Benefit of the Publick ; It is true in fome others of great Confcqiiencc, little has been done ; and as for Iron , that is fo fir from being yet cncouragM, that Plantation Bar-Iron is, 1 think, flill charge- ble to pay Duty as foreign Iron, and there is a fmall Duty, I believe, flill charge- able upon Plantation Pig-iron ; and to flicvv what large Sums are paid by the Nation abroad for this Article, I beg leave to cite a remarkable Pafllige of Mr. Gtv's, who after propoling a Method of fupplying the Kingdom from the Plantations with what Iron could not be made in it, exprefles himfelf in thefe Words : " And thus we " might fave the large Sums we pay for »* what is now brought from Sivederi and " other foreign Countries, which is greater '' than h ( 57 ) than I could have imagin'd, 'till I had lately fcen an Account of the whole Quantity of Iron exported from Stock" holm and Gottenburg to the feveral Parts of Europe in the Year 1729 ; whereby it appears that there was fliipp'd for Great Britain and Ireland^ from thofe two Ports only (befides what we had from Spain^ Nor'ivay and Ruffia) above 1 9,oooTons, and but little above 1 2,000 to all the other Ports of Europe ^ and to France particularly not 200 Tons, fo careful is that Government not to buy from other Countries what they can " pofllbly fupply themfelves with at home, a Policy which naturally tends to make them grow Rich *". Sound Policy I think plainly requires, that whatever the Mother Country cannot produce for her ufe, (hould, if poflible, be produced in her Plantations, the Whole beitig truly but one Country^ and having one common Intereft a- gainfl all other Nations ; and if the Extent of Country in the BritiJJj Plantations be H confider'd^ • See the Supplement to the ^d Edition of Mr. Gft\ Treaufe on Trade, lr\-. (( f ( iC << (C <( (( (( (( <( C( <( (( l( (( C( J ( 58) confidcr'd, together with the Fertility of Soil of divers of them, and the natural Produce of the Latitudes they crofs, it will appear, that they may be certainly ren- dered an inexhauftible Fund of Wealth to this Kingdom : They are without Queftion capable of producing in time, and upon fufficient Encouragement, all the Naval Stores now imported from foreign Countries: And as Carolina, Virginia^ Maryland and Penfihania abound with white Mulberry-Trees, and the Samples of Silk fent over from thence have been of an excellent Staple, much refembling that of Piedmont, they might unqueflionably pro- duce large Quantities of the befl raw Silk ; and as one Man may raife in the rough what it requires many to manufifturc, they might, over and above what they already produce, be made to raife an a- bundance of rough Materials, efpecially the large and valuable Articles of Hemp, Flax and Silk to be fent over and manufa6lur'd here, which would necelTarily caufe a very large \\ :rtility of e natural )fs, it will linly rcn- f Wealth without in time, nt, all the n foreign Virginia^ jnd with mplcs of ;en of an ig that of lably pro- raw Silk ; the rough nu£i6turc, ^hat they aife an a- icially the mp. Flax nufadur'd ufe a very large ( 59 ) large additional Intcrcourfc of Trade be- tween Great Britain and her Colonies, a great Increafe of Seamen, an Employment of many Hands in the Plantations, and of many more here ; and all the Sums given as Bounties by tliis Kingdom for Encou- ragement to profecute thefe things there (and without fufRcient Encouragement given for a time, they will not be carry d on to effed, by reafbn of the great Diffi- culties naturally attending fuchUndertakings in their Beginnings) arc in efFed: paid to the Inhabitants of this Kingdom ; for what- ever Sums are receiv'd on Impoitation arc dircftly lay'd out in your ManufaAr) by reafon of their Settlements command all the Furr Trade of that vaft inland Coun* try, which lies back upon this River, and here by their own Accounts they have Purrs at Prices exceedingly low, compar'd to the Prices given by them elfewhere, or by us any where, and wliich they pay for in their own Manufadures j and what that large Country, with this navigable River running thro' the Body of it, will in Time produce 'cm, I cannot fay ; but doubtlefs they will endeavour by means of it to beat the Englijh out of fome of the valuable Parts of their Plantation Trade. Seme 'Englip Writers, 1 know, are of Opinion that there is no great Danger to be appre- hended from the Settlements of the French on that River, or any where on the Con- tinent ; the River I am fenfible has a Bar at the Mouth of it, which makes it necel- fary for them to take even their Guns out of their large Ships when tliey go over it, but this they look upon as a great Securi- ty againft the Naval Force of their Ene- {< mies, h command and Coun* River, and they have compar'd where, or ley pay for I what that ible River II in Time : doubtlefs " it to beat e valuable le. Seme f Opinion be appre- :he French the Con- has a Bar :s it necef- Guns out 50 over it, ;at Securi- :heir Ene- mies, It ( 65 ) mies» and the other Difficulties attending fuch as hiive been overcome by others iefs enterprizing ; and I fhould be glad it might be remcmber'd, that the Fadls pro- ceeding from the Policy of the French do fometimes far exceed the Expedations of the Englijh. Sir Joftah Child, tho* a Man of great Difcernment, efpecially in Matters of Trade, was much miftaken in the Judgment he made concerning the Progrefs of the French in their Plantations; on which Account he was fully of Opinion, that they were not much to be fear'd, and yet the Trench not long after his declaring this to the World, fet about the Improvement of the Plantations fo heartily, and profecutcd the Matter fo judicioufly, that in the courfe of a few Years, "ciz, in 170 1, when the French were become very powerful at Sea, their Council of Commerce, in their Me- morial already referr'd to, was able to fay to the Royal Council of that Kingdom, No one is ignorant that the Navigation oil ranee owes all its Increafe and Splen- I ♦» dor <( (C ( 66 J *' dor to the Commerce of it's Iflands, *' and that it cannot be kept up and en- " larg'd otherwife than by that Com- *' merce." And it is, I think, a Matter certain, that they have taken fiich Meafures touching thofe Iflands, as have increas'd their Produdl to that degree, that they yield at kafl double the value in Sugar, Indigo, Ginger and Cotton, of what is now made by the Englijh. And \vith regard to their Claims and PoflefTions, extending from the River St. Lawrence on the back of the EngliJJj Set- tlements, it is I think, difficult to deter- mine whether they have proceeded with greater Policy for themfelves, or Injury and Danger to the Englijh j for having got Canada in the manner, which has been niention'd, they not only enlarg'd the Boundaries of that Country, extending them far beyond the Senfe that was had of them when they obtain'd it ; but they hiivc gone on contifiually to cncreafc their Dominion, and encroach upon the E)i<^!ifh, till t'9 Iflands, ip and en- hat Coin- a Matter 1 Meafures e increas'd that they ; in Sugar, hat is now Claims and River St. \tigUj}:> Set- to deter- eded with [njury and laving got has been arg'd the extending : was had but they eafc their ^ tiJl ( 67) till at length they have planted Forts upon the feveral great Lakes, ami done every thing in tlieir Power towards fecuring them, and all the large inland Countries that cncompafs •em ; eftablifhing alfo a Communication between their Settlements at Canada^ and thofe on the River Meffi- ftppiy for the fupport of the. latter in par- ticular, as well as for the fpreading and ftrengthening of their Power in general. And as their Policy ever leads them to be perpetually Intriguing with all other Na- tions, with whom they have any ponccrn j they have by their Priefts, Prefents, and all other pradlicable J^ethods, jiot only gain'd to their Intereft the various Tribes of Indians inhabiting the inland Countries, but have alfo inveigled and fcduced from the Englifi fundry Tribes living in the midft of their Colonies. And as the Advance^ mcnt of their political Purpofes bears down all other Confiderations, during the Uft Peace between the two Nations, con- trary to common Juflice, and the Manifefl - Rights ( 68 ) Rights of the EngUjl\ they fciz'd a part of their Territory, and ereded a Fort at Croivn-Toint in Lake Chamflain^ that is, in the heart of that Country, whereof an abfohite CefTion was made to the EngUjh by the Treaty of Vtrecbt, This Place is within a few Days March of the Efiglif: Frontiers ; from hence they lately fally'd out with a confiderable Number of the Savages, and cut off entirely the Englijh Settlement at Sorahfogrj, carrying away Captive all who were not deftroy'd by Fire or Sword, to the great Terror and Rifque of the City oi Albany itfelf; And having got fuch a large Footing on the back of all our Plantations, and fuch Influence over the Natives, they have perfwadcd them, that they only let us improve the Lands upon the Sea Coaft for thcmfelves ; and that they purpofe in proper time to pufh us all into the Ocean. Some of the French Authors have been plcas'd to publifh this to the World, as a wholefome and pradi- cable piece of Policy in their Apprehcn- fioiis : lie on na 5'd a part a Fort at 7, that is, i^hereof an be Englijh s Place if5 he Efiglif: cly fally'd er of the le Englijh ing away fA by Fire ind Rifque nd having e back of lence over led them, he Lands ves ; and to pufh le French blifh this id pra(5ti- .pprehcn- fjoiis : ( 69 ) fions ; and comparing their Proceedings; OH the Continent of America^ with the nature and drift of their Policy (which I think evidently leads them deliberately to form, and fteadily to purfue, the widcft as well as the moft artful Plans for the En- largement of their Dominion, to be execu- ted fooncr or later, as the EfFcd of their own Management, and the courfe of hu- man Events, over which they conftantly keep a watchful Eye, fliall prefent them with a fit Opportunity) their late Meafures have feem'd to be calculated to advance a Defign fo well fuited to the towering Am.- bition and enterprizing Spirit of that reft- lefs People. For my part, I confefs, that I never had any Apprehenfions, that we fliould be foon driven into th^ Ocean ; but yet I think it a matter certain, that if the Province of the Majfachufetts had not dif- cover'd an uncommon degree of publick Spirit, for the Prefcrvation of Annapolisy and afterwards adventur'd their All in ma- Jiing an Expedition againil Cape Breton, the ( ■• (70) the EngUJh muft have been diredlly driven out of Annapolis', whereby the Enemy wou'd have gain'd the PoffefTion of all No'i:a Scotia^ with 5 or 6,000 Inhabitants ready to draw the Sword for them. This addition to their Strength at Cape Breton and Candida y with the numerous Tribes of Indians in their Intereft, would have put it in their Power, without much Dif- ficulty, to ravage the ancient Province of Main J to Diftrefs, perhaps to Deftroy a great part of the Province of New Hamp- Jhire, and to render the whole Mafl- Country at lea ft ufelefs to the Englijh, if not direftly beneficial to themfclves. If the Conqueft of Annapolis had not been moft happily prevented, all the Indians who have been wavering and doubtful which Intereft to E'fpoufe, that of the Englijh or Frenchy would have immediately join'd the latter. Tho' they fail'd in that Enterprize, yet by their artful Infinuations, and fubtle Contrivances, they have been able very lately to ihake the Fidelity of the fix Nations, the Ancient ;ly driven ; Enemy )n of all ihabitants m. This ^pe Breton js Tribes luld have luch Dif- •ovince of Deftroy a fw Hamp- ole Maft- 'lijhy if not s. If the been moft ians who ful which Engli/b or join'd the nterprizc, md fubtle very lately itions, the Ancient (7« ) Ancient Allies of the Englijh ; fo tliat no^ thing lefs than the united Care and Wif- dom of the feveral Englijh Governments was able to prevent thofe warlike and powerful Tribes from forfuking the Eng" and joining the Enemy. Had they 7//; once got PofTcffion of Nova^Scotia^ a Country capable of receiving, fupporting, and ftrcngthcning fuch Forces as fhould come from France^ where they might more eafily pour in their Succours at all times, as Occallons required ; by uniting, cncreafing, and continually exerting their Strength; they might and doubtlefs would have made our Colonies a Scene of Slaugh- ter and Confulion, deftroying fome and diftreffing all ; and raifing their Intereft upon the ruins of the Englijh, In fhort, had Nova-Scotia been loft to us, and Cape Breton preferv'd to the Enemy, fatal, very fatal muft have been the EfFedts to the Britijh Interefts in America, Upon the whole, confidering that what was heretofore faid of others is more true of ( 72 ) of the French^ " That in fome Parts they " lupplant us, and every where outwit us j *' that we find them enterprizing, vigilant, " and jealous in whatever has Relation to " their Trade ; and obfcrve them ftill en- *' deavouring to get Ground, and never yielding any Point to us, but forming long Schemes, calculated to take EfFedl many Years to come, in order to enlarge them- felves at our Expence ; fo that it be- comes good Patriots to look about them, and to take care, left in Time England " fhould be in a Manner excluded from " the Commercial World." -f-— -And con- fidering the Importance of the Colonies to Great Britain, and of the Trade from thence, together with the FiHiery carry^d on there, what Wealth they produce, what Ships they employ, and what Seamen they raife, and alfo what Vent they give to all your Manufadlures, fo great that there are few Towns in the Kingdom, wherein any Trade f This wasfaidofthe Dutch in the Infpe^or Gene- ral's Report to the Comnuli:ontrs tor publick Accounts in the latter Part of Queen .^w-i's iieign. ti cc «c