■> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^1^ ^ I I.I 1.25 1^ lii 12.2 US. Wi2.0 $^ /: V /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 4^ 4^ 73 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. USIO (716) •72-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/iCIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquos Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Not9« tachniques at bibliographiquas Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. □ Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ D D n D Couverture endommagte Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ et/ou pelliculAe □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couvertijre manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiquas an couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que btaua ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ D Planches et/ou illustrations an couleur Bound with other material/ Relii avec d'autres documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intArieura Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within tha text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certainas pages blanches ajoutias lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la taxte. mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas iti filmtes. Additional comments:/ Commentairas supplAmantairas; L'Institut a microfilm* la meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 4M possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger una modification dans la m6thoda normale de filmage sont indiqute ci-dessous. ^~~^ Coloured pages/ D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagias Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurAas et/ou pelliculies Pages discoloured, stained or foxe< Pages dAcolor^es, tachet^es ou piquies Pages detached/ Pages ditachies Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prin Qualiti inigala de I'impression Irsludss supplementary materii Comprend du material supplimantaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible I I Pages damaged/ ^^~^ Pages restored and/or laminated/ fyl Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ [T^ Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ □ Irsludas supplementary material/ Coi I — I Only edition available/ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refllmed to ensurs the best possible image/ Las pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M film^es A nouvaau de fapon d obtenir la mailleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux da reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy film«d h«r« Hm b««n raproducad thanks to tho gonorotity of: L'oxomplairo film* fut raproduit grica i la g4n*ro«lt* da: Ntw Brunswick MuMum Saint John Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha boat quality posalbia eonaidaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacificationa. Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga \irith a printad or iiluatratad impraa- •ion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha firat paga with a printad or iiluatratad impraa* aion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or iiluatratad impraaaion. Maw Brunswick Musaum Saint John bM imagaa auhrantaa ont 4ti raproduitas avac la piua grand aoln, compta tonu da la condition at da la nattat* da I'axamplaira film*, at •n conformit* avac laa conditions du contrat da filmaga. Laa axampiairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat imprim*a aont fiimia an commandant par la pramlar plat at an tarminant soit par la damiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraaaion ou d'illuatration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la eaa. Tovs laa autras axampiairas originaux sont fiimte an commandant par la pramiira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraaaion ou d'illuatration at an tarminant par la darni*ra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol — ^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Un das symbolaa suK/anta apparattra sur la damiira imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la caa: la symbols — »• signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN ". Mapa, plataa, charta, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to bo antiraly inciudad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand comar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagrama iilustrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa. pianchaa, tabiaaux, ate. pauvant Atra flim*a i daa taux da rMuction diff*rants. Lorsqua la documant aat trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul ciich*. ii ast film* * partir da I'angia aup*riaur gaucha, da gauclia * droita, at da haut 9n baa, an pranant la nombra d'imagaa n*caaaaira. Las diagrammaa suivanta iilustrant la m*thoda. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 6 6 ,^,::jiC^:"i--^rt- 1 h^tKllliilllMMilMiW rtUhnrlH, ,«ww *«,.Mm^^,^.^^^j^ \i. -. 337^ ■ c AN APPENDIX TO LETTERS Ri:r.AnDiN(; the ^&^ppfn5 IFtttcrejst, WITH RKFF.KENCi: TO THE IMPORTATION OP FIR-TIMBER AND DEAI;S IN BUirJSII SHIPS. 1Lont(on : I'niXTKO IIY «KOIUJK 8MALLriEI.I», HAr'KNKV. ISiil. 9 O I r pe CO re an Bti ret ob' ini <>u •< CO ADVERTISEMENT. AS the annexed Letters are submitted to generai perusal, the writer is desirous of manifesting his most <:ordial and hearty concurrence in that newly adopted or revived idea, viz. the necessity of promoting a Free Trade ; and of stating, that he is not actuated by conformity to pre- judices, nor does he adopt the opinion of the last age as standard truth: far from it; and he trusts the attentive reader will interpret his views quite otherwise ; for he is obviously attempting to accompany, straight foripurd, the march of intellect, by a hitherto untrodden path : but with our Act of Nnr I Ration for his Pilot, intent on facilitating " Freedom in Traffic," although not to barter away our country's safety, nor to dispense with extending the nursery for Sailom, when so fair an opening presents itself! are jiite lela emi Pro vvitl byt — E lot mar part amc mut I h; witl and tVon M|HaM LETTER T. SIR, My views by this appeal, are directed solely and abstractedly to the interests of this Country, considered in relation to its maritime prosperity, the pre- eminent local or insular position in which Providence has placed it, and combining with it the benefits that ought to be derived by the Ship-ownery and the Navy generally. — During half a century, it has been my lot to be connected with, and engaged in, maritime concerns. 1 have in the greater part of that period, in a manner sojourned amongst the sea- faring classes of the com- munity, and have learned to know them. I have noticed their rise find their decline, with the vicisvsitudes pioluced by Peace and by War : I have received information from men of sterling worth amongst them, toiM'hiruj: thv important benefits Great Bri- ■•.■.-iKiw.-^M-.i ''■T^-^/■«!lr-■•'ST.!!?a:.■i^*^^,.;-rf7ir.l^^Vi^Jl:■■- ^?";ts?ifi^5tc$8r|?fefS55«^: tain lias deriviMl, by the enactment of her Navigation Laws, Thus, as a Citizen and Subject, \ am led to consider it my paramount duty to submit at this juncture, to the best of my slender abilities, the subsequent observa- tions, in the confident hope, that a matter pregnant with the most portentous results, will be taken up by men of real conside- ration. as Me tha upo tha Sys wal It appears to me highly requisite, that persons ought to be consulted who are perfectly conversant and well acquainted with what has been the state and situation of Commerce and Navigation during/ormer intervals of Peace, when all Europe was tranquil ; because the Legislature are now engaged in framing regulations for such a happy state. By far the greater part of mankind, at this time engaged in active life, has grown up under and amidst the " din and horrors of War," and a War too, of tile most uncommon nature, especially I nent of her •ject, I am int duty to best of my It observa- iBt a matter ous results, al conside- Jisite, that I who are acquainted d situation ring/oriwcr urope was •e are now for such a er part of in active midst the War too, especially as it afl'ected Commercial Dealings and Mercantile Transactions : hence it arises, that many well-meaning persons argue hypothetically, from mistaken notions and upon erroneous data, and draw inferences that are totally irreconcilable with a Peace System ! Wooden walls are Britain's walls of brass : '^ None rule the balanced '* world, but they that rule the main." (A) Ships are our castles ; Mariners, and Ma- riners only, are competent to garrison them; but Seamen cannot be procured hy money, like Army Recruits; Sailors must be re- gularly trained ere they pass muster. A redundance of real Seamen will produce another happy consequence — it will obviate the anomaly of Christians impressing their fellow-countrymen when the exigency of the State requires their aid : furthermore, an ample number of Sailors will prevent a recurrence of mischiefs, not to say mislor- tunes, such as took place when Admiral Rodney had to man the ships captured from die French ; also, when Admiral Parker was engaged with the Dutch, on the Dog- 1 .-■— .-^MytM- jaftyf^KT.-^f :rT'T,j>i}.r_v.JN>v>-'r-if'„f, '. cr«c^i*?i'7?'V>.r-..^>;»."*J5iijt*f gerbank ; likewise, when Admiral Howe was obliged to tarry in Torbay, before he could proceed to capture the enemy's fleet of 300 sail of loaded Merchant Ships ; and more recently, when Admiral Nelson had to send home for fresh- water Sailors and Lightermen to man the Danish ships. (H.) But all these are trifles in comparison with other cases; all demonstrating the impe- rious, the absolute necessity that the Le- gislature should seize the opportunity now presenting itself for augmenting the number of Seamen, by fostering the Timber and Deal Trade from our Colonies, in lieu of the Norway Trade, by Norwegian vessels. An exclusion of Norway Ships may pro- mote the welfare of our Ship-Ownery, and render the situation of seafaring men, men that *' plough the main," comfortable, nay, even prosperous. Who that reflects on their perilous calling, their arduous, boisterous life, but must wish to tender them every earthly remuneration for their toil ? Per- haps by the boon alluded to, Ship-Ownery may become most profitable : well, and wh to tra( coi ubi to is strc 9 lira I Howe , before he iemy*s fleet Ships ; and •kelson had bailors and ships. (H.) irison with the impc- U the Le- tunity now he number imber and in lieu of an vessels. may pro- vnery, and men, men able, nay, ts on their boisterous kern every )il ? Per- p-Ownery well, and what of that ? — Is not everv Briton entitled to participate in that trade? Will not all trades hnd a level when left to take their course? (C) Let us first acquire a super- abundance of Sailors, and afterwards resort to measures of counteraction. This, surely, is not the proper time to blink at Naval strength ! Investigate the cause of Ame- rican Ships of War overpowering ours, and it will be found that their crews consisted of a greater portion of able seamen than ours did. Ail naval men will allow, that mental metal is not a slight equivalent for solid ore in sea fights. During the intervals of Peace, both prior and subsequent to the first American War, the Shipping Concerns became excessively depressed ; many Ship-Owners were re- duced to the necessity of disposing of their Ships, and obliged " to go to sea again," nearly pennyless, and at au advanced age ; the business, in fact, fell into a comparative state of penury, for want of profitable em- it _?-' tf'-iifi&t^^rip^mi-f^its^^ -t4it^ 10 ■I ployment ; at the same time, our ports were crowded with Norwegian Ships, bringing nothing but wood ! The average num- ber of cargoes thus furnished by them to Great Britain, was nearly 2600 per annum. Now admitting such a supply had to come from a distance equal to that of our Colo- nies, it would employ about 2000 Ships, manned by 30,000 Sailors ! Reasons such as these must operate to convince the Le- gislature of the insufficiency of the argu- ments brought forward by the advocates for the Norway Shipping interest. Our Rulers, therefore, cannot be too guarded against mis-statements and partial representations, lest the golden opportunity be lost for placing our Naval Power on a more firm and effective footing. We have lived to experience a practical illustration of the kind of assistance we have to rely upon, in time of need, from Foreign Seamen, at Antwerp and elsewhere ! (D) Are we now going to institute or to promote a nursery for Alien Seamen, in preforonce to our own? Pn a«»' 'nwMf'^f- ''IKW«Er»i><«>««M>4 11 ports were ;, bringing rage num- •y them to er annum, id to come our Colo- )00 Ships, isons such e the Le- the argu- /ocates for ur Rulers, d against entations, ! lost for more firm lived to »n of the samen, at I we now a nursery our own? Prudence restrains me from dilating on this question ; but you will know how to apply the hint. Governments are liable to receive wrong and interested information when they re* quire honest statements on Commercial topics : numberless instances have occurred of evidence being tendered from selfish mo- tives, and by the presumptuous. The love of gain too frequently supplants the love for our country, — " Amor Patriae'* merges into p speculation of what may be gained by treating it as a farce ! I ! Lest this should be deemed an invidious insinua- tion, let the following instance of a case be borne in mind: In 1794', Government con- tracted for the delivery of masts at £^ per load, and obtained them at one-third less than others tendered : yet they were after- wards led to approve of a scheme by which another person offered to procure masts, — but were deceived, for they had to pay nearly double that price. (E) f ■l^pptcamtaBw^^r ' p-'-^.\-*t^Hi'miyitiW.-.-iiJx*^^,^.:\ 7*,>jip*^ifl,v iliMliHi liiVi 12 In conclusion, let me add, that one r the wisest men has observed — " Histo?-- " affords ample proof, that in exact propor- '* tion as nations have swerved from insti- " tutions" (like our Act of Navigation) ** by which they had attained wealth and " power, so they have retrogaded and sunk, ** to rise no more !** 't " Felix quern faciunt aliena pericula cautum." \ 'i I ■■ I am, Sir, Yours, &c. J. G. II. 13 lat one r •" Histo^- ict propor- rrom insti- avigation) Teolth and and sunk, lutum.' G. II. I LETTER ir. SIR, Much erudition and skill in arithmetic is being displayed by advocates for the Norway Trade, in order to point out the difference in the price of Norway wood and wood of other countries, with a view to induce a relaxation in the existing duty, &c. &c. Nothing is farther from my pur- pose than to check or thwart a free ingress of all commodities; nothing is more de- lighiful to me than the idea of Free Trade, low duties, and mutual commerce with all the world ! But when I contemplate the utility of a Nursery for Sailors, the strength of our Navy, it appears strange how any honest, thinking Briton can sit down to calculate ihe price, by pounds, shillings and pence, of the value of Britain's bulwark, or, 1 may say, the price of a ship's main- r ,'.'*uirt«i.v«e'twps!tfj.-Ksr#eTtij >t**»«^«>'^J«o^TJhv•'*J(^^*(ti^^r»3S!^|«l^i^>ttl■- lililliB 14 stay, without which no rational being would venture in his bark to sea ! Futile, there- fore, do most of the answers given of late appear, when reflected upon and weighed in a proper scale. But another phantom is conjured up, by way of preventing us from relying on any other safe supply of wood, except from Norway, forsooth, namely, the dry rot — ^yes, the dry rot ! Oh, thou mon- ster, " thou com'st indeed in a questionable " shape!" A thing just as little understood as the theory by which we presume to explain the cause of the heat of the sun I A perfect phenomenon, — an evil against which nothing approaching to a real re- medy has yet been discovered. Ships of war, built entirely of English oak, have become infested by it in less than two years. The oldest men conversant in the Timber Trade, are at a loss to account for it in all woods ; even hard-burnt bricks are found to be subject to its ravages ; yet still some men (according to report) say, " they know all about it/" Away with such indefinite objections, such irrelevant and vjiiiuc calcu- t>-.--^s.:j{„^*»i^)r;'^ ¥ ing would ile, there- en of late [ weighed hantom is g us from of wood, unely, the hou mon- testionable nderstood esume to the sun I 11 against real re- Ships of ak, have wo years. e Timber T it in all re found still some hei/ know indefinite uo calcu- 15 lations, when the Legislature demand solid arguments ai.d substantial proofs for their guidance ! Doubtless, the existing duty on Timber and Deals is enormously high, is too burdensome, and, in point of political economy, is impolitic. Let it be lowered, but without subverting the established mode or rule, and with an eye to the safety and advantage of this country, by a total exclu- sion of Foreign Ships with wood cargoes. Then you will approximate, — then you will embrace that wished-for object — Free Trade. To tax your own Colonial wood, is not, surely, consistent with the spirit or prin- ciple of Free Trade ! A Bounty on wood imported from our own Settlements might, with greater propriety, be required, under existing circumstances ; however, arrange- ments such as would leave the Colonist no ground for discontent, may easily be made when once the Shipping Interest has alrainod its urand dcsidtralion. I "■rv.vrr^'i^i^^ la*- -'* >*tf««*teiJH.^- -aaif^a^ ^ 16 ^•' ^f I-, To meet the objection against our ex- cluding Foreign Ships from participating in the Timber Trade, it should be remem- bered, that the Norwegians do in fact co- vertly shut their ports against our Shipping ; for they allow all Deals loaded upon deck to pass their Customs exempt from duty. Hence their Merchantmen are built with a very deep Waste, capable of stowing nearly one-fourth of the entire cargo above deck, and by that means the Export Duty is evaded, to the amount of from about .£20 to <;63() on each cargo: whereas a British-built flush- decked Ship pays the Impost on the whole cargo; added to which, the Pilotage, &c. are much higher on British Ships : so that, in two or three voyages, a saving of full ^100 accrues to the Norwegian — a sum equal, in time of peace, to the usual profit in that Trade, by British Importers, with the exception of those who can, it seems, afford to monopolize the Traflic, by making advances of c^lO(),()0(), and thus engrossing the Trade, pampering their thirst for wealth, but to ■ -•t«Viet'i*»(i.»«m>*»1(«B;-BiBiri»ifl*W»( 1 -i^i_.,„ ,-i_„i^_ St our ex- irticipating be remem- in fact co- Shipping; upon deck rom duty, uilt with a ing nearly ? deck^ and s evaded, to ^30 on Liilt flush- the whole >tage, &c. : so that, g of full — a sum ual profit ?rs, with it seems, '' making igrossing r wealth. 17 but disregarding the injury tliereby done to others ! n ^ " \V\m can all sense of others' woe escape, " Is h\\\ at host a brute in human shape." If to the number of British Merchant Vessels were added from lOOO to 1500, that useful, numerous, and, in general, merito- rious class of gentlemen, Lieutenants in the Royal Navy, (on half-pay of only about j690 per annum,) would, on i le exclusion of Foreign Ships from the Timber-carrying Trade, become Commanders of such V^es- sels, and tlius render their situation some- what consistent with the rank they bear. Doubtless, the sphere they move in forbids them to accept of inferior employment in the Merchant Service, lest the dignity of the British Navy should thereby be insulted ; yet their continued occupation in nautical pursuits would prove of great national beuelit, by tiicir application during Peace c .■MiV-VrA,>,vq,a iv 18 to a science of such vital importance to | this country. I have the honour to be, Sir, Yours, Sec. J. G. H. 1 i 1i! /•I ■ i-. ^t >ortance to 19 LETTER III. &c. J. G. H. SIR, You remark, that iti my preceding Letters to you, an obscurity per- vades them, which you urge me to avoid, in order that you may become fully informed on a subject of such apparent importance, from a source of much experience : accept my acknowledgments for this mark of your consideration. You will please to call to mind, my Letters are unaided productions, and although emanating from a sense of man's ingratitude, they are well meant to- wards the nation at large. As to experience, it has been, and, no doubt, will ever be ad- mitted, that " Experience will make even '^ fools wise," 1 cannot, therefore, claim merit for what light you derive through me, knowing it to be the result of sad experience ! •|)Al&V> M •» -f-^ lgj^,.,,.f:»;3m''m-Xl^. 20 ^ if n ■. ),■!, >«rill :li You say, I have not (Icfiiud my plan re- garding the Wood Duty : indeed, Sir, I liave not planned any thing of the kind ; I was applied to from a (piarter I wished to oblige, and it was that which has led me thus far, to throw out what observations and remarks I thought it requisite to make. The hints I o\ humble individuals on matters of politica economy, when taken up by Government, are liable to misrepresentation ; perhaps prudence forbids it should be otherwise. On a retrospective view of what I have written to you, it will be found my wishes are uniform, are systematically grounded, on the well-being of the Seafaring Class, yet only so prima facie, because when that portion of Britons are well off, all the rest must participate in the prosperity. I have framed my suggestions under an apprehen- sion that our Legislature were not yet in- clined to listen to an alteration of the existing system of levying the Wood Duty, and thus I was induced to recommend, not to lower, nor to graduate them, much less to repeat what the great Earl of Chatham deprecated with his it nl it \^ viz. I 1 21 ly plan re- Sir, I liave 11(1 ; I was ] to ol)li(TL', thus far, id remarks The liints )f political vcrnment, ; perhaps otherwise, at I have ny wishes uncled, on lass, yet hen that 1 the rest . I have ipprehen- >t yet in- 3 existing and thus lower, nor eat what ted with his dying breath, when he said, '' Though it niiulit not deprive the King of" his crown, it would HMuler it not worth his wearinof," viz. taxing infant Colonies or their \)xo- duce: of course I, with h!imble, though real admiration, for the memory of that illustrious statesman and patriot, cautioned against laying on any duty on Colonial wood, unless it were done upon arithmetical prin- ciples. To accede more nearly to your request, f take leave to state, that since the Ministers are now inclined to swerve from the old sys- tem, respecting the Timber and Deal Duty, and to deviate from that mode which both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox thought admirably ])rojectcd, — let them not do the busi- ness by halueSi or they will run the risk in so doing, of being deemed temporisers in legislating, and perhaps their very advisers will be foremost to deprecate measures which themselves have coverlljj misled their Government to ado})t, having in the mean lime lilK'd tluir pcx'kcts by i)lans origi- I 22 natiiig in cupidity nnil its concomitant crimes. Yes, it would, in my apprehension, be preferable, if, with the proviso of exchiding tlie foreign flags from our ports, when wood- loaded, the existing duty were to be lowered to one-half or even one'lhird, accoup mied, as I have already said, with pio'^icr guards and protection for British wr'f'arc and secu- rity in all its ramificUion- . Such, in fact, it is the bounden duty ot the Legislature to attend to, without favour or alTection to for- mer acquaintance; or, if you please, without regret at the annihilation of fettered and restricted Commerce. I have the honour to be, Sir, Yours, J. C. H. S^-iiHS'S;/,'?* ?:^: hen wood- )e lowered mpmied, 'c. iiuards and secu- 1, in fact, islature to ion to for- J, without tered and C. Ji. 23 LETTER IV. SIR, 1 lose no time in most rea- dily complying with your reqiust, that I would give my opinion on the sad effect said to have been produced in Norway, in consc(|uenceof our high, and, in yourmind, prohibitory duty on Timber and Deals. You are already informed that I, too, deprecate enormous duties; believe me Iso when I say, I sympathise with the Norwegian nation in their present distressed state. Several of the persons you mention are well known to me, and you do them only justice by your remarks concerning them ; yet you too, do not step beyond the bound> of what is allowed to be the first law ot nature, self-preservation ; nor do you dispute the truth of that maxim, " Salus pop'ili, su- prema est lex." Thus, then, w» ar< again l)Oth ai;recd. i |«;^?|a'^)&;;i^ M 24 To avoid prolixity in oli'ering you the answer you desire, allow me to address you as if you were a citizen of Norway, or re- presenting- the Norwegians at larg(\ " My friends, You are indeed become the victims to a furiously procrastinated war; you have sustained pjreat and severe trials, and you are still suffering from the wounds you received ; but look around on all Eu- rope, and forbear complaining! J? " Discard your plans for creating anew a nursery for your Navy ; you know that the great Maritime l^owers can blockade your sea-ports, can prevent your receiving neces- sary supplies of food, &c. Admitting, for argument's sake, that you were to lose en- tirely/ your ex{)ort of wood to Great Britain, may you not console yourselves by throw- ing aside the axe, and grasping the plough in its stead ; by ( mploying your labourers in the cultivation of your numerous fertile valleys; in short, by sedulously attending to agricultural pursuits, and improving both ife'!?- «'«' ■'l-'-^r.-oSft r^ 25 lyou the livss you ['-, or rc- ome the ocl war ; 're trials, wounds |i all £u- ^' anew a that the ifle your ig" iicces- tting, for lose €71- iiritaiii, Y throw- plough ihourers s fertile tending ug hotli youi? arable and pasture lands ? Quidnuncs may deride these notions as misapplied when speaking o^ Norway as an agricultural country ; hut your landed interest will not laugh at it. To those, however, who are disjiosed to do so, 1 say, * Per risuni multum, ' Debes cognoscere stultura ;' and proceed to remark, that when 3'ou have secured toyourselves, and within your own territory, a sufficient growth and an abundant supply of the staff of life, you may avoid sending all the ' oney you can raise by the saleof your wood, to buy bread with in Pomerania ; you may discontinue an improvident trade, which only serves to pamper proud foreigners, from whom, in return, you require nothing necessarily, but what by your energies might be had among yourselves, or, at least, may be bartered for elsewhere. Commerce, to be profitable, must consist in barter^ and that too in di- rect, ratlier than in indirect exchange. D ■I I 'I '•.f 2Cy " Your romitrv is fortified l)V nature witli peculiar care ; ramparts surround you which afford you shelter, and insure you peaceful homes; you cannot easily be as- sailed from without, on either side; much less likely is it, that hostile bands can march through your country to lay it waste. But should they dare to trespass and attack you, you have iron, you have hands and arms to wield that metal in your defence, and we know that you have hearts to sustain defensive warfare when compelled to it. Thank God, that, as Christians, the former warlike spirit, or rather lust for conquest, possCvSsed by your ancestors, has subsided ; but ages spent by you in cultivating the peaceful arts of life hav(^ not sufficed to obliterate the stain with which your forefathers dyed themselves by their thirst after inordinate power and plunder. Once more permit me to advert to your apprehensions on the score of (jireat Britain's arrauLicmcnt for the Wood Trade. •1 I 4 He? ma i|ifcie.- Hl'tri'asnu loilic Slate'. ^2 (E) The liian who fulfilled his (.^ontract for a specified quantity of Musts, &:c. for jt'200,000, and at .€10(),0(M) below the tenders of all others, was supplanted, ruined, and degraded ; and he who pretended to do the business on more advantage- ous terms, but proved mistaken by about Cent, per Cent., charged for his trouble ,£60,000 as agency, &c.! ! ! How chagrined must a high-minded, upright Administration feel on discovering such turpitude on the part of their advisi^rs ! How necessary, then, the eaution against receiving evidence in matters where the interest of individuals and that of the country are interwoven ! '} < CiKouoE SMAi.LHRi.n, I'n'iifcr, Harhwii. "■'^T^ysa si'** ' "»■« - I "--,-.. ■^"^f-emr^^