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Un dea aymboiae suivanta apparattra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Mapa, piatea, chatta, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratioa. Those too large to be entirely included in one expoaura are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many framea aa required. The following diagrams illuatrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., (isuvent Atre filmAs A des taux da rAduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un saul clichA, 11 eat f limA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut an baa, en prenant la nombre d'imagea nAceasaira. Laa diagrammes suivants iliustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 i- V , ! i. • 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ; CONSIDERATIONS O N T H B PRESENT SITUATION O P GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WITH A VIEW TO THEIR FUTURE COMMERCIAL CONNEXIONS. CONTAINING Remarks upon the Pamphlet publilhcU by Lord Shp.ffield, cntltli-d, " Obfervations on the Commca-." of the American States ;" and ally on the A4t of Navigation, (a far as it relates to thofe States. Intcr- fjierfed with fomcObfcrvatlons upon the Statf of Canada, Nova Stotia, and the Filherics ; and upon the Connexion of the \Vvl\ Inili«*'> with America: Togfther wiih various Accounts, ncccflary to Ihcw the State of the Trade and Shipping of both Countries. THE SECOND EDITION, WITH GREAT ADDITIONS, TO WHICH IS NOW FIRST AonF.ri, The Plan of an Ad\ of Parliament for the Eftablilhinent and Regulation of our Trade with the American States. R ALSO; A F A E, Containing Remarks upon the Authorities on which Loko Shi^f field has formed thi- principal Fart of his Ohfervations. By RICHARD CHAMPION, Eso. *ATE DEFUTY PAYMASTER CENEHAL OF HIS MAJESTV'j FORCES. rffermt In mare le nni Flut^us ' ! quid agii .' fortiter occupa For turn • tu, iii/i vfntis Debcs ludibriutHf cave. H o R. LONDON; PRINTED FOR JOHN STOC KD ALE, O P P O SITE BURLINGTON-HOUSE, PICCADILLY. MDCCLXXXIV. * V » U 1 '^ If ^ ^ : ^ r. f a «) « . ! ^■•*,1^: —- ■■iiii«iiii*9-«ii*«»^ >!».t«w~. ■ f\ .3Tf 0',^.:/. PREFACE. t; •?! u >-• THE t'adls which arc given to the World in the courlc ot this Work, are of the mod public notoriety. The eflicicncy of iheni is the proper, and the only neccflliry fupport; A Name of Confequcnce might give them brilliancy, but could not add to their o.vn great and internal ftrcngth. A Name, therefore, without that Confeqiicnce^ will noc be productive of any benefit to them. Under this imprcflion, the Author would certainly have again omitted his Name to this, as he did to the former Edition, had not other reafons been urgent with him to the contrary. Thefe were fuggeflcd, by obferving in Lord ShefTicld'^ Treatife ujwn the Commerce of the American States, a firange perverfion of his Arguments, falfc dcdudtions drawn from them, and even his words mif(iuoted. Compelled, therefore, • t9 [ iv ] to bring forward his Name to the Public, in defence of his Opinions, he fubmits to the neceffity with humility and deference. . Whenever a Perfon is pofleflcd of material information on any National Objedt, it is a duty which he owes to the Public, to com- municate it to them. At this great and folemn period, when the moft important Revolution perhaps ever known, has juft pafled ; and under circum(^ances which, during their operation, menaced us in the mod alarming manner, it would be a criminal negligence to with-hold any knowledge that might contribute to the happy fettlemcnt of our future connexions with the States of America; a fcttlcment upon which our own welfare in fo great a meafure depends. The Author is charged in general terms, by Lord Sheffield, in page 7th of the Preface to the Obfervations which he has publiihed| with arguing, that " the American States, " although now Foreign, ought to be indulged " with [ V ] " with nearly all the Commercial Privileges ** and immunities which they enjoyed whilft ** Britifh Subjefts — that, in return, they will ** fupply our Weft India Iflands with Provi- *' fions, &c. and take from them Sugar, Rum,** &c* As far as the Author can comprehend this charge, it appears to be founded upon certain Facts, offenfive to the noble Writer, though fupported in general by our Commer- cial Intereft, and in particular by a very great: and refpe^ablc part of it, tho Weft India Mer- chants and Planters. Speaking then generally to it, th(* Author fully admits the charge, and is prepared tO juftify the principle, upon this ground ; that the nearer approach we make to the renewal of thofe connexions, upon which the grandeur of our Empire was founded, the nearer approach we Ihall make to a Reftoration of the ftate from which it has fallen. But the Author never aflerted, what the noble Lord is pleafed to aflert for him, in the next page, viz. that the Americans " will become our fhip-builders, *' we being unable to build Ihips, and to " Curry for ourfclves, but at an intolerable a z « lofs," [ vi j ** lofs." The Author aflcTtcd only, aiul hf? rtlll aflcrts, that the Incorporation of American Ship- ping amongft ours, has been found, by long ex- perience, to be of eflential Jcrvice to our Navi- gation ; and that the continuation of thia prac- tice in future, in order to fupply the deficiencies, which we cannot procure to ec^ual advantage elfevvhere, will be the only means of prefervini; the Carrying Trade. • ; • ^f • » li The noble Lord further adds (fpcaking of this Work) ** that this farther advantage is held out to us, that the Americans will take our i( cc Manufadlurcs, when they cannot get the ** fame articles cheaper, better, and on longer *' credit, elfcwhcrc." It is not .furcly a very inconfidcrabic advantage to have the preference of the cudom of any Nation, when that Nation th. can procure them on cq places. The doctrinal il ne terms from other Creed of a Man of Bufi- fs is, to make his nurchafes m th e cliea pe ft markets, and u po n th» befi terms. And if America gives us the preference of purchafe, her conncxioii is benelicial to us. Bur, the Audior [ vii J Author is of opinion, jiHlj;ing from tho difpofitions of iliofc States upon the Peace to trade with us, that, with proper encourage- ment on our parts, their Commerce would, ahiioll exclufively, have fallen into our hands. In the faiue Preface to this lad Edition of theObfervations on the Commerce of the Ame- rican States, the noble EortI appears to be very inattentive to the Work that he undertook to criticifej For he has imputed words to the Author which arc not to be found in his Work. Of thefe inftanccs the following are p irticu- larly material. J.ord Sheffield, f])e.;king of the former luiition of thefe Confuk rations, has thefe words ; *' The article relative to Ame- " rican Ihipping, is the mod extraordinary of ^' the whole ; he fays, 398,000 tons were em- " ployed in the Commerce between Great " Britain and America, cxclufive of the Trade " between the latter and the Weft Indies. The.. ** Author may eafily learn, that not iio,aoo " tons were at any time employed in that " Commerce.*' — In this obfervation, the paf- a 3 fagc 4 C viii ] fagc it refers to is wholly miftakcn, and mir. quotcd. This appears by a reference to page 23 of the firft, and 32 of the prefcnt Edition of thcfe Confiderations, in which will be found the words which Lord Sheffield has fo mif- quoted, viz. •* The American fliipping cm- ** ployed in the Commerce of Great Britain ** (cxclufive of the Trade between America ** and the Weft Indies) at the commencement ** of the American War, was 398,000 tons.-* The noble Lord is the lefs excufablc for this miftake, as in page 24 of the firft, and 33 of the prcfent Edition, a diftindion is made, in order to prevent " the confounding them with " thofe ihips which carried on the Trade bc- ** tween this Country and America." The Author will give the beft anfwcr in his power to the noble Lord's complaint, which he makes in fuch loofe terms in page 7 of the Preface to the laft Edition of his Obfcr- vations. This complaint is that " of 150 pages ** of this Work being filled with calculations ** and aflertions, hazarded in the fame manner, *'' without apparent authority." In the fird Edition, 1 c •■« ] Edition, the Author faid, that the account of the (hips employed in the Commcfcc of Great Britain, was taken ** from a^ual furvc) s of " the (hipping, and from evidence and papers " laid before Parliament;" and, in another ]>lace, that " there not being the fame regu- ** larity in furvcying the Trading vcflcls of ** that Country (America) as is pradtifcd in ** Great Britain, and the Cuftom-houfe Books " not diftinguifliing the voyages which each fhip •* made in the year, it is not poflTible to give " fo very exadt an account. But good infor- " mation, collected with care, and compared ** with the produce of the different States, <« very fu!ly fupplies the deficiency." So far, therefore, the Author was not deficient in giving Authorities. Some indifputable, others the befl that could be procured. But as the noble Lord feems defirous of yet more parti- cular ones, and r.s, from his having miflaken what the Author has faid upon the fubjed, it may be fuppofed, that he is not acquainted with that furvey of our fhipping from which the be ft information is to be derived, the Au- thor now informs him, that the account of our a 4 Ihip C X ] fliipplng, is taken from adual fiirvcys, con-r tinually making, of the vcflcls trading to and from the different Ports of Great Britain. They contain the lhip*s name, that of the Mafltrs, the place and the year in which jlic was built, the tonnage, the voyage which Ihc has made, and the port in which ihc was furveyed. From this adbjal furvcy, the Author aflcvtcd, that at the commencement of the American War, there were, as nearly as could be afccr- taincd, 398,000 tons of fnipping, of the built of the Countries now compofinp; the United Sates, emplo}'ed in the general Commerce of Great Britain. * , , In all that concerns the jr^neral principles of our Colonial Commerce, the Autlior !:as fol- lowed the opinions of Mr. Burke, v.'hofc great and comprchenfiv^ knowledge of thr.r fu!)j.'Cl: lias produced an habitual deference to it. In tlic particular, as well as general ixuis, he has paid the flrit^eft attention to tliofe of >.Ir. Glover, *■ The Wtil Innia Planters rrnl Mor.-hnnt"; h.T/r t?;!vc!-; an acconnr to tl.e fame purport, ami from the fame aul'.iority. It is not the exaft num- l-er of ihjp'^, becanfe tlu' extrads were not pvi!>ali!v ma.Jo at i\\c fume iclt-ntical prr^nc!, tl.e Books beinp; corrciltd t il f r vmklv, or every foit- ni(i,Iit ; u!un t'li- n>.inil)cr of I'nips vprv. T,\c Aolaor'u extract wM made fiom t'.i- C.ck ilatc.i 177; ai.tl 177^. XI 1 J t Glover, whofc judicious and accurate accounts of the flate of the fcvcral branches of our Trade, formed upon long habits of experience, liave been ever confidcred as of the higheft authority. In the Weft India Trade, he has looked upon the late Mr. Ellis of Jamaica, and the late Mr. W'^alker, Agent for Barbadoes, as polTcfled of the beljt prad:ical knowledge of it. Thefe Gentlemen gave an intereftlng and cxadt detail in the year 1775, to the Houfc of Commons, which was fummed up in the moft marterly manner by Mr. Glover, The tefli- monics of thefc Gentlemen have been fupported by Mr. Edwards, whofc equally good prad:ical information and judicious fentiments on the fubjcd:, given by him to the World in a Pamphlet lately publifhed, fully confirms thofe of the Author of thefe Confiderations. I .n |r. The account of the Exportation of Sugar from the Weil Indies to America, which the noble Lord ftatcs to be very erroneous, was taken from Mr. Walker, whofc ir.formation has been generally admitted to be very cor- real. In this inftance, hoAcver, he appears to have [ xii ] have exceeded the real ex[>ort, owing probably, to his either confidering the whole confumption of brown fugar in America as being the produce of our Weft India Illands, or mcluding the refined fugar font there from England. But there certainly was a great part of the fugar imported into that Country of French, and other Foreign produdtion. The account, there- fore, as it has been f:ated, may be too much. But the real quantity cannot be obtained ; nor indeed is it of any great confequcnce. The Tables given by the noble Lord, (late tint of Foreign at about 4,000, and the Biitilli at about 7,500 hogiheads, at 1000 pounds neat weight to each hogihead ; which is, on an average, of each hogftjcad, not fufficient. Mr. Edwards, who has taken great trouble in attempting to difcovcr the quantity, gives it at fiill lefs ; but at the fame time he mentions the impoffibiliiy of getting proper informa- tion from the Cuftom-houfc. The difference \n opinion, of perfons other wife well informed in the Trade, between our Wefl India Iflands ^nd North America, has been very great. About [ xni ] About 8,000 hogfheadsfeems ncafeft "he truth. After all, if we can carry on our Weft Indb Trade with Aitierica, by bartering the Commo- dities of thofe States for our produce, inftead of paying in fpecie, it is immaterial what the exaft cjuantity is; for it mud be merely li^cculative. In the accounts of the Fiflicries, the Produce and Navigation of America, the Filhery of Newfoundland, and the State of Canada and Nova-Scotia, the Author has had ample and €xa(5t details, from thofe pra(ftically concerned in them for a long coui fe of years. He has alfo availed himfelf of the knowledge of Mr. Wat- fon, the prcfenc Member for London, who laid a very well formed and accurate account of the American Filhery in 1 764, before the Houfe ^f Commons ; from which time, to the com- mencement of the War, it wonderfully in- creafed. To thefe authorities may be added, a perfonal experience of above twenty years, during which time, the Author has had many and various accounts of the ftate of the Ame- rican Trade ; and by which means he has been C -^iv ] been able to combine the Icveral materials of which they were compofed. Thefe he arranged during the lafl Summer, with a view of throw- ing every poffible light upon a fubjeCl: of fuch importance to the Commercial Interells and Naval Power of this kingdom ; and which was then foon expected to become the ohjcil of Parliamentary Inquiry and Deliberation. i< The Author havinrr thus p-iven his own au- thoritics, will next take the liberty to fay a few words upon thofe of the noble Lord. They will be confined to his j)ublic authorities. His private ones, upon whofo information many parts of his Obfervations are founded, are of various kinds. Irt fome, great knowledge is difplayed, but fo much involved in hauteur and felf-futficiency, that they defeat their own purpofe. But for others, all that can be faid is, that the noble Lord (he has too much good fenfe, informalion, and humanit\-, to have formed fuch opinions from himilif), defeives r"reat compaffion for having fall-jn into the hands of the pcrfons who have thus dccciwid him. ' The [ XV ] The public authorities appear chiefly to be accounts of the Cuftom-houfe of Bollon, all which the Author muft confuler to be of little or no authority. If the noble Lord dcfircs a rcafon for his rcfufing to give credit to them, he will firft fay, that independently of its cfta- blillimenr, in oppofition to the fenfe of that whole Continent, alonK with his own knowledp-e of the general pradliee in all Cuftom-houfcs, refpcdling thofe goods which do not pay duty, he has only to quote the noble Lord's own words, pngc ii6 of the Obfervations, where he fa} s, *' It may *' be here obfervcd, that no very accurate idea *' can be formed of the imports of Anicriea, *' where the article was liable to high duties; '' affbrdino: a temiitatioii to the imiio-plcr. *' The extent of moft of the ports, or rivers '' leadinfj; to norts, afibrdinci; almofi: an unin- *' tcrrupted opportunity, where the inhabitants *' were univerfally oppofcd to Britilh Laws *' and Regulations." And in page 44, fpcaking of a clandciline trade he favs, *' Throup-h the " relaxed ftate of the Executive Powers of the '' BritiHi Governmciit in America, and ilie un- i . - -^ ■ 793 tar 87,561 turpentine 41,7-9 In the General Table Exported. Barrels. Exported in 1770 pitch 9;I44 tar 8i,4J» turpentine 17,014 Moil of the» other articles in the Tables as ma- terially differ. The 1 Ex- ;a, for ■ilurc, ables, rvhicli '' f his ed in - man- utho- ce to bles ; 1 the year f the . from elate in- srted. arrcls. 9>J44 7,014 ma- The [ XXV ] The Tables of the Imports and Exports of this country, fr'onl 1770 to 17S0, indcpcndcntl/ bf the general inacCurac\ , for the realons which have been addiiced, are not corredly givcrl, cdnfidering them as comparative only. They cannot be a ptoper ftate of the American Trade, iince they take in fix years of the v.ar ; whcii the regular fu(')plieS were Hopped, and thofc goods that were admitted, were carried clan- dellinely into the counthy, from the places in oiir poffeffion. Nor have the General Accounts any agreement with Mr. Chalmers, (whorri the noble Lord quotes) who has, in his EHimate of the Comparative Strength of Britain, given fimilar Tables ; and who ap- pears to have taken great pains to collcdt information. The value of the Exports to Africa, North America, and the Weft Indies, as cllimated by Mr. Burke and Mr. Glover, iii the account of the former, amounts to 0,024,000!. in that of the latter, to 5,900,0001, which is in Cffcdt the farne. Lord Sheffield makes the i^mount of all the Exports to thefe places to be Cindet 4,ooo,oool., a difference of no lefs than 2,0CDjGool. per annum. The noble Lord ap» b 4 pcuisj [ xxvi ] pears to be equally inaccurate in his aflcrtion, that our Foreign Trade has increafed within this century in an equal proportion to our Colonial. According to the accounts of the great autho- rities which have been produced, the Colonial Trade has increafed to twelve times its firft va- lue, within that period ; that is, from about 500,000!. to about 6,ooo,oool. a year ; being nearly equal to the whole Export Trade of Eng- land at the time of its commencement ; whilft, according to the fame authorities, our Foreign Trade has not increafed more than one-half of its then value. The Public will decide upon the difference of fuch opinions, and the weight of their authorities. The Author finds himfelfvery difagreeably fituated, in being thus reduced to the neceflity of making remarks with fuch freedom, upon the Obfervations of the noble Lord ; efpecially as feveral parts of them are replete with ufeful in- formation, and appear to have been the refult of much labour, and a confiderable knowledge of many branches of our trade. It would give him much c C t \. [ xvvii ] much concern, if he Ihould find that any ex- nrcflions which he has ufed, are conftrucd into a want of that perfonal refpeift which he is very defirous of paying to the noble Lord. He fnould have been much more fatisficd to have waited patiently for the judge- ment of that Public, to which both the Obfcrvations of the noble Lord, and the Confiderations of the Author, were fgbmitted. They were both written upon a fubjedt of great importance ; and the principles of each open to- invclligation. But the Author having been, in the Preface to the 1 aft Edition of Lord Shef- field's work, feverely attacked, and afiertions (certainly through inattention in the noble Lord) alledged to be made by him, which arc not to. be found in his Work ; he conceives hinifclf called upon, firft to juftify himfclf from this particular miftaken charge ; and next to make ufe of every proper means to difcufs opinions of fuch great and momentous coaeern to the future welfare of the Public. . . He has made very few remarks upon the particular parts of the American produce, or of [ xiiviii ] of fome kinds of our manufadturcs, which Lord Sheffield has treated upon, and in which he has been greatly mifinformed ; fearing that it would fWcU this Work to too great a fize. It is al- ready larger than he wifhed. He therefore re- ferves himfelf for a further difcuflion of thefe fubjeds. ' • ' ' 'The Author will now conclude in a few vvords. He has taken great pains to procure ihformation of our Colonial Trade during a period of twenty years; both by corrcfpondencc, and frequent converfation with many perfons deeply and extenfively concerned in it. The various accounts which he has thus perfonally collefted, he has carefully compared with the befl authorities in this country, and has found no difference upon any material points. HavinpJ therefore the fatisfadtion to find them thus ge- nerally- confirmed, he cannot have a doubt, hut that the feveral accounts, as they are given with fidelity, will be found as correct, as the nature of the fubjcdt will poflibly admit. A'".' CON. ^n CONTENTS. PREFACE T> EMARKS upon Lord Sheffield's quotations from the Author - - Iw Authorities upon which the Confidcrutions are founded — — viti Remarks upon thofe of Lord Sheffield - xiv upon the tonnage of fliips given hy Lord Sheffield - - .-- - ' . ^^ upon the value of the Exports in the Tables of Lord Sheffield ^ • xxt CONSIDERATIONS. - IntroducTlion . . *«• ,, t ri, mp* r ^ Obfervations upon the Act of Navigation / - Z Account of fliips employed in our Commerce before the War — • ^ -«-- • •; 20 fmce the War ' — — Neceffity of admitting American lliips — Calculation of the difference of Expence be- tween Britifh and American fliips '' •— Tonnage of American fhips employed in our Commerce — * " — Increafed charge upon our Trade, if their fliips are not employed — — Shipping employed in the American Commerce before the ^Var — — Danger of iofing our Seamen — — 22 24 •^> On the Carrying Trade '— 28 33 33 34 37 39 State [ XXX ] State of Agriculture in Great Britain before, and fince the War — — View of out Colonial Commerce On the Export Trade — — Enumeration of Manufactures in which Great Britain has the preference in quality American Manufactures — - — - Bounties on Goods exported Produce of America — — Value of produce and amount of ihipping em- ployed -— —- ■"- Ships for fale Fiftieries — - — — " Furs — — Naval btores Lumber and Staves and Deer (kins Wood ufed in Cabinet, Joiner, and Block- maker's trades Wheat and Flour and Flax (eed Tobacco, and obfervations on makiftg this Country an Entrepot — — Obfervations on the Cuftom-houfe Further obfervations on making tliris Country an Entrepot Rice imported into Portugal 4i 48 6a 61 63 69 72 73 76 8r 83 89 90 9£ 91 97 103 104 intoGteat Britain as an Entrepot 106 State of Canada Fifheries of Nantucketan 228 Refcntment of America fubfiding at the Peace 229 abating towards Refugees 230 231 232 A<5^s of Sputh Carolina — — Settlement of Popular States difficult A6>3 foi- veiling Commercial Regulations, and the Trade wUh the Britilh Well Indies, in Congrefs — -^ 234 Piforders in America, of no benefit to Great Britain — — 235 Opinion upon the Divifion of America into three great $tates ' — 236 Reflexions upon the condufl of this Country 244 upon America's robbing us of the Export Trade of Corn ' — of Ship-building — upon the Debts of Virginia being the caufeof the War -t — 247 248 249 249 — upon the Piratical States — -- upon the want of Courage inAmerica 252 — upon a few Frigates being fufficient to deflrov their Trade V -- upon retaining PafTamaquaddy Zleflexions upon the Boundaries to the Well- ward, upon the future probable flate of the interiour Country Trade of America reverted to its old Channel at the Peace -•- — -' 253 255 255 261 Tlie m [ xxxiv 3 The fooner wc fettle the Trade, the greater the advantage • "-^ ••- The Treaty of Commerce fhould not be delayed 'France is fccuring the Trade and afFe6Vions of America — - --- An Acl of Parliament neceflary "No danger of Emigration to the injury of Great Britain ' — — The Author's views in thefc Confiderations, and Cpnclufion — r-- — APPENDIX. Clwfes in the Plan of an A61 of Parliament relative to fliipping — — ' Goods entered ^nward, with the duties ccrmputed-^pmi them ^, •• -. Goods entered outwards — the Trade between America and the Well Indies Mh ERRATA. -71, — - 74» - 87, -8S, ■113, ■I 14, -171, ■ -172, -17c, -199, 20, 9. i> 16, 9» 9. 0, S, W O R For the feait, For rwo Hfchs, Df/e flax. For ot hcrwifc, For luraiicrs, For iTirntjonec!, hor pricf, Fcr ')•:, Dtle comma. For fhij), A P P E K. read theft" are, read three fifths. read othcrwife. read 'lumber. r'ad mfntinn^. read ]iritt-s. reiid are. ;<""/ fhips. N D I X. rinnfi- ri, Mne 11, For or, read and. "^oU'toi;, Line 7, >or indi'pemlcnt, icad inJ('|HncleatIy. I'.iC'.c I5> Inlert 5.. ; , C 23 ) The foregoing account proves, in the firft place, that if at this time, American built fhips arc confulered as foreign, fhips of that defcrlption are almoft equal in numhcr to thofe Britifli built ; forming icven parts in fifteen, or nearly one half of the (hipping employed in the Com- merce of Great Britain, after proper al- lowance is made for the prizes taken by us, to fupply tlie places of thofe taken by the enemy. And next, that although for the want of fupply, the American fhips were reduced more than one half, yet that the deficiency was not fupplied by Britifh fhips, but by velTels foreign built, of which the Northern Nations fupplied the far greater number ; and fo conliderable was the increafe of foreign bottoms, that even Flanders, Portugal, and the Italian States, whofe whole joint flock before the war amounted to about a dozen fhips, fupplied almoft four hundred. C ^ This 3M. I ll'l iWii ( 24 ) This view of the ftate of our (hipping, points out to us the necefTity of endea- vouring to convince thofe of their errors, who are for cafting away our former Co- lonial Commerce with a marked dlfdain ; left the eftahUfhment of uich prefumptuous opinions fhould he the means of its being loft to us, and with it every hope of our regaining the Carrying Trade. Ame- rica was always able to fupply us with ftiips thirty per cent, cheaper than they could be built in Great Britain, even with the difadvantage of having tlie cordage, fails, and ftores, exported from hence.* Cargoes of goods were often fent out in barter for ftilps ; which, as well as fliips built for falc, making a freight home, the purchafe could be made on ftill clieaper terms bv the Britlfli Merchant. This ad- vantage * In New England, ihe fhlp-biiilders will now contraa for building fliips at 3I. fterling per ten, including the joiner's work. In the River Thames the price is 9I. per ton, for the carpenter's work only. Dhig, idea- ■M Tors, f •Co- 1 iain ; 1 tuous 1 being f our Ame- with they with 'dage, nee. * DUt in fliips e, the leaper is ad- \ntage ill now )er ten, i'hanies s work ( ai ) Vantage in purchale enabled our Mer- chants to trade i[pon a lefs capital ; of courfe iuhjec^ to Icfs infurance and intc- rcft of nioney. Not only all the purpofes of o'.]r own Commerce, but thoi^ of the Carrying Trade, were fully anfwered. — They were alfo frequently purchafed in England by foreign nations ; a circum- flance which feenis to have efcapcd the notice of the noble Author, as he dwells much upon the impollibility of the iXme- ricans difpofing of their fliips to any other nation than Great Britain ; and, (which h yet more aflonifhing, and rauft Ix' attri- buted to inattention, as in other parts of his works he is of opinion, that our remain- ing Colonies fhould not be permitted to build veffels exceeding fifty or fixty tons) that fhip-building will increafe fo fafl in Canada and Nova Scotia as to leflen, and nltimatcly to deflroy that buiinefs in the United States. The hazarding fuch alfertions is very mifchievous to thofc C 4 w^ho ( ?6 ) who arc not converfant with thefc Colo-r nies ; as it holds out a very fallacious idea of their fituation, and exhibits an imaginary profpedl, which can never be realifed ; To men of knowledge and infor- mation of the State of Canada and Nova Scotia, they carry fo much improbability with them on the fuft view, that they fufiiciently refute themfclvcs. TiyL prefent queftion is, how to fup- ply the deficiency which the want of American fliipping will create, without lofs ? The mere deficiency may be fup- plied : We may purchafe foreign fhips, though on bad terms. But the dearnels 6 of Brltifh built (liips (the price havin increafed from five and fix pounds to nine pounds per ton, for the carpenter's work, within a few years, and a certainty of its being ftill higher, if there fliould be an additional demand) will, if we are con- fined ( =^7 ) lined to them, eftectually dcp-lvc us of the Carryin-" Trade, and greatly enhance the prices of bulkhng our (hips of war. It may be ohjccled, that although Brlllfli fhlps ar6 dearer, they are better, and will Jail much longer. Merchahts of great ca- pital, and regular trade, do not regard this additional expence ; for in general they con- trive to hold as fmall a fliarcln the (hipping as they can, dividing the property amongll their tradefmen, who make themfelves amends by being employed in the repairs. The inhabitants of the Northern Ports of Great Britain, are tlie only people who make Britifli built fliips a profit ; and this is owing to their frugality both in building and (iiiling their veffels. The general purpofes of Commerce are dired- ed very differently in our times, from what they were in former days, when the wliole was in the hands of a few rich men, and accordingly i--^ ( ^8 ) accordingly proLlueed inHncii^ profif;?. The CLipitals of ov.r jNIcrcI rants at prefen? arc no w:iv:i proportioned to the trade which is carried on. But credit fuppiics the place ([/f cnpital, ^nd the profit, hy hc- iiig nvovt diffijfed, becomnig Icfs to the individual, it is ncccliiiry to reduce, as low as t!ic fc\c]T.J branches of onr Trade will sdaiit*, the rrmounr of the iiioncv t niployed ill rlicm. — The Icfs that is, the lefs will the iiitcrtfl and infurancc be npon h, and tlie gain or lofs be propordoiiatc. The very i^vi-ng- of intereft and irJnrance, in the ttourfe of ci few^ years, will much more chan compenf Jte for the diiterencc in rood- !!ie'rs of the veifels. The ibllowing in- fuance will illnflrate this aiTcrtion. * A BiklFa 11. tp of 100 tons, will coll. £. s. d, tu tV.a — — loO'^ o o Larry over /^-IjSCO o o *• 1 3I. per ten, is a very moderate calculation, appli- iAAc only to the. chcapefc building ports. A llivcr buUt 2 ^p vvoulucod much more. \ ( 29 ) Brought forward Intcreft of money per annum - ^-^S ^ ^ Infurance about fix pounds per cent, per annum - 78 o o 1,300 o o I'HZ 00 Which, together with intereft upon it for ten years, will amount to 1,799 ^5 ^ Suppofmg the fliip, at the end of that time, to fell for There wiU remain — £•3.099 ^S o 599 15 o ;f.2,500 o o A Britifh plantation fiiip of 100 tons, purchafed in England, will coft to fea — Intereft of money per annum - £.^0 o O Infurance at the fame rate as the !Britifh fliip — 48 o o 800 o O Carry over ^^.88 o o ;f .800 o ( 30 } "BroTi^ht forwnrtl 88 o o 800 o o Wuich, tofjctlicr with iiitereft upon it fur ten y-nrs, will amount to 1,105 '' ^ ;f. 1,905 II o Stippormg the (liip, at rhe end of that time, to fiill for only IC: II. o There win remain ^.1,800 o o As the fi\.^glits will be equal in both vcficis, whith the charge of fittiiig out o!i the difkreiit voyages is ruppoicd alfo to be, the calculation is rnadj iipou the firil cofi, the iiitcrefl: of inonej^ the in fa ranco, and tlic addition of intcreil; upon thefe charges, which is always included in mer- cantile tranfaclions. Thediflerence, there- fore, of cxpcnce, between a BritiHi and an American built veffel, will not, in the courfc courfc of ten years, be lcfi> than 700I. * upon {<) fmall a capital. If there is any error in this calculation, it is in favour of the Britllh flilp: For, if an account is kept cf each veflel, fuppollng the fanne certain freight made, and the fame cer- tain outfet paid by each, and interefl: of money, and infurancc is calculated, the American Ihip will cl^ar herfclf in fix years; whilll: the Britifli (Lip will not ac- complifli it in lefs than ten, and much longer, if a River-built fhip; (the value of ' each being confidered at the llvcral pe- riods as flated above ;) whicli will leave a flill more confiderahle balance than the above 700I. in favour of the American (iiip. Every man verfed in mercantile af- fairs will fee the truth of thele obferva- tions. Some * This difference in a River built fliip, would Lc fcvcral hundred pounds ii;ore. ■m ( 3^ ) Some objccflloiis may be mntlc, by tliofo who have Iiad tUo misfortiiiic to meet with a New Eiighiiul ih\[>, badly built, rgaiiifl: the fuppofal equal charge of tit- tiiig out. '^rhe Merchants, in general, find very little dilllrencc, particularly in (hips of the Middle and Southern States, whenever they fall into the Ihip carpen- ter's hands. But to guard againfl fuch cafual inftances, the calculations are not only made for the iirfl ten years, when (hips (except in cafes of accident) are lia- ble to few other than common repairs ; but the Britifh veflcl is fuppofed to be capable of fervice, and is valued at nearly half the original coft, whilfl: the Ameri- can fhip is confidered as not fit to be fent longer to fea, and is valued at no more than fhe will fell for to break up. To carry this comparifon yet farther — The American fhipping employed in the (" oiimerce ( 33 ) Commerce of ( I ivat J5iitaiii (cxclufive of the- tiVidc lx;t\vccn Amcrlc.i aiul the Wcil- luilic"..) at tlic comniciicciiK lit of the Ainc- ilcaii war, was 398,000 tuns, which, ^t the niotltrare calcuhitioa of i ^h per ton, will coil — jC'5'^74''"^^ ^Sh per ton — 3,184,000 -Making a diriercacc of jf. 1,590,000 Additional capital employed in our fiiip- phig, or above 218,000!. per aniun:"!, U^r iaterell: of money and inluraiicc charged ^ipon our trad.'. The American built Ihips, wb.ich have been given in the account of the Ihipplng employed in the Commerce of Great Britain, mufl: not be con/oundcd with tb.ofe fhips which carried on the trade be- tween this country and Am.erica. The ibr.nicnr f A ( 34 ) former were incorporated in the general body of our (hipping, of which the Ame- rican trade was only a part, and which was carried on by the American Mer- chants in fliips, whether of the built of Great Britain, America, or any other country, indifferently, as they came into poileffion of them, or chartered them for the voyage. Tlie account, therefore, of the American built Ihips in our trade, the burthen of which was 398,000 tons, mufl be confidercd as apphcable only to thepur- pofe of Ihewing the flate of our (hipping, from whence we drew our lupplies, and how the deficiency is to be filled up, Ihould the American built veflels in future be excluded. It will be ufeful to tis, to take into our confideration the ftate of the (liipping employed in the Commerce of America before the war. There not being tlie fame I (35) flime regularity in furveying the trading veflelsofthat country, cis is pradifed in Great Britain, and the Cuflom-houfe books not diftinguiQiing the voyages which each iliip made in the year, it is not pof- fible to give fo very exact an account. But good information, collected with care, and compared with the produce of the different States, to which equal attention has been paid to procure the befl ac- counts, very fully fuppiies the deficiency ; fufficiently, at leaft, to give us a very juft idea of the ftate of their fhipping. Be- fore the war, the number of veflels, of all defcriptions, employed in tranfporting the produce of the American States to Europe, the Weft Indies, and other parts of Ame- rica (exclufive of thofe employed in coaft- ing the Creeks and Rivers of each State, of which no account is neceflary to be given, as they had no conncdion with any foreign trade) amounted to above 4,400, D and ( 36 ) and were of the burthen of upwards of 400,000 tons. They were thus divided : la the European Trade were employed about In the Weft India and Coafting Trade In the New England Fifhery, befides thofe employed in carrying the produce to mar- ket, which are in- cluded in the above ■ Ships. Tons. 1,220 195,000 2,150 146,000 ] *»o99 59^775 4,469 400,775 Of thefe, the fhipping employed in the Weil India and Coafting Trade, and in the Fifherics, were almoft wholly Ameri- can property, and manned by American feamcn; as on the contrary, thofe in the European "m^y ( 57 ) European trade (which were about one half of the fhippuig employed in the Com- merce of the Americau States) were gene- rally the property of Britifh Merchants, navigated by Britifli Teamen, and carrying to the markets of Great Britain, dire6:ly or circuitoufly (the latter in a fmall propor- tion only) the produce of thofe States, The danger of lofing our feameii, par- ticularly in time of war, has been the caufe of very ferious apprehenfion ; the fame common language creating a difficulty of diftinguifhing the American froni the Bri- tifli feamen. The principal means of averting this evil, wdiich menaces us in a moft alarming manner, is to endeavour, on our part, to unite our common concerns upon fuch grounds, as to make it the in- tereft of America to enter into an agree- ment, for the purpofe of cftablifliing fuch a defcription of the feamen of each country, D 2 as il ( 38 ) as will prove their identity. This might be always pradlically done, in thofe veflels which are the joint property of the fubje^fls of both nations, and to which a certain number of Britilh feamen muil always be- long, by rating the names, country, and de- fcription of every feaman on board, both Britifh and American; to which reference might always be had. Befides, the more the mutual interefls of both countries are blended, the more exertion will be made by the States to prevent the defertion of our feamen, as their own fafety will then be, in a great mcaiure, involved in it. On the contrary, if America is confidered merely in the light of a foreign nation, and treated with as fuch, (he will have no motive of friendfnip or attachment to induce her to put a ll:op to a meafure, which, though an evil of magnitude to us, will prove of cflential fervice to her, and confequently be her intercfl to encourao;e. Tjiose ( 39 ) Those vvlio point out the inconveni- ences which the United States will pro- bably feel, from a want of connexion with this country, do not fufnciently advert to the circumftance of our being at the fame time, and for the fame reafons, partakers in their fuffcrings. Nor are the com- plaints which they make of America's en- grofhng the Carrying Trade (" whichjCon- " fidcring our fituation and circumftanccs, " they fiy, we had comparatively little " of;" and in confecjuence are of opinion, that even at the price of the enormous ex- pence of the lail: war, the feparation is of advantage to us) to be reconciled to the infigniiicant light in which they at other times view the American Navigation and Commerce ; removing by the one all fear of rivalfhip, and overthrowing by the other the great fuperiority of our Navi- gation. The real facl is, the more Ame- rica increafed in her Commerce and Na- D 3 vigation ( 40 ) vigatlon, the greater was the acceflion of ftrength to this country, and the greater In proportion was the increafe "of our own fh ippi ng. Any attempt to prove, that America, by having obtained Independence, wilUeel hiconvenience in the lofs of the Carrying Trade, mufl be nugatory, and founded on mlfinformation ; the fuperiority of fliipplng being on the part of Great Brltahi. The United States, in general, are much more in want of veffels to carry oft their pro- duce, than of being carriers for others. Fo- reign nations will fupply their prefcnt wants, if we refufe ; and ncceffity, fup- portcd by their own natural advantages, will make provifion for their future ones. But it is very bad policy to decline the prcfent benefits which are held out to us, and to flimulate them to be rivals to our Navigation, when proper encouragement (vvhicli ( 4» ) (which the experience of former advan- tages Orongly points out to us) would, by pofleffing the better capital, throw the di- reclion of their Commerce chiefly into our hands, and be the means of renewing Qur former friendly intercourfe. It can- not be too often repeated, that the nearer we approach to our former com.merciill connexions, the nearer approach we (hall make to the interefl of this country. We fhould be falthlefs ftewards Indeed, of the talents which have been intrufted to our care, fhould we reje£t a Commerce in every refpe^l beneficial to us ; fupporting our Carrying Trade, by employing a great number of veffels, particularly in the tranf- port of the bulky articles of the Middle and Southern States ; and forming no lefs than a fixth part of our whole fhlpping, equal, if not fuperlour to that of our Weil India Colonies. Thefe States, deriving fo much D 4 greater ( 42 ) greater benefit from hufbandry, have no inclination to carry it on for tliemfclvcs ; nor will ever be induced, eitlier to cm- ploy their own exertions, or make ufe of the ': lipping of onr European neiglibours tor x'h.^ purpofe, if we will undertake it in a mannci fatisfadory to them. This we may do, with equal fatisfa6lion and ad- vantajre to ourfclves. > t This advantage is not, at leaft in many points, denied by the noble Writer; but he builds his opinion wholly upon the idea of America's having infultcd Great Britain by tlie declaration of Independence ; and therefore coniiders any permiflion whatever, for the United States to trade with this country, to be a favour, which wx are very indulgent to grant, and which they ought to receive with gratitude. — However confident he may be of this po- rtion, he certainly docs not acl: with policy. ( 43 ) policy, to accompany the terms of trade u hicli he thinks proper to he ottered to tiiofe States, with rai avowed dechiratioii of thefe fentiments ; fince he cannot for- get the difpofitions which tliey iliewed durhig the feverity of the war, and that, by a parity of reafoning, although the terms held out might have ac* intages, yet if they were couched i^ ti '^ language of didlation, they would xiioi! probably be reje£led. It is at all times a moft difficult part for a nation, which has mif- carried in the attempt to fubdue by force fubje^ls who have refifled, and maintained an independence of her Government, to convince them that (lie has loil all views of again endeavouring to r£duce them. Pride and arrogance will, if there is fuffi- cient power to make them feared, excite refcntment ; contempt, if there is not. There is no other method to recover their loft aticdions, than a Treaty, clearly founded oa . 'I '.-< ^ ,'\-'A ( 44 ) on a broad l)alis of mutual advantage- It is ill this cafe a fortunate circuniflance, that the general interefts of both countries have io intimate a connexion, that any contrary fyftcm muft be produdive of con- fidcrablc prcfent inconveniences to that which adopts it. And, ultimately, of much greater detriment to Great liritaiu than to the American States. &( C( I The noble Writer has made it aqucflloii for our confideration, " Whether we have ** not eiigaged too great a proportion of our capital in foreign trade, to the great detriment of other important na- " tional concerns, and particularly of the " mofh important of all. Agriculture, *' which at this moment languilhes in a *^^ great degree, by the fcarcity of money. *' It would be found (he fays) on invefliga- " tion, that not half of the money is em- *' ployed in it that fliould be, and that in many " parts, ( 45 ) <* parts, the farms arc by no means pro-f *' pcrly flocked and cultivated. It is alio *' well known, that the price of land has ♦* fallen near one-third within eight or ^' nine years." The firft idea which na- turally ftrikes us on reading thefo words, is, that the Writer of them is an cuJa'q flranger to the tranfaclions of the laft twenty years; to the profpcrous flate of the firft ten years of that period ; to the gradual decay of the laft. The flourlfhing condition of our Agricuhure and Naviga- tion, before the unhappy difputes with our Colonies ; the larr^e fums laid out in the improvement of land ; its high and in- creafed value ; the immenfe trails of wafte grounds enclofcd and fertilifed, and the general opulence of our farmers; to- gether with the great exteniion of our Commerce and Mmufadlures, and the abundant wealth of our Merchants and Traders before that period; when com- pared J'l ( 4^' ) pnrcJ vvltli the mifcrablc contrart fiiicc that time, point out very clearly the caulc of thofe melancholy efllcls which I)ave been thus defcribed. A part of the one luindred millions of money fpcnt in thefe difputes, might have been applied to thofc purpolts, \\ hich the noble Author of the Obfervations laments, arc neglecled for tlie want of affi {lance. TiiLr.E Is one, and one argument alone, which can be urged, with any appearance of reafoi], in favour of that fvftcm which confines our Ihij^plng wirhln the bounds t)f our ou'n country. It is founded in de- ipalr ; and fuppofes that the National Debt is become fo enormous, the taxes upon trade fo great, and a relaxation of fpirit fo general, that our own fliipping will be abundantly more than fufficient for all the purpofes of our Commerce. If thcfe me- lancholy furmlfcs prove to be fadls, the game ( 47 ) ^[\\nc which wc arc playing, to prcfcrve the Carrying Trade, is at an end ; and we ^lall find fufficlcnt difiiculty to keep even the immediate Navigation of Great Brltaia and Ireland in atolerahle condition. What- ever opinion may he formed of the had fi- tuatioii thv country is in, the man who iccommendcd a^Sting upon fuch def}. crate principles, would find himfelf feverely condemned, even hy thofc very people who conceived that opinion. They would very pr hccn torn from us. But though its fbvereignty is gone, we ouHit not to iit quietly down, under an infatu- ated hiindnefs, and he witnefles of its Com- merce follcvving, w4ien it is in our own power to retain it ; and by that means put ourfijlves in a condition to reco\er our for- mer ( 48 ; mer commercial, and in confequcncc, out national greatnefs; Let us not lie down, like men in defpair ; but be adtive, refo- lute, and work out our fiilvation with fpi- lit and perfcverance. It will be proper to take a visw of the former Colonial Commerce of this coun- try, and the authorities upon which the accounts are given, in order to form a judgment of its value. The flrfl account is taken from an original Manufcript of Davenant, quoted by Mr. Burke ; and is merely to fhew the rapid increafe of our Plantation Trade. The latter accounts, the greater part within our own experience, and fidly proving the magnitude of our North American exports, are taken from the comprehenfive and enlightened fpeech of Mr. Glover, in fumming up the evi- dence of Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Walker, be- fore the Houfe of Commons, upon the Bill ( 49 ) Bill for Reflralning the American Trade. Such an authority will not furely admit of difpute. At the beginning of this century, the Exports to North America and the Wefl Indies, were - - £.483,265 I Africa - - 86,665 The Exports were, on a medium, from 1739 to 1756, North America only - jT. 1,000. 000 Weft Indies - - , 700,000 Africa - - - 180,000 From 1756 to 1773, North America Weft Indies Africa ^.2,300,000 1,100,000 470,000 On x.^ ( 50 ) On a medium of the years 1771, 1772^ North America - jf. 3, 500,000 Weft Indies • ^.1,300,000 Africa - - 700,000 And proportioning fiich a part of the Afri- can Trade as helonged to North America, the Exports will be found to be, at a me- dium of the three years before the war. :■(• North America Weft Indies From Scotland ^.3,650,000 1,850,000 ^.5,500,000 400..000 . ^,5,900,000 Or in proportion of two thirds to North America, and one third to the Well; Indies. The whole being upwards of one third part of the Exports of this kingdom, cfll- mating tlieir value upon the fime accurate authority, at fixteen millions, during the aTW years preceding the x^mericnn war. The .^ ' ( 5t ) The proportion of Britifli goods to foreign goods, exported from hence to North America and the Wefl: Indies, were to the former, three fourths Britilh and one fourth foreign ; to the latter, two thirds Britifh and one third foreign. The exports of Britilh Manufi^clures will then be in this proportion : > North America Weft Indies ^.2,737,000 1,234,000 The accounts which were taken by au-- thority in America, of the value of Bri- tilh goods, imported previous to the war, arc fomewhat, though not materially, dif" ferent. Thev were efti mated as follows ; To tiic four Now England States New York ^.407,000 531,000 E Carry over ^.938,000 ( 52 ) Brought forward Pennfylvania - Virginia and Maryland North Carolina South Carolina ' - Georgia Jerley and Delaware no eflimate, fuppofe ^'.938,000 650,000 865,000 25,000 365,000 50,000 50,000 Sterling /' -943^000 These accounts, marking as they pro- ceed, the aRonifliing incrcafe of ourNorth American Fxp-.rt Trade, which had its rile aimoP. wuinn this century ; and which, within fo ihort a fpace, attained to the immenfe lum of three millions and a half flerling, do not, great as they are, confine our ideas within ev^en fuch ex- tenfive bounds. For, fliould fuch a perfe(^ reconciliation between the two countries ( 53 ) countries take place, as to produce the revival of our former connexions, we may look forward to a yet greater in- creafe of our Navigation and Commerce, in the increafc of American population ; which, according to the beft Authors, doubles itfelf in twenty five years : And as the inhabitants have fo great an extent of fine country, to employ them in the more eligible caresof Agriculture, their con- iumption of Britini Manufadures wouk' nccefTarily be of wonderful magnitude. Such an increafe of trade, of courfe demanded an increafe of (hipping. We found it in thoffi States, wh i the fup- portcrs of the contra^ed fyflcm of Navi- gation are ftriving to tear from us. They feera weary of the profperity of their own country, and are ready to abandon the only opportunity which prefents itfelf to us of reviving our own Na gatlon, by fuch a communication with America, as E 2 would ( 54 ) uou Id I r even t fo reimi nalions iioiii the benefit of fupplying the prclcnt want of lln'pping, which the war has oc- cafioncd in that country. But inRead of a conciliatory healing condud, they are goading the United States into the ufe of thole powerful natural means, which the fiLuation of their country has given them ; and which will enable them, in a courfe of years, as they increafe in flrength, not only to deprive us, but every other nation, of the Carry in i!, Trade. Thky have excellent harbours, and they build fhips cheaper than any Other people. The improvements they make in that art are exceedingly rapid. If we choofe to procure them from thefe ports, once fo familiar to us, by a free admifTion of them as Britifli fliips, up- on flipulated terms, in the manner of fhips taken as prize, or when they are the joint property of the inhabitants of both ( iJ ) both countries, it is in our power to do it. America has fliewn us the examole : The Slate of Maryland having pafTcd an ad upon tlie ceiTation of hoRilities, de- claring all liiitifli flilps of which the Citi- zens of their State held one third part only, to be deemed fliips of the State, and to be entitled to the privileges of fuch fliips. We fliall then fecure our fupply of fliipping, as well as the fupport oi our manufaclures of cordage, f^til-cloth, and many other florcs, ncceffary for the filling out fliips, which they will other wife buy of the Nor- thern Powers, or manufacture for tliem- felves. They have as good hemp as any in the world, and naval flores in great plenty *, fail-cloth they can import, of equal quality, and upon cheaper terms, than from this count ry. Of ilieir in- duflry and pcrfeverance we have had the niofl convincing proofs. Wc experienced the good effc^ls of their commercial fpirit E 3 bet ore ( 5G ) before tlie war ; we were wltnefTcs to tliefc qualities in them, under all the fevcrlty of that calamity. We beheld their fliips of war, and almofl their whole trade, nearly annihilated at various times ; yet, they were continually building more, which were as fuccefhvely taken from them; and there were not wanting variety of in- fiances, where vefTcls being taken, were repeatedly replaced by the owners with others, to an incredible number. In one inftance, not lefs than thirteen times. — A nd as a further proof of their fpirit in ad- venture, feveral fhips fince the Peace, have been fitted out for China, and Difcoveries in the South Seas. Nor was the appear- ance of Philadelphia, foon after the evacua- tion of it by Sir Henry Clinton, lefs aflo- nifhing. At ihat time, one milerable ferry boat, and the remains of a few half burnt gallics, were all the objeds that prefented themfelves to the view, upon the folitary waters ( .57 ) waters of iliis once flouiiniing place. A gloomy fpedacle of ddblaiion filled the eye. In a very fliort (pace of time, tlic {bund of the axes, and the nolfe of the fliipvvrights, re-echoed through the port", and within twelve months, a fo- rell of fliips covered the rolling waves of the majcRic Delaware. ExAMi'LLS like thefe, ought to teach us the wifdom of fecuring a people, who are fo capableof being made ufeful friends, or ac- tive enemies. It would be prudent to bid even high for fuch induftrious confumcrs of our manufadures •, and to form fuch a connexion, as will make America, inflead of a dangerous rival to our Navigation, conducive to the common intercfts of both countries ; move particularly as thole branches of our Carrying Trade, which are not within the limits of the Ad of Navigation, and arc of great importance E 4 to ( 5« ) to us, will ccilahily be loll, wiihout tlic incorporation of Amciican, or other ihipping equally cheap. And even ihofc which that A3, iccurcs, cannot be carried on with equal advantage, bccaufe the more our Navigation is confined, the greater will be the charges upon it, whilfl its late general extenfion was produdive of as general benehts, dllFufed through every part of our Commerce., A GREAT flrcfs is laid upon the nccefTity which the Americans will be under to pur- chafe Englifli goods, from their not being able to procure them in any other country upon fuch cheap and advantageous terms. It is, however, a hazardous attempt to drive them to this ncccITiLv. Mankind are formed of materials which have a great aptitude to refifl, when force is employed. They may be led, but cannot cafily be driven; and though, according to the noble ( 59 1 noble Author, a Stamp Acl, a Tea A^l, or any other fimihir Acl, camiot ai^alti occur >' :t tl ic cxciLiiion o iA in eric an (1 iin r from our Wed India I Hands, has already produced fome mealurcs injurious to the 'aiilhon of Uriilili (hips, and the impor- tation ofHiiiini c;oods. One of the States has already laid a condition. il duty of about three {hillings per ton on the for- mer, and of tvju per cent, additional on the latter. 1 he prohibition of the import of Oil, lias not yet reached New Eng- land, By the lall accounts fi om America, the Merchants had determined upon a general revifal of their Trade, and increalcd powers were to be given to the Congrefs, for its reguhiiion in the fe- veral Slates. The Air.cvicans have been in the practice of fcif denial already. A paichcd, thread-bare coat, was thought no difsrace durino- the war. N or ^v ere tho firR women in the country an lame d m \^ ^. w IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 b£|2j8 |Z5 Hi ■ 2.2 S! 1)4 IE ^1^ c^l m /: '/ /A Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716)S72-4S03 '-'W ( 6,, ) afhamcd of being employed in making linen for the ufe of the common Soldiers. Wc cannot fuppofe, that the miferics which America experienced from the ra- vages of the war, though fmoiherea over at the peace, arc entirely buried in ob- livion. Tliat can alone be c.Tcclcd by good will. Irritation may make the wound bleed afrefli. We fliould ad wifcr to attempt a radical cure. We certainly manufadurc many fpecies of goods cheaper and better, and from the fuperiority of our capitals, and fkill in Commerce, can afford to fell them on more advantageous terms, than any other nation. Thefe are coarfe woollens* of every kind, worfled fluffs, iron ware, nails, cutlery, common can hen ware, glafs, * The Merchants of riiibdnlpliia have lately im- ported foine coarfe woollens from Hamburgh, which proved fatisfa Others, one-third, and in one place one half. The FKhcry, and carrying the fi(h to market from Ncw-England, employed at the commencement of the war, about 1450 veflcis of 100,000 tons burthen, and 11,000 fifhermen and feamen. This account not agreeing with that of the Au- thor of the Obfervations, requires fome explanation. He cftimates the (hipping employed in the different fiftieries in 1763, as follows: In the whale filhery eighty or ninety (loops ; in the cod fifli- cry two hundred and fifty fchooners; and in the mackrel fiQiery forty fail. We had a very accurate account of thefc fi(heries, from a Gentleman of the fit ft commercial knowledge, and of long praftical expe- rience in the American Trade, Mr. Wat- fon, Member for London, given by him to the Houfe of Commons in the year . -^ 1775; (.77 ) T775T^**^^* nearly at the fame period as thatofihc noble Auihor; the latter being in 1763., and Mr. Watfon's in 1 764. The difference between thcfe accounts are very great, Mr. Waifon made the number of veflels employed in the whale fiftiery to be on€ hundred and fifty, which the noble Author eftlmatcs to be ninety. In the cod fiQiery three hundred, which he makes to be two hundred and fifty, and in the raackrel fifliery ninety vcifels, in* ftead of forty. . From the year 1764, to the commt^nce- ment of the war, the FilLeries giailually incrcafed; at which time they were become aIloni(hingly great. In the CuHom-houfe accounts, which the noble Author has given of the exports of 1770, there is a confiderable difference from that which he has infertcd, in the body of his Work, as the produce of 1772. But the fame cbjcdions *9t ( 7« ) • obje£lions operate at all times to Cuftdm- houfe accounts, and In particular to Ame- rican. He makes the whole produce of the cod fifliery alone, to amount to eight hundred and fifty thoufand quintals of dried, and forty two thoufand barrels of pickled fifh ; of which three hundred and feventy thoufand quintals, and forty thou- fand barrels, he flatcs to be of the Ame- rican fifhery. This account, as well as that of Newfoundland, appears to be taken from the Cuflom-houfe, as they are much under the real ftate of thofe fifheries. But this being always the cafe with thefe raccounts, the entries being under-rated to avoid payment of fees, or fimilar demands, one third part may at leaft be generally ad- d<^d to it, which will bring it near the truth. The American Fifheries were in t^^is iii- crcafed ftate at the commencement of the war, wlicn the accounts given in this Work, ( 79 ) Work, combinuig all parts of them, the cod, whale, markrcl, and (had, were taken. They are very corrc«5l ; and will be found to agree with the bcft information colledcd at that period. The produce of the cod fifliery of New- England is divided into two-tifthsof falted cod-fifli for the European market, remit- tances for which were fent to Great Britain, to pay for goods purchafed there; and three-fifths for the Weft Indian mrkct, to which place the niackrcl and fhad were fent. The produce of the whale fifliery is fpermaceti and whale oil, and whale bone •, which, as well as the greater part of the cod oil, was fent to Great Britain, and will yet center there, as it is the heft: market they can procure for it. Our con- fumplion of oil is very great, and a part of it, as well as whale bone, is neceffary to our manufidures, and therefore to be confidered as a raw material. The per- iTiiffion > ( 8o ) mliTion, therefore, to import it, willbeof Service to both countries, A different npiirion feems lately to be entertained ; the Proclamation iflbed out at Chriftmas laft, not permitting its importation. One confcqucncc will probably follow ; that is, as much deficiency or delay in payment for tl>e manufii6lurcs wehave already exported to New-England, and an equal want of I'ale cf tlvemin future, as we could barter foi* this commodity. Thek« has been always a difference iu the doty ciiarged upon thefe articles, ac- cording to the quality of the veffcls in which the fi(h were caught. Oil, and whale fins, taken in ihips belonging to Gre^vt Britain, are imported duty free. If taken in fl^ips belonging to the Planta- t'ous, oil pays thirteen (hiUlngs and two- pence oUe-fifth per ton, whale fnis two pounds fifteen fhilllngs per ton. If taken in ( «' ) iu foreign fhipping, the duty amounts to a prohibition. Thefe duties, which are very moderate, may continue ; or if it is fuppofed not to be a fufficient difference for the encouragement of our own fi(he- ries, fuch gr^'ater duties may be ^.tipofed, as will ferve to quicken their labours, yet not prevent the importation of American oil ; or create any material additional ex- pence to our Manufacturers, or to the con- sumption of commodities neceffary to us. An idea has been fuggefled, of fufFering furs to be imported duty free, provided a free paffage was granted to our Canadian fubjeds through the American States.^- This is intended to remove any difadvan- tage which this country may derive from the boundary line cutting oft the country of the Illinois from Canada. At prefent, the Hudfon's Bay Company have fb great a proportion of this trade, and the Ame- ricans, ( 8z ) rxcans, hy their fituation, pofTcinng al^ a great part, what remains will not be of any great confequencc. ]t will be of cx- pcnce to the Revenue, as furs pay a duty on importation. Beaver, on account of our mnnu failure of hats, pays only id. z-2oth each ikin. i' ' )i: The motive for this propofil is to en- courage the fur trade in Canada. But it would be alfo making the United States powerful rivals in it. Befides, the good cf]fe£ls of Colonization in North America are now loft to us, and it will be much more profitable to avail ourfelves of the ad- vantages, which we may obtain by means of our former Colonies, (who will increafe in population fafter than we can increafe in manuhicluresto fupply them) than be at any great expence in improving our remaining Plantations on that continent. It is im- < poflible to form any judgment of the fu- ture ( ^i ) tiirc inhabitants of the cxtenfivo Internal country of North America ; or ^vhethcr there may not he many indepeiulent fove- reignties. We have hut one part to ad. To keep on good termn, and to trade, if we can, with tiie whole country. Every other encouragement toCanac!:i, tlian that which will produce an adequate immediate he- nefit, will be, in the prefent circumftances of North AmcTica, only forwarding a fo- vereign cftablifhnient tiiere. It is difficult to fay, v.hat may be the tfi'ed of taking aw^iy the bounty on naval ftores. Some fay, that the quality of Ame- rican tar and pitch is not equal to thofe of the Baltic ; that there is a heat in the former, which does not agree with the manufacture of cordage fo well as the Baltic tar ; which is alfo clearer, thougli the American is equally good for other purpofes. This account mpy, however, G proceed l'\ ( 8+ ) proceed from intcrcftjcl pcrfon^, in th« liope of purcliafing thcni on low tc rms j it liaviiig been fiecjvicntly tlie pnnSlkc with rcfpcvSl to Carolina indigo, which was bought cheap as fuch, and then ibid fur French. The Lcgiflaturc, in order to give encouragement to the improvement of tar, granted a bounty of ten (liil lings each barrel, under the denomination ot green tar, defcribing the quality which it was necefliuy to have. Whether it was owing to want of care, or the difficulty of making it, very little was fcnt from America entitled to this bounty. Com- mon tar received a bounty, after dedudl^ ing the duty which was paid on impor- tation, of 4s. gd, each barreL Pitch, de- dudling the duty, in the lame manner, about 9d. the hundred weight ; nnd the duty upon turpentine exceeding the bounty, there w\is adlually paid about 8 d. the hundred weight ; mafls and bow-fi3rits were ( »5 ) were ful)je£l to no duty, and received a bounty of 20s. the ton ; all paid in Navy J^ills, which generally bear a heavy dil- count. The price of tar in general was from js. to 9s. the barrel ; fometimes it was as low as 6 s. whilft at the fame market, Baltic tar fold from iis. to 12s. l^itch commonly brought 5s. the hundred; and turpentine was very variable in price. The bounty (except turpentine, upon which a duty was paid) generally paid the freight, wiiich was a great encouragement ; yet naval flores were always an unprofitable remittance. By thefe bounties ceafing, the Revenue will be benefited, but the price paid by the confumers muft increafe, and our fhipping and cordage may alio be afFeifled by it. The duties, therefore, at leaf!-, fhould be taken off. The prices of the Baltic tar and pitch will rife in proportion ; for wlierever tlie demand Is G 2 increafcd, iiicreafed, with it. ( 86 ) the price of courfe increafes •^ • Mi If the fame duties are charged upon American naval (lores, as upon thoic of the Baltic, the former muft give up the trade, as they will never be able to enter into competition with them. Their dif- tance, and the extraordinary cxpenccs they muft be at, forbid it. The fame realbn may be applied to mafts, which now receive a bounty of twenty (hillings the ton ; it is that bounty which can alone fupport them ap;ainft thofe of the Baltic ; where, by longer practice, they render them of much better quality. The noble Author of the Obfervations is of opinion, that the Territory of Penob- fcot in New-England, fupplies the only good mafts in North America. But although the mafts there are excellent, and it has hitherto ( ^7 ) hitherto produced the chief fiipply, he 13 by far too confined in this aflertion, that It is the only country where good mails are to be procured ; as they may be now had in many parts of the United States, and in time they will be more im- proved in the making them. The Cy- prefs tree will afford mofl: excellent mafts. Mofl: probably he means, that Penobfcot is the only good place to procure them in that part of the country, referring particu- larly to Nov^ a- Scotia* The duties upon hemp, flSt^ pig and bar iron, and afhes, may be placed upon the fuiie ground as thofc of the Baltic. If the charging them at lefs, creates any rifquc of unpleafant difputes with RufTia, there Is no advantage to be obtained in this country by it, adequate to the confcquence. The American hemp, though of an ex- cellent ftaple, is not well cleaned, and therefore not fo proper for ufc 'as Ruflian. ^^ 3 It ,.,\: ( 88 ) It li>ot herwlfe, in many refpe^ls, fuperrour in quality ; and when the fault of negli- gence in drefling it is remedied, it will be equal in quality to the bed Ancona Hemp. It has one advantage even now; the maiden hemp, as it is called, not being taken out of it when exported. The Rui- Hans ?re in this pradlice, in order to pre- ferve it for Jieir own ufe. One principle, in- deed, pleads ftrongly for hemp and iron not paying duty; which is, their being a raw material. For to tax raw materials, is to tax the manufaiflures w^hich arc produced by the labour of our own people. But, fo great is the difficulty of finding other ways and means, to fupply the place of thcfe duties in our impaired revenue, that the very attempt terrifies us, and prevents our attention to thefe capital brrtirhes of our manu- fadlures. VVe fhould yet take care, that we are not prefer ving a fmaller, at the hazard of lofing a greater objcdl. In their prcfent fcate of importation, how- ever, ( 89 ) tVcr, there is not fufficient reafon for making any difference In the duty, unlefs it might prove the means of preventing the Americans from manufaduring their iron. The free importation of lumber and flaves has been of fervice ; for as the qua- lity of what has been generally imported here (except white oak ftaves, which are very good) is inferiour to that of the North of Europe, they are purchafcd on lower terms for cheaper purpofcs, and will not in fafl bear a duty. The Americans have wood fit for all purpofes. The Cedar and Cyprefs in particular, are very fine. They will probably come into very general ufe amongft themfelves. But we have not given any encouragement for their impor- tation. Deer ikins are of great ufe to our ma- nufa6lures, and do not fufFer by the duty G 4 which ( 90 ) uliich they are charged with. No alte- ration is necefl'ary In the articles of cho- colate, fpermacetl candles, or other fimi- lar articles, where an interference with our own maniifa6lures occalioned high duties to he impofed. Mahogany, walnut, lignum vitx, or any wood ufed in the cahinet, joiners, or hlock- makers trades, though not of the produce of the United States, yet their conveyance through that channel having hitherto proved ufcful, their importation from America ought of courfe to he ftill continued upon the fame terms as for- merly. To Dye woods, every attention fliould be paid for facilitating their importa- tion, as tliey are of the greatefl confe- quence to our manufactures. Thefe are, Logwood, Fuftick, Nicaragua wc^d. Bra- ziletto. ( 9' ) zilctto, and other kinds of materials for the dyers iile. Indigo comes under this clafs ; but in order to encourage the making this country an entrepot for American commodities, the duty on export Ihould be taken od'. Logwood is now in a more precarious Hate of being procured tlian ever. And Fufdck, by the lofs of To- bago, wlicre great quantities of fine wood were cut, will be more fcarce. Wheat and flour, will of courfc be lubjedl to our corn laws, the importation depending on the Jiecefiity vve nr<\y li.wa for them. Flax feed is an articlcof importance to Ireland, the want of which, fubjccts that country to great difficulty. The articles of Commerce exported from America, have been, generally, and thofe h&i C 9^ ) tliofc vvliicli relate to this country, parti- cularly mentioned, except the two great objects of tobacco and rice. Thefe, from the proportionate Imall confumptioii in this country to the growtli, have the prin- cipal reference to the policy of making Great Britain an entrepot for them, as well as any other commodities, which, though of lefs confequence, come under that dcfcription. The adopting of this principle is neceffary for the prefcrvation of this part of the i\merican Trade, and it will probably do mor6 : It will make Great Britain the centre of American Commerce in Europe. France has taken the lead : She has declared four of her ports, Free Ports, for the reception of American goods. If we aft as wifely, we need not defpair of prevailing over her. But our Cuftom-houfe fyftem is now fo clogged, that it operates almoil as a pro- hibition. The port charges upon their fliips ( 93 ) fhips are very confiderable, being charged as foreigners, and fubje6t to the payment of double lights, though their cafes are in many refpeds different, even confidering America as a foreign nation. For, the payment of double lights by foreign fhips, was owing to the ^utch formerly doubhng that charge ; in which they were followed by the Powers in the Baltic ; and the ex- ample thus given, was copied by us as a matter in courfe. The Americans feel this charge the more, as they were for- merly not fubjedl to it ; and as they have few charges of this kind in their own country. I > Among the different American commo- dities for which this country may be made an entrepot, tobacco is the moil capital article ; and the relation of the circum- ftances attending it, will ferve for other goods in fimllar cafes. A Proclamation has I ( 94 y ■ has Indjcd been lately ifilicJ, which gives liberty to the Merchants to hiu\ tobacco without a dcpofit ; but as the farmer In- convxnlencies were not perhaps Suffici- ently known, and as even the repetition of an affair of this confequencc is par-' cJonable, if it will enforce the reafons for carrying this Proclamation into perma- nency, the former method may not be improperly introduced at this time.-^ — - When tobacco was landed in England, a depofit was required of 4I. per hogf- head, to be drawn back when it was ex- ported. In London, the warehoad'S al- lotted for its reception by the Cuflom- lioufe, lie at a great diftance from the quays; aiid upon thefc it is not fuffcred to re- main, though landed on one day and to be fhipped the next, even with a watch upon it. The ( xpence of landing, cra- nage, wharfigc, porterage, cartage, w^re- houfc-rent, and a numerous train of Cuftom- l' . I;''i: ( 95 ) Guftom-houfe and otlier charges (upoa the whole of which, though the duty was to be rccLivcd back, the Merchant charged liis commiflion) amounting to a large fum, was, with the duty, generally drawn upon the foreign port to which the tobacco was to be fent, whicli made a very large advance of money. In three or four months the Merchant received back the duty he depofited, which, after deducting the charges, he remitted to the perfoii abroad. Thus, a medium cargo of to- bacco was charged with an advance of about 2000I., almofl its firft coft, for fe- veral months ; a great part of which was funk in unneceflary charges, commiflion, intereft of money, and lofs by re-cxchange. The remedy fpr thcfe inconveniencies i-3 found to be very eafy. Upon the ar- rival of any cargoes of tobacco, rice, or any goods not ufually, or only partially, • con fumed ( 96 ) confumed in this country, they fhould lye fuffered to Ix) landed, under hond, free of duty, and put into a wareljoufc under the locks of the Officers of the Cuftom- houfe, and the locks of the Merchants, generally called the King's Warehoule, in the fame manner as is pra£lifcd in the im- portation of coffee and rums. This me- thod is fafe, and without difllculty. The duty is paid when the goods are taken out for home confumption, or the bonds dif- charged when exported. This will make •purports (fo flir as refped:s an entrepot for goods imported from America) in a manner free ports. The fmall expence Incurred upon their goods, and the ex- peditious difpatch of their veflels, advan- tages always to be met with in free ports, are great temptations to Merchants. In- dulgencies as fimilar as the nature of our Cuftom-houfe will admit, fhould be granted. r o j i To ( 97 ) To c^uard againfl: the objc(ft:ioiis which may he made hy the Cuflom-houfc, to the admlfTion of American goods, duty free, for export, (as an encouragement to tli^m to make this country an entrepot) fome remarks upon the prefent conftruclion of our Trade Laws are necefl'ary. Formerly, the fpirit of thofe Laws was tlie governing principle of the Officers of the Cufloms. Lately, they have too great an aptitude to be governed by the Ltttjr. The Excife, having no other object in view tlian the mere cpUedtion of internal duties, has a plain, confined fyftem to follow, from wiiich there can be little or no deviation. The Cuflom-houfc, on the contrary, having the whole Commerce of the Em- pire under its management, and the Trade Laws not being fufficiently expHcit (from the impoiribility of conforming them to the variety of circumdances which at- tend our foreign tradt) their application . mufl '^m ( 98 ) mull: be left to the wifcloni of tlioll- v\Iit> prcliJe over it, and whofc conlliuclioii of thofc laws ouglit always to be of the mod liberal kind. For fome years part, tliis has not been fuffieientlv atteiuLd to. The dc- figii is to prevent fniiiggliii?,, but unfor- tunately it is conceived, that the 'y.ore trade in general is confmed, the l)ettLr the ob- jcdi will lie attained. The confequencc is, that the Merchants are loaded with iK'W r.T:ulati'jns, increafino; the difficulti ea of the honefi trad.jr, already fuhvrinfji; from the inrouls made upon his trade l)y tlie fmu<' f' ler : And \\ hilil: the defrauder of the ao It! 11 tl] Kevenne, notWitniiariamg an tne pre "nu- tionsthat; aretjken, imports vail quantities floods without entries, themoH: diliirent o watch is kept over thofe at the Cuilom- 1 iv: :n the common mode of bufmefs ;ul i'.ocds paying no duty, run the rifquc tlon, if there is the fmalltfl: mlf- cci: i J A v^wi take iViade in ^he entry. Men of efta- bliflKd char r u\ tradt anc 1 th ere arc none ( 99 ) none who bear a hlglur reputation for. probity than the Biltini Mcchant;, ought not to be thus lumped in one general niafs of fufpcdted perfc)iis. It inipHcs, that all traders are objevfts of fulpicloii.— i This is bad policy. If a mpn is honcfl, it will have a tendency to weaken his at- tempts to difcover any praclice to the in- jury of the Revenue ; and if he is inclined to roguery, he will turn fmugglcr himfclf. Another remedy is w^anted to be ap- plied in the Cuftoms, which relates more particularly to the trader, and would af- ford very great fatis faction to him ; would be the means of faving much time and trouble, and render the prefent Complex and almoft incomprehenfiblepra£liceof the Cuftoms fimple, and eafy to be undcr- ftood. If fuch a correcflion was carried into execution, it is probable that the Re- venue would be benefited by it. At pre- fent, the various branches of the Cuftoms H - being ' * { too ) being obliged to be calculated, with tlieif difomats, in all entries of goods,, they re- quire a great deal of time, and are only known to the Clerks of the Cuftom-houfe. The Merchant is ndt fufficiently acquainted with them, and takes them very unfatif- fadlorily upon truft. The firft ilep in fet- ting about the correftion of this grievance^ fhould be, to diredb the Cuftom-houfe to draw out an account of all goods which pay duty, imported into, and exported from the kingdom, for a certain term of years before the war, in order to form the average of the adual confumption. A communication with menof bufmefs, in the different trades of which each article is a part, will flill be the means of further knowledge. When thefe accounts are obtained, and a know- ledge of the a<5lual confumption procured^ with the^ circumftances attending each fpecies of goods, they fliould be valued ac^ cording to their prices, and the duty added to, or taken from them, as the neceffity of the the cafe required. The value of goods, finc^ ihey were firft rated, has very confider- ably altered. Some goods are charged with too heavy a duty in proportion to their value ; others do not pay enough. By this means the duties in general will be more equally proportioned to the goods upon which they are charged. The duties on goods fhould alfo be a fingle fpecific charge, without fraction, and the whole of the duties be reduced to a fund^ confifting of one branch only. Some ad- vantage to the Revenue will be made by the fradions. At the fame time, the fy- ftem of drawbacks (hould undergo a revi- fion, in order to afford as much encou- ragement as poflible to make this country an entrepot. To carry this corredion into ftill more advantageous execution, the high duties, which the Merchant is now obliged to pay before his goods are landed^ and which occafionS a confiderable ad- ditional capital to the coil, ihould be H 2 paid M .':!' ( 102 ) paid to the Exclfe ; and (o far as relates to the connexion with the Cufloms in the entry, might be tran failed in the fame manner as coffee, rum, and fuch articles. The former prejudices againfl the Excife, mufl: be removed by the ftridl and fevere execution of the Laws of the Cuftoms. It gives no alarm to the honefl: trader ; the roguifh one makes the noife. All high duties are beft colleded by the Excife ; becaufe they are then not paid by the Merchant till his goodi"» are fold to the Confumer, and he is by that means eafed of the burthen of making a large and unneceffary advance of money. Such, or fome other effedlual means, are indif- penfibly requifite to be put in pradice, or the Revenue will flill fuffer further de- creafe, and our Commerce be more and more impaired. With thefeveryfimple regulations, Eng- land might be made an entrepot fori\merican com- i png- :icaa ( ^03 ) commodities. The principal articles are to- bacco and rice : About one hundred thoufand hogflieadsof the former have been annually imported into this kingdom, of which about twelve or thirteen thoufand have been left for confumption in Great Bri- tain ; the reft was exported to diffe- rent parts of Europe. About lixty thou- fand barrels of rice were formerly im- ported ; the chief part of which was afterwards fent to Holland and Germany, the confumption in England being very fmall. Seventy thoufand tons of fhip- ping, almoft wholly belonging to Great Britain, were then employed in bring- ing thefe articles alone to market in this country. The fame trade, the fame em- ployment for fliipping, and owned by Britiih Merchants, may yet be continued to us. Even the fupply of France we have a very great chance of pofTeffing ; H3 the ( 104 ) the Farmers General having already he- gun to make confiderahle purchafes in thi^ country. It is pofli.ble that the Poituguefe may import rice as formerly. Their attempt to introduce Brazil, inftead of Carolina rice, which the noble Author has dwelt much upon, is not the firft which they have made without fuccefs. Whatever may be the event, their prohibition of Carolina rice can be of no advantage to us. Perhaps the contrary ; as any deficiency in the faje of Carolina rice, may prove, from the want of fufficient means, an equal deficiency in the fale of Britifh manufac- tures. It was from neceflity that the Por- tuguefe procured any other fort. The Dutch have done the fame ; but both pre- fer Carolina rice. The in fiance given jby the noble Author, of a fhip arrived at Lif- bon from South Carolina, which would have I 105 ) have come to a better market in England, proves nothing, becaufe the price both here and in Holland happened then to be enormoully high. The returns in goods, Ihould the Portiiguefe admit rice, will be chiefly in wine. But this e: oortation of rice dire£lly from South Carolina, to the Southward of Cape Finifterre, was per- mitted by A£l of Parliament, and is one of thofe inflances in which the A61 of Navi- gation was obliged to be relaxed. The difappointment of a private individual, was the caufe of rice being made an enume- rated article, to be brought to Great Britain only^ He was a Merchant of great in- fluence in this country, and annually fent fhips to Carolina, at a time, when the ex- port of that commodity was very trifling. A Colon iO: having built a veflel, tranf- ported in it part of the produce, deftined for them, before their arrival. This difap- pointment proved the immediate occafion H4 of n^ ( J<^6 ) of rice being enumerated, which conti- nued, ^lll the prohibition became manifeftly injuriouii: ; and then permiffion WcS granted to export it to the Southward of Cape Finifterre, as formerly ; firfl:, in Brltilh Hiips only, and afterwards extended more generally. A valuable trade mufl other- wile have been loft to this country. The Germans and Dutch will continue their purchafcs in Great Britain. For England may be confidered as a great Inn, on the road from America to the Northern parts of Europe, where the Americans may repofe themfelves, till they procure knowledge of the beft market to fend their goods. Formerly, rice was landed, Ihifted, and put in order for a market, iu the Southern ports of this kingdom, chief- ly at Cowes, paying a duty of 8d. the hundicd weight. Tobacco was fuffered to remain m the fhips that brought it, which were ( ^^7 ; were confidered as warehoufes, in order to avoid the payment of the duties, until tlie Merchant had a demand for fale ; when he landed the ouantity he \vanted, paying duty for one part, and giving bond for the remainder, which he took out of the fhip ; the firfl for home confumption, the other for exportation ; and when the laft was again (hipped, and the debenture palled in the common forms, the bonds which had been given, were of courfe difcharged. As fhips were formerly confidered as ware- houfes, the fcene is only to be changed to warehoufes on fhore, and the prefent me-* thod, in every other refpe£l, and which is a very fimple one, continued in ufe. It will be proper to take into confidera- tlon, the flate of Canada and Nova-Scotia, previous to that of the Well India trade ; for we have been given the flrongeft afl'ur- ances, in the Obfervations to which refe- rence . ( loS ) rence has been fo often made, of the fuf- ficiency of thofe two Colonies to fupply all the himber, live cattle, and provifions, which our Weft India Iflands formerly re- ceived from the America^ States. If we will truil to Nature, fhe has declared very ilroiigly againft tliefe aflertions, by ihut- ting up their ports fix months in the year ; and what muft particularly flrike our at- tention, wh.ich has been direded to the advantages that the Weft India Iflands are to receive from thence, is, that the hurricane monthsoccupy the greater partof the'time in which the Navigation is open. Independent- ly of this fevere tax, it is further to be ob- ferved, that neither the Canadians, No- va-Scotians, or any other people fituated at qooo miles diftance from the feat of their Government, (even ours, excellent as that might be made, not excepted) have the fame powers of applying their natural advan- tages, as thofe immediately under a Go- vernment ( 109 ) vernment of their own. How much worfe then muft be their fituation (as in the prefent cafe) when an induftrious rival neighbour, with {o many fuperiour advantages, lives at their very doors. This fuperiority is not to be overcome, until the country which attemf s it has a good Government, be comes equally well peopled, and has fuf- iicient capitals to carry on their trade. It is of little confequence to fay, there is lumber enough in Canada for all our purpofes, and that it may be rendered of ufe ; whilft that Colony has not, what all Colonies mufl have to make them ufeful, a fuffici- ent number of people to cut down that lumber, and a good Navigation to carry it off. We cannot doubt the Southern parts of Canada being a good country ; but the advantages are all internal, and can never be made ufe of for the purpofes of Com- merce, till the country on the Ohio, and in the Illinois, is fettled. And when that is done, • 'I ( "° ) one, who Is to reap the benefit of it? Not this country, for the pnfliige cannot he by the River St. Lawrence. . . '> -- ■'- ' •-■-•■ The length of the winter In the fettled part of Canada, deftroys all the effedts which the labour of the fummer produces ; {o far as refpeds the carrying on any con- lldcrable Commerce. During the war, the quiet fhe enjoyed threw the Indian trade into her hands, which the fuperiour ad- vantages of the American Slates will now deprive her of. Canada has produced un- doubtedly a great quantity of wheat. But the Americans were the chief purchafers of it. When grain was fcarce in Europe, before the late war, an unufual demand was made upon America, and the Mer- chants of Philadelphia, who were great fpcculators in that article, fent Agents to Canada for the purchafe of corn, which they difpatched flijps for, and con- figncd ( HI ) Cgned to their Corrcfpondciits in Europe. But though the produce was confiderahle for this Colony, it bore a very fniall pro- portion to that of the Middle States : Nor will even the quantity (lie is able to pro- duce, be of fervice to the Weft India Iflands, as they require chiefly flour ; and there are not mills in the Province, that can be turned to the purpofe of making quantities worth exportation. The Nc ^*- foundland fifhery will take off fome bread ; but befides the want of mills, Canada has the difadvantage of contending with the in- convenience, which the fifhery futTcrs foni the delay of fending vefl'els to fetch ir. But, with all the benefits to be expelled from Canada, no lafling dependence can be placed upon it. The inhabitants are in «L difcontented ftate, and not at all avcrle to throw off our Government. They have been kept in order merely by the ftiong hand hand of milltaiy power, which, when- ever It is employed in Colonies at a diftance, and more efpecially if they are of a diffe- rent nation, muft have fome powerful ac- ceffory helps, to make the inhabitants contented and peaceable under it. Such are thofe which the French Weft India Iflands enjoy, where the riches they accu- mulate from their produce, joined to the impreflion they have of their Government at home, keep them tolerably eafy and quiet. We are not to infer from thence, that the French Government is improperly fevere ; but it is a military one ; a conftl- tutlon agreeing very ill with a Commercial State. Great expedations are formed alfo by the noble Author from Nova-Scotia^ That this Province has a profped of being im- proved, is without doubt, and fo will every country which receives an acceflion of people, im- jvery 111 of lople, t ti3 ) people, if the {abfciiucnt mcafurcs are prudently taken. The nu.T^ber fettled and fettling there, arc very confidcrable, and there probably will be a tolerable lumber trade in time, if the inhabitants are frugal and induftrious ; but it muft be a vvorjw of time. And, though the noble Author of the Obfcrvations has coloured too highly the remark which he has made upon the Territory of Penobfcot, Eafl: of Ciico Bay, its bordering fb clofely upon Nova- Scotia, muft prove a great impediment to the cfta- bliihment of the lumber trade in that Colo- ny. He tells us, " it is the fined: part *' of America for the articles in queflion, ** (mails and lumbers) a very good filhcry, *' fine harbours, and the bcft rivers along " that coaft, which abounds with lumber " fit for the Navy, and for- private ufes, " fufficient to fupply Britain for ages." This does not appear to agree with his ge- neral affertion, of tlie want of lumber Lii the iBk ( .114 ) ' the United States, and the preference which, he flijs, will be given to Canada and Nova-Scotia for thofe articles. The latter opinion is haftily adopted, w^ithout a proper attention to the fubjedl. The former perhaps from an indulgence of too great zeal again ft the late Peace. Penob- fcot is, hovi^ever, fiiiely fituated for all thefe purpofes which he meiitioned. In the pur- chafe of neceffaries for the erection of the New Towns, and for their own mainte- nance, the Refugees have been obliged to apply to the people of New-England for both lumber and provifions; returning for thefe commodities the money which they brought from New- York. This is a bad beginning. They are, however, compelled by the law of neceflity, and have no other remedy than fubmiihon to it. The climate is umch againft them. The evils^ however, which this produces, will be leflened, if : ... ;: .. the ( "5 ) . the fettlemcms increafc. Their fifheries in particular, have been made the object of Very fanguine hopes. Nova-Scotia and St. John's appear to be well fituated for that purpofe -, yet, notwithflanding the humerous Colonies which have been fent from hence, and fettled there, fully fup- plied wiih all kinds of ncccflaries, there 1 IS not been a fafFicic*nt cultivation to procure food for the inhabitants, who hav-e been cbntinually under the necef- fity of applying to the other Colonies, for provifions for their fupport. But it is not fituation alone that will command a beneficial Commerce. A fandy rock full of people, accuftomcd to the trade they carry on, and purfuing it with a^livity and perfeverance, may be- , come the feat of Commerce. This has been realized in our times, in the two little Iflands of Nantucket and Martha's I . • Vine- .( 116 ) Vineyard. In NantucKct, which is only twelve miles long and three miles broad, were fix thoufand inhabitants, many of them rich, having a neat town of five hundred houses, one hundred and forty fhips, employing near two thoufand feamen, and pofTefling fifteen thoufand Iheep, befides cattle and horfes. In Martha's Vineydrd, which is tvyenty miles long and feven miles broad, were four thoufand inhabitants, three towns, a large flock of cattle, two hundred vefTels, and two thoufand feamen ; each immenfely populous for their fize; giving a full fanc- tion to the opinion of their poffefling all the comforts and happinefs which honeft induflry could give them. Such enjoy- ments produced the natural confequence, a greater increafc ot people than their trade could fupport ; and obliged them, from time to time, to lend out little Co- lonies, from'their own narrow but numer- ous hive. Their emigrations were chiefly to nly 3ad, f of five orty ifaiid ifand In miles e four I large and enfely fanc- ng all loneft enjoy- uence, their them, le Co- umer- chiefly to f' ( 117 ) to the back country of the Middle arid Southern States. Great numbers of them are already fettled there ; and have changed the bold and daring fpirit of the Sailor (exploring even t1 ig even the South Seas in purfuit of Commerce, to pay for the ma- nich they purchafed from us). nu failures wh to that of the mild and peaceful Farmer. Confiderable fettlemcnts have been made, and the country much improved by them. But the noble Author has now changed, not only the deftiny of their Colonies, but that of the Mother Country, He has alTumed the wand of a powerful Genius, and like the inchantments which we meet with in the Oriental Tales, he has employ- ed fome infernal fpirit to drive them froni the habitations of their fathers, where they have fo wonderfully flourifhed and increafed, and planted them in Nova- Scotia, on bleak and inhofpitablc coalls. t2 it 1 :^-i.^:n ill! ( ii8 ) It is Indeed too much prefumption to cxped to make the filheries of Nova-Sco- tia, I'.pon which the labour of two hun- dred years has been already fpentin vain, fuperiour to thofe of the New- England States, whether with refped to this Na- tion, or to that Colony. Nor does even the noble Author feem to delire it, if we may judge from another part of his Ob- fervations •, viz. " that it fhould never " be the policy of England to give a par- " ticular encouragement to fcdcntary *' fifheries, at the diftance of three thou- " fand miles, as they interfere fo much " with the fiflierics carried on from the " coafts of Great Britain and Ireland." The inhabitants of New-England are at home, with every advantage that induflry and a lufilcient proximity to their fidieries can give them. Thefc circumflanccs, put them in a far better fituation ilian the European Nations, who make a long voyage ( 119 ) voyage before they arrive at the feat of their Commerce, and vho mud fetch the provifions their fiChermen confume, from the American States, to reap thefuU benefit of fupplylng their fifheries on the cheapcfl Jerms. The importation of provifions from America into our fifheries, is of fo much advantage to them, that it is bad policy to prohibit it. The prefent diffe- rence in the coll; of provifions delivered in Newfoundland, is in this proportion : Four hundred pounds from America, to feven hundred pounds from England, So manifefl an advantage, determined fevc- ral Merchants to fit out fhips for the pur- pofe ; but permifTion not being granted, and others In the fame trade oppofing it (probably from having made their pur- chafes at home, or feme other local advan- tages) they were obliged to give up their inientions. I 3 h ( lao ) If we could increafe our fidiery, fo much as to cure a fufEcient flock of filh for the Weft India market, which has been almoft wholly fupplied by America, there muft be fome other means found out to con- vey it, than the circuitous voyage which the Newfoundland {hips will be obliged to make to the Weft Indies, as they cannot procure a freight to pay their expcnces on their return. Such of thefe fliips as could make early voyages, in the manner that the tranfport of filh from thence to the Weft Indies is now carried on, by a few vcfTels in that trade, and which bring back rums in return, would produce profit to their owners. But the full fupplyof fifh, fufFiciont for the Weft Irdia market, in all feafons, is to be taken into confideration. The lofs of time in the Winter, would put the fliips out of the ufual track ol their employ- ment*, an Inconvenience to Merchants for which % { 121 ) which a compenfation is not cafily to be obtained : And the want of a freight home, would make them lofe money by their voyage. We are alfo to take care, in confining the confumption of filh in our Sugar Iflands to the produce of our own filheries, (could even that great objed be carried into excution) that the Merchants concerned in thofe fifheries have the ca- pacity to fupply this confumption, upon equally cheap terms with other nations. Otherwife, we are only putting our hands into the pockets of our Weft India Planters, to take out money for the payment of bounties to the EQieries. Notwithstanding that the furrender of the Illinois, and the country on the Ohio, has been much cenfured, though very undefervedly, as they were of no intrinfic value to us, had Canada and Nova-Scotia been added to them, in exchange for the poffeflion of the Newfoundland and La- I 4 bradore ( 122 ) braclorc fifliciies, upon the terms of ihc Treaty of l*eace of 17G2, if would liave proved of efTcntial fervicc to us. Wc fhould have had the French alone to conten( vvi th ui ion the terms of that Treaty, and though ihcy carried on the trade in a more profitable manner than the Lui^liQi, yet there was little interfe- rence at market ; their confimiption being chiefly corifincd to tlicir own country ; w'hilft Great Britain almofl wholly pof- fcflcd tlie trade of Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The French derived their IViperi- our advantage froip fending out feveral fliips together, the crews of which a61ed in concert ; and as foon as a loading was ready, in the curing of which the whole were employed, a fliip w'as immediately difpatched with it *, by vvhich means many of tboir veflels had quilted thofe feas, be- fo re ours were mu ch advanced in their ladings. Thcfe advantages being now srcaily > ( »23 ) greatly incrcafcd, we have no other re- fource than our natural induflry, to prc- fcrveour fiQierics upon that coafl. i^ovv far that will anfwer, when oppofed to America, time alone can make known. But if the New- England States increafe in their fifiieries now, with the rapidity of the few years preceding the War, and the more they are confined by this country in their connexion with it, the more will their induRry be flimulatcd, all the European Nations will be obliged to give place, and quit thai trade. ' ' ' It is time to put an end to a fubjed, of which no pleafant pidure can be drawn. Till we can force Nature to make a free and open Navigation, and to foften the climate, we Qiall not derive advantage from Canada or Nova-Scotia, in any degree equal to the hopes that are held out to us. And "yet this circumflance is made by the noble C »2i ) noble Aiuhor to have different effccTs, ac- cording to the fubjc61 which is treated of : When Rufha is to be made the fubflitutc for America, in the difpofal of our manu- fatRures, the (hulting up of the BaUic by fix months ice, is reprcfentcd as preven- tive of her having (hips or failors of her own ; but when Canada and Nova- Scotia arc to be made the hibdiiuies for the States of America, the fame interruption in their Navigation, and tiie country be.iig fix months covered with fiiow, does not hinder their becoming nurferics for Ihips ;ind feniuen.. This, however, it is, accord- ing to another of the noble Writer's opi- nions, not political, wab it pofliblc, to fuf- ferthem to become ; for he tells us, that it js not " the interefl of Great Britain to en- *' courage our remaining Colonics to build " fliippingexceeding fifty oi fixty tons,'''and confecjuenily, not to be carriers of lumber andpiovifionstothe WtRlndics •, which he further ' ./ ( '25 y further confirms, by rejoicing, tlioiigTi upon the mofl fallacious grounds, that " it *' is furely no Imall advantage, which vvc *' have gained by the difmcmbcrment of *' theEmpire, that we have recovered that " mofl important branch of bufinefs, fiiip- " building." Suppofing it to be, as he (latesit, an advantage, it is procured iu the manner many eflates are gained, by going to law for tliem : Purchafed at more than- their wortli. The oyfler we loft in the contefl, and have only the fhell for our labour; But to return from this digrefTion. Not- witliflanding the flrong alTurances of the noble Author, of its appearing, as he tells us, that " without any breach of the Na- " vigation Law, and if the regulations of " the prefent Proclamation fliould remain *' in force, in lefs than twelve months, *' theWefl India Iflands will be fupplied *' wah ( l^(> ) ** with every tiling wanted from llicnce, *' (the American States) at as eaiy a rate, *• and in as great plenty as before the *' war,"' there is every rcafon to fear, that thofe inands, efpecially the Windward and Lccvvard Iflands, will be ruined in aa attempt which cannot but fail of its pur- pole. «; ; Those two remaining Colonics are not of fiiffirient conltqiiencc to induce us to make a bcgi lining it by il lat IS meant, the btliifclavilh of tlic bounties which we 'O ai'e advifcd lo liberally to difpenfe, and the laying out large Aims of money in hopes of making tolerable fettlcments. Such a meafiire can never be for produ<^ivc purpofcs to ourfflves ; for when it is done, and the inhabitants arc flrong enough to govern themfclveji, they Wi 11 bi e no longer our o fubjedj anu as tiie til ill .f tl value oi the country can never be an in- ducement to us to run into another Anie- nt an ( >27 ) rlcan war, ifvvc take a civil leave of each oihcr, it is all that wc can cxpc<^. It is ridiciiluus to talk, of national gratitude. No country will voluntarily become iubjed to another, when they have flrength to become their own mailers. As foon as ihcy can proted thcmfclves, they neither want, nor will receive any foreign prote^lion. It is our bufincfs to guard againll what wc have fuilered on fimilar occafions. It has coft us imraenfe fums of money in making Colonial Eflates. This very Colony of Nova-Scotia has been al- ready a heavy charge to the nation, and lias never yet produced any thingof value ; although we are now promifed, that (with our help) it will become the granary of the Weft Indies. Wc purchafed the lands of the Grenades, St. Vincent, Domi, nica, andTobago, at double their value •, at almofl the ruin of Scotland, and greatly to (lie r; die Injury of this kingdom, in the year 1772.* The recolledlon of thefe dear bought Colonial purchafes, (hould make us cautious in now laying out our money upon new adventures of the fame kind. These confiderations prompt us the more to cultivate a good correfpondcnce with thofc antient Colonies, now a pow- erful and numerous People, who have been good cuflomers for our manufadlures^ and who ftill coiithiue to purchafe them of us. r * The noble Writer, in his Obfervrttions, has attributed this calamity (eertainly through miliatbnnation, the faft . being fwllieiently known to have no connexion with the American Trade) to the granting long credits to America. But it appears from tiie evidence of a New-England Mer- chant, of the full reputation and property, before the Houfe of Commons, in 1775, that *' he thought there *' were no more f.ilures in that trade than in any other; ♦' and that he rccoUeitcd but one houfc in it having flop- ♦* ped payment." C ^29 ) vjs. Wc fliall reap the advantages, with- out the charge, of fupporting a Govern- ment over them. It is a melaucholy con- fideration, to mention this as an advantage. But it is of little avail to recur to the paft, or to confidjr how far it is (as we have been told) holding out a premium for Rebellion. We fhall not at all find our advantage, in aggrandizing any Euro- pean Power in preference to the renew- ing our connexion with America. Re- fen tment will not pay our National Debt, or recover any part of our former glory and riches. As Canada and Nova-Scotia appertain to us, we ought to conilder them, with refpect to the immediate advantage they can be made of to us in their prefent condition. If they cannot maintain them- fclves with a little help, it would be bet- ter to give them up. When the Refugees who are fettling there have received every ncccflary afilftance, we Hi all be better able ( 13^- ) able to judge of the ufe of thefe Colonifes to us. But we ought to be very complete mafters of this fubjed!:, before we engage ill expence. One ex pence draws on ano- ' ther, and whatever fums are given, they ought to be proportionate to the certain advantage to be derived from them ; and not foundcdon bare aflertions upon paper, of the capacity of Nova- Scotia and Canada, to fupply the Weft Indies with lumber and provlfions, and the importance of the lliipplng of Bermuda, to run headlong to an abfurdity of condud, increafmg our own difficulties, and Involving in ruin our Sugar Fiantatlons. The next, and very important con fide- ration, is the trade between our Weft India Colonies and the American States, the fettlement of which, upon the fame prin- ciples, and in the fame manner it was formerly carried on, is neccflary to the prefervatlon of thofe Colonies, as depen- dencies i3t ) dencies lipon the Crown of Great Britain. And, in confequence of a long and well- founded experience of this neceflity, the Committee of Weft India Planters and Merchants have reprefented, " that the ** permiflion of American Ihips as hereto- *' fore, freely to bring the produce of " the American States to the Sugar Iflands, and to take back the produce of our Iflands in return, is obvioufly effential.'* ^ ( ^3^ 1 the charge of our North American, at other times, to that of our Weft India Co- lonies, the expences of every war for e^- moft this century. If we had been without Colonies, we Ihould noi: have been without war. It is not difficult to find a caufe, when Nations are difpofed for lioftilities. An affront to a favourite Minifter in the laft century, efFedled it equally well, as the pafling a boundary line in the unin- habited parts of North America in this, or the taking r. few merchant (hips in the Weft Indies. If we except our wild fcliemes of fet- tling the ceded Iflands, the returns from our former Plantations, have been much more than proportionate to the expences of making them. They have been abun- dant. Whenever the produce of Planta- tions exceeds the expence of cultivating them, they become advantageous to the . '. State ; ( ^33 ) State; the difference being Co much acf- tual profit, exclufive of the benefits derived fjom the navigation. On the contrary, when Plantations (fuch an Ndva-Scotia) do not repay tlic expence of fettling them ; or^ after long flonrifliing, are, through the nilfmanagement of the Government at home, reduced in fuch a manner as to ex- ceed this difference (which the Wefl India Iflandswillbe fubje^lto, if the United States are not fufFered to fupply them in Ame- rican fhips with lumber and provifions) the profit is at ah end, and the poffef- fion of them becomes a lofs to the State. The reducing thefe Plantations to this fituation, may not be the caufe of appre- henfion to thofe, whofe ears are fhut againft every argument that does not at- tempt to prove, that all Colonies are in- jurious to the Mother Country. They do not fcruple to afl'ert an opinion, that it K 2 would , i- ( m ) would be much better to give up the Ifland& themfelves, than to give up their Carrying Trade, " that alone, (they tell us) coun- " tervailing the enormous expence of their •' protection.** The Carrying Trade of lumber and provifions between America and the Weft Indies, is fet down at a high value ; and it is to be prefumed there will not be found many followers of fuch an opinion : Or, of the capabihty of the Weft India Jflands to make fufficient ef- forts to fupply themfelves, by fitting out yeffels in conjunction with Bermuda : At leaft, without depriving their Sugar Plan- tations of thofe capitals, which are ne- ceftary for working them. In other words, they muft find capitals for their own Plantations ; people as well as capitals for the provifion and lumber trade in Canada and Nova-Scotia, and for both (hips and feamen, to tranfport them from thofe Co- lonics It is therefore a very unjuft charge made ( '35 ) made upon the Weft India Planters, that they deferve to fufFer, or to pay an ex- traordinary price, if they do not make efforts which muft deftroy them. But another option is given them, that of fupplying themfelves in foreign free ports. To free ports of our own, the noble Writer is a great enemy ; confider- ing their eftablifhment to be equal to the abandonment of our Iflands. In this he differs very widely from the pra a i ■ r, that the ad- miflion of American ftup^ nay be the means of aftording faciUty to the Planter to cheat his creditors in Europe, by run- ning away with property which ought to be fent iiome to pay his debts. And we are informed, '* that the evil might not reft " here, as the North American Merchant *' would be furniftied with a valuable com- '' modity, which would eftabllfti his cre- dit in Europe, and enable him to pur- " chafe foreign manu failures/* The Mer- chants in England are in a very dcfperate fitpation, if this prohibition is thought neccflary for their fecurity, to prevent fuch defigiis in the Planters. They are very fully aware, that if a Planter has any ( ^-bl ) any intention to be a rogue, he will not ftand in need of an American (hip to afiift his iniquity ; and that except this North American Merchant could, like the re- ceiver of ftolen goods, purchafe the com- modities at half price, he muft be ruined by carrying it on as a trade. It is' rather an extraordinary argument, to confider the expenfive manner in which the Planters live amongft us, to be pro- dudive of the high price of their com- modities at our market. The caufe may be eafily found for this, as well as every other branch of Commerce, where the confumption is equal to the importation ; of courfe in conftant demand. No article has varied more in price than fugar, owing entirely to the brilknefs or llacknefs of the market for it. If our confumption fhould not equal our import, then, and not before, ^\ill the price fall, both in the K A Iflands xC ( '38 ) Iflands and at home ; and the Merchant miift feck for a market elfewhere. Rules may be prefcribed for having (as we are told) " our (hips go out full, and ' return fo*; and that fuch is the pro- ' portion, between the provifions and ftores ' necelHiry for the Weft India Iflands, and * their produce, that it might be managed ' partly by a dired, and partly by a cir- ' cuitous trade ; but this objecl has been * greatly neglected. Britjfh fhips often ' went out in ballaft, often not half loaded, * and often returned with half a load.** The beil prefcribers of rules, are the ma- nagers of this bufinefs, the Weft India Merchants j whofe perfpicuity and a£livi- ty, fupported by the beit of all arguments, great acquired property, and the profpe- rify of this branch of Commerce before the American war, prove tlicir judgment in this Trade. Yet thefc Gentlemen have not (as ( '39 ) not the art of carrying into pradice, wliat is here (o very rciulily marked out for them. The general progrelnon of this branch of Commerce, was a Ihort loading- outwards, and a full one on the return of the fhlps. Bad crops fometimes occafioned the arrival of veflels half loaded ; but this was accidental, and a calamity to which all countries are fubje^V. t ■ We will not enter into an argument, whether it will be more for our advantajrc to procure Weft India produce cheaper from other nations. It will be fully fufficient to offer to the national confideration, as 4 full anfwcr, the ample benefits which we derive from our Sugar Plantations; theirim- menfe confumption of our manufadures, their great increafe, the fhipping which they make ufe of, the number of failors em« ployed in them, and the abundant produce which is brought to Great Britain, greatly enriching ( HO ) enriching the Revenue, tiie Mcrch;inr, and dhcdly or indircdly, every order of tlia State. • ' ' ' The value of the provifions fent from .' Great Britain to our Weft India Iflands, was very trifling. By the information given in evidence before the Houfe of Commons, thirteen thoufand quarters of pcafc and beans, and nineteen thoufand quarters of oats, together with, a few herrings and pilchards, were the fupplles of provifions export.:-:! from Great Britain to t!:: r^'^crn'* Colonies, in three years be- fore the vsar ; b.?" i.g upon an average about ten thoufand quarteis of peafe, beans, and oats, each year. Salted prov^ilions were fent from IrcL.nd, and in great quan- tities. Thefe 'comprehended the whole importation of the neceflluies of life from Europe. The remainder of the confump- tlon Vv' is fupphed by America. CoInFINING C '4< ) Confining this llipply to Great Bri- tain, is what the noble Author dates as a great national advantage. It is, he fays, " a fortunate circumft'ancc, ariiing from *' the Independence of America, that the " Britifh Ifles will regain, in a confiderable " degree, the fupply of our V/ 11: India *' Iflands with bread and flour.''* But wherein this advantage confifts, remains to be proved. It has one ftubborn prin- ciple to contend with, which is generally confidered as incontrovertible ; that the cheaper a Plantation is fupplied with pro- vifions and other neceflaries, the greater benefit will be derived from it. This fup- ply in the Weft Indies, by Amcricc% was generally at little more than half the price they could be fupplied at from Great Britain.. Though tiiC ports are now ihut by law, yet they are open by evafion ; * a ftrong * Lumber and provifions, in American fliips, have been actually admitted in our Wed India Iflands fince Chriftmas. ( 142 ) flrortg evidence of their preferring tlie rifquc of fciz.ii re, to a dependence upon,, and to the chance of, Britifh fupplies. This fupply of provifions confifled chiefly cf flouA', rice, Indian-corn, blfcuit, (hcep, togs, poultry, and foiTke liv^e cattle, (a great part of the lafl come from Forto Rico) hams, butter, faked beef, pork, and falted iifh, in very great quantities, and of great value ; likewife fait fiom fome of the fmaller Weft Indian Iflands, the Ame- licans being the carriers. The fupply from America, befides provifion, confined of lumber, boards, joifts, planks, and Haves ; of oil, horfes, tallow, leather, to- bacco, pitch, tar, turpentine, iron, floop and boat timbers, and other articles. Not lefs than one hundred thoufand v afc and puncheons were, in a year, made in Ja- maica, from American flares :\nd heading. The dittercnt towns, and the buildings of nioli: ( H3 ) i-noft of the fettlements upon the fea coafts of that Ifland, are built with timber im- ported from North America. The fame ufe of thefe articles, and many of them in a greater proportion, prevailed in the other Sugar Iflands, * In payment for thefe goods, the Ame-* ricans formerly received the produ61:s of the Sugar IHands, of almoft every kind ; of brown fugars to a i^ery large amount ; of refined fugar, fent from Great Britain, to a great value ; of rum very Lirge quantities, which was not faleable at any other fi:iarket ; likewife melaffes, fyrups, paniitels, coffee. ^ Mr, Edwards, in his late Thoughts on the Connexion between America and the Weil Indies, makes the whole value of American commodities imported into the Sugar IHands, to Oiuount to 750,0001. fieri >ng. ( 144 ) coffee, ginger, and piemento.* The Wefl Lidlans place a dependence upon the fale of thefe commodities, and will fuffer extremely if it is loft to them. Tins will probably be the cafe with fiigar, as the Americans can fupply them- . ' ' felves • * It is very difficult to procure the amount of the exports from our Iflands to America, the Cuflom- houfe hooks heing very incorre<£l ; as the mafters of velfels never enter the exadl quantity, making out 2 loofe manifeft before they load. The quantity of fugar mentioned by Mr. Walker, of 25000 hogf- heads, exported to North America, fecms to be too m«ch ; vvhilll: that of Mr. Edwards appears to he too little. But the latter at the fame time fpe;\k!? of the deficiency of the Cuftom-houfc books, re- marking, that, in a reprefentation to the Lords of Trade, Governor Littleton obferves, that there was not ot:c half of the produce entered for exportation in tlic Cuftom-houfc books at Jamaica, wliicli wero ad I tally fliipped. .^ i ( U5 ) icives much cheaper at Cape Nichola Mole, or in any ot the other French ports ; which, thoiigii not avowedly opened, yet' are (o m fa£l, both to import all kinds of lumber and proviiions, and to export pro- duce in return, for the purpofc of en- couraging the trade of the United States. They may alfo fupply themfclvcs in the Dutch and Danllh ports/ where they will fmd marts common toallnations, for Dutch, French, and Danifli fugars; and thefe of bet- ter quality, and very confiderably cheaper than Englifti. But luppoiing,as many have done, that no European Nation will fufFor the Americans to carry off their produce, the climate of that counay is llifficicntly favourable to fupply tlicm wi.h a tolerable good fugar. Light as the fugar produced from the maple tree is ipoiien of, it is not the fn-(}: time that nrccffity has made a worfe fubllitutc acceptable. Maple fugar is made in great qunntilies in the State of New- ( H6 ) New- York ; particularly upon the higher partsof the River Hudfon, and inthewhole country about the Mohawk River. Some tenants of General Schuyler made as much as two thoufand pounds weight: each upon their farms, and thofe fmall ones, during the lafl year, which fold at about the fame price as coarfe brown fugar. Brandy, which, independently of what they can make them- felves, they have imported in great quan- tities, of French produce, has greatly, and win (together with their own diftillerles, which very mucli increafe) in time fupply, almofh wholly, the place of rum. Our Weft India Iflands cannot fubfifl without their lumber and provifions ; lor which, without a ftlpulation on our part, inftead of bartering produce, they itiuft pay in fpecle. It is not difficult to forefee the fituatlon to which they would be reduced by fuel) \ Commerce, In ( H7 ) lis the article of fait provlHons, tlioiipji the principal import is from Ireland, .u.d which in quality (at leaft in mofl branches of this trade) exceeds all others, and will, fo long as that is the cafe, command a pre- ference ; yet it is not a fufficieht fnpply. The greater cheapnefs of the Ameiicaii provlfions, and thepromixity of that coun- try to the Weft Indies, will always be the means of a confiderable fale. Improve- ments ill falting will in all probaMhty be made ; the Americans having already fent perfons to Cork to attend th*^ methods in ufe at that place. American pork is now equal, if not fupericurin quality to thelrifh, and much cheaper. Beef is inferiour ; but owing alone to bad management in falting; the fad having been eftablifhed, that beef, faited in America by Irifhmen ufed to this bufmefs, is equal in every quality to i:hc heft Irifh. Before the war, fhips bound to thole parts (now the United States) where L provifions ( h8 ) provifions were lalted, were frequently ac- cuftomed to lay in a ftock for the outward voyage only, leaving the fupply of the in- ward voyage to be made in America. The great fertility of the back Country of the Southern States, where innumerable herds of cattle graze in the favannahs during their mild winters, will produce in confequence cheapnefs and plenty ; and v^dll in future times render Hilted provifions a very great article of their Commerce. It is v*^ant of praclice (the fame thing happens in England) that prevents their failed provifions from keeping as well as the Irifli. The great deficiency of timber in the American States has been held out to us ; but for what purpofe, it is not eafy to be underftood. If it was a fad, and that Craiada ?nd Nova-Scotia could fupply the Weft Indies, the Trade would find its own courle, ( M9 ) ^rolirfc, and the noble Author might have ijpared hlmlclf the apprehtnilons ot the States of America fupplying the Weft India lilands. Happily fo^' thole Ifl^.ncs, however, there is no deficiency of tirnlcr in Anierica. Such an opinion can "jiuy arife from thofe who, finding the country round the great towns cleared of wood, and the price of courfe dearer, have either too much indolence, or too little judgment, to make nny farther obfervation ; and* therefore fuppofe that all the reft of Ame- rica is equally cleared. There is a fufficien- cy in that country, on tlie Creeks, in all the States, to laft for ag^.s ; and \z 'v-iy be cut down on the water lide, and im- mediately laden in the fmall veffels which carry on that trade. Surely our former experience mufl: have told us, that lun.'^er was procured in fufficient quantities, and at a cheap price in general, for the ufe of the Planter. If the price varied, it L 2 was ( 150 ) was accidental, according to the number of veflcls which arrived in the Well: In- dies ; a circumftance t6 which all Com- merce is fubje6l. Th': advantages in fending fmall veflels to load lumber, mihtate fo much againfl our fupplying the Sugar Colonies in Britifh vefl'els, as to put it out of the power of a Merchant to purfue it, otherwife than to his ruin. The Americans will trade from their Creeks with little expence, and with- put delay. Our large Weft India ihips muft procecG diredlly to the great ports, and purchafe lumber, under the accumu- lated weight of tranfportation and ftore- ing ; they muft lie a confiderable time loading, under great charges of wages and provifions, of courfe enhancing the price of freight ; and on their arrival in the Weft Indies, they have another, and a very confiderable ( I50 confiderablc freiglit to pay for droghers, or fmall craft, to carry the lumber and pro- vifions to the fcveral ports of the different Iflands, where the American veflels land tlicm without difficulty ; the whole of which muft ultimately fall upon the Plan- ter;, who is the purchafer. time and price 11 the very erable This mode of carrying on the LuinLcr Trnr' .' to the Well Indies, has never been praCliG^d but by a few opulent Merchants, pofl'efTors of great eftates in the Wefl: In- dies ; who, preferring the regularity of fupply, though at an increaled expencc, to the leaving to their Agents the ca'-e of furnifliing their Plantations, w^re accuf- tomed to fend fuch of their veflels as arrived very early at home, for this purpofe. Hut no one ever attempted it with a view to ;. ; i> iit, or even making a freight for their vci i •, though they go out half-loaded. The L 3 trade ( '5^ ) trade couM not afford it. There are CainG fcaloiis in the year, the hurricane months, in Vvhicli lumber is rather fcarce and dear; yet the Pl.inters, in general, are not provident enough to L^.y in LfFicient flock for a day of want. Even at the jkv riod from wliich all our knowledg^e is drawn, from that before the war, lumber, wlien well chofen, was alwavs in fufficient demand to procure freight for thofe fhips wliich were built in i\merica, and fent to the Wefl Indies, for the jau'pofe of pro- curing a loading of fugars for Great Bri- tain. The mafler of the vefill made his bargain, to fell the Planter a certain quan • tltv of lumber, for everv ho:ifliead of fu- gar he would engage to put on board his fhip. Such clrcumflances Iianpened in the time of regular fupply ; how much pTcatcr inconvenience mufl then accrue from the fcanty fupply of BritiHi iliips. For either .the Weft Indians muft carry on that ( '53 ) that trade with vcfltls of ihelr own, or wc mud: do It with Jjiitlfh fhips. The pofTibility of Bermuda doing it, a circum- ftance that has been urged, will not be admitted by any pcrfou converfant in the Trade. The dependence o^ that very Ifland for provifions inufl: be upon America. And if they could do it, another queftion arifes, Will the Americans iulicr them ? If we expert fuch great docility in thofe States, we have not profited by our expe- rience. There is one plain road, if we have the good fenfe to follow it. The advantages which we formerly derived from the Americans, when our fellow -fubjedls, will be continued to us, in a greater or lefs degree, as th^ connexion is greater or lefs between us. If w^e are dire»fled by a falfe and narrow policy, and have fo little wifdom as to think the Wcfb India Colo- nics w^ill be fatisficd, (liould we tell them, L 4 witji IMAGc EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) {./ m J / 4^ y 41^ ^ 1.0 I.I 12.5 Li 128 «f Bii |22 1^ U£ 12.0 IL25 i 1.4 1^ 0>. <% VQ ^> Photogr^hic Sciences Corporation 33 WBT MAIN STRffT WfKTfR.N.Y. 14SM (716) •73-4503 ( 154 ) with the noble Author, " We thank you *' for your Ubeiahty in giving up your " ufual method of fupply of hunber and *' provifions. We will make amends to " vou for confininrr their tranfport to Bri- !' ti(h fhips, by permitting you to fell *' vour rums in the American States. It " will be of much greater benefit to you,'* we (hall add to their opinion of our folly, the refentment of the Planters, for this contemptuous treatment. They will na- turally alk us, if we had obtained permlf- fion of the United States, to fuUlr rums to be imported into their dominions. la an affair that has a relation to two diffe- rent Nations, the confent of both is re- qulfite. America has certainly no right to queftion the ^propriety of any regula- tions which we think proper to make. But lb e would undoubtedly make regulations of her own, to counteract thofe which (he thought difadvantageous to her. Wliat- cver ( ^55 ) ever *^ confidence (as we arc told) the *' Citizens of thofc States may be defirous •' to place in the Britilh Merchants," the regulations of their Government being fa- tisfi;6i:ory, would be the inducen^ent for them to beftow it. And though a few vcfllls may be fitting out in the River, and at Jamaica, for the American Trade, they cannot ftir, till America gives them leave. Upon the whole, if we exclude the vef- fels of the United States from our Weft India Illands, we muft undertake that trade ourfelves. There is no alternative. It was formerly attempted in tlie Weft Indies, but w'ltliout fuccefs. A few particular ftiips ar- riving early at home, inay,as has been men- tioned, be difpatched in July or Auguft ; but the circumftanccs of the trade not fulTering them in general, to depart till late in the year, ourcondudmuft be regulated by this general ftateof our trade, not by fucli partial inftances. It is poffible to diicharge, refit, load, and fend ft vcfiel KC ( 1.56 ) e vcff 1 to Ccd \v four days, winch is not commonly done in Icfs than four weeks, and ibmctimcs in not Icfstlian four months. But we mufl: govern ourfeh'cs by the ufual practice of Trade, not hy the iitmofl polfible exertion whieii cr.n on pirticular occalions he made in it. I'hc coni^\['icnces therefore refpcdin^^ our (hipping will be thefe that follow : There arc very few vclTels in the Weft Indi.i Trade, that can be ready to pro- ceed to fea before the month ofO^^ober. To <^o to Nova-Seotiii or Canada, at that time, is impoffible. To go to any American port to the Noitluvard of Carolina, is at- tended witli rifqiie. I'hcrc r^re very fevcre j^alc^ of wind in the months of Novxmber 2nd December, upon the American coafts, < spoling every ftnp which approaches t'len.i, to certain damage ; often driving t!iem off the confr, and putting them un- late in the year, cannot be ready to proceed upon the hiuc circuitoi:s voyage of taking in a freight of lumber by tlic way, until the Spring following. Thus a Weft India ihip, which now generally performs her voyage in twelve moitths, quietly and with little rifquc, will be put ijuite out of her ufuai track, . . Tbe freight made by a Weft India (hip to the Sugar Iflands, is trifling. She de- pends for profit upon the freight home from thence. In three years fhe now makes three of thcfe freights, and the infurance during that time,at two per cent, out, and two per cent home, is twelve pounds per cent. ( 159 ) cent. Oil the contrary, it flic proceeds tc North America for luml^er, (he will in ail probability make no freight out to that country, as the (hips, nccclFarily upon the Trade between Great Britain and Ame- rica, are TuHicient to carry the goods ex- ported from hence. The cargo of lum- ber, purchafcd at a high price, will ma}:c but a final 1 fum for freight to the Well Indies. She will perform thefc voyages with difhculty, and with great danger and e^pence, and will make but two freights from the Well Indies home in three years ; during which time tlic inlu- rance, admitting that Ihe makes one voy- age in the hurricane fcafon, and the other before it, will be fixtecn pounds tcnfliilJings per cent, at the Icafl, and fubjcd to the alarms,which Underwriters are liible to at that time of the year. The prtfent regula- rity of trade, which is clfcntial in iheVVcfl India Commerce, will be totally deflroyed. The ( i6o ) The Planters will be atone time in abfolute want of food and ncceflaries, with their Plantations fo full of their produce, as not to have warehoufcs fufficient to place them in ; the fliips being ufually a confi- dcrablc lime loading, which affords them great tonveniencc in that refpc£V, hy taking in their fugars from lime to time. At other times, all will be hurry and confufion, and lumber either felling for nothing, or no places to be procured for floreing it. Every inconvenience ariling froL icfe circumflanccs being now pre- vented, by the continual arrivals from North America, and the regularity of our fhips carrying away the produce of the WcR Indies. It has been afked by the noble Lord, how did ihclc: Wed India Colonies fubfift , during tlie war, ivhen " even Canada and *' jYova-SiOliaf any more than England " and .ord, [ubfia \a and [land and ( '6« ) ** and Ireland, were not open to them, ** without great expencc and rifque ?" To this queftion it is to be aniwercd, that the greater part of the Windward and Leeward Iflands were in poffcITion of the French; and that thethrce which remained in. our hands, were frequently reduced to great didrcfs. The Planters in fomeof them compromifcd the labour of their flavcs for a flender daily food. The fituation of Bermuda was fo deplorable, that fomc of the poorefl: inhabitants were adually fa- mifhed ; and it was owiiig to the humanity of the Americans, who fuHcrcd lUem, upon their application, to fupply iheni (elves with provifions from their States ; (from Delaware, and Connedicut in particular) that the whole people dit) not perifh for want. Jamaica having many uno<;cupicd lands, employed fome cf iliem for the pur- pofc of partial fupply. This ciicumiLinc^ has produced a landed inurcil there; which ( J62 j which, though a very fmall proportionate part of that Ifland and of our other Sugar Colonics inclufivcly, afTumcs to iifclf a confcqucncc, fufficient to make an oppo- fition, (the only one) to the former bene- ficial method of fupply from America. This plain flatc of fac^s dcmonftratcs the fallacy of the afTcrtion, ** That the experience of ** the laft eight years has proved, incon- •* tcflably, how little neccffary the Ame- *' rican States are to our Iflands." Their chief dependence at that time was upon England, but that often failing, they were obliged to ncglctfl their pro- duce, to prevent the danger of a total want of the neceffaries of life; and accord- ingly railed a much gteater quantity of them, than they had ever before done. Whenever diflrefs prcfTcd very clofcly tipon them, they purchafcd in the Neutral lilands at a high price. But all thefe lupplies of one. ofely utral thefe ►plies C 'Cs ) fuppllcs were procured upon fuch cxpcn- five terms, that had it not been lor the enormous prices which they procured in England for their j)roduce, the Weft In- dies would have been ruined. This was, however, a fevere tax upon the Mother Country, whole Revenues were at the fame lime greatly impaired by the flion impor- tations. It was an abridgement of the comforts of the People, as they were not able to fupply themfelves as forinerly; for in all cafes where the price is high, the conlumption will generally be reduced in fomc degree of adequate proportion. During the war, the neat monies received by the Planters, for the fugars they were able to fend to market, notwithftanding the high price of freight and infurance, greatly exceeded the times of peace during fcvcral years preceding the war. But we are not to infer from thence, that the profits on the whole were equal; becaufc M the ( '64 ) the quantity of the produce was greatly IcfTcncd. It is mentioned merely to (hew. that by the method of our fupplying the Wefl India lilands with provifions and lumber (hoops, which are light, and fill up fpaces in fliips where nothing clfc can can be put, is ahnod the only lumber fent from hence) the grievance, fo far as re- gards thole articles, will be equally great as it was during the war; for whatever expcnce and rifquc we are at in procuring them (and if America Qiould fhut up their ports, we mufl purchale in the Baltic) the burthen will fall upon the Planter, whofe produce now fells atone half of the grofs price it did in the war; and yet the prin- cipal part, fugar, is fubjed to an addi- tional duty of above fix (hillings the hun- dred weight. Whatever may be the motive or caufe, mod probably through milinformation, the illy ew. the and Ull can fcnt > rc- grcat iievcr uring their c) the ^hofc grofs prin- adcli- ; hull- I • caufe, naiion, the ' .65 ) ihc very commodities formerly fcnt from America to the Wefl Indies, arc now let before the Public in a very falfc light, both as to quantity and value. Rice, in particular, is mentioned as a mere baga- telle ; yet not lefs than twenty thoulaiul barrels were annually fcnt from Carolina and Georgia to the Wefl Indies. Other articles arc fpoken of in the fame manner, and provifions and neceffaries made to grow in ihofe Iflands in the mofl eafy manner, upon paper. If a Gentleman prefers employing manufadurcrs in his own houfe to make the necefTarics for his ufe, it will not be denied that ihcy cod more than purchafing of the (hop-keeper. It is exadly the fame with the Planter, who employs his negroes in raifing pro- vifions, when he can employ them much more profitably in making fugar. It was not by fuch means that the Weft liidia Iflands became opulent, and en- M 2 richcd /!>* ( iC6 ) richcd the Mother Country with their pro- duce; a monopoiy which the high price it fells tor in this country will (fo long as it lafts) fecure to us; and makes usfmile at the fears of thofe uninformed men, who firfl acknowledge themfelves, that the price of our Weft India produce in the Iflands ex- ceeds that of any other nation, and then exprefs their fears, left the Americans fhould carry off our Weft India produce to other ports ; though there is not, nor can be, by tlieir own evidence, a market in Europe where it will fetch the prime coft. How the Planters are to ufe the indirect advantages v>'hich are given to them, from an intercourfc with the world in general, is a tale yet to be told. We fliould not fuppo^e they could, to judge from the noble Wri- ter's own words, which are ftridlly true ; though they do not appear to agree with other parts of his Work, where he is full of arprehenfions, that the Americans will be- come H ( i67 ) come the carriers of our fngars to foreign countries. He fays in this place, " That ** the difference of price between French, ** Danilh, and Dutch, and Britl(h Weft *' India fugars, was fo great, that nearly *^ half the fugar regularly entered, came *' from the foreign iflands, and was *' cheaper, notwithftanding the duty of ** five llxillings per hundred on foreign *' fugars." ** It feems, that our fugars ** would not have been taken, but through " the advantage of barter.*' Yet in a Note to this very article he fays, "It is clear ** from this, that our fugars will not be " taken for confumpt^on in the American " States, and they only mean to be car- *' riers elfewhere, if permitted to go to our " IHands." And again, " That the Weft ** India Planters would derive advantage in " their principal ftaple fugar, from the ** fhipplng of the American States being *' permitted to carry their produce to any M3 <( part I' < V ( .68 ) " part of th 2 world, is very doubtful. It " is univerfally allowec!, that they cannot " afford it on the fpot, at the price that " lorelgners can.'* Such con traditions are not to be reconciled. We perfedly agree in the opinion, that the Weil India Merchants are too liberal minded men, to dcfire private advantages, that are not public benefits. But thofe Gentlemen muft be at a lofs to difcover, (as the noble Author ftates it) the motives of this call upon their liberality. It docs not appear, that any ufe could be made of a free permiflion (fhould it be granted) to export their produce to foreign parts in American (liips ; fuice no American Mer- chant could purchafe, or any Weft Ind'a Planter export fugars, without a certain lofs in the fale at any European port. Or how the price in the Plantations could be increafed to their benefit, when the prefent price C »69 ) price is already a prohibition of expoit to any place bu»- Great Britain. ♦ Much more is to be feared from the paying in bullion for the commodities im- ported from America ; a trade that is in- difputably to the prejudice of the country which is obliged to fubmit to it. It will be a ferious matter to the Planter, when he cafts an anxious eye over the rums in his florc:, (which he cannot fell in Great Britain, and therefore they will produce no advantage to the Revenue; to behold their continual wafte ; and to find himfelf under the neceflity of giving up this profit- able branch of his produce, whilft he is compelled to open his purfe, and pay in ready money for the nccefl'aries which he has purchafed. It will be an equally ferious confideration to him, to be bereaved of the comfort of M 4 . frefh I C '70 ) frefti provifions in that unhealthy ch'mate. And both unpleafant and offenfive to be thus deprived of the fatisfadion he derived from the ahnoft daily arrivals of American fhips, with cattle, poultry, and many other rc-r frefhing fupplies for the table. Nothing tends more to the alienation of the affec- tions of fubje£ls, than to deprive them of "the conveniences and ccmforts of life. The next flep to lofing their affedions, is to lofe their allegiance. If thefc reafbns are not fufficient to overcome our prejudices, will the conduct of France, a country formerly greatly in fc- riour to this nation in all commercial regulations, have any weight with us ? The French Colonies have people, unoc- cupied lands, and many other conveni- ences of fupply within themfelvis, in a much greater degree than any of our Iflands. Yet France, fenfible of the im- ^-n'tance of the neighbourhood of Ame- rica ( '71 ) nca for fupply, has opened (whether by an exprefs law, or by ;\n obrcure Procla- mation, is a needlcfs Jlllindlion) ports in her Wc/l Indies for the Importation of lumber and provilions from tlie United States, in American fhips ; and fuffcrs them to take the produce of their Colo- nies in returu, in fuch quantities, that the pricesof fugars in the French Iflands arc greatly advanced- No other conclufion can be drawn from the preceding Confiderations, which are founded upon the evidence of the moft fenfible ai^d informed men, thoroughly converfant ii^ the Weft India Trade, thau that, if the Letter of the Adl of Naviga- tion is ftridlly prefervcd (American fhips at this time not being within the defcrip- tion of Britlfh) we muft prepare ourfelves for the woril confcqucnces that can hap- pen to our Sugar Colonies. They will be in an infinitely worfe fituation than they 4» >l i I' ,' m ( '72 ) they were during the war. At that timr, though they bought their neceffaries dear, they fold their produce at n very high price. They will now purchale thofe neceffaries at a high price, and fell their produce at a low one. In the former fitua- tion, they were gradually declining; in this, they will fall into a rapid decay : And there "is^ not more proper words to convey ' an opinion on this fubjecl, if the Trade between America and the Wtft Indies is not fuffcred to remain in its old fituatlon, than thofe of the noble Author of the Obfervations ; who fays, " The delufion *' will amount to that degree of infatua- *< tion, which hurries on th6 devoted to " dcftrudlion.*' A VERY full ilateof the Trade between Great Britain and America has been al- ready given. It (hewii the importance of that country to Great l^rltaln ; the de- pendence which our Wcfl India Iflands 1 lave ( ^73 ) have upon it ; the incapacity of the Colo- nies of Canada and Nova-Scotia to fup- ply its place ; and that nothing lefs than a renewal of the former Comn^ercialSyftem will raife this Natio i to the power and jrichcs which it poflefled before the war. An opinion has been very rafhiy incul- cated amongft lis, not only by the noble Author of the Obfervations on the Com- nicrcc of the American States, but by many others, that America, by becoming an Independent Sovereignty, partakes fb fully of the nature of a Foreign State, that we cannot confider her in any other view. The reiped that is due to many worthy men who fupport this opinion, will not fufFer us to affign other rnotives for it, than thofe which proceed from a perfua- iion of its advantage to this country. But, though thefe motives may have influenced their condud, very different ones have aduated other perfons, who have been bufy h ' ( '74 ) bufy and forward in the promulgation »f thefe fentiments. In fome, it probably proceeds from a deeply rooted fyftematic animofity, which is with them fo power- fully operative, that no change of fitua- tion coald cfFecl a change of their defirc to reduce America to fubmlfrion, though at thi expencc of the grandeur, the power, jind even the fafety of their own Country. In others, from an idea, haflily and In- confideratdy adopted, that the feparation of America from Great Britain will pro- duce luch confufion and diflrefs in the New States, that it will require no more than the holding out of this threat, of con- iiderlng her as a Foreign Nation, to induce her to lay her Independence at our feet. The condud of the former is weak, malignant, and in obtaining the defired cfFcd, would receive a juil retribution in their ( '75 ) their own deftrudlion. Tiiat of the latter, who, equally without ill intention, as without juft reflcdlion, look eagerly back to our former glorious {late of Empire before the war, is an abufe of their un- derftanding, which even the experience of the laft ten years cannot cure. Since, however, blindly attached they are to an opinion of the means, there is not the fmalleft probability of procuring the fuccefs which they fo anxloufly expe<^, from the local diffentions in America. One would think (fays the good Bifliop of St Afaph, in his excellent intended fpeech) " that there was fome Statute *' Law prohibiting us, under the fevcreft ** penalties, to profit by experience." It (hould feem, that at leaft we are under the influence of Infatuation ; the various methods which are put in pradlce, either by deluding us with the pro fpe^ri: of Ame- rica's returning to our allegiance, or by holuing I I ( '7^> ) hoJding up the great and fplendid advan- tages which wc arc to derive from her be- ing cutoff from our Empire, having cacli their numerous and fanguine followers. If Great Britain and America (hould exchange the mutual privileges wliich tfiey enjoyed in their former connexion, in all cafes not derogatory to the Sove- reignty which we have acknowledged, and which the fenfible diftindion that has been made "of a people fui generis, ^^ ftrongly urges, and ought to be confidered as a full anfwer to the plea of their being at this time a Foreign Nation, the benefit would be in a greater proportion to this kingdom, from the circumftance of its being the Mother Country. Thofc of the Citizens of America, who turn their eves towards the plcalurcs of the Capital, and whofe fuperfluous riches afibrd them the oppor- tunity of their enjoyment, would expend them ( 1/7 ) them in the purchafe of eftatcs iu Eng- land. , K. t The feat of a great Empire being the centre of honours, of acquaintance witli the moft dlfi:inguiflied perfons, of pro- fitable employments, of extended Com- nnerce, of a variety of pleafures to gratify every tafle, becomes the centre of attrac- tion to all parts of its dominions and con- nexions, and to the riches which are con- tained in them. The fuperfluous wealth of our dependencies, thus found its way to England. Ireland, to which, in Its na- tional (ituation, with refpedl to indepen- dence, America may be properly com- pared, (the difference not being very ma- terial) is a decifive proof of the advantages which this Country has derived, from the Irifli participating in the enjoyment of Britilh privileges. It < '78 ) It is ^\holIy immaterial to us, ivhcthcr ladcpendcncc was the cffedl of tlic clioice of America, or whether flie was compcllcc! to it in her own defence. We liave ac- knowledged that quality to be in her, and we muft govern ourfclves by the fact it- felf, and not trifle away our time in tracing out and condemning the caufe of it. It is Mot the only Independence we have granted. It w?.s about the fame period, that we acknowledged, in eiFccl, the Inde- pendence of Ireland. In both cafes, they were extorted from us by very natural caufes ; the want of good Government on our part, and a fulhciency of flrength on theirs, to refift us. There is no other re- medy left to us, in the unfortunate fitua- tion to which we are reduced, than to make the neareft approaches in our power to the ftate in which the Empire was placed before the war. Tlie nearer we can approach to this condition, the kfs we HiaU ( 1/9 ) (hall feci the ill cftccls of the Jiulcpen- ilcnce wlilch we Iiave been coirlpcllcd to grant, and the more the wealth of tlie countries, with whom we have this par- ticular connexion, Increafes, the more will ilow into Gicat Britain. Those who arc fo vehement in their opinion of the necellity of confiJcring America as a Foreign Nation, have given us no folid ground of a£lual benefit which wc are to derive from it. They depend \ipon the events which, according to their manner of reafoning, are to happen in future. Caftle-buildlng is a very pleafant operation of the mind, but it often leads it aft ray. They firfl go back to the time when the Navigation Act paflcd, and the argu- ments which were tlien ufed, and which tlica were mofl perfedlly adapted to the occafion, without reflcdting on the great changes which have happened in the Commercial N Syllem C i8o ) Syftem of Europe, fince that period ; and on thofe, which the iate Revolution in particular is likely to produce. They next threaten us with the refentment of Ruflia, which is held out as a bugbear to us ; and then bring forward Ireland by force, to join in this ftrange combat of one of the plaineft fyflems in the world — the revival of our ancient Commercial Con- nexion with America. In the firft place, the circumftances at this time, and at the pafling of the Na- vigation A£t, are fo widely different, as not to admit any parity of reafoning upon the fubjedl. In the next, Ruflia is ac- tually a rival to us in fome of our capital manufactures. In that of linen, the quan- tities that we import, make us feel for our own manufadlures, in fuch a competitor. This they do not them- felvcs contradiv^ ; for we arc told in the Obfer- ( ,8i ) 'Obfervatloiis of the noble Writer, that ''' if we fhould not be able to command " the more fubftantial advantag.. of beinp- " the manufaclurers (fpeaking of linen) " ourfelves, our next objedt muft be that " of endeavouring to fecure the fupply of " the American market with thoic ar- " tides ;'* though he furely forgets, that the methods which he prefcribes in various parts of his Work, will prove a very bad medicine for curing America of the pre- judiccs, which fhe may have taken aguinft us. If he wanted to fecure fuch a trade, tooling and lenitive draughts would have been much more fuitable, than the rough horfe medicines which he prefcribes. In the manufacture of iron, he remarks him- ftlf, that (he makes great quantities of nails for home confumption, and having " taken off the duties, may now greatly " underfellus;" a flrange recommendation of a country to fupply the deficiency in N 3 fil ( <82 )■ fale of the manufa6lures, with which we formerly fupplied America. However, with refped to the princi- pal raw materials with which Rulfia fupplies us, viz. iron, and hemp, the chief articles in common to that Empire and America, if we do not think the im- portation, duty free, from both nations, neceflary for the encouragement of our own manufadures, as well as for the dif- couragement of thofe which have grow^n up in the fame country with the materials, there can be no objedlion to the equaliz- ing of the duties upon them. As to Ire- land, there is no fmall probability (from the connexion which that country, par- ticularly the Northern part, has with America) of her being difpofed to take the lead herfelf in this bufniefs, if we do not. There is no want of inclination, or knowledge of the advantages which fhe ( '83 ) Will derive from it, to prompt her to wifli for a Treaty that might be made, upon terms very profitable to both Countries. The circumflances which attended our former Trade with America, can alone af- ford the means of properly inveftigating the oppofite opinions which have been given on the fubjedl. They have already appeared in the courfe of this Work. They fhall now be repeated in fubflance, for their better elucidation. There are many important points for our confideration. The fale of three mil- lions of our manufadlures, the probability of a very great increafe, the making this country an entrepot for American com- modities, the fupply of our Weft India Plantations with lumber and other necef- lliries, and of our Fifherics of Labradorc and Newfoundland with provifions, the N 3 ■ Carry- ( i84 ) Carrying Trade in general, and the forn;er. employment of American fliips in our Commerce. The great fhare which we poflTefled of- the Carrying Trade of other Nations, as well as of the importation of foreign goods, which the A61 of Navigation per- mits in fhips of the built of the country of ^^ hich they are the growth, is a great tind dec'Tve proof, that notwithflanding the crficicncy of that A61 at the time in wliich it palled, it was become, with re- {pcd: to any requilite fccurity in the chief parts of our Navigation, of very little, force ; fince, independently of our own Carrying Trade, we had, in a great mea- fure, that of other Nations. The fecurity of an Act of Parliament, an authority in which the general Intereft muft com- bine to enforce ftrid obedience, was ilrengthened by fuch ?n habitual fu- pcriority ( i85 ) periorlty of excellence in our (hips and feamen, that they commanded preference by the advantages which they held out. We mufl: always acknowledge the A£l of Navigation to be the excellent fchool in which we were educated, and which pro- tected us, ill our infant ftate, from the^ intrufion of our neighbours. And, although our Commerce, when it affumed a manly form, became fufficiently great for its own prote£lion, we ftill re- tain every recolledion of the excellence of this venerable Law, and the full re- membrance of its former kindnefs in our youth, We muft not at the fame time forget, that, in this fuperiority of our Carrying Trade, we are greatly indebted to American jfhipping. There were little lefs than four thoufind ihips employed in our Commerce, in- cluding the Trade of America and the N4 Weft • ( 186 ) Weft Indies. This is an enormous gaj> to be filled up, and which the experience of a few years, fince the breaking out of the war, has fhewn ur-, was fupplicd, not by Britifli, but by foreign (hips ; and which increafed (o much, as to forni feyen parts in fifteen of the (hipping employed in our Icrvice. The tonnage of the (hipping employed in the Commerce of Great Britain, at the commencement of the war, has been ftated to be, 1,300,000 tons. This in- cludes all the (hipping trading in and with this Country, whether built in Great Britain, its dependencies, or in Foreign Nations, bringing the produce of the gro^vth of thofe Nations to Great Britain. Amongft this (hipping were 398,000 tons of the built of America, new compofing the United States, dlftributed, indifcri- minately, in all parts of our Commerce. Tub •I { Is' ) The tonnage of (hipping at that time employed in the Thirteen States, were alfo ftated at 400,000 tons, one half of which was employed in the Trade to Eu- rope, and chiefly belonged to Britifh Mer- chants, navigated by Britifh feamen, compofed of tne built of Great Britain, and its dependencies, without diftin6lion ; and for the moft part iiwolved in the 1,300,000 tons already given in the ton- nage employed in the Commerce of Great Britain. The remaining part was em- ployed in the Fifhery, Coafting, and the Trade between America and the Weft Indies. The proportion of American built fliips to Britifh built, employed in the general Commerce of Great Britain, was in the fame proportion as 23 to 40 before the war ; and as 1 1 to 35 at the peace, many being worn out during that time, and which were not « ( ,88 ) not replaced. But as American ihips de* creafed in numbers. Foreign fhips increafcd ; and the latter, which before the war, bore no greater proportion than 1 2 to 40, at the peace was as 29 to ^^ ; which proves the deficiency not to be fnpplied by Bri- tifli, but by Foreign built Ihips. And if the American fhips which remained at the pcacc^ are to he deemed as Foreign, the propoilloa will t.Lc;i Lc (iiiaking the j:)roper allowance for velTels taken from and by the enemy during the war) in tlic proportion of ^^ to 40 ; or nearly the iaine number of Foreign, as of Eritilh builc ihips. Should the deficiency be fupplied by the Northern Nations, who build much cheaper than Great Britain, it cannot be on fuch bcncfici'il terms as tliofe furniflied by America ; bccaufe we muft pay for the former in ready money, the balance of Trade ( i89 ) Trade being already greatly againft us ; for the latter we ihould make payment in manufaflures. We may be delirous, though there is very little expectation of feeing our defires gratified, that the Ship-builders on the fhores of the Baltic purchafed a fufficiency of our manufactures, to make ^hem cry out, with the noble Author of the Obfervations, that they could not pay for them, withqut giving fliips in ex- change : But we find to our coft, that we muft not only pay in fpecie for them, but (hall alfo be obliged to give up the benefit of the Navigation of Foreign Com- ^lodities ; the lofs of which we have felt feverely during the war. Bu r fuppofing this lofs to be only felt for a few years, until we could extend our own Building Dock-yards, already very- great, upon any tolerable terms ; So long ^s we can barter our manufactures for American ■;--t ( ^90 ) American (hips, we are only, by their cx- clufion, giving cncouragennent toourSliip- buiklcrs, in preference to the Clothier, the Weaver, the Iron-mafter, or any other maniifadliirer of goods for export. Ex- perience has fhewn, that the incorporation of American fliipping amongfl: our own, lias been prodinftive of advantage to our Navigation ; and Britifli built (iiips have incrcafcd la number, as much as, from the clrcumilanccs of the increafed price of bulldinp-, it fcemcd pofliblc for them to do. This increafe of price has been very great within a few years : A fufficicnt proof that we fuftained no injury from the incorporation of American fliipping, and that we cannot preferve the Carrying Trade, without fupplying the deficiency of fhips, on the fame low and advan- tageous terms, as thofe which made us Mailers of it : And which, fo far as regards the fliare we pofieiied of the Car- rying ( '9' ) rying Trade of Foreign Niitlons, and the importation of Foreign Goods from the places of their growth, wholly depends upon the cheapnefs of Navigation. , ♦ As this general head of American fliips may admit of fome ditl^erencce, that coun- try heing compofed of fuch a variety of people and fituations, as not to admit the fame argument to be applied to all, a di- villon ihould be made of the New-Eng- land States, from thofe to the Wcflward and Southward of them ; becaufe the prin- cipal fear which we arc taught to appre- hend, arifes from the former, they being rc- prefented as the only great builders of Ihips, and therefore fuppofed to be in a capacity (if admitted as formerly^ to prevent the ufe of Britifh built Ihips. This is not llridly true ; for of the fhlps built in America, the New- England States 1 up- plied only about three-fifths: But to take it ( *9i ) it lipon the largcft fcalc, would it not be d |)rofitablc trade, to barter our manufadures for their fhips, iipoii ftipulated terms ? Thefe terms fhould be, to grant the privi- leges of Britilh ihips to fuch of their vef- fels as were purchafed by us, or were the joint property of Britifh fubje£ls, and the Citizens of the United States ; one half of which to be ahvays the property of Britifli fubje6ls. Exclufive of the poHtical bene- fits to be derived from fo clofe a connexion with a people of the fame manners and lan- guage, it would infure to us many of our manufadures, which depend upon Navi- gation. By this means, the American Commerce would be fo intermingled with ours, that it would centre chiefly in Great Britain. The Carrying Trade would re- fumc its former advantageous fituation, and in time of war, the United States (the loca- lity of them in all operations of war in the Weft Indies; being of great importance) would prove particularly uf^ful to us. But ( »93 ; Bur to allow {()ine ground for thcTe fears of the Ncw-EiigLuid fhipping ; for it muft be that country from whence the chief fupply is to proceed ; as the in habi- tants are the principal rivals in our Filhcrics, and as it is the only part of America that may be made capable, in time, of injur* ing us in the Carrying Trade, would it not be more prudent in us, if we could pro- cure a fufficient fupply of fhips upon good terms from them, to get into our policdion fome of thefe dangerous weapons of of- fence ; and to participate (at Icaft as mucli as we can) in the trade which thefe States carry on, by the fupply of our manufac- tures for their {hips and produce ? In fhort, having a full experience of the paft, and ad* mitting the apprehenfion of future danger from the New-England States to have fome foundation, whether it is not better ** To baar thofe ills we have, " Than fly to others which we know not of?'* Those ( ^94) I'hose imaginary ills, for fuch they are ; America being too much reduced to give us any prefent alarms of rivalfhip in the Carrying Trade. She is in the ftate to af- ford a gradual and ufeful fupply, in pro- portion to our wants. She has as Iblid means within herfelf, as any Nation can poflefs, far beyond the greater part of the European Governments ; and yet, with ev^en fuch abilities, time is required to bring them Into adlion. Thus far we may be allured, fuch is the natural force of the flrong refcntmcnts which ti "s w^ar had caufed, that the more attempts we make to deprefs their Commerce, the more will their wonderful induftry and fpiiit in ad- venture be ftimulated to revive and i:i- creafe it. But Hiould even the Trade of the New- England States, with refpecl to the advan- tngcb of it to this country, be fufpended in ( 195 ) in a doubtful balance, that of the Middle , and Southern States would however greatly preponderate in our favour. Thefe States muft depend at this time, almoft wholly upon European (hipping, for carrying off their valuable produce. They build many fliips, but they were formerly, and would again be, if we a«5i:ed with any degree of prudence, equally for the account of Bri- tifli Merchants ; and they would bring from thefe States their produce to Great J3ritain r the payment for which would be made in manufli£lures dire£lly to therri. Such decifive advantages, particularly with reipecl to the Carrying Trade, at the time that they (hew the propriety of our culti- vating the ftri6left union with thefe States, point out the neceffity of taking into out confideratlon, how far lets advantages, or even a trade carried on without Icfs, with the New-England Governments, ought to have weight with us, if fuch a beneficial O connexion ( '96 ) connexion with the other States is to be procured on no other terms. In fhort, if our fhips are confined to the built of thefe kingdoms, they will be con- fined to fuch monopolies, as we can con- ftitute by law, and can maintain as fuch to the advantage of our fubjedls. For to contend for the Carrying Trade in general, with Nations, who can procure (hipping for all the purpofes of Commerce, at almoft half the expence, * is to contend with impoflibilities. In * Merchants of the firft credit in New-England, will engage to deliver fliips well built, and com- pletely fitted for fea with the beft materials, at feven pounds ten fliillings j>cr ton, and declare at the fame time, that they fhall make a great profit by this trade. ( /97 ) In the fale of our maiuifaftures fince the Peace, there has notheen that prudent management, which an affair of fiich con- Icquence required. We have opened our ports for the exportation of goods, without a proper confideration of the manner in which the payments for them were to be made ; having prohibited the importation of many articles, which would make a valuable part of them. Lumber and pro- vifions for the Weft Indies, provifions for our fifheries, and fhips and oil for Europe, would be fufficient returns in payment for very confiderably more than one million iii value of our manufadures. Formerly, although the Americans received Weft India produce in barter, to the amount of about two-thirds of the commodities with which they fupplied our lilands, and the excefs of about one- third, found its way in bills of ex- O 2 change ♦ *- \ m ( '98 ) exchange for the purchafe of goods ; yet as they had no legal permifTion to export the articles fit for the Weft India market to any other than our Iflands, and as moft of the goods which tliey received in re- turn, were neceflaries for their own ufe, fome part of the produce which they fent to Great Britain to exchange for our ma- nufadures, muft have been diverted from this purpofe, for the purchafe of thofe neceflaries which they wanted in foreign parts. So that in every point of view, the exclufion of their commodities from the Weft Indies, is the exclufion of the fale of fo much of our own manufidlures; or what is perhaps worfe, a deficiency, at Icaft a delay in payment (the American produce having been greatly reduced by the war) for thol<.^ manufactures with which we have fupplied them ; in cafe /America is not able to difpofe elfewliere of the goods which ftie orTctts to us in exchange. And, if fhe is able, wherever ( »99 ) wherever American fhips are, in future, Cent with cargoes, they muft, if to be pro- cured on tolerable terms, purchafe goods, in preference to their veffels returning without any freight. We therefore make our eleclicn of the rifque of receiving no payment at all, becaufe, at a future period, we may have a chance of being fupplied with thofe articles by our own lliip- builders and fifhermen. Our fliipvvrights, and our fiflieries, are undoubtedly of importance to us, and it is our duty to pay the utmofl attention to their prefervation. But at the fame time we ought not to negle£t this precaution, that the hope of future advantage, by their extenfion, is not indulged at the expcnce cf other branches of our trade, by depri- ving many of our manufadurers, of prefent benefit, and weakening their future pro- fpeds. The manufadurers who have trufled O3 the i\ K ■ ( 200 ) the merchants, and the injerchants who have trufled the Americans, vill Imd tliQ cfFedts of this exclufion of trade ; when at ^ the expiration of the credit that »hey have given, they demand payment for the goods which they have fhipped. If Ame- rica is able to pay for her imports with her produce, it is as much as fhc will be able to do at piefent. The goods, therefore, which ihcy oIFer in payment, and which "vvc reiLifc, may prove fo much certain lofs to ourfelves. In this view we are to confider ourfelves as proprietors of large; "warchoLifes, full of manu/ai^ures for £ale, and foliciting for cuflomers. In ex- change for which we fliould refufe no commodities that can be rendered ufeful to us, cither for confumption or export. i : There is one principle, by which every Nation (hould be governed in the manage- ment of her manufactures, her planta- tions, 1- ( 201 ) lions, and her fiflieries. This is atten- tively to fearch for, and carefully to pro- cure raw materials and provifions, upon the cheapefl: and loweft terms. In the fupply of her manufa<2ur?s, this ope- rates in the encouragement given to the importation of raw materials. In the fupply of her plantations and fifheiies, with the neceflarics for their ufe; whether manufaclures, lumber, or provifions. Without thefc precautions, they cannot be carried on with the advantages which they are capable of receiving, and which the benefits they render to the Mother Coun- try give them a right to enjoy, This refpefls the fifheries chiefly in the article of provifions, for the fupply of which they are now confined to Europe ; confequently to a much dearer market than they could find in America. This u an objed of magnitude, as we have not O 4 only ( 202 ) ' only Bt this time, powerful Europear^ rivals, but a very alarming profped in the future contention of America; and there- fore the cheaper we can render our fifh for falc, the more extcnfive will be our lifheries, and the firmer the frcurity to this important branch of our navigation. It refpedls the Weft India Iflands in two ways, the profit attending their cftates by the cheap fupply of their ne- groes, and of other necefTaries for their Plantations ; and the comforts they derive from the continual arrival of frcih pro- vifions, which they cannot procure from England. The confining the importation into the Weft Indies of American com- modities, to velTels of a fpecific burthen, and reftraining the produce ii return, prevents a great deal of fupply, and will not remove the jealoufies and appre^ henfions which the Proclamation for re- ftraining ( 203 ) ftraining this trade, has already caufed iqi America. It appears to have little or no advantage, and to have fevcral mifchievous qualities. It admits the veflels of New- England, from whom v*re derive the lefler bene lis in our American Commerce, and excludes great part of thofe of the Mi ac and Southern States, which are by far the mofl profitable. If tl <-* defign is to leave the greater part of this trade to our large Weft India fliips, it cannot be earned on by them, from the great expence and delay attending the voyage, and the fmdU freight to be made by them. The re- llraining the American (hips from taking produce in return, is furely unncceflary, and therefore tends to excite jealoufy, without the leaft benefit to be obtained by it. The advantages both in the purchafe and in the fale of fugars, can be oitly made for, and in, the Englilh market: And therefore there can be no danger of Ame- rica's s> ( 204 ) rica's carrying off any more produce, than what will merely pay for the com- modities flie fupplies ; which is much more for our advantage than paying in bullion, The Weft India Iflands have now the privilege of exporting fugars to the Soutfivvard of Cape Finifterre ; but the price is fo high in the Iflands, that it is, in effect, a natural prohibiiion. ^ The benefits which will aife to this country, by making it an entrepot for American commodities, in other words, a great free port for their goods, the chief fourcc from whepce Holland has derived her immenfe wealth, and the example which France is now following, ought to be a principal confideration with us in the fetilement of the American Commerce with this countrv. The fame attention fhould be paid to the arrangement of duties on goods imported. Thofe articles, of fmall ( 205 ) fmall confumption in this kingdom, and producing very little or no Revenue, but which are the ftaple of any of the States fliould be imported free of duty, as the advantages arifing from the tranfporta- lion, and the making this country an entrepot for them, is of much greater im- portance. The fame condu6l fiiould be prefcrved rcfpe^ling commodities which are confumed in our fliipping. The CDn- trary would only operate as a tax upon them -, equally fo upon all articles apper- taining to the dyi^ig of manufa^lures ; as well as bulky wood ufed in the cabinet, joiners, and blockmakers trades, their fcarcity being now felt in the magnitude of the price. : I, If the Americans are to be confidered in the fame view as foreigners, the ad- ditional charges to which their fhipping will be liable^ and of which they now bit- terly I # ( 206 ) tcrly complain, will render this plan abor- tive. The comparatively fmall charges in the ports of France and Holland, (in the former little more than one-third part, and in the French Weft India ports not more than one-fourth of what is paid in our [hands) will throw the Icalc greatly into their favour. If we recur to our ex- perience, to the amazing growth of our power and riches, which kept an even pace with the growth of our Colonics, it will certainly point out to us, the fupcriour wifdom of endeavour ing to recover thofc who arc gone aflray from us, rather than in a fit of puerile and fruitlcfs rcfcntment, to turn Knights Errant in fcarch of new confumers of our manufadlures. Commerce is not proof agalnfl injury, by even temporary obftrudions; but when thefe become of long continuance, its dif- folution is certain, though in a gradual and imperceptible degree. Like a river, the ( 207 ) the falling in of whofe high banks has obftru^leJ its navigation, and forced its dreams to wanJcr through the neighbour-^ ing meadows ; if the bed is not imme- diately cleared out, the eaith, accumu- lating by the rubbifli which the current continually brings down, ai length chokes up the pafTage, and the waters, compelled to forfake Its old channel, leek out a new couile. Commerce is in ' great mea- iur.^ a work of chance. A finglc manu- facturer, by his induflry, has been often the means of enriching an cxtcnfiw coun- try. He makes a great fortune hlmfclf, excites the emulation of his neighbours, and flimulates them by his example. Such a man formed the great (lufFmanufaclory of Norwich. He oppofed hiinfcH to the eQablilhed manufadiirers of Somerfet and Devon, who liad the raw materials almofl at their doors, which lie was obliged to blind from a great and expenfivc diflance: CI O X ' yet, his example being followed, Nor- wich * ( 208 ) wicli has, by its diligence and attcntlori, fettled extenfive and ufeful manufadorics, whilfl the original workmen, flothful, and fecure in ncfTcflion, have gradually de- clined, and arc now almofl: funk into ob- livion. It was indullry alone which filled Briflol and Liverpool with their prcfent opulent inhabitants. Probably the dread of pirates fixed them in a fituation, in all other refpe^ls, as commercial towns, miferable. The approaches from the feii terrifying. Yet activity, which a fear ot danger generally excites, at length made even thefe difficulties tolerabl- to them. When the greater civilization of Europe put an end to piracy, they had no other refource for the prefervation of their Commerce, than in the continuance of this adivity. Thus, they acquired wealth, and forming extenfive connexions, en- riched the inland country within the reach of ( 209 ) of their Commerce. Briftol, finely fitu- ated for internal fupply, has improved the whole country upon the Rivers Se- vern and Avon, and upon the WclQi, Cornifli, and Devonfliire Chores. Liver- pool, though not fo well fituated for ex- tenfivc fupply, has been the principal means of eftablifhing the manufactories of the rich town of Mancheder, a work, which is alone fufficient to aggrandize its name. s These digreflions, though they lead from the immediate fubje^^ before l.s, yet have a connexion with, and are ufeful in the confiderat'on of it. They teach us, that Commerce will wander from one place lo another, as particular circum- flanccs dired it. The inflances which have been given, are of cafual occurrences in our own country, confequentlv arc not of national injury. But when we recollect, Kf k ( 210 ) recoiled, that almoifl ail the manufadureg of this country have been brought from the Continent by the fame accidental cir- cumflances : and that thpv have flourifiied here from the fame caufes, the induflry and emulation of private perfons, v\re cannot be too anxious for their prefcr- vation in their prefent condition, or be too careful of retaining the export of them in the channels to which they have been accuftomed. Experiments are hazardous. We know not what rivals we may create, if we prevent the Americans from trading with us. A country where agriculture or fiQiery is the ftaple, and where great plenty of unoccupied and fertile lands prevent the fettlemeni of manufadories, will prove better and more certain cuf- tomers, than fettled nations, whofe prin- ciple is to encourage manufadories of their own. % The. *: I C 211 ) The former narrow policy of France and Spain, in the adminiftration of their commercial concerns, for they have long ago feen the difadvantages of it, is now held out to us for imitation. The recom- mendation of the example of an abfolute government, always lefs favourable to Commerce than a free State, comes with a bad grace to a people, whofe fuperiority over their neighbours has been owing to the fpirited exertions, which the freedom of their Conflitution has enabled them to make in Trade and Navigation. The ob- vious effects of this condud has given a precedent, which even thofe governments have followed, and they have given proofs, France particularly, very ftrong ones, of the benefits which they have derived from it. It was a very oppofite condud to the policy thus recommended, that put this Nation in pofTefTion of her power and riches. — But abfolute Monarchies are not the countries P to ( 212 ) to fearch for examples of commerical regula- tion. It would be wifer for us to turn our eyes to the induftrious Dutch, wliofe im- menfe riches fhew the advantages of the eflablifhment of a Free Trade. Could tliis couhtry be made one great free port, the fame confequences would follow. But alterations of importance are, at this time, of feriouc moment in this country. By the Treaty between France and America, the former muft have all the privileges of the moift favoured Nation. The fubfequent Treaties between America and the European Powers are upon a prin- ciple of reciprocity : An argument is drawn from this, that as America can give us in return no fuperiour advantages, we are not to grant more to her than to foreign nations. It is not fuch Treaties, it is the probable effects of trade that ought to di- rect our adlions. It can never be a detri- ment [reign [s the [o di- Idetri- ment 213 ) ment to us, that France poffeffes the grant, when fhc has not the means of carryhig it into execution. The advantages which we enjoy, afford us the power of rendering it ufelefs to her. France could then have no other profpedl of material advantages by the Independence of America, than what accrues to her from the difmember- ment of our Empire, and the weaknefs to which we are in confequence reduced. But this will be of the greateft importance toher,andwillamply indemnify her for the expences of the war, and whatever loITcs flie fuflained in the conteft. It is very flattering to our pride, but affords no comfort to our pockets, to conlider the refiftance which we made to a hod of enemies. Our refources went beyond ihe moll fanguinc expectations. But our exertions have added above one hundred miUions to our debt, and four millions per annum to our taxes. P 2 Yet' ( 214 1 Yet wc arc told, that it is fome fatisr fadion to t|^nk, " That by breaking off ** rather prematurely with Ameiica, *' Great Britain may find herfelf in a *'• better fituation, than if (lie had fallen " off when mqrc ripe." If the fituation ^ve ?AC now in, with two hundred and forty iTullions of debt, affords us any faiis- fadion, m rcllcchng upon our having thus prematurely feperated from America, ivhat raufl have been, by a parity of rca- foning, the confequence of the continue ance of our former connexion. Nothing lefs than ruin to this country. A confe- quence, however, (which from the power and riches we enjoyed during our con- nexion wiih America, and which, toge- ther with our other colonial poffelFions, was the fountain of wealth from whence the fupplies v/ere drawn, which proved the means of crcati; g this immenfe debt) few will be inclinable to allow ; or to fupport ( '215 ) fupport the fallacious pofition whence it is drawn. from The cflablinimcnt of a connexion be- iv.'ccu iliL country and America, upon terms of iTiutual advr.ntn';c lu cnrli State, is not a matter of fiich diliiculty as mi^ht be iir.agincd, from the prefent apparent ind [pofulbn in both Nations towards it. If there Is not fuch a flock of good tenl- per as could be wilhed, it is the efFsd o£ very natural caufes, which mutual good difpofitions will in a little time enable each of us to remove. The Englifh are not yet recovered from the fliame of their difappointment ; and though they have lofl: their dominions, they have not lofh the recoiledion of their former fu- premacy ; and cxped fomcthing like the iifual deference fiUl to be paid to them. The Americans, on the contrary, having by perfcverance, and *hroUgh long and V 3 painful ^ n ( 2l6 ) j>ainful fufFeriiig, attained to an unlocked for Sovereignty, are naturally jealous of the Power from whom they have wrefted it. The more fo, as the eftablifliment of thefe great Republics muft have been an unexpected event to them^ and of which they could not have had the fmalleft idea at the breaking out of the wan It was one of thofe revolutions, marked by the fin- gularity of the event. A part of our North American Colonies, unconnedled with each other, by the means of Committees of Correfpondence, formed a Congrefs of Deputies from each Province. That Con- grefs, without any preparation for war^ I'lad the firmnefs of mind to look this great Nation in the face, with a fixed de- termination to refift its power. It did not ihrink from even the armed force, prepared for the declared purpofe of compelling" them to fubmit to Ads of Parliament, which had proclaimed them enemies ta the ( 217 ) the State, their perfons liable to the pains of High Treafon, and *heir proper- ty to Confifcation ; although the only hope they had of preferving the troops raifed for their defence^ refted upon our ignorance of their want of the neceffiiry means to kee{) them embodied. The def- perate a£liori at Bunker's HilJ, had de- prived them of the little ammunition which they had been able to procure, arid they were left fo very deftitute, that had our troops marched out of Bofton, the Ame- ricans muft have difperfed. Comparatively fpeaking,' they had none, and when the fentries were relieved, their mufquets were left behind upon conftant duty. Till the capture of thofe valuable Britilh ftore-fhips, which were taken by the people of New- England, and which afforded the principal fupply of all kind of military ftores to their Eaftern army, under General Waihington, they deceived both our troops and theirown, P 4 . hy '■ \ , . . ( 2i8 ) by the daily arrival of waggons, which were driven in great parade in light of our works., laden with barrels, wTappcd up carefully In clothes like gunpowder, though filled onlv with fand. The fame want of means appeared In the other parts of America. The Con- ■ grefs refolved upon an expedition into Ca- nada, but were deflitute of mihtr y ftores . neceflary to carry it on. In this condition • they heard of an ordnance fhip being ex- ' peded at St. Augu/line. The informa- tion was tranfmitted to the Executive Go- vernment of Souch Carolina ; the Prefi- dent of which, with a decifion equal to . the importance of the occafion, iiilied an ' order to the Commander of an armed vef- • fel, for feizing the gunpowder on board the ftore-fhip, then lying at anchor off the Bar of St. Auguftine, waiting for water to carry her into port. This order was in ( 219 ) ' I in part executed. And the gunpowder there taken, was brought to Charlcftown, from whence it was conveyed by huid car- riage, from tlie moft Southern Colony, through the vaft Conthient of North America, to an army ailing in the mofl: Northern part ; and which, without this accidental circumftance, could not have, ftlrred. : 4r .fl These extraordinary events are flrong proofs, that America had no intention to feperate from this country. But there is little need of acceflbry evidence, when we have the moft irrefragable teftimony in the conduct of the Congrefs itfelf. For evea in the Spring of the year 1776, the Con- grefs was fo very averfe to a feperatioii from Great Britain, that, on a motion bv one of its Members for a Declaration of Independence, there were not three of that '--»-lv that could be brought to fupport it, - \'^' ( 220 ) » It, nor was It fiiirc red even to lie upon tlic ta- ble. It was tfse circumftanccs of the times, particularly the Prohibitory AO: pafled in December 1775, rtnd the meafure of en- gagingofthoGermariTroopSjthatatlaft pro- duced it, and even then with fbme dif- ficulty, a fecond and third attempt liaving failed ; and though the Declaration was at laft carried in July 1776, it was by management alone ; a general concur- rence not being then obtained, nor till a eonfiderablc time after that period ; the incidents of the war ftill ftrcngthening and confirming it. Independence, in a manner, treading upon the heels of Dependence, and peace quickly fucceeding a civil war, of all others the moft dreadfully fevere to the fufferers ; it would be an example without precedent, (hould a people, the authors of a 2:reat Revolution, be fo little fubje(£l to the common pafTions of man- kind. ( 221 ) kind, as to meet fucK a turn of fortune unmovfd. The fcvcral A6ls of the dIfFercnt States, fuch as the extraordhiary duty of twenty- five per cent, upon Brltlfh fugars hi Soutli CaroUna, an additional duty upon Britifh lliips and goods hi Maryhind, or any fimi- lar A£ts, mufl be attributed to the caufcs of refentment, which locally affected eacli State. Thefe caufcs may be traced ; par- ticularly with refpe£t to the inflanccs which have been given. In Carolina, the people had not only fufFcrcd the mofl me- lancholy ravages of the war, in their pcr- fons and eftates, but at the conclufioii of it, fuftaincd a fevere lofs in the taking away of negroes by the Refugees, which they alledged to be the property of per- fons remaining in the State, and ought to have been reftored to them. In Maiyland, the Proclamation retraining the Provifion and t ( 222 ) and Lumber Trade with our WcH; Iiidie^;^ which was a very growing Commerce in that State, flrongly excited its rcfentment; The more fo, as they appeared to manifefl: a great defirc to renew their ^former con- nexion with Great Britain, by pafling Adls of their Legiilature for the purpofe, immediately on the cciration of hoflUities* ■f. Several trifling and unforc^feen event> had fi\llca out in America, which the enemies of both countries had too much fuccefs in conftruing into intentional infult. At New- York, the flag of an Americaii veflel was forcibly hauled down by the; Refugees. The Britllh flag was treated in the fame manner in an American port ; and, as will always happen on thefc occa- fions, each threw the firfl oitence upon the other. Bo^h Governments were ignorant of thefe outrages at the time they were committed ; and when tlity came to their know- ( ■ 223 ) knowledge, they declared their difapproba-a tlpn. Tliey were the ads of private peoT pie, done in the heighth of rcfentment and retaliation, and which neither of the Governments could prevent. Any a61: of retaliation by a feperate State, without the concurrence of the foedcral Union of the whole Body r?- prefented in Congrefs, fhould be at- tributed merely to the eftedl of local refentment, and ought not to be con- fidered by us in any other view. No future difadvantage can arife from it, as it mufl give place to the Commercial Treaty ; which, it is to be hoped, we Ihall earneflly endeavour to form upon a folid and permanent foundation. For hi- therto, the regulations which this Country has made with refpecl to the American Trade, and reftraining their (hips from entering her Weft India ports, have no qther conflrudion put upon them in Ame- rica, than as fo many proofs of the indli- pofition ^'^ -'3. ( 224 ) pofttion of Great Britain towards a future connexion ; and of an improper diredioii of their internal commerce, by proclalrh- ing a permifTion to Brltifh (hips to enter their ports, and carry the commodities of America to our Weft Indies. We will not enter into the merits or demerits of iuch conflrudlions. But waving the confideratlon, America would have been a6ling with the greater dignity, and more becoming a Sovereign State, to have made its determination upon them, one folemn AOi of the whole Union, to be followed by the feveral States. It ap- pears, however, by the laft accounts from America, that all commercial regulations were, in future, to be left to the Congrefs. h\ the fituation of Great Britain and the United States to each other, it is very difficult, particularly in our prefent tem- per of mind, to prevent continual jealoufies arifiiig between us. On our parts, there has m ( 225 ) .Jias not been an A£l of a fingle State iijl any manner hoftile to our Trade, by making a diftin£lion of duties from other Nations, where our natural good fenfe (and we may venture to afl'ert this of men of un- derftanding) has been fufficiently divefled of prejudice, to prevent us from a general condemnation of all the States in onemafs, and making this invidious A61 a general hoftility of the whole Union. The diforders in America immediately after the peace, particularly when the Congrefs retired from Philadelphia, in- dicated a want of vigour in its Govern- ment. The confequence which many perfons in this country drew from thence, was, that this Body was not in pofleflion of an Authority, upon which any reliance could be placed by Foreign Powers ; and there- fore, that noTreaty of Commerce could with propriety be made, as the Government of America n I ..' ( 226 ) America could not continue under its pre* font form, but that attempts for either a Monarchy, or the feperation of each Stats .from the other, forming a number of fmall Kingdoms, or Repubhcs, would take place ; ancj that, until fome fettlcment of this kind was made, greai: diforders would pre- vail ; and make it probable, that our forces then remaining in thofe States, might even be called in to their alTiflance : An idea, in their opinion, affording very flrong hopes of a fecond Revolution, to the ad- vantage of Great Britain, by the returning Dependence of America. However chi- merical the latter opinion might appear, there is little doubt of its having had ipany fqliowers. It might however have heen prcfumed, that fuch frequent tales of the fime kind, which we had been amufed with during the war (when, amongtl the many difputes in America, no one ever turned i C 227 ) turned their views to Great Britain) wonl^ from the experience of their fallacy, have fpent their force long ago ; yet at this very hour they continue to delude us. • -^ The other general fentiment, of a new Government not fettling without diforder, was natural to us ; iince it would moft probably have been the cafe in Europe. It has happened in our own country, and men generally reafori from the experience they have of their own affairs. But the Americans having no powerful neighbours to watcli opportunities of increafing their diffentioiis, in order to feperate and weaken them, and being in general, or the greater part, men of ftrong underftanding, plain manners, and of an a£live fpirit, they will be found equal to the quieting thefe dlf- orders, and eftablifhing a good Govern- ment. The greatefl: difference of manners Q^ is is between the New-England States, and all the others to the Wcftward or Southward of them. Frequent marks of mutual difgud were formerly (hewn ; unconque- rable by any other means, than our placing them in one common fituation of grievance and danger, at the commence- ment of the war. During that period, their mutual fafety obliged them to keep clofely conneded together. This caufc being now at an end, the old difputes be- tween the New-England arid the other States (there does not appear to be any difagreement of confequence amongfl the Middle and Southern States) might poflibly revive. But there is a circumftance that will prevent them from ariling to any dan- gerous height. This, is the fettlement of the Refugees in fuch great numbers in Nova-Scotia, as will probably prove a conilant check upon the New-England States. The inveteracy, which they mu- tually ( 229 ) tually pofTefs to each other, will not ccafe in the prefent age. If we confider Ame- rica as one Union , her condud in fufTcr- ing fuch a number of enemies to be col- leded in one body, does not appear to be very good policy. At the fame time, we cannot but admire the fortuitous event. Which, by bringing them fo nearly together, has removed the greateft danger that Ame- rica had to fear from internal difputcs. Although the diftrefs which America felt from the ravages of the war, excited her refentment flrongly againft this coun- try during that period, yet it fubfided very unexpededly at the peace. For it is owing to fubfequent circumflances, that the pre- ffcnt jealoufieshavein general arifen. But notwirh [landing tbat their refentment funk towards this country, k did not at that time towards theRefugees : Although ithasfince greatly abated. It is too fevere a taJk, to walk in mournful procefton over Q. 2 the ( 230 ) ilic calamitous fccnes of the late unhap- py war. Every page of hiftory that treats of civil difTentions, retords them as productive of the greateft cruelties and diftreffea. lAk:) i*amily quarrels, they are always i u. o fl inveterate. We are therefore not to be 1. rprized, either at the paflions of the Americans having been continually goaded by the fevere recollection of the lofs of a hufband, a wife, a parent, or a child, flill fredi in their memories ; nor at the violence of the Re- fugees, driven from their pofleffions, and themfelves and their families reduced to penury and want. When the Americans are fettled in peace and tranquillity, their refentmenis will entirely fubfide. Strong marks of this difpofition have already appeared. Many Refugees have been re- flored in different parts of America. An Acl has pafFed the Legiflature of South Carolina, in their lafl SelTion, enti!:led *' An Ad for reftoring to certain perfons '' therein >^^ ( 231 ) " therein mentioned, their Eftates, both " real and perfonal ; and for permitting *' the faid perfons to return to this State." This Ad extends to almoft the whole number, feperated into three ' claffcs. The firft clafs arc reftored uncondition- ally. The fecond upon the payment of twelve pounds per cent, amerced upon their Eftates. The third are alfo fubjed to this amercement, and are declared in- capable of holding any place of profit or truft in the State, for fevcn years. Such an example, and in a State which has fufFercd fo deeply by the war, greatly more than any other part of America, affords us the ftrongeft hope, that it will be followed in all the States ; and this method of clafling the Refugees, or diftindions of a fimilar nature, will, it is probable, be the mode adopted by them. Q.3 The c ( SJ32 ) The fcttlrmcnt of the Conftitution of Popular Slates, is a very arduous under- taking. The difcuflions of them arc in large affemblies, full of a divcrfity of opinions, and carried on with great heat and perfonal warmth. Men of temper and moderation, have not, in general, fo much fuccefs in oppofing precipitate rc- folutions, a$ thofe of hafty and violent difpofuions have in carrying them. When this happens, > their operation upon men of the former chara^er is in \:Arious ways. Many generate fuch odium by their rpfiflance to the popular cry, that they are forcibly driven from Government. Some are difpleafed, and throw up the AdminiRration in difguft. Whilft others, who havelcfs impatience in their difpofitions, fubmit to the viojencc of the ftorm, and preferving the po^Tef- fion of Government, are enabled to mo- derate intemperate laws, and by a pru- dent i^ ( 233 ) dent and mild ufe of their power, to bring the people to a proper fenfe of their con- Qition, This may have been in ibme meafure applicable to America, But the diibrders which they have occafioned, are now greatly compofed. The beft men of the feve- ral States, arc, in general, in the po^-ffion of Government ; and traaquilllty has fuc- ceeded (even in fuch of them where the war raged in the greateft degree) to anarchy and diftrefs. In the interiour parts of thofe States, where no Courts have fat for many years, the Judges have been perfedlly well received upon their circuits ; and the people were fenfibly pleafed with the returns of its regular Adminlftation amongft them. In States where difputes have not fubfided, fuch as Philadelphia, where two parties, almoft equal, are oppofed to each other, an3 are at this time difcufllng the Cpnfti- Qj. tutioa « # ( 234 ) tutioii of Pennfylvania with heat and violence, the fccdcral union docs not appear to be difturbed ; fince, in the month of January, when thefe difputcs in Phila- delphia were carried to a very great length, the Congrefs at Annapolis pafltd unani? nious refolutions in affairs of the greatcfl; importance to the \vhoJe Union. It has been already mentioned, that it appeared to be the intention of America to vcfl: all future commercial regulations in tlie Congrefs. Thi3 intention fcems to be carrying into execution. The Legillaturc of South Carolina have lately paiied the following Ads, viz. " An Act for invefl- " ing the United States in Congrefs af- f' fembled, with a Power to levy for the *^ United States, certain Duties upon Goods *' imported into this State, from any fo- 5« reign Port, Ifland, or Plantation." Alfo, *' An Ad: to authorife the United States <6 m ( ^35 ) ^' in Congrefs affemblcd, to regulate Trade " from the Britifh Weft Indies/' This fully (hews, that there is an Union for the General Powers of Government ; and that their difputes arc merely local. The dif- fentions in the infancy of the Roman Com- monwealth, proved of no real injury to ft, nor in any degree impeded its growth. r \ But had even the greateft diforders pre- vailed, and a want of good Government continued in America, it does not appear that any benefit could have accrued to Great Britain from this fituation of the country. It muft be again urged, that we are fprbid by experience to expe£l the re- turn of Dependence, (and in the prefent ftatc of the tv. ) countries, it is by no means clear that we ought to hope for it) therefore, the fooncr the country is fettled Jn its new Government, the fooner would the » > ( ^2^ ) the trade be opened, and profitable Com- merce be carried on. For this reafon, the knowledge which we had of our mutual intereils, fhould have made us early in acquiefcing in all that concerned our common advantages, ; There is a fpeculative opinion, formed by thofe perfons who are pleafed with ex- ploring the future fituation of an Empire, Tv-hich has undergone fuch a mighty re- volution, as to involve in fome meafure every Nation, in Europe ; that it is by no means a certainty, that the Congrefs will retain a permanent authority over all the States, much longer than the prefent exigen- cies require, for the compofmg of differences, the fettlement of their debts and revenues, and the eilabhfhmcnt of their feveral Go- vernments. Whatever grounds there may have been for this opinion at the peace, when the returning difpofitlons of Ame- rica ( 237 ) riea appeared to carry with them every mark of a flrong defire of reconciliation, they are now become lefs probable. For pur difpofitions towards the Americans feemed to cool, in proportion as theirs warmed towards us. An apprehenfion for their general fafety appears to prevail amongft them, tending to unite them in the clofeft manner, Perhaps in future times, when th^ country becomes full of people, and increafes in riches and ftrength, fuch an event may happen. ^. In the firil place, the interefts of the feveral States, in many refpeds, militate againft eajch other. In the next, innume- rable fettlements are continually form- ing in the vaft countries oyer the moun- tains ; which, increafing in time, will probably ere£t Sovereignties of their own. Inftead of Thirteen, there may be Thirty gtates, or, which is very probable, and will }y L [.i^M^ ( 238 ) will therefore include their hiteriour fet- tlemcats, the divifionsof the St«ites which have been mentioned in the remarks upon the ^r^de, may take place, and there may be three great Republicks, according to the fimihtude of their manners, cuftoms, and commerce, The New-England States nay inake one. Nature has united them in the flrongeft manner. New- York, the Jerfeys, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Mary- land, and Vii'ginia may form another, the richefl and moft powerful, I'he third may be the Carolinas and Georgia, nations of planters, great confumers of manufac- tures, and full of luxurious produce. The Middle States will command the great internal Navigations, flowing through the Hudfon and Delaware Rivers, and the rreat Bay of Chefapeak, communicating by feveral portages, with the waters of the Ohio, and, by that means, with the whole Interlour country over the mountains. In ' • thcfe, .0^ ' ( 239 ) thefe, and particularly in the Soutlieni States, are the mofc fertile lands, and the beft climate of all America ; and to the inhabitants of which, it is in our power, by prudent conduct, to make Britifh fliips the carriers of the manufi^lures of Grer.t Britain, and the exports of an abundant produce in return. All our confular efta- blifliments ought to be made upon this fuppoHtion, as the moft natural and mofl conducive to our interefls. If there is any Englifhman who docs not regret the lofs oi' America, he docs not deferve that name ; but to fuppofc, as wo have been ferioufly told, that Independence muH: prove ruinous to America, requires more belief than even Englilhmen them- felves, and they are not deficient in cre- dulity, poflcfs. It is too much to fuppoft^, that the fnovv-s of Canada and Nova-Scotia >vill be found io full of temptation, as to caufe ( 240 ) caufe the emigration of the inhabitants of the United States ; or that a fix nionths winter will be fc much preferred, as to render thofe fertile and beautiful coun- tries, fo widely extended at the back of the Middle and Southern States, and in which a perpetual fummer reigns, deferred and defblate. The attainment of Sove- reignty, by any people who have fufficlent internal ftrength to fupport it, can nevei: be injurious to themfelves. The States of the Seven United Provinces were not ruined by throwing off the Government of Spain, and yet their {ituation was as much more precarious tlian A j.rlca, as they were in all refpedts iiifeiloui to her in power, and in future profped. Such opinions can proceed only from a want of knowledge of the climate of the different parts of North America, and the advan- tatics to be derived from each of them. The enVigration of the New-Englanders to ( 241 ) to Canada and Nova-Scotia, is not very probable. Their emigration indeed has been frequent ; for New-England was l>e- come fo full of people, that Colonies were often fent from amongft them. But it was to a beautiful Region, the back Coun- try of the Middle and Southern States, not to the fnows of Canada and Nova- Scotia. If at any future period, anarchy and confufion fliould even fo far prevail in the United States, as to caufe the emi- gration of any of its inhabitants, they will retire over the mountains, probably as far back as the banks of the Ohio and the Miffifippi,whe'e numbers are already fet- tled. Countries which have feverelv feit the fcourge of war, are recruited by a very few years of peace. Flanders, which has lb often felt it, is one of the nchcCt countries in Europe. No Englifh 'IVader refufcs -*|i I. • ii i 1 ( 242 ) . refufes to truft a German, becaiife hh country \vas laid wafte in the Jaft, and almoft in every continental war. Ame- rica, though loaded ivith debt, has luf- iicient refources within herfclf to pay it. The Colonies of Nova-Scotia and Canada, which are held out to U3 in fo glorious a light, will never, notwithftanding their freedom from taxes, increafe like her States. The fuperiour benefits to be derived from climate, from being better peopled, and from the poilefiion of vaft tracts of fertile lands for new cultivation, will in a courfe of years remove every burthen arifing from her debts. The reafoning of thofe, who confider the debt of America as fufficient to crufh her, would have applied perfectly well forty years ago. The infancy of a coun- try is the time when taxes are feverely felt. Her wonderful growth in popula- tionr ( 243 ) - tion fince that period, has borne her up under them ; and as ftie will ftill increafe both in riches and people, thefe burthens will be more eafily endured. The great danger is from the aptitude of her prin- cipal towns to run into the manners of the European Nations, and lofing that fuTiplicity and fpirit of frdgality, which is to be found in other parts of that great Continent. She is however now free from the weight of that profufion, which wc felt from our former Adminiftration of America, and therefore no comparifon can, with pro- priety, be formed of the two Governments. Her eftablifhments are eafy to her. Every Nation in Earope folicits to partake of her Trade ; and as Commercial Principles are now well known, fhe will find fufficient Jl markets ' Ara-w*.*/-- * vv, ( 244 ) markets for her produce, fhould we refufc to receive it. By ferioudy refle^^iiig upon our ovvix fituation.and endeavouring, difpafTionately, to 'cpair the lofles we have fuftained, we (hall he better able to recover from them. Our fituation is bad, but not defperate. The refloration of our Commerce muil be the means, and the only means, of the re- ftoration of our Power. It is an a6l of wildnefs and defperation, to fuppofc Ame- rica lofl: to us, becaufe fhe is conneded with Flu ace ; or to rejecl her with horror, left (lie fliould become a rival to our Com- merce ; which it is our own actual interefl to fupport. To become flavcs to our prejudices, and to fufFer them to poflefs the maftery over us ; to run headlong into hoftile conten- tions, dilated by pafTion, conduced with- out ( 245 ) out judgment, and producing in confe- quence the melancholy crTcdls of debafing the moft glorious Empire of modern times, though a criminal weaknefs iii a people, has yet this plea in extenuation, that this ill condudl was produced by the heat and violence of refcntment, at fuppofed in- juries received. But, when fatal ex- perience has fhewn us the confequences of fuch hafty and ill-timed refentments, and the blefiings of peace has afforded us the opportunity of reafoning coolly upon our part conduct, furely thofe who are en- deavouring, by every artful means, to keep alive a fenfe of injury, to feed us with the hopes of revenge, and to glut us with the expedation of feeing thofe, whom our arms have not been able to fubdue, either falling a facrifice to internal divifions, or to foreign enemies, deferve the mofl: fevere reprehenfion. R 2 To ^ 246 ) To what other caufes than the Indul- gence of thefe pafTions to raife our anger, and excite our contempt, can be attributed the lntrodu(fllon of fuch fubjcdls (con- tinually to be met with in the Oblerva- tions of the noble Author upon the Com- merce of the American States) as the encropxhments upon our trade, the ill condudl of the war, the mifl:akes in the boundary lines at the peace, the claims of Spain upon Louifiana, the debts of Vir- ginia being the real caufe of hoftHitlcs, the advantages of the piratical States of Bar- bary, the want of courage in thei\mericans, and the facility of reducing them by a few flout frigates, Rationed on their coafts. It will not be improper to fay a few words on thefe fubjeds, the reprefentatlons of which are founded either upon fallacious, nuga- tory, or vindidive grounds. For For ( 247 ) For fuch purpofcs, the iinaccoiintabl4l nflcrtion, that " America has roLhcd us cf '' the Export Traue of Corn, and wac at- *' tempting to rob lis of that of building " Ihips," appears to bo made. The former fubjedl is of a very ferlous nature, and obhgcs us to alk, whether the fupporters of it mean to arraign the Providence of God, becaufe our harvefts, in a ferlcs of years, were not fufficiently produclivc to afford fuftenance to the people ; whilfl America was blelTed with abundance, and like another Egypt to another Canaan, relieved us from the appreheiafioii of a want of food, and from the danger of po- pular commotions to obtain by force, what the poor were not able to procure by purchafe ? Such was the fcarcity of ccrii in this country, at the period preceding thij American war, that even the immenfe im- portations from thence proved no more than a bare fupply ; and had not the abundcnt har- A^3 v IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V <>.**i^ A* - ^^>^ ^v^ 1.0 ^>2^ 1^ ^^= Ui Ui 12.2 2! lift ■" 1.1 \^^ 11-25 i^ lyA 0%. ^ A Photographic Sdaices Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSM (716)I72-4S03 ( 248 ) vefts of the followhig years prevented tlic danger, which the fhutting up of the American ports would have occafioned^ a famine muft have ftill enfucd. Our future poffcfiion of the Export Trade of Corn, depends wholly upon our harvefts. If they are more abundant than our own fuppl) requires, the price of corn will be fufficiently cheap to encourage a demand for export. If they are not, we muft be contented to fuffer thofe Nations to poffefs it, who have a greater plenty. The attempt of America to rob us of the trade of building (hips, is not eafily to be reconciled to the continual aug- mentation of that branch of bufinefs at home, and the confequent advance of price. The fad was, that not being able to procure a fufficient number of (hips of our own built, to anfwer thepurpofcs required, America C 249 ) America furnifhed us with fucli a fupply of veflbls, as were wanted to maintain the Carrying Trade, which had rifen to an amazing height before the war. This very extenfive Carrying Trade could not have been fuppdrted without this fupply. The laying hold, therefore, of this oppor- tunity to exclude the American (hipping^ will not be finding the jewel of high price that we are taught to expe£l ; but will prove, on the contrary, a fevere misfor- tune. Enough has been already faid on *this fubjedl. The fuggeftion thrown out, of ** the " debts of the Planters in Virginia being '* a great caufe of the war," will not en- gage a moment's attention, whilft lb many real and oftenfible caufes appear. It is needlefs, therefore, to make any comment upon it. But it is very neceflary to take notice of fentiments, which ftrike at our R 4 cha- ( 350 ) charadters as men of humanity, in being deemed encouragers of the piratical States . of Barbary. The tendency of this opinion, (at leaft it has the appearance of it) is to give confolation to thofe, who are enemies to a connexion between Great Britain and America, by affurances of " its not being *' the intereft of the great Maritime Powers " to prote^ the Americans, (and therc- " fore they muft fufFer) from the Barbary " States." As men who have the benefit of being taught by the mild fpirit of Chriftianity (would we were under its influence!) fuch an opinion ought to make us blufh. If we cannot hhider, we might at leaft lament the misfortunes of our fellow-creatures, who fall into the hands of thefe Barbarians. But it does not ap- pear, that America is in greater danger than thefe very Maritime Powers, who have fufficient humility to make occafional prefents, little elfe than a tribute, to pro- • _. ■ ted ( 251 ) . . tedt their Trade from depredation. The fame prefents from America, it is pro- hable, v/ill produce the fame effects. Spain is the only Nation which has exerted it- felf lately, in endeavours to crufli thefe pirates by force. But the policy itfelf of encouraging them, from the idea of their being of ufe to the great Maritime Powers, in fupprefling the ftiipping of the fmaller ports, is not gaining the pur])ole. For even Great Britain, when fhc found herfelf diftrefled by having a part of her ufual fupply of (hipping cut off Ly the American war, had recourfe, amidil oilier refources, to the Portuguefe and Italian States. Thofe very people, who are fad to be the principal fuffercrs by the Bar- bary Rovers, produced numbers of fliips, and fupported a confiderable part of our Carrying Trade. b • < C 252 ) If we are fpeaking in the fpirit of Conciliation, we may not only expcd:^ but we mud hope, that the American Cha- rader will not be a martial one. Their Jituation in a world of their own, their diftance from European contentions, the employments of Agriculture and Com- merce, which are the employments of Peace, feem to promife it. But when the idea " of the American Charadler not be- " ing a martial one,'* is taken up with contempt, when it is attended with the goading circumflance of calling the Ame- rican courage in queftion, by transferring, it wholly to their '' Irifh Protetflors," and *' to the ftrangely conducted war which " has been carried on ;" if thofe who vent thefe reproaches were to make trial of the American Charader, they would fiiul it pretty much the fame as the refl of the world. Mankind do not greatly dlfui in point of courage. It might be fup- ( ^53 ) fuppofed, that we had fufficient expe- rience of the folly of fuch opinions, and how much they have already cod us. Many certainly did not apprehend much difficulty, in the march of a fmall body of troops through the country ; or in '* a *' few flout frigates cruizing between Ha- *' lifax and Bermuda, and between the *' latter and the Bahamas, completely com- *' manding the Commerce of this mighty " Continent :" Yet, though they found out their error, the fame language is again refumcd. To what purpofe are fuch hofllL! opinions refumed in this hour of peace r To keep alive refentment, and to prepare the Nation for another American war. Surely the laft was a fufficient monument of our lofles and difgrace, to make us ue- firous of profiting by the peace which has followed them, and not to revive fallacious rcprefentatlons : Concerning which, to ufc ^-i.pr words of the noble Author of the Ob- ' r C 2J4 ) Obfervatlons, " fuch Prophets have fnr *' much amufed thcmfelves, deluding thr* " unwary/* But It is uot from words afFefling the paflions alone, but from ftrong incentives to adlion, that we are in danger of being drawn into difpute. It is recommended to the Englifli Nation, which has found itfelf under the necefHty of furrendering up a mighty Empire, and three millions oF people, after a bloody and expcnfivc con- tcfT:, tu uc drawn into a new quarrel about a few miles of Territory, in the wild par^s which form the Eaftern Boundary, be- twcen Maflachufets and Nova- Scotia. If this Territory is in the State of Maflachu- fets, which it Is defcribed to be, is not the advice to preferve it as a pledge, '* until ** America has performed the feveral arti- " cles of the Treaty on her part," a.i objed of ferlous confideration to us ; when ( 255 ) when the confequence would mod pro- hahly he a fth-nulation to the mutual re- fcntmciit of the people of New- England and the Refugees again ft each other, at this time with difficulty reftrained ? If there had heen any diftruft of the United States not performing their part of the Treaty, there were other more valuable pledges than the Territory of Pajfama- quaddy. It is too ridiculous to dwell fo long on this little Territory of Paffamaquaddy. It would be equally ridiculous to difpute any of the boundary lines of the im- menfe Continent in the interiour parts of North America ; which might have been with as much reafon extended to the Lake of the Affinipoils, as the Lake of the Woods. Or had the American Commif- fioners defired, that their boundaries inight include the Mozemleeks, the Gnac- - • ' fitares, frrarcs, the Effaiiapcs, tlic Naudowcfllcs^ the Panis, the Black and White Padoucas, the Ozagcs, the Great Meadows, or the Salt Rocks, our Negotiator would not have merited cenfure " for his hhcrality," in very civilly according to their wilhes ; fince evTry one of thofe names are as well known in the map, as the Lake of tlie Woods, or the upper parts of the Mifli- iippi ; and it is of as little confcquence, who arc to he put in poflcfllon of them hy t!ie paper on which the Treaty is written. For neither of the parties have, or will have in future, any further pofleflion of 3f them than upon that paper. We may as well difpute about the boundary lines of fomc country in the Moon, when the making of Air Balloons is fufficiently im- proved, to permit a few bodies of troops to !)c fent up to fight for them. With C( (( ( 257 ) With the fame endeavours to preyent the ufeful connexion between us, are wc made to wander t!i rough the Lakes of America, to difcover that *' there is but ** one mile portage between Cayahoga Ri- ** ver, that empties itfelf into Lake Erie, which finally runs into the River St, Law rence^ and the River Mulkinghum, " which runs into the Ohio, and com- f' municates with the Gulph of Mexico. *' Notwithftanding the navigation of the " Rivers St. Lawrence and Miflifippi isob- ** ftrudtcd in Winter and Spring, in the *' firft by ice, and in the lafl by the rapi- *« dlty of the waters, and notwithftand- " ing the diftance is not above fixty miles f between the navigable part of the Po- " towmack, which runs into the Chefa- " peak, and a navigable branch of the " Ohio, yet the River St. Lawrence, " (the exclufive trade of which belongs f to Great Britain) the Lakes, the Ohio, " and "'and the Miffifippi, will be the principal " communications of the vafl country be- ** yond the mountains." The miftakcs of the portngc, and the badncfs of naviga- tion in America, which arc mentioned, arc not ncccflary here to bo adverted to. We are led to hope that " our Iflands, ** efpecially Jamaica, miglit receive fup- *' plies from the MifTifippi, whilll a cargo ** might at the proper ftafon go up the ** River, if it is open to us, and bring lum- *^ bcr, cattle, mules, and fupplies of ** every kind, except fifli.*' — A fyftem of trade which, it mufl be acknowledged, would bj mod perfectly adapted to the wants of our Weft India Colonies ; pro- vided — That ths Cayahoga and the Muik- inghum Rivers belonged to us — That the navigation to the St. Lawrence was not very expcnfive and full of obftruc- tions — That the St. Lawrence itfelf was not Ihut up fix months in the year, and that ( :? ) . that wc haj any property at all in the Mlf- fifippi ; or, in the mode of cxprefTion iifcd hy the nohlc Author, //'//Tfi/j^y^^w fous. That unfortunate nionofylIah!e if, couKl it he got the hctter of, would make all the difference which is ftatcd in our fitua- tlon. It is not the wild hope of fupplying our Well India Iflands with lumher and provifions fiom the Mifriiij-ipi, or any ex- pedation of advantage to (ircat Britain, or the Colonies of Nova-Scotia or Canada, (at lead with many of thoie who difplay this fcene) hjLit the profpc(fl which they form in their imagination, and which they fuppofe will open from the following caufes : From internal difputes in the fet- tlcment of Colonics to the w^eftward of the mountains — from tlie interference of Spain, " in (as we are told) her prohable " claim upon that part of Louifiana given S " up f ( 260 ) ** up by the )ate Treaty," and from the produ£i:ion of ne\v wars m confcqnence. Divide et impera is the malevolent prin- ciple of fome Governments. I^t fucli policy be confined to Europe, where it is more known and pra£tifed. But let a more benevolent fpcculation be made of the future profpedls of tlie New World. Wc are wearied with the dcfolation of the rich and beautiful regions of Alia, and of the Etifl:, fo full of people In ancient times, but now almoft depopulated by their ferocious Mafters. Let us at leaft have the confolation of a brighter view of the equally beautiful Region of thcWcflern World, where millions of people muft, in the common courfe of human events, expand themfelves, in many places un- knowing of, and unknown to Europe. In thofc fituations which approach ncarefl: to the prefent United States, we may have the means, if we have the inclination, (but the ( 26l ) the fuccefs of which will entirely depend upon the meafures we take at this time) of fending fupplies of our manufii<£lures, through the medium of the American fea-ports. It is not therefore our intereft, it does not become our dignity, to en- courage mimical fentiments. The hap- pier America is, the greater her wealth, and the more extended her commerce, the more beneficial will her connexion be with that European Nation, which is the wifeft to hold out her arms to receive her. The ceflation of hoftilities feemed to have turned the tide of the affedlions of America towards this country, notwith- ftanding all the calamities which fhe had fuffered by the war. The voyages of fhips intended for France were counter- manded, and they entered the Britifh ports. 'I'his difpofition continued till our Wefl India ports were Ihut againfl them. Many S 2 . of ( 262 ) of the orders for goods which were fent to this country, ^\ere accompanied hoth by produce and fpecie. It was fuppofcd, that the country was over- (locked by Eu- ropean commodities, but it proved other- wife. Goods in general have fold well in America ; and though the dearer and kil'er parts of confumption have not had i'o much encouragement, (which however daily increafe in demand) yet the cheaper and larger parts have fold to great profit. * The experience of a century has (as the noble Author ftilts it) made " the youth- " ful ardour of grafping at the American " Trade," grey in the employment. But whatever afFc^lation of youth it mio;ht now be fuppolcd to dlfplay on our f de, it would neverthclefs be il:il] wife in us to run a race with any Foreign Nation, however eager for it, fboner than lofc any part tliat it is in our power to retain. If the ( 2^3 ) the Foreig'"«er has fuffercd by his rafh and early adventures, his loffes will be our gain. But as Commerce is fludtuating, and as a firft lols often prompts the Mer- chant to try a fecoiid adventure to repair it ; as the Poet beautifully exurefl'es it, r Mox reficit rates QiiaflTiis, indocilis pauperiem pati ; We fhould not reflrain bur Merchants, blit do our part to open the Trade, and leave the reil: to their difcretion. They are men of ability, induilry, and experience ; and if we repair the broken road, we may liifely truit the journey to their care. But if, perfilVmg in our former haughtinefs, we rely upon the necelTity, which we think the Americans are under of tnking our manufactures, we may draw the cord too tight, and occafion its breaking in our hands, and plunging us into that mire into which our folly has led us. The Americans, in their principal towns, S 3 are !'!' ( 264 ) are already relapfing into their former luxury and enjoyments. The war pre- cluded them for a time ; but a fpirit of indulgence now breaks forth, with in- creafed force ; and the orders for goods which have been lately tranfmitted, are filled with as many fuperfluities as necef- faries. This is not a wife condudl in the infancy of a new Republick ; the eflablifh- ment of which ought to be founded in examples of frugality, not of luxurious enjoyments. But if their own Govern- ments have not this confideration, and they offer a Trade, which muft in fome meafurc produce a ftate of Dependence upon Europe, it will not be a wife con- dud in us to negledt fo advantageous a profpe£l; which will be attended with the greateft benefit to ourfelves, by difpofing of our manufadlures for ufeful commodities, both for our own confumption and for export. They will, befides, come to un for ordination for their Clergy ( 2^5 ) Clergy, for IMaflers to educate their chil- dren, and for free communication in all thofe habits, from which the clofcft con- nexions aie derived; As the Definitive Tfeaty with America * is now figned, and the Ratifications ex- changed, and as a Parliamentary Ddibo- ration upon her Commerce with this Coun- try has been too long delayed, we fhould be vigorous in our exertions, to make amends for our delay, and to improve the advantages which are ftill left to us. Francey apprehenfive of them, is fully fenfible of her danger, hi the reftbration of our an- cient Commercial Connexion ; and no cir- cumftance efcapes her vigilance at home, or the vigilance of her Minifter in Ame- rica, which can flatter the pride, or cherifh the refentment of the United States againfl us. She has blinded our eyes, by avoiding every national regulation, which flie fup- pofes would give this Country the alarm ; whilft, at the fame moment, fhe grants to S 4 the ( 266 ) the Citizens of America all manner of pn- vate Indulgcncies. Under the conflrudion of the doubtful words of a Public Procla- mation, they are admitted into the French Weft India ports. And there Is hardly a requeil: made by an American Merchant in France, for any particular indulgence to his trade, which is not readily granted; attended, at the fame time, by perfbnal at- tention and civilities. By thefe means, they are daily ganiing the trade, and im- proving upon the affe£lions of the Citizens of the United States, without exciting the leaft jealoufy in us. But this is an habitual and fuccefsful practice of the Court of France; and we are fuch a credulous people, that notwithftanding our having continually fuffered by this conduct in that Covu't, we never fhew, in return, any other than a forgivmg and a forgetful df- poftion. She thus fpares neither art, in- fluence, or money, to effect her purpofes. She has Confuls, andVice-Conluls,x^gents, both ( 267 ) both public and private, dlftilbutcd and penfioncd in every part -of America. Her appointments are liberal and magnificent; whilfl many of ou" friends in thofe States, who are at the fame time fmccrely attached to the mutual intcrefls of both Countries, have been left without fupport. n at It is not, however, dlfiTicult for us to countera couiitr.es, up.n a fatisfaclory and folid foundaiion. The clofer their union, the greater will be th.ir mu- tual advantages. U.oon this ground, and in this hope, the following plan of an a^ of parliament (when the fcvcral pans v/hich relate to the du'.ies, are p.operly invcfligatcd) is with deference offered to the Public. • »!lJt^iJaL:U3C• JH';.-HJ|. ^ Jm^ ^ ■ jlu h CONTENTS OF THE BILL. Clawse I. IM O goods to be imported, or exported, but in J3riti{h-built ihips, or in fhips of the huilt of the United States, the property of B.itifh fubjea., or the joint property of Britifh fubjeds and the citizens of the United States; or in fhips of the built of the United States, and the property of the citizens thereof, i. Ships of the built of the United States, the pro- perty oi' Britifh fubjeas, or the joint propertv of BritiQi fubjeas and the citizens of the United States, to be deemed Britifh-built ihips. A 3. Cuch APPENDIX. 3. Such fliips, on reporting in Great Britain, to deliver a certificate of their built. 4. Un their arrival in the Weft Indies, before they take in a loading for Great Britain, to produce the certificate of their built. 5. Such ftiips, on their arrival in Great Britain, to be regiftered. 6. Certificate of the regifter to be delivered to the mafter. 7. On the fhip's name being changed, to be regif- tered de novo. 8. On a certificate being loft, a new one to be granted. 9. Ships belonging to the United States to be fubje^ only to the fame port charges as Britifli ftiips. 10. Any doubts arifing of the built or property of ftiips of the United States, ofiicers may examine. 11. The mafter, on reporting and clearing out- wards, to give a true account of his fliip and the goods on board. A provffo that no certificate, bond, &c. be required from ftiips of the United States. 1 2. Bond to be taken for all Briiifti fhlps, entering out for the United States, to return to Great Britain. 13. Goods of the growth, &c. of the United States, charg^'able with duties, enumerated. 14. Cjood?: of the growth, &c. of the United States, to be imported duty free, enumerated. 15. Goods for dyers ufe, though not of the growth, &c. of the United States, to be imported in iheir fhips, chargeable with duties, enumerated. 16. Goods, though not of the growth, &c. of the United States, to be imported duty free in their ftiips, enumerated. Goods APPENDIX. n, to 5 they ce the property xamine. ring out- the goods id, &c. be ;, entering :at Britain, ted States, ited States, 3t of the mported in 'ated. &c. of the their fli'«ps> Goods 17. Goods of the growth, &c. of the United States, not enumerated, to be fubjeft to the duties on firralar goods. i8. All bounties formerly paid upon the impor- tation of goods from the United States, to ceafe. 19. Goods of the growth, &c. of the United Spates, liable to duties, tc be put into the king's warehoufes upon bond. 20. Not to be landed until due entry is made at the cuftom-houfe. 21. Importer may affix a lock to the warehoufe, which the officer is required to do, and to grant ac- cefs, at all reafonable hours, to the importer, to exa* mine and receive the goods, but not lefs than one package at a time. 22. Certificate of the duties being paid, or fatisfied, to be jJroduced before delivery of the goods. 23. The duties not fatisfied within months, commiffioners may diredt the goods to be fold, to pay the charges. 24. Marks to be put upon each package, and the weight or gauge entered in books, kept for that pur- pofe. Warehoufe-keeper to deliver in an account to the commiffioners every fix months. Any goods delivered out before duties are paid, warehoufe-keeper to be rendered incapable and for- feit pounds. 25. May be delivered out of the warehoufe for exportation, upon fecurity being given. 26. No tobacco to be imported in cafks under lbs. 27. Indigo not to pay duty on exportation. A 2 28. Bountiet- PI 4 APPENDIX. 28. Bounties to be granted on the exportation of gunpowder, fail cloth, filk, refined fugar, Britifh and Iiifh linen. 29. Goods chargeable with duties on exportation, enumerated. 30. Foreign goods, exported to the United States, to be entitled to the fame drawback of duty, and fubj< 61 to the fame regulations, as if exported to fo- reign parts. ^ 31. Goods^ not enumerated, fubje6l to regulations on fimilar goods exported by Britifh fubjedts. 32. Ships of the built of the United States, the property of the citizeris thereof, or qualified as Britifh ihips, may trade between the United States, and the plantations in Arrierica and the Weft Indies. 33. Goods of the growth, &c. of the United States, which may be imported into the plantations in Ame- rica ?.nd the Weft Indies, enumerated. 34. Goods of the growth, &c. of the Plantations in that part of America called the Weft Indies, which may be exported to the United States, enumera^'^'?. . 35 General claufe, fubje^ling goods liable to duty to the regulations in ufe. A BILL x== •X X: 'X B FOR THE EflahliJIoment and Regulation of the Trade be- tween the Suhje5ls of Great Britain, and the Citizens of the United States of America. W HERE AS it is expedient to remove the obftruilions which at prefent afFeft the trade carried on W;rh the United States of America, and to eftablifti the flime upon a ("olid and permanent foundation : I. Be it cnadcJ, &:c. That no goods or commodities, ^j^ ^^^;^^ ^^ of the growth, produ^ion, or maniifa^ure of Gre:.t l^- Snnported, o.r Britain, or of any land, ifland, plantation, or terri- Bricifh - i.init lory, which now, or fliall hereafter, belong unto, or fhijs ' of rhc be in the pofleflion of his maietty, his heirs, and fuc- 1^"'^^"^ thcUni- ^ . , -e'^ "ta es, 'he ccllbrSj ihall be exported to the United litates of nr ^e ty ofBii- A3 Amijrica j tiili fubjcds i or A P P E N D I X. the joint proper- ty of Briti/hfub- jf^s, and the citizens of thofe States i or in fliipa of the built of the United States, ai;d the property of the tJtizcns thereof. America ; or any goods or commoJities, of the growth or produdtion of the faid United States, or any of the territories thereof, be imported into Great Britain, or any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforel^iid, otherwife than in fuch fhip or (hips, veflel or veflels, as are herein afrer defcribed — that is to fay — in fuch (hips or veflels as do truly, and without fraud, belong to the people of Great Britain, or any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, as the proprietors or right owners thereof according to law j whereof the iDafter and three-fourths of the mariners are Britifli fubjeds J or in fuch (hips or veffels as are of the built of the faid United States, and are the property of Britifh fubje£ls, or the joint property of Britifh fub- jedls and citizens of the faid States, both in the man- ner and under the regulations herein after prefcribed by this a(5t, and navigated as aforefaid ; or in fuch fhips or veflels as do truly and without fraud belong to the citizens, and are of the built of the faid Uni- ted States; under the penalty of the forfeiture and lofs of all fuch goods and commodities, and of the fhip or veficl in which they were imported or exported, with all her guns, tackle, furniture, ammunition, and apparel ; one moiety of the fame to che ufe of his majefly, his heirs and fucceflbrs, the other moiety to the ufe of fuch perfon or perfons as will feize on, inform, or fue'for the fame, or the value thereof; to be fued for, levied, recovered, or mitigated, by fuch means or methods, a« any fine, penalty, or forfeiture is, or may be recovered or mitigated, by any law or laws relating to his majefty's revenue of excife or cuftoms, or by any of them ; or by ai^ion of d« bt, bill, plaint, or information in anv ^f his majefty's courts of record at Weftminfter for that part of Great Britain A P P L N D I X. be deemt .' "^ ! - tlili-built ibip:. Britain called England; or the courts of Kxchetjuer at Edinburgh, for that part of Great Britain called Scotland ; any law, ftatutc, or cuftom, to the con- trarv notwithftanding. b..;it mIic .',.: 2. And be it enacied, &c. That any fhip or vcfTcl, k-h s-a C3 ti.o 1 •! • 1 • 1 1 T ■ J C prnpf'tv ot Ijri- DUilt in any port or place within the laid United ;>.ates, tifhiuojeds, .i belonging truly,and without fraud,to the citizen- ' f the [5',{,!';,,?/i;',";';; fame, or to the people of Great iJiitain, or of anv i'"':-' .nf^thcu- land, iHand, plantation, or territory as aforcliid, or nited sn- . t., being the joint property of Biitifh fubjtcli and the citizens of thefaid States ; and making h^r hrft voyaj^e from the place where (he was built to Great Britain, or from any of the ports within the faid United States at which (he (hall take in her lading of goods for the fame, or which (ball proceed with her firll lading of goods to any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, in America or that part called the VVefl- In- dies, and on difcharging the fame (hall take in another lading of goods, and (hall proceed with the fame directly to Great Britain ; three-fourths of her mariners beintr. at the time of taking in the faid laft-mcntioned goods, Briti(h fubjedls ; and alfo conforming to the fcveral regu- lations prefcribed by this a(Et, (liall from thence frirward be deemed and pafs as a (hip cf the built of GreatBritain, or any of his majefty's dominions, and Iliall be qualified to trade from or in any part of the fame, any hw, ftatute, or cuftom to the contrary notwithftandinG:. 3. And be it ena£led,&c. That the mafter of every fuch (hip or veflel which (hall be built in anv of the faid United States, and to be deemed and pafs as afore- faid, (hall, upon her firft fetting out or bein;" firfl navigated at fea, have or be farnifhed with a certificate (igned by the Britilh conful or vice-conful, refident in the place or port in the faid United States, where A 4 the Such /!i;..i.. OT l■^'po^ti^g Id (j eat Hr'u 'in, o deliver a ccrti;-. CJte of tiicr built. APPENDIX. the fald fliip or vefTc! was hui!t ; and, if ihcrc be no conful in the laid port or place, to be fuj^ncA by the principal officer or oHicers of the cuffoms thereof; or, for want of fuch ofHccr, by the chief magiilratc of the fiid United States rtlidcnt therein or the neareft thereto ; defcribing the place where the 'ame was built, the bur'hcn thetcof, and the names of the owners, whether Britifh fubjc«Sis, or citizens of the fald United Srat( s, to whom the fame belongs; which faid rtrtifi- care fliall be produced by the laid mafter on re- porting the fame in Grea* Britain. 4. And be it enacted, &c. That, on the arrival of every fuch (hip or veffel at any port in any land, ifland, plantation, or tenitory as aforelaid, in America, loajliii; ("oiGieat , 111.1 xiir/Lii- r 1 1 Jiritaiii, ro pro- or that part called the VVelt-lndics, from the place ducc flie cerlifi- cate of their built. On the'rarr*- v.l .11 tla; v'x-ft liiciic..; before t!u \ take ill a in which fhe was built, or from the port in which (lie took in her loading of goods for the fame, the aforefaid certificate fiiall be produced to the princip;d officer or officers of his majefty's cufloms in the faid port, before fhe is permitted to take any goods on board for Great Britain ; and after copies thereof are taken (one of which {hall be tranfmittcd to the com- milTioners of his m.ijefty's cuftoms in (iieat Britain), the faid certificate {liall be returned to the mafter. Such fh ps^on 5. And be it enabled, &c. That no fuch fliip or vellel, their arrival in y^f^^^ as afotefaid, fiiall aftcrwatds be deemed and tube rcijiilcred. p.^fg 3. ^ fi^jp of the built of Great Britain, or any of his majeffy's dominions, unleCs the fame, or one half part thereof at the lealt, fli^ll belong to, and whereof the mafter and three-fourths of the mariners are Britifh fubjedls ; nur un'efs the Britifh owners fhaJl, upon his or their oath b;-fore the princii^al ofilcers of the port at which the faid lliip or vefiel (hall arrive from APPENDIX. from her iirlt voynge, "- 'ii v>h'rh he or thcv fl^aM rt'!c, rrake proof t'lertot la tuv v\<.;(!; ioUovviug, delcribing particulailv i le names, licL'riptloiis, and places of refiden-e of the fevcral owners, wbcihcr Britifli (.by U, o: cii'z^ns cf the fiiiU United btutcs : that is to lay " That tlic Ihi,) of *' whereof is at prefcnt mailer, being a ** of ton*:, was buift at vv .tli.n *' (he territories of the United S^-^tes of .Arr.crita, in ** the year ; mJ tliar of " (is oi) are at prcicnt (owner or) owners thereof; ** and that no foreio;ner, or other perfon, ha>, difccllv ** or indiretil'v, any fliaie, pair, or iiiicrclt therein." 6. And be it enacted. Sic. That fucli o.itIi, beijig attefted by the culbim-houlc officer or officers who ^^'^/''-'^^ "^ adminiflered the fame, unH'-r their hands and Kals, ilei vercJ u> tiie Ihall, aher ha^'ioj/, been iegui:ered by them, be deli- vered to the nr.'.fter of the ihip for the fi-curity of her navigation j and a duplicate of the f.niii)aii«)M they arc hereby directed and required lo inalc^, prrvio.is to fhc i: id (hip or vcfl'el being admitted to entry and to brciik bulk. Tl. And be it cnai.^tcd, 5cC. Thar the mafterof any fhip or ved'cl bclonj^ini!; to the citizens, and of the built of the faid United States, fliall, without delay, on his arrival in any port of Circat Britain, or in any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, and alfo on clearing out the fame, make a juft and true entry upon oath, of the burthen, contents, and loading of every fuch fliip or vcfTcl, vvitli the particular marks, num- bers, qualities, and contents of every parcel of goods therein laden, to the belt of his knowledge ; alfo where and in what port ihe toik in her lading, b» to what port (he is bound : of what ftate built, how manned, Ko regifler, bond, &c. to be required fiom {hips of the United States. Bond to be taken for nil Britifli (hips cn- tniiij^ out tiM- the United the name of fhc mafter and owners during the voyage, invvr.rds or outwards ; and fliall alfo conf ''"n to the fc- veriil regulations prcfcribed by this acTt, and to the fe- veral laws and regulations now in force for the entry of flilps from or to foreign ports not within the dominions of his Majcfly, and not repealed or altered by the fame. Provided ;'Iway5, that no rcgiftcr, bond, certificate, or any other pai.er than what is direcled by this a(51-, fliall be reuuiicd ir. m any fucl^. fliip or vcflel, or for any goods on beard ilic farr.e, any law, flatute, or cudom to iiij contrary nof.viihllandinp'. 12, And be it cnacled, T^c. That for every Britifli fhip or vciil 1, or any (hip or vcflll qualified and deemed to pafs as fuvli by dub acl. as {iiull cnicr and clear cut of any port APPENDIX. 13 cat port in Great Britain, or any land, ifland, plantation, f^*"^";/^/,* or territory as aforcfaid, for any port or place in the Britain, faid United States, fufficient bond, with one furety, . fhall be given to the principal officers of the cuftoms in fuch port or place, from whence the faid fliip or ve/Tel fhall enter ind clear out, to the value of loool. ifof lefs burthen than 100 tons, and of 2000I. if of that or greater burthen j the condition of which (hall be, that the faid fhip or vcfl'cl fhall proceed to the port or place for which (he hath been entered and cleared out ; and in cafe (he fhall load any goods or commodi- ties at the faid, or any port or place in the faid United States, that the fame (hall be, by the faid (liipor veflcl, brought to, unladen, and put on (bore, (the danger of the feas only excepted) as follows- that is to f^iy — if the faid goods or commodities are enumerated goods, permitted by this avSl to be carried from the faid United States to any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, in Ame/ica, or that part called the Weft In- dies, the fame fliall be landed in feme port thereof j but if any other than the faid enumerated goods, the fame ihall be landed in fome port of Great Britain ; which faid bond (hall not be difchargcd, until a certific^e is produced, within eighteen months from the date of the faid bond, (the danger of the feas excepted) from the conful, officer, or chief magi (Irate as aforefaid, in the port or place in the faid United States, in which the faid (hip or vefl'el has been loaded j and in cafe the fame has been laden with enumerated goods, for any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, in America, or that part called the Weft Indies, a certifi- cate, as aforefaid, muft likewife be produced of the principal oflicers of the cuftoms, that the fame has I been H APPENDIX. «a(ed. been duly landed in fome port thereof; any law, fta« tute, or cuftom, to the contrary notwithftanding\ f Goods of the I ^, Ant) be it enabled, &c. That the following enume- frowth, &c. of ^ ^ ° theUnitedSt'tes rated goods, of the growth or produ£tion of the faid duties" enum'e- ^"i^^d States, the property of ihe citizens thereof, or of Britifh fubjeds, brought diredly from the port where the faid goods can only, or moft ufually arc firft (hip- ped for tranfportation, duly imported and entered ac- cording to law, (h-ill be fubjeil to the payment of the duties, and entitled to the receiving back the fame, or part thereof, on exportation, as are annexed to each article, any law, ftritute, or cuftom, to the contrary notwithft^nding. * -f- An objeAIon tnay be maJe to this claufe^ left it fhould prove the means of preventing our being the carriers of (hofe goods of the middle and fouthern ftates, which are not confumed in Great Britain. But when it it confidered, that thcfe goods may be put in order for a market, upon more advantageous terms in this country, than in any other, and that it tends to promote the making Great Critain an entrepot; at the fame timethat it forwards a connedion between the two countries; (independeat tf Its other advantages) this obje£lion will certainly be over ruled. * In order to form a judgment of the duties proper to be impofed, and the draw baci-. 8 to be repaid, upon thefe articles, the former payments and repayments, inclusive of the additional duties during the war, are inferted; (excepting hemp, iron, and afhes, againft which, left adifi'erence ihould give any umbrage to RuiTia, the duties and drawbacks upon thofe articles, when imported from the northern ftatet, are placed)— That the whole of the American trade may be taken into consideration, and fuch duties impofed and drawbacks repaid, as ihallbe deemed, by pcrfons con- verfant in the trade, to be advantageous to us. Particular attention (hould ^e paid lo thofe articles that arc the ftaple of any (late ; fuch as rice, V iiich for want of confumption, contributing little to the revenue, yet will contribute very largely to our navigation; befides other great advan> tages in making this country an entrepot fcr it. Naval (lores, being efFentially nccefTary to our navigation, fhould be imported duty free ; and oil, as being ufeful to us in fome of our manufai'lures, and of which our confumption is very great for many purpofes, (hould be fuffered to be imported upon payment of u moderate duty. Fuis, and other articles, ought to be properly invelllgated, that when an adt it made, it may be as cumplek>: m poiTiblc^ Afhc6 APPENDIX. A(hei Tocat. Pot alhes, the cwt. Pearl alhes, Weed afhes, . . Wood alhes, . . Copper ore, Fun, vocat. Bear ikins, black or red, . . the piece*^ white. Doty to be paid on Importatioo. 2 2**77 «s 55 Beaver (kins, wombs, the whole piece . the piece Catlkins, the hundred, containing 5 fcore Foxes, the black fox ikin, . . . . •— — , the ordinary ikin, Martrons or Martins, the timber, con- 1 taining 40 (kins 3 Minks tawed, the timber, containing 40 (kini, .... ■ untawed, Otter ikins, . Wolf ikias, tawed, : . — — — — untawed, . , the piece Wolverings, . . . — - — - All other furs (except thofe rated among ikins) for every 203. of their real value, upon oath, . And if any of the aforefaid furs, or any other furs, are tawed or drelfed, and are not before charged as fuch, they are to pay more for every 208. of their real value, upon oath, Hemp, rough, . . . . the cwt Hides, TOcat. Buff hides, . . .the hide and befides for every pound wt. Cow or horfe hides in the hair, the piece ■ ■ tanned, — - and befides for every pound wx. Elk hidesdrefied or undrelfed; viJe Skin^ All other hides, and pieces of hides, not before particularly charged, for every 203, of ihcir real value, upon oath . . . _ And befides, if drefled in oil, the lb. wt * — tanned, — — •"■ tawed, . . the hide Horns of Cows or Oxen.the hundrcd,containing 5 fcore *■ I ' Hans or Stags, . , the hundred Drawback to be repaid on Ex- portation. ^. i. d»29th* 5 II II IS 15 16 I 8 6 3 3 4 ■TO -10 $¥3 4A 4ro C 5 5 6 6 7^% 8 4ao / i^ 9 3^' 3 »Ovo I !0 6 7>- J- 10 3 4 7s"« 10 2 10 4 2 10 I o o 7 6 2 I 5 1° 6 2^ I If 2i^ 8 8 r iS 10^^ Horn i6 APPENDIX. - •if»-»i'', I Duty to hB eve" D^awbacfc to be] Horn Tips, the hundred, containing five fcorc Iron unwrought, called bar-iron, . . the ron wt Ore, culled pig-iron, Oil, vocat. Train oil or blubber, the ton, contain- ] lag 252 i^^al'.ons ... J .Pitch, fmall or great batij, the laft coniaini s 12 barrek • . * , . the c\vt Rice, Rotin, , . ; Sartaparilla, Snflafra' , wood or roots. Snake root, 'ng| the pouiH wt. the cwt. the pound wt. { iinSjVOCat, Buck or deer fkins, in the hair, the Ikin ~ d relied and beiidt's tor every pound wt. — ■ ■• • ' « Indian, h:illdreli'c , ") thepouiid wi. J Elk (kins, dreffed or undrefi'cU, the fkiii and belides, if drellcd in oil, for every ") J • - pound wt. J the piece thefkin th" piece the Ikin I Fifher fldns IMoofe Ikins, Mufquaili Ikins, - Panther Ikins, , Racoons, ," - Seal fkins, - - — and belides, if dirfled, for every 20s. of their real "alue, upon oath, 7, and befidts theaforcfaid duties, if any of the aforefaid ikins are tawed,/' tanned, or drclfed, and not parti-V culaily charged as fucb, they are/' to pay far every 20s. of their rcalV v:!lue, upon oath, - - J Tar,fn\alIor great band, ihc laft containing 12 barrel Tobacco, - - » the lb. wt. Turpentine common, - - the cwt. Wax, - - - and bcfidcs, if bees wax — — .»-..— vocat. liard w<>x, - - the lb. wt. Bay or myrtle, - ' Whakfins, ' - ' - the ton wt. on Imp ortaiior I'pai d on £x- port- •'io;i. ': s. d.2 0th Cs, ff.iotb b4§ 6 • 16 iio 2 12 7iQ 2 9 2 6 s 6 5 '3 10 2 2» II ^ . ... 10 7 4 6 8 t 541 I J20 8.^- 7 '-?- 4 4io4^ j I 2 5 5 9i^ / •? 3f 6- loi^ 3i« 1 < 10^' 9z% /20 ":. o 1 I 20 I IC T T t I ■5 I i 16. And be it enacted, &c. That the following enumerated goods, the property of Britifh fubjecls or of the citizens of the faid United States, though not of the growth or produdlion of thofame, imported into Great Britain in (hips or veflels Britifli built, or qualified as fuch by this aft, or in Oiips or vefiels belonging to the faid United States, duly imported and entered aa aforefaid, fhall be imported into Great Britain" free of duty, i^ny law, ftatute, or cuilom to the contrary not- witbftanding. B 2 Good'!, though not of the growth, Sec. of the United States, to bf im- p.)ttej diit) nee in their fhipJ, IS A P F E N D 1 Agarick - - - ^ ^/^nnotto, - - " Antimonium crudum, Aqua fortis, _ - - • Archplia, or Spanifh weed, - Argol, white and red, or powder, - Arlenic. white or yellow, or rofalgar. Bay berries, - - - Brazil, or Fernambuc wood, Brazilletto, or Jamaica wood, - - j Box wood, Cochineal of all forts. Cream of tartar, Ebony wood, Fufticlc, Galls, Gum ftick lack Indigo, Indigo duft, ifinglafs, L.ignum vitae, LogWOO'J, L«itmus, Madder, vocat. crop madder, and all other bale madder, fat madder, X. > fcr Dyers ufc. — mull madder. 1-. .1 J ] d ali-t Ider, I r Dyers ule. for Dyers ufc. Madder roots, or rubia tin6torum, - Mahogany, - - . - Nicaragua wood, - - -. Olive wood, - - Orchall. - - C)rchelia. See Archelia, Pomegranate peels. Red or Guinea wood, • Safflore - - - Sal armoniacum, ; gem, " . " " Sap'.n wood, - - - Saunders, red or ftock, Shumack, - - - Stick lack. Sec Gum, - Sweet wood, - - Tornfal, - - • Valonea, . - for Dyers ufc. for Dyers ufc. for Dyers ufc. for Dyers ufe. 1 I I I I J for Dyers ufc. s. for Dyers ufc. APPENDIX. 2t 17. And be it enacted, &c. That all goods of the growth or produflion of the faid L'nited States, not enumerated, duly brought from the place of their growth, imported and entered, as aforefaid, (hall be made liable only to the payment of fuch duties (if any) as are now paid, and (hall receive fuch duties back, or a part thereof, on exportation to foreign parts, as aie now received, and fliall be otherwife fubjedl to the re- gulations that fimilar gooiis, imported or exported by Bjitifli fubjedls, in Britifti-built (hips, are fubjeifl to, any law, ftatute, or cuftom to the contrary notwith- ftanding. 18. And be it enabled, &c. That all bounties which have hitherto been granted upon the importation of certain goods or commodities, the produce of the ter- ritories now compofing the faid United States, (hall no longer continue to be paid, but from hencefortfi oeafe and determine, any law, ftatute, or cuftom to the contrary notwithftanding. 19- And be it enadled, &c. That all fuch goods of the growth or production of the faid United States, as ftiall be imported into Great Britain diredlly from the fame, or any of them, upon the entry thereof at the cuftom-houfe, may forthwith, and before payment of all or any part of the duties, which fuch goods are charged with and liable to nay, be landed from on boa id the ft:ip or veflel in v/hich the fame ftiall be fo imported, and carried or put into fuch warehoufe or warehoufes, as ftiall be for that purpofe provided, at the charge of the refpedive proprietor or proprietors, importer or importers of fuch goods, which ftiall be approved of by the commiflioners of his majcfty's cuftoms or excife, or the major part of either of them B 3 for CooJs of the growth, Sec. of theUnitfdSta ei not enunifrated, to be fubjf^ to t}ie tiuties on fi- miiar goods. All bounties ■forniL'rly paid upon the im- porta, ion (. goods from th 5 United i>taCc»i» to ceafe. Goods of the growth, Sec. of thcLInitedStates liable to duties, to he put in the king's ware- houfe upon bond 22 APPENDIX. for the time being, or by the principal officers of the cuftoms or excife in the port in which the fame fliall be landed ; upon the importer or importers aforefaid firft giving, at his or their charge and expence, his or their bond, or other good and fufficient fecurity, for the full amount of all and every the duties which fuch goods are charged with and liable to pay (which the commifTioners or other proper officers of the cuftohis or excife are hereby required and empowered to take) payable as foon is the faid goods (hall be lold (provided the fale of the fame (hall take place within months from and after the time they {hall be landed and put into warehoufes as aforefaid). And if the faid goods fiiall not be fold or exported, in the manner' and ac- cording to the regulations prefcribed by thif a£l;, within the faid months, then to pay the fame at the end of fuch months, fuch duty to be computed ac- cording to the weight or gauge of the faid goods, to be taken at the time the fame ihall be fo landed, and lodged in warehoufes as aforefaid. 30. And be it enafled, &c. That in cafe any fuch '^ot to be goods fhall be landed, or put on fhore out of any fhip larded until due » / r «ntr\ ismade at or vefTel, before due entry be made thereof at the cuftom-houfe, and with the proper officers of the cuf- toms or excife, at the port or place where the fame (hall be imported, and the faid duties fecured ; or without a warrant for the landing or delivering the fame, firfl fjgned by the proper officers of the cuftoms or excife ; or without the prefence of a cuftom-houfe or excife officer i fuch imported goods as fhall be fo landed or put on fhore, or taken out of any fhip or veffel con- trary to the true meaning of this a6t, or the nature of the fame, (hall be forfeited, and fhall or may be fued for the cuftom houfe. .'Illll APPENDIX. *3 for and recovered of the importer or proprietor there- of, in the manner and for the ufcs as aforefiid, 21. And be It enaiSled, &c. That it (hall or may be lawful for the proprietor or proprietors, importer or importers of fuch goods, (o to be lodged in any fuch warehoufc or warehoufes as aforefaid, to affix one lock to every fuch warehoufe, the key of which fhall re main in the cuftody of fuch proprietor or importer ; and to and for the proper officer oi- officers of the cuf- tom? jr exclfe, appointed to attend fuch warehoufe or waiehoufes, to affix one other lock to the farr .he key whereof to remain ifl the cuftody of tiie faid officer or officers j and the faid proprietor or proprietors, importer or importers, {hall and may in the prefcnc« of the faid warehoufe- keeper or officer, (who are here- by required to attend at all reafonable times for that purpofe) view, examine, open, fcparate, garble, fhift, weigh, and render merchantable, and fit f.:r fale, the faid goods or any part thereof, in the faid warehoufe or warehoufes ; and fhalJ and may receive out of the fame the faid goods or any part thereof, (but in no Icfs quantity than one cafk or package at a time) upon pay- ing the faid duties for the fame, and upon producing; fuch certificate or receipt from the proper officers, of the faid duties having been paid, in manner as is here- in for that purpofe particularly prefcribed. 22. And be it enatfied, &c. That the faid goods Co lodged in warehoufes as aforefaid, fhall or may from time; to time be c.clivered out of fuch warehoufe- or warehoufes refpectively, upon payment of his niajefly's duties thereon ; and upon the proprietor or importer, or fuch pprfon or perfons as fliall be appointed bv him or them for that purpofe, producing to the refpcc^ive B 4 ware- Importer may affix a lock to the waref.ouff, which the of- ficer is rctjiiired to do and to gran" accefs at all reafonable hours ta the importer to examine and re« ceive ilie gooui, not lefi tiian one package »t a time. Ccrrificate r>* the duties being paid or fatisried, to be pnduicl before delivery of the 20? APPENDIX. warchoufc-kecper or warehoufe-kcepcrs, and the of* ficers appointed to attend the fuid warchoufc or warc- houfes, a warrant or warrants, certificate or certificates, figne by the proper ofnccr of the cultoms or excife appointed to receive theduiici payable thereon, certi- fying that he has received all and every the faid duties, to which the faid goods, fo defired to be delivered out of fuch warehoufe, was liable and fubjecl to pay, the faid warchoufe-keeperor warchoufc- keepers and officers attending fuch warehoufe or warehoufes, fhall deliv«r fuch goods as fliall be mentioned or exprefled in fuch warrant or warrants, certificate or certificates refpedlivc- ly, to have paid or fatisficd the faid duties. 23. And be it enaded, &c. That, in cafe fuch iio?'f!tlsficd' goods fhall, after landed, remain in fuch warehoufe or within warehoufes in which the fame fliall be fo lodged for the month*. Com- r r /• -j r ^' i- 1 /• mii^.oners of purpofcs aforefaid, for any time exceeding the fpace the Cuftoms ^f months, after the fame (h?U be fo landed and may diredl the good < to be fold lodged in fuch warehoufe or warehoufes as aforefaid, to pay the 11 • • \ ■ r charges. ^"" '"^ proprietor or importer, or other pcrfon or per- fons by him or them appointed, fliall not, within the faid months, pay or caufe to be paid to the proper ofijccrs appointed to receive the fame, all and every the duties to which the fame are fubjed and liable to pay, and fhall omit to procure or bring fuch cer- tificate herein before diredted to be had and made out, from fuch ofKcers, to fuch warehoufe- keeper or ware- houfe- keepers, and to the officer or officers attending the fame, of the payment of the faid duties within the time aforefaid, that then it Ihall and may be lawful to and for the faid commiflloners of the cuftoms or excife, or the major part of either of them for the time being, to direct and order fuch goods, fo lodged in fuch ware- houfe APPENDIX. «J houfc or war.hotjfes, for which the (aid duties fliall not be paid within the time aforef.iiJ, to be put up to falc by public audlion, to the bell bidder or bidders for the fame, and the money arifing by fuch fait- fliall be in the firft place applied, to the difcharge of the faid duties fo payable thereon, the charges attending fuch warehoufe or warchoufes, and the cxpcnce of fuch fale J and the furpius of the monies fo arifing by fuch fale (if any), after payment of the faid duties and charges, fliall go and be paid to the ImDortcr or pro- prietor of the faid goods, who fo landed and lodged the fame in the warehoufe or warehoufes as afore- faid. 24. And be it ena61cd, &c. That before fuch goods of the faid United Stares fhall be fo landed or lodged Marks to be 111 luch warehoufe or warehoufes, a mark ifaaU be let package, and the on every cafk, veflel or package of the faid goods, S^.^atiSS mentioning the particular w6ight or quantity which is ^^P^ f*^' the puipofe. contamed therein, according to the weight or gauge thereof to be then taken, and who is or are the refj:e6l- ive proprietor or proprietors, importer or importers thereof; and the keeper or keepers of fuch warehoufe or warehoufes, and the perfon or perfons who fliall be appointed by the commiflioners cr proper officers of his . majefty's cuftoms or excife to attend the faid refpe£live warehoufes, fhall each of them keep one or more book or books, wherein they fhall, refpedivcly ind feparate- ly, fairly enter in writing an exa£l particular and true account of all fuch goods of the faid United States, as fliall be brought into and carried out of the refpedive warehoufe or warehoufes, to which he cr they fliall refpedively belong j and the days and times when the fame 2o APPENDIX. Wareh'^ufe- keeper t<% deli< ver in an ac« c.)iint tj the c )inmifl"ioneri *vciy tix months. Any (joods iliflivRrcd out bi;f«re duties arc pa". J, warc- houfc-kccper to be rendered in- capable and lorfeit May be il^'i - vcred out oftlic waiehoufe for cxp'ftatioii upon fpcurity bcinjj fiven. fame /hall be brought In and curried ouf, and the name of the refpeftive pcrfons to whom, or for whofe ufc, the fame was delivered out i and fiiail, at the end of pvcry fix months or oftener, if required, tranfmit in writ- ing an account thereof upon oath to the commiflloneri of the cuftoms or cxcife for the time being, together with an cxa6t account of the quantity then remaining in the icfpctSlive warehoufe or warehoufes to which they refpectively belong j and the commiflioners of the cufloms or excife, as the cafe may be, are hereby re- quired ana enjoined, within one month after the fame fliall be refpeiTiively iranfmitted to them as aforcfaid, to infpcdt and examine the faid accounts ; and if upon fuch examination it fhall appear that any of the faid goods were delivircd out of the faid warehoufes, other- wife than is herein mentioned, or before payment of the duties, which fuch goods are charged with and liable to pay, for fuch the faid goods, as (hall have been de- livered out of the faid warehoufes, then the faid ware- houfe-lceeper or warehoufe-keepers, and officer or officers refpedively ofFcnding therein, (hall not only be di fabled to hold or enjoy any public office or employ- ment, but fhall alfo forfeit and lofe for every fuch of- fence the fum of , to be fued for, levied and re- covered, or mitigated by fuch ways and means and methods, as any fine, penalty, or forfeiture is or may be recovered or mitigated, by any law or laws as afore- faid, or by an aaion of debt, bill, plaint, or informa- tion in any of his majefty's courts as aforefaid. 25. And be it enabled, occ. That fuch part ot the faid goods as (hall be intended for exportation to parts oeyoii d the fcas, fliall be delivered out of fuch bei ware- APPENDIX. i; warehoufe or warehoufes as aforefaid in the original cade, bale or package only (or in fomc caflc, bale or package, containing the fame quantity, in cafe the original package be infufHcient) unto the proprietor or proprietors, irr. porter or importers, or fuch buyers or other perfon?, as the faid proprietors or importers fhall have appointed in their behalf, upon fufficient fecurity to be given to his majefty, his heirs and fuc- ccflbrs, (which fecurity the commiflioners of the cuf- toms for the time being, or the proper officer or of- ficers of the cuftoms, are hereby required and em- powered to take) that the fame and every part thereof (hall be exported to parts beyond the feas, and (hall not be re-landed in Great Britain, the Ifle of Man, or the Iflands of Faro or Ferro j which faid fecurity ihall be difcharged without fee or reward, by a cer- tificate under the common feal of the chief magiftrate begonging to any place or places beyond the feas, or under the hand and feal of the Britifli conful, or of two known Britifli merchants, then being at fuch place or places, that fuch goods were there landed ; or upon proof made by credible perfons, that fuch goods were taken by enemies, or perifhed in the feas; the exami- nation an<^ proof thereof being left to the judgment of the faid commiHioners of the cuftoms for the time being. 26. And be it enacted, &c. That no tobacco of the growth or produaion of the faid United States, fhall be brought or imported into Great Britain, otherwife than in cafk, cafe, or cheft only, each cafk, cafe, or cheft thereof containing weight of ncnt to- bacco at the leaft, under th'^ penalty of the forfeit- ure N.1 tobacco to be imported i/i calTcs under pound., Indigo not to pay duty on ex- portation. APPENDIX. urc pf all the tobacco as ftiall be imported contrary to this aa, together with the cafl:s, cafes, or chefts, or other packages containing the fame.* 27. And be it enaaed, &c. That indigo of the growth, produaion, or manufadure of the faid United States, duly imported and entered as aforefaid, maybe exported to any parts beyond the feas free of duty, any law, ftatute, or cuftom, to the contrary notwithftand- ing.t Bounties to be 28. And be it cnaacd, &c. That cordage, gunpowder, granted on the - ., , , _,, n t r 1 1. X. tL exportation of '^'1 cloth, lilk, rchncd I'igar, and linen of Britifh manu- IhtlTaik, re! ^^^"^^' ^"*^ I"^* ^'"e"> exported, under the regula^ fined fugar, Bri- tions required by law, to any part of the faid United tiA and Irifli li- -, n n 1 • 1 1 ncn. btates, mall be entitled to receive the following boun- ties on the fame : J. 4l CORDAGE made of hemp of foreign growth, or from hemp £, s, of the growth of Great Britain, Ireland, or of the growth of the United States of America, the cwr. — — 2 GUN POVVDKR of the manufadlure of GreatBritain, exported bv way of merchandize, for every barrel the lOO pounds neat 4 6 SAIL CLOTH Briciili made, for every ell 2 British Manufactures of Silk, videlicet, P.ibhands and ftnttii of filk only, the poimd, avoirdupois tvt. - j Silti and ril^bands of filk, mixed with gold and lilvcr, the pound, avoirdupois weight — — — 4 * It !s an enquiry necefi'aiy to male, whether It would not be an advant;igc to incieiue the weigL: jVom 450 pounds (under which it can- not be imported by the preiuit laws) to the adlual weight of a hogf- ,J.icad of tobacco. It is gener; lly underftood, that this regulation would be fatisfad\ory to the growers ot"iI;is article. f To encourage the States iu which it Is produced to make this teuntry an entrepot. Silk APPENDIX. 89 Silk ftockings, filk gloves, filk fringei, filk laccg, ftitching or fewing filk, the pound, avoirdupois weight — — 11 Stuffs of filk and grogram yarn, the pound, avoirdupois wt. - 8 Stuffs with filk mixed with inkle or cotton, the pound, avoir- dupois weight — — — •— I Stuffs of filk or worfted — . — — — . 6 Sugar Refined. Sugar refined in loaves compleat and whole, and in lumps duly refined, for every Cwt. — — . — called baftards, ground or powdered fugar, and refined loaf fugar broken in pieces, and all fugar called Candy, properly refined, for every cwt, — — I 6 Linen made of Hemp or Flax in Great Britain or Ireland, or the lile of Man,. For every yard of the breadth of 25 inches, or more, and un- der the value of jd. the yard — — — . ^ . . . ■ ■ value 5d. and under the value of 6d. the yard • ■ — 6d, and not exceeding ii» 6d. the yard — . For every yard of Britifti checked or flriped linen of the breadth of 25 inches, or more, not exceeding is. 6d. and not under 7d. in value, the yard — — . ^_ For every fquare yard of diaper, huckaback, (hceting, and other fpecies of linen, upwards of one yard Englifh in breadth, and not exceeding is. 6d. the fquare yard in value For every yard of Britifh and Irifli buckrams and tilletings — Eor every yard of Britifh and Irifh linen, and of Britifli callicoeg and cottons, or cotton mixed with linen, printed, painted, or flained in Great Britain, of the breadth of 25 inches, or more, which before the printing, painting, or flaining thereof, fhall be under the value of 5d. the yard For every yard of the value of 5d. and under the value of6d. the yard — — — — — — " - ' '■ — 6d. and not exceeding is. 6d. the yard ,— -,-—, — il I 1 1 30 APPENDIX. Good, charge- 2«. And be it enaacd, &c. That the following enu- able with dutiet j j t n on exportation, meratcd goods, the property of Britifli fubjedls, or of enumerated. ^^ citizens of the faid United States, duly exported and entered according to law, fhall be fubjeft to the payment of the duties that are annexed to each article, that is to fay :* Agarick, trimmed or pared, — .^ - rough or untrimmed Alum, »——.—. Annotto, .^ — .— Antimonium Crudum, — — Aquafortis, — . — — foreign, the pound. Britifh, the cwt« foreign, the pound notexcecding ' 4fbillingsthe pair in value Argol, ^ — — Arfenick, •— -" — Bayberries, •*• — — • Brazil or Fernambuc Wood, •— Brazilletto, or Jamaica wood, Calve Skins, tanned, tawed, or drefled, Cnew Cards, 7ocat. Wool cards, vocat \ (J old Coals, • ^ * Cochineal, foreign. Coney hair or wool, black or white, Copperas for every 20s. ot the value, upon oath Cream of Tartar, Fitches, the timber, containing 40 Ikins Fuftick, . • Galls, • • • Glue, . • • Gum Arabick, . . — — Senegal, _ . Hair, vocat. hart's hair, — — Horfe hair. Ox or cow hair. ■ — the bottle") containing 4 gallons J ' thecwt. the pound — the cwt. foreign, the cwt. foreign, thecwt. Britifli, the cwt. foreign, the cwt. the cwt. Duty to be paid on Exj )ortation. £. u d.20th ^ 4- 2-j-g 1 I iS I l^\ 6 6 »oT« 2i% I -1 7 7io 7 T aoioj 1^^'i nil 7^ I lA 2»1 -' 2_t ■^ zo 3f! I I i-a-^o I !-.% J 10 i4§ I ^^^6 II I 13 3.-1- <; 9^"^ 1 9*^ ^ 6 „ 4- i 2 - a a I «-.^C Hair of all other forts, for every 20s. value, upon oath, • Thefc are the duties now paid, an examination into whith Is very neceHary. Coals are not inferted, ihc difference in duty being fo great be- tween the exportation in Britifh and foreign fhips. They are left for con- fideration, but are of no confcqucHce refpeiiling the American trade, liaresi APPENDIX. ngenu- s, or of exported : to the article, f to be paid Exportation. d.lOth I I 2L7. -" + O ^7_f ao « OS' II~ •7 3 7T5 I I I ! lO 2_t i 5 I 6 •20 II 9/0 '.^0 !th Is very fo great b.::- left for con- tradei Hares. Hares wool for every 20s. value, upon oath, Horfes, mares, or geldings — - — each, Illnghfs, — — — foreign, the cwt. Lapis Caliminaris, for every 20s. value, upon oath. Lead, call and uncaft, the fodder, containing 20 cwt. . ' ore for every 208. value, upon oath, Litharge of lead, — — — -^he cwt. Leather of all forts, tanned, tawed, or drefled, Linen, vocat. Cambrick or French lawns, ^ the piece, Litmus, — — — ' — forcigHj the cwt Madder of all forts, — — ■ ■■ " roots, — Nicaragua wood, *— Orchal, ^ — Orchelia, — • Oxen, — — Pomegranate Peels, — Red or Guinea wood, Safflore, Sal Armoniack, » — Gem, i Sapan woodv i Saunders red, • Shumack, Skins, Tocat. Badger fkins, 31 Duty paid ot» exportation. ^. s. d.20th, I I: 5 6 II the ton wt. — the cwt. each, foreign, the cwt. thelb. wt. . foreign, the cwt. _. . the piece Beawor fkins, for every Ikin or piece of Ikin I — ' — wool or wombs, the pound wt. avoirdupois Cat (kins, . . the hundreti Coney Ikins, black, with fiiver tails or without, the hundred, containinw lix fcore » ' grey Hag, the hundred, containing ] lix fcore . . j - feafoned, ■ ' ■ rawed. — •■ ■ — ' — — — — — tawed and dyed into colours, the 1 hundred containing 1 20 J Dog (kins, the dozen Elk (kins, the piece raw Fox (kins, the piece Hare (kins, Kid (kins in the hair, the hundred, containing-) five fcore J -, dre(red Lamb (kins f tawed with the wool, the bun. 7 vocat. mofe^ dred, containing fix fcore 3 (kins \ untawed, > 'y^ 3 2 I I 3 4 I 6 9^ 41 o 1 u I "(5 6 las 6f5 4ro> 9t<5 6 6 aoTTS 3 \ JL 7 ao-fj Jao 81 6 a-rf I 3 » / ao 7'-*- live? 6'^ + I I *- I i s ' a a •ao 8 ao 1 3 gl6 a9 II II Otter *s APPENDIX. Otter fkins, raw, , , , , . . the piece tawed, wombs, the mantle Rabbit Iklns, black, the hundred r tawed with the wool, the hundred, i Sheep and! containing fix fcorei lamb fkins J drelTed without wool Lpelts, the hund. containing five fcore Sheep fkins, tanned, tawed, or dreflfed, . the cwr. Squirrel fkins, the thoufand Swan fkins - . the piece Wolf fkins tawed, All other fkins (except deer fkins, native or foreign, dreflTed in oil in Great Britain) lor every 20s. value, upon oath .... Stick lack, foreign, the cwt. Tin unwrouglit, the cwt. Tornfal, - foreign, the cwt. Valonea, the ton wt Verdigreafe, . the pd. wt Wool, vocat. cotton wool, of the Britifh plantations, for 1 every 20s. value, upon oath , . . . j * Duty to he paid n Importation. £. s. d.zotb. • 3 4 To T 9to 3 3 To 2 3 I 9 ^ 20 2 9 ■* 1 3to -5 I i^ 3 1 r ToTf 3i4 « 7 20TT 3 10 ^s To T I »T*o Foreign goods exported to the United States, to be entitled to tbe fame drawbacic of du- ty, and fubjedl to the fame re- gulations, as if cxpo-'ted to fo- Jeign )>arti. 30, And be it cnae difcharged by certificate, (hall be only done by certifi- cate under the hand and feal of the Britifh, conful, vice- :o ^e paid portation. d.ZOth. i 3 ao 17. z o 5JL* 9 « * 2 o I T 3 "5' J2U *T5 17. 20 I "if I 7 20 iT of the beyond Britain, ny part )aid no rawing vife di- tates,or is, and iie fald foreign :urities to l>e certifi- conful, vice- APPENDIX. vice>conful, officers, or maglftrates, or on proof made of the faid goods being taken or perifliing in the feas, botKin like manner as aforefaid, any law, ftatute, or cuftom to the contrary notwithftandfng. 31. And be it enaded, &c. That all goods of the growth, production, or manufadure of Great Britain j not enumerated in, or otherwife dire6led by this a(St, may be exported to the faid United States, or the ter- ritories thereof, fubjed to the fane regulations and re- ftri6lions, as if exported by Britifh fubjefts to any foicign parts beyond the feas, otherwife than that all fccurities taken on the exportation thereof, (hall be difcharged by certificate as aforefaid, any law, ftatute, or cuftom to the contrary notwithftandinor. 32. And be it enacted, &c. That every {hip or veffel belonging to the citizens, and which are of the built of the faid United States, or qualified as a Britifh fhip by this adt, and conforming to the feveral regu- lations prefcribed by the fame, fliall be fufFered to en- ter into any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid, in America, or the Bahama, or Bermuda, or Somcr iflands, or that part called the Weft-Indies, any law, ftatute or cuftom to the contrary notwith- ftanding* 33. And be it enaded, &c. That the following enumerated goods, of the growth or produclion of the faid United States, the property of the citizens there- of, or of Britifh fubjeds, duly imported and entered according to law, may be imported into any land, ifland, plantation, or territory as aforefaid in America, or the Bahama or Bermuda, or Somer iflands, or that part called the Weft-Indies, fubje*5t to the fame regu-^ C latioiis 33 Goods not enumerated, fubjedt to regu- lations on fimi- lar goods expor- ted by Britifh fubje^s. Ships of the built of the U- nitcd States, the property of the citizens thereof, or qualified at Britiih fhips, may trade be- tween the Uni- ted States and the Britifh plan- tations in A- merica or the Weft Indies, Goods of the growth. Sec. of theUnitedStates which may be imported into the plantations in America and the Wert Indies enumerated. J4 I'- ')' •7 ■ r ' ' 1 .7) , A P P E N D i X. A lations as Britifh built fhlps, any law, ftatutc, of cuf- tom to the contrary notwithftanding*. '-^'^^^ ^'^^J '^-i Wheat. Flour. Barley. I Oats. Rye. Beans. Peafe. Potatoes. Rice. Bread. Bifcuit. ■ ^^'■•'" ■"•'" •••''•••"•'>'» ^^vifitj nvi-vh. Indian corn, and all other fpccies of grains ''^■^i^'^'^'a Horfes. '. . Neat cattle. Sheep. Hogs. - - • " Poultry, and all other fpecies of live ftock and 4*v» provifions. Salt .^"^''' . Oil train, or blubber. ^I;^ ,t Pitch. s.' ,j, - Tar. Turpentine. • Hemp. '; .'^ ■* ^^ Flax. , Wood as aforefaid, wood for dying excepted. 'i . t'L.:', I .r>.i .1.' wb/.i;3 ji ^d !>(■;/. ."^ ••7^ b^.^oU bit; 0;!) oJ b;^u>(|>:i rf ihu^ 'i.';7.T -ST. *! -f) r.1 1-,>fr<,jl ^o^ncli ?Spovi <-. * L. I, VI! ] vi '-.It' ''n-.j' LiOilj) ; ■ff, ,b ^ii:! : ( -Mi* * Some articles, fiOx in particular, may be objeAed to. But we /houM conrider, that an alteration in the whole fyftem of our trade cannot be made without tifque ; and that, if our own fiflieries (fuppofing that they , are able in time to do it) can, ac fome diflant period, fully fupply our ! Weft Indies, the planters will be great fuft'erers for the want of fifli, till thai period arrives. It is moft probable that it never will arrive. The demand of the foieign markeCii tor our fi/h has been generally equal to the capacity of our fi/heties •" ■ fupply them ; confequently, the advan- tageous Htuation of AiAerica threw the Weft India market chiefly im'o the hdjidii of her merch-ints ; and they muft in future poflefs it, as they can fupply it upon cheaper and better terms. The markets in Europe are more adapted to the fituation of this country } the iUh ibips, in their circuitous voyage^ making a , , . .. , . . *"•»!. General claufe, all and every fuch goods or commodities of the growth ^i»bjeaing goods or produdion of the faid United States, as (hall be im- Iht^reg^uSn? ported into Great Britain, or any land, ifland, plan- '" "'''• tation, or territory as aforefaid, and which fhall either be lodged in warehoufes as aforefaid, or otherwife; and all and every fuch goods or commodities of the growth, produftion, or manufai^ure of Great Britain, or any land. APPENDIX. land, ifland, territory or plantation as aforefaid, and which are refpedlively fubje£l and liable to duties of excife and cuftoms on the importation or exportation thereof, fhall be fubje6l and liable to the fame; and to be applied to the fame ufes and purpofes, and to be managed and colle6led by the fame per- fons, and in the fame manner, and to be fubje(5l and liable to all and every the fame rules, entries, reftritSlions, regulations, limitations, penalties, and forfeitures, as are in, and by this, or any other a£l of Parliament, by which the faid duties, or any of them are granted for fuch ufes or purpofes, particularly defcribed, appointed, limited, and ena(5}ed, fave and except in the particular inftances herein mentioned, and provided for, and to be applied to the fame. ♦• id) and uti es of >rtation fame; urpofes, le per- fubjeft entries, s> and ' other any of cularly IQ and :ioned. « *^.M-