246 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. u. 



Some part of this estimate, however, is not so per- 

 fect as might be wished; inasmuch as in the accounts 

 made up at the inspector general's office of goods 

 exported from Great Britain, they reckon only the 

 original cost, whereas the British merchant being 

 commonly the exporter, the whole of his profits, 

 together with the freight, insurance, and factorage 

 commissions in the island, should be taken into the 

 account, because the whole are comprized in one 

 charge against the planter. On the British supply, 

 therefore, I calculate that twenty per cent, should 

 be added for those items; which make the sum total 

 . 1,648,0 18 14s. 4d. sterling money. 



After all, it is very possible that some errors may 

 have crept into the calculation, and the balance or 

 surplus arising from the excess of the exports, may 

 be more or less than appears by the statement which 

 I have given; but this is a consideration of little im- 

 portance in a national view, inasmuch as the final 

 profit arising from the whole system ultimately rests 



and centers in Great Britain; a conclusion which 



was well illustrated formerly by the lords commission- 

 ers for trade and plantations, in a report made by 

 them on the state of the British sugar colonies in the 

 year 1734; an extract from which, as it serves likewise 

 to point out the progress of this island during the last 

 fifty years, I shall present to the reader. 



ce The annual amount (say their lordships) of our 

 exports to Jamaica, at a medium of four years, from 

 Christmas 1728, to Christmas 1732, as it stands com- 



