XXXVl 



INTRODUCTION. 



powerful operation on the crews of the Refolution and Dif- 

 covery, by adding the motives of intereft, to the obligations 

 of duty ; at the fame time encouraged all his Majefly's fub- 

 je(5ls to engage in attempts toward the propofcd difcovery. 

 By the ad of parliament, pafTed in 1745 *, a reward of 

 twenty thoufand pounds had been held out. But it had 

 been held out only to the fliips belonging to any of his Mojefy^s 

 fubjeSts, exclufive of his Majefly's own fhips. The a(5l had a 

 llill more capital defedl. It held out this reward only to fuch 

 fliips as fliouid difcover a pafTage through Hndfon''s Bay ; and, 

 as we fliall foon take occafion to explain, it was, by this 

 time, pretty certain, that no fuch pafTage exiHed within 

 thofe limits. EfFedual care was taken to remedy both thefe 

 defers, by palling a new law ; which, after reciting the 

 provifions of the former, proceeds as follows : " And 

 «' whereas many advantages, both to commerce and fcience, 

 " may be alfo expe(5led from the difcovery of any Northern 

 *' P^Jf^S^ for vefTels by fea, between the Atlantic and Pacific 

 *' Oceans— be it ena6led. That if any fhip belonging to any 

 •' of his Majefly's fubjefls, or to his Majejly, fhall find out, 

 '« and fail through, any pafTage by fea, between the Atlan- 

 " tic and Pacific Oceans, in any dire^iion, or parallel of the 

 " Northern hemifphere, to the Northward of the 52° of 

 ** Northern latitude, the owners of fuch fhips, if belong- 

 ** ing to any of his Majefly's fubjecfls, or the commander^ offi- 

 *' cers, and feamen, of fuch fip belonging to his Majefy, fhall re- 

 " ceive, as a reward for fuch difcovery, the fum of twenty 

 " thoufand pounds. 



" And whereas fliips employed, both in the Spitzbergen 

 *' Seas, and in Davis's Straits, have frequent opportunities 



• See the Statutes at Large, 18 George II. chap. 17. ^ 



I "of 



