îxiî EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 



The firfl of thefe wrecks were put in motion, from the 

 North-weft of Oftend, on the nth of June, which is the 

 (late of the beginning of the engagement, conformably td 

 De Ruyter's letter, and the Hiftory of France, and they were 

 found near the Azores by the 2oth of the fame month at 

 fartheft, as muft be concluded from the relation of Renne^ 

 forty though the date of every day, in particular, is not in- 

 ferted. The Currents from the North had, accordingly, 

 wafted them along, in nine days, more than 275 leagues to 

 the South ; without taking into the attount, the confider- 

 able progrefs which had been made to the weftward, on 

 the whole amounting to much more than 34 leagues 

 a day. 



As to the balance of benefits, it js reduced, on both fides, to a ver/ 

 narrow compafs. It is impoflibiei with a good confcience, to enumerate 

 among the bleffings which the inhabitants of Africa derive from the fale 

 of their compatriots, our iron iabres, with which they mangle each 

 "other, our wretched firelocks, with which they contrive to knock one 

 another on the head, and our ardent fpirits, which deftroy their reafon 

 and their health : the whole then is reduced, in their favour, nearly, to 

 a few paltry mirrors and tinkling-bells. 



With refpeft to the benefits derived from this trade to Europe, there 

 is fugar, coffee, and cotton, with which America and it's Iflands fupply 

 lis, by means of the labour of negro flaves ; but thefe rude and formlefs 

 produélions can iland no manner of comparifon with the perfected ma- 

 suifailures, and the crops of every kind, which might be derived from 

 the fame fields, by free, happy, and intelligent, European cultivators. 



It appears to me, that, if this balance of evils fo cpprcflive, and of 

 benefits To trivial, were prefented to the maritime and Chriftian Powers 

 of Europe, they would difcover, at length, that it is not fufficient to 

 have baniflied Slavery from their ov.-n territories, in order to render their 

 fubjefls induftrlous and happy ; but that they muft likewife profcribe 

 k in their Colonies, for the fake of thefe very fiihjefts therafelves, for 

 *kat of the Human Race, and for the glory of their Religion. 



It 



