I^9** political progrefi of Britain, t6^ 



eleven hundred choice seamen sunk in a storm. Ther 

 reverend historian of Anson's voyage, as a consola- 

 tion to the reader for the disasters which pursued it, 

 has recorded the hoi rid fate of the SpaniQi scjuadron, 

 dispatched to repel its depredations. He describes^ 

 with a tone of triumph, the burning of Paita, an ac- 

 tion which the Spaniard UUoa has branded with its 

 deserved infamy. Yet relative to the war, even this 

 mean example of barbarity is lefs tlian a spark in the 

 blaze of destruction. The capture of the Manilla 

 galleon has dazzled the mob, though, laying humanity 

 out of the question, and fairly computing the price, 

 which by the destruction of ihips and seamen {lie ac- 

 tually cost us, it must appear, that we had better 

 have honestly purchased her cargo upon credit^ at 

 an interest of two hundred per cent *. As a compen- 

 sation for the slaughter of perhaps t'»» ze. hundred 



• In the war of 1775, Ji'h'^ Paul, a native of Calloway, in the south of 

 Scotland, having fled his country fur murder, obtained the command oi 

 an Americin privateer, and afsumed the well known name cf Paul Jcnes. 

 In the course of his adventures he made an attempt to burn the fiiipping 

 in the harbour of Whitehaven, and hence we are in the habit of ment!o..- 

 i.lg him with reproach. It is difficult to see much distinction bel\^e■IV. 

 the conduct of Jones and of An-^onj and the balance turns in favour of 

 the former. By the burning of Paita the Eritifh n\Uon could gain no- 

 thing ; and it was, therefore, a wanton act of rr.ischicf ; but when Jones 

 e.iterrd the harbour ofWhitehaven, it contained an hundred and fifty sail 

 C.'^ftiipp .ig, and the destruction of sucli a mafs of property would have 

 b'.en felt as a severe blow to the commerce of this country. Besides, 

 Joiei m'ght have pled the rlgiit of retaliation ; f ^r we were, at that very 

 time, burning the towni and vill.?ges of the North Americans j a.-.d iJur- 

 goyne, and other af&afsins of the same description, weie bribirg the sava- 

 ges w;th b.-andy to cut tl.cir throats, [anbury's travels, /■«/};>;. J 

 The inhabitan s of Whitehaven, also, wc;e active ?nd hearty in the cause 

 of t,ovcinment ; but the pojr people of Paita had injured or offended no- 

 body. An.on's buccir.«ers huJ driven '.htro out of their beds, and stjip- 



