3o6 political progrefs of Britain. Til. 29. 



iortrefs, for a long period past, has cost us five hun- 

 dred thousand pounds a-year, besides the extraordi- 

 nary advances in time of war, and the sums which 

 the garrison, by sober industry, might have earned 

 at home in time of peace. For the sake of mode- 

 ration, let us compute that Gibraltar, during the 

 whole space of our pofsefsion, has required upon an 

 average only two hundred thousand poMads p er annum ; 

 on multiplying this sum by eighty-seven, we are pre- 

 sented with an amount of seventeen million an d four 

 hundred thousand pounds sterling. Could the pre- 

 mises be disputed, the total expence would exceed 

 credibility ; for at the rate of five per cent, of com- 

 pound interest, a sum doubles itself in fourteen years ; 

 and, consequently, in the course of eighty-four years, 

 two hundred thousand pounds will increase to 

 twelve millions and eight hundred thousand. This, 

 however, concerns only one year of our conquest. The 

 reader may prosecute, and contemplate the sequel 

 of the calculation. All the current cafh in Europe 

 would come far fliort of discharging such a reckon- 

 ing. • Britain may be supposed at this time to con- 

 tain about fifteen hundred thousand families, besides 

 those who are supported upon charity. Now, divi- 

 ding five hundred thousand pounds equally among 

 them, it amounts to a Ihare of six fhillings and eight- 

 pence per family. The money ought to be raised un- 

 der a distinct title, such as the Gibraltar additional 

 Jhiiling of land tax. the Gibraltar nzalt tax, the Gibral- 

 tar excise on tohacco, the Gibraltar game licence, the 

 Gibraltar horse licence, the Gibraltar attorney licence^ 

 or the Gibraltar stamp duty n?i legacies. In that case 

 the nation would instantly consider what they were 



