264 November 1748. 





It is however of great advantage to the 

 crown of England, that the North Ameri- 

 can colonies are near a country, under the 

 government of the French, like Canada. 

 There is reafon to believe that the king 

 never was earneft in his attempts to expel 

 the French from their pofleffions there ; 

 though it might have been done with little 

 difficulty. For the Englijh colonies in this 

 part of the world have encreafed fo much 

 x in their number of inhabitants, and in 

 their riches, that they almoft vie with Old 

 England. Now in order to keep up the 

 authority and trade of their mother country, 

 and to anfwer feveral other pupofes, they 

 are forbid to eftabliih new manufactures, 

 which would turn to the difadvantage of 

 the Britijh commerce : they are not allowed 

 to dig for any gold or filver, unlefs they 

 fend them to England immediately : they 

 have not the liberty of trading to any parts 

 that do not belong to the Briti/h dominions, 

 excepting fome fettled places, and foreign 

 traders are not allowed to fend their mips to 

 them. Thefe and fome other restrictions, 

 occafion the inhabitants of the Englijh colo- 

 nies to grow lefs tender for their mother 

 country. This coldnefs is kept up by the 

 many foreigners fuch as Germans, Dutch 

 and French fettled here, and living among 



the- 



