'Travels Through North America 



half a dozen frigates would with ease ravage and lay 

 waste the whole country from end to end, without a 

 possibility of their being able to prevent it; the coun- 

 try is so intersected by rivers, rivers of such magni- 

 tude as to render it impossible to build bridges over 

 them, that all communication is in a manner cut off. 

 An army under such circumstances could never act 

 to any purpose or effect; its operations would be 

 totally frustrated. 



Further, a great part of the opulence and power 

 of America depends upon her fisheries, and her com- 

 merce with the West Indies; she cannot subsist with- 

 out them; but these would be entirely at the mercy 

 of that power which might have the sovereignty of 

 the seas. I conclude, therefore, that England, so 

 long as she maintains her superiority in that respect, 

 will also possess a superiority in America; but the 

 moment she loses the empire of the one, she will be 

 deprived of the sovereignty of the other: for were 

 that empire to be held by France, Holland, or any 

 other power, America, will, in all probability, be 

 annexed to it. New establishments formed in the 

 interior parts of America, will not come under this 

 predicament; I should therefore think it the best 

 policy to enlarge the present colonies, but not to 

 establish fresh ones; for to suppose interior colonies 

 to be of use to the mother country, by being a check 

 upon those already settled, is to suppose what is con- 

 trary to experience, and the nature of things, viz. 



[i54] 



