PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, xxxiii 



could with difficulty procure the neceflaries 

 of life, fome relaxation in this particular, and a 

 diminution of the expences, would have been fen- 

 fibly felt, and warmly acknowledged by a grateful 

 nation. And further, had the miniftry, inftead of 

 lavifhing the public money among the Scottifbf 

 members, applied thefe fums to purpofes of na- 

 tional improvement ; commerce and fifh cries would 

 again have flouriflied, nor would it have been 

 necefTary to apply to government, at a diftant 

 period of near eighty years, for the means of 

 cutting a paffage through fo fmall a tract as five 

 miles, or of deepening a few miles of water. This 

 fcrupulous adherence in the miniftry to the fpirit 

 of a treaty which evidently contributed to en- 

 rich one part of die ifland at the expence of the 

 other part, did not proceed merely from a parfi- 

 monious fyftem relative to Scotland, but alfo 

 from a total neglect of that country, and a fettled 

 indifference to the interefts thereof. Some trifling 

 funds, the exclufive property of that kingdom, and 

 which had been fet apart for its improvement, were 

 fuffered, as hath been mentioned, to lie ufe- 

 lefs in the exchequer for a number of years. At 

 length, the convention of the royal boroughs, per- 

 ceiving the miferat>le fituation into which their 

 country had fallen, and the inattention of government 

 to its relief, held feveral conferences on the fubject; 

 and, in February 1725-6, unanimoufly refolved 

 to addrefs the king and parliament, that the monies 

 fettled by law for encouraging manufactures might 

 be folely applied to that purpofe, in fuch manner as 

 fhould appear to them moil effectual. 



An act of parliament now directed the application 

 of the funds to the feveral purpofes for which they 

 were defigned, and appointed twenty-one Commijjion- 

 ers, who were entruited with' the management of 

 the fame, and other matters relative thereto, 



