GENERAL VIEW OF 



Debt, at the end of the war in 1748 



Reduced in 1755, a ^ ter a P eace 

 of feven years 



78,000,000 

 3,000,000 





 75,000,000 



Debt, at the commencement of the war 

 in 1755 



Before Great Britain hai- been able to 

 reduce a tenth part of the debt occa- 

 fioned by the preceding war, fhe was 

 called upon, by herAmerican colonies, 

 to arm in ^ their defence, againft the 

 encroachments of the French on the 

 back fettlements ; and here we have 

 the origin of the moft extenfive war, ( 

 as Lord Chatham termed it, in which '^71,000,000 

 England had ever been engaged. It 

 was alfo the moft glorious to this 

 country, both by land and fea, and 

 put us in pofleflion of Canada, and 

 'the two Floridas, in America; Gre- 

 nada, St. Vincent, Dominica, and 

 Tobago, in the Weft Indies ; but in- 

 volved us in a frefh debt of 



Debt, at the end of the war in 1763 "146,000,000 



,:*-*- -*- Reduced in 1775, after a peace 

 of twelve years, 



10,000,000 



Debt, at Midfummer 1775 136,000,000 



W T hile England was exhaufting itfelf in eftabl idling 

 and protecting the American colonies, the idea of 

 impofing a flight taxation, fuitafyle to the abilities of 

 thofe colonies, had been fuggefted during the admi- 

 niftration of Sir Robert Walpole ; but that fagacious 

 ftatefman declared, that he would leave the colonies 

 as he had found them, and that his fuccefibrs might 

 have the honour of rirft opening this new fource of 

 . revenue. After the peace of 1763, the expediency 

 of American taxation gained ftrength, in proportion 



to 



