THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 13 



unnoticed, or defpifed, bewail in filence the lofs of 

 whatever was valuable, or endearing in the world. 



Epidemical contagion, and the convulfions of 

 nature, are calamities which we can neither forefee 

 nor prevent ; but the flames of war were kindled by 

 ourfelves ; the ravages which they occafioned were 

 our own act and deed ; nor doth it appear that the 

 events, even of the moft fortunate wars, have reirn- 

 burfed the nation, for a permanency, in any part 

 of the expence and loffes unavoidably fuftained by 

 thofe wars. Our confolation, on the contrary, 

 generally confided in the pitiful reflection, that our 

 enemies were alfo maimed, exhaufted, and almoft 

 reduced to bankruptcy. This hath been the wind- 

 ing up of all our wars ; leaving us in the pofTeflion 

 of no territory beyond our own ifland, which may 

 not be wrefted from us before the expiration of half 

 a century. 



Review of the Colonies and Settlements which flill 

 comfofe a 'part of the Britiflj Empire, with an Efti- 

 mate of their Exports and Imports, to, and from, 

 England. Alfo, our Exports and Imports, to, and 

 from, the revolted Colonies. 



America. The Britifti America confifted of two 

 great divifions, the fouth, and the north -, the for- 

 mer, luxuriant in foil and climate, populous, com- 

 mercial, and flourifhing -, its produce wheat, to- 

 bacco, rice, indigo, timber, hemp, flax, iron, pitch, 

 tar, and lumber. This divifion contains 2,000,000 

 of inhabitants, who have formed themfelves into 

 Thirteen Republics, independent of Great Britain, 

 and of one another, now called The United States of 

 America. The latter divifion, a cold, inhofpitable, 

 and thinly inhabited country; its fields covered 

 with deep fhow, and its rivers froze up from No- 

 vember 



