THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 25 



thofe extenfive fhores, which antiently engroffed the 

 commerce of the world *. 



Next, if not fuperior, to thofe channels of com- 

 merce, are her Weil India colonies, which far ex- 

 ceed, in extent, and value, thofe of Great Britain ; 

 and new plantations are in continual progreffion. 

 The annual produce of the European colonies was 

 thus valued iome years ago, when the ifland of To^ 

 bago was in the hands of the Engliih j viz. 



Ships. Men. Value, 



French 600 18,000 . 4, 375,0x0 



Britim 600 12,000 2,887,500 



Dutch 150 4,000 1,050,000 



Danifh 70 1,500 306,250 

 Spain, it is conjectured, receives to ^ 



the value of 437,5<>o 



9,056,250 



It would be endlefs to enumerate the various 

 channels of commerce and revenue which that 

 potent, a<5live kingdom hath opened, and is open- 

 ing i fome of them, at the expence of Great Bri- 

 tain, in defiance of our fhips of the line, and all 

 the vigorous efforts we have been making to re- 

 tain them. 



Equally attentive is that nation to obj eels of infe- 

 rior concern, but which, in the aggregate, are ren- 

 dered fubfervient to the great plan of national polity. 

 It is well known that Greece and Rome let examples 

 to mankind in whatever is beautiful, ftupendous, 

 and ufeful, in architecture and fcience. In imitation 

 of thofe great models^ the public works in France 



* The Britifh trade with thofe countries was formerly very con* 

 filerable and beneficial; but it is at prefent little more than a 

 name, owing to the rivalfhip of the French, particularly in broad 

 cloth, which they manufacture chiefly of fmuggled wool from 

 Ireland and this kingdom. 



are 



