jo PRESENT STATE 



tecYmg, and retaining, diftant fettlements, had the 

 navy in view, equally with commerce, becaufe the 

 one depended upon the other. The carrying trade 

 to, and from, thofe fettlements, refpectively, was 

 confidered as lo many fources, which conftituted 

 England's glory and defence : but that conclufion 

 admits of fome exceptions. The trade to China 

 and the Eaft ladies, inftead of being a nurfery for 

 -Teamen, is the confumer of that very ufeful clafs of 

 people, and requires constant fupplies from the tem- 

 perate Chores of Britain, The trade to Africa is 

 equally deftructive ; and -even the W-eft Indies, be- 

 ing fufoject to all the diforders peculiar to the tro^ 

 pical climates, muft debilitate and carry off great 

 numbers of men in a premature age. 



The North American commerce was more fa- 

 vourable to longevity, and employed .8000 feamen, 

 who were, however, chiefly Britons ; nor did Ame- 

 rica eyer afford any ftipplies to the navy, and none 

 is now to be e-xpected from that quarter. On the 

 contrary, the northern provinces are building {hips 

 of war for our rival, to whofe marine ftrength, by 

 an unexpected turn in human policy, the forefts of 

 that great continent are at prefent devoted. 



Such being the partiality of America towards 

 France - y and fuch the deftructive nature of the car- 

 rying trade to all our remaining fettlements, Canada, 

 Nova-Scotia, and Newfoundland excepted, the 

 Scottifh fifheries claim the moft ferious confidera- 

 tion. That great nurfery contributes, in a double 

 capacity, to the aid and ftrength of this kingdom; 

 it fupplies equally the wafte of the mercantile fer- 

 vice, and the royal navy ; enabling us to carry on 

 the greate-ft traffic, and to man the moft victorious 

 fleets that the world hath feen. 



Previous to the American war, or in years when 

 the bounty to the herring buffes was regularly paid, 

 the fifheries of that kingdom and the three divifions 

 <pf iflandsj employed 20,000 men, compofed of 



. experi- 



