BOOK II. CHAP. IX. 19^ 



foreign colonies, fince the fame foreign bottoms, which import 

 provifions, melaffes, cotton-wool, and indigo, into our plantations, 

 will undoubtedly endeavour to make bullion or fpecie the chief 

 article of their return-cargoes. The bill therefore feems, on this 

 prefumption, in an efpecial manner to favour the navigation and 

 commerce of the Dutch, and fuch North-Americans as are, from 

 tlie nature of their employment, adopted foreigners ; who readily 

 obtrude their veflels into an opening of this kind, and aflually be- 

 come the principal carriers of French fugars and coffee into the free- 

 ports, whence they carry a return chiefly in money or bullion for 

 the French iflands. It was faid, that, if provifions are dear in our 

 iflands, this happens from a peculiar obftacle, namely, *« that the 

 " North-American vefiels would willingly bring them as much as 

 " they want, if they could but be fure of a back-lading ; but that, 

 *» from the difficulty of procuring one, they carry their provifions 

 *' to the French iflands, and fell them cheaper than they would at 

 " our own, becaufe they can take in at the French iflands a back- 

 *' lading of melafles." This inconvenience was intended to be 

 obviated, in part, by the latter of the a6ls mentioned, admitting 

 the importation of French melaflfes into our iflands, which may 

 help to load back the North- American vcflTels : but upon this it is 

 rightly obferved, that the importation of their fugars ought like wife 

 to have been allowed under certain reftridions, and for feveral 

 flirong reafons ; viz. the North-Americans would then have no pre- 

 tence, nor indeed any adequate inducement, to go to the French 

 iflands for a back-lading ; they would bring their provifions to a 

 better market at our iflands, and be able to procure the very re- 

 turns they want ; for it is not to be fuppofed they refort to the 

 French merely to take in their melafles ; the French fugars are their 

 primary objed, and furely they would rather receive them at Ja- 

 maica without rifque, than run the hazard of getting them clan- 

 defl:inely from Hifpaniola. If we could become the carriers to Eu- 

 rope of all the fugars which the French iflands produce, it would 

 certainly be very much for our interefl to become fuch ; but, whe- 

 ther we are or not, their produce will find its way to the European 

 markets, either in their own, or feme other bottoms, 



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