jp? JAMAICA. 



The free-poft acl was then let go as the (heet-anchor. Great ad- 

 vantages would probably have refulted from this meafure, if it had 

 been thought of and tried immediately after the war, inftead of 

 commiffioning cruizers to dcftroy the trade : and although it may 

 have prevented a total wreck of this valuable commerce ; yet it 

 came perhaps too late, and under too many difadvantageous cir- 

 cumflances, to make any adequate reparation for the damages we 

 have fuftained, and are ftill liable to fuftain. 



The trading inhabitants of the ifland required nothing more than 

 very ftrid and pofitive private injunftions to the governor and 

 port-officers, not to allow or to praftife exadlions upon thofe fo- 

 reigners who came hither ; whereby they had at different times 

 been much difcouraged. The ad of navigation, fo far as regarded 

 thefe particular bottoms importing live (lock and bullion, was al- 

 ways relaxed, and never rigoroufly obferved here ; becaufe it ap- 

 peared repugnant (fo far as regarded thefe imports) to the fpirit 

 of commence, and the plain intereft of Britain. Thefe were there- 

 fore already free-ports in every beneficial fenfe ; and the traffic 

 went on in lilence and fecurity. But fo foon as government inter- 

 fered, with a view to do no more than was already virtually done, 

 fo public a declaration of favouring this commerce, and laying open 

 what ought to have remained clandeftine, naturally awakened jea- 

 loufy in the bread of that power, whofe policy it has ever been to 

 defeat and impede, as much as poffible, every fuch attempt. 

 Guards, cautions, and penalties, were multiplied, and held to 

 their vigilance and execution with fuch unabating feverity, as had 

 never before been obferved. 



What would be the confequence, if the port of Boulogne, or 

 Dunkirk, in France, was to be opened by a public arret, exprefsly 

 for the importation of fmuggled wool from Great-Britain? Surely, 

 the whole Britifh nation would take alarm, and Britiffi guarda- 

 coftas would immediately be commiflioned, without number, to 

 prevent theefFet^ which an invitation fo authoritatively given might 

 be likely to produce. It is notorious, that large quantities of Por-- 

 tugal gold have been privately gleaned from Portugal, and brought 

 hito this kingdom. But, if government fiiould, from a fond 

 defire to fwell the tide, and procure the ft ream to flow hither in 



a publick 



