BOOK II. CHAP. XIIL 307 



(iia iflands; for, if it was praflicable to make fuch drains from 

 thefe iflands, already in want of white men, for fuch a purpofe, 

 they would occafion a very great infecurity, by wafting the fubftan- 

 tial ftreno til of every colony every third year, and by that means 

 endanger our fettlements in them, without effeding any collateral 

 benefit either to the army or nation ; for fuch recruits would be of 

 very little fervice after their emigration to Europe ; the change to 

 a damp, cold climate, and hard duty, would foon render them in- 

 valids. Befides, their inlilling of hired and indented fervants (for 

 none other are likely to offer) would inevitably obftrud the planting 

 bufinefs, and occalion continual quarrels and law-fuits between the 

 planters and the military ; which, in their confequences, mio-ht 

 prove extremely embarrafiing to government both abroad and at 

 home. 



The laws, for inftance, of Jamaica inflift a penalty of 200/. oh 

 any captain, or commander, of any (hip, attempting to carry away 

 a hired or indented fervant as a failor or palTenger. They make 

 the carrying off any fuch fervant, by any perfon, felony, without 

 benefit of clergy; and impofe a penalty likewife of 20/. on every 

 perfon hiding, hiring, or employing, a hired or indented fervant 

 without a difcharge from his laft mafter or employer, attefted by a 

 juftice of the peace. The parliament, no lefs attentive to the fe- 

 curity and welfare of the Wefl-India iflands, in 1746, pafled an 

 adl to prevent the imprefling of mariners in thofe parts ; and, in 

 1756, when the defence of the North-American provinces required 

 that indented fervants fliould be inlifled, they took care to reftrain 

 the permiffion, by the mofl exprefs words, to " the Britifh colo- 

 '< nies upon the conlifient of America;" which evinces their cau- 

 tion, that no pretence might be made for extending this a6l to the 

 Weft-India colonies. 



The North-American recruits arc, in general, unfit for the 

 Weft-India fervice ; for which reafon (unlefs there appears any in^ 

 vincible neceflity to juftify Tuch an expedient), it might be more ad* 

 vifeable to recruit from Europe than from that continent ; for the 

 North-Americans are far lefs hardy than the Europeans, and, 

 during the laft and former war, died in numbers whenever they 

 were removed to a diftance from home. It is very difficult for 



R r 2 them 



