A. D. 1 7 15. 49 



without cither laying too heavy a burden on the public, or elfe ufing 

 coinpulfive means, which are inconfiflent with our conftirution. 



By the treaty of peace, concluded at Utrecht this year between King 

 John V of Portugal and King Philip V of Spain, the later cedes to the 

 former, by the fixth article, the territory of the Sacrament, fituated on 

 the northern bank of the river of Plate, in America; but fo as that no 

 other nation of Europe fhall be permitted to fettle in or trade to it. 

 Yet, in the next article it is ftipulated, that the king of Spain may ne- 

 verthelefs offer an equivalent for the faid colony, if agreeable to his 

 Portuguefe majefty ; provided it be made within one year and an half. 

 All other conquells on either fide are by this treaty to be mutually 

 reftored. 



So greatly does the colony of New-England abound with naval ftores 

 of almoft all kinds, that in a letter from a New-Englander to the board 

 of trade and plantations (printed in this year, 171 5) concerning the New- 

 England trade, it is aflerted, * that one fleet only from New-England 

 ' brought home 6000 barrels of pitch, tar, and turpentine, to London, 



* and that millions of trees are rotting in the woods, for want of encou- 

 ' ragement to colle<ft them. Mafts,' fays this author, ' we have the fineft 



* in the world : of hemp we have hitherto raifcd but little ; but our foil 



* is very proper for if : our woods afford all forts of fhip-timber and 



* plank : fliips-of late we build very v/ell, botli for beauty and ftrength : 



* our country abounds with iron ore ; but we have not yet got into the 



* way of making enough for our own fupply. Wherefor, to prevent 

 ' our fetting up in New- England manufactures that will interfere with 



* Great Britain, it is highly neceiTary to employ the New-England 



* people as much as poflible in making naval flores for their mother 

 ' country, left we fhould hereafter be obliged to depend on the pka- 

 ' fure of the Danes, Swedes, and Ruflians, for leave to fet a fleet to fca ; 

 ' to whom we pay ready money for their naval ftores, which, by the 

 ' war in the north, have rifen near 50 per cent on us. That, in the 

 *' great fcarcity of woollen goods from England about nine years ago, 

 ' the New-England people, not being able to pay 200 per cent advance 

 ' thereon, let uj) a very confiderable manufadlure, flill in being, fo£ 

 ' fluffs, kerfeys.linfey-woolfeys, flannels, buttons, &c. Copper alio, New- 

 *• England has the beft in the world, &c.' Herein, even lo early as this 

 time, we find our fugar colonies complaining of New- En gland's great 

 trade to the Dutch colony of Surinam, which they now fupplied with 

 vaft numbers of horfes, and with provifions, fifli, &c. and, in return, 

 took their mclafles, which they made into rum. The reft of this jjiece 

 pleads for a royal charter for incorporating a bank of credit, lately ered- 

 ed at lioflon, iVom which they pron:iifed great things to tlie- colony, bc- 

 fides one per cent to the crown. 



Vol. IU. G- 



