50 A. D. 1715. 



Such efTays are to be cautioufly confidered, as being almoft always 

 exaggerated, becaufe generally calculated for certain partial ends or pur- 

 pofes. His plan in general is undoubtedly good ; and we have before 

 feen, that our legiflature has encouraged it: neverthelefs, as our colonics 

 on the continent come to grow populous, it will be impoflible altogether 

 -to prevent their entering upon manufadures interfering with thofe of 

 the mother country ; and the moft that can fairly be effected feems to 

 be, to ftudy as much as potlible to fet thoie people upon raifing the raw 

 materials of new produdions, and particularly naval (tores. As for their 

 havmg copper and iron, it feems to be doubtful, whether it can ever 

 prove profitable for the mother country. The former we have feen, by 

 good authority, to be in great" plenty with us at home ; and, with regard 

 to iron, we fliall hereafter fee how far the Britiih legiflature has judged 

 proper to encourage it. Tin and lead mines have not as yet made their 

 appearance in Britifli America. 



In December Mr. Bubb, the Britifli rainifler at Madrid, concluded a 

 new treaty of commerce with the king of Spain, containing, however, 

 nothing very particular. By the firft article Britifli fubjeds were to pay 

 no higher duties in the Spanifli ports than thofe they paid for the fame 

 merchandize in the reign of the catholic king, Charles II. The fecond 

 confirms the treaty made by the Britifli fubjecls with the niagifl:rates of 

 St. Andero, in the year 1700. By the third, they may, as formerly ufed, 

 gather filt at the ifland of Tortuga. By the fourth and fifth, Britifh fub- 

 jeds were to pay no higher duties than Spanifli fubjeds paid in the fame 

 place : and they fhould enjoy all the rights, privileges, &c. which they 

 enjoyed before the lafl war, and by the treaty of 1667 ; and the fubjeds 

 of both nations fliall mutually be treated as thofe the moft favoured in 

 commercial matters. The fixth and feventli abolifh innovations on 

 either fide, and confirm the treaty of Utrecht. {Foliticaljlate of Great 

 Britain, V. xi.] 



1^7 1 6 Notwithftanding what we havejufl feen of the fuperabund- 



ance of naval ftores in New-England, and particularly of timber, yet we 

 find, in the year 171 6, Mr. Shute, governor of the Maflachufet's bay, 

 complaining to their aflTembly, ' that, notwithftanding a law palled in 

 ' Great Britain for encouraging naval ftores for the navy royal, and for 

 ' the prcfervation of white pine trees in America, for mafls, yards, &c. 

 ' great fpoils are dayly committed in the king's woods, by cutting down 

 ' and putting to private ufes fuch timber as may be proper for tlie navy 

 ' royal.' He therefor recommends pafling a new law in New-England, 

 as well as putting the old ones in Arid execution, for this great end. 



In the former part of this year, 1716, the duke of Orleans, regent of 

 France during the minority of Louis XV, was fo ill advifed as to raife the 

 Vfilue of a loiiis d'or from 16 livres to 20, and of a crown from. 54 and 



