A. D. 1725.. 131 



five whales and n half. * And, though this was fcarcely a faving voyage, 

 it was neverthelefs the very beft year of any of the eight in which they 

 carried on that fifliery. It muft be noted, that the nation having entire- 

 ly relinquifhed this trade for fo many years pafl, there was not an Eng- 

 lifliman to be found who knew any thing of the whale fifliery ; and the 

 company were obliged to have all their commanders, harponeers, boat- 

 fleerers, line-veerers, and blubber-cutters, from Fohrde in Holftein, 

 (fome few natives of Scotland excepted, who on this occafion left the 

 fervice of the Dutch) who had before this time been conflantly em- 

 ployed either by the Hamburghers, Bremers, or Dutch. Thofe Hol- 

 fleiners cofl the company this year L3056 : 18:3, although but 152 in 

 number ; not only becaufe they were all what are ufually called officers 

 in that fifliery, and coniequently had more wages and allowances than 

 the common lailors, but had alfo their charges born by the company, 

 both in coming every year from, and returning back to, Holflein to 

 their families, as was alfo their conflant pradice when employed by other 

 nations : whereas above double their number, viz. 353 Britilh fubjeds 

 employed on thofe twelve fhips, cofi: but L3151 : 15 : 5. 



By an act for continuing the feveral annuities to the bank of England 

 until midfummer 1727, &c. the yearly fund on the principal fums of 

 Li ,775,027 : 17 : loi-, and of L2,ooo,ooo, due to that corporation, was 

 reduced from 5 to 4 per cent after midfummar 1727 : and all the funds 

 of the bank were put on an equal footing with thofe of the South-fea 

 company; excepting only the bank's original capital of Li, 600,000, 

 which flill remained at 6 per cent, [i i Geo. I, r. 9.] 



This ad alfo made it felony to alter, forge, or counterfeit, bank notes, 

 or to erafc or alter any indorfement thereon ; or to tender in payment, 

 utter, vend, exchange, or barter, any fuch bank note, knowing the fame 

 to be altered, forged, erafed, or counterfeited, with intention to defraud 

 the bank, or any other perlbn or body politic. 



About this time the French began to lupply the European markets 

 with great quantities of their fugars from Martlnico, Hilpaniola, &c. 

 formerly and almoft totally fupplied by us, (though in part they are flill 

 fupplied by the Portugueie Bralil fugars, and, of late, by the Dutch 

 from Surinam). And in a few years after, by their great application, 

 they gained from us the greateff part of that very protiiable branch of 

 commerce. The anonymous author of the Prefent ftate of the Britifli 

 and French fugar colonics, (printed in 1740,) makes the French fugars 

 exported to the European markets amount to lb vafl a quantity as 

 80,000 hogflicads yearly, and the indigo railed by the Frencli in their 

 Wefl-India colonies, in value to one million of" fterling money ; three 



♦When two Ihips ftnke ihe fam« Tvhalc,it is,by the cuRom of the fifliery, divided between them, j^ 



R2 



