i6o A. D. 1730. 



otter- fkins ; 890 cat-fkins ; 260 fox-flcins ; 540 woolverins ; 410 black 

 bear-fkins ; igo wolvcs-fkins ; and 30 wood-fliocks. By this trade we 

 now lave much money, which we formerly fent to RulTia, for thefe ufe- 

 ful peltry, now entirely purchafed with our own coarfe woollen and other 

 manufactures and produd. 



We fhall clofe this year with a quotation from Travels through a great 

 part of Europe, in this fame year, by Keyflar, (an author of credit and 

 efleem) in favour of our modern Englifh filk fabrications, viz. ' In Italy 



* itfelf, the filks of Englifh manufadture are mofl efteemed, and bear a 

 ' greater price than thole of Italy : fo that, at Naples, when atradefman 

 ' would highly recommend his lilk flockings, &c. he protefts they are 



* right Englifli *.' 



1731. — As the condition, importance, and value, of all the Britifh, 

 and fome of the foreign, colonies in America were fet in a much clearer 

 light than poflibly ever before, in a judicious trad, intitled the Im- 

 portance of the Britifli plantations in America to this kingdom, &c. 

 confidered, \^\iJ^ pp. ^vo, London 1731] we think a fhort abftradt of it, 

 with fome few remarks, will be ufeful. 



If the ifland of Tobago juftly belongs to this kingdom, (as he is in- 

 formed it does) it is furprifing it hath not been fettled by us ; fince, 

 though not quite fo large as Barbados, it is fuperior to it for good roads, 

 convenient rivers, and richnefs of foil. 



St. Lucia feems to be quite loft to us. For fmce the French expell- 

 ed Captain Uring in the year 1725, they are become more numerous 

 there than before. 



St. Vincent and Dominica are likewife poflefTed by the French ; whofe 

 intercourfe with the Indians of both iflands, (who generally fpeak 

 French, and who are taught by them to deipife all other nations) and 

 their quiet pofFefTi on of them, give the people of Martinico and Guada- 

 loupe the pleafing profped: of feeing all of them fettled and fortified by 

 them. Thefe two illes are fcarcely inferior to Barbados in extent and 

 fertility ; and, in conveniency of roads and harbours, far fuperior. 

 They both lie between Granada and Martinico, the former of which is 

 one of the oldefl: fettlements the French have in that part, producing a 

 vaft quantity of fugar, cotton, and cacao. 



Dominica lies next to Martinico, and between that and Guadaloupe, 

 Grandeterre, Marigalante, and Defeada ; all fine and large iflands be- 

 longing to the French, whofe increafe in thofe iflands, within a few 

 years pall, is prodigious. So that we may reafonably reckon, that they 

 are not fewer in number of people than all the Englifli Leeward iflands, 

 with Barbados included. 



* The total value of the imports of Eng'aa-1 in the year 1 730, ^'as L7, 780,0 (j, and of the exports 

 (not including gold and bullion) £8,548,9^2. \_H^h'WMorti}' s S.un.] M. 



3 



