i8o A. D. 1732. 



By ihc number of iliip-builclcrs, coopers, ropc-makcrs, lail-niakeis, 

 and labourers ; and alio the employment given to butchers, bakers, 

 brewers, diflillcrs, painters, fmiths, turners, flop-lcllers, fliip-chandlers, 

 and all the other numerous trades depending on the outlit of dipping. 



Laftly, by the benefit accruing" to the landed intereft from the great 

 fjuantlty of provifions of various kinds, confumed by the meii in thofc 

 ihips, as well as to the public revenue by the excife and cuftoms paid 

 for liquors and many other things ufed in this trade. 



Now, if from laying afide this one fmall branch of trade, fo many 

 perfons were difmilled to the wide world, to fhift for themfelves and 

 families ; and fo many trades and occupations were to fuffer a conlider- 

 able diminution of their former annual emoluments ; (as by the print 

 of Hercules's foot, they framed a judgement of his whole bulk and Ma- 

 ture) we are, in fome meafure enabled, on the one hand, to frame an 

 idea of the vafl profit arifing to this nation from its prefent general and 

 total foreign commerce: as, on the other hand, we may form a clear 

 judgement of the inexpreflible mifery, depopulation, and defolation, 

 which a general decay of commerce would bring upon this now happy 

 nation. It may not therefor be amifs, on this occafion, to exhibit the 

 whole quantity of the provifions of all kinds expended by the South-fea 

 company in their eight years whale -fiihery, as a farther (though but 

 fmall) teftimony of the benefits accruing to the public by our naviga- 

 tion and commerce, viz. beef and pork 1380 hundred weight 2 quar- 

 ters 15 pounds: beer 466 tons i barrel 22 gallons: ftockfifh 10 tons 

 9 cwt. 37 quarters: brandy 1 758-^ gallons ; butter 448 firkins ; cheefe 

 240 cwt. 3 quarters 2 lb. ; peas and oatmeal 1 157^ bufhels ; bread and 

 ■flour 1044 cwt. 2 quarters 141b.; grout or grots no hoglheads. All 

 which provifions cofl the company no lefs a fum than L43,768 : 2 ; 3. 



The Dutch Eaft-India company refolved to make a dividend of 25 

 per cent to their proprietors for this year, to be paid in May 1733. 

 This fhews the great profits, as well as the prudent management, of that 

 company, who (it is faid) never yet divided at any one time the entire 

 profits they made by their vaft commerce, but always referved what we 

 call a neft-egg, for accidents. While, on the other hand, the Dutch 

 Weft-India company, who at firfi:, and for fome time, made vafl; profits 

 by their commerce, took a quite contrary courfe, by making large and 

 extravagant dividends, which raifed the nominal, but deprefied the real 

 and intrinfic, value of their fi:ock. So that when their firft difficulty 

 rame upon them from the Portuguefe, in the middle of the laft century, 

 xhey had not means fufficient to prevent their being driven out of 

 ■Brafil, to their inexpreflible lofs. And the like happened to that com- 

 pany a few years after, when they were driven out of New-York and 

 Mew-Jerfey, and hundreds of funilies v/ho had ventured their all in that 



