204 ^* ^* ^734* 



out in fortifying that place : that they were particularly apprehenfive of 

 the encroachments of the French in their neighbourhood, who always 

 are efpecially careful of their own fortifications ; and that, by our fliame- 

 ful neeled of Nova-Scotia, our fiflicrv there was almofi; dwindled to no- 

 thing. Our minifters, however, feemed quite to dilVcgard, or rather 

 to be quite ignorant of, the vaft importance of that province. 



The Dutch Eaft-Tndia company had this year 22 fliips from India, 

 whofe cargoes were lo vaft as well to merit a place in this commercial 

 hiftory, viz. fpiceries, 6,31 1 ,027 lbs ; fugar, 2,406,428 lbs ; faltpetre, 

 1,807,210 lbs; coffee, 3,997,759 lbs ; dying and other drugs, 91,949 

 cherts, 1 ,549,463 lbs ; tea, 515,970 chefts, and 369,577 lbs ; filk, raw, 

 62,015 'bs ; filk ftuffs, 21,205 pieces; calicoes, 209,748 pieces ; indigo, 

 14,483 lbs ; tin, 354,000 lbs ; copper, 462,500 lbs ; candied ginger, 

 50,486 lbs ; China-ware, 525,223 pieces ; yarn, 92,441 lbs ; candied nut- 

 megs, 8000 pfl^; cubebs, 10,000 lbs; curcuma of Java, 16,250 lbs; 

 mother-of-pearl, 800 lbs ; pearls, 10 lbs; cowries, 255,357 lbs ; rough 

 diamonds, 2 plf; rings, 3 pfT; canes, 1500 pfT; and wool, 277 lbs. 

 Such alterations may happen to this commerce in future times, as may 

 poflibly make this account hereafter feem incredible. 



The trade to the coaft of Guinea has feldom or never been carried on 

 by exclufive companies, in any part of Europe, to national advantage ; 

 private traders, under proper regulations, feeming moft proper for pre- 

 ferving and extending that, as well as moft other branches, of foreign 

 commerce. Of this the ftates-general of the United Netherlands were 

 To fenfible, that they now laid their trade to a diftrid: of 60 leagues of 

 the weft coaft of Africa open to all their fubjeds, which had till now 

 been confined to their Weft-hidia company ; and was fo to remain for 

 twenty years to come, though under certain regulations mentioned in 

 their placart. 



The number of fliips arriving, during the year 1734, at Amfterdam, 

 was 1 721, viz. from Archangel, ^3; Peterfljurgh, 22; Riga, 70; 

 Narva, 1B7; Wiburg, 20; Koningftierg, ^6; Dantzick, 62; Stock- 

 holm, 26 ; Norway, 163 ; Greenland, 77 ; Davis's ftraits, 69 ; London, 

 51 ; Sunderland, 62 ; Bourdeaux, 88 ; Rouen, ;^^ ; Eayonne, 18; 

 Nantes, 22 ; Rochelle, 12 ; Cadiz, ^^ ; Bilboa, 20 ; Leghorn, 45 ; Lif- 

 bon, 32 ; Surinam, 29 ; and from Eaft-India, 14. Here is a miftake of 

 almoft 400 ftiips too few, in fpecifying the particulars, in Boyer's Poli- 

 tical ftate for the month of February 1735, probably to be lupplied by 

 their own coafters. Imperfed: as this lift is, from it, however, we may 

 learn the immenfe commerce of Amilerdam with the northern crowns, 

 and yet moft of it is driven by means of the fifti caught on the Britifli 

 coafts. Hereafter, fuch an account as this may be uleful for compar- 

 ing the annual increafe or decreafe of the general commerce of the 



