214 A. D. 1737. 



and more efpecially of our own, authentic accounts were laid l)efore 

 our government and our board of trade ; yet no effedual regard was 

 fhewn thereto : neither did the court of Spain feem more to regard 

 their encroachments In the MlfTifippI country, and on their province of 

 Florida, nor even their more dangerous one towards New-Mexico. In 

 the Eafl-India commerce alfo France had by this time greatly Increaf- 

 ed, even beyond belief, without being duely regarded by fuch who might 

 In the beginning have ruined it and moft of the above encroachments, 

 had vigorous meafures been In due time taken. 



All thefe particulars we have here judged fit to be laid together be- 

 fore our readers at one fummary view, in order the better to illuftrate 

 and explain what may hereafter fall in our way In refpedl to France's 

 all-grafping defigns for unlverfal commerce as well as dominion. In 

 treating of thefe, and fundry other points, It will be ImpofTible to avoid 

 obfcurlty, without a brief repetition of fome things previoufly handled 

 in other parts of our work : and though, by our late amazing fuccefs 

 agalnfl the French colonies In America, matters are fince greatly changed, 

 yet the fteps taken by that nation are well worth tracing as mementos 

 for futurity. 



There was at this time much fald in pamphlets and newfpapers in 

 favour of the importation of iron and hemp from the Britlfh American 

 colonies, as being two aitlcles of the firfl Importance for our navy and 

 mercantile fliipping, as well as for numberlefs other fervices ; and peti- 

 tions were prelented to parliament for this end by the merchants. 



1 ft, It was computed that England imported annually about 20,000 

 tons of foreign Iron, whereof 15,000 tons were from Sweden, which 

 cofl about Li 50,000, moflly paid by us In money, as are moil of the 

 other 5000 tons brought from Ruflia ; and that our exports of wrought 

 iron are from 3000 to 3500 tons per annum. 



2dlv, That the Iron of the Britlfli colonies is as good as any foreign 

 iron whatever, and, with proper encouragement, might be imported in 

 quantities fufficlent to fupply all the Iron we get from thofe two na- 

 tions, on whom we are at prefent dependent for that commodity, with- 

 out their taking fufficlent of our producl: and manufadures in return ; 

 whereas our own colonies would be entirely paid by our manufadures, 

 the demand for which would thereby be much Increafed, and thereby 

 about Li 80.000 per annum would be clearly faved to the nation in the 

 balance of our trade. It was, moreover, computed that England makes 

 annually at home about i8,oco tons of bar-iron, the quantity of which, 

 it was faid, we could not Increafe, by reafon of our woods being fo far 

 exhaufted as to have greatly enhanced the price of cord-wood ufed in 

 the refining of iron-ftone ; and were we to import more pig-Iron from 

 America, and make lefs of It at home, we fhould ba able, with the fame 



