A. D. 1740. 225 



The anonymous author of a pamphlet, intitled the Prefent ftate of 

 the revenues and forces of France and Spain, compared with thofe of 

 Great Britain, (8vo, 1740) afferts, that in France there were not then 

 more than 600 iail of merchant fliips at the moft, of all fizes. And 

 that, reckoning 25 failors to each, one with another, all the feamen of 

 France did not exceed 30,000, including 11, coo feamen clalTed by the 

 king, who have leave to ferve onboard the merchant ftiips till wanted 

 for the king's fervice. And that, in cafe of a naval war with Britain, 

 France will be obliged to augment her marine to what it was in their 

 former war with England, viz. to 120 fhips of war and 40 galleys. 

 What this plaufible and fpirited writer computes might then poffibly 

 be true ; but we have fnice had recent experience, that both their 

 merchant fliips and failors were conCderably more in number than he 

 then computed them to be. 



This year the king, by letters-patent, eredled civil and criminal courts 

 of juftice at his town and port of Gibraltar. How far this regulation 

 has been put in pradice fmce this time, or, if at all, how far it may, 

 in time, influence greater numbers of Britifh fubjeds to fettle there, 

 we fliall not venture to guefs : but, if that ftiould come to be the cafe, 

 the rents of houfes would gradually increafe, and therewith fines upon 

 entry, acknowlegements for landing goods, as at Leghorn and other 

 free ports, anchorage in the bay, leales ot groiuid, fome moderate taxes 

 on liquors and provifions confumed there, and fuch other benefits which 

 might naturally be expeded from a civil government being efiablilhed 

 under the mild laws and privileges of a Britifli conftitution, which might 

 pofTibly, altogether, produce fuch a local revenue as might in time eafe 

 the public of more than L6o,ooo per annum, which that moft ufeful 

 and important fort and port cofis the Britilh nation. Why our expec- 

 tations in thefe refpecls have not been fully aniVvered hitherto, lies pro- 

 perly before a higher tribunal thiin we fliall name, whofe intereft is fo 

 nearly concerned therein, and whofe power as well as inclinations, when 

 proper informations ihall be laid before them, can undoubtedly rectify 

 whatever fliall be found to have hitherto been amils. 



This year the king of Great Britain, who is alio fovereign of the 

 town of Staden in the duchy of Bremen, was gracioufly pleafed en- 

 tirely to remit to all Britifli and Irilh fliips the antient toll payable at 

 Staden by the ftiips of all nations in failing up the river Elbe : for 

 which bounty he received an humble addreis of thanks from the Bri- 

 tifli company of merchants-adventurers tradhig to Hamburgh. 



The king of Great Britain having been addrefied in the preceding 

 year by his parliament, for regulating the currency of the paper money 

 of 'his American continental colonies, we fliall here exhibit the value 

 thereof as follows, vig. 



Voj.. IIL F f 



