236 A. D. 1743. 



the favages, have raifed, and for many years carried on, a commerce 

 very beneficial to the nation, they might reafonably hope for a farther 

 compenfation on tliat account Ukewife. All things therefor being due- 

 ly weighed, it may fcem doubtful, whether it would be more eligible to 

 dillolvc the company, in expectation (as Mr. Dobbes believes) of ex- 

 tending the trade much farther when laid open, or to fuffer this branch 

 of our commerce to go on in its prefent channel ; unlefs the fo-much- 

 defired pafllige weftward to the Afiatic world could be found pradicable; 

 in which cafe, indeed, there may be found good reafons for taking 

 thofe forts into national management, and for ere<5ling others in that 

 fuppofed pafllige : Mr. Dobbes, Captain Middleton, and others alfo, later 

 than them, have defcribed fundry very plaufible fymptoms of a com- 

 munication with the fea of Japan. Yet, on the other hand, even fup- 

 pofmg that communication to be certain, it may happen to be imprac- 

 ticable for (hipping, either through its frozen fituation (like Weygatz 

 flraits), or from its being blocked up by rocks and fmall iflands ; or, 

 laftly, it may be found too hazardous and impracticable to guard and 

 keep it to ourfclves alone, for reafons obvious enough. Should our na- 

 tion be the difcoverers of fuch a practicable paflage weflward, it would 

 doubtlefs open fundry new and very unufual fcenes, and commercial op- 

 portunities, and would give us great advantages over other nations, not 

 only in {hortening the voyage to Japan and China, and even to India, 

 properly fo called, and to the adjacent ifles ; but likewife in opening a 

 commerce to us with the whole weft fide of North-America, without 

 rivals, where mines of the richer metals are known to abound near and 

 at New-Mexico, California, &c. More fine-fpun fpeculations of this 

 kind would rather amufe than inform, and therefor we fhall leave them, 

 and come again to more practicable matter. 



Mr. Dobbes has given us a catalogue of Britifli man u failures, &c. 

 which the Hudfon's-bay company exchanges with the Indians. He fays 

 that one heaver'' s Jkin is the flandard medium of circulation, and is the 

 eftablifhed price of each of the following articles, viz. 

 A pound weight of brafs kettles, 2 combs, 

 1 y lb. of gunpowder, 2 yards of gartering, 



5 lb. of lead (hot, I pair of breeches, 



6 lb. of Brazil tobacco, 1 piftol, or 

 I yard of bayfe, 2 hatchets. 



The other fkins and goods of the favages are, doubtlefs, valued alfo 

 by this ftandard of a beaver-fkin, though he has not fhewn the propor- 

 tions thereof. 



Other goods ufually carried thither are, glafs-beads, black-lead, fugar, 

 thread, vermilion, brandy, broad cloth, blankets, duffles, flannel, awl- 

 blades, buttons, fifh-hooks, fire-fteels, files, guns, flints, yarn, mittins, 

 handkerchiefs, hats, hawks-bells, knives, ice-chizels, looking-glafles, 



