222 A. D. 1760. 



commerce, then, muft this acquifition be, even in our days ? and how 

 much more will it probably be in future ages, when our Indian traders, 

 and wood-rangers, will undoubtedly difcover many new nations to traf- 

 fic with, very far back in that vafl: country, until they at length, and 

 it is to be hoped very foon, fliall open a way to the ocean of Japan and 

 China ? a difcovery which, in the womb of Providence, may, and pro- 

 bably will, be attended with great, and perhaps very furprifing, altera- 

 tions in the courfe of commerce; a difcovery too, which will infallibly 

 enable us to determine the fo long controverted, and fo frequently in 

 vain attempted, point of a north-weft paffage by fca to the eaftern parts 

 of Afia, and the extreme weftern parts of America, by a fhorter and 

 fafer courfe than from Hudfon's bay, without any future attempts from 

 fo miferable a fhore, where it is at prefent fo unlikely ever to be found. 

 And well worth any reafonable expenfe it will be found to be, to fet 

 about fuch a weftern journey, with Indian guides, as foon as poflible. 



The north end of Sweden, known by the name of Lapmark, adjoin- 

 ing to Lapland, has very lately been fo much improved and civilized, 

 that in the diet of Sweden, at the clofe of this year 1760, the fpeaker 

 of the houfe of peafants, or farmers, tells their king, in expreflion of 

 their gratitude for his goodnefs, and care of that northern part of his 

 dominions, ' that thofe parts which have hitherto remained wild, un- 

 ' cultivated, and moftly uninhabited, wear at prefent a quite different 

 ' face, being now covered with dwellings, and their lands cultivated ; 

 ' and, for the firft time, fays he, fmce the creation of the world, this 

 ' new people appear in the diet with us, by their reprefentatives. How 

 ' would it rejoice our hearts to fee our dear country extend its bounds 

 ' more and more, by the draining of morafles, and other lands covered 

 ' with water, and by the peopling of defarts.' 



The linen manufadure of Scotland continues to increafe rapidly, as 

 appears by the returns of linen ftamped for fale, beiides which a very 

 large quantity is made by families for their own ufe. 



Yards. 



In the year 1759 there were ftamped 10,830,707. 

 1760, - - 11,747,728. 



Increafed in the year 1760, - 917,021. 



The following is a brief Iketch of the prefent ftate of the moft popu- 

 lous cities and towns of the kingdom, befides London, the various im- 

 provements of which have been more particularly noted in the progrefs 

 of our work. 



Briftol is univerfally allowed to be the largeft city in Great Britain, 

 next after London. The anonymous author of England's gazetteer, 

 publifhed in 175 1, makes it to contain 13,000 houfes, and 95,000 fouls. 



When the author of this work was there in the year 1758, he peram- 

 bulated it for two days, and from a near examination of the number of 



