374 A. D. 1763. 



through the Indian country, were murdered, and their property feized, 

 to the amount, it is laid, of feveral hundred thoufand pounds; the lofs 

 of which fell heavy on the principal ti-ading towns in America, and, no 

 doubt, alfo on their correfpondents in Britain. 



It is worthy of uotice in this work, that a happy expedient was hit 

 ■upon for making a fliip ride eafy in a florm at lea, which was effeded 

 by launching overboard a fpare boom made fall to the end of a haufer. 

 This kind of floating anchor was found to ait alfo as a weather fliore in 

 fcreening the lliip, which fell to leeward of it, and rode with her head 

 to the wind, from the fury of the fea, after her main mall was cut 

 away. To a negro feamen the world is indebted for the difcovery of 

 this improvement, which is now commonly, and fuccefsfully, pradliled. 



The merchants of Liverpool concerned in the exportation of rock- 

 falt to the Auftrian Netherlands, and the proprietors of the fait mines in 

 the neighbourhood of that town, were greatly alarmed by the Aullrian 

 government reviving the old duties, amounting to a prohibition, upon 

 Britifh fait ; in coniequcnce of which many large orders for that com- 

 modity were this year countermanded, whereby great confuiion and 

 damage were brought upon the trade ; and the proprietors of the fait 

 mines, with the great body of people depending upon them, were very 

 much diflrelTed. 



In a n^emorial to the lords of trade they reprefented, that the ex- 

 portation of rock-falt from Liverpool to the Aullrian Netherlands com- 

 menced in the year 1756, when only 30 tuns were lent ; that it had in- 

 creafed ever fince, and that in the year ending with the 5th April 1763, 

 there were fhipped 6979 tuns ; that the promifing appearance of the 

 trade had induced the proprietors of the mines to lay out great fums in 

 ■finking new pits, building ftore-houfes, and barges fit for the conveyance 

 of the fait to Liverpool by an inland navigation of near forty miles ; 

 that this new trade had brought along with it a confiderable exportation 

 of the produce of the Britifli colonies, and of lead and lead ore, which 

 have all been paid for with ready money ; and in this point of view, 

 and as a fund of employment in a temperate climate, for about 7000 

 feamen, including the barge-men on the inland navigation, and as be- 

 ing, m.oreover, fo much deducted frora the commerce of the French, 

 our rivals for trade and power, this trade may deferve to be valued as, 

 perhaps, fuperior to a Well-India colony. 



It ought, however, to be obferved, that this 'trade was begun by Mr. 

 Ryngaut, a citizen of Ghent, as an appendage to the tobacco trade, 

 which was his chief objecfl, becaufe he wanted ballall for the fliip-; he 

 was obliged to charter, for carrying his tobacco from Liverpool to 

 Oftend. 



Fort-Louis, on the River Senegal, with its dependencies, being de- 

 livered by government into the management of the committee of mer- 



