A, D, 1770. 503 



thing ruinous to the fifhery, and alfo a conf;.'quence of the want of go- 

 vernment, was the pradice of throwing the retufe of the fifh overboard 

 on the fiihing grounds, which poifons the tifli, or drives them off the 

 banks. This lazy practice had alraofl; ruined the fifhery, when the coun- 

 try belonged to the French, who made, and enforced, a law againfl it, 

 whereby the fifhery again revived. 



Commodore Walker further reprefented, that the want of a cuflom- 

 houfe, and the want of legally-conflituted authojity in this fequeftered 

 region, were infuperable bars to the improvement of the foil, and to the 

 extenfion of the fifheries and the trade with the Indian natives. There- 

 for he recommended, that a fub-governor fliould be appointed for this 

 diftridt *, and fupported by fuch a force as might enable him to pre- 

 ferve tranquillity and juftice among the fettlcrs, and that he fhould have 

 tinder his command a few cruifing vefTels to enforce order and regula- 

 tion, and prevent piracies and illicit trade among the fifhermen during 

 the feafon. He alfo advifed, that the fame perfon, or another, fhould 

 ad as deputy-collector of the cuftoms for the convenience and difpatck 

 of trade. 



For fome years pafl the oppreffion of the Britifli merchants feems to 

 have formed a part of the policy of the Portuguefe government, of which 

 we have already feen many inftances. This fummer Mr. Connel, a Brit- 

 ifli merchant, was imprifoned at Lifbon for refuiing to pay brokerage 

 demanded of him, contrary to treaty, by u broker whom he had not 

 employed. 



The fituation of the Eaft-India Company's affairs being fuch as to 

 admit of a further augmentation of their dividend, it was declared for 

 the July payment at the rate oi twelve per cent per annum. 



September 17"'' — An artificial navigable cut from the river Lea into 

 the Thames at Limehoufe was completed, and began to be navigated 

 by barges. As this new cut faves the long and tedious circumnaviga- 

 tion of the Ifle of dogs, its great utility to the inland trade of the coun- 

 try adjacent to the river Lea is obvious. 



November 29^ — The ad; prohibiting the exportation of bread and 

 grain (excepting rice), and the diflillation from whc"at, was furtlicr con 

 tinned. [11 Geo. Ill, c. i.] 



December iG'** — For the better fupply of feamen for the navy and 

 merchant fervice, merchant-fhips were allowed to have three fourths of 

 their crews foreigners till the i" of February 1772. [i i Geo. HI, c. 3.] 



December 22'' — The free importation of faked provifions from Ire- 

 land and America was further continued till the i"- of March 17721. 

 [II do. III. c. 8.] 



Lieutenant-governor Bull, of South Carolina ftated the number of 

 white people about 45,000, and of negroes about 80,000. The land 



• This dillrift is now a part of tlic new proTincc of Ncw-Brunfwick. 



