A. D. 1773. 545 



Urud ever afford a pradicable communication with 



tU P 



W": in a meeting of the Eaft-India company, that 



th -"y i l^il of the new law permitting them to export 



titrir I ufly oppofcd by fome of the members, who wifh- 



ed not le old eftablifhed mode of conduding their fales, 



whereii lemt w as fure, for a new mode of adventure, in which 



they mi. i; 't long for their payments, and befides run great 



rifks of hepvy lo..v.'S. Though the large quantity of feventeen millions 

 of pounds of tea, then upon liand *, was held out as an argument for 

 the exportation to America, it was anfwered, that that quantity was 

 only reckoned equal to the confumption of two years, and confequently 

 only the double of what they ought at all times to have on hand ; and 

 that by making two fales at home the firfl: of them would in five months 

 bring into their treaiiiry the fum of£ i ,200,000; a fum fufficient to enable 

 them to do without the loan they were then requefting from govern- 

 ment, which was likely to be pregnant with fuch ruinous confequences to 

 the company. Notwithflanding thefe and many other arguments, it was 

 refolved by the majority, that the teas fhould be fhipped, and feveral vef- 

 fels were chartered to carry them to the different ports of America. 



In America all things were already tending to widen the breach be- 

 tween the mother country and the colonies, v/hen the news of the 

 deftination of feveral cargoes of tea, which was to pay a duty in Ame- 

 rica, blew up a flame, which was only extinguifhed by acknowleging 

 the abfolute independence of the colonies. 



On this, as on fimilar occafions, the people of Bofton took the lead. 

 Committees, affembled without any authority from the powers eflab- 

 lilhed by law or by royal authority, aflumed, or received from the people, 

 power to counteradl the deligns of government by preventing the tea 

 from being fold, or even landed, in America. On the arrival of three 

 of the tea fliips in the harbour, the captains, feeing the ftate of affairs, 

 offered to return to London with their ill-fated cargoes, if the con- 

 fignees, the cuflom-houfe officers, and the governor, would give them 

 permiffion. The permilfiou was refufed from every quarter. The 

 people of the town were ienfible, that, if the fhips continued in the har- 

 bour, means would be found to land the teas gradually and impercep- 

 tibly. A flrong meafure was therefor refolved upon. A great number 

 of men, difguifed like Mohawk Indians, boarded the fhips in the night- 

 time, and, without offering tlie fmuUeft injury to the velfcls or leamen, 



• For fome years thf Americans had taken off of the company's dillrcfe : ar.d their iifual annual 



fcarcely any of the company's teas, their enmity demand for tea only wa» faid to have been to tlic 



to Great Britain confpiving with the lower price amount of y^6oo,000, bcfides grea; liimi for piece 



to give ;i preference to the other nations of Vm- goods, China ware, &c. It is probable that there 



rope. By the keen advocates for America ihia is lome exng^eration in the fum. 

 Bon-iniport.ition was alVi^ncd us the piincipal caufe 



Vol. IlL 3 Z 



