A. D. 1776. 591 



out fome hundreds of veflels for America : but fuch was the vigilance 

 of the Rritifh naval commanders, that, according to a French author, 

 fcarcely thirty of the whole of them returned to France, and thefe made 

 but very unprofitable voyages for their owners. IRaynal V. ix, p. 211.] 

 The trade carried on by the Americans, in their owti veflels, and en- 

 tirely at their own rifk, with the French, Dutch, and Danifh iflands in 

 the Weft-Indies, was more confiderable and had alfo a longer continu- 

 ance. The traders of thefe iflands, however, foon found, that the ar- 

 ticles of the fabric of their own mother countries, wherewith they hoped 

 to fupplant the Britifli manufaftures, were not fo acceptable in Ameri- 

 ca ; and that, notwithftanding the interdidion of Britifli goods by the 

 congrefs, they nmft be provided with Britifli goods, if they ex- 

 pedled to have American buyers *. Thefe iflands were therefor foon 

 filled with Britifli manufadures, which were exchanged for American 

 provifions, lumber, tobacco, and other produce, to the great emolument 

 of the dealers on both fides ; but with a very great additional expenfe 

 to the American confumer. And thus the Britifli manufadurers of 

 goods for the American trade were as fully employed as before ; and 

 only the freights were loft, which was the lefs felt, as fuch prodigious 

 numbers of merchant fliips were immediately taken up in the fervice of 

 government as armed fliips and tranfports, and the fwift-failing veflTels 

 were foon afterwards converted into privateers. 



On the firft of May the regulation took place, which is ftill in force, 

 for limiting the fmalleft weight, at which guineas fhould pafs current, 

 to five pennyweights eight grains. But guineas coined prior to 1** Ja- 

 nuary 1772 were to be received inpayments to the revenue till the 

 19'** of Auguft 1776, though two grains lighter. 



* The following extraft from Lord Sheffield's ' variety of channels, was fo gicat during the war, 



Obfcrvatlcns on the commerce of the American Jlates • that the French miniller refidiiig at Philadelphia 



[a. 10 of 2' eJ.'] contains fuch proofs of what I ' rcmonftrated againft it more than once, before 



liave now advanced, that 1 think it proper to give ' the lead attention was paid to him by congrefs. 



it here, though a little anticipated in regard to * An aft was then made, prohibiting the iiianii- 



chronology, in his lordfhip's own words. ' failures of this country under certain penalties ; 



' The following faft is a ftriking proof of the ' neverthelefs, they continued to be imported to 



' fupcriority of our woollens to the French in the • fo great a degree, that a rcmonllrance from the 



' opinion of the Americans. When France grant- ' court of France was prefented to congrefs, 



'. cd a fum of money to congrefs for cloathing the ' threatening to withdraw their aid, if more elTec- 



• American troops, Mr. Laurens junior was em- ' tual means were not taken to prevent the ini- 

 ' ployed to provide it ; but, inllead of laying out ' portation of Brililh goods, wiiich, being accom- 



• the money in France, he went to Holland, and ' p.iiiled with ftrong recommendations from Doc- 

 ' bought Englilh cloths, and fecit them to Ame- ' tor Franklin and tlic other commilTioners in 

 ' lica. The French miniller was inftrufted to • France, produced fome titeft. Some feizures 

 ' complain to congrefs of this tranfaclion, f<> un- ' of Britilh manufacUircs were made, though im- 



• grateful and injurious to France ; but Mr. Lau- « ported through Holland. This fe»crity took 

 ' rens jutlified himfelf by faying, it was his duty ' place a little more than a year before the peace. 



• to do the bed he could with the monty, and that • In fome inftances the goods feizcd were rctunicd 

 ' the Englifh cloths, of equal price with the French, ' to the owners. Prior to this tlic fhopkeepers, 

 ' were much better. And farther to (hew the pre- ' &c. ufed to advevtife as EngUlh goudi, what, in 

 ' fcrencc given to Britilh manufadures in the Ame- • fad, were Dutch or Frentli munufadures, .in 



• rican (l.ttes, we need only recolleft, that the im- ♦ order to rcconirocnd tiicm to the purchafer." 

 ' portation of goods from this country, through a 



