630 A. D. 1778. 



of Europe, inftead of fupplying us with that moft important article, 

 imported the types of his founding. Mr. William Caflon, who furvived 

 his father about twenty years, and died this year, carried the art to dill 

 higher perfedion. But he was not the only man, who improved upon 

 his father's art, which foon fpread into various parts of thefe kingdoms, 

 and was carried to great perfedlion, efpecially by Mr. John Bafkerville* 

 of Birmingham and Meflieurs Foulis of Glafgow : and it is likely to 

 flourifh as long as a tafte for literature ihall continue to adorn the na- 

 tion. It is owing to the improvements of thofe friends of their coun- 

 try, that printed books come now to be confidered as an important Brit- 

 ifli manufafture, and conftitute a very great article of exportation. 



The Britilh and French imports at Hamburgh and Bremen in the 

 courfe of this year were as follows. 



Hamburgh. Bremen. 



From Great Britain, Ireland,") ,, c c ^ n c 



and the Britilh Weft-Indies I ■^^''25.426 16 o ^182,906 3 o 



from France _ _ _ 810,217 14 o 211,412 12 o 



The cargoes carried from the Britifh dominions to Hamburgh em- 

 ployed 131 veflels, whereof 87 were Britifh. The imports from France 

 to the fame city employed 143 veflels, of which only two were French. 



This is the firft time for feveral years that the BritiQi imports at Ham- 

 burgh exceeded thofe of the French, who thus appear to have begun 

 immediately to feel in their commerce the effeds of the war, they very 

 wantonly plunged themfelves into. Unfortunately in fuch cafes the au- 

 thors of the war are exempted from feeling the calamity, which falls 

 entirely upon thofe, who had no hand in the pernicious policy whereby 

 they are ruined. 



It may be obferved, as a proof of the increafing opulence, as well as 

 luxury, of the kingdom (for luxury cannot exift without opulence) tJiat 

 the duty upon coaches, which in the year 1774 produced ^^42,000, 

 arofe this year to the fum of ;{'i 17,000 ; whence it appears, that 23,000 

 coaches were now kept. The increafe of coaches was not, however, 

 quite in proportion to the increafe of the duty, becaufe additional du- 

 ties were laid on in the year 1776. 



The Eaft-India company had not been wanting in their preparations 

 for the expected war with France. So prompt, decifive, and fecret, were 

 their meafures, and fo peculiarly fortunate were they in a rapid con- 

 veyance of their difpatches, that their forces appear to have attacked 

 the French factories at Chandenagore, Yaman, Karical, and Mafulipa- 

 tam, and taken fome French velTels in the Ganges, lb early as the be- 

 ginning of July. Afterwards their troops under the command of Gen • 



* After the death of Mr. Bafkerville in the where, it is faid, they have expended a hundred 



year 1775 his heirs wilhed to difpofe of his types ; thiufnnd pounds (Qiiere, if French, or Britilh, mo- 



and, (Iraiige to tell, they couM not find a pur- ney ?) in printing tlie works of Voltaire. \_Hut- 



chafer for them in Britain. At length they were ton's H't/l. of Birmingham, p. 123, cd. 1795O 

 fold for ^£'3,700 to a literary fociety in Paris, 



