664 A. D. 1780. 



' Jorcing forward an extenfive linen manufadurc in this kingdom, 

 ' though Jlni^glltig nridtr a great difadvantage as to the growth andjupply of 

 ' the raw material *.' 



Anguft 8'" — Tile outward-bound fleets for the Eaft and Wefl Indies, 

 under the convoy of a fiiip of 74 guns and two frigates, were met by 

 the combined fleets of France and Spain, which almofl furrounded 

 them. Our (hips of war efcaped: but five Eaft-India fliips and forty- 

 feven Weft- India (hips were taken. The fhips and their cargoes were 

 of fuch value, thai, it is fuppofed, fo rich a capture was never before 

 made upon the ocean ; and it certainly was one of the fevereft blows, 

 that ever the commerce of Great Britain fuftained. 



In the fummer of 1776 Captain Cook failed on a third voyage of dif- 

 covery in his former fhip the Refolution, accompanied by the Difcovery, 

 which was commanded by Captain Gierke. In this, as in the furmec 

 voyages, the officers were men of icience, as well as navigators : and, in 

 addition to the naval eftablilhment, Mr. Bailey again embarked as aflro- 

 nomer ; Mr. Webber, a German artift, was engaged as painter ; and 

 Mr. Anderfon, who had already made the circuit of the globe as fur- 

 geon of the Refolution, took upon him the obfervations in the depart- 

 ments of natural hiftory and philology. The chief objed of this voyage, 

 befides the improvement of the geography of the globe for the fervice 

 of navigation and commerce, was to explore the north-weft: coaft of 

 America, and, if poflible, to return home by the fuppofed north-weft 

 paflage, or by the fea which feparates the north part of the continent 

 of America from Europe and Afia. Another objed of the voyage was 

 to fupply fome of the iflands of the Pacific ocean with feveral kinds of 

 ufeful animals and vegetables, which, if they are allowed to multiply, 

 will add, not only to the comforts of the iflanders to whom they are 

 given, but alfo afford reftorative nourifliment to fuch navigators, as 

 opening views of commerce may afterwards induce to refort to thofe 

 iflands. 



After vifiting fome of his former difcoveries and feveral new-found 

 iflands in the Pacific ocean, he arrived on the weft coaft of America in 

 the latitude of 44° ^^ north, whence he ranged along the whole of that 

 extenfive coaft, and having furveyed every opening which promifed any 

 probability of a pafilige to the Atlantic, he at laft arrived at the ftrait 

 which feparates America from Afia, pafled through it, and failed in the 

 Frozen ocean, till the accumulation of ice rendered a farther progrefs 

 impracticable. After his return from the Frozen ocean, in order to pafs 

 the winter in a temperate climate, this moil illuftrious navigator, un- 



* Notwithftaiiding the ftvere cenfures thrown me to fee, the idea, I ventured to fuggeft in a note 



ou-t in the houfe of commons by Mr. Burke in p. 517, fupported by the judgement of men of 



a'Jainft the lords of trade for their deficiency in i'uch eminent abilities, as thole who then compofed 



conimercial knovvftge, it is no fmall fatisfadlion to that board. * 



