720 - A. D. 1782. 



what they got by the capture of Britifh veflels, and what were fmuggled 

 into the revolted territories from Nova Scotia, (the exports to which will 

 be found by the annual accounts of imports and exports to have in- 

 creafed prodigioufly after the commencement of the war) from New 

 York, and from Carolina and Georgia when in pofleflion of the Britifli 

 troops, * many fliips, which cleared for New York and Halifax at the 

 ' ports of London, Briflol, Liverpool, and thofe of Scotland, and Ire- 

 ' land, went at great ri(k, and in the face of the adt of congrefs, diredly 

 .' to (the United ftates of) North America. One fliip in particular, 

 ' loaded with Britifh goods, cleared from London for New York, but 

 ' went diredly to Bofton ; the cargo was fold wholefale for 270 per cent 

 ' profit — what did the confumer pay, who bought the articles by re- 

 ' tail ? Several cargoes, that went to the American ftates, were paid 

 ' for in ready money before their departure from England; and all 

 * this happened, when the markets of France, Holland, &c. were open 

 ■* to them.' [Lord Sheffield's Obfervations on jlmerican commerce, p. 250, 

 fixth ed.'] 



Neither was the quantity of American produce, which found its way 

 into the ports of Great Britain, fo very much diminifhed, as might have 

 been expeded, when the Americans declared the ports of their country 

 open to all the world, and the Britifh vclfels, which ufed to have u 

 monopoly of the carrying trade, were excluded from them. Confiderable 

 quantities of tobacco, the principal commercial article of American pro- 

 duce, were imported into Britain from the Dutch ifland of S'. Eufta- 

 thius, till the commencement of hoftilities with the Dutch, and the fub- 

 fequent capture of the ifland, fhut up that free port. After that it was 

 imported by the medium of the Danifh ifland of S'. Thomas : but a 

 much greater quantity found its w^ay into the Britifli ifland of Tortola, 

 which in the courfe of this year fhipped almoft a half of all the tobacco 

 that came into the ports of Great Britain *. 



It is proper here alfo to take notice of a very profitable clandcfline 

 •trade, which was faid to be carried on, and, I beheve to a very confider- 

 able amount, by fome people, within the towns occupied by the Britifh 

 forces in America, and others, conne6ted with them in the revolted 

 ftates, by preconcerted friendly captures of veiTels to be met with at a 

 certain time and place, whofe cargoes, confifting frequently of provi- 

 fions, fometimes of tobacco, &c. came to a mofl excellent ready-money 

 market by being fold at vendue (audion) as prizes. Articles of provifions 



* The tobacco imporud this year was, in England - 7,203,262 poimda 



in Scotland - 2,624,807 



9,828,065 



of which there came from T( r.ola, to England - 3>^74»9^9 



to Scotland - 1,505,057 



4.779>966 



The remainder, partlj' produced in, and partly fmuggled into, Carolina and Eall"^ ____^ 



Florida, paitly the produce of capture, or fmuggled into the Well-India iflands, and > „ 

 partly imported from the continent of Europe, was * J i' 'f > j 



