8 A. D. 1783. 



It was affirmed, that the portion of the coafl of Newfoundland, taken 

 from the French by the treaty, was more valuable than the additional 

 portion refigned to them on the weft fide ; and that the fifh are larger, 

 more plentiful, and alfo more eafily cured, on the coaft marked out as the 

 exclufive property of the Britifh fifhermen, than on the weftern coaft, 

 where the fogs are more prevalent. In the Weft-Indies the lofs of To- 

 bago was palliated by the confideration, that it was unhealthy 5 and the re- 

 ftoration of S^. Lucia was well recompenfed by the recovery of fix fugar 

 iflands taken from us. Senegal and Goree were reprefented as exceed- 

 ingly unhealthy, and as objeds of little importance in refpedl of com- 

 merce * ; and, as they previoufly belonged to the French, they had 

 the beft title to them. But the River Gambia being navigable for fe- 

 veral hundred miles, and near the Gold coaft, might lead to profpeds 

 of benefit : and the trade of all the reft of Africa was ftill open to Brit- 

 ain. The cefllons to France in the Eaft-Indies were vindicated by the 

 fituation of the Britifti aflfairs in that part of the world, and ftill more 

 by the diftreflTed ftate of the Eaft-India company's finances both at home 

 and abroad, which peace alone could reftore to any degree of profperity. 

 The mortifying conditions with refped to Dunkirk, impofed upon 

 France by former treaties, were truely argued to be of no ufe, but to 

 exafperate a neighbour againft us : and it was defcribed as a port of no 

 confequence, incapable of receiving large fliips, but extremely well 

 adapted for carrying on the Englifti and Irifti trade to the Low countries, 

 a branch of commerce of acknowleged great importance. 



Such were the principal heads of the parliamentary cenfures and de-- 

 fences of the pacification. 



At this time many people apprehended, that it would be impoflible 

 for Great Britain ever to recover from the diftrefs brought upon her 

 by the enormous accumulation of debt created by the war, and by the 

 total privation of the American trade, which, it was fuppofed, would go 

 entirely among the other nations of Europe, efpecially thofe who had 

 been allied with America in the war f. Some went eA'en fo far as to 

 forebode, that our commerce muft foon be at an end, and confequeiitly 

 our maritime power be annihilated. But, from conjedures and melan- 

 choly apprehenfions, let us turn our eyes to fads, the review of the paft 

 being the only rule given to man for judging of the future. ' In the 

 ' courfe of former hoftilities,' fays Mr. Chalmers, in his judicious Efti- 

 mate of the comparative Jirength of Great Britain, [/>. 162, ed. 1794] ' we 

 ' have feen our navigation and commerce prefied down to a certain 

 ' point, whence both gradually rofe, even before the return of peace 

 '' removed the incumbent preiTure. All this an accurate eye may per- 



* For a very different account of Senegal in heat of the war, American confiimption was fup- 

 tV,e year 1763, fee V. i\i, p. 375. plied by Britilh manufacliires. 



■f- We have already fcen, that, even during the 1 



