Interest in Colonial Resources. 9 



and for promoting their commercial welfare by any means not 

 injurious to the interests of the mother country.^ 



The desirability of freeing the kingdom from dependence on 

 the northern crowns in the matter of naval supplies, was early 

 brought to the attention of the newly organized board; and, 

 in spite of the sceptical views of Mr. Taylor and the failure of 

 Sir Henry Ashurst's specimens to pass muster, there began 

 to pour into Whitehall continual assurances that there would be 

 no dilBcuhy in supplying the navy from the plantations, if 

 proper encouragement should be given by the government.- It 

 was urged that Ashurst's specimens might not have been fair 

 samples of what New England could produce, and that it was 

 quite probable that the fault lay in the ignorance of the people, 

 rather than in the resources of the country. At all events, the 

 Board of Tjade decided that the experiment of encouraging the 

 trade in masts and the manufacture of tar and pitch by suitable 

 methods might be worth trying. Accordingly, with the ap- 

 proval of the Admiralty, they determined to send commis- 

 sioners to New England to make exact inquiries about what 

 might be expected from that country, and to put the people 

 in the way of producing stores of the proper quality.^ 



Accordingly, the Admiralty drew up instructions for four 

 commissioners, John Bridger, Benjamin Furzer, William Part- 

 ridge and Robert Lamb, the last two having been recom- 

 mended by Ashurst, on behalf of the colonies, to assist Bridger 

 and Furzer.* The object of their voyage, as defined in the in- 

 structions, was to introduce trade with New England in what- 

 ever naval materials that province could produce fit for the use 

 of the royal navy; also, "to broaden their experience and add 

 to their qualifications in such matters." They were directed, 



^Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York, Vol. 

 Ill, Introduction, p. 15. 



-Memorial from Jahleel Brenton, B. T. New Eng., A: 10, and Pro- 

 posal of Ed. Randolph, Plants. Gen. A: 2. Considerations offered by 

 Colonel Charles Lidget, dated August 28, 1696. 



^Communication from Whitehall, B. T. New Eng., A: 12. 



^Instructions for Commissioners, B .T. New Eng., A: 18. 



