268 



gone no amelioration, it is evideot that other 

 measures must he tried in order to produce the 

 desired effect It appears to me that, if we can- 

 not, by the hand of power, extirpate piracy, a 

 proper line of policy would starve it into extinc- 

 tion. Where this? crime is followed by a whole 

 nation, the conclusion naturally follows that the 

 profes.sion must needs be a lucrative one that can 

 thus support 6=0 large a population — it is no less 

 clear that tlje number of tlie victims must consi- 

 deiabiy exceed that of the nation that preys up- 

 on them. The sirengtli of the pirates lays in una- 

 nimity; they always outnumber those that they 

 attack, because t hey prey in fleets, and tlie tra- 

 ders proceed either shingly, or merely in couipany 

 with two or three others. To exiirpaie piracy, 

 therefore, the peaceable portion of the Archipela- 

 go should meet their enemies on their own ground. 

 Their trading voyages are generally made with re- 

 ference to the seasons when the European traffic 

 is the briskest in the .straiLs, and, consequently, 

 the boats, which are now cut off in detail, might 

 with ease and conveniency proceed in fleets to 

 which a convoy could re adily afford protection. 

 Thus effectually deprived of those golden gains 

 which now enrich it, and feed the system, piracy, 

 a^ a national pursuit, would necessarily ialltothe 

 ground, and hs> followers be compelled to betake 

 * themselves to a more honest and reputable mode 

 ofsubs^isteoce, 



i am fully sensible that the natural desire to 

 forestall the market would act as a powerful 

 draw-back to unanimity and co-operation; but 

 still Uading vessels should either be capable of 



