224 
TRAVELS IN 
trade fell into the hands of the Dutch ; and the Dutch flag main- 
tained the fuperiority in the Eaft, and was refpeftable in the 
Weft. 
When the Dutch loft their colonies, the Americans fnatched 
the remains of their carrying-trade, which, to a certain degree, 
they will preferve and, perhaps, improve, as long as they can 
remain in a ftate of neutrality ; but, having no foreign poflef- 
fions, the inftant they go to war with a nation that has, their 
carrying-trade muft fall to the ground. Such will be the cafe 
alfo with the Danes and the Swedes ; and fuch has France found, 
by experience, to be her fate from the moment fhe loft her beft 
colonies. 
The number of hands required to work the ftiips that are em- 
ployed in tranfporting to England the produce of our colonies, 
furnifh for the navy, in time of war, an immediate fupply of 
fkilful and able-bodied feamen ; giving it, at once, a decided 
fuperiority over that of all other nations. The French, the 
Dutch, and the Spaniards, can conftru£t their fhips fully as 
well as, and fome of them, perhaps, better than, the Englifh ; 
but none of them can make fuch good feamen. The rough and 
refolute character that is neceflary to form good failors, would 
appear to be incompatible with the frivolous and flexile tempers 
of Frenchmen. Their natural verfatility difqualifies them for 
fituations that require fteady perfeverance ; and the trifling 
gaiety of their difpofition is ill fuited to the order and difcipline 
that are indifpenfable on board of a fhip. In a gale of wind, it 
is faid to be a matter of the greateft difficulty to prevail on a fuf- 
3 ficient 
