r 
I 
522 The Discoveries and Settlements Book f 
jQiewn they ate but too well founded ; our Settlements 
upon the Continent are, in a Manner, furrounded by 
them ; the Correfpondence between Canada and Louvi- 
Jiana is in fome Meafure fettled •, and, though a great 
length of Time may be neceffary to perfeft the Defigns 
they may have formed on that Side, yet if we do not in- 
terpofe, as indeed we might eafily do, they will be fome 
time or other perfeded, and then we fhall find our Cir- 
cumftances very uneafy. This to every Man who will but 
turn his Thoughts upon the Subjed, muft appear very 
plain and very certain ; we fhould not therefore wonder 
that thofe who both fee and feel it, exprefs themlelves 
with fome Warmth upon this Topic : And at the word:, 
our Colonies had better alarm us too foon than dumber 
themfelves, and fuffer us to dumber till it is too late. 
The French have already a great Power in the Idands, 
and if ever they diould become entirely Mafters of 
Hifpaniola^ which we know not how foon they may, 
the Effeds would be fatal to us. We have, at prefent, 
no Idea of the Importance of that Idand, or at lead: no 
adequate Idea of it ; becaufe the Spaniards^ who are 
offeded of the greateft Part of it, either from their 
.azinefs or their Weaknefs, make no Ufe of it j but 
we diould find it quite otherwife if the Whole was in 
FrenchYia.nd.s ; and therefore amongd: all our Guarantees, 
it would be very right to have a general Guarantee for 
the Dominions in the JVeJi Indies. 
As to our Colonies helping themfelves, there is no 
Doubt they do fo, or their Situation would be very bad. 
We hear daily of great Things done by their Privateers, 
but our Squadrons perform very little ; and whoever 
compares the Exploits done by the Buccaneers., who were 
but JVeJi-Indian Privateers, ' with what has been done by 
regular naval Force, would fcarce believe they were of 
the fame Nation: Men of War in their Ports, and Com- 
modores and Captains on Shore, do our Colonics very 
little Service ; for they neither proted our own Trade, 
nor diftrefs that of the Enemy ; fo that whatever Ex- 
pence this may create to us we ought not to charge it 
upon them. If any Expedition is concerted here, we 
find the People in Jamaica and the Leeward IJlands., ready 
enough to expend both their Treafure and their Blood 
in the Execution of it *, and in Cafe of Mifearriages, 
we have feldom had Reaibn to lay the Blame at their 
Doors. As to the Northern Colonies, we have known 
them do fome, and attempt many, great Things ; fo that 
it is barbarous to accufe them of being wanting to them- 
felves. 
The Truth is, we want a proper Military Force in 
Americq j and I have often wondered that fome Way was 
not contrived to fend our Half-pay Officers thither : I do 
not mean to fend them thither upon Half-pay ; but to 
take fuch Meafures as that they ffiould have Whole-pay, 
one Half from home, and the other raifed there. We 
might likewife make it worth the Attention of our Inva- 
lids, both Soldiers and Seamen, who, if they have com- 
mon Senfe, would like a comfortable Eftabliffiment in 
New Fork, Penfylvania^ or Virginia., with their Wives 
and Families, full as wtH as an Apartment in any 
College, or being cooped up in our Garrifons, or in the 
Scilly Iflands. If by thefe, or by any other Methods, 
we could eftablilli a regular Military Force, and even in 
time of Peace keep the Men fom'e way or other in Adion 
and Difeipline, our Colonies would be a Match or Over- 
match for the French., as Experience ffiews from the 
Colony of Georgia, where we have been always a Match, 
and once an Over-match for the Spaniards, by mere Dint 
of Military Difeipline, though we had but averyHand-i 
full of People. 
Thefe are Things that demand immediate and general: 
Confideration. Our Colonies were always of great Con- f 
fequence, but they are now of the greateft Confequence, to? 
the Nation ; for at leaft one Halt of our Commerce de-v 
pends upon them, as the Whole of our Strength and ft 
Happinefs depends upon it : Our Wealth produces Li-, 
berty, and our Wealth was produced by 1 fade j what-: , 
ever leffens that will therefore effed thefe, and if ever iti 
ffiould betaken away, we muft certainly feel what wee 
felt before. Poverty and arbitrary Powder. The wifeftb 
Ufe therefore that we can make of Wealth while we;- 
have it is to fecure its Sources, by employing our Fleet ' 
in that Part of the World vffiere their Succels muft be: 
attended v/iffi certain and immediate Advantages ; fordif-1 
treffingthe irade French muft benefit ours. In King; 
William^ War w^e had Spain iox an Ally, and therefore t 
we could net then take any Advantage from her Weak- ■ : 
nefs. In the next general War we were neither her 1 . 
Friend norFoe j we did her fome Hurt, and ourfelves no i 
Good. But the French li3.vt been Gainers by both Wars; . 
they had plundered the Spaniards in the firft, as open n 
Enemies ; they ftripped them of their Money in the laft, , 
by being pretended Friends. In the prefent War we have : 
done pretty well, and the French have perhaps been no } 
great Gainers by their Friendffiip with Spain. This ? 
ought to teacli us theWifdom of living with that Nation i 
always either upon the beft Terms or the worft ; as cordial I 
Allies or as open Enemies ; for whenever we are between 1 
both of thefe we are fure to be the Sufferers, and the : 
French and Dutch run away with all. 
It is our Bufinefs therefore to continue always armed 1 
in this Part of the World, where we have a fuperior " 
Force, and where we ffiould be ever ready to exert it, ^ 
not againft innocent and inoffenfive Neighbours, but F 
againft falfe Friends and treacherous Allies. If our legal 1; 
Trade with the Spanijh JVeJi Indies were reftored, we 
ought to make it our Bufinefs to fee that it be a legal i, 
Trade; for it is certain that the Nation neither gets nor 
lofes, while the fame Quantity of Goods are ditpofed of 
by different Hands: We ought therefore to convince the 
Crown of Spain, that we can treat, and mean to treat, , : 
them well; and at the fame time, we ffiould ffiew them, 
that as it is not their Intereft to treat us ill, fo it is not : 
our Nature to bear it : Illicit Trade and Conventions 
may do well enough for a feeble Republic, but are be- : 
neath a powerful Kingdom ; that, as it owes its Power to, 
ought to be always able and willing to protedl, its Trade. 
Such are the Sentiments which ought to inlpire the 
Breafts of Britijh Statefrnen. The reft of the World are ' 
convinced that we have not the Talents of Negodation ; 
we ought therefore to convince them, that we do not 
ftand in need of fuch Talents ; but that we can do our 
Bufinefs without them. Th.Q Dutch, whatever Language 
they may ufe in Europe, have always talked in this Tone ^ 
in the Eaji Bodies, and we ought to ufe it in the IVeft ; 
while our Power is great there, we ftiould exert and in- i 
creafeit; when once it begins to decline. Advice will . 
come too late, and therefore no Man can be blamed for 
giving it in time, whether it be followed or not. It is . 
the Privilege of every Freeman to fpeak and write for 
the Service of his Country, and the Privilege only of a 
few toad; but if the former excite, and the latter will 
perform, nothing is clearer, than that cur Country muft 
be ferved ; which in this World is the worthieft End of 
Men, and therefore what we ffiould all purfue. 
SECTION 
