Chap. ni. the Kingdom 
Ic is indeed true, that in a Time of War the Thoughts 
of our Statefmen are much occupied, and Money is not 
eafily found for Expeditions of this Sort, where neither 
immediate Nwceflity, nor inftant Gain feem to require 
or excite them. But Men who fee further will perceive, 
that notwithftanding thefe and fome other Inconvenien- 
cies that might be pointed out’, yet upon the whole a 
Time of War may be efteemed the moft proper, becaufe 
Ships of Force may be difpatched into thofe Parts, firft 
without Sufpicion, and next without any Lofs ; for the Si- 
tuation of Things is Realon fufficient to account for our 
fending Ships of Strength to the Indies, without leaving 
it in the Power of any to difcover what our true In- 
tentions in fending them may be ; and next they may 
aftualiy render fuch Service to our Commerce in thofe 
Parts as may effedlually indemnify us for our Expences 
in fitting them out, even if we fhould be fo unlucky 
as in the firft Trial not to fucceed. Befides, whatever 
Acquifitions we make in Time of War, may be forti- 
fied and fecured by a fubfequent Treaty of Peace, fince 
none of our Neighbours are fo much interefted in thofe 
diftant Parts as to refufe to accomodate us, if in Return 
we gratify them in Matters in which they have a nearer 
Concern, and which it is very poffible, may not affedt 
us, or at leaft not fo much. . 
For though, without Doubt, we have a very high 
Intereft in the Balance of Power, and therefore ought to 
be careful in fecuring it, yet there is no Means fo fure 
for compaffing this as enlarging our Trade, and there- 
by extending the Foundation of our Naval Force, 
Whatever therefore tends to this Point is our higheft 
Concern ; and if there be any thing that merits more 
than ordinary Expences, even at a Junfture when we 
have fo many good Reafons to be frugal, moft certainly 
Projedls of this Sort ought to be regarded in that Light. 
We fhould be the more fenfible of this, if we would but 
confider ferioufly, and refledt frequently upon what firft 
gave us that wide Power, that high Credit, that great In- 
fluence amongft our Neighbours, of which, we have been 
fo long poiTeflcd. It was not moft certainly the 
deep Schemes of our Minifters, for thefe have been 
feldom laid, and when-ever they were laid, have been 
commonly difappointed ; for though no Nation has a 
greater Pronenefs to talk Politicks than the Inhabitants 
of Great Britain^ yet fince the Reign of Qiieen Eliza- 
heth, we have had no great Reafon to boaft of very re- 
fined Statefmen *, nor at the Bottom, perhaps, has this 
been any Misfortune to us, any more than to our 
Neighbours. It was not our military Exploits that raifed 
us to this envied Station, for though the Bravery of 
Englijh Troops was never contefted, yet we have lel- 
dom feen it employed fo much in our own Service 
as in that of our Allies. But the Foundation both of 
our Grandeur and of our Glory has been, on the one 
Hand, out great maritime Force, which, generally 
Ipeaking, whether well or ill employed, has maintained 
its Superiority ; and on the other, our immenfe Wealth, 
accruing from an extenfive Commerce, of which indeed 
we have feen many, and fome very large Computations 
made, and yet I am convinced, that none of them ex- 
ceeded the Truth, from this plain Reafon, that as yet 
we are not undone, after wafting in other Folks Quar- 
Co REA. 
rels fuch a Proportion of Wealth, as Nothing but fo” 
reign Trade, fuperior even in Profit to what it was ever 
thought, could poffibly have fupplied. 
This then fhould be our great Concern, for if we ever 
hope to difcharge our Debts, to leffen our Taxes, and 
thereby recover thofe Branches of Commerce that have 
been loft in Europe, it muft be by opening new Chan- 
nels, through which, notwithftanding the Burthens they 
have upon them, our Manufaftures may be carried to 
Markets where we may fet upon them what Value we 
pleafe. This Point is of ail others that of which we 
ought to be moft jealous j for if our Neighbours fhould 
get the Start of us in this, we fhould find our Misfor- 
tunes grow upon us, and our Profperity decline apace. 
It is neceffary therefore that we fhould be very ftrijft in 
examining what others may do, and what it is in our 
Power to do, while we have yet a fuperior Naval Forces 
for to provide early, and to prevent Mifchiets, is the 
Part of a wife and of a prudent People ; but to flay till 
they come upon us,is the very Reverfe. It is very evident, 
that notwithftanding the vaft Profits of our Commerce, 
we have been compelled to run in Debt and itjs as 
plain, that other Nations, fully poffefs’d of Naval 
Stores and valuable Commodities, are now fetting up 
Manufactures, and launching into a Commerce more 
diftant from them than japan is from us. Does it not 
then become us to weigh the Confequences of fuch a 
Conduct, both with Regard to them and to ourfelves ? 
Would it not be right to prevent the EffeCls of their 
Induftry by refuming our own ? Is there any Thing 
that can better employ the Thoughts of fuch as are ad 
the Helm ? Can they anfwer it to their Country, if 
they negleCd Matters of fuch high Confequence, for the 
Sake of Things that are nearer, but at the fame Time 
inconfiderable when compared to thefe ? Or can We 
have any Right to blame them, if from a fenfelefs Spirit 
ofFaClion, a groundlefs and unreafonable Oppofition, 
we keep them continually upon the Watch for their 
own Safety, and leave them not either Time to contrive. 
Power to provide, or Means to execute what is required 
for the publick Good Hov; many Nations have been 
undone by fome or other of thefe Miftakes ? And if 
we purfue their Errors, what Reafon is there to expeCl, 
or even to hope, that we fnould efcape their Fate ? ■ 
I muft indeed acknowledge, that in Point of Com- 
pofition I have offended greatly, by recurring fo often 
to Remarks of this Kind i I am fenfible that in this I 
have aCled weakly, ridiculoufly, abfurdly, as an Au- 
thor ; but alas ! what is my Character in that RefpeCt 
to the Duty I owe my Country ^ Periih all private Ad- 
vantages, all Views of Intereft, all Hopes of Fame, 
when it comes in Competition with a Nation’s Good. 
Let every Man who has the happy Fortune to gain the 
publick Ear, in any Meafure, in any Manner, or upon 
any Terms, ftrive to turn that Attention to the publick 
Benefit. - Let his Endeavours at leaft fpeak him a Pa- 
triot, whatever . his Succefs may do ; and let me have 
Leave to remember by Way of Excufe, for what may 
be accounted my Failing, the Anfwer of the Athenian 
Philofopher who was charged with the fame Fault, 1 
repeat, faid he, over and over again my Admotiitions ^ to a 
People, who commit over and over again, the fame Fauksl 
12 B 
Voi. II. N° CXL. 
SEC T. 
