HISTORY OF THE [book vi. 
260 
of exchange, furnishing them so far with the 
means of remittance to Great Britain, in reduction 
of their debts to the British merchants. 
From this account of the exports from the Bri¬ 
tish West Indies to the continental colonies, it ap¬ 
pears that America, besides affording an inexhaust¬ 
ible source of supply, was also a sure market for 
the disposal of the planters surplus productions; 
such, I mean, for which there was no sufficient 
vent in Europe, especially rum; the whole import¬ 
ation of that article into Great Britain and Ireland, 
having been little more than half the quantity con¬ 
sumed in America. On whatever side, therefore, 
this trade is considered, it will be found that Great 
Britain ultimately received the chief benefits result¬ 
ing from it; for the sugar planters by being cheap¬ 
ly and regularly supplied with horses, provisions, 
and lumber^ were enabled to adopt the system of 
management not only most advantageous to them¬ 
selves, but also to the mother country. Much of 
that land which otherwise must have been applied 
to the cultivation of provisions, for the maintenance 
of their negroes and the raising of cattle, was ap¬ 
propriated to the cultivation of sugar. By these 
means, the quantity of sugar and rum (the most 
profitable of their staples) had increased to a surpri¬ 
sing degree, and the British revenues, navigation, 
and general commerce, were proportionably aug¬ 
mented, aggrandized, and extended. Having an 
advantageous market for their rum, the planters 
were enabled to deal so much the more largely 
