e 
1804, 
America is now fo exaétly afcertained, 
that the Americans of the North Eaft 
coaft (who have gotten.the fur trade, to 
which the Britifh difcoveries gave rife, 
folely into their hands) make no more of 
a voyage to it than they would of one 
to Europe or even the Weit Indies, 
frequently fending thither the fmalleft 
fhips, brigs, and even fchooners of lefs 
than 100 tons burthen, without any con- 
‘fort. Neverthelefs the voyage is infinitely 
more tedious to them than the Britith, 
to whofe ports the former very frequently, 
if not moftly, previoufly refort acrofs the 
Atlantic to purchafe their articles of 
barter with the Indians, fuch as iron- 
work, gla{s- beads, &c. 
This fcheme, however, has never been 
attempted to be put into execution by 
the Eaft India Company ; although, from 
exifting circumftances, they interpole, 
and prevent all the other merchants of 
Great Britain from avery lucrative 
branch of trade, as will be prefently en- 
deavoured to be fhewn. One of the offi. 
cers on board the Refolution remarks 
that a very beneficial fur-trade might 
certainly be carried on with the natives 
of this vaft coaft, but without a zorthern 
pafjage, it is too remote, for Great Bri- 
tain to be benefitted by fuch commerce. 
With refpe&t to Great Britain, fettered 
as its commerce is with the Haft India 
charter, his remark is very juf; but if 
its commerce was unreftrained, his con- 
clufion will be eafily proved by experi- 
ence to be unfounded. The Americans 
of the United States, who have, as before 
tated, a more tedious voyage to their 
north weft coaft than the Britifh have, 
and are obliged to purchafe at home, or 
come to Britith ports for their articles of 
barter, make, notwithftanding, a very 
beneficial commerce of it. Why cannot 
the Britith, with the advantages of fail- 
ing dire€tly from their own ports, and 
with their own manufactures, do the 
fame? Becaufe the Eaft India Company 
fiand in their way. The. Americans, 
when they have obtained their cargoes of 
fays, carry them to China; exchange them 
for goods of that country, and return 
with a freight which clears from three to 
five hundred per cent, including purchafe 
of articles of barter, and_ provifions, 
freight, {eamen’s wages and all other ex- 
pences. A direct trade would be more 
unproduétive to them than to the Britith, 
-if they were obliged to bring their furs 
home as the Britifh merchants muft do, 
* becaufe rhe Eaft India Company poflefs 
the exclufive privilege of the Chinefe 
trade. In1799 a finall fhip of about s50 
Advantages of the American Fur Trade. 
_ 
tons burthen, carrying 11 men (includ 
ing captain and mate) and 8 guns re- 
turned to Bofton, in New England, with 
a cargo; which cleared near 500 per cent; 
and, in lefs than a month, feveral of the 
crew failed again in a fimilar expedition 
in fmaller {chooners from Briftol in Rhode 
Ifland. The fhip, according to the ac- 
count of fome of the feamen, who had 
made two voyages to the north weft coatt, 
was too large. One of 110 tons carrying 
four guns was fully adequate to the pur- 
pole of defence againft the natives, and 
light enough to run into creeks where a 
beat would ruh the hazard of being cut 
off. Sothat the expence of two veffels, 
proper for this fervice, is much lefs than 
is calculated by captain King, who con- 
fiders the voyage rather as intended for 
dilcovery than trade. 
If the Eait India Company interpofe 
between the other merchants of Great 
Britain and this lucrative trade, they 
ought to take care that the country lofes 
none of the objects for which fo many 
expeditions have been fitted out at a vaft 
expence. Although captain King pointed 
out that they might, at an inconfiderable 
expence (and which in faét may be re- 
duced much below his ftatement) benefit 
themfelves, yet they fuffer others (who 
can by no means cope with them if they 
were to take it up) to run away with the 
whole advantage. In one year ending 
the 30th Sept. 1799 the exports of the 
United States to North-Weit America 
amounted to 72,941 dollars; what mut 
their profits have been? The fur-trade 
of Canada was once thought important 
enough to be the object of a war with 
France, as was that of Nootka Sound, a 
few years fince, of caufing an armament 
againft Spain, although it could not 
pofiibly be of utility to any but the Eaft 
India Company, who have never thought 
it worth attending to; and their charter 
has been fince renewed without noticing 
it. The trade of the Eaft India Company 
to China drains this country of immente 
quantities of dollars, and it is certainly 
political to fubftitute, if it can be done, 
articles of manufacture for bullion. The 
Americans, who have very little of it, 
wifely purchafe with their own produce 
articles of Englifh manufacture fit for 
Indian markets; bring their furs to 
China, and the Chinefe produétions home 
without draining their country of a fingle 
dollar. This example ought to be fol- 
lowed by the Eatt India Company, and 
even ifs one or two hundred toouland dol- 
lars only could be kept annually in the 
country, it isan object. 
Lord 
