% 
1604.}  Obfervations on the Fur-Trade of the N. W.-Coafl. 
fit, and that only in the prefent time is 
| to be confidered, as the voyages of Cap- 
tain Vancouver and others have left no- 
thing to be done in a voyage to the 
North-Wef Coaft as a voyage of difco- 
very ; and the calculation of fix thoufand 
pounds as a fufficient fum for the purchafe 
and equipment of two veflels at Canton, 
I venture to afflure your Correfpondent, 
would be found very deficient, indepen- 
dent of the uncertainty of meeting two 
veflels adapted to the purpofe. 
Equipments have been made from Bom- 
| bay and Bengal; in tome cafes a voyage 
‘to our fettlement in New South Wales, 
combined with that te the North Weft- 
Coafts ; but the profit has not fufficiently 
encouraged the adventurers to continue 
the trade. In India the outfit of veffels 
is unavoidably great, from the advance 
paid on the European firit-coft of almoft 
all the articles comprized in it. Europe- 
ans muft be employid as feamen, whole 
pay, and that of the commander and 
| officers, far exceeds the pay of fhips 
‘equipped from this country ; and to thefe 
difadvantages may be added the high in- 
tereft of money and premiums of infur- 
‘ance. Meany other circumftances might 
be adduced as operating againft the pro- 
fecution of this trade from India, from 
whence fhips have failed without any im- 
pediment from the Eaft India Company. 
I agree with your Correfpondent, that 
the Britih nation has an undoubted right 
to trade to the NorthsWeft Coaft of Ame- 
rica ; but I cannot give my aflent to the 
manner in which he propofes this trade 
fhould be carried on “by the Eaft India 
Company. He takes iron as the princi- 
pal article to be bartered on the Noyth- 
Welt Coaft, and propofes fending it to 
China in the Company’s fhips, there to be 
tranfhipped on board two or more veflels 
of one hundred tons each : but he does not 
advert to the heavy port-charges upon ail 
veffels at the port of Canton, however 
{mall ; nor does he feem apprized, that the 
Chinefe do not willingly allow the tran- 
fhipment of goods in general, and are par- 
ticularly jealous of the exportation of iron, 
conceiving it may be applied to the manu- 
factory of arms againft themfelves. 
Tron is not now the principal article 
which the natives of America will barter 
their fkins for. Blue and {carlet cloth 
has, I am informed, become in requett 
among them; confequently an equipment 
to the North-Weft Coaft would be far 
more expeniive than your Corre{pondent 
18 awaic of 3 and the experience of the 
943 
paft has not encouraged the private mer- 
chants in India and China to continue the 
trade. 
That the Americans have derived be- 
nefit from this commerce, I am very well 
convinced ; but in calculating their ad- 
vantages it is to be confidered, that the 
commanders and officers of their fhips 
have failed at lefs wages than our’s ; and 
on their arrival at China, inftead of feli- 
ing their {kins for dollars, they barter 
them for inferior teas, generally bohea, 
which in America affords a very confider~ 
ableadvance onthe China price. A large 
portion, therefore, of the five hundred 
per cent. your Correfpondent afferts to 
have been gained by an American in 
1799, is to be attribnted to the profit on 
a homeward bound cargo. 
An equiyment to the North-Wett Coat 
of America cannot be made more advan- 
tageoufly than from this country ; but 
the length of the voyage, and the heavy 
port-charges at Canten, can only be coun. 
terbalanced by the advantages of barter- 
ing the turs with the Chinefe for teas and 
other Chinefe commodi‘ies, thereby fe- 
curing a profit on the homeward voyage: 
but J am not fo unreafonable as to expeét 
the Eait.India Company will permit their 
exclufive trade from China to be infringed 
forthe benefit of any individual, or for 
the public advantage of retaining in this 
country the number of dollars which 
would have purchafed the returning car. 
go; for your Correfpondent admits, that 
‘the Americans procure the articles bartere 
ed for the furs from Great Britain. 
Refpecting the 72,941 dollars ftated in 
the exports from America tothe North- 
Weit Coaft for one year ending 30th Sep- 
tember, 1799, I cannot help conjeciuring 
that amount comprizes the whole value of 
the éhips, provifions, and ftores of every 
kind ; probably an ‘adventvre of. ipirite 
for New South Wales may be inciuded ; 
and I mutt add, alfo, tirat I ever entertain 
my doubts of extravagant profits, {uch 
as five hundred per cent., upon any com- 
mercial adventuse: T generally, before 
the admiffion, requeit a debior and credi- 
tor ftatement. 
The price of fix otter-fkins at Caoton, 
in January 1303, as I am informed bya 
friend of mine now in London, was only 
fifteen dollars per fkin; therefore befcre 
any hafty conclufions are drawn of the 
-aétual value of that trade to this country, 
I would recommend your Corre!pondent 
to compute the probable number of fkins | 
to be collected annually on the Coaift, the 
oat Vi ete . price 
