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S
6
I
lu
PR
The
B
h
r
flf' -f
'> THE FREEBORN
u^/^l
englishman's
Unmalked Battery:
CONTAINING
REMARKS
ON T HE
PRELIMINARY ARTICLES
O F
P E A C E,
OROUNTIF.D UPON A
UNDENIABLE FACtS^
SHEWING \ ^<.
The fatal Tendency of granting the French -sl.
Fishery, and rcftoring our moft important
Conquefls.
my Country!
LONDON:
Printed for P. II u n t, in Ludgaw-Strect.
M.DCC.LXII.
Bibliotheque,
Le Sen'' in aire de Qu-^bec
3, r\ie de I'Uniyer&ite,
Quebec 4, QUE.
S IP l f
T
V^t
(3)
GENTLEMEN extremely
forward in their abufe,
fhould be extremelywa y
of their condua ; left that fhouW
expofe them to a retort of a more
fevere kind than their attack. 1 ne
artSs of peace furnilh great room
for fuch a retort, but it would be
ffiberal to take all advantages:
therefore, we will giv ■ -n^ a
flight Iketchof fome important mat
te£ to fhew how profoundly the
national intereft has been attended
a
to.
The preliminaries, as publiOied
fome time ago in the P^P"^; J^^
now found to vary in no effential
article from thofe given us by au
thority. The va:y appearancej^
( 4 )
them at that time not only exxitecj
general difguft but horror: they
were univerfally confidered as infe-
cure, inglorious, and no way ade-
quate to our exLiaordinary fuccefTes ;
and therefore not credited (though
feared by the difberning to be but
too true) becaufe it was hoped, or
rather people perfuaded themfelves
to believe, peace would not be
bought on fuch facrificing condi-
tions : but time has now difcovered
how fond we have been to pur chafe
a peace ; what generous ceflions we
have made, with hearts overflowing
with kindnefs, even to our natural
and fworn eternal enemies, that
a ftranger may be tempted to be-
lieve we were defirous of peace on
any conditions ; «^ any fort of a
peace rather than none.'*
About
\^i
I
^
Ab(
naries ;
and a'
two ///
deferv
ferved
forrow
nify,
fhoulc
to car
vanqu
Jike a
try, fh
//(y tal
baffad
I Thus
I
to op
> gociat
to figi
{lore
iT^y;
millio
but
{ 5 )
About the time that the prelimi-
naries firft began to be handed about,
and appear in the pubHc papers,
two little incidents happened, which
deferve pubUc notice. It was ob-
ferved with marks of regret, with
forrow for national honour and dig-
nify, that the conquering power
fhould equip one of the royal yachts
to carry over an ambaflador to the
vanquiflied i and having landed him
, like a hoftage in the enemy's coun-
try, fliould afterwards, with all hu7nt-
\lity take on board, the enemy's am-
baffador, and bring him to England.
Thus we became the firft drudges
^ to openly fet on foot a pacif c ne-
I gociation ; the carriers and fete hers
to fign away our conquefts; to re-
ftore power to the bankrupt ene-
my; to return what has coft ii$
millions of money and thoufands of
B 2 lives :
( 6 )
lives : generous Britons ! l1ic other
little incident is of a niyflerous na-
ture. It is true indeed it occafioned
fme al^rm, and nmnkind were af-
toniflied, but they could not ac-
count for the caufe ; and it is ftiH ^
ii poUtical myllery. A powerful :
fquadroa was equipped, at a confi-
derable expence ; the conuuand was
aiven to admiral Hawke, and he
billed, as the public expe&ed, to
intercept feveral vtn-y rich Spanifli,
and French (hips, then fuppofed to
be on their return home ; but foon
after he arrived on his ftation,^ he
^as ordered to bring his fquadron
back to England. In vain did thei
public fearch for a caufe of this
their fudden difappointment ; it re-
minded them .of admiral Haddick,
who ifSiR^his hands tied up.
But n/wlBfciiay of more than
proba-
:: other
:)us na-
afioiicd
ere af-
iiot ac-
is ftill
owerlul
I confi-
andwas
and he
^edj to
Spanifli,
pofcd to
DVit fooii
tion, he
Squadron
L did the.
; of this
t ; it re-
:Iaddick,
tied upc
ore than
proba-
(7 )
probability fecms to inform ns, that
liis iinexpcaed return mull: be at-
tributed to our earm/l defue of o/^-
taming a peace : is it therefore un-
likely, that it might be ftipulated
in fome fecrct preliminary ? It is
confeflcd, with thegreateft deference
to our fuperiors that thefe Ikfk
incidents arc but trifies, and tliat
they migk be pafied over, in order
to accomplifh fo defireablc an end
as peace : but
Trifles, light as air.
Are to the jealous inclicatior.s
ftrong,
As proofs from holy writ ;
and it is the old obfervation of thofe
philJ/ophers who have ftudied man-
kind, that the real difpofition of
men is often times more clearly
difcovered by fome trijlmg circum-
ftance,
I' I
I' !
;i| '
I
u i
t I
( M
ftance, than by one more impor-
tant.
This is a difagreeable theme,
and we will therefore quit it : we
are forry we have been fo unlucky
as to hit upon it ; but the reader
will pardon our errors, as our /^Z-
Bility is at leaft in exiftence, tho'
not e^ual to that for which our fu-
periors are more difiinguifi)ed.
The preliminaries naturally fall
under our confideration ; they have
been publifhed by authority; and
who can forbear reading them ? who
can forbear examining them, and
offering his opinion in an affair
where every one is fo materially in-
terefted ? This is a privilege which
Engliflimen yet enjoy. It is a pri-
vilege which every man ought to
hold dear to bis breaft as the facred
remnant of ineftimable freedom.
Confcious
>
(9)
Confcious of this conftitutional
right, where is that abjecl and
cowardly Have that is afraid to con-
demn thele preliminaries, if k Ihall
be found that they arc inglorious, in-
fecure, and the feeds of a future war
left in them ? That this may not be
the cafe all good Engliflimer. heartly
wiih ; but that it is but too probable all
men of difcernment hav6 too much
reafon to fear. They fee great fa-
crifices made ; frefh power, and con-
fequently new fwords put into the
enemies hands, as well as much
room for future civil and difpute.
Dangers like thefe are alarming , and
the candid and impartial, who
would if poflible think well, are now
in fpite of themfelves, in fpite of
every fentiment of cordiality, obli-
ged to yield to irrefragable convic-
tion.
It
■!
( lO )
It were to be wiHied, that the
firft preliminary article had been
the fulfilling of thofe articles ot
former treaties, which have not been
complied with; and that until
this ftipulation was fully and exadlly
performed, no other prelimimry
article had been agreed to. 1 he
neceffity and advantage of fueh an
article is apparent. Our right ot
cutting logwood would have been
primarily fecured ; our poffeffion of
Nova Scotia affixed ; the ifland oi
St. Lucia our own, &c. fince we
have, and can prove, a right to
thele places from forrner treaties ;
and consequently the fair fulfilling
of thofe treaties which gave us this
right oucrht to have been firft m-
fifted upon. Then, indeed, if from
motives of generofity, we had choie
to reftore any of thofe places which
our
)
our
woul
fureL
ry an
is th(
T
fonn
tanc(
maje
whic
migl
or h
rant
dep(
Brit;
tian
to h
righ
den
Caj
the
Lai
the
been
5 of
been
until
:aaly
inary
The
ch an
ht of
been
ion of
nd of
ce we
rht to
varies ;
IfiUing
us this
rft in-
if from
d chofe
5 which
our
our arms have conquered, there
would have been lefs indignity : but
furely to admit into the preUmina-
ry articles, what was before our own,
is the higheft infult. , r
The firft article is an article ot
form, and therefore of no impor-
tance*
« Art. II. His moft chriftian
majefty renounces all pretenfions,
which he has heretofore formed, or
^ might have formed, to Nova Scotia,
I or Acadia, in all its parts, and gua-
ranties the whole of it, with all its
dependencies, to the King of Great
Britain: moreover, his moft chrif-
tian majefty cedes, and guaranties
to his faid Britannic majefty, in full
right, Canada, with all its depen-
dencies, as well as the iftand of
Cape Breton, and all the iflands m
the Gulph, and river of St.
Laurence, without reftriftion, and
Q witliout
V'
without: ai>y liberty, to depart froxn
this cefTipn and - guaranty, under
anypi-eteuce,; oi: to trouble Gre^t
Britain in the pofTefTip^s abovemen-
tioned. His Brit-annic majefty, pn
his fide, agrees to grant to the, in-
habitants of Canada the Hberty of
the Catholic rehgion: he will, in
confequencc, give the moft ejcadt
and the mofl:< effedjtual orders, that
his new Roman Catholic fubjeds
may profefs the worfhip of their
religipn, according r to the rites of
the Roman church, as far as thq
l^w$ . of Great: Britain permit.
His Britannic majefty further agrees,
that the French inhabitants, or
others who would have been fub-r
jeds of the moft chriftan king in
Canada, may retire, in all fafety
and freedom, wherever they p}eafe|
and may fell their eftates, provided
it be to his Britannic majefty's fub-
• jeds,
J^
:t from
uader
; . Great
vemen-
■fty, • pn
the^ m-
jerty of
m\\, ia
I exadl
rs, that
fubjeds
>f their
rites of
as the
permit.
r agrees,
mts, or
:en fob-
king in
II fafety
■^ pleafe,
provided
ly's fub-
jcdts,
%
(H )
■Wti^ - OTetertC< Whatfoevfr, ejccept
Stei criminaFotofecutK^v the
vu!„^ >«xed 'to Ai.fpace^pf ^|^jen
■#? ^ItHHrue^^He peace <,f Ai^
4uffibH-, but that diifcuffionftiouW
S'beeti ddciaa tyefpre the pre-
4; W might f^^^
humbled -c6ndmon. of ^^^^
The ii^emorials drawn up by the
Hon Charles Townfhend, iti lo
S^ mafteriyrand cor^eaa^an-
.„er, prefented at^Paris in x^ 5 J^ by
■! I
1 !
( H >
William Shirley and William Mild-
mey, efqrs. fufficiently evince our
undoubted and unanfwerable right
to it. They have not left room for
the fmallcft cavil of the moft flbuf-
fling French negociator. The re;-
tentionof Cape Bretpa is not unr-
expeaed, becaufe in its prefent dit
^lantled ftate the ' Erench do. not
hold it in any eftimation ;. ancjihcy
have other places, vyhich they ^lalce
equally as valuable, panada iV the
moft important coa(|ueft w^ jretai|i
by this peace ; but it is a country top
fharp for EngfiAmen -to live| i^; It
is inacceffible half th^ year, '■ and
-many parts of it quite barren; and,
taking ten years together, it. does
not produce provifions enough for
its own inhabitants. Its commo-
dities were never fufficient to pay for
the woollen and other manufaaures
it received from France. Howeve^,
It
h
I Mild*
ce our
J right
om for
Iflbufl
rhe r^-
ot ui>-
jnt dil-
dp not
i§ t;he
rF^aip
try top
in; it
;, and,
t. does
gh for
mmo-
)ay for
idiures
kVever,
, ,,■ ..j,
It
i*
(;5)
it gives peace to all our northera
fettlements, and fecures to us the
friendftiip and alliance of thofe In-
dian tribes, contiguous to it^ and
furniflies us with furs ; an article
which: 15 capable of great improvc-
mait and much advantage to this
nation; did not French policy art-
fully check it, by a new-fafhioned
introdudlion of feathered muffs;
which our ladies fdr. want pf know-
ledge, i^nd our gentlemen for want
^ of confider^tlon, ';&^ffer to. k^^l in-
fenfibly upon them 5^^ before ftiey are
aware of the mifcjhieife it may'do tjbis
colony, or fhe ftab that is thus fe^
cretly given to pur- interefts. ;7;he
fuffirage of the,5*on>an catholic. reli-
gion in this, or any other country,
as far as the laws of Great-rBritain
permit, is abfurd ; becaufe the laws
of Great Britain permit no fuch
thing. It is true, indeed, Qur laws
allow
»
|lH
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!
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1
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^^^■': I'M
I^Kar^
t \
1
1 ;
1 ,
■
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1
1
1
1
1
l1
allow a liberty of .toiifcien«iTblit
^ toleration "^ ^'^^^■AA^^^
faith is no whet fe affertea : Jier^ are
cvenniany ^^"^^^^^^f^,^
.« Art! IH. Thc?M>j5fts^jte
arttele ihallV
iilphof StV!lLaurence:;.Attd«s.
to the moft chriftian king « W«^
t^e liberty to fifh in the gbl#^
. St. Laurence, on condmong the
fubjefts of France do not eg^^
the^aid fiftxery, brtt at he d^^^^^^
of tp leagues from all th..o^ft^
{ ^7 5
e1-t3t(t
aire
ittigaiati'd
-tfe other
on tBw the
lOt 'e^rcife
I thecoafts
belonging
lU
Ibelonging to Gj:eat Britain, as we
tUpfe on the continent, as thofc of the
iflands fituated in the faid gulph of
St. I^aurence. And as to what re-
lates to the fifliery out of the faid
gulnh, his moft ehriftian majefty's
fubje£t5 fliall notexercife the fifhery,
but at the diftance of fifteen leagues
frora the coafts of theifland of Cape
Breton.'
A fiftiery in the gulph of St. Lau-
rence is the moft dangerous branch
of it ^11 ; becaufe the French will
trade with their old friends the
roman catholics of Canada, will
furnifti them with French manu-
fadures, and take away our peltry ;
thus reaping the profits of the pro-
vince, and leaving us the expence
of fupporting it. As for the ftipu-
lation that they are not to come
within three leagues of our coafts,
it is vague and uncertain, and will
be
§}
lt.i ;-
A
.( »8 ) .
be ever prodiiftive of difputes and
diflenfion ; for how can the limits
of the fea be affixed? Are we,
bcfides being at the expence of keep-
ing a, military force in Canada: to
keep a fquadron on its coafts, and
in the gulph of St. Laurence, to
watch and prevent the French fifli-
ing beyond their due bounds? Is
not here a door for conftant caufe
of complaint? and will not the
French here find pretences for anew
war whenever they are prepared for
it? But this is not the only cellion
made by us; for the right which
the French had by the peace of
Utrecht is confirmed, of fifliingand
drying their fifti on the coafts of
Newfoundland. The 13th article
of the treaty of Utrecht is in thefe
words.
" The illand called Newfound-
land, with the adjacent iflands, fhall
from
1
I
^
; and
limits
we,
ieep-
X to
, and
e, to
s? Is
caufe
t the
r
anew
^d for
eilion
vhich
ce of
Lgand
.fts of
irticle
thefe
bund-
, fhall
from
')
( X9 )
from this time forward belong of
right wholly to Britain ; and to that
end the town and fortrefs of Pla-
centia, and whatever other places
in the faid ifland in polfeffion of
the French, fliall be yielded and
given up, within feven months from
the exchange of the ratification of
this treaty, or fooner if poflible, by
the moft chriftian king, to thofe
who have a commiflion from the
queen of Great Britain for that
purpofe. Nor ihall the moft chrif-
tian king, his heirs and fucceffors,
QX any of their fubjeds at any time
hereafter, lay claim to any right tq
the faid ifland and iflands, or to any
part of it or them. Moreover it
fhall not be lawful for the fubjefts
of France, to fortify any place iii
the faid ifland of Newfoundland, or
to erea any buildings there befides
ftages made of boards, and huts
D jieceffary
'i'
1
I
( 20 )
neceffary and ufual for drying ot
fifh, or to refort to the faid ifland
beyond the time neceflary for fift-
iiig and drying of fifli. But it fliall
be allowed to the fubjefts of France
to catch fifli, and to dry them on
land in that part only, and in no
other befides that, of the faid ifland
of Newfoundland, which ftretches^
from the place called Cape Bona-
vifta to the northern point of the
faid ifland, and from thence run-
ning down by the weftern fide,
reaches as far as the place called
Point Richc."— How careful are
the French of renewing and efla-
blifliing their claims according to
former treaties I
>« Art. IV. The king of Great
Britain cedes the iflands of St. Peter,
and of Miquelon, in full right, to
his mofl chriflian majefly, to ferve
as a fhelter for the French iifher-
I
^^1
\r
men
g of
fland
fifti-
ftiall
ranee
n on
in no
ifland
tches
Bona-
f the
: lun-
fide,
called
ul are
lefta-
ing to
Great
Peter,
;ht, to
D ferve
hfher-
men ;
7
\»,;
V 21 )
men ; and his faid majefty obliges
himfelf, on his royal word, not to
fortify the faid ilknds ; to ereft no
buildings there but merely for the
conveniency of the fifhery ; and to
keep there only a guard of fifty men
for the police."
The vaft confequence ot tms
fifliery fhould have prevented our
miniftry from ceding any port to
France in thefe parts. It is very
plain from the fituation of thele
iflands, and the part of the coaft
of Newfoundland which is for their
ufe, that they will raifea^ great a
fifhery as ever the poffcffion ot
Louifbourg gave them; for the
reader is greatly miftaken, it he
imagines that that town affilted
thei? fifliing in any other refpeft,
than as a port for their ftups to ren-
dezvous at. St. Peter s is as well fi-
tuated as Cape Breton, and they
D 2 doubt-
"1
( 22 ) _
dombtlefs, will make it as jgreat
nurfcry as the other. The value of
their cod fifhcry (for which the
ifland -^f St. Peter's is finely fitu-
atcd) before we drove them quite
out of it, was immcnfe. It was un-
bounded, and ineftimable, annually
employing at leaft a thoufand £iil,
from two hundred to four hundred
tons, and twenty thoufand men.
In the year 1730 there was a com-
putation made of two hundred and
twenty thoufand quintals of fifh at
Marfeiiles only, for a market, and
communibus annis they cured above
five millions of quintals. What a
dangerous nurfery of feamen the
fifliery has been, and ever will be^
while in their pofleffion is very ob-
vious, and yet tr;" .'as only a
fhare ; much greater mdeed than
ours. But thefe are not all the
evils we have to dread. The French
will
wil! dc
thefe ill
a magj
the wil
fafturei
maybe
produ<!
colonit
iflands
asalltl
France
Frenc]
or fon
trade;
prejuc
the ce
to us
thou§
mifed
thefe
his w
kno\^
is to
m
/
( 23 )
will doubtlef make one or both
thefe iflands another Monte Chrifti,
a magazine or ftorehoufc, where
the wines and brundy, the manu-
faftures and merchandizes of France,
may be fafely exchanged for all fuch
produds of Canada and the Britifh
colonies, as France or her fugar
iflands may have occafion for : and
as all the returns from thefe iflands to
France and her Weft Indies will be in
French fliips, it is not eafy to eftiriate
or forefee the great advantage to the
trade and navigation of France, a nd
prejudice to thofe of Great Britain,
the ceflion of thefe now barren a id
to us ufelefs iflands may be. AU
though the French king has pro-
mifed on his royal word not to fortify
thefe iflands, yet we have onl;/
his word for it ; and all the worla
knows how much a French promife
is to be depended on. As to the
number
( 24 )
number of men, was it to be con-
fined to twenty by the treaty, and
the French honour fliould be fo de-^
licate as not for fome time to ex-
ceed that number ; yet how eafily
may 2000 men be tranfported
thither a few months before they
refolve to recommence hoftiUties,
We have feen by the works lately
deftroyed by us at Cherburg, that
the French can make a good and
ftrong harbour upon almoft any
coaft, and every one may forcfee
more than another Cape Breton in
thefe iflands, as their harbours will
never be fhut up by frofts in winter,
^nd are fituated fo near the Britifh
colonies. We may remember what
defperate efforts the French made,
before the breaking out of this war,
to get an harbour in the bay of
Fundy, or any way in the north
American Ocean, that ftiould be
open
/
)C con-
y, and
fo de-
to ex-
r eafily
fported
:e they
ftilities.
s lately
g, that
od and
>ft any
forcfee
reton in
Lirs will
winter,
t Britifh
ler what
L made,
his war,
bay of
e north
ould be
open
f ( 25 )
open all the year ; and muft we, after
fo many glorious^vidories gratig
their fondeft wifhes ? Their old
fubieas the Canadians will certainly
prefer the wine and brandy of France
io Englifh malt fpirits in exchange
for their furs and Ikins, as well as
our own colonies will flock to this
new-ereded cheap market for aU
European as well as Weft and Eaft
Indian goods, as far as their natural
> produfts will enable them to pur-
chafe or exchange; W thus in-
ftead of extending our trade and na-
vigation, we may perhaps be found
to have parted with the largeft and
inoft valuable of what we had be-
fore • neither would the whole fleet
of England be able to prevent it,
unlefs they be allowed to enter and
feize the Britifti fmugghng veffels
with their crews and cargoes i which
at beft would tend to difguft and
alienate
I
( 26 )
alienate the affeftioiis of our colo-
nies from their mother-country.
This French fituation in the very
midft of the Britifh fifliery muft alfo
furnifh infinite occaiions of difpute
and quarrel, and perhaps of future
war ; the preventing of which is faicj
to have been a principal reafon for
preferring poor and barren Canada
to rich and fertile Guadaloi^pe.
" Art. V. The town and port of
Dunkirk fliall be put into the ftate
fixed by the laft treaty of Ai^c 1^
Chapelle, and by former treaties:
the cunette fhall remain as it now
provided that the Englifli engi-
is
neers, named by his Britannic ma-
jefty, and received at Dunkirk by
order of his moft chriftian majefty,
verify, that this cunette is only of
ufe for the wholefomenefs of the air,
and the health of the inhabitants."
of
This
ir colo-
:ountry.
:he very
luft alfo
difpute
F future
;h is faid
:afon for
Canada
i port of
he ftate
Aix h
treatits :
J it now
(h engi-
inic ma-
ikirk by
majefty,
only of
f the air,
itants."
This
>
( 27 )
. This is an inconfiderable article,
of very little importance, and can on-
ly feed French vanity with hopes ot
duping us with terrors of future m-
vafions ; for when they are ready to
break with us, they will foon fortity
Dunkirk, if it is of any advantage
to them : but that it is not, is pretty
evident from the prefent war, when
they have been reduced to every
fliift, and confequcntly would have
had recourfe to it if they could
have found any benefit m it. But
the French \uvc complaifantfy adow-
edtoput this place in the fame
ftate as fixed by former treaties, in
confcquence of their having a very
valuable branch of the filhery. ,
Will common fenfe allow, that
the demolition of Dunkirk is equal
to fuch a fiiare of the fiOiery ? It
may perhaps be faid, that Dunkirk
E **
? ^
( 28 )
is an objed of rtal fear in the Eng-
lifli, but 'tis no fuch thing ; formerly
it was feared, but never with any
real grounds, and the demand origi-
nally to demolifh it was unjuft and
abfurd ; v/e have juft as much right
to make the demolition of Brefh an
article in a peace, as we had to ex-
petS that of Dunkirk at firft. But
if this place was of fuch great confe-
quence as fome very obftinately in-
fift it is, fure it can never be allow-
ed of fo much importance, as
^en the tenth part of the New-
foundland fifhery ; France contains
many Dunkirks, but fhe poflefles
only one fifhery. If we examine
any lift of the prizes made during
the courfe of the prefent war by
the French, we fhall not find that
a large proportion of them was carried
into Dunkirk ; many other ports of
France
^ /
i f
4
•^^
e Eng-
)rmerly
th any
i origi-
uft and
;h right
»reft an
I to ex-
:. But
t confe-
tely in-
t allow-
ice, as
; New-
:ontains
poflefles
examine
during
war by
[nd that
s carried
ports of
France
^ /
^ f-
( 29 )
France have been more fatal to our
trade, and particularly Bayonne:
why don't we demand that the har-
bour of this neft of privateers be de-
molilhed? This abfurd condud is
founded merely on the French prin-
ciple " the law of convemence. As
to invafions, we have little or no
reafon to fear Dunkirk, (nor indeed
all the ports of France) on that ac-
count, for all the expence that ever
was or ever can be laid out upon It,
will never make it capable of being
a firft rate harbour ; and if it could
admit very large fhips of war, its .
fituation renders it very improper
for an invafion, for no port can be
fit for that, unlefs it is very near the
part of the enemies coaft they would
invade. Now from Dunkirk a fleet
muft fail a confiderable way before
it can land troops with fafety : all
E 2 o"^
( 30 )
our Kentifh and fouthern coafts quite
to Portfmouth are fo deep and im-
penetrable, that an enemy could
not even land ; or if they were land-
ed, make any progrefy. For thefe
reafons the French will never fit out
an expedition fleet from this port,
but only make a great parade of na-
val preparations at it, to freighter!
the Englifh : if it was really formi-
dable to the greateft degree, if its
harbour was as extenfive and deep as
thofe of Breft or Toulon, yet we
Hiould have no more reafon to be
afraid of it than of thofe towns ;
much lefs to give fuch an immenfe
confideration for its demolition.
The French, by means of the pof-
feffion of the iflands of !rt. Peter's
and Miquelon, and the confirma-
tion of part of the th rteenth article
of the treaty of Utrecht^ will foon
revive their fifhery, and raife it to
as
/
asgr
accei
then
mor(
Dun
fear
thoi
Frei
the)
thar
to r
pre
we
acc(
tha
dor
rop
for:
na^
pre
we
OC(
lo-i
J quite
d im-
could
: land-
• thefe
fit out
port,
of na-
Lghten
formi-
if its
leep as
^et we
to be
)wns ;
menfe
Jition.
e pof-
Peter's
firma-
artide
I foon
; it to
as
( 3O
as great a height as ever : fuch an
acceffion of wealth will foon enable
them to render many of their ports
more truly formidable to us than
Dunkirk, Sure we ought more to
fear a nurfery of twenty or thirty
thoufand feamen, than a paltry
French port! By the cod-fifhery
they will be enabled, more perhaps
than by any other branch of trade,
/ to revive their navy ; and every un-
prejudiced perfon vi^ill allow, that
we have far greater reafon to fear an
acceffion of naval power to France,
than any fmgle port in that king-
, dom. All the fortifications in Eu-
rope cannot make a French port
formidable : trade alone can raife a
navy ; and if we had taken care to
prevent them from raifing a trade,
we fhould never have had the leaft
occafion to fear French ports. The
ianorant may fancy, that as long as
^ Louilbourg
( 32 )
Louiftourg is demolifhed, and Cape
Breton is ours.
we have no reafon
to fear the power of France in thofe
feas. But nothing can be more ab-
furd ; it was not Louilbourg that
was of fuch bad confequence to us,
but the flourifhing ftate of the French
fifhery, which depended merely on
places to dry their fifli on, and erecft
warehoufes. The fortifications had
nothing to do with the fifhery, and
the want of them could never have
prevented its increafe ; we give them
iflands for their neceffary purpofes
as well fituated as Cape Breton, and
much nearer the great herring bank.
Can Dunkirk be reckoned an equi-
valent for a {hare of this trade? And
a (hare unlimited ; for the French
may, if they pleafe, employ ten
thoufand fail in it. In (hort, no
peace iTiould have been thought of,
that left the French at liberty to
employ
Cape
reafon
L thofe
re ab-
y that
to us,
^fench
ely on
dereft
ns had
■fy and
r have
e them
Lirpoles
in, and
r bank.
1 equi-
^? And
French
oy ten
ort, no
ight of,
3erty to
emoloY
( 33 )
employ a fiHgle (hip in this trade,
for a treaty could not contain an
article of greater importance. If
wc were to keep the whole of this
fifhery in our own hands, we fliould
gain annually two millions of pounds
fterling, by the lowed computations;
for it occafions a confumption of
manufadures greater than what at
firft can be conceived. It would
not only be depiiving our enemies
of fo important a branch of their
trade, but would abridge the re-
venue of France, by leffening the
confumption of French fait, the
profit of which is folely in the
crown, and more than half of which
that was made in the kingdom was
employed in this fi:hery. At the
fame time the revenue from our
own fait trade, which ftands en-
gaged for a confiderable part of the
national debt, would increaf j in
proportion
(34)
proportion as that of France lef-
fened. Were we pofleffed of this
fifhery alone, it might be an eternal
nurfery of thirty, forty, or perhaps
fifty thoufand feamen, fincc nobody
can tell the improvements which
would refult from the fole poffef-
fion. And had we not a right to
expea It from our extraordinary
fuccefs in the war ? Wei e we not in
a condition to impofe our own
terms ?
*' Art. VI. In order to re-elta-
blifli peace on the moft folid and
lafting foundations, and to remove
for ever every fubjed of difpute
with regard to the limits of the Bri-
tish and French territories on the
continent of America ; it is agreed,
that, for the future, the confines
between the dominions of his Bri-
tannic majefty, and thofe of his
moft chriftian majefty, in that part
of
bi the
fixed 1
fiffipp
the ri^
by a
of thi
repas
and t
tian
guar
the ;
ever
oug
fide
the
ifia
{lia
thi
fif
to
th
at
fe
y
;e lef-
f this
ternal
;rhaps
obody
which
wffef-
^ht to
dinary
notia
■ own
e-efta-
d and
emove
lifpute
[leBri-
on the
igreed,
anfines
lis Bri-
ef his
lat part
of
( 35 ) .,
t,f the world, (hall be irrevocably
fixed by a line drawr. along the Mif-
fiffipi, from its fource, as far as
tS r Iberville, and from thenc,
hvalinc drawn along the middle
otlisriver, and of the lakes M-
repas and Pontarchain, to the fea
atfd to this purpofe, the moft chrif-
Sn king cWs in full right, and
g^Lntil to his Britannic majeay
every thing that ne pu ,
ought to have poffeffed o- the leit
f,de of the river Miffiffippi, except
the town of New Orleans and the
ifl'nd in which it is fttuated, winch
£ remain to France", provided
tW the navigation of the river Mif-
fiffipp^Xu be equally free, as weU
to the fubieas of Great Britain as ^o
t^ofcof France, initswholebreadda
Ind length, from its fource ^o Ae
fea •, and that part expretly, whicn
F
( 36 )
is between the faid ifland of New
Orleans, and the right bank of that
river, as well as the paflage both in
and out of its mouth : it is further
ftipulated, that the veffels belonging
to the fubjefts of either nation fhall
not be flopped, vifited, or fubjefted
to the payment of any duty whatfo-
ever. The ftipulations in favour of
the inhabitants of Canada, infertcd
in the fecond article, fliall alfo take
place, with regard to the inhabitants
of the countries ceded by this ar-
ticle."
The pernn'tting the French to
continue in pofleffion of New Or-
leans can never re-eftablifh peace
on a folid and lafting foundation.
We might as well have given them
Crown Point. The latter was never
a greater thorn in thq fide of New
England, than the former will be in
Georgia. It will render what little
advantage
I
advanta^
j rived fro
I no effefl
' ing new
ments,
fubjeds
word, ]
be lodg
inevital
beginni
this pi
l/tinuallj
will b
Indian!
lion aj
underl
f.»B phers,
ahead
Louifi
town
Mobil
and b
toha^
\.
( 37 )
advantage may be mped to be de-
rived from the ceffion of Florida of
noeffea,andbethecaufeoffpread-
ing new terrors on the back fettle-
ments, as well as excite the Spamfh
fubiedls to afts of hoftihty. In a
word, it is permitting a dagger to
be lodged in our bofom, which will
inevitably ftab us to the heart in the
beginning of a future war From
this place the French will be con-
1 tinually making excurlions; they
will be ever tampering with the
Indians, and ftirring them to rebel-
lion againft us. It has been ever
underftood by all our beft geogra-
phers, that the river Miffiffippi was
Leady the weftern boundary of
Louifiana ; confequently then the
town of New Orleans, as well as
Mobile, were illegal encroachments
and being confideredas fuch, ought
to have been evacuated accordingly :
F 2 ^^
( 38 )
at leaft this fatisfaaion and fecurity
was reafonably expefibcd by the pub-
lic ; though the fame reafon which
is given for the retention of Canada,
5s equally ftrong for demanding
Lcuifana, and the nation has long
moft ardently wifhed this acquilition
had been made, as it is certain the
fecurity of our colonies will never
be made permanent till the French
are totally extirpated from north
Amcric3^t
<« Art. VII. The king of Great ^
Britain fliall reftore to France the I
iflands of Guadalupe, of Mariga-
lante, of Defirade, of Martinico,
and of Belleifle ; and the fortreffes
of thefe iflands fliall be reftored in
the fame condition they were in
when they were conquered by the
Britifli arms; provided that the
term of eighteen months, computed
from the day of the ratification of
' the
"ecurity
bepub-
I which
[Canada,
landing
jas long
milition |
tain the \
II never
French 1
1 north
dF Great
mce the !
Mariga-
[artinico,
fortrefles
ftored in
were in
d by the
that the
;omputed
ication of
the
(39)
the definitive treaty, ftaUbe gr-t^d
to his B«t«iinic majefty s fubjefts
who may have fettled m the fa d
iflands, and other places reftored to
France by the definitive treaty to
fell their eftates, recover their debts,
and tranfport their effeas as well
as their perfons, without oemg re.
ftrained on account of their rehgjon,
or under any other pretence what,
foever, except that of debts, or of
criminal profecuuons.
England, as a commercial nation,
will ever confider this as the
nioft important article in the who k
treaty. Pofterity will read wiA
aftonifhment this account of our
unbounded generofity. ^^'f <f\^J
will fay) could not our ancefiors keep
Zcofthofeipands?---^^^^.^f^^
Hoisxv, they -Jg^rL t£
them all-, but, like Charles the
Xllth, they had fuch a fpmt^of
( 40 )
taking and giving away, that they
rendered their enemies more formi-
dable than themfelves. Thus is
poor England left with a load ol
debt upon her fiioulders, and de-
prived of her moft valuable acqui-
htions, that would have greatly
contributed towards eafing her load.
Guadalupe is extremely frmttul,
and being not more than half cul-
tivated, is capable of very great
improvement. The great wealth
of it at the time we took it was un-
known. It produces more fugar
than any of our iflands, except
Jamaica, by which branch of trade
alone 300,000!. per ann. might be
cleared by our merchants. For
having fufficient from our own
iflands to fupply our home con-
fumption, the whole produce ot
Gaudalupe might be exported, and
would confequently be fo much
clear
vl/
( 41 )
clea:
rknd
;ery
giciii money to tingiana : on a v
moderate computation, not lels
than 400 fliips have annually failed
from this ifland, by which it is a
nurfery for at leaft 5000 feamen.
Befidcs the value of its great exports,
there is a trade carried on from
thence to the Carraccas, and other
parts of the Spanifti main. The
kves on this ifland are worth up-
wards of one million two hundred
fifty thoufand pounds. The dole
motive of attacking it, was, the
deftroying the neft of privateers,
which greatly annoyed our trade.
Is it not furprifmg, that we fhould
fo foon forget, in what view it was
confidered when in the hands ot
the French ? It would have been
much better for the nation this
conqueft had never been mack ; tor
fince we have had the polTeffion ot
it, the planters liave been the chiet
rrn in PI'Q.
o;ainers.
( 42 }
b-aiiiers
They have fold their fugars
and other produfts
fo dear, and
boueht their negroes fo cheap
-^ ^_J 4-U^Tf have
that
it IS computed they have nearly
doubled their fortunes. .g that
now we, are in the fituation of a
ieweller, who having received a
kmond in the rough, returns it
beautifully poliflied, without re-
quiring any confideration. ihe
generous capitulation granted to
die inhabitants by general Baring-
ton, not only fecured that valuable
conqueft, but gainedall their hearts;
fo that they were extremely difpoled
to become faithful fubjeds under fo
mild a government. As an acqui-
fition, that may be of fervice m a
time of war, Gaudalupe is by no
means inconfiderable. .
The ifland of La Defirade bemg
the firft land ufually made by our
Ihips bounds to the Weft Indies,
Tars
and
that
arly
that
of a
:d a
[IS it
; re-
The
d to
iring-
uable
earts ;
fpofed
dcr fo
acqui-
e in a
by no
I being
by our
Indies,
they
( 43 ) .
they are eafily perceived in the^r
t?rfefro..thLcebythepr.^^^^^^^
.of Guadalupe, which could not
Le a more' convenient ftation to
annoy us in this particular .han
that ifland. -a a ^c Urere
Marigalante is an iHand as large
as Antigua, and produces a great
deal of tobacco and cottee.
„ Martinico makes annually about
forty tkoufand hogflxeads of wtec
S;ir, and t.nthoufand.f brown
nrodveious quantities of cottc,
S and 1 good deal of cot^n:.
it has an excellent iiarbour, to whj
all fliips -repair in the hurricane lea
fon St. Pierre is a very populous
We and weH built town -, here rt
• Windward Iflandscenters, and from
whence they are all furmfhed with
wnencc y Tliis ifland has ever
European goods. 1 Ins man
G
. ^
( 44 )
been the terror of Bar badoes, Antigua,
St. Kitt's, Nevis, and Montferrat.
The whole French Leeward
liland credit with old France was
eftablifhed with Martinico, and Mar-
tinico alone ; all their other iflands
traded with Martinico, and Marti-
nico alone traded with old France.
It is computed that thefe iflands
make annually at leafl: one hundred
thoufand hogflieads of white and
brown fugar, the duty of which
would be to England, if we kept
them, 600,000/. a year. Their
coffee, cocoa, cotton, and rum,
would amount to as much as
their fugar ; and it could be eafily
made appear, that thefe iflands
would pay at leaft one million a year
revenue ; and this would pay half
the intereft of all the money bor-
rowed the whole war, befide the
prodigious
I
tigua,
:rat.
sward
; was
IMar-
flands
Vlarti-
mce.
{lands
ndred
2 and
which
I kept
Their
rum,
ch as
eafily
iflands
a year
ly half
;y bor-
ic the
ligious
^m'
( 45 )
prodigious trade it would occafion
to the kingdom.
Let it be remembered, that when
we reftored them, the French had
it not in their power to take any
thing from us. Amazing generofity !
We fhould put ourfclves into the
place of the French, by calmly
aflcing ourfelves, Wa^ England at
the mercy of France at this time,
what would France require of Eng-
land? Doubdefs, a ceflion of all
the means to hurt her favourite
views, which center in the extenfion
of her commerce, and the profpe-
rity of her trade. As both nations
have the fame purpofes, what muft
a French minifter, meeting at a ta-
ble, where he is to give law to Eng-
land, and toffing down his papers,
fay, but " Gentlemen, my mafter
expefts that you are to abolifti your
marine ; he is tired oi having you
G 2 t^
( 46 )
to encounter every time you are* able
to make head againft him ; he fees
no end of it, and therefore, once
for all, you are to reduce your {hip-
ping to the number of twenty fliips
of the line, and thirty- five frigates.
Thefe are fufficient, while France
is your friend, for the protedion of
your commerce, and the defence of
the few colonies you have left. — You
muft comply, or expcd: the confe-
quenccs."
Every man, who knows any thing
of Hiftory, muft be fenfible, that
the ambition of France, for upwards
of a centery paft, has been to be a
commercial and maritime Power.
This fpirit ftill dwells upon the
minds of her people ; and for fifty
years paft has influenced all hei*
raeafuies ; therefore the important
point which England ought to have
had in view, was cruihing the com-
merce
( 47 )
merce and naval power of France:
but unhappily this feems to have been
forgot.
Belleifle is of no fervice to Eng-
land ; therefore its reftoration is
fcarce worth mentioning.
« Art. VIII. The moft Chriltian
king cedes and guaranties to his Bri-
tannic majefty, in full right, the
iilands of Grenada, and the Grena-
dines, with the fame ftipulations m
favour of the inhabitants of this co-
lony, as are inferted in the lid article
for thofe of Canada: and the par-
tition of the iilands called Neutral
is agreed and fixed, fo that thofe of
St. Vincent, Dominico, and Tobago
fhall remain in full right to Eng-
land, and that of St. Lucia fhall be
delivered to France, to enjoy the
fame in like manner in full right :
the two crowns reciprocally guaran-
tying
( 48 )
tying to each other the participation
fo ftipulated".
The Grenades are every way un-
ferviceable. They are at too great
adiftance from ou/ iilands to add
any ihing to our fecurity; and their
climate is exceeding unwholefome ;
the moft dreadful fevers rage there
perpetually. They are of no kind
of importance ; were never of any
ufe; are mean and pitiful; and
have therefore been feldom heard
of.
As to the Grenadines, " they are
fo inconfiderable, that no nation
has thought them worth pofTeffing."
Salmon. Such are the equivalents
for reftoring the beft iflands in the
Weft Indies.
The partition of the neutral
iflands was no doubt diftated by the
fame wifdom. St. Vincent, Do-
minico, and Tobago, which are our
0W71
\
»>
N
( 49 )
o'-jcn already y and confequently ought
not to have been as objefts to be
purchafed in the treaty of peace.
However, thefe three are altogether
worthlefs. St. Vincent, the largeft
of them, cannot be planted with
fecurity, being inhabited by the
moft barbarous of all favages (the
Canbbees) who can arm eight or
ten thoufand men at any time ;
neither fair nor foul means cm clear
the country of them, as they can
occafionally fecure themfelves frorti
danger in the mountainous parts of
the illand. As to Tobago, it is
fcarce worth mentioning, and is ftill
more unhealthy, and is infefted with
infefts to a degree that is abfolutely
intolerable; the negroes frequently
efcape to the neighbouring conti-
nent, and the favages as often vifit
it for plunder ; fo there is no fecu-
rity for the planters ; befides,. in all
thcfe
f 5^
thofc Ilkncls there are no rivers,
which is the cafe with moft other
Leeward Iflands belonging to the
EngUfli ; and upon that account, as
well as their foil being cxhaufted,
they are fcarce worth any body's
having. Dojninico has neitlier bay
nor port to retire to, nor can the
fhips have any fhelter .by.t under it.
Where then is the ufe of tliis littk
ifland ? St. l^ucia b rthe only one
q( importance ; Wt how we can afr-
certain the givifig it away is matt(M:
pf furprize ; fpr it appears by the
memorials delivered at Paris by the
Englifhcommiiraricsia 1751^ that
it was private property. It is there
faid, that Charles I. made a grant
of it in 1 6 27 to the earl of Carlifle ^
and it appears from ,thc records of
the office of the commiffionqrs for
trade and plantations, that, in pur-
fuance of this grant, the earl of
CarUfle
rivers,
other
:o the
int, as
Lufted,
body's
er bay
an the
ider it.
IS little
Jy one
can aC-
mattor
by the
by the
i^ that
is there
a grant
;;arlifle ;
:ords oi
n^s for
in pur-
earl of
CarUfle
( 50
Carliflctook poffcllionof thisifland,
bv lending fcveral colonics of Englilli
to it ill the years 1635, 1638 and
1640 ; yct^ from feme unaccount-
able caufc, it was one of thofe
places, the fate of which was by
the treaty of Aix la Chapellc left
to the decifion of Gommiflaries ;
and, according to the rules of
found policy, the difpute ought
to have been adjufted before the ad-
miffiofl of any preliminary articles
for the future definitive treaty. It
grows a great deal of coffee and
cocoa, and is more valuable than
almoft any illand in the Weft In-
dies, on account of its very excel-
lent harbour, which has all the ad-
vantages that can be defired, and of
which we ftand in great need, be-
caufe we have only one harbour,
which is far inferior (St. John's at
H Antigua)
( 52 )
Antigua) that is capable of being
of any real ufe or advantage to us.
<« Article IX. His Britannic ma-
jefty (ball reftore to France the ifland
of Goree, in the condition it was in
when conquered: and his moft chrif-
tian majefty cedes in full right, and
guaranties to the king of Great
Britain, Senegal."
Senegal without Goree will be
found to be like a coat without
fleeves. By this feparation of them
neither our African trade will reap
any advantage, nor will that of the
French be leffened. Goree of itfelf
is fufficient for the negro trade: and
as for Senegal, if the claim of an ex-
clufive grant to its trade is admitted
and gratified, the conqueft will no
longer be of any ufe to the public.
Will it be prefumed, that our mi-
nifters detained it only for the pur-
pofe of bellowing it on one man,
^ to
( S3 )
to the exclufion of all the other
merchants of this kingdom? Its
principal commodity is gum, which
every one knows is abfolutely necef-
fary in the printing of linnens and
other manufaftures, of which the
home confumption, as well as ex-
portation, is very great: and as the
late miniftry relieved us from the
neceffity of buying this article from
our neighbours on their own terms;
foit is hoped the prefent will fe-
cure it to the public from that worft
enemy to trade, a monopoly.
By the loth article we are more
cenerous in the Eaft-Indies than we
are in Weft, for in theEaftwereftore
all without any equivalent. 1 he
French aretobe put inpoffeffion of the
fame territory which they had in 1 749.
upon condition that they renounce
the acquifitions which they h^c
made on the coaft of CoromandeL
H 2 This
(54-)
This is very extraordinary: How
can the French renounce what they
have not ? It is well known that they
have been extirpated from the whole
coaft of Coromandel long ago : they
do not hold one inch of territory
upon it. The confequence of re-
ftoring them all they have loft in
probability, will be furnifliing them
with new opportunities for tamper-
ing with the nabobs of Arcot, &c.
and again exciting them to afts of
hoftility againft us.
<' Art. XI. The ifland of Mi-
*
norca fhall be reftored to his Britan^
nic majefty, as well as fort St. Philip,
in the fame condition they were in
when they were conquered by the
arms of the moft chriftian King;
and with the artillery that was there
at the taking of the faid ifland, and
of the faid fort."
Altkr
^9
( 55)
Altho' Minorca was once thought
to be of great confequence, and was
reprefented as fuch in Admiral
Byng's time ; yet during the courfe
of the prefent war we have not felt
the lofs of it. The enemy's fleets
never efcaped out of the Mediterra^
nean, and our trade there has been
protected juft in the fame manner
?s before. If Minorca's being in
the hands of the French made any
alteration at all, it was rather to our
advantage, for the deftruSion of the
two French fquadrons under Du
Quefne, and De la Clue, has been,
in fome meafure, attributed to our
fleet's being obliged to keep the fea,
there not being any harbour for
them to lie in under the excufes of
careening, watering, &c.
The .Xllth, Xlllth, and XlVth
articles relate to Germany. Hanover,
Hefle, Brunfwick and Buckebourg,
are
( 56 ) •
are all to be evacuated' by the
French; Oftend and Nieuport are
to be evacuated. Gleves, Wezel,
and Gueldres, belongingto the king
of Pruffia, are Hkewife to be evacu-
ated. And each party has bound,
themfelves up not to affift their Ger-
man friends. But an after-declara-
tion of the French minifter fays,
diat France is ftiU underftpod to be
left at liberty to pay her debts.
Thus, may fl^e, under die^fpecious
pretence of paying her debts, affift
Che Emprefs.Queen or any other
German ally for thefe ten years to
come ; while we, on the contrary,
cannot do our allies the fame juftice,
becaufe there is m loop-hole for us
to creep out at. By the XVth ar-
ticle the legality of fome prizes
nvade on the Spanifli flag before Ae
war with Spain, are to be tried : But
no mention is made of the Antigal-
lican,
■J the
t are
/"ezel,
: king
jyacu-
Dound
r Ger-
:clara-
• fays,
. to be
debts,
jecious
, affift
other
ears to
•ntrary,
juftice,
for us
^th ar-
prizes
'ore the
d: But
Intigal-
lican,
(57)
llcan, nor of the number of EngH{h
veffels which the Spaniards have un-
lawfully feized, nor of the many in-
juries and infults we have received
from them, and on which account
we have a very equitable claim to
demand both juftice and damages.
« Article XVI.' His Britannic
' majefty fhall caufe all the fortifi-
cations to be demoliflied which his
fubjefts have ereded in the bay of
Honduras, and other places of the
territory of Spain in that part of the
world, four months after the ratifi-
cation of the definitive treaty : and
• bis catholic majefty ihall not for the
future fufFer the fubjeds of his Bri-
tannic majefty, or their workmen,
to be difturbed or molefted -under
any pretence whatever, in their oc-
cupation of cutting, loading and
carrying away logwood ; and tor
this purpofe they may build without
hindrance,
( S8 )
hiacirancei and occupy without in-
terruption, the houfes and maga-»-
zines neceffary for them, their fa-
miUes, and for their effeds; and
his faid cathoUc majefty affures to
them by this article, the entire
enjoyment of what is above ftipu*-
lated."
Had it been ftipulated that all
former treaties fhould have been
fulfilled, this article would not have
been here.
The firft fettlement of the log-
wood colony, in the bay of Hon^
duras, was by the Englifli in 1656.
The Indians acknowledged the
fovereignty of the crown of Great
Britain, and payed homage, and
took the oaths to every new gover*-
of Jamaica, on his firft arrival.
And we have juft as good a right
to this colony, as any of the Britifti
planters have to their eftates in
America ;
tt iii~
r fa-
and
£8 to
intire
It all
been
have
log-
Hon^
[656.
the
Great
and
;over-
rrival.
right
Jritifti
es in
srica J
( 59 )
America ; fuch ads as thefe being
deemed, in the Weft Indies, to
give the ftrongeft right and title to
fuch plantations. Moreover, the
the river Bellefe and the land ad-
jacent, has been claimed time im-
memorial by the Moflcitoe Indians,
who were from the firft in a'liance
with Britain, and who were the ori-
ginal natives of the place, and have
never been conquered by, nor fub-
mitted to the dominion of the Spa-
niards, (who have no towns or
forts either in the bay of Honduras
or the Mofkitoc country) but have
long been faithful fiiends and allies
to the Englifh nation : they have
by virtue of fubmitting to the fove-
reignty of the crown of England,
and this crown's acceptance of fuch
their fubmiffion, put themfelves and
all their lands and territories under
the dominion of the Britifh govern-
I mei\t ;
( 6o )
ment ; and therefore, in confequence
this river, and the land adjoining,
claimed by the Britifli logwood-
cutters and traders, became annexed
to the crown of England, from the
firft poffeffion of the fame. The right
then of the Britifli fubjeds to cut
logwood, &c. in the bay of
Honduras, being fo evident and
uncontrovertible, this 1 6th article,
which " caufes all the fortifications
which they ftiall have ereded in this
bay, to be demoHflied" is of great
difference, as it renders our fituation
entirely precarious, and wholly de^
pendent on the Spaniards, In the
bay of Campeachy we have an equal
right to the cutting of logwood,
and it is confirmed by treaties. In
the year 1667, when the firfl ge^-
neral treaty of commerce was made
between France and Spain, fome
EngHfh privateers happened to land
c
r
I
I
1
( 6i )
on tKe province of Jucatan, a pe-
ninfula of Mexico, in the bays of
Honduras and Campeachy, and pe-
netrated a great way into the country,
without feeing one Spaniard there ;
upon which they juftly concluded
they had a right to take poffeffion
of it, which they did by the ftrongeft
tenure that can be imagined, viz.
clearing and planting ground, fellmg
wood and building houfes. They
received great encouragement from
Jamaica, &c. and in the year 1669
great quantities of logwoou were
tranfported both to Jamaica and
New-England. The next year,
1670, was concluded the American
treaty by Sir William Godolphm,
which, by the famous claufe of uti
pofftdetis, confirmed to the Englilh
ail their poffeffions in America;
and their logwood trade, and pof-
fefTions upon the bay of Campeachy,
J 2 were
,oJi
( 62 )
were thereby clearly confirmed. It
is very remarkable, that from the
time of their firft fetthiig in that
bay in 1667 to the 1670, when
the above treaty was made, the
EngHfh did not meet with the leaft
interruption from the Spaniards, nor
do we find one fingle memorial
made againft the faid treaty by the
Spanifh minifter at tlie court of
England. However, in 1672 the
Spaniards began to queftion the
Englifh right to that trade ; for in
that fame year the queen Regent of
Spain publiihed a royal Cedula,
importing, " that fuch as fhould
make an invafion, or trade without
licence in the ports of the Indies,
fhould be proceeded againfl as pi-
rates, &c." This Cedula was con-
ftrued by the Spaniards to inhibit
the Englifli irom cutting logwood
in Campeachy, and they adually
confifcated
( 63 )
confifcated all Englifli fliips that had
any on board. This, howeverj
being an afl: of unjud power, and
not* acquieftd in by the Englifli^
their right to the fettlement in Cam-
peachy, and the lodvvood trade,
was not thereby weakened : the
treaty of Utrecht confirmed it ; be-
caufe, after confirming the Ameri-
can treaty, a ftipulation is inferted,
I " that the fame fliall be without
any prejudice to any liberty or
power, which the fubjefts of Great
Britain enjoyed '^efore, either thro'
right, fufference, or hidulgence."
The XVIIth article fays, the king
of Spain renounces his claim to the
fifliery of Newfoundland. This
claim was never lawful, nor in any
former time ever admitted by the
Englifh.
*' Art.XVni. The kingof Great
Britain (ball reftore to Spain all that
he
( 64)
tie has conquered in the illand of
Cuba, with the fortrefs of the Ha-
vanna ; and that fortrefs, as well as
all the other fortreffes of the laid
ifland, fhall be reftored in the fame
condition they were in when they
were conquered by his Bntanmc
majefty's arms." .
The effeds of this reftitution
will in all probability be felt when
it is too late to retrieve them ; when
the ambitious defires of the family \
compaa lliall begin to be put in
execution. The poffeffion of this
place in a time of war, would en-
able us to lock up the Spanilh trea-
fures ; or if Spain ftould attempt to
bring thera home, to take and apply
them to our own ufe and purpofe.
Deprived of thefe refources, in a
{bort time, Ihe would become
- deftitute of finances, and wholly un-
able to fupport the expence ot a
war,
\
l^nd of
he Ha-
well as
:he faid
he fame
len they
ritannic
ftitution
;lt when
; when
- family ^|
put in
of this
ould en-
lifli trea-
tempt to
nd apply
purpofe.
es, in a
become
holly un-
:nce of a
war,
( 65 )
war ; not only Spain, but France
likewife muft feel, with equal con-
cern the fatal effeds of this poflef-
fion. France became bankrupt in
1759, fmce which time fhe has ex-
erted every art of power and op-
preflion, by infupportable taxes upon
her people, of all ranks, to the ruin
and beggar 01 ber fubjeds ; made
ufe of ever) iirt a id mode ot folici-
tation to extc t loans, free gifts, &c.
from every degree of men in every
corner of the kingdom; Ihe has
been obliged to the Dutch, Ham-
burghers and Genoefe; and who-
ever would truft her, but chiefly to
Spain. The annual treafures from
the Weft Indies, flowing into Spain
free and unmolefted, gave frefli
fpring to her hopes, and combined
the two nations into one by the fa-
rnily compaft ; and from the re-
four ces derived from tlaence fhe
has
(66)
has kept her head above water;
But thefe refources were cut off by
the lofs of the Havana. France inuft
inevitably have fliared the fame im-
beciUty, and want with Spain, and
be as deftitute of money, as ilie is
already of credit, had (he not by
her policy, juft faved herfelf in time
by this peace
The keeping the Havanna in our
pofleffion in time of peace would
have been a firmer bond of friend-
fliip, and perpetual Union between
England and Spain than can ever be
effedted by the moft explicit treaties :
in this cafe the old adage would have
been as good as ever, " Peace w^th
Spain and war with all the World."
For the Havannah, in our poffeffion,
would ftill have been very ufeful to
Spain, provided Ihe returned to her
old principles, and adopted us as her
fivourite commercial nation. By
the
,^ater.
ff by
muft
e im-
, and
{he is
lot by
1 time
in our
would
riend-
:tween
ver be
eaties :
d have
;e with
^orld."
feffion,
feful to
to her
s as her
1. By
the
( 67 )
the Spaniards adhering to us, we
fhould have reaped the benefit ot
the Have trade, and a copious field
of confumption for our home aad
ftaple commodities of every kind,
and this would have been puttmg
Spain to no difadvantagw whatever,
as fhe muft be fupplied with thofe
articles by the French, or fome other
power, if not by us in return for
thefe advantages arifing to us, me
would not only have enjoy«i the
benefit of the Havanna as full as
ever, in bringing home her treafure,
tranfaaing her bufinefs, and carry-
ing her authority over a 1 her do-
mtnions in America, but would
have received at all times the hearty
and full fupport of all our power,
to eftablifh and maintain her rights
in every part of the world bf
whomfoever attacked : a friendOnp
and alliance of the more exalted
K. importance
( 68 )
importance to her, as her whole
fortune depends upon the fea ;
where we can do her, or all other
nations, the greateft hurt, or the
greateft fervice. Were thefe the
only ad vantaj^es. which might ai'ife
to Great B/i tain from the poffeflion
of theFfavanna in the time of peace,
they might juftly be deemed of
ineftimable value i but there is ano-
ther, which, the more it is confix
oered, will rife in its importance,
and ftrike flronger and ftronger
convidion on the mind. Of the
policy and condudt of all the Chrift-
ian powers, no effort is fo immedir
ately threatning and deftruftive to
this nation in particular, and to all
Europe in general, as the clofe foe-
deral union, comprehended under
the family compact between France
and Spain. None ever was made
with fo fair and compleat a view of
cffeding
i
whole
fea ;
other
3r the
e the
feflion
peace,
ed of
s ano-
confl-?
tance,
rongey
>f the
:hrift~
medi-
ive to
to all
fe ice-
under
''ranc(^
made
iew of
eding
( 69 )
offeaing that univcrfal monaruhv*
fo loag attempted, fo tenacioufty
purfoed by the Houfe of Bourbo#v
and fo univerfally dreaded by every
other prince and ftate. If France
alone, and depending upon herfpit
only, has been able to (hake and
endanger the liberties of Europe ;
what may .ve not exped in courlfe
L of time, when fhe fball be ftrength-
'L ned by all the commerce and force
^ of Spain, and fiapporteH '^v all the
treafiues of Mexico and Pern? thele
are advantages which fhe will now
poffefs, and now flie will look tor
the fruits of her induftry and toi
for upwards of fixty years. AU
thefe would in a moment have been
blafted by our retention of «ie Ha-
vanna. It is in this point that that
place would have become the bul-
wark, and we the protedors and
auardians of the liberties of Europe,
" K 2 a
I
( 7o)
t poft not only of the firft honour,
but of the greateft utility and ad-
vantage to ourfelves. Nor would
there have been any more difncuity
in the prefervation of it, than we
have found in the poffeiTioii of
Gibraltar. The cafes are fimilar.
By the 19th article we obtain
Florida, in confcquenceof reftoring
the Havannah: a worthlefs equi'"
valent. Florida is a wild barren )
defert ; without trade or manufac-
tures, or even people to confume
them. We fhall be at the expence
of keeping a military force there,
without being able to reap any pro- ^
fit by it. Every one who knows
any thing of Florida knows this to
be tru^M^d that the Spaniards never
made it, ri6r thought it of any fer-
vice ; therefore, they may readily
give it for fuch an import*iilrplace
as the Havannah. Befides, was it
of
\il
'
I
I
i
I
DUf,
ad-
mld
ulty
L we
. of
ar.
)tain
>ring
irren ) I ^
ifac-
fume
)ence
here,
pro-
nows
lis to
lever
y fer-
^adily
•place
ivas it
i
of
I 71 )
of any value, the fuffering the French
to be in poffefBon of New Orleans
would effedually deftroy it to us ;
and if the few Spaniards, who are in
it, had any trade to carry on, and
had occafion to purchafe any ma-
nufaduries, would they not apply
to their Roman catholic friends the
French at New Orleans? The Eng-
U(h are hateful in the eyes of the
Spaniards, becaufe of their reli-
gion.
By the XXth article we procure
peace for our aJiy the king of Por-
tugal, and the Spanifh troops are to
evacuate his dominions. The fuc-
ceeding articles relate to the diffe-
rent periods of evacuation, and the
taking poffeflion of the f^eral places
reftored, together with fome articles
of form. »
Such are the principal conditions
on which we are going to make
peace .
li 5
f 7*2 J
j^feacfe ; ^nd fuch are the dangers
aiid evil confequenfc^s, wbicii, from
the known perfidy of tlie French^
we have reafon to fear will arifc
from th<^m« —
Let it be rem^nl^red, ttet the
famous Famify CmpaB ia iMc pre-
liminaries is not mentio:(iaJ, though
it was tkecaufe of duf going to war
\i ith Spain ; arid is miiverfally (aid,
6r rather known, t6 be a treaty of
firm union and concord between
Frariia and Spain ; formed by am-
bition to deftroy ihe ballance of
power, and'/or ^^r to difturb th^
peace of mankind. As this com-
pad is riot mentioned, how can it
be faid that We have obtained the
end for which we went to war? Or
while k exifts, how can it be faid
that we are in fafety ?
Now let us afk, if we were in
013I enemies fituation and they in
curs.
^1
I
(73)
ours, whether would they negociate
thus generou/lyP Whether they would
thus give away the fruits of their
blood and treafure? If, bcfides
Minorca, France had conquered Ja-
maica, Antigua, Newfoundland, Vir-
ginia, Madras, and expelled us from
our fettlcments on the coaft of A-
frica ; and if we had nothing in our
poffeffion belonging to the French
but Belleifle, whether /he v^ould
uot totally exclude us from the
fifhery in the firft place, and after-
wards treat wih us on no other foot-
ing, than exchanging Belleifle for
Minorca, and retaining all the other
conqucfts? The French would not
think that fuch acquilitions would
in the end ruin them. And fuppo-
fing Spain, inftead of lofing the Ha-
vannah, had maftered Gibraltar,
how much mode?^ation might wc
expcdt from the court of Madrid?
FINIS.