:

be abandoned, as of no value whatever? But a rivalry might be highly useful and as it remains dubious if the Eaft Indies poffefs fuch advantages as finally to exclude the Weft, we would rather affent to a trial; which, if found to threaten destruction to the West Indian commerce, might be checked in time.

The prefent author treats the fubject ably and practically, and we recommend his tract to those who are interested in the fubject. Prefixed is the following Advertisement :

"The following Letter may be confidered as a continuation of the Report upon Sugar, published by the Committee of the Court of Directors, on 29th of February, 1792, fince the writer has pursued the line of investigation therein exprefsly laid down. The production of it cannot fail to prove acceptable to the public, fince it developes the cheapest methods of cultivating fugar-cane, and manufacturing the produce, ever yet made known to Europeans.

On a fubject of fuch importance to this country, the public at large cannot be pofleft of too much nor of too early information. The facts detailed are indifputable, though fome of the calculations appear erroneous.-Whether the writer's conclufions be well or ill founded, time and experience muft demonftrate. In the mean while, those who are most materially interested in the event, may now have opportunity of taking timely measures for guarding against the probable confequences of this difcovery.

The intelligent writer, for fome particular reasons which no longer exift, wished this letter neither to be printed nor circulated in manufcript; but the friends to whom it came addressed, confidering that their compliance with fuch injunction would be a manifeft injustice to him, and moreover an injury to the West India proprietors, as well as to the Sierra Leone company, have thought it incumbent on them to submit it to the public; trusting, it will be received as the production, currente calamo, of a gentleman immerfed in extensive business, and entitled on that account to candid allowance. The editor, in addition to a fimilar plea, has the want of local reference to urge, in excufe for producing it so imperfect to the reader.

A few fhort explanatory notes have been subjoined, and tables annexed of the weights and measures commonly made ufe of in Bengal.'

The following extracts are from the moft pointed parts of the work:

I hope I have now urged enough, to produce the fame conviction in every unprejudiced mind, that has long been impressed on my own, the practicability of fupplying the West Indies from hence with their grand ftaple of fugar, at half the price it cofts the planter to raise it in those islands; or at least one-third lefs than the lowest actual expence at which it can be cultivated and manufactured there by flaves, under the prefent ftate of things. By proving this, I think,

t

think, no poffible objection can be urged to the ability of Bengal to fupply Europe with fugar cheaper than it can be furnished from the Weft Indies, fo far as the furplus produce extends beyond the home confumption :-and I think, the quantum of this furplus depends upon the will of government.'

The prefent restrictive laws for guarding the company's exclu five trade, prefent to us an extraordinary inftance of political inconfiftency. In the Weft, Great Britain guards, with the utmost jealoufy, the trade of her colonies from any participation with foreign ftates. In the Eaft, the, with equal vigilance, excludes her own fubjects from any fhare of the advantages of that commerce which her poffeffions afford to every other nation. To men of plain understandings, who, like my felf, view the queftion in a commercial light only, it fhould feem, that, a fyftem of policy, which is calcu lated for the promotion of national intereft in the western hemisphere, ought to be equally applicable to the eaftern, provided it is founded on juft and wife principles: and the uniform ftrictness with which the navigation laws are administered, leave us little doubt, that they have always been confidered as the grand fupport of our maritime ftrength, and the protection of our national commerce.'

This fugar fhipped for Europe, would require 235 fhips of about 400 tons burthen; and reckoning the crew at 25 men for each fhip, would create employment for 5865 British feamen.

At the prefent price of Weft India Mufcovado fugar, it would fell in England for Sos. per cwt. which allowing 10 per cent. waftage, is

To which add the molaffes

And we have no lefs than the fum of

£. 6,776,550 o 299,468 15

£. 7,076,018 15

realized in two years from an extended cultivation of 100,000 acres, by means of a loan not exceeding £.500,000, which is repaid in fix months with interest, giving a land revenue, or rental, to Bengal of fugars.

to which add Calcutta cuftoms 4 per cent. on 5,133,750 maunds of gour, valued at 2 fugars per maund, is

857,142

410,700

Sa.Rs. 1,257,842

or fterling £. 147,914. 16s. 4d. per annum. A revenue to England of £. 1,270,603. 2s. 6d. fuppofing them admitted on the fame terms as those from the Weft Indies, being 15s. per cwt. And, allowing 10 per cent. waftage, a general profit to Bengal of £. 1,240,656. 58. being the average value of the fugars in the Calcutta market. To the revenue, merchants, feamen, and artificers of England, a yearly acceffion of £. 5,835,362. 10s, being the difference between C. R. N. ARR. (XI.) July, 1794.

Bb

the

the Calcutta and English prices, or whatever the amount of that difference may be.

But, as the profits arifing from the prefent high price of fugars would be much too great for any extenfive trade; and as the natural effect of fo large an exportation from hence would be confiderable reduction of that price; I will take the felling price in England at 40s. per cwt. confident as I am, that Bengal can fupply England with fugars at half the price which he is now obliged to pay for it to her Weft Indian colonies. The grofs fales, deducting waftage, would then be £. 3,388,275. and the difference between the purchafes and fales, deducting English cuftoms, is £. 1,176,484. 75. 6d. for the profit of the merchant, and the payment of freight, infurance, and charges on the transportation and fale.'

No confideration, in my humble opinion, for West Indian property, ought to crufh the progrefs of improvement in this country, and fetter the commerce of our own. Such a policy is unjust to Bengal; it is injurious to England; and for what are thefe reftrictions enforced--for the confervation of flavery! To preferve and perpetuate the returns of Weft Indian eftates to a few monied men in England, is it right that they fhould have a national monopoly for the produce: and that the welfare and happiness of millions fhould be immolated at the fhrine of a fyftem founded on principles the most abhorrent to humanity? If the Weft Indies cannot fupport their fugar plantations, under a competition with a country-fo diftant as Bengal, they will foon become too burthenfome to be maintained much longer: for, leaving the expence of protection which they coft the nation out of the queftion, the exceffive prices to which their produce has rifen, muft fpeedily work its own remedy.'

The greater part of this tract confifts of tables and calculations which, though little interefting to the general reader, evince a complete practical knowledge of the subject.

Obfervations on the Caufes of the prefent Discontents of the Merchant, and other Inhabitants of the Ifland of Bombay. Refpectfully addreffed to the Honourable Court of Directors, and Board of Control. With a few Remarks, interesting to the Owners of Shipping employed by the Honourable Company. 8vo. IS. Innes. 1794. Merchants form the worst of rulers, being not only guided by views of felf-intereft, but by the narroweft views of prefent felf intereft. If thefe obfervations be founded, the conduct of the East Indian Company to this fettlement, is highly culpable; but let the author explain the grievances.

From the time of the Romans, the weft coaft of India has always been infefted by pirates. At no period was it ever poffible to put an end to their robberies before the prefent, when the great power

4

power of the English enables them to deftroy them for ever: and' ftrange as it may appear to many in Europe, our flag is infulted; thips are captured; cargoes plundered; their crews and officers murdered; and paffes, granted by a pufillanimous government, demanded by a fet of beings, who, though the tributaries of our allies, are the outcafts of all India. If this is an unfair ftatement, let the owners of the Admiral Barrington, of London, now in the hands of the pirates; and the Memorial of the Merchants of Bombay, which is before the court of directors, and enumerates, at fome length, the murders and robberies practifed and tolerated within thefe few months, contradict the affertion.'

• Thofe depredators may be divided into three bands or claffes. The first is composed of a number of open bots, fome armed with a fingle gun, and others only with smail arms, which cruize feparately between Bombay and Surat, and from thence to Cambaye. Thefe only venture to attack fmall ftraggling veftels. A fecond fquadron belongs to a pretty prince, whofe harbour is not above three or four leagues from Bombay light-houfe; in fight of which it. commonly cruizes, and intercepts the fmall country veffels that attempt to go in or out for the purposes of trade. A third, and that the most formidable and dangerous crew of pirates, have their ren dezvous near the Vingoria rocks, not far from Goa; from whence they fally out, and attack all ships they are able to mafter. It was this fquadron that took the fhip Admiral Barrington. They are fub. ject to a petty rajah, who is faid to be tributary to the Mahratta vernment at Poonah. A few months ago, a vakeel, or ambassador, came to Bombay from this prince, or fome other chief of the pirates; and had hardly left that place, when they attacked a country fhip which had a Bombay pass on board, plundered her of the most valuable part of her cargo, murdered captain Hunter the commander, wounded fome of his officers, and afterwards turned her adrift. The only prince who seems to be at peace with us on this coaft, in good earnest, is Tippoo Sultaun.'

The remedies pointed out are thefe:

First, by giving to your marine one head inftead of four.

go.

Secondly, Let that man be of an active, honest, and extenfive turn of mind.

Thirdly, let him be only refponfible to yourselves and the governor-general.

6

Fourthly, double the pay of your marine officers, and abolish convoy-money, and every impofition of that nature.

Fifthly, give them roving commiflions against all piratical veffels on the coaft; and thus make it their intereft to put an end to an evil, which, while it exifts, is a reproach to the British name, and highly detrimental to the honourable company's interests.

Laftly, let the ftrong language of truth, reafon, and juftice,

point out to the paishwa, or whom elfe of the native princes it may concern, that the encroachments of the pirates will be no longer permitted; and, if not immediately put an end to, will draw down the vengeance which their crimes deferve.'

Proceeding to another grievance, the author obferves:

The duties of the port are fix per cent. on good's imported in British, and ten per cent. on goods brought in foreign bottoms. Many of the leffer merchants and fhopkeepers in the Bazar, as well as the owners of fhipping, were overstocked with marine ftores; when, instead of heightening the duties on the importation, or taking fome other step to raife the articles in queftion to a fair price, an order was fuddenly iffued, directing a duty of twenty per cent. to be levied upon all the marine ftores in the ifland, which any perfon might attempt to export, even for their own ufe.

The confternation excited by this celebrated edit, acted like the fhock of an earthquake, as may well be fuppofed, in a place which derives its profperity, wealth, and population, from no other caufes than its commerce and shipping. Like the famous Boston port bill, or the compulfory loan decreed by the French convention, the one founded in ignorance, the other in tyranny, it was a fweeping law, which foared fo high as to be blind to all difcrimination; and had nearly produced the fame effects as the former. No retrospect was had to the duties already paid on importation, and under the faith of which, fanctioned fince the time of Charles the Second, the merchants had so often fitted out their fhips with their own ftores. No regard was had to the marine ftores having been purchased one, two, or three years ago, or whether they had paid fix per cent. or ten per cent. duty to the company on landing. All bufinefs was nearly at a ftand. The merchant, and the feller of a pound of nails in the Bazar, faw themselves in one moment, and without the leaft warning, reduced to the hard neceffity of lowering the price of their ftores one-fifth. Of the twenty per cent. one moiety, it is faid, was to go to the company; and the other either to those who promul gated the law, or who were entrusted with its execution.'

A monopoly of provifions is alfo ftated, fo that the government forces the owners to pay for bad fhip provifions, forty per cent. more than they would otherwife pay for good!

ROMANCE.

The wonderful Travels of Prince Fan-Feredin, in the Country of Arcadia. Interfperfed with Obfervations, hiftorical, geographical, phyfical, critical, and moral. Tranflated from the original French. 12mo. 35. Evans. 1794.

The author of this work excites a pleasant and harmless laugh at the expence of love-fick fwains, and the poetical tribe of Arcadia.

Here