because it is already fufficiently known, that there are every-where iflands upon the coast, where ships, upon fuch a discovery, might be fure to meet with refreshments, as is plain from Commodore Roggewein's voyage, made little more than twenty

years ago.

The only difficulty that I can fee, would be the getting a fair and honest account of this expedition, when made; for private intereft is fo apt to interfere, and get the better of the public fervice, that it is very hard to be fure of any thing of this fort. That I may not be fufpected of any intent to calumniate, I fhall put the reader in mind of two inftances; the firft is, as to the new trade from Ruffia, for establishing of which an act of parliament was with great difficulty obtained, though visibly for the advantage of the nation: the other inftance is, the voyage of Captain Middleton, for the discovery of a north-weft paffage into the fouth feas, which is ended by a very warm difpute, whether that paffage be found or not, the person supposed to have found it maintaining the negative.

Whenever, therefore, fuch an expedition is undertaken, it ought to be under the direction, not only of a perfon of parts and experience, but of unfpotted character, who, on his return, fhould be obliged to deliver his journal upon oath, and the principal officers under him fhould likewife be directed to keep their journals diftinctly, and without their being infpected by the principal officer; all which journals ought to be published by authority as foon as received, that every man might be at liberty to examine them, and deliver his thoughts as to the discoveries made, or the impediments fuggefted to have hindered or prevented fuch difcoveries, by which means the public would be fure to obtain a full and diftinct account of the matter; and it would thence immediately appear, whether it would be expedient to profecute the defign or not.

But if it fhould be thought too burdenfome for a company in fo flourishing a condition, and confequently engaged in fo extenfive a commerce as the Eaft India Company is, to undertake fuch an expedition, merely to ferve the public, promote the exportation of our manufactures, and increase the number of induitrious perfons who are maintained by foreign trade; if this, I fay, fhould be thought too grievous for a company that has purchased her privileges from the public, by a large loan at low intereft, there can certainly be no objection to the putting this project into the hands of the Royal African Company, who are not quite in fo flourishing a condition; they have equal opportunities for undertaking it, fince the voyage might be with great ease performed from their settlements in ten months, and if the trade was found to answer, it might encourage the fettling a colony at Madagascar, to and from which ships might, with the greatest conveniency, carry on the trade to New Guinea. I cannot fay how far fuch a trade might be confiftent with their prefent charter; but if it fhould be found advantageous to the public, and beneficial to the company, I think there can be no reafon affigned why it should not be fecured to them, and that too in the most effectual manner.

A very fmall progress in it would restore the reputation of the company, and in time, perhaps, free the nation from the annual expence fhe is now at, for the support of the forts and garrifons belonging to that company on the coasts of Africa; which would alone prove of great and immediate fervice, both to the public and to the company: to say the truth, fomething of this fort is abfolutely neceffary to vindicate the expence the nation is at; for if the trade, for the carrying on of which a company is established, proves, by a change of circumftances, incapable of fupporting that company, and thereby brings a load upon the public, this ought to be a motive, it ought, indeed, to be the strongest motive, for that company to endeavour the extenfion of its commerce,

or

or the striking out, if poffible, fome new branch of trade, which may restore it to its former fplendour; and in this as it hath an apparent right, fo there is not the least reafon to doubt, that it would meet with all the countenance and affistance from the government that it could reasonably expect or defire.

If fuch a defign fhould ever be attempted, perhaps the island of New Britain might be the propereft place for them to fettle. As to the fituation, extent, and present condition of that ifland, all that can be faid of it must be taken from the account given by its difcoverer Captain Dampier: which, in few words, amounts to this: "The island which I call Nova Britannia has about 4° of latitude, the body of it lying in 4o, the northermoft part in 2° 30', and the fouthermoft in 6° 30. It has about 5° 18′ longitude from eaft to weft; it is generally high mountainous land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared very fertile; and in moft places that we faw, the trees are very large, tall, and thick. It is alfo very well inhabited, with strong well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at feveral places: as to the product of it, it is very probable, this ifland may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world; and the natives may be eafily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it in my circumftances." If any objections fhould be raised from Dampier's misfortune in that voyage, it is eafy to fhew, that it ought to have no manner of weight whatever, fince, though he was an excellent pilot, he is allowed to have been but a bad commander: befides the Roebuck, in which he failed, was a worn-out frigate, that would hardly fwim; and it is no great wonder, that in fo crazy a veffel the people were a little impatient at being abroad on difcoveries; yet, after all, he performed what he was fent for; and, by the difcovery of this ifland of New Britain, fecured us an indifputable right to a country, that is, or might be made, very valuable.

It is fo fituated, that a great trade might be carried on from thence through the whole Terra Australis on one fide, and the most valuable islands of the Eaft-Indies on the other. In short, all, or at least molt, of the advantages propofed by the Dutch Weft-India Company's joining with their East India Company, of which a large account has already been given, might be procured for this nation, by the establishing a colony in this island of New Britain, and fecuring the trade of that colony to the African Company by law; the very paffing of which law would give the company more than fufficient credit, to fit out a fquadron at once capable of fecuring the poffeffion of that ifland, and of giving the public fuch fatisfaction as to its importance, as might be requifite to obtain further power and affistance from the state, if that fhould be found neceffary. It would be very eafy to point out fome advantages peculiarly convenient for that company; but it will be time enough to think of thefe, whenever the African Company fhall difcover an inclination to profecute this defign. At prefent I have done what I propofed, and have fhewn that fuch a collection of voyages as this, ought not to be confidered as a work of mere amufement, but as a work calculated for the benefit of mankind in general, and of this nation in particular, which it is the duty of every man to promote in his ftation; and whatever fate thefe reflections may meet with, I fhall always have the fatisfaction of remembering, that I have not neglected it in mine, but have taken the utmost pains to turn a course of laborious reading to the advantage of my country.

But, fuppofing that neither of these companies fhould think it expedient, or, in other words, fhould not think it confiftent with their intereft, to attempt this difcovery, there is yet a third company, within the spirit of whose charter, I humbly conceive, the profecution of fuch a fcheme immediately lies. The reader will eafily difcern, that I mean the company for carrying on a trade to the South Seas, who, notwithstanding the extenfivenef

fiveness of their charter, confirmed and fupported by authority of parliament, have not, fo far as my information reaches, ever attempted to fend fo much as a fingle ship for the fake of difcoveries into the South Seas, which, however, was the great point proposed when this company was first established. In order to prove this, I need only lay before the reader the limits affigned that company by their charter, the fubftance of which is contained in the following words :

"The corporation, and their fucceffors, fhall, for ever, be vested in the fole trade into and from all the kingdoms and lands on the eaft fide of America, from the River Oroonoco, to the fouthermoft part of Terra del Fuego, and on the weft fide thereof from the faid fouthermoft part of Terra del Fuego, through the South Sea, to the northermoft part of America, and into and through all the countries, iflands, and places within the faid limits, which are reputed to belong to Spain, or which fhall hereafter be found out and discovered within the limits aforefaid, not exceeding 300 leagues from the continent of America, between the fouthermoft part of the Terra del Fuego and the northermost part of America, on the faid weft fide thereof, except the kingdom of Brazil, and fuch other places on the east fide of America, as are now in the poffeffion of the King of Portugal, and the country of Surinam, in the poffeffion of the States-general. The faid company, and none else, are to trade within the faid limits; and, if any other perfons fhall trade to the South Seas, they shall forfeit the ship and goods, and double value, one-fourth part to the crown, and another fourth part to the profecutor, and the other two-fourths to the ufe of the company. And the company fhall be the fole owners of the islands, forts, &c. which they fhall difcover within the faid limits, to be held of the crown, under an annual rent of an ounce of gold, and of all ships taken as prizes by the fhips of the faid company: and the company may seize, by force of arms, all other British fhips trading in thofe feas."

It is, I think, impoffible for any man to imagine, that either these limits should be fecured to the company for no purpose in the world; or that these prohibitions and penalties fhould take place, notwithstanding the company's never attempting to make any use of these powers: from whence I infer, that it was the intent of the legislature, that new discoveries fhould be made, new plantations fettled, and a new trade carried on, by this new corporation, agreeable to the rules prefcribed, and for the general benefit of this nation; which I apprehend was chiefly confidered in the providing, that this new commerce fhould be put under the management of a particular company. But I am very well aware of an objection that may be made to what I have advanced; viz. that, from my own fhewing, this fouthern continent lies abfolutely without their limits; and that there is also a provifo in the charter of that company, that feems particularly calculated to exclude it, fince it recites, that

go

"The agents of the company fhall not fail beyond the fouthermoft parts of Terra del Fuego, except through the Streights of Magellan, or round Terra del Fuego; nor from thence to any part of the East Indies, nor return to Great Britain, or any port or place, unless through the faid ftreights, or by Terra del Fuego: nor fhall they trade in East-India goods, or in any places within the limits granted to the united company of merchants of England trading to Eaft India (fuch India goods excepted as fhall be actually exported from Great Britain, and also such gold, filver, wrought plate, and other goods and commodities, which are the produce, growth, or manufactures of the Weft Indies, or continent of America): neither fhall they send ships, or use them or any veffel, within the South Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the northermoft parts of America, above three hundred leagues to the weftward of, and distant from the land of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California, or any other the lands or fhores of Southern 3 N

VOL. XI.

!

Southern or Northern America, between Terra del Fuego and the northermoft part of America, on pain of the forfeiture of the fhips and goods; one-third to the crown, and the other two-thirds to the Eaft India Company.'

But the reader will obferve, that I mentioned the East India and African Companies before; and that I now mention the South Sea Company, on a fuppofition that the two former may refuse it. In that cafe, I prefume, the legislature will make the fame diftinction that the States of Holland did, and not suffer the private advantage of any particular company to ftand in competition with the good of a whole people. It was upon this principle that I laid it down as a thing certain, that the African Company would be allowed to settle the island of Madagascar, though it lies within the limits of the Eaft India Company's charter, in case it should be found neceffary for the better carrying on of this trade. It is upon the fame principle I fay this fouthern continent lies within the intention of the South Sea Company's charter, because, I prefume, the intent of that charter was to grant them all the commerce in thofe feas, not occupied before by British subjects; for, if it were otherwife, what a condition should we be in as a maritime power? If a grant does not oblige a company to carry on a trade within the limits granted to that company, and is, at the fame time, of force to preclude all the fubjects of this nation from the right they before had to carry on a trade within thofe limits, fuch a law is plainly destructive to the nation's intereft, and to commerce in general. I therefore fuppofe, that, if the South Sea Company should think proper to revive their trade in the manner I propofe, this provifo would be explained by parlia ment to mean no more than excluding the South Sea Company from fettling or trading in or to any place at prefent fettled in or traded to by the Eaft India Company: for, as this interpretation would fecure the juft rights of both companies, and, at the fame time, reconcile the laws for establishing them to the general interest of trade and the nation, there is the greatest reafon to believe this to be the intention of the legiflature. I have been obliged to infift fully upon this matter, because it is a point hitherto untouched, and a point of such high importance, that, unless it be understood according to my fenfe of the matter, there is an end of all hopes of extending our trade on this fide, which is perhaps the only fide, on which there is the least probability that it ever can be extended: for, as to the north-weft paffage into the South Seas, that seems to be blocked up by the rights of another company; fo that, according to the letter of our laws, each company is to have its rights, and the nation in general no right at all. If therefore the fettling of this part of Terra Australis fhould devolve on the South Sea Company, by way of equivalent for the lofs of their Affiento contract, there is no fort of queftion but it might be as well performed by them as by any other, and the trade carried on without interfering with that which is at prefent carried on, either by the Eaft India or African Companies. It would indeed, in this cafe, be abfolutely ne ceffary to fettle Juan Fernandez, the fettlement of which place, under the direction of that company, if they could, as very probably they might, fall into fome share of the flave-trade from New Guinea, muft prove wonderfully advantageous, confidering the opportunity they would have of vending those flaves to the Spaniards in Chili and Peru. The fettling of this ifland ought to be performed at once, and with a competent force, fince, without doubt, the Spaniards would leave no means unattempted to difpoffefs them yet, if a good fortification was once raised, the paffes properly retrenched, and a garrifon left there of between three and five hundred men, it would be fimply impoffible for the Spaniards to force them out of it before the arrival of another fquadron from hence. Neither do I fee any reafon, why, in the space of a very few years, the plantation of this island should not prove of as great confequence to the South Sea

4

Company,

Company, as that of Curacao to the Dutch West India Company, who raise no less than fixty thoufand florins per annum for licenfing fhips to trade there.

From Juan Fernandez to Van Diemen's Land is not above two months fail; and a voyage for discovery might be very conveniently made between the time that a fquadron returned from Juan Fernandez, and another fquadron's arrival there from hence. It is true, that, if once a confiderable settlement was made in the most southern part of Terra Auftralis, the company might then fall into a large commerce in the most valuable East India goods, very probably gold, and fpices of all forts: yet I cannot think, that even thefe would fall within the exclufive provifo of their charter; for that was certainly intended to hinder their trading in fuch goods as are brought hither by our Eaft India Company; and I must confefs I fee no difference, with respect to the intereft of that company, between our having cloves, cinnamon, and mace, by the South Sea Company's fhips from Juan Fernandez, and our receiving them from Holland, after the Dutch Eaft India Company's fhips have brought them thither by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. Sure I am they would come to us fooner by fome months by the way of Cape Horne. If this reasoning does not fatisfy people, but they still remain perfuaded, that the South Sea Company ought not to intermeddle with the Eaft India trade at all, I defire to know, why the Weft India merchants are allowed to import coffee from Jamaica, when it is well known, that the Eaft India Company can fupply the whole demand of this kingdom from Mocha? If it be answered, that the Jamaica coffee comes cheaper, and is the growth of our own plantations, I reply, that these spices will not only be cheaper but better, and be purchased by our own manufacturers; and thefe, I think, are the strongest reasons that can be given.

If it be demanded, what certainty I have, that fpices can be had from thence, I answer; all the certainty that in a thing of this nature can be reasonably expected: Ferdinand de Quiros met with all forts of fpices in the country he discovered; William Schovten, and Jaques le Maire, faw ginger and nutmegs; fo did Dampier; and the author of Commodore Roggewein's Voyage afferts, that the free burgeffes of Amboyna purchase nutmegs from the natives of New Guinea for bits of iron. All therefore I contend for is, that these bits of iron may be fent them from Old England.

The reafon I recommend fettling on the fouth coast of Terra Auftralis, if this defign fhould be profecuted, from Juan Fernandez, rather than the island of New Britain, which I mentioned before, is, because that coast is nearer, and is fituated in a better and pleasanter climate. Befides all which advantages, as it was never hitherto vifited by the Dutch, they cannot with any colour of juftice, take umbrage at our attempting fuch a fettlement. To clofe then this fubject, the importance of which alone inclined me to spend so much of mine and the reader's time about it:

It is most evident, that, if fuch a fettlement was made at Juan Fernandez, proper magazines erected, and a conftant correspondence established between that island and the Terra Australis, these three confequences must abfolutely follow from thence: 1. That a new trade would be opened, which must carry off a great quantity of our goods and manufactures, that cannot, at present, be brought to any market, or at least not to fo good a market, as if there was a greater demand for them. 2. It would render this navigation, which is at prefent fo ftrange, and confequently fo terrible, to us, eafy and familiar; which might be attended with advantages that cannot be foreseen, especially fince there is, as I before observed, in all probability another fouthern continent, which is ftill to be difcovered. 3. It would greatly increase our fhipping and our seamen, which are the true and natural ftrength of this country, extend our naval power, and raise the reputation of this nation; the most diftant profpect of which is 3 N 2

fufficient