to remit. We brought
Mollasses from thence, distill'd it into Rum, with which we traded in
Africa, and remitted the Gold Dust to England. We employ'd ourselves
in the Fisheries, and sent the Fish we caught, together with
Quantities of Wheat Flour, and Rice, to Spain and Portugal, from
whence the Amount was remitted to England in Cash or Bills of
Exchange. Great Quantities of our Rice, too, went to Holland,
Hamburgh &c., and the Value of that was also sent to Britain. Add to
this, that contenting ourselves with Paper, all the hard Money we
could possibly pick up among the Foreign West India Islands, was
continually sent off to Britain, not a Ship going thither from
America without some Chests of those precious Metals.
Imagine this great Machine of mutually advantageous Commerce,
going roundly on, in full Train; our Ports all busy, receiving and
selling British Manufactures, and equipping Ships for the circuitous
Trade, that was finally to procure the necessary Remittances; the
Seas covered with those Ships, and with several hundred Sail of our
Fishermen, all working for Britain; and then let us consider what
Effect the Conduct of Britain, in 1774 and 1775 and the following
Years, must naturally have on the future Ability of our Merchants to
make the Payments in question.
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