navigation from this country to the West India islands, is a favourable circumftance with refpect to this fupply.

The committee alfo ftate, that befides falted beef and pork, which may be fupplied from both Canada and Nova Scotia, the West Indies can be furnished with those articles in plenty, and of a fuperior quality, from Great Britain, and particularly from Ireland: And it was ftated to the committee, that the falted beef and pork from America is of a loose and open texture, and easily goes to decay in hot climates; fo that, all circumstances confidered, thofe articles may be had on cheaper terms (in the opinion of several witnesses) from Great Britain and Ireland, than from any part of North America.

The last important article of provifion which the West India islands stand in need of, is dried and pickled fish; and there were stated sufficient reasons for believing, that the whole fupply can be furnished by one or other of the fisheries of Great Britain and Ireland, and those of Newfoundland, Canada, and Nova Scotia.-The quantity imported into the British West India islands, according to the account the committee have received, is 159,669 quintals of dried fish annually.

The cod fish imported into the islands is of an inferior quality to that which is fent to the European market, being principally for the food of negroes: fomething more than nine tenths of this quantity was imported into his Majesty's iflands by fhips belonging to the New England provinces; but a confiderable part of this, that is 67,000 quintals, the New Englanders annually purchased of the fishermen at Newfoundland; fo that of this they were merely the carriers. The price of cod at the ports of exportation in New England, was confiderably dearer than at Newfoundland, nearly as 9 to 7; but it affifted the traders of New England in making up their affortments for the West India markets;

and, as they purchased this fish with rum of their own diftilling, at Newfoundland, so they fold it in the West Indies for rum of a finer quality, and for fugar and melaffes, and made thereby a profitable trade.-Newfoundland alone is said to be sufficient for the supply of dried and pickled cod; but the fituation of Nova Scotia is fo favourable for carrying on the fisheries, being much nearer the fishing banks than the ports of New England, that there is no doubt but they will have a confiderable share in this commerce; and it appeared, that great advantages will be derived from a free intercourse between Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the West India islands, for the exchange of their respective produce.That in addition to the dried and pickled cod, the West India market requires a fupply of falted mackarel, herrings, and other small fish: that part of these, particularly the herrings, may be exported from Great Britain and Ireland, which are of a fuperior quality to any fish of this fort in America; and, by accounts laid before the committee, can be supplied in great quantities. Pickled mackarel and salmon may be furnished from the fisheries on the coafts and in the rivers of Nova Scotia and Labrador, where they may be catched in great plenty.

Proofs in Support of the Third Allegation.

IN fupport of the Third Allegation; viz. "That the navigation between the North American colonies, and the fugar colonies, cannot be effectually carried on by British ships, on account of the heavy expence, uncertainty, and delay of fuch circuitous navigation, beyond that which would attend the direct navigation in American ships;"-the planters and merchants urged, that before the last war, more than three

parts in four of the ships employed in carrying on the commerce between the British Weft India iflands and North America, were American; and they produced two accounts, by which it appeared, that the number of fhips fo employed in the year 1772, amounted to 1208; of which only 13 came from the colonies now under the dominion of his Majefty; that is, 5 from Canada, 6 from Newfoundland, and 2 from Nova Scotia. They inferred alfo, from the number of veffels being fo great, that their tonnage must have been fmall, and confequently they could not be British ships employed in the American trade, which are scarce ever of less burthen than 250 or 300 tons. They produced alfo another paper, to fhew, that of 561 fail, which entered at the port of Kingston in Jamaica in the year 1774, 131 were British built, and 422 American built. They faid, that upon an experiment made for 2 or 3 fucceffive years, of carrying on the trade by a circuitous voyage, that is, by sending ships from England to America to take in lumber, and carry the fame from thence into the islands, it was found not to answer— That the ships did not fave themselves in point of expence ; and that it could never answer to a merchant to employ ships in fuch circuitous voyage upon fpeculation. And being asked, Whether there was any number of ships, belonging to the West India islands, employed in the trade between the iflands and America? they anfwered, It was believed there

were none.

E CONTRA.

UPON this fubject the committee examined a number of eminent merchants trading to North America and the Weft Indies, as well as other perfons who had been employed in his Majesty's service in America; and, upon the whole of the evidence laid before the committee, it appeared to them,

that there never was a period in which this country was better prepared than it is at prefent, to enter into any new branch of the carrying trade.-Many feamen have lately been difcharged from the fhips of war, and many mercantile veffels, with their crews, difmiffed from the public fervice; and the committee have been affured, that, from the circumstances before mentioned, there is at prefent in this country an overstock of shipping which wants employment; fo that the price of freight from Great Britain to America has fallen as low as it was in the last peace; that is, from 81. per ton to about 37. to about Quebec, and about 27. to other parts of America-and that there is no doubt that the freight from America to the Weft Indies will fall as low as it was in the laft peace, though confined to British fhipping.

The committee also state, that it has been obferved to them that the owners of British veffels, concerned in the Weft India trade, have long laboured under great difadvantages from the difficulty of procuring outward freights for their veffels; but that now, by going first to North America, and from thence to the Weft Indies, and fo home, they will be fure of two freights, and perhaps three, inftead of little more than one: And it is alledged, that they will reap this benefit with very small additional charges in the payment of feamen's wages and port duties. And it has been proved to the committee, that though the ships employed in the West India trade from the port of London, called established ships, have not hitherto engaged in this circuitous commerce-and, being large ships, of great expence, might not, upon trial, find it for their advantage-yet that fhips from the out ports frequently engaged in it, fometimes by going firft to North America, taking a cargo of lumber from thence for the islands in the West Indies, and running home freighted with fugar and other Weft India produce; and that at other times

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they went first for the West India islands, with supercargoes, who employed their veffels in a trip to the continent for lumber, while they were purchafing rum and other produce of the islands for their homeward voyage-That, in particular, ten or twelve fhips have been known to come to Georgia in a year, that were employed in this trade, and others to the Carolina's for the fame purpose; and it has been proved to the committee, that there are ten large fhips from the port of London already destined for this circuitous trade, and three others intended to be employed in the like manner, whofe chief object is the freight from America to Jamaica; and that these ships will go from hence even in ballast, in case a freight outward cannot be obtained, because they will, perhaps, make, by freight from America to Jamaica, 2,000l. or 2,500l. whereas, in all probability, (as was the case last year) they would not make above 8ool. or 9ool. from London to Jamaica.

On this head, the committee obferve, that the number of British ships which feized the opportunity of going from North America to the West India islands, with lumber and provifions, on the first notice of the order in council (as already stated) is a clear proof that this branch of commerce is profitable; and, as a further proof of the value of this commerce, the freight from North America to the West Indies is from 30l. to 40l. per cent. more than from Great Britain to the West Indies.

Information was alfo given to the committee, that, befides the fhips before mentioned, there are 12 fail of British ships established at Jamaica, for carrying on the trade between that island and the continent of America, besides others intended to be fitted out; to which may be added the ships of Canada and Nova Scotia, which will be employed in this trade; And it has been proved to the committee, that many shipcarpenters have settled in Nova Scotia, for the purpose of