It is a monkish Opinion too prevalent with many still, that there is no good Living without the Bounds of their own Cloyster. And Abundance of _English_ entertain the _Chinese_ Notion, that they are all Fools and Beggars that live in any Country but theirs. This home Fondness has been very prejudicial to the common Sort of _English_, and has in a great Measure r.e.t.a.r.ded the Plantations from being stock"d with such Inhabitants as are skilful, industrious, and laborious.
For these Reasons, such Persons of Sense and Resolution as have entered into Projects for Improvements in the Plantations (who have evinced us, that all Schemes are not Bubbles) have been obliged for the generality to make Use of the worst and vilest of Mankind, for the Execution of the n.o.blest and most useful Undertakings; tho" indeed continually several People of Sense, Vertue, and Fortune, entertaining tolerable good Notions of these Affairs, have embarked themselves and Families in such laudable and useful Designs: But for the generality, the Servants and inferior Sort of People, who have either been sent over to _Virginia_, or have transported themselves thither, have been, and are, the poorest, idlest, and worst of Mankind, the _Refuse of Great Britain_ and _Ireland_, and the _Outcast of the People_.
These Servants are but an insignificant Number, when compared with the vast Shoals of _Negroes_ who are imployed as Slaves there to do the hardest and most Part of the Work; the most laborious of which is the felling of Trees and the like, to which kind of Slavery (if it must be so called) our Wood-Cutters in _England_ are exposed; only with this Difference, that the _Negroes_ eat wholsomer Bread and better Pork with more Plenty and Ease; and when they are Sick, their Owners Interest and Purse are deeply engaged in their Recovery, who likewise are obliged to take all the Care imaginable of the Children of their Slaves for their own great Profit; so that the _Negroes_, though they work moderately, yet live plentifully, have no Families to provide for, no Danger of Beggary, no Care for _the Morrow_.
But to me it seems to be more Prudence and Charity for our own Poor and Vagabonds to be there imployed and provided for, than for us to maintain and use such great Numbers of _Africans_. If we can do better without them certainly we should forbear importing so many (though this may interfere with the Interest of some), since it would advance the Good of the Publick; and that we may be without them is plain, since we have Rogues and Idlers enough of our own to do the same Work, to which if they were compelled by mild Methods, it would ease the Publick of a great deal of Charge, Trouble, and Loss, and would highly tend to the Advancement of the temporal and spiritual Happiness of our _Poor_, and be very instrumental in the Suppression of Theft and Villany, and for the Reformation of the most Profligate. Thousands of poor, honest, unfortunate People of all Trades and Occupations might be there imployed for the Support of themselves and Interest of Trade, that can find neither Work nor Maintenance for themselves and Families at Home; and such as had rather stroll or steal here, might be confined by mild Force to moderate Labour there, sufficient to support themselves, and benefit their Imployers.
The _British_ Trade may easily vend their Effects and Manufactures; and _Virginia_, with the neighbouring Plantations, is capacious enough for their Reception, plentiful for their Maintenance, and abound with most Conveniences and Materials for most Kinds of Imployments; where several Things, upon Account of the Goodness of the Climate, and Fertility of the Country, may be produced with less Labour and more Plenty than in _Great Britain_; and innumerable Commodities might there be made by our own People, that are now imported at extravagant Prices, and excessive Toil and Danger from other Nations: Nay, we might supply other Nations with most of those Things which we now fetch from Abroad; so that though our _Imports_ might decrease a little, yet would our Exports be abundantly augmented, which undoubtedly would tend much more to the Advantage of our Country: Even our own _home_ Consumption in most Respects might be raised much cheaper and better in the Plantations than here; especially such Things as are with great Toil and Cost forc"d (as it were) unnaturally out of barren Ground, improper Soil, or a disagreeable Climate; and the Land and People in such Places might be occupied in more proper Business, and for more useful Purposes.
But the common People here have such a vain Fondness for their own Country, and such despicable Notions of _Virginia_, &c. and are under such dreadful Apprehensions of the imaginary Slavery of the Plantations, that they choose for the most Part rather to steal, beg, or starve, than go _Abroad_ to work; and in the mean Time the Magistrates and our Laws are so mild to them, that like as _Pharaoh_"s lean Kine devoured the fat ones, they grievously oppress and molest the Rich and the Honest.
But certainly Means might be invented and practised for easing our Nations of these Burdens, for promoting our Trade and Plantations by their Industry; and not for the Oppression (whatever some may imagine) of the Poor and Needy, but for their Maintenance and Felicity. And I believe this may be done without putting any Stop to the Importation of _Negroes_, rather than fail, since they might be kept on in their present Course of Life and Business; only they must raise more _Stock_ and Grain for the Support of the additional _English_, who should stick solely to the Arts and Employments to which they were bred, or in which they are most expert. Indeed while Tobacco is the only _Staple_ Commodity of any Consequence to Virginia, the Country may be easily over-stock"d with _Negroes_, because the Trade can"t find _Vent_ for near all the Tobacco that so many _Hands_ will make; so that the Market being over-charged, is thus spoiled; for too much of any Commodity is as bad, if not worse, for the Planter, the Merchant, and the Publick, than too little. For which Reason the Honourable the a.s.sembly of _Virginia_ has from Time to Time endeavoured to make prudent Provision against raising too much Tobacco.
For this Cause they lately had a Duty of 5 _l._ a Head for every new _Negroe_, which Law in a great Measure is now revived; and though this Addition in the Price of a _Negroe_ made no sensible Decrease in the Number imported; yet it did this good, _viz._ it brought a great Sum into the Treasury of the Country, which they have ready to disburse upon any n.o.ble Occasion; such as their late Donation to the College, to _Williamsburgh_, and their additional Reward for the Apprehension of Pyrates.
Besides their Attempts for the Prevention of too many _Negroes_, they have a Law against _Seconds_, which is most serviceable in confining the Quant.i.ty of Tobacco to its proper Bulk. The Intent of this Law is to prohibit all Persons from manufacturing a second Crop from the Leaves that sprout out from the Stalk after the first Leaves are cut off; with a Penalty upon the Offender, and a Reward for the Informer.
The Tobacco and the _Negroe_ Trades might be carried on after the present Methods, or with any such Regulations as may seem more proper to those concerned in these Affairs; without any Hindrance to Arts, Handicrafts, useful Inventions and Cultivations in _Virginia_, for the Interest and present Trade of the Plantations and _Great Britain_ would not interfere with such Projects; but on the contrary they would highly contribute to the mutual Support of each other, with prudent Management and Care.
The main Difficulty, Trouble, and Expence will chiefly consist in sending over such Persons as are before-mentioned, and afterwards in finding them Habitations, Maintenance, and Work when they are settled in _Virginia_, during the Term of their Service; and after they are free, with a Livelihood and Imployment for their Posterity.
There can be no Injury in such moderate legal Compulsion as forces People to be honest and industrious, though it be contrary to their Inclinations or their false Notions, which ought to be subjected to the publick Good and Opinion of the Community; and restrained and directed by the civil Power to pursue such Methods as the Legislature shall judge most convenient for the united Interest of all the Society or Empire.
Upon this Principle it will be esteemed no Hardship upon our unfortunate, or lazy, poor, idle Vagrants, nor profligate Wretches, if the Government obliged them to be transported, and then found Work and a plentiful Support for them and their Families, since this would tend as well to their private as the publick Good; it would employ our People who cannot have Work, or that will not voluntarily labour; it would secure our Houses and our Pockets, it would ease our Parishes, clear our Streets, Doors, and Roads, and mightily encrease our Manufactures, and cultivate our vast Tracts of rich Land that are now but Wildernesses over-run with large Trees, and inhabited by Deer, Wild-Fowls, _&c._
In order for this some such Laws as the following might suffice. As first, Persons of any Imployment that can produce sufficient Certificates of their Honesty, and that after due Application they cannot get Work, or that they have been reduced to mean Circ.u.mstances by Misfortunes, with such like, should be sent over at the Expence of the Government, which should also allow them Land and Necessaries for their Settlement; in Return for which they should do such moderate Work for the Benefit of the Government, as they shall be ordered for the half of seven Years, to be thus imployed, _viz._ one Day for themselves, and one Day for the Government; and so on by Turns, observing _Sunday_ as a Day of Rest and Devotion. And after the Expiration of these seven Years they should be free, and might work Journey-Work, or for themselves, and their Land and Houses should be the Inheritance of them and their Heirs for ever; paying a small Rent or Fine to the Government for it, besides the Quit-Rent, out of which Rent and the Produce of their every other Day"s Labour might be allowed a sufficient Salary for Centurions or Persons to inspect into and direct the Work and Behaviour of these Servants; and the Overplus certainly would not only pay the Money at first advanced, but would likewise in a few Years bring in a very great Income.
But if the Government should decline undertaking this in general, yet might particular Companies take up Land and advance Money as above specified, which would in all Probability in a small Time tend to their great Profit; by carrying on to the best Advantage, in the cheapest way, their several Manufactures and Arts, imploying therein such unfortunate poor Persons as are expert in their respective Trades or Callings.
How many honest ingenious People might thus get Work, Maintenance, and even Estates for themselves and Families, who now lie obscured in Idleness, and almost devoured by Poverty?
In the next Place, as for Vagrants and Beggars, suppose that all such Persons that are taken wandering above five Miles from their own Parish (or less upon Occasion) without a _Pa.s.s_ from the Minister and Church-Wardens, specifying their Business, with Leave for a certain Time, or without being able to give a good Account of themselves and their present Imployment; should be put immediately by any House-Keeper into the Custody of a Constable, who should be obliged to carry them before the next Justice of the Peace to be examined, and committed to the next _Bridewell_ or Prison, there to work, till at the next Quarter-Sessions they be ordered for Transportation, except Infants, aged and disabled Persons, who should be sent Home to, and maintained by their own Parishes, if discoverable, or else at the County Charge. These should serve seven Years for their Maintenance without Wages, with somewhat less Perquisites and Privileges than those above-mentioned in all Respects, both during their Service and afterwards; however sufficient Provision should be made for them, though not so good as for those others.
In this Cla.s.s should likewise be included all petty Criminals and _Bridewell_ Birds, all which should be transported at the Expence of the County to which they belong, as also should all Convicts and Felons; and in _Virginia_ should there be appointed proper Persons to take Care of them, manage, and employ them, who should have Salaries for their Trouble, paid out of the Returns made by the Labour of the Servants under their Care; and the Overplus, which in a small Time might prove very considerable, should belong to the respective County that transported such Servants, by which Means Funds might easily be raised in every County or Shire to defray all their publick Expences and Charges, from the Labour of their Rogues and Beggars, without any Contribution or Tax of honest and industrious People. But to prevent Disorder and Mischief among such, they that should be sent over for little or no Faults but Idleness, should meet with all civil Treatment and Encouragement, when they did their Endeavours, but undergo the Severities of _Bridewell_ for their Faults or great Neglect. But such notorious Villains as are sent over in Chains for Robbery or Murder, _&c._ should be kept a-part, and in Chains still, and be made Servants for Life, lest they corrupt the rest, or commit greater Robberies or Murders than ever they did before; which for want of more Care and greater Confinement of such Rogues too frequently happen, as they are now managed.
However, this Rigour might be occasionally abated, when any appear to be proper Objects of Mercy and Charity; but this should be done with the Leave of the Government _there_, and Care should be taken of them both as to their Labour and Provision, and Security should be contrived against any Danger that may proceed from thence.
I cannot here omit mentioning a late Design of seating all Convicts that should be imported into _Virginia_, in a County by themselves, under the Care of proper Overseers, who should confine them from doing any Hurt, and keep them to their Labour, by such Methods as are used in _Bridewell_.
The Land intended for this new County is very good, and fit to produce Hemp and Flax, which they were there solely to cultivate and manufacture; from whence the County was designed to be called _Hempshire_.
Tho" this Project was never put in Execution, yet I am of Opinion that something of this Nature would be very advantageous in securing and employing our Felons, and for our better Supply of Cordage in our Naval Stores, and making of Linen of all Sorts.
The last Sort of Servants that I should be for sending over to _Virginia_ (besides such as are sent by the Methods already in Use) are the greatest Part of the Parish Poor all over _England_, _Wales_, _Scotland_, and _Ireland_; so that they should be burdened with none but such as are very old, very young, or else sickly or disabled, which would prove a very grateful Ease in most Places, where the general Complaint is the vast Charge of a numerous Poor; all which might easily be maintained and employed in _Virginia_, in proper Trades, Inventions, and Projects, and do great Good to themselves and the Publick.
Here might Work be cut out for Thousands that now pretend to want Business; and many that now thro" Laziness decline Endeavours to support themselves and Families, would then seek for Employment, and set to work in Earnest, being frighten"d into Industry and Labour, through the dreadful Apprehension of being sent to the Plantations; for such as could not or would not maintain themselves, and all Girls and Boys that are in no likelihood of doing this, should have their Names returned to the Justices by the Church-Wardens and Overseers, at the Quarter-Sessions, who upon Examination should give Orders for their Transportation; then would the Parish be eased, and might easily have honest and laborious People enough to do their Business and Work, without the Charge of Abundance of lazy or poor People.
These should be sent over at the Expence of the Parish, and their Labour would soon repay the Cost, and the Overplus might be applied for the Service of the Parish; so that these would soon maintain the rest of their Poor, and bring _in_ good Gain to themselves and their Parishioners in Time, if they were under some such Restrictions, and had some such Privileges as the first Sort of unfortunate People here mentioned.
But if these Methods of Transportation be thought impracticable, at the Expence, and for the Benefit of the Government, the Counties, and the Parishes, yet might other Contrivances be found to transport the People above specified, besides the Methods now practiced by some to transport themselves, and by Mr. _Forward_ and some Merchants for sending over continually all sorts of Servants; but the present Number is but a Trifle in respect of what might be sent over, were Laws made for the better Encouragement thereof, and due Regulations made for the Employment and Provision of such great Numbers as might yearly be sent over. For when they are there they need not be employed about Tobacco and Corn, as they generally are, for that might be compleatly managed by the _Negroes_; but they should carry on other Inventions, Trades, and Arts, and be confined to follow their own respective Callings and Occupations wherein they are most artful; and when their Time is served, better Care might be taken of them, and such Provision and Privileges allowed them, that they should be obliged to labour and get plentifully their own Living in an honest Way.
Now when I come to find Employment for all these People, what a vast Field is presented to View for their Labour? Nine and Twenty large and fertile Counties, for the most Part thinly inhabited, with Plenty of all Sorts of the best Provisions and Materials. Most if not all Sorts of _English_ Husbandry, I know experimentally, may be carried on there with much less Labour, and far greater Encrease than in _England_: For Instance, it is common only by howing up the Ground, and throwing Seed upon it, and harrowing it in, to reap from sixty to eighty Bushels for one of _English_ Wheat, of a large full Grain with a thin Rind; and I have had two Tuns off an Acre of Clover, which we may mow twice; and as for Barley"s being burnt up with dry hot Weather, it often has the same fate in several Parts of _England_; besides more Experience and Observation of the Seasons, will make People more expert in the Management of that, and all other Sorts of Grain, or Seeds, and Gra.s.s, that they have not there brought yet to the greatest Perfection. Several _English_ Farmers have indeed been baulked of their Expectation, in Attempts of carrying on their Art to great Advantage in _Virginia_; but this in a great Measure I attribute to their want of Judgment, and too strict Observance of the _English_ Customs and Times, without making proper Allowance for the Difference of Soil, Seasons, and Climates; besides the vast Expence and Trouble, and the long Time required in clearing the Ground for their Purpose, in building of Barns, Farm-Houses, _&c._ so that frequently by that Time that they have brought their Purposes to Perfection, their Patience begins to be tired, and their Purses are pretty well emptied; so that at last they run into the rapid Current of planting Tobacco, which they know will bring them in certain Gain with but little Expence.
Now for the Conveniency of Husbandry, I know a certain Gentleman, who employs a great Number of _Negroes_ in clearing Plantations, and planting Corn and Tobacco, as usual, with this Intention, _viz._ When these _Negroes_ shall have cleared the Land, planted Hedges, and built Barns and Farm-Houses gradually in a few Years, without any Hindrance to their Crops, then he proposed to let these Farms with a Stock of Cattle, _&c._ ready upon them for a small Rent and Fines, to such poor, honest, skilful Farmers, as he can procure to come and take them, either upon long Lease or for Lives; and remove his _Negroes_ upon fresh Land to prepare more Farms. "Tis Pity but this Project was frequently practised, for thereby good Estates might be raised in Families; many an unfortunate Family might retrieve their bad Circ.u.mstances, and find Employment and great Benefit; and all this carried on with the same Opportunity of Profit from _Tobacco_, as other Gentlemen Planters have; nay better, in that the _Hands_ would be still tending fresh Ground.
As for Liquors, they might make as good Malt-Drink, and as cheap there as any where else; and for Cyder I think it surpa.s.ses even _Herefordshire_ it self, for Plenty and Fairness of Fruit, the Trees thriving and producing wonderfully, yielding a strong and good tasted Cyder, when well made and managed, especially if kept in good Vaults.
From Peaches is distilled an excellent Spirit in very great Plenty, very difficult to be distinguished (when well made) from _Citron Water_. This they call _Persico_, which with many other _Spirits_ might be made there to turn to a very good Account, and produced in great Quant.i.ties from their numerous large Orchards of Apples and Peaches. Hogs, horned Cattle, and Sheep thrive and encrease there mightily; and Salt and Casks being very cheap, vast Advantage might be made more than is, by raising of great Stocks, and salting up Beef and Pork for victualling of Ships, and supplying the _West-Indies_ and other Places with Provisions, which they might afford to do very cheap, did some of the additional Part of the Servants before-mentioned make it their Business to tend Flocks and Herds, and provide better and more Food for them in the Winter, than what they now usually have. As for the Advantage of Woollen Manufactures, that is so well known, that I shall say nothing in that Respect, only that there is in _Virginia_ as good Wool as the finest in _England_; and I doubt not but with good Management the Climate will produce as fine as any in _Spain_, since the Sheep in both Places are of _British_ Original; and in my Opinion it would be a great Advantage (instead of Detriment) to have fine Wool enough of our own to work up, without being beholden to _Spain_ for it; especially if we consider that it might either be sent Home to be wrought in _Britain_, or else we might send over Numbers of our superfluous Cloth-workers to make it up there into the same Sorts of Goods, as they make in _England_, which would be much the cheapest way; and then these Goods should be imported to the Clothiers _here_, who undoubtedly would have _Call_ enough for what they can make in _Virginia_ and at Home; for if they see Occasion they need not encrease the Quant.i.ty, but only make Use of Plantation Wool raised by _Britons_, instead of _Spanish Wool_; and the Decrease of our Exports to _Spain_ might sufficiently be balanced (if not upon Account of employing Numbers of our own People, yet) by many other Ways.
Neither can I see any Harm in it, if the carrying on Woollen Manufactures in _Virginia_ by _English_ People that want Employment, the Quant.i.ty of Woollen Goods were thereby encreased; especially such as are for Home Consumption, and the Use of the Plantations; for then Rich and Poor would have their Cloths much cheaper; and if the Draper gained less by his Countrymen, it might be contrived that he should gain more by Strangers abroad in other Parts of the World.
More might be said as to the Manufactures of Hemp and Flax, than what I have mentioned of Wool, because we are in a great Measure obliged for these to foreign Nations, who in Case of War might pinch us prodigiously more than they do; more particularly to the great Expence and Inconveniency of our Shipping, the Glory and Bulwark of the _British_ Nations. Here we have enough of good Land lying waste; and at Home we have People lying idle sufficient to supply us from _Virginia_, with Ropes, Cables, and Canvas for our Ships of War and Merchandize, with Linens for wearing and for houshold Use, were Projects set on Foot, and rightly carried on for so useful and advantageous Undertakings.
Besides this, there is Pitch and Tar enough, which with careful Management might be made as good, and afforded as cheap, or cheaper, than any from other Places.
Then as for Oak no Country has finer nor more Plenty; which though it will not last long enough for Houses, yet it will for Shipping: Witness the _New England_ Ships built of the same Sort of Wood; and as for Deal Planks here may be as good as any; and I question if _Gottenburgh_, or any other Part of _Europe_ can afford us better Pines for Masts and Yards (especially for Merchants Use) than what grow in _Virginia_ in several Places in very great Plenty; so that many Ships might be built there, which would employ Numbers of Shipwrights from _Great Britain_, and would stand the Merchants in a great deal less Expence, than if they were built at Home: Nay, we might even build Ships for several other Nations, and make them turn to a very good Account, without any Risk of doing Damage to our publick Safety or Interest.
As for Wine, in all Parts of the Country Grapes grow wild and thrive extreamly, but at present they are almost only Food for the Birds; few Attempts having been made for the Cultivation of them and making Wines, except that of Colonel _Robert Beverley_, which was thus: He having read, seen, studied, and enquired much concerning the Nature of Vintages, reduced his Knowledge to Practice for his better Experience and Certainty, in planting a small Vineyard; and having great Prospect that this would answer his Purpose, he bragged much of it in Publick; but being bantered by several Gentlemen, he proposed to give each of them a Guinea down, if they would give him Ten, if he made a certain Number of Gallons of pure Wine that Vintage; they accepted the Proposals, and he distributed (I think) one hundred Guineas, made the Wine according to the Terms agreed upon, and won his Wager; which Money he afterwards employed in planting more and greater Vineyards, from which he made good Quant.i.ties of Wine, and would have brought it to very high Perfection, had he lived some Years longer.
His whole Family, even his _Negroes_ drank scarce any thing but the small Wines, and the Strong is of a good Body and Flavour; the Red that I have often drank to me seems to have the Taste of _Claret_ and the Strength of _Red Port_. Not only red Grapes, but also white ones of all Sorts from _Europe_ produce and grow there to Admiration; an Instance of which may be seen at Colonel _William Robinson_"s upon _Rappahannock_ River, who has planted out Abundance; and I don"t question but he and other Gentlemen there will follow Mr. _Beverley_"s Pattern; which if brought to Perfection might tend to an extraordinary good Account, and not only prove profitable to the Planter, but also advantageous to _Britain_, even if we could but make small Quant.i.ties of Wine there; but much more beneficial would it be if there could be made Abundance, as in all Probability there might be, since the Climate and the Soil seem so extreamly well adapted for that Purpose; especially up towards the Hills and Mountains, which at present lye waste. Would it not be very advantageous to our Nations if we could not only raise much Wine for our own Use, but also sell great Quant.i.ties to our Neighbours? And I know of but two trifling Obstacles in the way; the one is, that the Cl.u.s.ters of Grapes rarely ripen together, which might be remedied by picking them at different Times; the other is, that the Birds devour Abundance; but this might be prevented by Nets, Guns, _Priapus_, and several other Contrivances. This would employ great Numbers of People, has upon Trial been proved to answer Expectation, and might bring vast Profit to the Planter, to the Merchant, and to the Crown.
To encourage this, I know some that intend to let Land for a small Acknowledgment in Wine. Much the same might be said of Silk, which long ago has been made there, and is known by Experience to answer the Expectation of the Silk Men. For Mulberries of all Sorts thrive there to Admiration, and the Heat of the Summer has been found to agree with the Nature of the Silk-Worm extreamly well; so that the only Reason that I know, why the Gentlemen formerly concerned in making of Silk in _Virginia_ drop"d their Proceedings, was the great Profit that Tobacco brought them _in_ in those Days; which being raised there _only_, turned _then_ to an extraordinary Advantage, much better than any other Project; but now when _so much_ Tobacco is made, and the Gain so much less than formerly, I can"t imagine why the Silk Trade is not there revived; which I am very positive would turn to a very great Account, if carried on by good Managers. To this _Nature_ seems to invite us; for upon the Leaves of the _Chinckapin_ (which seem somewhat like Mulberry Leaves) I have frequently found a very large Worm not much unlike the Silk-Worm, only much bigger.
If the Manufacture of Silk was carried on in _Virginia_, every Body knows what Profit it must bring to make Silk of the Produce of our own Dominions, in great Plenty, and at cheaper Rates than we can have it from _Asia_.
Besides, we may observe that the great Numbers of People employed in this Manufacture, for the most Part, might be the young, the aged, and the disabled, who could not work at any thing that required hard Labour or much Stirring.
As for Hops, _England_ might save a great deal of Trouble and Expence, and employ their People in better Business than Hop-Yards, if Hop-Grounds were cultivated in _Virginia_, which is much fitter for the Purpose.
As for physical Plants and Trees, abundance of Poor might be employed in _simpling_ and collecting Drugs for the Apothecaries Service, which abound there; such as Sa.s.safras, Saxafras, Snakeroot, with numberless more, whose Virtue is unknown; and undoubtedly among such various Sorts of anonymous Plants and Shrubs, there must be many whose Qualities are strange to the most skilful _Europeans_, tho" many of them be understood by the _Indian_ Doctors: If it be not the true _Cortex_, yet they have a _Bark_ very like it in Colour, Taste, and Operation.
I know that Abundance of Sumack is yearly consumed in _England_; but not being perfect in the Use and Nature of it, I shall only say that it grows there in great Plenty; and that the _Indians_ have several fine Colours both for Dying and Painting, that we know nothing of, as to their Composition and Use; but Enquiry into these Things, and Experience might, for what any knows, in a small Time turn to a good Account, both for the publick Advantage, and for the Interest of particular Persons.
I shall say little of Sawing-Mills, since they are already in Use there, and the great Benefit of them is so well known. Certainly it must be improper to bestow much Labour and Expence upon that which might easily be done for a small Cost, and with much quicker Expedition; yet is this wonderful and useful Invention prohibited in some Parts of _Great Britain_, upon Account of a few that pretend they can"t get their Livelihood by any other, but the stupid slavish Work of Sawing: But in my Opinion we might as well prohibit the Use of Boats in all our Rivers, because it interferes with the Interest of the Carriers, and hinders the Consumption of great Quant.i.ties of Hay and Oats in the Inns. I wonder that they don"t neglect the Use of Horses, Jacks, Handspikes, and Cranes in his Majesty"s Yards, as well as Sawing-Mills; since each of them abbreviates Labour and lessens the Expence, requiring fewer People than must be employed, were it not for those Inventions, so much hated by the common People; but certainly these might be so employed in other Business, as to get more Money with less Labour. But to return to _Virginia_, I am certain that if more Sawing-Mills were set up there, it would bring great Profit to the Owners, employ many People there, and make Timber for Ships and Houses come at a much cheaper Rate in _England_, than it now does, without any Loss to the _English_ landed Gentlemen or Timber Merchants.
Paper-Mills I believe would answer well there; for there are good Runs of Water with Timber _for nothing_ for building them, and I am sure the _Negroes_ would supply them with Rags enough for Trifles; to which add the Advantage of Water Carriage; these need not interfere with the _English_ Paper-Mills, but only supply us with such Quant.i.ties of Paper, as we buy from foreign Countries.
As for carrying on the Fishing Trade in _Virginia_, though there be Plenty of Fish there, yet I believe other Countries where Fisheries are establish"d, and that have little else to mind and depend upon, would outdo it in this Respect; only more Whales might be taken upon the _Eastern_ Sh.o.r.e, and bring good Gain to such People as would make it their Business; and I don"t question but the Sturgeons (with the best of which the Rivers abound) might with good Management and Industry be made to surpa.s.s all others, both for Cheapness and Goodness, for they are large, fine, and easily taken; nay, they frequently leap, some ash.o.a.r and some in Boats, as I have been very credibly informed.
Upon the Rivers and Creeks are vast large Marshes, which being drained and secured with mud Walls, would employ abundance of People, and might be converted into as good Meadows and as large, as those upon the _Thames_ about and below _London_. Such Meadows are much wanting there, and would well recompence the Cost and Trouble of the Undertakers of such n.o.ble Projects; besides this would confine the Rivers to their proper Channels; whereas now they cover for Miles from each Sh.o.a.r large Quant.i.ties of flat and shoaly Ground, useless and incommodious. However impracticable or difficult this Task may appear to some, yet I doubt not but in Process of Time it may be effected.
The upper Parts of _Virginia_ are deprived of the Advantage of Water Carriage, because the Rivers above the _Falls_ are generally full of Trees brought down by Land Floods, with some Rocks here and there; but they might be made navigable, and cleared very easily with small skilful Labour, for they are generally broad and fuller of Water than our inland Rivers where Boats and Barges of great Burden can pa.s.s; and _Wears_ might be occasionally made there as up the _Thames_; but the main Difficulty would be at the _Falls_ or Cataracts, where the Water falls over vast Rocks with an hideous Noise and great Force. Hither Sloops can come, where the Goods might be landed with Cranes, and then put on Board the Boats above the Falls; and by the like Methods might Goods be sent down. But in Time it may be worth while to _turn_ Part of the Rivers, and make _Locks_ one above another, whereby Sloops might easily be let down or taken up, and so pa.s.s the Falls; like as the large Boats of Pleasure and Burden are carried with Profit and Ease thro" Vallies and over Hills quite a-cross _France_, in the wonderful Ca.n.a.l of _Languedoc_, which was contrived by the late King, in order to make a Communication from our Seas, to the _Mediterranean_ through the Heart (almost) of his Kingdom; which Action has added to his Glory as well as Profit, and brings in a great Income both to the Crown and to the Undertaker of this most wonderful Work. If in _England_ we will not follow this Example by making a Communication from the head Branches of the _Thames_ into the _Severn_, which is very practicable, the Distance being but a few Miles; yet I question not but in a few Years they will be obliged to imitate the _Locks_ of _Languedoc_ at the _Falls_ in _Virginia_.
In the Rocks up _James_ River, and in other Places is found a Stone resembling a Diamond, much nearer than any Crystal or _Bristol-Stone_, being very hard and ornamental.
There has been formerly discovered a Sand taken for Gold Dust; and towards the Mountains are variety of Stones, some seeming to contain several Kinds of Metals, and others are good for Building; among which is the Appearance of Abundance of excellent Marble of several Sorts.
Upon the River Sides is cast up by the Tides abundance of black heavy Sand resembling Smith"s Filings; but the Nature and Vertue of this is unknown as yet: I believe it is washed from some Veins of Mines at the Bottoms of the Rivers, or is carried down by the Current, as Gold Dust in _Africa_, from the upper Parts of the Rivers, and from the Rocks and Mountains.
In several Places is Coal enough near the Surface of the Earth; and undoubtedly in Time they will either have Occasion or Vent for it, to supply other Places, if they will not use it themselves; but if Coal Works were there carried on to Advantage, _Newcastle_ may witness, what Numbers of Ships and People are employed in such Affairs, and what vast Profit accrues from thence.