Eftimate of the Expence of fortifying Portsmouth and Plymouth. COPY of an ESTIMATE of the Ex- GENERAL ABSTRACT. On Portfea Island. For the purchase of lands General total of ex pence : For repairing and im proving the old works 137,662 17 4 For the new works pro pofed 570,123 I O For the purchase of lands 52,293 4 11 Total 760,079 N. B. Provided no new works are erected, and the works round Portfmouth Common are completed, as propofed in 1783, the expence of the old works will be increafed, as expreffed in the eleventh article of this Report, relative to 87,379 15 64 Portsmouth 101,321 10 O Total 191,301 5 02 On the Gofport Side. For repairing and im Confequently the total amount of old works will then be 70,630 0 2 5 £208,292 17 4 RICHMOND, &c. A chain of redoubts and lines to the vaft extent of the Duke of Richmond's plan, muft require a great number of proving the old works 41,760 14 3 battalions to man them, the confequence For the new works pro pofed 247,246 5 74 For the purchase of lands 21,747 16 7 Total 310,757 165 Total expence to fortify the dock-yard at Portf- ́ mouth : For repairing and im of which must be a prodigious increase of our land forces in time of war. Thefe forts and lines, if not garrifoned and defended, may be turned by our enemies against ourselves; therefore the army muft remain at home (or at leaft the major part of it) instead of being employed in expeditions, in harraffing the enemy on their own coaft, and protecting our colonial poffeffions. It was for want of gar proving the old works 129,140 9 104 rifons in our Weft-India islands that we loft fo many of them during the late war. Extenfive lines are cafily carried, and once taken mav ferve as a lodgment for the enemy. They may have a magical repellent force, as his Grace draws his finger along them upon the chart, but in the field are a mere bugbear to an expert and maneuvering General -Thefe additional ramparts, will not, as Mr. Pitt fuggefted, enable us to fend our fleets at a distance from the Channel; for a ftrong Channel fquadron muft conftantly be kept upon our coafts for the protection of our trade. 6 They will not then enable us to send our fquadrons abroad in greater force and number; nor will they for reafons given above, permit us to make greater efforts with our land forces. Where then is the of no advantage, would build a fhip of the line; and let us fuppofe the peace to laft for twenty years longer, what real wellwifher to his country would not, on the opening of fuch a war, prefer the addition of twenty fhips to our naval force, to lines that would join Fareham to Gofport, and make Exeter an out-work to Plymouth. A queftion highly deferving the confideration of Members, and particularly of the Country Gentlemen, with refpect to the fortifications, is, that they will require an additional land force of at least 15,000men to occupy them. The enormous expence thus entailed on our pofterity is not all. It makes an alarming addition to the ftanding army of the kingdom-a thing from which every Englishman's mind mult revolt. On the improving State of the Province of Canada. feen, the newspapers lately come out from Britain, that withstanding they are fupported by fo powthe Weft-India planters have been employ- erful a body as the Weft-India planters, ing every means in their power to prevail will not, I prefume be received; it would upon parliament to allow American veffels, be a reflection on the wifdom of a British to bring provifions, &c. to them, I could fenate to allow themselves to be fo grossly only help remarking, the poor evafions impofed on-to engage parliament to enter they are obliged to ufe, to procure them- into their views, they roundly affert the felves a trifling temporary advantage, impoffibility of their ever getting supplies which at the fame time muft bring a great of confequence from this province, Novapermanent lofs on the empire at large-Scotia, or New Brunswick;-with regard they fay in the petitions fent home, that the carrying trade of Britain will fuffer in a very great degree, unless American veffels are permitted to be their carriers, (witnefs the petition of St. John's, St. Dorothy, and St. Anne Jamaica.) Is it poffible that a set of men can seriously urge such a folecism; but private intereft, when the mind is intent thereon, generally blinds peoples eyes to every other object: it is perhaps fortunate that it does fo, otherwife many intended impofitions might be carried through. It is likewife very modeft in thefe gentlemen, to claim merit to themfelves for the great duties that Britain lays on their produce, on its arrival in that kingdom; it is not the people of Britain that tax themselves on their commodities; and who have for the greater encouragement of the Weft-India iflands, excluded all foreign articles of the fame kind from their markets, though it is notorious they could be had much cheaper from other parts. But thefe are triAles in the eyes of the rich planters; they must be ruined, unless Britain to fave them to the two laft provinces, I am not fufficiently informed to fay what may be expected from them; but of this province, I hope I may be allowed, from long refidence, to know its circumstances better than thefe gentlemen. It is well known, that, before the war, large quantities of wheat, biscuits, lumber, fome horfes, and pork, were exported from this province. Since 1776, being loaded with an army, which we fupplied with great quantities of flour and fresh provifions, we have not exported conftantly; though we have occafionally a good deal of flour and wheat. Several caufes have contributed to leffen our exports during that period; the great number of men required by the officers of government for the transportation of provifions, military ftores, &c. the great circulation of money occafioned by the expences of government, which by encouraging idleness, greatly hurt the agriculture of the province; and one or two bad crops intervening, which all countries are fubject to,-thefe and fome other other matters have been the real caufe that the produce of this province has funk fo much in the eyes of the world; but now peace permits the farmer to employ his whole time in the care and culture of his farm, and the fpecie or circulating medium is reduced to the neceflary quantum (great part of that abundance the army occafioned, having been shipped by the merchants thefe last two years for Britain) the country begins to fhew its confequence again. Fresh provifions are fallen to near the former prices; and our lands have yielded us this year an abundant crop. I am ignor ant of the quantity of flour neceffary for the annual confumption of the British Weft-India islands; but I think we have at prefent wheat in the country to spare, fufficient to make, at leaft, forty thousand barrels of fine flour, and forty or fifty thoufand quintals of bifcuit; and we have as good mills now as any in the world. We have likewife plenty of lumber, pine, red and white ath, and afh hoops, a great many horfes reckoned the best in America, for the Weft Indies; plenty of oats, peafe, potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions, fowls, turkeys, fheep, codfish, oil, &c. But as the Weft India trade is new here, our merchants may find many difficulties attending it at firft; for the New England people very generously did for us before the war, what they now with to do for Britain; they were our carriers for all Weft India commodities; being better fituated for that trade, they could do it on better terms: as we had fo very little direct communication with the Weft Indies before the war, all our wheat was shipped formerly for Spain and Portugal; but if fome encouragement was given by government to the Weft India trade from this province, which might easily be done by a Imall diminution of the duties payable here on Weft India articles, imported directly in veffels fitted out from hence, in return for cargoes they carried out fr this province, fuch a regulation would the trade a going, and might be difcent nucd in a few years. If at the fame tim foreign molaffes were prohibited from being imported into this port, we coul fupply the islands, if not with the whol of their annual confumption, certain with the greater part; and take from them in return a great quantity of their produce for the confumption of this province is a least four thousand puncheons of fpirin and molaffes annually, befides great quan tities of coffee, fugar, and many other articles: in fuch a trade there would be a true reciprocity of advantages to both coun tries, and Britain would have no occafion to depend on foreigners for the fupply and fupport of her colonies: but should t at any time fail in furnishing a complete Supply to the islands, they have the liberty of fending their own vejels to the United States, and to bring from them what they please. If provifions are so scarce as they pretend, there are merchants enow in the iflands to undertake and earry on the trade to America in British bottoms-their intereft will point it out to them.-I am confident nothing has prevented them from undertaking it already on an extenfive fcale, but the uncertainty of the ports being fhut against the Americans. Such facts as thefe I have ftared above, ought to be conclufive against the Weft India gentlemen.-I, therefore hope his Majefty's Minifters will not liften to their infidious reprefentations, but act with that firmnefs a great national point like this demands-they will, by that means fecure the navigation act, frengthen the kingdom, mortify the Americans, and the iflands will have no reason to complain. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient humble fervant, TITHES. any longer his falutary propofals refpecting the ecclefiaftical eftablifhment. The leading object of which is to fupport our clergy with more equality of diftribution, and to remunerate in a mode lefs objectionable, than according to the prefent fyftem by tithes. The above mentioned fcheme obviously includes, befides the commutation of Lord Bathurit, the equalization fuggefted with fach weighty authority by the Bithop Watfon. And there can be little doubt of the fcheme 3 CANADIENSIS. caufe of religion, and the temporal interefts of the clergy; to the landed intereft and, the improving cultivation of land, almoft the whole community mufi be for it! Against it, what can there be but the vice and folly of the dark ages, the obftinate adherence to obfolete formalities of improvident law, and the yet more mischievous impofitions of canonical ig norance and perfeverence. Though there is no doubt whatever in the uth of an ecclefiaftical reform being to be moved The Writers of a Literary Journal in reviewing afmall Pamphlet on the subject of Tithes, entid an Earneft and Affe Tionate Addrefs to Formers make thefe obfervations. "We were furprifed when, fome time ago, the inconveniency of tithes was agitated in tae Houle of Lords, and another mode of provisa for the clergy was fuggelled, that Lord Tarlow fhould have thewn himself fo adverfe ny alteration. It is certain from every day's experience, that no mode of provifion can be more unfuitable to the prefent state of fxiety, and the tem er of the times. Ac. cording to their place in fociety, clergymen with a few exceptions, are worfe provided for TRan any other body of men. What adds to the difagreeableness of their fituation is, that they are obliged to draw their fubfiftence from unwilling pay matters, who have ever confiCered, and ever will confider the dues of the miniter as a heavy burden upon them.felves. The clergyman is therefore forced to accept what the farmer is willing to below, or live at enmity with his flock. He must do injuftice to himself and family, or abandon every hope of inftructing his parishioners with any effect. He must starve, we had almoft faid, or the interets of religion muft foffer. "The prefent addrefs paints in the strong-" eft colours the unhappy fituation of a clergyman who draws his annual income from tithes. When the author came to refide on his benefice, though he was convinced that the compofition for tithes was much under the real value, yet he took no fteps towards raifing them till, by his exemplary behaviour, he had acquired the love and esteem of his parishion ers. He then, at a parith meeting, ventured to fay, as he could prove to them, and as they themfelves must be confcious, that their compofitions were greatly under the real value, he made no doubt they would willingly confent to fome advance. The poor clergyman was aftonished to meet with nothing but clamour. reproach, and a pofitive and rough denial, When he attempted to take the tithes in kind, every expedient was tried, with which farthering as irkfome and unprofitable as poffimers are well acquainted, to render the gable. This he bore for two years, hoping that' time and his unremitting attention to bis duty, would conquer their obtinacy and rancour. When he faw no profpect of any change for the better, by the advice of a friend, he let the tithes to a neighbouring farmer at the rate he had offered to his parishioners, who compounded with most of them on higher terms, than the compofition offered them by their minifter, yet, to the affonishment of their pastor, they lived in harmony and friendthip with the tithe-tenant, while their malevolence to him fuffered no abatement. Afting Narrative of the Lofs of the Halfewell Eaft Indiaman, Capt. Richard Pierce, unfortunately wrecked at Seacomb, on the Ile of Purbeck, on the Coast of Dorfetfire, on the Morning of Friday the 6th of January, 1786, compiled from the Communications of fome of the Officers who were faved. In the Monthly Chronicle of our laft Magazine (p. 80.) we gave fume Account of this most unfortunate Gatafirophe; to which we will add the following affecting Circumftances, (extracted from the Narrative) to compleat the melancholy Detail. "THE ship was driving faft on fhore, and an thofe on board expecting her every moment to ftrike; the boats were then mentioned, but it was agreed that at that time they could be of no ufe, yet in cafe Opportunity fhould prefent itfelf of making them ferviceable, it was propofed that the officers fhould be confidentially requested to referve the long-boat for the ladies and themselves; and this precaution was immediately taken. POL, MAG. VOL. X. FEB. 1786. "About two in the morning of Friday the 6th, the fhip ftill driving, and ap proaching very faft to the fhore, the fame officer (Mr. Meriton) again went into the cuddy, where the Captain then was, and another converfation took place. Caprain Pierce expreffing extreme anxiety for the prefervation of his beloved daugh ters, and earnestly afking the officer if he could devife any means of faving them; at this dreadful moment the fhip ftruck with fuch violence as to dafh the heads of thofe who were ftanding in the cuddy against the deck above them, and the fatal blow was accompanied by a ftant from every quarter of the fhip. fhriek of horror, which burft at one in T "The "The feamen, many of whom had been remarkably inattentive and remifs in their duty great part of the ftorm, and had actually skulked in their hammocks, and left the exertions of the pump, and the other labours attending their situation, to the officers of the fhip, and the foldiers, rouzed by the deftructive blow to a fenfe of their danger, now poured upon the deck, to which no endeavours of their officers could keep them, whilft their affiftance might have been ufeful, and in frantic exclamations, demanded of hea ven and their fellow-fufferers, that fuccour which their timely efforts might poffibly have fucceeded in procuring; but it was too late. By this time all the paffengers and most of the officers were aflembled in the round-houfe, the latter employed in offering confolation to the unfortunate ladies; and, with unparalleled magnanimity, fuffering their compaffion for the fair and amiable companions of their misfortunes to get the better of the fenfe of their own danger, and the dread of almoft innevitable annihilation; Captain Pierce fitting on a chair, cot, or fome other moveable, with a daughter on each fide of him, each of whom he alternately preffed to his affectionate bofom: the reft of the melancholy affembly were feated on the deck, all of them tolerably compofed. -At this moment, what must be the feelings of a Father-of fuch a Father as Captain Pierce! But foon a confiderable alteration in the appearance of the ship took place, the fides were vifibly giving way, the deck feemed to be lifting, and other ftrong fymptoms that he could not hold together much longer. Mr. Meriton therefore atrempted to go forward to look out, but immediately faw that the fhip was feparated in the middle, and that the fore part had changed its pofition, and lay farther ut towards the fea. In this emergency, when the next moment might be charged with his fate, he determined to feize the prefent, end endeavour to make his way zo a fhore, of which he knew not yet the horrors. "Among other meafures adopted to favour thefe attempts, the enfign-ftaff had been unfhipped, and attempted to be laid from the fhip's fide to fome of the rocks, but without fuccefs, for it fuapped to pieces before it reached them; however, by the light of a lanthorn, handed from the round houfe, Mr. Meriton difcovered a fpar, which appeared to be laid from the fhip's fide to the rocks, and on this fpar he determined to attempt his escape. He accordingly laid himself down on it, and thruft himself forward, but he foon found that the spar had no communication with the rock. He reached the end of it, flipped off, received a violent bruife in his fall, and, before he could recover his legs, he was washed off by the furge, in which he supported himself by fwimming, till the returning wave dashed him against the back part of a cavern, where he laid hold of a small projecting piece of the rock, but was fo benumbed, that he was on the point of quitting it, when a feaman, who had already gained a footing extended his hand, and affisted him till he was out of the reach of the furf. "Mr. Rogers, the third Mate, remained with the Captain near twenty minutes after Mr. Meriton had quitted the fhip. The Captain asked what was become of Meriton and Mr. Rogers replied, he was gone on deck to fee what could be done.-After this, a heavy fea breaking over the fhip, the ladies exclaimed, "Oh poor Meriton! he is drowned, had he ftaid with us he would have been fafe;" and they all, and particularly Mifs Mary Pierce, expreffed great concern at the apprehenfion of his lofs.On this occation Mr. Rogers offered to go and call in Mr. Meriton; but this was oppofed by the ladies, from an apprehenfion that he might fhare the fame fate. "At this moment the fea was breaking in at the fore part of the fhip, and had reached as far as the main-maft, and Captain Pierce gave Mr. Rogers a nod, and they took a lamp, and went together into the ftern gallery; and, after viewing the rocks for fome time, Captain Pierce afked Mr. Rogers, if he thought there was any probability of faving the girls ? to which he replied, he feared there was not. The Captain fat down between his two daughters, fruggling to fupprefs the parental tear which then burft into his cye. "The fea continuing to break in very faft, Mr. M'Manus, a Midfhipman, and Mr. Schutz, a passenger, asked Mr. Rogers what they could do to efcape? who replied, "follow me;" they then all went upon the poop; and whilft they were there a very heavy fea fell on board, and the round-house gave way, and he heard the ladies fhrick; at that inftant Mr. Brimer joined the party, and feizing a hencoop, the fame wave, which proved fatal |