early australian voyages-第13部分

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；　Peru；　Mexico；　California；　or　any　other　the　lands　or　shores　of　Southern　or　Northern　America；　between　Terra　del　Fuego　and　the　northernmost　part　of　America；　on　pain　of　the　forfeiture　of　the　ships　and　goods；　one…third　to　the　crown；　and　the　other　two…thirds　to　the　East　India　Company。〃

But　the　reader　will　observe　that　I　mentioned　the　East　India　and　African　Companies　before；　and　that　I　now　mention　the　South　Sea　Company；　on　a　supposition　that　the　two　former　may　refuse　it。　　In　that　case；　I　presume；　the　legislature　will　make　the　same　distinction　that　the　States　of　Holland　did；　and　not　suffer　the　private　advantage　of　any　particular　company　to　stand　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　East　India　Company's　charter；　in　case　it　should　be　found　necessary　for　the　better　carrying　on　of　this　trade。　　It　is　upon　the　same　principle　I　say　this　southern　continent　lies　within　the　intention　of　the　South　Sea　Company's　charter；　because；　I　presume；　the　intent　of　that　charter　was　to　grant　them　all　the　commerce　in　those　seas；　not　occupied　before　by　British　subjects；　for；　if　it　were　otherwise；　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　same　time；　of　force　to　preclude　all　the　subjects　of　this　nation　from　the　right　they　before　had　to　carry　on　a　trade　within　those　limits；　such　a　law　is　plainly　destructive　to　the　nation's　interest　and　to　commerce　in　general。　　I　therefore　suppose；　that；　if　the　South　Sea　Company　should　think　proper　to　revive　their　trade　in　the　manner　I　propose；　this　proviso　would　be　explained　by　Parliament　to　mean　no　more　than　excluding　the　South　Sea　Company　from　settling　or　trading　in　or　to　any　place　at　present　settled　in　or　traded　to　by　the　East　India　Company：　　for；　as　this　interpretation　would　secure　the　just　rights　of　both　companies；　and；　at　the　same　time　reconcile　the　laws　for　establishing　them　to　the　general　interest　of　trade　and　the　nation；　there　is　the　greatest　reason　to　believe　this　to　be　the　intention　of　the　legislature。　　I　have　been　obliged　to　insist　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　sense　of　the　matter；　there　is　an　end　of　all　hopes　of　extending　our　trade　on　this　side；　which　is　perhaps　the　only　side　on　which　there　is　the　least　probability　that　it　ever　can　be　extended；　for；　as　to　the　north…west　passage　into　the　South　Seas；　that　seems　to　be　blocked　up　by　the　rights　of　another　company；　so　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　settling　of　this　part　of　Terra　Australis　should　devolve　on　the　South　Sea　Company；　by　way　of　equivalent　for　the　loss　of　their　Assiento　contract；　there　is　no　sort　of　question　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　present　carried　on；　either　by　the　East　India　or　African　Companies。　　It　would　indeed；　in　this　case；　be　absolutely　necessary　to　settle　Juan　Fernandez；　the　settlement　of　which　place；　under　the　direction　of　that　company；　if　they　could；　as　very　probably　they　might；　fall　into　some　share　of　the　slave…trade　from　New　Guinea；　must　prove　wonderfully　advantageous；　considering　the　opportunity　they　would　have　of　vending　those　slaves　to　the　Spaniards　in　Chili　and　Peru。　　The　settling　of　this　island　ought　to　be　performed　at　once；　and　with　a　competent　force；　since；　without　doubt；　the　Spaniards　would　leave　no　means　unattempted　to　dispossess　them：　　yet；　if　a　good　fortification　was　once　raised；　the　passes　properly　retrenched；　and　a　garrison　left　there　of　between　three　and　five　hundred　men；　it　would　be　simply　impossible　for　the　Spaniards　to　force　them　out　of　it　before　the　arrival　of　another　squadron　from　hence。　　Neither　do　I　see　any　reason　why；　in　the　space　of　a　very　few　years；　the　plantation　of　this　island　should　not　prove　of　as　great　consequence　to　the　South　Sea　Company　as　that　of　Curacao　to　the　Dutch　West　India　Company；　who　raise　no　less　than　sixty　thousand　florins　per　annum　for　licensing　ships　to　trade　there。

From　Juan　Fernandez　to　Van　Diemen's　Land　is　not　above　two　months'　sail；　and　a　voyage　for　discovery　might　be　very　conveniently　made　between　the　time　that　a　squadron　returned　from　Juan　Fernandez；　and　another　squadron's　arrival　there　from　hence。　　It　is　true　that；　if　once　a　considerable　settlement　was　made　in　the　most　southern　part　of　Terra　Australis；　the　company　might　then　fall　into　a　large　commerce　in　the　most　valuable　East　India　goods；　very　probably　gold；　and　spices　of　all　sorts：　　yet　I　cannot　think　that　even　these　would　fall　within　the　exclusive　proviso　of　their　charter；　for　that　was　certainly　intended　to　hinder　their　trading　in　such　goods　as　are　brought　hither　by　our　East　India　Company；　and　I　must　confess　I　see　no　difference；　with　respect　to　the　interest　of　that　company；　between　our　having　cloves；　cinnamon；　and　mace；　by　the　South　Sea　Company's　ships　from　Juan　Fernandez；　and　our　receiving　them　from　Holland；　after　the　Dutch　East　India　Company's　ships　have　brought　them　thither　by　the　way　of　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。　　Sure　I　am　they　would　come　to　us　sooner　by　some　months　by　the　way　of　Cape　Horn。　　If　this　reasoning　does　not　satisfy　people；　but　they　still　remain　persuaded　that　the　South　Sea　Company　ought　not　to　intermeddle　with　the　East　India　trade　at　all；　I　desire　to　know　why　the　West　India　merchants　are　allowed　to　import　coffee　from　Jamaica；　when　it　is　well　known　that　the　East　India　Company　can　supply　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　these；　I　think；　are　the　strongest　reasons　that　can　be　given。

If　it　be　demanded　what　certainty　I　have　that　spices　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　sorts　of　spices　in　the　country　he　discovered；　William　Schovten；　and　Jacques　le　Maire；　saw　ginger　and　nutmegs；　so　did　Dampier；　and　the　author　of　Commodore　Roggewein's　Voyage　asserts；　that　the　free　burgesses　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　sent　them　from　Old　England。

The　reason　I　recommend　settling　on　the　south　coast　of　Terra　Australis；　if　this　design　should　be　prosecuted；　from　Juan　Fernandez；　rather　than　the　island　of　New　Britain；　which　I　mentioned　before；　is；　because　that　coast　is　nearer；　and　is　situated　in　a　better　and　pleasanter　climate。　　Besides　all　which　advantages；　as　it　was　never　hitherto　visited　by　the　Dutch；　they　cannot；　with　any　colour　of　justice；　take　umbrage　at　our　attempting　such　a　settlement。　　To　close　then　this　subject；　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　such　a　settlement　was　made　at　Juan　Fernandez；　proper　magazines　erected；　and　a　constant　correspondence　established　between　that　island　and　the　Terra　Australis；　these　three　consequences　must　absolutely　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　so　good　a　market　as　if　there　was　a　greater　demand　for　them。　　2。　　It　would　render　this　navigation；　which　is　at　present　so　strange；　and　consequently　so　terrible；　to　us；　easy　and　familiar；　which　might　be　attended　with　advantages　that　cannot　be　foreseen；　especially　since　there　is；　as　I　before　observed；　in　all　probability　another　southern　continent；　which　is　still　to　be　discovered。　　3。　　It　would　greatly　increase　our　shipping　and　our　seamen；　which　are　the　true　and　natural　strength　of　this　country；　extend　our　naval　power；　and　raise　the　reputation　of　this　nation；　the　most　distant　prospect　of　which　is　sufficient　to　warm　the　soul　of　any　man　who　has　the　least　regard　for　his　country；　with　courage　sufficient　to　despise　the　imputations　that　may　be　thrown　upon　him　as　a　visionary　projector；　for　taking　so　much　pains　about　an　affair　that　can　tend　so　little　to　his　private　advantage。　　We　will　now　add　a　few　words　with　respect　to　the　advantages　arising　from　having　thus　digested　the　history　of　circumnavigators；　from　the　earliest　account　of　time　to　the　present；　and　then　shut　up　the　whole　with　another　section；　containing　the　last　circumnavigation　by　Rear…Admiral　Anson；　whose　voyage　has　at　least　shown　that；　under　a　proper　officer；　English　seamen　are　able　to　achieve　as　much　as　they　ever　did；　and　that　is　as　much　as　was　ever　done　by　any　nation　in　the　world。

It　is　a　point　that　has　always　admitted　some　debate；　whether　science　stands　more　indebted　to　speculation　or　practice；　or；　in　other　words；　whether　the　greater　discoveries　have　been　made　by　men　of　deep　study；　or　persons　of　great　experience　in　the　most　useful　parts　of　knowledge。　　But　this；　I　think；　is　a　proposition　that　admits　of　no　dispute　at　all；　that　the　noblest　discoveries　have　been　the　result　of　a　just　mixture　of　theory　with　practice。　　It　was　from　hence　that　the　very　notion　of　sailing　round　the　earth　took　rise；　and　the　ingenious　Genoese　first　laid　down　this　system　of　the　world；　according　to　his　conception；　and　then　added　the　proofs　derived　from　experience。　　It　is　much　to　be　deplored　that　we　have　not　that　plan　of　discovery　which　the　great　Christopher　Columbus　sent　over　thither　by　his　brother　Bartholomew　to　King　Henry　VII。；　for　if　we　had　we　should　certainly　find　abundance　of　very　curious　observations；　which　might　still　be　useful　to　mariners：　　for　it　appears　clearly；　from　many　little　circumstances；　that　he　was　a　person　of　universal　genius；　and；　until　bad　usage　obliged　him　to　take　many　precautions；　very　communicative。

It　was　from　this　plan；　as　it　had　been　communicated　to　the　Portuguese　court；　that　the　famous　Magellan　came