pon, of which the invaders had no experience, and that for this purpose it is highly expedient that the inhabitants of this county, and of other counties in a similar situation, who offer their services, should be taught the use of the spear or pike, under officers, and according to arrangements to be appointed by Government, or the county magistracy: and that for this end, the said magistracy should either receive from Government a sufficient number of spears or pikes, or at least be authorised to cause them to be manufactured at the expense of those pa rishes which are willing to defray it, and take the charge of distributing and keeping account of the same.——5. That a dutiful and loyal address be presented to his Majesty, stating our invariable and persevering attachment to his person and government, and our readiness to lay down our lives and fortunes to maintain his throne, and transmit unimpaired the independence and glory of his realms to succeeding generations. That we have presumed with the utmost humility and deference, to lay at his Majesty's feet these our sentiments on the means of defending and securing our native land, solely from motives of public duty, and in the fullest confidence that they will meet with his Majesty's paternal consideration, and such regard as in his Majesty's great wisdom they shall be found to deserve.

The following is the Resolution adopted by the Meeting, on the Motion of the Lord Chief

Baron:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY,That this meeting, understanding from the Lord Lieutenant, that the insufficiency of the maritime force of the east coast of Scotland, and on the Frith of Forth in particular, has been already represented to his Majesty's ministers by the Lieutenants of the county and city: the meeting do unanimously approve of, and return their thanks to his Grace and the Lord Provost for their attention to this important object; and they do concur in the same opinion, and request that his Grace will at the same time represent, that it is the opinion of this meeting that the defence of the east coast of Scotland, and particularly of the Frith of Forth, is not sufficiently provided for; and that his Grace the Lord Lieutenant be requested to convey to his Majesty's ministers the unanimous sentiments of this county on the subject, and their hopes that a sufficient maritime force will be immediately appointed for the protection and security of this part of the

coast.

But this export is applicable not only to the sugar plantations, but also to every other agricultural pursuit in the islands; it is also in part re-exported from the islands and the returns for it made in bullion and foreign produce..

Admitting that the proportionate value of sugar and rum imported to the whole amount of the produce imported

1785-1,081,546 1786-1,108,130

1787-1,479,527

3)3,669,203

1,223,068

Inspector Gen.

£. from the colonies, 1784,449,105 were a just estimate 1786-3,467,237 on which to ground 1787-3.-49,147 the charge of the ex

ports, then the ave

3)11,656,789 rage value of the total import, as stated 3,885,596 by the Inspector

gen.being 3,885,5961 Inspector Gen. and the average vaIf lue of sugar, by the 3885596: 2029478 same authority, be:: 2,606,150 ing 2,606,1901. the Ans. 1,362,748 proportionate value ofthe whole exports

attaching to the cultivation of sugar would be 1.362.7481.; but that per haps, is an over-rate, and theretore we will take it at one million, that agreeing pretty exactly with mereantile computations of all the direct and collateral supply of the sugar plantations with British and Irish supplies, freight included......

1798-1,959,057 From which deduct 1799-2,467,122 the charges in ac

1800-2,290,418 counts sales, say

3 6,716.587

2,238,862

Inspector Gen.

Freight, including

primage 1,377,990 Other charges, 35.9d. per cwc. 574,162

Insur. on 6,000,000 home, at 3 per cent. commission, and all charges included.......... 480,000

On 2,800,000 exports, at 6 per cent. all charges included.

168,000

648,000

2,600,152

proportion to the relative value of the produce exported, far greater on a sugar than on a coffee, cotton, or pimento plantation. But allowance must be made for the foreign plantation trade, and for the consumption of mercantile and military people, not directly, though certainly in a great measure dependent upon the agricultural returns. On inspection, however, of planters and merchants accounts, which prove that, from quantity and value, the cost of supplies during the three years, ending in 1800, had, in the foregoing twelve or thirteen years, been more than doubled in amount; while also the number and extent of the sugar settlements have increased. We cannot state the amount attaching to sugar plantations at less than (freight included) ....

....

Which leaves a balance in the planters' favour of

From which sum, and from rum and other produce sold in the islands, the planter had to provide the internal taxes; the island contingencies; the wages of servants; support of numbers of stock and negroes; purchase of lumber and other articles from America, all increased in cost, during the last twelve years, (as may be made appear from authentic documents) more than in double ratio, and cannot be rated at less than 51 per hogshead on the average (after crediting the rum, &c.) not here accounted for, say 0 200,000 hogsheads..

Average loss to the planter in these

three years

....

And, as this statement leaves the planter a loser by his cultivation, it is wholly unnecessary to speak of any return for capital expended, or interest upon debt he may have bor

rowed.

It will appear that the net balance to the planters will not be more į considering the increased extent and number of the plantations) than it was on an average of three years, ending in 1787, although the relative value of money is since that time greatly les sened, and this supposes a price of sugar exceeding the present average price of that article, full 125. per cwt. and which there is no present prospect of obtaining.

Supposing the sugar plantations in the old British islands to employ a capital of 40,000,000l. the return here stated is not an interest of more than 4 per cent.

200,000 hogsheads of sugar, at 201. each, 4,000,000l. at ten years purchase, gives 40,000,000l.

From the foregoing statements a comparison may be drawn of the contribution to the mother country aris ing from the article of sugar, the produce of the old British colonies, on the average of three years, ending in 1787; and on an average of three years, ending in 1800 and in this statement full credit will be given, in both instances, for the proportion of exports respectively attached to the value of the return in sugar, compared with the value of the whole return of those islands, as unquestionably all their collateral commercial gains originate in and are dependent upon their culture; the accounts will stand thus:

On the average of three years, ending in 1787, the single article of sugar, the produce of the old British sugar colonies, contributed to Great-Britain,

In net revenue ....
In freight homewards
In mercantile charges..
In premiums of insurance
In payment for British
and Irish manufac-
tures (including freight
on ditto) ......

897,242

374,433

187,216

170,000

1,362,745

On the average of three years, ending in 1800, the same article, produced in the same islands, contributed,

Upon the foregoing statement it is to be observed, that the three years, ending in 1787, were not only years of peace, but they were antecedent to the extraordinary prices of produce obtained by the British planter for a short time preceding the late war, owing to the convulsions in the French islands; that they comprise one very large crop, that of 1785, and two moderate ones; and that the prices of these years were so far from being deemed oppressive on the British consumer, that a considerable increase of internal consumption took place therein.

That the three years, ending with 1800, comprise fair average crops; one year of great prices; one of prices much depressed by the reduction of the drawback and bounty; one of medium prices, caused by the restoration of the drawback and bounty to the former footing: that the average price of the three years, although nearly 16s. per cwt. greater than that of the former period, yet proves considerably inadequate to compensate the extra charges of war, and the additional expenses incurred by the increased price of British manufactures, &c.

That the average price of the last year, 1801, must greatly aggrava e the planter's loss, as it will doubtless prove 5s. or 6s. per cwt. lower than the average of the three preceding years, during which sugar has obviously not returned to the planter its prime cost.

That the price of 50s. per cwt. duty excluded, considered as a peace price, is sufficient to pre vent a continuance of loss to the planter, but is yet less advantageous to him than the price of 358. 4d. obtained in the years 1785 to 1788, also years of peace.

That, comparing the three years, ending in 1788, with the three years ending in 1800, as to the reciprocal advantages derived from the connexion of the mother country with the sugar colonies, and adverting to the cultivation of sugar only, it appears, that in the latter period the mother country derived an increased advantage from that connexion of upwards of five millions; while, in the same period, the sugar cultivators in the old British colonies experienced a difference of upwards of one million and a half to their disadvantage.

That, although the net revenue, after deducting drawbacks and bounties, has herein been only charged as an advantage resulting to the mother country from the importation of sugar from her own colonies, it ought also to be taken into the account, that in the former of the periods alluded to, a value-not less than 450,000l. per annum on the average; and, in the latter of those periods, a value not less than two millions annually, in sugar, the produse of the old British colonics, was

exported, and thereby swelled the commercial balance in favour of Great-Britain.

It is worthy of remark, that the export of sugar is importantly beneficial to the mother country in other respects. A surplus for exportation cannot be produced without producing also an extra consumption of British manufactures, and extra employment of ships and seamen, in the threefold operation of conveying those manufactures to the West-Indies, bringing home the surplus produce from thence, and exporting it to the Continent. The extended cultivation of sugar, for the pur pose of supplying foreign markets, is a means of converting into money the products of British industry, with the additional advantage of effecting it in such a manner as opens new sources of naval strength; and in this last view, it is more important so to apply British manufactures, than in a direct supply to foreign countries.

The peculiar protection of Great-Britain is her naval strength: her enjoyments, as well as her power, depend on her commerce: an extensive sale of the products of her industry to foreign consumers, might produce wealth, though not a single ship of her own was employed in transporting them; but to maintain and increase her naval strength, it is highly important to encourage that species of commerce which, while it produces a beneficial application of British manufactures, at the same time creates employment for the greatest number of ships and seamen.

It is the principal excellence of the British Co lonial Trade, that it combines the means of benefiting at once the wealth and the naval strength of the mother country.

DOMESTIC OFFICIAL PAPERS. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, OCT. 20, 1803.-Copy of a Letter from Vice-Admiral Gambier, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels at Newfoundland, to Sir Evan Nepean, Bart. dated on board the Isis, at St. John's, the 20th of August, 1803.

Sir, I send herewith an extract of a letter from Captain Malbon, of his Majesty's ship Aurora, giving an account of his having taken possession of the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, which you will be pleased to lay before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.I have the honour to be, &c. J. GAMBIER.

Extract of a Letter from Captain Malbon, commanding his Majesty's Ship Aurora, to Vice-Admiral Gambier, Commander in Chief at Newfoundland, &c.

On the 30th June, about four o'clock in the morning, I made the Island of Peters; and at five sent the large cutter and launch, manned and armed with a twelve-pound carronade, under the command of Lieutenant Richard Longfield Davies, and Lieutenant Baillie, of the Marines, to oblige the town to surrender, or begin the attack; between six and seven o'clock they entered the harbour, under a very thick fog, and perceiv ing a boat crossing from one side to the other brought her to, in which they found the commissary, who acted as Governor. The confusion that the place was thrown into from the sudden attack prevented the inhabitants from assembling toge ther, and at halt past seven the connaissary surrendered the Island, by delivering the colours to Lieutenant Davies. From what has been since learned there is no doubt, that if the inhabitants could have had time to have collected themselves from their different situations, they would have

made a strong resistance, having since discovered upwards of one hundred stand of arms among them. Knowing the small force in the boats, I used my utmost efforts to get his Majesty's ship into the harbour, but was as frequently prevented by thick fogs. About eleven, it being somewhat clear, I entered under a very heavy press of sail between the rocks, which were not a cable's length across, and at two P. M. brought to with the best bower in fifteen fathom water. Found here a French merchant brig, Le Reines des Anges, and a schooner, Le Provoyier, with eleven small schooners, and upwards of one hundred battoes. The Island contained fish, stores, salt, and merchandize of various descriptions, and, upon a rough survey, about two hundred and twenty men were upon the Island and in the boats; but they being so detached several got away in the small craft, one of which, I have since been informed, was taken off Liverpool, in Nova Scotia, and another at St. Lawrence, in Newfoundland. On every thing being secured, I ordered one of the fishing schooners to be fitted as a tender, and having her manned and armed with a twelve-pound carronade, gave the command to Lieutenant Davies, with directions to scour the coast, and take possession of the Islands of Great and Little Miquelon, which he did, but no inhabitants or stores were found at either of those places. J. GAMBIER.

Proclamation relative to Aliens, dated 12th Oct. 1803. GEORGE R.Whereas by an Act passed in the forty-third year of our reign, intituled "An Act

"residing out of the districts aforesaid, and with"in any Cities or Corporate Towns, or within the "jurisdiction of the Magistrates of such Cie or "Corporate Towns respectively, shall, within "fourteen days from the publication of this our "Proclamation in the London Gazette, so regis ter themselves with the Mayor or other Chief "Magistrate of such Cities or Corporate Towns "respectively:-And all Aliens residing in other

places in Great Britain shall, within eighteen "days from the publication of this our Proclama ❝tion in the London Gazette, so register them"selves with some Magistrate of the County or "Place where such Aliens respectively reside."

And we do further require and command all Aliens who shall come into Great Britain, after the publication of this our Proclamation in the London Gazette, to register themselves in the manner hereinafter mentioned with the Lord Mayor, Mayors, or other Magistrates as aforesaid, within two days after every such Alien shall have arrived within any such City, Town, District, or other place to which he shall be allowed to proceed, by passport granted for that purpose, except Aliens who are required by our Proclamation of the twelfth August last to land at no other Port than the Ports of Yarmouth, Harwich, Dover, and Southampton, and at Gravesend, whom we hereby require and command to register themselves in manner hereinafter mentioned, at the Alien Office in Crown-street, Westminster.And we do further require and command every Alien, for the purpose of obtaining such licence as aforesaid, to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the person or persons with whom such Alien is hereby required to register himself or herself as aforesaid, a full and true declaration or account in writing of his or her name, age, place of birth, rank, occupation, profession, the place of residence when last in his or her own country, together with the last and principal place of residence before his or her arrival in this kingdom, the name or names of some person or persons in this country to whom known, the reason or purpose for which he or she came to this kingdom, the time when, and the place at which such Alien last arrived in Great Britain, and where his or her actual residence has been since such last arrival, and is at the time of giving in such declaration, which said declaration or account shall be signed by such Alien with his or her name or mark.And we do hereby authorize and appoint the said Lord Mayor, Mayors, and other Magistrates as aforesaid respectively, to receive such accounts as aforesaid, and do require and command them respectively to cause the original account to be transmitted within two days to our principal Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the purpose of such Alien obtain ing our Royal Licence to reside within Great Bri tain from the said Secretary, whom we do hereby authorise and appoint to giant such licences, or from such other person or persons who now are, or who shall from time to time be authorised and appointed by us to grant such licences.And we do further authorise and require the said Lord Mayor, Mayors, and other Magistrates as aforc said, to whom any such accounts shall be deliver ed as aforesaid, to grant under his hand and seal to the Alien delivering such account, a provisional licence to reside within Great Britain, under such restrictions as shall appear fit, during the time that shall be therein allowed to such Alien for obtaiɛing our Royal Licence as aforesaid. And we do further declare, that this our Proclamation shall

to repeal an Act passed in the last session of Par"liament for establishing regulations, respecting "Aliens arriving in this kingdom, or residing "therein; and for establishing, until three "months after the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace, regulations respecting Aliens arriving in this kingdom, or residing therein, in "certain cases;" We are authorised by our Royal Proclamation, from time to time, to require and command every alien who now is in, or who shall hereafter come into, Great Britain, except as therein excepted, to register himself or herself, and thereupon to obtain our Royal Licence to reside within this kingdom, as therein mentioned: Now we, being desirous of carrying into execution the purposes of the said Act, do, by this our proclamation, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, require and command every Alien who shall be in this Kingdon on the day of the date of this our Proclamation, except as hereinafter excepted, to register himself or herself, in the manner hereinafter mentioned; that is to say, "All Aliens residing in the City of London, shall, within ten days from the publication of this our proclama❝tion, in the Loudon Gazette, so register them"selves with the Lord Mayor of the said City:"All Aliens residing in the City and Liberties of "Westminster, or elsewhere within the Bills of Mortality (except the City of London), or resi"ding within ten miles of the City of London, "shall, within ten days from the publication of "this our Proclamation in the London Gazette, "so register themselves with the Magistrates at "one of the undermentioned Public Offices, in the "District of which Office such Alien shall then "reside; that is to say, the Police-Office, Queen"square, Westminster; Great Marlbro'-street; "Hatton Garden; Lambeth street, Whitechapel; Worship-street, Shoreditch; High-street, Shadwell; and Union Hall, Southwark :-All Aliens

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