Veffels employed between Great Britain and the remaining British colonies in North America. Number and tonnage of British veffels clear- Number and tonnage of ditto, fo employed, en Tons. 250-9,582 tering inwards, on a like average Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels entering inwards, and clearing outwards Number and tonnage of British veffels, clearing outwards, employed in this trade, on an average of the years 1787, 1788, and 1789, fince the war 273-12,857 261-11,219 486-61,858 Number and tonnage of ditto fo employed, en tering inwards, on a like average 249-30,355 Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels entering inwards, and clearing outwards 367-46,106 By the foregoing averages it appears, that the number of veffels employed between Great Britain and the remaining colonies in North America, being all British fhips, has in creased since the war in the proportion of about one half, being 106 veffels more than it was before the war; and the quantity of tonnage has increased 34,887 tons, being in the proportion of about four times more than it was before the war. Vessels employed between Great Britain and the British islands in the West Indies. Number and tonnage of British veffels clearing outwards, and employed yearly in the trade between Great Britain and the British islands in the Weft Indies, on an average of the years 1770, 1771, and 1772, before the war Number and tonnage of ditto fo employed, entering inwards, on a like average Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels, entering inwards, and clearing outwards ❤ Number and tonnage of British veffels clearing outwards, and employed yearly in the trade between Great Britain and the British islands in the Weft Indies, on an average of the years 1787, 1788, and 1789, fince the war Number and tonnage of ditto, fo employed, entering inwards, on a like average Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels, entering inwards, and clearing outwards 559-133,736 By these last averages it appears that the number of vessels employed between Great Britain and the British islands in the West Indies, being all British fhips, is, fince the war, 68 ships more than before the war, and has therefore increafed in the proportion of about one-seventh; and that the quantity of tonnage is, fince the war, 53,254 tons more than it was before the war, and has therefore increased in the proportion of more than five-eighths. It is of importance also to obferve, that before the war a part of the ships annually employed in bringing to Great Britain the produce of the Weft India iflands, was built in the countries now belonging to the United States of America. These fhips were in general loaded in the northern states with lumber and provifions, and configned to merchants in the Weft Indies, where their cargoes were fold, and being then freighted with fugar and other West India produce, they proceeded to Great Britain, where they were fold at a rate confiderably under the price, for which veffels of the fame dimenfions could be built in Great Britain. Their number is supposed to have been about fifty annually; and it is for this reason that the number of ships entering inwards before the war appears, by the foregoing accounts, to have exceeded the number of fhips clearing outwards, in a much greater proportion than it does at prefent. Since the war, the fhips employed in this branch of commerce are principally built in Great Britain; and as thefe fhips, and the failors with which they are manned, have « more immediate connection with the mother country, it is certain that they contribute in a much greater degree than the ships which they have replaced, to increase the efficient Brength of Great Britain as a naval power, Veffels employed between the remaining British colonies in North America, and the countries belonging to the United States. Number and tonnage of British veffels clearing outwards, and employed yearly in the trade between the remaining British colonies in North America, and the countries which were then British colonies, but now form the United States of America, on an average of the years 1770, 1771, and 1772, before the war Number and tonnage of ditto, so employed, entering inwards, on a like average Ships. Tons. 250-9,582 276-12,857 Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels entering inwards and clearing outwards 263-11,219 Number and tonnage of British veffels clearing outwards, and employed yearly in the trade between the remaining British colonies in North America, and the countries belonging to the United States, on an average of the years 1787, 1788, and 1789, fince the war Number and tonnage of ditto, fo employed, entering inwards, on a like average Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels entering inwards and clearing outwards 208-15,135 269-15,524 238-15,329 The number of the veffels fo ftated includes their repeated voyages; and it appears that the number has decreased, fince the war, 25 veffels, or about one-tenth: but the quantity of the tonnage has increafed 4,110 tons, or about one-third. The veffels employed before the war in this branch of trade might lawfully belong to the inhabitants of the countries now under the dominion of the United States; it is certain they then owned much the greatest share of these veffels: but veffels fo employed can now belong only to the inhabitants of the remaining colonies, or of fome other part of the British dominions: a great part of this branch of freight may be confidered, therefore, as a new acquifition, and was obtained by the wife policy which your Majesty thought proper to adopt by your order in council of 18th June, 1784. Veffels employed between the British iflands in the Weft Indies, and the countries belonging to the United States. Number and tonnage of British veffels clearing outwards, and employed yearly in the trade between the British islands in the West Indies, and the countries belonging to the United States, on an average of the years 1770, 1771, and 1772, before the war Number and tonnage of ditto, fo employed, entering inwards, on a like average Medium of the average-number and tonnage of British veffels, entering inwards, and clearing outwards |