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extent than the United States. In 1752 she nearly completed a chain of forts from New-Orleans to Quebec, by which the then English colonies were hemmed in, and would eventually have been confined to the country on this side the Allegany mountains. These gigantic projects were defeated by the energies of Mr. Pitt in the war of 1756. And, by the succeeding treaty of peace in 1763, all the possessions lying east of Missisippi, and including the Floridas, were ceded to GreatBritain France reserved New-Orleans and the island on which it is built. All that part of the country lying east of the Missisippi was, before the late cession, comprehended as one of the United States, under the name of the Missisippi territory.

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According to the return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States in the year 1801, the population amounted to more than five millions and a quarter*, of which nearly nine hundred thousand are slaves, a circumstance which cannot be sufficiently deplored by the friends of real humanity. And no inconsistency can be greater than that the slave trade should be tolerated by people who struggled so many years against oppression and tyranny in defence of their own rights.

The expenditure of the government of the United States for the year 1800 was estimated at fifteen millions of dollars, and the revenue for that year was but ten millions; leaving five millions to be provided for by new taxes. But in this estimate was included a sum of six hundred thousand dollars for building six ships of the line, and the sum appropriated to raising 12 regiments of infantry

See Table III. at the end of the volume.

and six troops; these expenses were incurred by the preparations made to resist the aggressions of the French, and cannot be regarded as part of the usual expenditure of the government of the United States; and every mean is taken to reduce the national debt, which on the 1st of January 1792, amounted to about seventeen millions and a half sterling, as will be seen in the fourth table at the end of the volume.

CHAP. XII.

British Possessions in North America. Canada. Its Legislature. Governor. Revenue. Manners of its Inhabitants. Climate. Produce. New-Brunswick. Nova-Scotia. Cape Breton. NewfoundIts Fishery. Hudson's Bay. When disSettled. Its Produce. Its Climate.

land. covered.

'N giving a connected account of the history of

pend that part of our plan which relates to the British possessions in North America. These are still extensive, and of considerable importance, though so thinly inhabited, and in such a disadvantageous climate, that they sink into a kind of insignificance when compared with the great and flourishing colonies belonging to Spain, or with the territories of the United States. The inhabitants of the former have been estimated at seven millions, and those of the latter at more than five; while the population of the British possessions does not exceed two hundred thousand souls, of whom the greater part are French, or of French origin.

The chief of these possessions is Canada, now divided into two parts, Upper and Lower Canada, the former being the western division on the north of the great lakes or sea of Canada, while the lower division is on the river St. Lawrence, towards the east, and contains Quebec the capital, and chief city of our remaining settlements. On the east of Cana

da, to the south of the river St. Lawrence, is Nova Scotia, which within these last twenty years has been divided into two provinces, that of Nova Scotia in the south, and New-Brunswick in the north.

What is called New-Britain comprehends the most northern parts towards Hudson's Bay, and the coast of Labrador. The large island of Newfoundland, that called Cape Breton, and the neighbour. ing isle of St. John, complete the chief denominations of British territory.

The original population of Canada consisted of several savage tribes; and the first European settlement was at Quebec in 1608. For a century and a half it belonged to the French, but in 1759 Quebec was conquered by general Wolfe, and at the peace in 1763 Canada was ceded to Great-Britain.

The religion is the Roman Catholic, but the British settlers follow their own modes of worship. A legislative council and an assembly are appointed for each of the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, having power to make laws with the consent of the governor: but the king may declare his dissent at any time within two years. The legislative council consists of seven members for Upper Canada, and fifteen for the lower province, summoned by the governor under the king's authority, and nominated during their lives. The house of assembly is to consist of fifty members from Lower Canada, and sixteen from Upper Canada, chosen by the freeholders. The councils are to assemble at least once a year; and the house of assembly continues four years, except in case of prior dissolution.

British America is superintended by an officer styled governor general of the four British provinces in North America, who is also commander in

chief of all the British troops in the four provinces, and the governments attached to them, and Newfoundland. Each of the provinces has a lieutenantgovernor, who, in absence of the governor-general, has all the powers requisite to a chief magistrate. The only revenue arising to Great-Britain from this colony proceeds from an advantageous commerce, which employs several thousand tons of shipping. The expenses of the civil list are sup. posed to be 25,000/ of which half is paid by GreatBritain, and the other is raised by the provinces, from duties on the importation of spirits, wine, and a few other articles. The military establishment, with repairs of forts, &c. is stated at 100,000%. ; and the like sum is expended in presents to the savages, and salaries to officers employed among them for trade in Upper Canada. But the advantages of the commerce are thought to counterbalance these charges.

The manners and customs of the settlers in Canada are considerably tinctured with French gaiety and urbanity. The women can generally read and write, and are thus superior to the men; but both are sunk in ignorance and superstition, and blindly devoted to their priests. They universally use the French language, English being restricted to the few British settlers. Through the whole of Canada there is no public library except in the capital, and this is small, and consists mostly of French books. And excepting the Quebec almanac, not a single book is printed in Canada.

The chief town is Quebec, built on a lofty point of land on the north-west side of the river St. Lawrence; which in this neighbourhood is sufficiently deep and spacious to float more than a hundred sail of the line. The upper town is of considerable

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