eafy and beneficial a practice. For, as we have a navy, much
more numerous than theirs, great p^rt of which, is ; always employed
in very diftant ftations, either in the protection of our
colonies and commerce, or in affifting our allies again!): the common
enemy ; this gives us frequent opportunities, o f furnilhing
ourfelves.with fuch kind o f materials as are here recommended,
and fuch as might turn greatly to our advantage either in war or
peace; fince, not to mention what might be'expefted from the,
officers of the Navy, i f their, application to thefe fubjefits, was properly
encouraged, it would create no new expence to the Government
to eftablilh a particular regulation for this, purpofe; . as
all that would be requifite would be, conftantly to embark on
“board fomeof our men .of war, which are fent on thefe diftant
cruizes, a perfou, who, with the chara&er of an eng ineer, and the
(kill and talents neceffary to that profeffion, fhould be employed
in drawing fuch coafts, and planning fuch harbours, as the ihip
ffiould touch a t; and in making fuch other obfervatioris, of all
kinds, as might either prove of advantage to future Navigators, or
might any ways tend to promote the Public fervice. Perfons,
habituated to thele operations (which could not fail, at the fame
time, of improving them in their proper bufinefs) would be extremely
ufeful in many other lights befides thofe already men-,
tioned, and might tend to fecure our Fleets from thofe difgraces
with which their attempts againft places on fhore have been often
attended. And, in a Nation like ours, where all fciences are more
eagerly and univerfally purfued, and better underftood, than in
any other part of the world, proper fubjedts for thefe employments
could not long be wanting, if due encouragement were
given to them. This method, here recommended, is known to
have been frequently praclifed by the French', particularly in the
inftance of Monfieur Frezier, an Engineer, who has publifhed a
celebrated voyage to the South-Seas: for this perfon, in the year
17 1 1 , was purpofely fent by the French King into that country on
board a merchantman, that he might examine and defcribe the
coaft,
eoaft, and take plans o f all the-fortified places; the better to enable
the French to profeewte- their illicit trade, or, on a rupture between
them and the-court of Spain, to form their enterprizes in thofe feas
with more readinefs and1 certainty. Should we purfue this method,
we might Hope, that the emulation- amongft' tliofe wh-o- were com-
miffioned for thefe undertakings; and" the experience, which, even
in the moft peaceable intervals, they would-hereby acquire, might
at length procure us a> proper number o f able Engineers, and might
efface the national fcandal' which our deficiency in that fpecies o f
men has fo me times expofed us t o : and, fiirely, every ftep to entourage
and improve1 them Is of great moment to the-Public;, as
no-perfons, when they are- properly inftr-u&ed, make- better returns
in war,, for the diftinOions and- emoluments beftowed on
them in time of peace: of which the* advantages the French have
reaped from their dexterity (too numerous and rfecent to be foon
forgot) are an ample- confirmation;
And having mentioned Engineers; or fuch as are (killed in drawing,
and the other ufual practices o f that profeffion, as the pro-
pereft perfons to be employed in thefe foreign enquiries ; I cannot
(as it offers itfeif fo naturally to the fubjeS in hand) but lament,
how very imperfedt many o f our accounts of diftant countries are
rendered by the relators being unfkilled in drawing, and in the
general principles o f furveying, even where other abilities have
not been wanting. Had more of our travellers been initiated m
thefe acquirements, and had there been added thereto fome little
(kill in the common aftronomical obfervations (all which aperfon
o f ordinary talents might attain, with a very moderate (hare of
application), we fhould, by this time, have feen the geography of
the globe much correfter than we now find i t ; the dangers o f
navigation would have been confiderably leflened, and the manners,
arts, and produce, of foreign Countries, would have been better
known to us than they-are. Indeed, when I confider the ftrong
incitements that all travellers have to purfue feme part at leaft o f
thefe qualifications, efpecially drawing;“' when I confider how
c much