row ftraits, amidft perplexing currents, and dangerous
lhoals ? But, above all, what numbers o f new bays, and
harbours, and anchoring-places, are now, for the firft time,
brought forward, where ihips may be Iheltered, and their
crews find tolerable refreihments ? To enumerate all thefe
would be to tranfcribe great part of the journals o f our fe-
veral Commanders, whofe labours will endear them to
every navigator, whom trade or war may carry into their
tracks. Every nation that fends a ihip to fea, will partake
o f the benefit; but Great Britain herfelf, whofe commerce
is boundlefs, mult take the lead in reaping the full advantage
of her own difcoveries.
In confequence of all thefe various improvements, lefien-
ing the apprehenfions of engaging in long voyages, may
we not reafonably indulge the pleafing hope, that frcfli
branches of commerce may, even in our own time, be attempted,
and fuccefsfully carried on ? Our hardy adventurers
in the whale-fiihery, have already found their way,
within thefe few years, into the South Atlantic; and who
knows what frelh fources of commerce may Hill be opened,
i f the profpeA of gain can be added, to keep alive the fpirit
of enterprize? If the fituation of Great Britain- be too remote,
other trading nations will afiuredly avail themfelves
of our difcoveries. We may foon expeA to hear that the
Ruffians, now inftruAed by us where to find the American
continent, have extended their voyages from the Fox Elands
to Cook’s River, and Prince William’s Sound. And if Spain
itfelf ihould not be tempted to trade from its moil Northern
Mexican ports, by the frelh mine o f wealth difcovered in
the furs of King George’s Sound, which they may tranfport
in their Manilla fillips, as a favourite commodity for the
7 Chinefe
Chinefe market; that market may probably be fupplied by
a direA trade to America, from Canton itfelf, with thofe
valuable articles which the inhabitants o f China have hitherto
received, only by the tedious and expenfive circuit of
Kamtfchatka and Kiachta.
Thefe and many other commercial improvements may
reafonably be expeAed to refult from the Britilh difcoveries,
even in our own times. But if we look forward to future
ages, and to future changes in the hillory o f commerce, by
recolleAing its various pail revolutions and migrations,
we may be allowed to pleafe ourfelves with the idea of its
finding its way, at laft, throughout the extent o f the
regions with which our voyages have opened an intercourfe!
and there will be abundant reafon to fubfcribe to Captain
Cook’s obfervation with regard to New Zealand, which may
be applied to other tracks of land explored by him, that
“ although they be far remote from the prefent trading
“ world, we can, by no means, tell what ufe future ages
“ may make of the difcoveries made by the prefent In
this point of view, furely, the. utility o f the late voyages
mull Hand confefled 5 and we may be permitted to fay, that
the hiftory of their operations, which will be completed in
thefe volumes, has the jufteft pretenfions to be called JCTtjfZCC
is de), as it will convey to lateft pofterity a treafure o f intereftr
ing information.
3. Admitting, however, that we may have exprelTed too
fanguine expeAations of commercial advantages, either
within our own reach, or gradually to be unfolded at fome
future period, as the refult of our voyages o f difcovery; we
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 92.
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