But let us consider what these Forts, Castles, and Soldiers were, their Use, and whither the Trade is not as well secured now it lies open. The greatest Number of Soldiers, offered as I remember at a Committee formerly appointed by the honourable House of Commons to enquire into that Affair, did not exceed One Hundred and Twenty on the whole Coast, nor did their Forts and Castles appear to be any thing else than Settlements for their Factors, nor was it ever made out, or indeed pretended, that they were fitted to wage a National War, or to secure against a National Invasion, nor were there any Magazines laid up to expect a Siege from the Natives; nor could they hinder Interlopers from trading on the Coast of what Nation soever; but the Company having obtained Frigates from the Government, destroyed our own Merchant Ships (unless permitted on the Payment of great Mulcts at home) whilst they let others alone: This, together with the Powers given them in their Charter, to seize in the Plantations, such as had the good Fortune to escape them on the Coast, and also their Cargoes, discouraged private Traders, who else found no Difficulties, the Natives receiving them as Friends, and chusing rather to deal with them than the Company, whose Factories also being at remote Distances from each other, great Part of that Coast was untraded to. Nor do I see what Need there was to fight our Way into a Trade, altogether as advantageous to the Natives as to us; for whilst we supplied them with Things they wanted, and were of Value amongst them, we took in exchange Slaves, which were else of little Worth to the Proprietors; and there was no Reason to think, that the People of this Kingdom, who had settled such large Colonies on the Continent of _America_, (besides it several Islands) where there was at first such small Hopes of Advantage, without the Help of a Company, should fall short in securing this Trade, which carried with it the Prospect of so great a Profit. I will next consider the Inconveniencies that have attended this Monopoly, and the Advantage the Nation reaps by the Trades being laid open; we now send more Ships, and supply the Plantations with more Negroes, and vend more of our Commodities for their Purchase: Besides, every Negro in the Plantations gives a second Employ to the Manufacturers of this Kingdom; and had we many more to spare, the _Spaniards_ would buy them, and pay us in Bullion, so there could be no Ground for putting this Trade into few Hands, unless ’twas designed those few should grow rich, whilst for their Sakes, the Nation suffered in its Trade and Navigation, the Company having made this detrimental Use of their Charter, that they bought up our Manufactures cheaper at home, and made the Planters pay dearer for Negroes abroad, than could have been done, if there had been more Buyers for the One, and Sellers of the Other.