We will next see what Employment this Trade gives to Ships as it's now managed in a Company, and how far it promotes Navigation by making Saylors; The Number of the first is but small, and I think far from making Seamen, long Voyages being usually their Bane, those Ships seldom bringing home so many Saylors as they carry'd forth, whereas shorter Voyages do more, made out of Land-Men, both the Imployers and the Imployed being desirous to make their first Tryals on such Voyages; besides, longer require better Saylors to provide for the Casualties which attend them, and may be said rather to use Seamen than to make them; and this is one great Reason why the _Dutch_ raise them so easily, most of their Imployments being a home Trade. If then it appears this Trade is no more profitable to the Nation in general we will next see how it is to that Company in parricular; I do not say to the particular Members thereof, who by ill Practices have raised their private Fortunes, many of which have been lately laid open, but to the Company as such; and here we find that a former failed; the last is thought to have gotten little, considering the long time they have been a Monopoly; and what Advantage the new _Fund_ will make Time must shew, the Tricks used to engage Men therein causes me to doubt whither 'twill answer the Expectations of the Subscribers. On the whole let us consider what Arguments can be offered to the Wisdom of the Nation to limit this Trade to an exclusive Company as was desired, or (as in truth it is) to turn it into a Monopoly by Law, a thing very contrary to the Genius of the People of _England_, and seems to barr the Freedom and Liberty of the Subject. Were Monopolies to be allowed it must certainly be in One of these three Respects. 1. That we might put off our own Commodities to other Nations in Barter for those we received from them. 2. That we might keep down the Prices of their Commodities, whilst we advanced our own. 3. That as the Consequence of these two we might encourage our Manufacturers at home, and furnish Foreign Commodities cheap. But when a Monopoly shall cause quite different Effects it's not to be allow'd on any Terms.