1760 to 1785, L370,000,000 L101,000,000 L25,000,000 1785 to 1805, L576,000,000 L142,000,000 L40,000,000 ____________ ____________ ____________ L1,486,000,000 L492,000,000 L80,000,000 ____________ ____________ ____________ [Transcriber's note: L=GBP/Pounds Sterling.] This is about a nineteenth part of our foreign trade, and the balance is greatly against us. -=- [end of page #206] remitted, to be all gain, together with one-half of the 83,000,000 L. which surely is allowing the gain at the highest rate for both. {168} Supposing, then, that the wars that India has occasioned have cost (or the proportion of the debt they have occasioned) one-sixth part of the whole of our debt, and that the profits on goods to India, and private fortunes, came into the public treasury, there would still have been a great loss to the state; but this has not been the case, the interest of the debt has been levied on the people, and will continue to be so, till all is paid off; which, according to the plan of the sinking fund, will be in thirty-five years, so that we shall have about 750,000,000 L. more to pay, {169} supposing we have peace all that time, and continue to possess India. There is something very gloomy in this view of national affairs, and yet there is no apparent method of making it more pleasing. It is, on the contrary, very possible, that as Malta, on account of its being supposed the key to India, has cost us 20,000,000 L. within a few years, that, in less than thirty-five years, it may cost us _something_ more; and, it is not by any means impossible, that, before that period, we may either lose India, or give it away; on either of which suppositions, the arithmetical balance of profit and loss will be greatly altered, to our farther disadvantage. On the possessions in India, and the complicated manner in which our imports (again exported) affect the nation, a volume might be written, but it would be to very little purpose, in a general inquiry of this sort. It is sufficient to shew here that the wealth obtained by that channel is not of great magnitude, in comparison either of the --- {168} The nearness of the balance of trade, to the amount of debt contracted, will naturally excite attention, but it appears merely accidental, and to have not any real connection. Debt borrowed L500,000,000 Interest paid L590,000,000 ______________ L1,090,000,000 [Transcriber's note: L=GBP/Pounds Sterling.] {169} Let the future profits and expenses be set against each other, like the last. -=- [end of page #207] wealth acquired by foreign trade, or by our industry at home; and that, at the same time, we see that it excites more envy and jealousy than all the rest of the advantages we enjoy put together.