CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTS.--_Journals of Congress, Secret Journals of Congress_, works and full biographies of the Revolutionary Statesmen; Peter Force, _American Archives_; Jared Sparks, _Correspondence of the Revolution_; F. Wharton, _Diplomatic Correspondence_; John Adams and Abigail Adams, _Familiar Letters_; Tom Paine, _Common Sense_; Crevecoeur, _Letters from an American Farmer_ [1770-1781]; J. Anbury, _Travels_ [1776- 1781]; Chastellux, _Voyage de Newport_ [also in translation, 1780-1781]; W. B. Donne, _Correspondence of George III. with Lord North_ [1768-1783]; Francis Hopkins, _Essays and Writings_; Philip Freneau, _Poems_; Baroness Riedesel, _Letters and Memoirs_.--Reprints in Niles, _Principles and Acts of the Revolution_; D. R. Goodloe, _Birth of the Republic_, 205-353; Mathew Carey, _Remembrancer_; Frank Moore, _Diary of the American Revolution_, _Old South Leaflets_, _American History told by Contemporaries_, II. 35. THE STRENGTH OF THE COMBATANTS (1775). [Sidenote: Power of Great Britain.] When we compare the population and resources of the two countries, the defiance of the colonists seems almost foolhardy. In 1775 England, Ireland, and Scotland together had from eight to ten million souls; while the colonies numbered but three millions. Great Britain had a considerable system of manufactures, and the greatest foreign commerce in the world, and rich colonies in every quarter of the globe poured wealth into her lap. What she lacked she could buy. In the year 1775 the home government raised ten million pounds in taxes, and when the time came she was able to borrow hundreds of millions in all the colonies together, two million pounds in money was the utmost that could be raised in a single year by any system of taxes or loans. In 1776 one hundred and thirty cruisers and transports brought the British army to New York: the whole American navy had not more than seventeen vessels. In moral resources Great Britain was decidedly stronger than America. Parliament was divided, but the king was determined. On Oct 15, 1775, he wrote: "Every means of distressing America must meet with my concurrence." Down to 1778 the war was popular in England, and interfered little with her prosperity. [Sidenote: Weakness of America.]