The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation — Volume 12: America, Part IHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation — Volume 12: America, Part I
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
6 Furthermore, you may by the Northwest saile thither with all Easterly
windes, and returne with any Westerly windes, whereas you must haue by the
Northeast sundry windes, and those proper, according to the lying of the
coast and Capes, you shalbe inforced to double, which windes are not
alwaies to be had, when they are looked for: whereby your iourney should be
greatly prolonged, and hardly endured so neere the Pole. As we are taught
by sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was frozen to death farre neerer the South.
7. Moreouer, it is very doubtfull, whether we should long inioy that trade
by the Northeast, if there were any such passage that way, the commodities
thereof once knowen to the Moscouite, what priuilege so euer hee hath
granted, seeing pollicy with the masse of excessiue gaine, to the inriching
(so greatly) of himselfe and all his dominions would perswade him to
presume the same, hauing so great opportunitie to vtter the commodities of
those countries by the Narue.
But by the Northwest, we may safely trade without danger or annoyance of
any prince liuing, Christian or Heathen, it being out of all their trades.
8 Also the Queenes Maiesties dominions are neerer the Northwest passage
then any other great princes that might passe that way, and both in their
going and returne, they must of necessitie succour themselues and their
ships vpon some part of the same, if any tempestuous weather should happen.
Further, no princes nauie of the world is able to incounter the Queenes
Maiesties nauie, as it is at this present: and yet it should be greatly
increased by the traffike insuing vpon this discouerie, for it is the long
voyages that increase and maintaine great shipping.
Now it seemeth necessarie to declare what commodities would growe thereby,
if all these things were, as we haue heretofore presupposed, and thought
them to be: which next adioyning are briefly declared.
What commodities would ensue, this passage once discouered.
Cap. 10.
First, it were the onely way for our princes, to possesse the wealth of all
the East parts (as they terme them) of the world, which is infinite: as
appeareth by the experience of Alexander the great, in the time of his
conquest of India, and other the East parts of the world, alleaged by
Quintus Curtius, which would be a great aduancement to our countrey, a
wonderfull inriching to our prince, and an vnspeakable commoditie to all
the inhabitants of Europe.
2 For through the shortnesse of the voyage, we should be able to sell all
maner of merchandize, brought from thence, farre better cheape then either
the Portugall or Spaniard doth or may do. And further, we should share with
the Portugall in the East, and the Spaniard in the West, by trading to any
part of America, thorow Mar del Sur, where they can no maner of way offend
vs.
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