586 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. App.

can never be of any real fervice: I
believe, it was not defigned to be fo,
when it was first established; becaufe
our court had then a defign to render
the keeping up of a ftanding ar-
my neceffary; and accordingly, the
foundation was laid in that very A
reign, upon which our prefent dan-
gerous fabrick has by degrees been
erected; but I fhould be forry to
think, that we had no military pow.
er except that which confifts in the
troops we keep in pay; and I was
glad to find, that what the Hon. B
gentleman faid of the late rebel ar
my, overturned the whole of his
doctrine upon
this head; for I hope,
they were not the only brave men in
the island: I hope, there is not a
gentleman, a yeoman, or a farmer
in the kingdom, but what are as C
brave, and as apt to learn the fight-
ing bufinefs of à foldier, as they
were; and if they were like to have
been an over-match for our regular
troops, ought we not to conclude,
that an army newly raised, and con-
fifting of our young gentlemen, yeo.
men, and farmers, would be an over-
match for any regular troops that can
be brought against us? We have ftill,
thank God! the fame commander,
that was then at the head of our re-
gular troops; and I am perfuaded,
he would fhew the fame courage and
conduct at the head of a volunteer,
which he then fhewed at the head
of a mercenary army. The former
might not, perhaps, be fo ductile,
but I am convinced, they would be
as brave, and as alert, in the execu-
tion of every order that tended to- F
wards defeating the enemy. We
know, Sir, that in time of real dan
ger his majefty is not to truft to the
militia: He may then iffue commif.
fions for raifing as many regiments
as he pleafes, and every volunteer
that lifts in thofe regiments, is as
much fubject to martial law as any
foldier in our regular army: If we
were threatened with an invafion
from France, I am perfuaded, his

majefty, who poffeffes the hearts and affections of his people, might, in a very few days, by this method, raise as great an army as he pleased, of as brave men as any that were in the late rebel army; and nothing can ever prevent this but the government's being hated by the people, or the people's trufting till it is too late to the regular troops; both which may prove to be the effect of our keeping too great a number of the latter in continual pay.

I fhall admit, Sir, that if an ármy of new-raised volunteers, were to engage against an army of regular troops long inured to difcipline, and both were to fland at a distance to fire at each other, the latter would probably get the victory, because they could fire fafter and more regularly; but this is rather patience than courage; and a general, who could depend upon the perfonal courage and vigour of his men, would certainly not chufe this method of fighting. He would lead them prefently Don to the attack; and when armies come to pell-mell fighting, I believe, volunteers will generally have the advantage. Therefore, I shall always think, that our military power depends upon the numbers of brave men we have in the kingdom, whether they be in the pay of the government or no; and our keeping a great number in pay, and neglecting or rather preventing the difcipline of all the reft, will diminish instead of increafing our military power; but it is not fo with regard to our feamen; for no bravery can make an expert feaman. A brave man may in two or three months be made not only a brave but difciplined foldier; and by a very little practice he may afterwards preferve his difcipline, without interfering with G any other employment. But it will require at least two or three years to make a brave man an expert failor, and to continue fo, he must be in almost a continual practice,

E

1751. PROCEEDINGS of the

fo that he can follow no other em-
ployment; therefore our maritime
power must be more or lefs, according
to the number of feamen we keep in
continual pay and fervice. Those
in the merchant and fifhing fervice
add, 'tis true, to our maritime A
power, because we can make use
of them when neceffity requires;
but as no more can be maintained
by, than are absolutely necessary for
that fervice, we should avoid being
reduced to that neceffity as much as
poffible.

B

Now, Sir, as the Hon. gentleman's argument, or, if he pleases, his different manner of arguing upon the two questions relating to our regular troops and our feamen, is founded entirely upon the fupposition, that we have no military C power, but what confifts in our regular troops; and as I have fhewn, that our military power will rather be diminished than increased by keeping a great number of fuch in our pay, I think, the argument he has made ufe of, or the reafon D of the difference which he was at so much pains to establish, will entirely evanish; but fuppofing that our men must be difciplined as well as brave, in order to conftitute a part of our military power; for, I hope, he will not fay, that a man's E receiving pay adds either to his courage or his difcipline: I fay, fuppofing this, muft it not be granted, that it is the duty of our ministers to approve of every method, that may contribute towards the increafing the number of difciplined men F in the kingdom? How then can they be justified, for having refufed to give our foldiers a right to demand their discharge, after a certain number of years? For it must be allowed, that this would have very much increased the number of dif-G ciplined men in the kingdom. The Hon. gentleman fays, it was proved to the fatisfaction of the majority, that this would have put an end to all difcipline in our army. How

POLITICAL CLUB, &c. 587 a majority may be fatisfied, I do not know: In this refpect minifters, I believe, must have fome knack, which I am quite ignorant of; for, I am fure, I was far from being fatisfied upon that occafion; nor can I yet fee how any man could be fatisfied, that knows any thing of the French or Swifs fervice. Their troops are certainly as well difciplined as ours; and yet in France a foldier has a right, in time of peace, to his discharge, after fix years fervice; and in the Swifs fervice, their foldiers generally contract for a certain number of years, after which they may return home if they please, which is the true caufe of that country's being always full of disciplined foldiers.

I know, Sir, the Hon. gentleman will fay, that when foldiers are out of the service, they are no longer at the government's command. For this very reafon, Sir, I wish we had more of them. They will always be at the command of a just and wife government, when there is an apparent neceffity for their fervice; but they will be a terror to a weak or oppreffive government; and it is for this reason, I believe, that minifters chuse to have as few of them as poffible in the kingdom. For the fame reafon I am for increafing their number, by all the methods we can contrive; and I am the more fanguine against what is now propofed, as it feems to be introductory of a new fyftem of government, which is to put no longer any truft in our maritime power, but for the future put our whole truft in foreign auxiliares, and a numerous mercenary army engaged for life to be the flaves of military law. This fyftem is not, I am very fure, an English system: It is a syltem inconfiftent with a free government: It is a fyftem, inconfiftent with our fituation as an island; and I am not for trufting any thing to minifters that but feem to adopt

fuch

588 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. App.

fuch a fyftem. Do not tell me of
fervices, neceffary or unneceffary;
or of the number of feamen kept in
publick pay by any of our rivals: It is
a body of brave feamen kept always
on foot for our defence, and for pre-
venting our being ever forced to A
diftrefs our trade, that the nation
wants; and if the parliament should
think fit to grant 20,000 for this
purpose, I would gladly fee any
minifter dare to reduce their num-
ber. But as to what number of fea-
men may now be in the pay of fome B
of our rivals, particularly France,
has
any
minifter, has any gentleman,
taken upon him to fay, that the
French government has not now
8000 in their pay? And fuppofe

of what you may be able to de, when engaged alone in a war against France; whereas you have repeated experience of what you may be able to do, when engaged in fuch a war in conjunction with a powerful confederacy upon the continent; and upon this occafion he took care to follow the modern fashion of falling foul upon the treaty of Utrecht; but I will be fo unfafhionable as to juftify that treaty, by faying, that a peace was then become abfolutely neceffary, not only on account of the diftreffed circumftances this nation was reduced to, but because most of our allies began to be cool in the profecution of the war, after Charles, our king of Spain, was chofen emperor, and CI believe, would have declared against us, if we had perfifted in our defign to establish him upon the throne of Spain: I will go farther, Sir: I will be fo paradoxical as to fay, that if there was any thing bad in that treaty, it was not owing Dto thofe that made it, but to thofe that oppofed it; for if our allies had all at first joined with us in the treaty, and no party at home had fet themselves up againft it, we might have obtained better terms both for ourselves and our allies; but when we fell out anong our. felves, it was impoffible for our minifters to prevent France from taking advantage of our difcord, and I wonder the did not make a greater advantage of it, especially confidering her fuccefs in the laft campaign of that war.

a minifter fhould from certain knowledge declare this, is there not a material difference between France and this kingdom? Their feamen are all registered, and must answer when called; the government always knows where they are, and will not allow them to go upon a long voyage, when they fufpect they may foon have occafion for their fervice. Here it is quite otherwife, in every one of thefe refpects: Moft of our feamen in the merchant - fervice may be abroad, when we have occafion for them; and as to thofe that may be at home, E our government, by its late treatment of our feamen, feems to have taken care, that they shall never be at its call, without being preffed into the fervice.

I come now, Sir, to our foreign nonfense, which the Hon. gentleman was pleafed to prepare us for, by infinuating, that by ourfelves alone, we fhould not now be able to carry on even a naval war against France. God forbid, Sir, the nation fhould think fo; for a very eminent and ancient poet has juftly obferved ofG thofe he mentions, that they conquered because they thought they could conquer; but fays the Hon. gentleman, you have no experience

F

But to return to our experience, Sir; were not we in K. Charles IId's reign, I mean in the years 1664 and 1665, engaged by ourselves alone, in a naval war against the combined powers of France and Holland? And if that penfionary parliament, as it was called in derifion, had been as liberal to their fovereign, as many parliaments have been fiace, we should have beat

both

1751. PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. 589

B

they will certainly put off the election as long as poffible, that is, during the prefent emperor's life; becaufe they must expect, that as foon as the election is over, their tribute will ceafe: This will therefore defeat, instead of promoting the end pretended; and confequently, I must think. that if we had found it neceffary for us to purchase the accomplishment of this end, we should have ftipulated, that the tributes we were to pay, were not to begin till the next quarter-day after the election of a king of the Romans. When I confider this affair, Sir, it puts an end to my wonder at the oppofition made to the reduction of the intereft payable upon our publick funds. If the people had thought, that the faving would be applied to the publick benefit, they would have chearfully agreed to it; but they fufpected, that it would only furnish a new fund for fquandering, and their fufpicions are now juftified; for we have taken the money out of the pockets of our widows and or.. phans, in order to fill the pockets of German princes; and, in my opinion, with-out any neceffity, or any folid view of advantage: Subfidies or tributes in time of war must be granted to thefe princes, if we ever engage in another land war against France, because we cannot carry on fuch a war without them, and they cannot put their troops in motion without a fubfidy; but in time of peace, these fubfidies can anfwer no good purpose whatever; because experience has fhewn, that we cannot thereby fecure their affiftance, or even their neutrality, in time of war.

both thefe maritime powers out of the
ocean, Then with regard to our expe-
rience of being engaged, in conjunction
with a confederacy upon the continent,
in a war against France, our prefent dif-
treffed circumftances fhew, how fatal
that experience has been to us. May we
not from thence learn, that in fuch a A
war we must be the dupes of our confe-
derates, both in the profecution of the
war, and in concluding a peace? In the
profecution of the war, we must always
be at the chief expence; and in concluding
a peace, we must be so far from asking any
thing for ourselves, that if we have made
any conqueft during the war, we must give
it up, in order to procure them an advan-
tageous peace. Therefore, if we take ex-
perience for our guide, we will certainly ne-
ver engage again with a confederacy upon
the continent, or defire their affiftance, in
any fuch war; and we have now, Sir, a yet
ftronger reafon, which is our utter in-
ability to pay for their affiftance to carry
on fuch a war. We must now refolve C
never to think of carrying on a war by
land against France, whilst we are under
our prefent load of debts; and should we
ever be so happy as to get rid of that load,
I hope, experience will convince us, that
in a land war upon the continent of Eu-
rope, France will always have a great ad-
vantage against us, because they can carry
it on at a much cheaper rate than we can;
whereas in a fea war, we have the fame
advantage of the French; the evident con-
fequence of which is, that all foreign al-
liances which tend to engage us as princi.
pals in a land war, must be pernicious to
this nation, and are quite unnecessary,
because by giving now and then a little
affiftance, we may obtain all the advan. E
tages for our commerce which we can de-
fire.

D

But now, Sir, fuppofe, that we could. by these tributes fecure the internal peace of Germany for 40 years to come, can any gentleman, who confiders the infults we are daily meeting with, flatter himself with the hopes of our continuing in peace for 40 years, unless we are to facrifice our trade, as well as our honour, to the prefervation of peace? And even this, with refpect to the payment of our debts, would be in vain; for if we lofe our trade, an peternal peace would not enable us to F pay our debts. Can any one fay, Sir, that we are now in lefs danger of a rupture, than we were two years ago? Are we not now actually in a state of war with the French in Nova Scotia? I fay, with the French, Sir; for their Indians are mixt with and conducted by Frenchmen ; and an Hon. gentleman that was there, has informed us, that the prifoners they take are carried to Cape Breton, and that we are so mean as to admit of an exchange of prifoners. Are not the French now erecting a fort within the limits of NewEngland? Suppofe we should fubmit to

As to the happy æra of our getting quite free of debt, Sir, I wish, I could have as certain a profpect of it, as the Hon. gentleman who fpoke laft pretends to have; but if we are to fet up for preferving the internal quiet of Germany by fubfidies in time of peace, and to engage in war when it happens to be disturbed, I am very fure, we shall never be able to pay our debts. And with respect to the project now pretended, of getting a king of the Romans chofen, if it could fecure the peace of Germany, which I am far from being affured of, I think, we have taken the worft method that could be G thought of for that purpose: By granting an annual fubfidy, or more properly a yearly tribute, to the elector of Bavaria, we fhall make every one of the electors expect the like; and when they have got us faddled with a yearly tribute to each,

this,

590 Remainder of the OBSERVATIONS on BEES. App.

this, are we fure, that our brave countrymen

of that province will fubmit to this in-
croachment on their frontier? Are not
the French now amufing us with orders
for an evacuation of the neutral islands in
the Weft-Indies, and yet at the fame time
planting and fortifying those islands every
day more and more? Are they not now A
extending their trade, and building new
forts upon the coaft of Africa? Have they
not built one lately at Anamaboe? And to
crown all, Sir, do not we continue to al-
low them to improve and fortify the port
of Dunkirk, notwithstanding the motion
laft feffion against it? But the French are
not the only people that infult us: The
Spaniards, whilft they are negotiating, and B
even concluding unmeaning treaties with
us, continue to feize our fhips, and to de-
ftroy our lawful trade in America. Did
not the very laft ships from thence bring
us an account of two new feizures made
by them? In fuch circumftances, Sir, is it
proper, is it prudent for us to diminish the
number of our feamen upon any account C
whatsoever?

E

Sir, as I have already fhewn, that the true reafon for our keeping up a body of feamen in time of peace, is to prevent our being forced to diftrefs our trade upon any rupture; and as I am fure, that we can never fpare to keep up too great a number of feamen in time of peace, I muft think my Hon, friend was in the right, to move D for your leaving the chair; because this article of publick expence, which is ufually the first, ought, I think, to be the laft provided for by parliament. We shall then fee, what fum of money the house thinks can be raised within the year: We shall fee what other fervices may be thought ab folutely neceffary; and the whole refidue, be it never fo large, ought to be applied towards keeping in pay a body of brave and expert feamen for the enfuing year. For this reafon I fecond my Hon. friend's motion; and when another Hon. friend of mine thinks proper to move for an inquiry into our laft year's conduct upon the coaft of Africa, and that of Nova Scotia, he may depend upon me for the fame favour; for the Hon. gentleman who spoke laft, in a manner confeffed, that there were no men of war upon the coaft of Africa, when he said, that two were failed thither, but could not fay, that they were arrived, which is a proof of their having but lately failed; and another Hon. gentleman told us in this debate, that there were last year G, but three floops upon the coaft of Nova Scotia, when at the fame time there were five French men of war there; which, I fuppofe, were fent thither, either to protest the thips employed in carrying warlike

ftores to our enemies there, or to protect the ships they employ in fishing upon those coafts, contrary to the treaty of Utrecht. But I fhall trouble you no more, Sir, upon this fubject, until it comes properly before you.

[This JOURNAL to be continued in our Magazine for the Month of January, 1752.]

do!!œ œ à 88**

Remainder of the Discourse concerning BEES, c. in a Letter from Arthur Dobbs, Efq; (See p. 562.)

is

F this inward fubftance of the farina, diluted with water, after digeftion, formed the bouillée and jelly, which

the bees discharge upwards by the mouth, into the cells, to nourish the young bees until they become nymphæ; whilft the husk or outer coat is difcharged by the anus, and becomes the genuine wax.

I have frequently, when bees have been fwarming, had them alight upon my hands and cloaths; and many, at different times, have difcharged their fæces thereupon : This I have taken off, and found it of the confiftence of warm wax, with the fame glutinous adhering quality, not crumbling like the farina. I have alfo diftinguished it by the smell to be wax; but it had a heavier, ftronger fmell, as it was fresh and warm from the bee,

What further confirmed me in this fact, was from my obfervation of the bees when working up their comb in a glafs hive; where I have constantly seen (and must believe it impoffible not to be obferved by fo accurate an obferver as M. Reaumur) that feveral bees, foon after one another, have by hafty steps, walked along a comb then forming, for the length of 2 or 3 cells, bending their tails to the comb, and striking it with a wriggling motion from fide to fide, in a zigzag way; which I was convinced was discharging their fæces, or the wax, against the border of the cells, as they ran along, and repeated it as long as they had any to discharge, and then quit it; which is the reason why the outward border of the cells is fo thick and ftrong: And immediately afterwards, other bees came along the cells, and with their fore feet raifed up the borders like pafte, and thinning it, whilft other bees were ripping off with their teeth, and pruning away any irregular excrefcences, fo as to make the divifions of the cells vaftly thinner than the borders or edges, which were always thick and strong, from the discharging the fæces or wax upon them.

M. Reaumur has very juftly observed, that, befides the 3 tranfparent smooth eyes,

1