Tasman’s voyage of discovery.

457

fivenefs of their charter, confirmed and fupported by authority of parliament, havenot, fo far as my information reaches, ever attempted to fend fo much as a fingle fhipfor the fake of difcoveries into the South Seas, which, however, was the great pointpropofed when this company was firft eflablifhed. In order to prove this, I need onlyJay before the reader the limits affigned that company by their charter, the fubftance ofwhich is contained in the following words:—

“ The corporation, and their fucceffors, fhall, for ever, be veiled in the foie tradeinto and from all the kingdoms and lands on the eaft fide of America , from the RiverOroonoco, to the fouthermoll part of Terra del Fuego, and on the well fide thereoffrom the faid fouthermoll part of Terra del Fuego, through the South Sea, to thenorthermoll part of America , and into and through all the countries, iflands, andplaces within the faid limits, which are reputed to belong to Spain , or which fhall here-after be found out and difcovered within the limits aforefaid, not exceeding 300 leaguesfrom the continent of America , between the fouthermoll part of the Terra del Fuegoand the northermoll part of America , on the faid well fide thereof, except the kingdomof Brazil, and fuch other places on the ealt fide of America , as are now in the poffef-hon of the King of Portugal, and the country of Surinam , in the pofleffion of theStates-general. The faid company, and none elfe, are to trade within the faid limits ;and, if any other perfons lhall. trade to the South Seas, they lhali forfeit the Ihip andgoods, and double value, orie-fourth part to the crown, and another fourth part to theprofecutor, and the other two-fourths to the ufe of the company. And the companyfhall be the foie owners of the illands, forts, &c. which they lhall difcover within thefaid limits, to be held of the crown, under an annual rent of an ounce of gold, and ofall Ihips taken as prizes by the lhips of the faid company : and the company may feize,by force of arms, all other Britilh Ihips trading in thofe feas.”

It is, I think, impoffible for any man to imagine, that either thefe limits Ihould befecured to the company for no purpofe in the world ; or that thefe prohibitions andPenalties Ihould take place, notwithllanding the company’s never attempting to makeai *y ufe of thefe powers : from whence I infer, that it was the intent of the legillature,that new difcoveries Ihould be made, new plantations fettled, and a new trade carried£n, by this new corporation, agreeable to the rules prefcribed, and for the generalbenefit of this nation ; which I apprehend was chiefly confidered in the providing, thatthis new commerce Ihould be put under the management of a particular company.. ut I am very well aware of an objection that may be made to what I have advanced ;^. Iz - that, from my own Ihewing, this fouthern continent lies abfolutely without theirlimits ; and that there is alfo a provifo in the charter of that company, that feems par-ticularly calculated to exclude it, fince it recites, that

t£ The agents of the company fhall not fail beyond the fouthermoil parts of Terratle l Fuego, except through the Streights of Magellan , or round Terra del Fuego ; norg° from thence to any part of the Eafl Indies, nor return to Great Britain, or any portor place, unlefs through the faid flreights, or by Terra del Fuego : nor fhall theytr ade in Eafl-India goods, or in any places within the limits granted to the united com-ity of merchants of England trading to Eafl India (fuch India goods excepted ashall be actually exported from Great Britain, and alfo fuch gold, filver, wroughtI^ate, and other goods and commodities, which are the produce, growth, or manufac-ures of the Weft Indies, or continent of America ): neither fhall they fend fhips, ore them or any veflel, within the South Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the north-r rm °ft parts of America , above three hundred leagues to the weflward of, and diflantr ° m l be land of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California , or any other the lands or fhores ofV °L. xi. 3 n Southern