ed to break or weaken, yet,
granting the worst, granting even that these _North-Americans_ traded with
us as little after a Separation as they do at present, still it is
possible that we may then live, because it is certain we do now live
without them; and do not only live, but also enjoy as many of the Comforts
and Elegancies, not to mention the Profusions and Luxuries of Life, as any
Nation ever did, and more than we ourselves did heretofore.

Therefore (to be more particular on this Head, for surely it is a most
important one) we were gravely told, that as soon as ever the _Americans_
should shut their Ports against us, Famine to our Manufacturers,
Bankruptcy to our Merchants, Destruction and Desolation to our Seaport
Towns must inevitably ensue. Well, the _Americans_ have now shut their
Ports for a considerable Time against the Admission of _English_
Manufactures. And what has ensued? Nothing, that I know of, so very
dismal, or so very tragical; and none of those _black_ and _bitter_ Days,
with which we were threatened, have yet appeared. Nay, according to the
Accounts received from the principal manufacturing Places and Districts
throughout the Kingdom, it uniformly appears that Trade was never brisker
in most Articles; and that it is not remarkably dead in any:--Moreover it
is likewise certain, from the same Accounts, that a much greater
Stagnation hath been frequently felt, even at Times when every Port in
_America_ was open to us, than is felt at present.

However, if these Partizans of _America_ should cavil at these Accounts,
and dispute their Authority, we have others yet to produce, which surely
must carry Conviction (almost in Spite of Prejudice) as soon as they are
perused; [unless indeed it can be imagined, that the present wicked
Ministry have entered into a Plot to charge themselves Debtors to the
Public for almost TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING
_more than they received_, merely to plague and confound the poor
Patriots.]

The Account I am now going to lay before the Reader, is the gross Produce
for the Year 1775, ending at the 5th of _July_ last, compared with the
like gross Produce of the preceding Year 1774, ending at the like Period.

L. _s. d._

Gross Produce of the Year 1775, 5,479,695 7 10
Gross Produce of the Year 1774, 5,224,899 7 10-1/4

Increased Produce of the Year 1775, 254,795 19 11-3/4