avigators, in fixing the true
situations of important places, been rectified? What accession to the
variation chart? How many nautical observations have been collected, and
are now ready to be consulted, in directing a ship's course, along rocky
shores, through narrow straits, amidst perplexing currents, and
dangerous shoals? But, above all, what numbers of new bays, and
harbours, and anchoring-places, are now, for the first time, brought
forward, where ships may be sheltered, and their crews find tolerable
refreshments? To enumerate all these, would be to transcribe great part
of the journals of our several commanders, whose labours will endear
them to every navigator whom trade or war may carry into their tracks.
Every nation that sends a ship to sea will partake of the benefit; but
Great Britain herself, whose commerce is boundless, must take the lead
in reaping the full advantage of her own discoveries.

In consequence of all these various improvements, lessening the
apprehensions of engaging in long voyages, may we not reasonably indulge
the pleasing hope, that fresh branches of commerce may, even in our own
time, be attempted, and successfully carried on? Our hardy adventurers
in the whale-fishery have already found their way, within these few
years, into the South Atlantic; and who knows what fresh sources of
commerce may still be opened, if the prospect of gain can be added, to
keep alive the spirit of enterprise? If the situation of Great Britain
be too remote, other trading nations will assuredly avail themselves of
our discoveries. We may soon expect to hear that the Russians, now
instructed by us where to find the American continent, have extended
their voyages from the Fox Islands to Cook's River, and Prince William's
Sound. And if Spain itself should not be tempted to trade from its most
northern Mexican ports, by the fresh mine of wealth discovered in the
furs of King George's Sound, which they may transport in their Manilla
ships, as a favourite commodity for the Chinese market, that market may
probably be supplied by a direct trade to America, from Canton itself,
with those valuable articles which the inhabitants of China have
hitherto received, only by the tedious and expensive circuit of
Kamtschatka and Kiachta.[49]

[Footnote 49: It is not unlikely that Captain Krusenstern was indebted
to the hint now given, for his proposal to establish a direct commercial
intercourse with China. The reader who des