and our
trade be suspended by their obstinacy; but obstinacy, however
determined, must yield to hunger, and when no higher wages can be
obtained, they will cheerfully accept of those which are here allowed
them. Short voyages, indeed, are not comprehended in the clause, and
therefore the sailors will engage in them upon their own terms, but this
objection can be of no weight with those that oppose the clause,
because, if it is unjust to limit the wages of the sailors, it is just
to leave those voyages without restriction; and those that think the
expedient here proposed equitable and rational, may, perhaps, be willing
to make some concessions to those who are of a different opinion.

That the bill will not remove every obstacle to success, nor add weight
to one part of the balance without making the other lighter; that it
will not supply the navy without incommoding the merchants in some
degree; that it may be sometimes evaded by cunning, and sometimes abused
by malice; and that at last it will be less efficacious than is desired,
may, perhaps, be proved; but it has not yet been proved that any other
measures are more eligible, or that we are not to promote the publick
service as far as we are able, though our endeavours may not produce
effects equal to our wishes.

Sir John BARNARD then spoke, to this effect:--Sir, I know not by what
fatality it is that nothing can be urged in defence of the clause before
us which does not tend to discover its weakness and inefficacy. The
warmest patrons of this expedient are impelled, by the mere force of
conviction, to such concessions as invalidate all their arguments, and
leave their opponents no necessity of replying.

If short voyages are not comprehended in this provision, what are we now
controverting? What but the expedience of a law that will never be
executed? The sailors, however they are contemned by those who think
them only worthy to be treated like beasts of burden, are not yet so
stupid but that they can easily find out, that to serve a fortnight for
greater wages is more eligible than to toil a month for less; and as the
numerous equipments that have been lately made have not left many more
sailors in the service of the merchants than may be employed in the
coasting trade, those who traffick to remoter parts, must shut up their
books and wait till the expiration of this act, for an opportunity of
renewing their commerce.

To regulate the wages for one voyage, and