Profit to the Owners, employ many People there, and
make Timber for Ships and Houses come at a much cheaper Rate in
_England_, than it now does, without any Loss to the _English_ landed
Gentlemen or Timber Merchants.

Paper-Mills I believe would answer well there; for there are good Runs
of Water with Timber _for nothing_ for building them, and I am sure the
_Negroes_ would supply them with Rags enough for Trifles; to which add
the Advantage of Water Carriage; these need not interfere with the
_English_ Paper-Mills, but only supply us with such Quantities of Paper,
as we buy from foreign Countries.

As for carrying on the Fishing Trade in _Virginia_, though there be
Plenty of Fish there, yet I believe other Countries where Fisheries are
establish'd, and that have little else to mind and depend upon, would
outdo it in this Respect; only more Whales might be taken upon the
_Eastern_ Shore, and bring good Gain to such People as would make it
their Business; and I don't question but the Sturgeons (with the best of
which the Rivers abound) might with good Management and Industry be made
to surpass all others, both for Cheapness and Goodness, for they are
large, fine, and easily taken; nay, they frequently leap, some ashoar
and some in Boats, as I have been very credibly informed.

Upon the Rivers and Creeks are vast large Marshes, which being drained
and secured with mud Walls, would employ abundance of People, and might
be converted into as good Meadows and as large, as those upon the
_Thames_ about and below _London_. Such Meadows are much wanting there,
and would well recompence the Cost and Trouble of the Undertakers of
such noble Projects; besides this would confine the Rivers to their
proper Channels; whereas now they cover for Miles from each Shoar large
Quantities of flat and shoaly Ground, useless and incommodious. However
impracticable or difficult this Task may appear to some, yet I doubt not
but in Process of Time it may be effected.

The upper Parts of _Virginia_ are deprived of the Advantage of Water
Carriage, because the Rivers above the _Falls_ are generally full of
Trees brought down by Land Floods, with some Rocks here and there; but
they might be made navigable, and cleared very easily with small skilful
Labour, for they are generally broad and fuller of Water than our inland
Rivers where Boats and Barges of great Burden can pass; and _Wears_
might be occasionally made there as up the _Thames_; but the