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 desires information respecting the nature of the fur trade carried on betwixt the north-west coast of America, the neighbouring islands, and China, may consult his introduction. The affairs of Spain, it may be remarked, long precluded the requisite attention to her commercial interests, and do not now promise a speedy recovery under her apparently infatuated government. To Nootka or King George's Sound, mentioned in the text, that power abandoned all right and pretensions, in favour of Great Britain, in 1790, after an altercation, which at one time bid fair to involve the two kingdoms in war. It was during this dispute, and in view of its hostile termination, that Mr Pitt gave his sanction to a scheme for revolutionizing the Spanish colonies, an event which, if not now encouraged by any direct assistance, bears too complacent an aspect on our commercial interests not to be regarded with a large portion of good wishes. It is impossible, indeed, excluding altogether every idea of personal advantage, not to hope highly, at least, of any efforts which may be made to wrest the souls and bodies of millions from the clutch of ignorance and tyranny. The fate of these colonists is by no means the most unimportant spectacle which the passing drama of the world exhibits to the eye of an enlightened and humane politician.--E.]
These, and many other commercial improvements, may reasonably be expected to result from the British discoveries, even in our own times. But if we look forward to future ages, and to future changes in the history of commerce, by recollecting its various past revolutions and migrations, we may be allowed to please ourselves with the idea of its finding its way, at last, throughout the extent of the regions with which our voyages have opened an intercourse; and there will be abundant reason to subscribe to Captain Cook's observation with regard to New Zealand, which may be applied to other tracts of land explored by him, that, "although they be far remote from the present trading world, we can, by no means, tell what use future ages may make of the discoveries made by the present.[50] In this point of view, surely, the utility of the late voyages must stand confessed; and we may be permitted to say, that the history of their operations has the justest pretensions to be called [Greek: chtaema is au], as it will convey to latest posterity a treasure of interesting information.
[Footnote 50: Cook's second voyagE.]
3. Admitting, however, that we may have expressed too sanguine expectations of commercial advantages, either within our own reach, or gradually to be unfolded at some future period, as the result of our voyages of discovery, we may still be allowed, to consider them as a laudable effort to add to the stock of human knowledge, with regard to an object which cannot but deserve the attention of enlightened man. To exert our faculties in devising ingenious modes of satisfying ourselves about the magnitude and distance of the sun; to extend our acquaintance with the system, to which that luminary is the common centre, by tracing the revolutions of a new planet, or the appearance of a new comet; to carry our bold researches through all the immensity of space, where world beyond world rises to the view of the astonished observer; these are employments which none but those incapable of pursuing them can depreciate, and which every one capable of pursuing them must delight in, as a dignified exercise of the powers of the human mind. But while we direct our studies to distant worlds, which, after all our exertions, we must content ourselves with having barely discovered to exist, it would be a strange neglect, indeed, and would argue a most culpable want of rational curiosity, if we did not use our best endeavours to arrive at a full acquaintance with the contents of our own planet; of that little spot in the immense universe, on which we have been placed, and the utmost limits of which, at least its habitable parts, we possess the means of ascertaining, and describing, by actual examination.
So naturally doth this reflection present itself, that to know something of the terraqueous globe, is a favourite object with every one who can taste the lowest rudiments of learning. Let us not, therefore, think so meanly of the times in which we live, as to suppose it possible that full justice will not be done to the noble plan of discovery, so steadily and so successfully carried on, since the accession of his majesty; which cannot fail to be considered, in every succeeding age, as a splendid period in the history of our country, and to add to our national glory, by distinguishing Great Britain as taking the lead in the most arduous undertakings for the common benefit of the human race. Before these voyages took place, nearly half the surface of the globe we inhabit was hid in obscurity and confusion. What is still wanting to complete our geography may justly be termed the minutiae of that science.
4. Let us now carry our thoughts somewhat farther. It is fortunate for the interests of knowledge, that acquisitions, in any one branch, generally, and indeed unavoidably, lead to acquisitions in other branches, perhaps of still greater consequence; and that we cannot even gratify mere curiosity without being rewarded with valuable instruction. This observation applies to the subject before us. Voyages, in which new oceans have been traversed, and in which new countries have been visited, can scarcely ever be performed without bringing forward to our view fresh objects of science. Even when we are to take our report of what was discovered from the mere sailor, whose knowledge scarcely goes beyond the narrow limits of his own profession, and whose enquiries are not directed by philosophical discernment, it will be unfortunate indeed if something hath not been remarked, by which the scholar may profit, and useful accessions be made to our old stock of information. And if this be the case in general, how much more must be gained by the particular voyages now under consideration? Besides naval officers equally skilled to examine the coasts they might approach, as to delineate them accurately upon their charts, artists[51] were engaged, who, by their drawings, might illustrate what could only be imperfectly described; mathematicians,[52] who might treasure up an extensive series of scientific observations; and persons versed in the various departments of the history of nature, who might collect, or record, all that they should find new and valuable, throughout the wide extent of their researches. But while most of these associates of our naval discoverers were liberally rewarded by the public, there was one gentleman, who, thinking it the noblest reward he could receive, to have an opportunity of making the ample fortune he inherited from his ancestors subservient to the improvement of science, stepped forward of his own accord, and, submitting to the hardships and dangers of a circumnavigation of the globe, accompanied Captain Cook in the Endeavour. The learned world, I may also say the unlearned, will never forget the obligations which it owes to Sir Joseph Banks.
[Footnote 51: Messrs Hodges and Webber, whose drawings have ornamented and illustrated this and Captain Cook's second voyage.--D.]
[Footnote 52: Mr Green, in the Endeavour; Messrs Wales and Bayly, in the Resolution and the Adventure; Mr Bayly, a second time, jointly with Captains Cook and King in this voyage; and Mr Lyons, who accompanied Lord Mulgrave.--D.]
What real acquisitions have been gained by this munificent attention to science, cannot be better expressed than in the words of Mr Wales, who engaged in one of these voyages himself, and contributed largely to the benefits derived from them.