paper intelligences, if the fame doctrines had not been publickly and univerfally countenanced. I fhall follow the order of this minifterial advertisement, with a few notes upon the following articles, viz. Debts paid off. Establishment of the army. Encrease of the cuftoms from the The anticipation of the finking fund. This The following advertisement was inferted in the news papers on March 20, 1764. ́ It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the public on the difappointment of those, who by keeping their money from coming to market, by checking the fubfcription of the navy bills, by circulating reports of a loan and a new lottery, and other arts of the fame kind, hoped to profit by the public distress. The ftate of the fupplies, and the ways and means for this year, have now been made public; but as the exact fums maynot be in every body's hands, I thought it might be agreeable to you to be enabled to furnish your readers with an account of them, which I believe is tolerably correct. Of the unfortunate debt contracted during the laft war, the government will this year pay off 2,771,8671. 138. 6d. viz. 1. s. d. 500,000 650,000 O 987,434.15 300,000 50,000 O 147,593 18 129,489 7,350 2,771,867 13 6 The peace eftablishment for the navy, which is the moft conftitutional force, and the beft fecurity for Great Britain, is much enlarged, amounting to 1,443,5681. 11s. 9d. the fame number of feamen being retained in the fervice as was voted last year, and 100,000l. more than ufual being employed in fhip-building, in order to keep our navy on a footing to be refpected by all Europe. The establishment of the army is not increafed, it is even lefs, and the staff much less than at the last peace; for tho' the whole fum is 1,509,3131. 14s. yet it is to be observed, that the forces, ordnance, and ftaff in America, are 295,8331. the half-pay lift 158,250 1. and Chelsea hofpital, &c. 122,1251. The two laft articles of which are deducted, being properly the tail of the war. The mifcellaneous articles of expences amount to 295,3541. 2s. viz. Government of Nova Scotia Ditto West Florida Ditto Eaft Florida Ditto Georgia Militia African Forts Foundling hofpital Princefs of Brunfwick's fortune Subfidy to the court of Brunswick 5,703 14 5,700 5,700 4,031 8 80,000 O 20,000. OL 39,000 O 80,000 O 43,901 O British Museum 2,000 O 2,500 O 1,818 о Befides this, the government found 1,800,000 of exchequer bills at fuch to weigh down with them the whole building of public credit. This they have provided for, by transferring one million of them to the years, with a reduction of a fourth part of the intereft on them. 5,000 O 295,354 2 O a difcount, as Bank for two The other 800,000 old exchequer bills are to be paid off by issuing new ones for the Like fum. This minifterial advertiser, to have dealt impartially, fhould have let us know that nothing has been done this year, during the adminiftration of our very laborious Chancellor of the Exchequer, but what always comes of courfe in the routine of office, and was very successfully accomplished the last year, by a gentleman who never pretended to any great skill in finances. Army extraordinaries of the preceding year, dedommagements, deficiencies replaced in the finking fund, deficiencies of the grants of the preceding year, together with deficiencies of land and malt, which are fo pompously called debts contracted in the late unfortunate war, are all of them articles provided for as they arife, almoft annually from the revolution, and particularly to a much greater amount the last year than the prefent. As to the navy debt, above a million and a half used always to be provided for, during the war, but the last year, it was all thrown upon the finking fund, and by the prefent minifter kept there this year. But when the current expences between one year and another, are called by a name that never was thought of for them before, viz. debts, one would To raise this large neceffary fum, the government hath not oppreffed the fubje&t with one additional tax, it hath not encouraged the spirit of gaming by accepting a lottery, or taking to itself the not unpleafing power of difpofing of tickets, commiffions, and subscriptions. It has avoided going to market for money, at a time, when, though it might have been advantageous to individuals, it must have been very detrimental to the public. Of the Bank for the renewal of their contract, which is by much the moft beneficial bargain for the public which was ever made with them Saving under the head of extras Militia money Annuity fund, 1761 To this account, and for the public fervice, the prefent government has brought to account what had so long been unaccounted for, fo long a difgrace to the fervice, and the reproach of administration, viz. The faving of non-effective men, which in the present year is To this the bounty of the king, who having delivered his subjects from the calamities, thus fhews his earnest wish to deliver them from the burthen of the war, has added, being the produce of the French prizes taken before the declaration of war - The king has freed the public from the expence of all the new governments except that of the Floridas (N. B. By giving them up.) And to make up the deficiency, the government has taken, with peculiar propriety, from the finking fund (which was increased this year 391,000l. by an addition of 1,400,000 lb. of tea, having, by means of the cutters, been brought to pay the duty) the furplus of that fund is So the total of the ways and means is The total of fupply 140,000 700,000 04 2,000,000 0 7,817,055 12 9 7,820,002 19 3 It is truc, that the whole fupply is faid to be 7,820,1041. 15s. 10d. and by this account it amounts only to 7,820,102!. 19s. 3d. But as this deficiency is not quite 21, and proeeeds from the omiffion of fome shillings in the larger fum, which were omitted at the time of taking them down, it is suficient to have mentioned it only. not prostitute a serious argument for an anfwer; the only reply they deserve is the argument ad homines, to tell them, that even according to their own pretenfions, they have not done fo much as their neighbours. However, at all adventures we have a right to expect, that those who boast of having difcharged a large portion of the unfortunate debt, will leave no debts or deficiencies, on account of the service of that very year when they make this boaft; yet I fear the minister (whoever he may be in October) will find the finking fund half a million in arrear. We are fure he will have 800,000 of exchequer bills iflued in this feffions, to provide for next win. ter; and the minister in the year 1766 will have to discharge, the million ad vanced by the bank to the prefent minifter, for the fervice of this miraculous year. Our panegyrift has chofen but ill to afcribe fuch ridiculous pretenfions of merit to his patron, while he has under this very head of debts paid off, left unnoticed the only truant ray of ceconomy that has wandered from the exchequer. The army extraordinaries verified and allowed this year amounted to 987,434 1. 15 s. 6d. ths. Now fome flovenly minister would have indifcreetly thrown in the odd, ths of a farthing, to have made a round fum, with out dreaming of this hair-breadth efcape from bankruptcy; but happily for us, our vigilant administration, upon this emergency, fummoned all hands aloft, and with aftonifhing labour, ceconomy, expertnefs in fractions, and higgling with a fiquis for ths of a farthing, have difcharged an immenfe load of debt, and redeemed their country from bankruptcy. The faving of courfe goes to the finking fund, which, upon the strength of it, is mortgaged for two millions. the funds, and reduced the interest of money in fuch a manner, as to make the finking fund produce, during his administration, above twenty millions, He obferves alfo, that Mr. Pelham increafed the revenue, by the like reduction of interest, and adding 600,000 1. a year to the finking fund; while the prefent miniftry have acted a very different part; which he endeavours to represent in the moft ftriking colours. He goes on to examine particularly into the pretended rife on the custom of tea, and the state of the finking fund; the probable deficiency of which, he conceives, will at the end of the year be 400,000 1. He then closes his budget with fome remarks on the general state of national affairs; of which remarks the following may ferve as a specimen. "There is a degree of me in the prefent m against their country that is beyond example. They forced themselves by violence and intrigue into the conduct of public affairs, at a time when I am fure the general voice of their country was loudly against them. They came in, to expose the pretended nakednefs of their country, to an enemy at the laft gafp. They vilified our advantages; they falfified our fituation; they proclaimed our distress in the most exaggerated terms, when that very distress, compared with the real calamities of our enemies, was triumph. Upon that fatal day, when this fyftem of mcame to the helm, was firft promulged the defolation and debility of this country. Instead of fhewing to our enemies the hopelefinefs of their fituation, they gave them encouragement to expect an univerfal confufion here; minifter lying in wait to perplex minifter; brother to fupplant brother; and the whole fyftem of affairs thrown into a tr-ch-r--s confternation. Advertisements went to the enemy, that, if they would hold their breath but a few hours, we would raife the clamour for peace here; instead of telling them, that we had at that moment the funds for two years to come The writer then proceeds to compare the conduct of the prefent miniftry with that of Sir Robert Walpole and Mr. Pelham; the former of which fettled * Viz. The beer duty granted in December 1760, and the fpirit duties, which had been granted the preceding feffion, but were poftponed for the service of the year 1762. (which (which at the pinch of a war is the XXXXXX*XXXXXXXX point gained) and therefore that they From the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. could have nothing to hope for, but still to be beaten for two compleat years, by an enemy in the full career of victory. Neither could this prove a vain boaft, for the faculties of this country were fo far from being exhausted, that, at that hour, we were provided with funds for more money than all our pre vious fucceffes had coft us: infomuch, that, on the 18th of December, 1760, the parliament having provided twelve millions for the next year, we ftill left another fund capable of producing twelve millions more, to be poftponed for the fervice of a farther year, being thus fuperabundantly provided. In this height of glory did the evil genius of this country aim the fatal blow, which has reduced it to be faithless and friend lefs throughout the world. But still our fate would not relent; left public credit should once more hold up its head, thefe ms have held the fame deadly hand over their country. They will do nothing themselves, they will not stir a finger to relieve us, they will stay till they have seized every beneficial patent and reverfion, and we may be sure that they will not alarm the country by any tax, however neceffary it may be, or however easily it might have been carried by other minifters, whose credit stands high in their country. If they can riot in the public fpoils for a few hours, they regard not the confequences, either of public bankruptcy from their neglect of the revenue in the proper feafon, or the difcontents which they have bespoke against the next administration, who must either patiently fubmit to the bankruptcy of their country, or lay fresh taxes in cold blood. In short, this m act upon the principle of a fet of hs, who have laid a bett that their country will expire of the wounds the has received in the late war, and therefore will not allow it the fair play to fend for a furgeon," T has been justly regretted, that we know little more of the inland parts of Spain, than of the inland parts of Africa. Except the Spanish Novels, and the Ladies Travels into Spain, there is fcarce a book yet extant from which of the people, or the produce or curiowe can form any idea of the manners fities of the country; fome letters lately published having only difappointed the curiofity they raised. The following piece, therefore, must be confidered as a valuable addition of knowledge to the common stock, as the product of a mine fcarce opened before, which abounds with the most valuable and curious materials. It is greatly to be wished, that the ingenious author would transmit fome farther account of a people who are, in many refpects, what the rest of Europe was five centuries ago. They have had no intercourse with other nations, either for pleasure or profit; their fuperftition has fuffered very little from the advance. ment of general knowledge, and they have preferved their ancient habits of life, which, in other places, have been changed by the improvement of arts, and the establishment of manufactories. There are, befides, in the interior parts of Spain, many curious remains of Moorish antiquity, many traditions of unwritten events, many opinions which have been driven from the reft of Europe, and fome amusements and employments known no where else. The following Letter relates principally to the Sheep and Sheep Walks of Spain; it contains however, many other very curious particulars relating to the face of the country, and its product and contents, the revenues of the king, the character of the ecclefiaftics, and the economy of a paftoral life. A Letter from a Gentleman in Spain to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S. who remain all their lives in their native country, and who are housed every night in winter; and the fine-wooled sheep, who are all their lives in the open air, who travel every summer from the cool mountains of the northern parts of Spain, to feed all the winter on the fouthern warm plains of Andaloufia, Manca, and Extramadura. From computations made with the utmost accuracy, it has appeared, that there are 5 millions of fine-wooled theep in Spain, and that the wool and flesh of a flock of ten thousand sheep produced yearly about 24 reals a head, which we will fuppofe to be near the value of 12 Englith fixpences; of thefe but one goes clear a head to the owner yearly, three fixpences a head goes yearly to the king, and the other eight go to the expences of pasture, tythes, fhepherds, dogs, falt, fheering, &c. Thus the annual product of the five millions of sheep amounts to 37 millions and a half of fixpences, a little more or lefs, of which there is about three millions and a half for the owners; above 15 millions enter into the treasury, and seven millions and a half go to the benefit of the public. Hence it is the kings of Spain call these flocks in their ordinances, the precious jewel of the erown. Formerly this jewel was really fet in the crown, a fucceffion of many kings were lords of all the flocks; hence that great number of ordinances, penal laws, privileges and immunities which iffued forth in different reigns for the prefervation and special government of the fheep. Hence a royal council was formed under the title of the council of the grand royal flock, which exifts to this day, though the king has not a fingle fheep. Various exigencies of ftate, in different reigns, alienated by degrees, the whole grand flock from the crown, together with all its privileges, which were collected and publifhed in the year 1731, under the title of the laws of the royal flock; a volume in large folio of above 500 pages. The wars and wants of Philip the firft's reign forced that king to fell 40 thousand fheep to the marquis of Itur bieta, which was the laft flock of the crown. Ten thousand sheep compose a flock, which is divided into ten tribes. One man has the conduct of all. He must be the owner of 4 or 500 fheep, strong, active, vigilant, intelligent in pasture, in the weather, and in the diseases of fheep. He has abfolute dominion over 50 fhepherds and 50 dogs, five of each to a tribe. He chooses them, he chaftifes them, or difcharges them at will; he is the prepofitus or chief shepherd of the whole flock. You may judge of his importance by his falary, he has 40 pounds a year and a horfe, whereas the firft fhepherd of a tribe has but 40 hillings a year, the fecond 34, the third 25, the fourth 15, and a boy 10 fhillings a year. All their allowance is two pounds of bread a day each. They may keep a few goats and sheep in the flock, but the wool is for the mafter; they have only the lambs and the flesh. The chief fhepherd gives them three shillings in April, and three in October, by way of regale for the road; and these are all the fweets thefe miferable wretches enjoy. Expofed every day in the year to all weathers, and every night to lie in a hut. Thus fare and thus live, generally to old age, 25,000 men, who cloath kings in fcarlet, and bishops in purple; for that is the number computed to keep the fine woolled sheep of Spain, with the fame number of dogs of the large mattiff-kind, who are allowed two pounds of bread a-piece a day. I often faw these flocks in the fummer sheep walks of the hills and vales of Leo, Old Caftile, Cuenca, and Aragon. I faw them in their winter plains of Manca, Extramadura, and Andaloufia. I often met them in their peregrination from the one to the other. I faw and I faw again. One eye is worth an hundred ears. I enquired, I obferved, and even made experiments. All this was done when I happily got acquainted with a good plain old Friar, who had a confummate knowledge of K k all |