362 Of the making of which will be fufficient to yield, in diftillation, the proportion of three pints of fresh and wholesome water. From the improvements made in diftillation, by the ingenious Dr. Hales, published in the year 1757, it appears, that three pints of water could be procured in five minutes, that is, fifty gallons in twelve hours, from a fmall cylindrical ftill of Mr. Durand's, by the addition of fix pewter plates, fet edge-ways in its head. This ftill was only fifteen inches in diameter at the wideft part, and held fix or feven gallons. A ftill twenty two inches wide, containing thirty gallons, would yield in diftillation one hundred gallons in the space of twelve hours; and a ftill, thirty-two inches in diameter, would give two hundred gallons in the fame time, attended only with the small expence of a bufhel and a half of coals, or of a proportionable quantity of any other fuel. Hence three chaldrons of coals are more than fufficient to fupply four hundred men, which is the complement of a fixty-gun fhip, for two months, with half a gallon of water per day for each perfon. From what has been faid it is evident, that no perfon at or near the fea can fuffer death from an abfolute want of water, if they will only take the precautions which prudence and felf-prefevation would feem to dictate. That this fubject deferves the most ferious attention, will fufficiently appear from the following extract of a letter fent to Dr. Lind, from the Havannah, dated 1st September, 1762: "Before the furrender of this place, our diftrefs for want of water became inexpreffible: I would have given, with pleafure, half a guinea for a pint of fuch diftilled fea water, as I have freqently drank at your table. Numbers of our men died from a real want of water, and many more from drinking water which was unwholefome and poisonous."-Would not a few ftills, Salt-Water fresh, July fent from Jamaica, have faved the lives of these men? The doctor having thus used his endeavours to provide all perfons * or near the fea with good water, his attention is next directed towards fecuring them against the dreadful! calamity of famine, for which pur pofe he offers the following confidera tions. The powder of falep and portable foop, diffolved in boiling water, form a rich thick jelly, capable of fupport ing life for a confiderable length of time; as appears from the daily in ftances of perfons having been fupported for many months, by a much lefs nourishing diet, boiled rice, and even by gum Arabic alone. An ounce of each of these articles diffolved in two quarts of boiling water, will convert it into a thick jelly, which will be fuftenance sufficient for one man a day, and, as being a mixture of both animal and vegetable food, must prove more wholefome and nourishing than double the quantity, or a gallon of rice cake, made by boiling rice in water. This laft, however, failors are often obliged folely to fubfift upon for leveral months, especially in voyages to Guinea, when the bread and flour are exhausted, and the beef and pork, having been falted in hot countries, become fpoiled, and unfit for use. But as a nourishment, the inferiority of rice to falep, is not only from its conveying les nourishment, in double the bulk, but also from the great confumption of fuel, and more efpecially of water, in the long boiling, neceffary to render it fit for ufe; whereas falep will form a paste with cold water, and is not too falt when mixed even with fea water. Salep, when mixed with cold water, requires only ten times its weight of water, to form it into a pafte or cake, and, if mixed with more, a feparation of the redundant *Haffelquift, in his voyages to the Levant, informs us, that a caravan frem Ethiopia to Egypt, having expended all their provifions, lived for taco months en gum Arabic diffolved in water; this gum having luckily been part of their merchatdife. The gum Senega, or Arabic, not only ferves as a fuftenance for subole segre torens, during a carcity of other provifions, occafioned fometimes by a failure of their crops of millet and rice; but the Arabs, who twice a year collect this gum in the inland forefts, on the north fide of the river Niger, have no other provifisas to live upon for fome months. water 1769. And preventing a Scarcity of Provifions at Sea. water will enfue. This pafte, with the addition of a little vinegar, will ferve to allay both hunger and thirst, and will keep good for feveral days. When the falep is mixed with cold fea water, it should not be allowed above fix times its weight of water; and this quantity is juft fufficient to render it palatable, it being of itself a very infipid powder. From what has been faid, may juftly be deduced the following propofals: As the calamity of famine at fea may fometimes proceed from the avarice of the mafters of merchant fhips, who, from a lucrative view, have taken on board too fmall a quantity of provifions; if the mafters were obliged, by the articles of agreement with their men, to pay a ftipulated allowance of money for any deficiency that might happen in their provifions, during the voyage, as is done in the royal navy, would it not tend greatly to prevent the frequency of this distress? As two pounds of falep, with an equal quantity of portable foop, will afford a whole fome diet to one perfon for a month, would it not be expedient for every ship to carry to sea a quantity of thefe articles, in proportion to the number of the men, left from unavoidable accidents the other provifions might be exhausted during the voyage? As falep and portable foop contain the greatest quantity of vegetable and animal nourishment, that can be reduced into fo fmall a bulk, would not these articles be extremely beneficial, when through fire, fhip 363 wreck, or other accidents, the crew are obliged to have recourfe to their boats? As these two articles, when kept dry, will remain good for several years, would they not also prove ferviceable in befieged towns, and in the long marches of armies? as every foldier could then carry a fortnight's fubfiftence for himself, without any inconvenience, to be used in cafe a fupply of other provisions should be ftopped. Dr. Lind does not here offer to the public an alimentary paste or powder, to fuperfede the neceffity of fupplying our fleets and armies with other food; nor will the discovery of freshening fea water, render the common precautions of guarding against the want of that neceflary fupport of life less needful and expedient: the intention of all these propofals being folely to prevent mankind, in many particular fituations of diftrefs, from fuffering a cruel and untimely death, under the excruciating tortures of hunger and thirst. To his Grace the D― of G—. Iftanding qualified to keep pace Suppofing a boat furnished with eleven gallons of water, two pounds of falep, and two pounds of portable beef-foop for each man, it is probable none in it will die of bunger or thirft, for at least a month; during which time, the daily allowance of each perfon will be more than a quart of water, eleven ounces of a strong faleppafle, and an ounce of portable foop. The foop should be allowed to melt in the mouth; and in that fmall quantity, if properly made, are contained the nourishing juices of above three quarters of a pound of beef. In cafes of great extremity, the falep may be mixed with the fea water, and will fill be equally wholefome. All this will be attended with only a trifling expence, as the falep is commonly fold at four fbillings and fixpence per pound, and the portable foop at half a crown. One neceffary precaution, which ought never to be omitted in a ship at fea, is, always to have a cask of water either in the boat, or in fome convenient place upon the deck, from whence it may be easily conveyed into the boat, as in cafes of fire, and of many other difafters at fea, it is often impoffible to go down into the hold for water. The fame precaution is equally neceffary with respect to the falep and portable foop. 772 would Junius's Letter to the D. of G. 364 would have too much reafon to lament their condition, if they did not find fome refource in the weakness of his understanding. We owe it to the bounty of providence, that the completeft depravity of the heart is fometimes strangely united with a confufion of the mind, which counteracts the most favourite principles, and makes the fame man treacherous without art, and a hypocrite without deceiving. The measures, for inftance, in which your grace's activity has been chiefly exerted, as they were adopted without fkill, fhould have been conducted with more than common dexterity. But truly, my lord, the execution has been as grofs as the defign. By one decifive ftep you have defeated all the arts of writing. You have fairly confounded the intrigues of oppofition, and filenced the clamours of faction. A dark ambiguous fyftem might require and furnith the materials of ingenious illuftration, and in doubtful measures the virulent exaggeration of party must be employed to rouze and engage the paffions of the people. You have now brought the merits of your adminiftration to an iffue, on which every Englishman, of the narroweft capacity, may determine for himself. It is not an alarm to the paffions, but a calm appeal to the judgment of the people upon their own molt effential interefts. A more experienced minifter would not have hazarded a direct invafion of the first principles of the conftitution, before he had made fome progrefs in fubdu ing the fpirit of the people. With fuch a caufe as your's, my lord, it is not fufficient that you have the court at your devotion, unless you can find means to intimidate or corrupt the jury. The collective body of the people form that jury, and from their decifion there is but one appeal. Whether you have talents to fupport you at a crisis of fuch difficulty and danger, fhould long fince have been confidered. Judging truly of your difpofition, you have, perhaps, miftaken the extent of your capacity. Good faith and folly have fo long been received for anonymous terms, that the reverfe of the propofition has grown into credit, and every villain fancies himself a man of abilities. It is from the apprehenfion of your friends, July my lord, that you have drawn some hafty conclufion of this fort, and that a partial reliance upon your moral character has betrayed you beyond the depth of your understanding. You have now carried things too far to retreat. You have plainly declared to the people what they are to expect from the continuance of your adminiftration. It is time for your grace to confider what you also may expect in return from their spirit and their refentment. Since the acceffion of our most gracious fovereign to the throne, we have feen a fyftem of government, which may well be called a reign of experiments. Parties of ali denomi nations have been employed and dif miffed. The advice of the ablest men in this country has been repeatedly called for and rejected; and when the royal difpleasure has been signified to a minifter, the marks of it have ufually been proportioned to his abilities and integrity. The spirit of the favourite has had fome apparent influence upon every administration; and every set of ministers preserved an appearance of duration, as long as they fubmitted to that influence. But there were certain services to be performed for the favourite's security, or to gratify his refentments, which your predeceffors in office had the wildom or the virtue not to undertake. The moment this refractory fpirit was difcovered, their difgrace was deter. mined. Lord Chatham, Mr. Grenville, and Lord Rockingham, have fucceffively had the honour to be dif milled, for preferring their duty as fervants of the public to those compliances which were expected from their ftation. A fubmiffive adminiftration was at laft gradually collected from the deferters of all parties, interefts and connexions; and nothing remained but to find a leader for thefe gallant, well-difciplined troops. Stand forth, my lord, for thou art the man. Lord Bute found no refource of dependance or fecurity in the proud impofing fuperiority of Lord Chatham's abilities, the fhrewd, inflexible judgment of Mr. Grenville, nor in the mild, but determined, integrity of Lord Rockingham. His views and fituation required a creature void of all these properties; and he was forced to go through Junius's Letter to the D. of G. 1769. through every divifion, refolution, compofition and refinement of political chemistry, before he happily arrived at the caput mortuum of vitriol in your grace. Flat and infipid in your retired ftate, but brought into action, you become vitriol again. Such are the extremes of alternate indolence or fury, which have governed your whole adminiftration. Your circumstances with regard to the people foon becoming defperate, like other honeft fervants, you determined to involve the best of mafters in the fame difficulties with yourself. We owe it to your grace's well-directed labours, that your fovereign has been perfuaded to doubt of the affections of his fubjects, and the people to fufpect the virtues of the fovereign, at a time when both were unquestionable. You have degraded the royal dignity into a bafe dishonourable competion with Mr. Wilkes, nor had you abilities to carry even this laft contemptible triumph over a private man, without the groffeft violation of the fundamental laws of the conftitution and rights of the people. But these are rights, my lord, which you can no more annihilate, than you can the foil to which they are annexed. The queftion no longer turns upon points of national honour and fecurity abroad, or on the degrees of experience and propriety of measures at home. It was not inconfiftent that you should abandon the cause of liberty in another Country, which you had perfecuted in your own; and in the common arts of domeftic corruption, we mifs no part of Sir Robert Walpole's fyftem, except his abilities. In this humble, imitative line you might have proceeded, fafe and contemptible. You might probably never have rifen to the dignity of being hated, and you might even have been defpifed with moderation. But it feems you meant to be diftinguished; and to a mind like your's there was no other road to fame, but by the deftruction of a noble fabric, which you thought had been too long the admiration of mankind. The ufe you have lately made of the military force introduced an alarming change in the mode of executing the laws. The arbitrary appointment of Mr. Luttrell vades the foundation of the laws 365 themselves, as it manifeftly transfers the right of legiflation from those whom the people have chofen, to thofe whom they have rejected. With a fucceffion of fuch appointments, we may foon fee a H-e of C--s collected, in the choice of which the other towns and counties of England will have as little share as the devoted county of Middlesex. Yet I truft your grace will find, that the people of this country are neither to be intimidated by violent meafures, nor deceived by refinements. When they fee Mr. Luttrell feated in the H-e of C-s by mere dint of power, and in direct oppofition to the choice of a whole county, they will not liften to thofe fubtleties, by which every arbitrary exertion of authority is explained into the law and privilege of parliament. It requires no perfuafion of argument, but fimply the evidence of the fenfes, to convince them, that to transfer the right of election from the collective to the representative body of the people, contradicts all thofe ideas of a H-e of Cs, which they have received from their forefathers, and which they already, though vainly perhaps, delivered to their children. The principles, on which this violent measure has been defended, have added scorn to injury, and forced us to feel, that we are not only oppreffed, but infulted. With what force, my lord, with what protection are you prepared to meet the united deteftation of the people of England? The city of London has given a generous example to the kingdom, in what manner a king of this country ought to be addressed; and I fancy, my lord, it is not yet in your courage to ftand between your fovereign and the addreffes of his fubjects. The injuries you have done this country are fuch as demand not only redrefs, but vengeance. In vain you look for protection to that venal vote, which you have already paid for: another must be purchased; and, to fave a minifter, the H-e of Cs mult declare themselves not only independent of their conftituents, but the determined enemies of the conftitution. Confider, my lord, whether this be an extremity, to which their fears will permit them to advance; or, if their protection should fail you, how 366 The Benevolent Society. how far you are authorized to rely upon the fincerity of those fmiles, which a pious court lavishes without reluctance upon a libertine by profeffion. It is not, indeed, the least of the thoufand contradictions which attend you, that a man, marked to the world by the groffeft violation of all ceremony and decorum, fhould be the firft fervant of a court, in which prayers are morality, and kneeling is religion. Truft not too far to ap. pearances, by which your predeceffors have been deceived, though they have not been injured. Even the beft of princes may at laft difcover, that this is a contention, in which every thing may be loft, but nothing can be gained; and as you became minister by accident, were adopted without choice, trufted without confidence, and continued without fayour, be affured that, whenever an occafion prefents, you will be difcarded without even the forms of regret. You will then have reafon to be thankful, if you are permitted to retire to that feat of learning, which, in contemplation of the fyftem of your July life, the comparative purity of your manners with those of their high steward, and a thousand other recommending circumftances, has chofen you to encourage the growing virtue of their youth, and to prefide over their education. Whenever the spirit of diftributing prebends and bishoprics fhall have departed from you, you will find that learned feminary perfectly recovered from the delirium of an installation, and, what in truth at ought to be, once more a peaceful scene of slumber and meditation. The venerable tutors of the university will no longer diftrefs your modesty, by propofing you for a pattern to their pupils. The learned dulness of declamation will be filent; and even the venal mufe, though happiest in fiction, will forget your virtues. Yet, for the benefit of the fucceeding age, I could wish that your retreat might be deferred until your morals fhall happily be ripened to that maturity of corruption, at which, philofophers tell us, the worst examples cease to be contagious. JUNIUS. L THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. AVINIA's letter was no fooner read, than every member of the fociety declared in her favour; the nature of her diftrefs, and the delicacy of her fentiments, equally recommending her to compaffion and esteem. I am greatly fhocked, faid Mifs Caroline Middleton, at the mafculine and enterprising fpirit of the mothertranfport her child, expofe her from motives of ambition to the best bidder; more especially as that child's inclinations are fo amiably repugnant to every fpecies of impropriety! Young people, as I have often heard Lady Briflow obferve, may, on fome occafions, be dazzled with the romance of life; but the maternal eye, quickened by tenderness, no lefs than experience, can that be captivated by false colourings? But, befides all the hazard of the paffage, contempt of the judicious, and reproaches of their own fenfibility, faid Amelia, I fhould fuppofe that the Eaft-India adventurers, the indelicate candidates for husbands (rather than conform to the little neceffities or difappointments of their circumftances) though they may be fuccefsful, can never be truly esteemed even by the hufbands they obtain. You, Mifs Robinson, returned Mrs. Milnham, who have acted with fuch nicety as to refufe the man of your heart, from the imagined obfcurity of one or two points, the apparent fuggeftion to every other judgment of malice and revenge, may very natu rally afk the question you now do :but be affured, my dear, that those who can fo widely wander from the path of propriety, have minds calcu lated to fupport the various confequences. With refpect to the mother's conduct, the declared object of our Caroline's disgust and refentment, many things may be faid in its extenuation. We have all our peculiar pro pensities:-the refined place, their fe |