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Show R H 0 D E I S L A N D. gw1a. It enjoys many advantages, has fev~rallar~e rivers, and one of the fineO: harbours in the world. F1fh are m the greateO: plenty and perfection, particularly the tata~g or black-fi{h, Jobfl:ers, and fea-bafs. In its cultivated fiate, It produ:es very little, except !heep and horned cattle; the whole provmce being bid out into pafl:ure or grazing-ground. The horfes are bony and O:rong, and the oxen much the largeft in America; feveral of them weighing from I 6 to x8oo weight. The butter and cheefe are excellent. The province of Rhode Hland is divided into counties and townG1ips; of the former there are four or five, but. they are exceedingly fmall; of the latter between twenty and thtrty; the towns themfelv-es are inconfiderable villages: however, they fend members to the aflembly, in the whole about feventy. The number of inhabitants, with Negroes, and Indians, of which in this province there are feveral hundreds, amounts to about 35,ooo. As the province affords but few commodities for exportation; horfes, provifions, and an inconfiderable quantity of grain, with fpermaceti candles, being the chief articles; they are obliged to Connecticut, and the neighbouring colonies, for moft of their traffic ; and by their means carry on an exten: five trade. Their mode of commerce is this; they trade to Great Britain, Holland, Africa, the Wefl-lndies, and the neighbouring colonies ; from each of which places they import the following articles ; from Great Britain, dry goods ; from Holland, money; from Africa, fiaves ; from the WeftIndies, fugars, coffee, and mola!fes; and from the neighbouring colonies, lumber and provifions : and with what they purchafe in one place they make their returns in another. Thus with the money they get in Holland, they pay their merchants in London; the fugars they procure in the Weft-Indies, they carry to Holland,; the fiaves they fetch from Africa they fend to R H 0 D E I S L A N D. to the Weft-Indies, together with lumber and provi-fions, which 176o. they get from the neighbouring colonies: the rum they difiill they export to Africa; and with the dry goods, which they pu rcha fe in London, they traffick in the neighbouring colo nies-. By this kind of circular commerce they fn bfi rt and grow rich. They have b~fides thefe fome other inconfiderable branches of trade, but nothing worth mentioning. They have very few manufaCtures; they diflil rum and make fpermaceti candles; but in the article of dry goods, they are far behind the people of New York and Pentylvania. The government of this province is intireJy democratical; every oflicer, except the colleCtor of the cufloms, being appointed, I believe,. either immediately by the people, or by the general a!rembly. The people chufe annually a governor, lieutenant- governor, and ten affifl:ants, which confl:itute an upper-houfe. The reprefentatives, or lower-houfe, are elected every half year. Thefe jointly have the appointment of a11 other pu Glic officers, (except the recorder, treafurer, and attorney-general, which are appointed likewife annually by the people,) both military and civil; are inve/1ed with the powers of legiilation, of regulating the militia, and of performing all other acts of government. The governor has no negative, but votes with the aili/1ants, and in cafe of an equality has a cafiing voice. The a!fembly, or two houfes united, are obliged to fit immediately after each eleCtion; at Newport in the fummer, and in the winter alternately. at Providence and South-Kingl1on in Marraganfet: they adjourn themfelves, but may be called together, notwithfianding fuch adjournment, upon any urgent occafion by the governor. No afiifiant, or reprefentative is al~ lowed any falary or pay for his attendance or fcr vice. There are feveral courts of judicature. The a!fembly nomi .. .ua.tes. annua11y fo many jufiices for each town!hip, as are judged~ • |