6026. OCEAN, Claimed by England.—[further continued].
It can no longer be
doubted that Great Britain means to claim
the ocean as her conquest, and to suffer not
even a cock-boat, as they express it, to
traverse it but on paying them a transit duty
to support the very fleet which is to keep
the nations under tribute, and to rivet the
yoke around their necks. Although their
government has never openly avowed this,
yet their orders of council, in their original
form, were founded on this principle, and I
have observed for years past, that however
ill success may at times have induced them
to amuse by negotiation, they have never on
any occasion dropped a word disclaiming
this pretension, nor one which they would
have to retract when they shall judge the
times ripe for openly asserting it. * * *
They do not wish war with us, but will meet
it rather than relinquish their purpose.—
To John Hollins. Washington ed. v, 597.
(M.
May. 1811)
