Common Sense by Thomas Paine
page 45 of 72 (62%)
page 45 of 72 (62%)
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12 - 80 - 23,638 - 283,656
43 - 70 - 17,785 - 764,755 35 - 60 - 14,197 - 496,895 40 - 50 - 10,606 - 424,240 45 - 40 - 7,558 - 340,110 58 - 20 - 3,710 - 215,180 85 Sloops, bombs, and fireships, one 2,000 170,000 with another, _________ Cost 3,266,786 Remains for guns, _________ 233,214 _________ 3,500,000 No country on the globe is so happily situated, or so internally capable of raising a fleet as America. Tar, timber, iron, and cordage are her natural produce. We need go abroad for nothing. Whereas the Dutch, who make large profits by hiring out their ships of war to the Spaniards and Portuguese, are obliged to import most of their materials they use. We ought to view the building a fleet as an article of commerce, it being the natural manufactory of this country. It is the best money we can lay out. A navy when finished is worth more than it cost. And is that nice point in national policy, in which commerce and protection are united. Let us build; if we want them not, we can sell; and by that means replace our paper currency with ready gold and silver. In point of manning a fleet, people in general run into great errors; it is not necessary that one fourth part should he sailors. |
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