But here deception intruded itself again.

This statement included every vessel, great and small, which went from the British West Indies to America, and to the foreign islands; and, what was yet more unfair, all the repeated voyages of each throughout the year.

The shipping, which could only fairly be brought into this account, did but just exceed half that which had been mentioned.
In a similar manner had the islands themselves been overrated.

Their value had been computed, for the information of the privy council, at thirty-six millions; but the planters had estimated them at seventy.

The truth, however, might possibly lie between these extremes.