Page:Transportation and colonization.djvu/204

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190
TRANSPORTATION

Georgia, in the reign of George the Second, obtained a grant from parliament of certain revenues arising from the confiscation of the property of certain French inhabitants of the island of St. Christopher in the West Indies, to assist in carrying out foreign Protestants to that colony; and the numerous and industrious German population in the United States at the present day, especially in the state of Pennsylvania, evinces the extent to which this principle was subsequently carried under the British colonial system in America. The practice, however, was of old standing in the colonial history of Britain.

"In the year 1708", observes Bishop Burnet, in his 'History of His Own Times,' about fifty Palatines, (Germans from the Palatinate,) who were Lutherans, and were ruined, came over to England: these were so effectually recommended to Prince George's chaplain, that the Queen allowed them a shilling a day, and took care to have them transported to the plantations: they, ravished with this good reception, wrote over such an account of it, as occasioned a general disposition among all the poor of that country to come over in search of better fortunes; and some of our merchants, who were concerned in the plantations, and knew the advantage of bringing over great numbers to people those desert countries, encouraged