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Lorsqua la document ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul clichA, 11 ast ffiimA A partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita, at da haut an l>aa, an pranant ia nombra d'imagaa nAcaaaaira. Las diagrammas suivants lllustrant la mAthoda. ta ura. ] 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1^ «^^» - s >■ t T ■«; , f h V. '• 1- - Prij THE PRESENT STATE OF THE Brltijb and French Trade T O ■ ■ ■ .. I Africa and America Confide* *d and ComparM ; : ' With fome Propqfitions in Favour o F T H E TRADE of Great Britain. LONDON: Printed for E.Comyns^ at the R^yaUE^tchm-t, MDCCXLV. (Price One Shilling) »:* 5.^.f iff ♦ TT':'^ *■' t • '■.1* T i f 4 « . "\ '»♦ •«»• ■•n < K ' » > • ♦ • *\iAS^ jv*'i. . n^i-.-^,..":' ''.■ ' T.U\* ~i'\ •-^> 1 I. '.* HL, .i I- i f., <* -. ,,<'.^-' '"■"' p • the Fc aFltu quiry, cial In not pTi 6f the Natio, I h Reguli vow i the tii Fir, and tc ters ttriaii hour i andi^ (3) PREFACE. HE De/gn of this Treaiife is tojhew the Aehaniages the French have gained over the Englilh in Jeveral Branches of Commerce ftnce the Peace of Utrecht, which is fo aftonifhing as to require the moft fericus Attention at this JunQure. WHETHER this rapid Encreafe is owing to the Foundation or Policy of a Richiien, a Colbert, «Fleury, or to the Want Nr;v»r^;»f^' W-'l : ^r-^-^-- "'^rrryt y^B^^i •^r^;*j « f. '^'■^■1f'''\' 'X^l THE ^k I (5) THE «! V . n PRESENT STATE O F T H E •^'^^' '■■" " '.: ■;•" Brttijb and French Trade Africa and America^ > ' Confider*d and Compar'd 5 With ibrne Fropofiiions iti Favour : . I o F T H E TRADE of Great Britain. .1 K^ i H E Englijh Nation are very apt to have too mean an Opinion of the Trade and Navigation of other Na- tions, particularly the French^ not- withftahding the Superiority thejr have infenjihfy gain'd over us in feveral Branches of Commerce fmce the Peace of Utrecht, The Number of Prizes that have been taken from the French, and the frequent Arrivals of their numerous Fleets, have rouz'd and opcn*d the Eyes q( tpany that wouid not be convinc'd before : And * A 3 V %«e ■»■* CO fince our Indolence is at length awakcn'd, our Se- curity alarmM, and every Bread feems to be fill'd with thofe PafTions, which are enkindled by the Lave of bur Country, not only from this Inftance, but alfo from many other Proofs, that the French have of late Years gain'd very great Advantages over us in Trade, ftirely no Opportunity ought to be loft to excite every Briton to the Exertion of all his Faculties to difcover the Caufe of fuch a fur- prjzing Change, and to find out riich Expedients as may enable us to bear up againft the flourifliihg State and ambitious Views of the Common Dif- turbers of Europe. . . ' In Order to anfwer fo defirable an End, it will be neceflkry to fearch narrowly into the prefent Srutc, Laws, Eftablifliments, and Rules of Commerce, as well Foreign as Dorheftick, and to retrench what is fuperfluous and inconvenient, and to fupply what is infufficient by prudent Regu- lations. ;.■;'" :' '--■■> I'm < ■ rihall therefore fhew the wife Operations of the French i.i Support of their Commerce and Colo- nics, and the Confequences thereof; and fhall then fct forth what has been done by the Engli/h in Behalf of theirs ; and, after touching upon the French Superiority and the Danger we are in from any further Delay in altering our Meafures, I fliall point out fuch Expedients as I humbly apprehend will put a Stop to the late rapid Encreafe oi French Tral% TVealth and Pmver. i^mm^ "%EIFIS ^W. King of France, * « having •• at ai! Times been fenfible of what Importance it *• ivas to the Welfare of the Stare to favour and ^* protect the Commerce of his People, as well •♦ within the Kingdom as out of it: And being, in (C /j ' * *. Vide^ The Arret for elUblifhing a Council of Goirimerce, ^'^tfciie in the King's Council of State, hit Majefly i^rcfexif, aoc ' Vt^illti^ the 29th l^jcy of June >7«o. Sigu'd Pbefypiaux aiia r^l'd, "■'..'■ « e Year 1700, more difposM than ererto grant a particular Proteclion to Commerce, to *' fhcw his Efteem for the good Merchants and *' Traders of his Kingdom ; and to facilitate to •« them the Means of making Trade flourifb as Occafiopmay ' i I I i' C 8 ) within the Kingdom and out of it, and concerning Fabricks and Matuifaiflurcs. Immediately upon the Eftablifhmcnt of thin Council of Commerce, the * Deputies of the faid Council apolyM dili[/;ently to the Duty of their Office, and the enfuing Year prcfented to the Koyal Council no lefs than twenty Memorials con- cerning the Commerce of that Nation to their American Iflands, Guinea^ the Levant^ Spain^ England, Holland and the North \ the raifing no- minally the Value of Coin, and the Effeds that has upon Commerce ; the granting Monopolies \ the ercding of exclufive Companie:ii and other chief Points in Trade. In thefe Memorials are contained feveral Propo- fitions for Regulations and Remedies in Trade, many of which have fince been thoroughly exe- cuted, to the Honour of thofe Deputies^ and to the great Advantage and Reputation of that Nation^ as theyh.ive, fince theReprefentations of the faid Memorials to the Royal Council, -f extended their Trade to the Levant^ the ISforth, Africa^ North America^ the South-Seas^ and to the Eaji and Weft Indies^ even fo far as to make mere than trouble the Value in Sugar, Indigo, Ginger and Cotton in thtirfVeft- India IQands than what is now made by the Englijh^ who before that Time exceed- ed the French in this Branch of Trade abundantly. In the Article of Sugar only, they have within that Time encrea^'d from the Quantity of about || ^0,000 ' *■"' -^r--''- '. ■ '• ' ^^f ' EngliJJj * 'i'hiric* l)e|rtnies luve 10,000 Livres ptr Annum Salary, Civluch IS ncur yoo/. Sterling) lillow'tl tlicro by the refi)C(ftive Towns that clert them. •f Ir is coinpured that before the Yenr 1720, there was no (iiore than 50 Snil ojf" Ships annually eni|)loyM 411 the American 'Xr.uk' from Ji'juidiaux^AwA tliartlifre are now 300 5aiJ empjoy'ij annuatly \\\ tiiat Tr.ide from th;tt C:iry only. I A Hogflie;id of Sugar, including I reight ;iik1 other Charges Koine, may !)e gbnnpoted, in hii A\eia<;c, at la/. to 18/,. /«• Koglhciid, iiccc.Jiug to tlie Plenty or Scarcity, - 4; ( 9 ) Englijh Hogfheads per Annum to 120,000 of thereabouts, whereot about two Thirds are fliipp*d to Holland^ Hamburghy Spain, and other foreign Markets; and the Engltjh have encreas'd from about 45,000 to no more than 70,000 Hog- fheads within that Time, of which they now fend but little to foreign Markets, altho' they had for- merly the beft Share of thatTrade, and evenfupply*d France with Sugars : This Encreafe of the Im porta- tion of Sugar into Ettrope from America, by the French and Englijh, is owing to the great Increafe of the general Confumption of Sugar in Europe, and the Declenfion of the Portugucze Sugar-Trade. .. And moreover the French have already cngrofsM the Indigo-Trade from the EngUjh^ and have greatly encreas'd in their Fi(heries, and Beaver and other Fur-Trade in Nor th- America^ lince their Settlement of Cape Breton, which they have for- tify'd at a -)- vaft Expence^ and it is from this laft mention'd Trade and their Fifherics that they find a Vent for moft of their Molaflfes and Rum, that the Englijh do not take off their Hands. ' i -i t'^ r v « They have alfo gain'd a great Superiority over us in the Fur-Trade. It is computed they import into France from Canada only, to the Value of II i35>ooo^' Sterling pr Annum in Beaver and other Furs, including Deer Skins, and the Englijh, from all our iVi?/i&^r« Colonies not above §90,000/. Ster- ^^"g » ^ The Fortifications of Louijbourg, in the Iflantl nf Capg Breton^ «oft the Frinch King foine Millions of Livres, l)efides a. vaiiaAnWExpeace iii mAiiU»iiuiig them ajtd the Giurrifons ther^. ' 'T7H » {/'Af'ifii «'..r- <■ _ -» In Deer In Beaver. ^Iht French import! from Canada, y §The Englijh import ^ from North Atmrica* 5 ^,1x1,000 4j,ooo 68jOOo| a-ij^ooo ^l-fLI ^JL|« I r;». C 10 ■) i ling. And t\it French are fo tcnJer of this Branch of Trade and fo ienfible of the Advantages that iirife from the Mann factory ot thefe American Com- moditks, that no one can re-export Beaver frorrt France vinmannfoctur'd, under thefeverefi Penalties, When thefe Goods are manufadtur'd they exceed the Value upon Importation in fome Cafes, ten fold^ and they have greatly improv'd this Branch of Trade and fupply moft Farts of Europe and Spanijh America with Hats. Since the Com- mencement of the prefent War there was a Ship taken, bound from France to the Spanijh Wefi In* ^ies, in which was a Quantity of white BeaVer and • other Hats, which were fold in London, and were fo much fuperior in Qiiality to any Thing of the like Sort, that our Manufadurers were furpriz*d at it, as they were much beyond what they could have imagined. . >ni ^h^isi? ■^::-*- s3HTaH The great Advantages gain'd by the French^ from fuch a lurprizing Encreafe in Trade, iscon- fpicuous from the immenfe Sums they draw annu^ ally from other Countries, in return for thtir Ameri* €f.n Products, as well as for their Cambricks, Tea, Brandy, Wine, and other Home Manufadures. /5" is from hence they chiefly maintain fuch powerful Armies^ and afford fuch plentiful Subfidies and Pevfions to feveral Powers and People in Eu- rope : // // from hence they build their Ships of IVar^ and nourijh and maintain Seamen to fupply them. 01 ijj ifm::Viv-* '^on. i m Hi*m.mfr Ann. from foreign Countries in return only for Sugar, Indigo, Coffee, Ginger, Beaver (manufadur'd into Hats) Salt-Fifh - and other American Produds, and near one Million more Worn Great Britain a,nd Ireland ODly, inH^ooll and Cafh, in return for Cambricks, Tea, Brandy and Wine> and thereby fight us in Trade j as well as as at IFar, with our own Weapom. But it is to be^ hop*d, that the Meafures latcJy taken by the Bri- tip Lcgiflature, to prevent the Importation of foreign Cambricks and Tea, and the taking and keeping of Cape Breton^ will be attended with con- fiderable national Advantages : This laft Article will greatly interrupt their Trade to Canada^ as well as their Filheries in North- America ; and con- fequently the Vent of their Rum^ Sugar and Mo» laffes ; and it divefts them of a mod ufeful middle Port, between both the Indies and old France -, and, to fpeak it in other Words, it affords us a moft commodious middle Port, or Harbour, between Great Britain and Ireland^ and the Eajt Indies and our Colonies in America^ where Supplies may be found, and where fafe Convoys may be met with upon all Occafions. 'a- vjiiiw; ,i{ % Whether this great Increafe of the French Commerce is owing to the Extent and Fer- tility of their Territories, or to their prudent Re- gulations and Encouragements at Home and Abroad from the Experience and Vigilance of their Council of Commerce^ I will not determine % tlio* I believe chiefly to the latter ; but be that as it may, I fliall proceed with (hewing the particular Care the French take of their Commerce to Africa and their Weft-India Iflands, which will appear what follows, viz. ^vH,\ « -a » . ^'i In one of the faid Memorials, the faid Deputies of the Council of Trade reprefent to the Royal Council, That " the Commerce of Guinea has *' fuch Relation to that of the French Iflands in the ** Weft Indies^ that thv* one cannot fubfifl: without *' the other. By thofe Trades we have deprived our ** Competitors inTraffick of the greatProfits which •* they drew from us, and may put ourfelves into ** a Condition, by their Example, to H raw Pro- fit in our Turn from them, and efpccially from « w li «t «c «• i( tfc «« ( " ) «* from the * Englifh. We may encreale thofft *' Trades conflderably, feeing that Nation in their *' Iflands, with Ids Advantages than we, in Ter- *' ritorics of lefs Extent, and in. much lefs Time, •* have found Means to employ yearly above 500 *' Ships, whilfl we do not, without great Diffi- culty, employ 100. — -Every-body is fenfible of the Benefit of Navigation, and that the Hap- pinefs and Glory of a State very much depend " upon it : There can be no Commerce without " it ; it governs the Fortunes of the Merchants ; *' it maintains a great Number of Subjcds, Sea- *' men and Mtchanicksj no one is ignorant, that ibe Navigation of France owes all its Increafe and Splendor to the CGnmtcrce of its IJlands^ and that it cannot he kept up and enlarged otherwife than by *' that Commerce'^ Pag. i. 2. . . " *. - • And in Page 13, there arc die following Worfls, viz. *' High Duties hinder great Con- **■ fumption, the dearer any Thing is, the more " fpanng are People in ufing it i this is contrary *' to the Dejign of itnproving Colonies" -^ It appears the French have ftrictly obferv'd this Rule, as they have laid little or no Duties on the Importation of their Sugar, or any other of their American Vro(\\ji^Sy fmce the Year 1698, however prcfllng the Exigencies of their Government might have been fince that Time. They pay but 3 | pet Cent on a low Valuation, which reduces it to about 2 per Cent, on tlie Impor- tation of their 8ugar into France^ befides an Inland Duty of thr^e Livres, or 2 J. 9^. Sterling per Hun- j_>D dred * It i? plain ficm hcixe, that what the Frinch have iti View, is to trufli or fecme to t hcmftlvcs the Briti/h Sugar Colonies in Jmerica, fo that the Engltjh^ in Time, may be oblig'clto ra^ finga'^s from the French^ as they did formerly from the EngHJk* •f Ir h notorious that whenever the Price of Sugar is High in C^'ea't Britain, the Coiifnmptinn, and, confequcntiy the Keveaue^ •Ah'dXLi: ill rjoioifioiw title Page 43— *. |. dred Weight ; yet Sugars, and other Effe(5ts of thcfr African Company, arc exempted from half the Im-*' pofts payable at the Cuftom-Houfc, and from all local Duties on what is imported or exported by them : And the French Planters pay but one per Cent, on the Exportation of their Plantation Pro- du6ls from their IQands, whilft the Planters of Barbados and the Leeward IJiands pay 4 |- per Cent, on their Exports. ■r*~ >*♦ , ^,,i. . *iy,>-i >iiiW "Vi'M '•'{ The French King allows his Sub]e(^, that Trade to Africa^ a Bounty of 10 Livres, or 9s. 2d. Sterling a Head for every Negro, and as much for every Ounce of Gold Duft which they carry frora the Coaft of Guinea^ and they are aliow'd feveral other Advantages. The French are permitted to carry their Sugar, and other American Produfts, from their Sugar Iflands, direftly to Spain^ and from the commo-* dious Situation o^Dunktrk^ Oftend^ a.\-\d Marfeilles^ they have, in Effed, the like Advantage to Flan-^ ders, Holland, Germany and Italy, 'A'^-J^^W: > . And although the French King's Edifts, or Laws, are as ft rid as our A6ts of Trade and Na-» vigation, as to the Prohibition of Foreigners from trading in their Iflands and Colonies in Anerica^ yet their Great Officers have difcretionary Power to difpenfe with thofe Laws, where it Ihall appear fot the Benefit of their Colonies, and without Pre- judice to the Trade and Navigation of France. Thuy often exchange their Surplus Rum and Molaflcs with the Engli/h^ for Caih, Horfes, Ship- ping, Timber, Provisions and other Plantation Neceflaries. ' Tf There is a confiderable Trade carry 'd on be- tween the French Iflands and the Spani/bldands of Mdrgueritta, Trinidado, Forto-Rico and other Spa'- tiijh Ports in America^ whereby the French receive from the Spaniards^ Money, Florfes,. Mules, Co «oa, Cochineal, Tobacco and other American Pro- duds, I lif.^ i m ( 14 ) duifbj in return for French Manufa^urei saiA i Negroes. And the French employ between 100. : and 150 Sail of Sloops, and other Veifels, in and . about the Ifland of A}l«r//»jr^. ^ "■ n ii ■ The French King grants Lands in his Planta- tions, gratis, to poor induftrioiis People, fent thither from France, and gives them other Encou- ragements to go over and fettle there ; and more- over, lends Money to his Jmerican Subjedks, in Cafes of Hurricanes, or other unavoidable Mif- fortunes. They check exorbitant Fees, extravagant Port Charges and Extortions, and difcountenance Ufury and high Intereft in their Colonies, and take fpe- cial Care that none of their Planters Eftates are broke up by hafty Creditors, and in fuch a Man- ner as tends to the Advantage of all Parties intc- refted, as well as to the Benefit of the Colony..>i;.U'V , The Fortifications in the ir^r^ Sugar Iflands ' are eredted and maintain'd at the King's Expence, ^ which, in the Englijh Iflands, is chiefly done by the Inhabitants, and that exclufive of the faid Duty of 4 \ per Cent. And he pays Wages to Marines, that are taken on Board their private Ships, which 3hips are at the Expence of Viduals only for fuch Marines, and they obferve the prudcntefi: Regulations with Regard to their Marine, they ' punifh Defaulters and reward the Meritorious ac- cording to their Deferts. T ''/ r>n;jo'l 7fj 9T^] J Nv- The French have lately fent a Governor, with Men and Cannon, to Sta, Lucia, with a View of feizingand fettling that Ifland, where there is as good an Harbour as that in the Ifland of Cape Brer ton, in Sight of Martinico, and another not much * inferior to it ; and they are determin'd to hold it " at all Events, well knowing that the Power that • holds that Ifland will keep their Enemies in Awe in that Part of the World, and diftreft them in ~ Time (15) of War* if "notv totally overthrow t/icm; Foi* this Reafon , as the Marquifs De Champaignie^ Gre- neral of the Irincb fFindward Iflands, declarM long fince to the Author, it has always been thought good Policy in both Crowns, to kt this important Ifland remain neutral ; and it is to be hopM that timely Care will be taken that it may be fo, or that it may be Ours, left the French ihould fortify this Harbour in like Manner as they did that in the faid Ifland of Cape Breton, They coin fmall Pieces of Silver in France ^ for the particular Ufes of their Sugar Colonies, and fend it there to pay off their Governors, and other publick Officers, and to eafe their Trade : On the other Hand, the Britijh Sugar Planters raife Money to pay, not only their own Governors and other publick Officers, but alfo the Governors of Bermuda and the Bahama IQands in America as well as the Governor of the Ifland of Jerfey in Europe, The tender Care the French take of their Trade, is further evident from the following Extraft taken from the beforemention'd Memorial, prefented by the Deputies of the Council of Commerce to the Royal Council in 1701, viz, *• The Deputies are oblig*d to obferve further to the Council, that for three or four Years paflr, a Duty is levy'd at St Domingo of * two Sols per Livre or Pound Weight on Indigo fhipp'd off there. This Novelty is the more pernicious, becaufe that Drug ferves for dying our Manu- faftures into Blews or Blacks, and becaufe we *' make a confiderable Traffick of it to the North, •' 'Tis of great Importance for the Council to be pleas'd to take off this Duty, which is capable, of ruining the Cultivation of this Drug,** Pag. 15. This «.c cc «< cc cc cc ^ Two Sols is about 1 tl, iV Sterling. j: ^ {4 ( ^6 ) This Council of Trade is fo wifely cftaHiftiM, that the Royal Council form their Refolutions, chiefly, upon the Informations they receive from it *, and this Eftablifhment feems more agreeable to the Intention of improving Commerce, as this Council is chiefly eleded by Merchants, and other Perfons experienced in Trade ; and, bcfides, the Eledted muft be Men that have been a long Time engag'd in Commerce. In fhort, The French Minifters feem to fet their hearts upon regulating Commerce, and to turn, every Article of it to the national Advantage. The French are far from following the Rulei of the Medes and Perjians^ whofe Laws are unal- terable; for they do at all Times change theii? Laws when they find it for the Advantage of the State. There is one very recent Inftance of this \ they permit Buicb Ships, during the prefent War, CO load Sugar and other Commodities at their Weft India Iflands, and carry them diredtly toHoU land^ or to atiy other Vottck Europe, The Damage that this particular Step of •the French will do to our Weft India Trade and Plantations, and otherwife, is incom^irable^ ihould it continue without our Interruption, unleis we follow their Example in this Infl^ce, and at this Jundure, and during the Continuance of it| or fall on fome other Meafures to prevent it: Fof they will thereby encourage and jsxteno their Colo'* flies by eafy Infurances and low Freights, * befides getting early with their Plantation Produdb tofo- Teign Markets : And they will alfo gregtly increafii their Marine during the Waf» by having a greater Plenty of Seamen, and ftill ipore plentifid Re* fources from fuch Plantation Products. in I I ♦ They Mioiild fave from lo to 20 per Cent by Infunince; «ii4 from ^tn fz.fer Hnmiied Weigbein Freight oftSiigMTiwhaah is from z j* to ay per Cemt. more, as oiur Ships ft»y fail with or without Convoy, oi* accordiiig to tlicir Force, 1-- ' ' ('7> I Sfi ALL new /hew what the Englijh have done in Support ot their African and American Trade. About the Time that the faid Memorial -con- cerning Indigo was prefentcd, there was three Pence, and two Tenths of a Penny per Pound Weight, payable on the Importation of Indigo, of the Growth of the Britijh Plantations, into Great Britain,, and fomewhat more on Indigo of foreign Growth ; and foon afterwards fixTenths of a Penny more was impos'dj all which Duties continu'd ««- HI the Cultivation of this Drug was near ruin'dy and* imtil the 8 th o^ George I. when all Duties on Indigo were taken off *, and by the 7th of George II. In- digo, as well of foreign Growth as Britijh Growth, was. permitted to be imported in any Ship be-* ionging to Great Britain^ or to any Kingdom or State in Amity witb^bis Majeftyy but Experience ihews, in this Inilahce, that it is not eafy to re- cain a loft Trad? : And is it not natural to fear that Sie fame Caufp may produce the fame Effedt in regard to Sugar, or any other Commodity ? However, fince the' Genius of this Nation fcems now to be rouz'd, I will no longer entertain fuch melancholy Thoughts, but will hope for better Things ; and will proceed to IheW the fe- veral Encour^ements ^hd Regulations on our Part, which are as tollow, viz. 1730, The Royal African Company of England have had an annual Aid from Parliament ever fihce'the Year 17 30; but not lufE- cient'to fupport the Forts and Caftles on the Coaft of Africa as they ought to be *. 1732. Liberty hath been granted to import Rum» with other enumerated Goods of our Plan- . . tation Produce directly into Ireland, 4. and , i 5, George II. "- - B This^ * ViiU A^^vdix A Pm^. 1 to 4 'il- ii! i m'l ,.'j tPn (i8) ^is has anjkver'd the Intention *, and Jo iichiii- hath been of great Ufe, a ,■ For the Encouragement of the Growth of Coffee in our Plantations, the Duty on the ;; tii Importation of that Commodity into ♦,'3- v"A Great Britain is 6 d. ^*r Pound lefs than for vm<^%. Coffee of foreign Growth. $Geo. II. Cap, 24. ;»\\^ *,*V ^is Trade is ft ill in its Infancy^ and 4v ^wj feems to want more Succour until it Jhall gather more Strength, ''-^^ 1733. Foreign Sugar, Rum and MolafTes, are totally prohibited f "^m being imported into Ireland \ but with . * Exception as to what (hall be fhipp'd in Great Britain^ in Shipt legally navigated. 6 Geo, II. Cap, 13. Sec. 4. . This has alfo proved very henejicial\ hut h by Virtue of the faid Ekception Prize- Sugars are permitted to be Jhipp*d from Great Britain to Ireland, which Jhould ■'■r be regulated f. High Duties are laid on all Foreign Sugars, Rum and Molaffes, imported into any of our Colonies in Amwica, 6 Geo, II. Cap. 13. Sec. 4. a^ t*'"- . This is evaded || and vaft Quantities of thofe Commodities^ socially Mo^ ^^ r^i} laffesy are ftHuggled^ and therefore ought ♦t, v\ to be prohibited. § ,.^\\^Thi Duty of gd, per Hundred Weight, . ;,; or one Moiety of the old Subfidy, left to .. • the Crown upon Re-exportation of Sugar, is given up and all drawn back % and 2 J. per Hundred Weight is added tQ the 4 J. which makes in all 65, per Hun- dred II \s^ of'** f? :^Zi Uiii i**i ^ * Vide Appendix. — Ea. b. Page ya, yj. ••!•«««- £)itto—-i— C. jfj. •v I— *— Ditto di ■ . 53, y4. ««tf { vi,x-i < I?) dred Weight upon the Re-exportation of rafin'd Sugar from GreaS Britain. 6 Geo. II. Cap. 13. Sec, 10. ST/fe/j has been found of great Ufe^ as it has at many Times encouraged a Re-ex^ , ' • . portation of Sugar: An addti tonal Bounty ':-::. cn A hh Sugars exported will he Jit U ,/, .. more encouraging^ and of great Ad- vantage to this Nation -f . 1739, Liberty is granted to carry all Britifo Sugars % diredlyfrom our Sugar Idands to ,,-)'* all foreign Ports oi Europe, 12 Geo. II. ^ ,, ;• r; ^is is clogg'd with too many unnecejfary ■ >, - ' ReJiriStions and Limitations \ but one of them is ftnce taken offs and is as follows: 1742. Plantation-built Ships are permitted ^. to carry Sugars from our Sugar-IQands diredly to all foreign Ports of Europe* 15 and 16 Geo. II. This will encourage the Exportation of -^ Sugar Sy when the other Reflri^ions are * rem&v'd, . ■ Rum is permitted to be landed without pay- ing the Duty of Excile until fold, or within fix Months after Landing. 1 5 and 16 Geo. 11. •.ft^:<&J "'y'V Y u This begins to operate to Advantage *, but there arefome Difficulties with regard to the utQiiW Confinement ofWarehoufes on the Ctifiom' Houfe-KeySy which Jhould be regulated. 1743. But the very burthenfome j) Duties on j^„ Molafles Spirits prove a conjiderable Draw- back from all thefe Advantages, andalfo turn out to the Prejudice of the publick Revenue. 2 r From .r.^' ^:^^ M t f^i(ie Appendix B. * D. J C. $ Such Ships as go to the Northern Ports are compelled to touch in Great Britain^ only to d«Uvcr iu » Mwufeft of the Cargo. m (20) ' From hence it will appear what Advantages have been granted in Favour of our fi^^eft India and African Trade, and how they have operated i and it is too evident, that what has hitherto been done hath not etTe*5tuaIly anfwer*d the good Intention of the LegiQature, feeing the French have ftilJ a great Superiority over us in the fFeJl-Ifidies, and in other B'anches of Commerce. This is a Matter ©f the utmoft Importance to this Nation, and therefore every Thing ought to be (lone, that can * be done, to change the Scene. For we find by Experience, that the fame Caufes which ftreighten the Britijh Commerce, will na- turally enlarge the French -, and it muft be allowed that the naval Force of either Nation will, at one Time or other, thrive or languifh in the fame De- gree as their Commerce gathers or lofes Strength ; and we are now convinced that the Seas are fpread with French Ships to and from all Parts of the World, and that their Power as well by Sea as by Land, is growing more and more with their Colo- nies and Commerce, and all Europe arc jealous of their ambitious Views : And fliould they continue this Courfe of improving their Trade and Colo- nies without our taking fuitable Meafures to en- courage ours, and that without Delay, they muft in the End become fuperior to us by Sea : Should this ever. be the Cafe, they will doubtlels engrofs the African and American Trade, and in Confequencc become Mafters of the mofl valuable Part of the Territories that border on the Wejiern Ocean ; Territories that abound in People and commodious Sea-Ports. Then, What will be the Fate — How will it ftand with Old of Great Britain! — England! — I fay, without Delay, fince nobody can be ignorant liow many Opportunities may be loft by % * It was a SrU'ijig of one nf die nblelt Men cf the Roman'Em- pire, fhnr we ought iiever vo felicitare nirfelves on having done vny Thing, whilj there is yet any Thing that remuiw to be doiiCi r $ ( 21 ) by a fhort Delay, wbicb no Degree of Diligence can afterwards regain. There is nothing that willftreighten Commerce more than high Duties on Trade and Plantations, which are generally attended with many mif- chievoiis Confequcnces, efpecially where there is a ftrong Competition, as Difcouragemeuts on one Hand always give Advantages to the Competitor \ and there is one Mifchicf among the many that ought never to be forgot, which is that of Smug- gling i becaufe fuch Goods, although of foreign Growth aud Manufa6lure, pay no Duty to the publick Revenue, and at the fame Time interfere with our II Home Manufactures and Plantation Pro- dufts, highly to the Prejudice of the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom. Is not this noto- rioufly the Cafe with regard to French Brandy, on Account of * high Duties on Rum and Spirits extraded from Molafles of the Produce of our Plantations ? And may it not be the Cafe of Sugar, if the Duties fhall ftill be advanc*d j or, is it not already the Cafe in fome Parts of Great Britain ? The Dutch pay but 3 per Cent, Duty on their Sugar and other Plantation Products, and that in their Plantations, or upon Importation, at the Option of the Proprietor ; and this upon fuch a low Valuation as reduces it to about 2 per Cent, and they are very attentive to their African Trade ♦, and afford it confiderable Subfidies and Immu- nities : This evinces that this trading Nation well know the true Value of their Trade to Africa and their Plantations in America \ and although the prefent Exigencies of their Government prefs hard for Money, they avoid taxing Trade, but raife very large Sums of Money on Houfes and B 3 ■..! ^ V'.. M Families, V4 I - > .. \/*. ♦Duty and Excife on Rum 4/. per Gallon; aiul on Molafles Spirits 2 / ptr Gallon» Vidt Appendix C, No. I. I ' I m ( 25 ) Families, according to Appearance of Expences or Circiim (lances \ and they have Jately rais*d in this Manner to the Value of about three Millions Sterling towards anfwering the Emergencies of the prefent Year, without running in Debt on long Mortgages^ fecur'd by Taxes on Trade or Planta^ tion ProduSls. It has been already obferv'd that tht French have laid little or no Duty oh the Importation o^ their Sugar fince the Year 1698, however prefling the Exigencies of their Government might have been fince that Time : But the Englijh who paid 18 J. p^r Hundred Weight on the Importation of Sugar into Great Britain^ and 4 \ per Cent in Barbados and the Leeward Iflands before that Time, have fince been charg'd with an additional Duty of 18 ^. per Hundred Weight in 1699, and 6 //./>^ Hundred more in 1703-4, befides an additional Duty on Spirits extra6ted from Molafles of the Growth of our Plantations, in the Year 1732 > and* this Duty was doubled in 1 743, which is equal at leaft to 2S. 6 d, per Hundred Weight on the whole Im- portation of Sugar into Great Britain: This makes m all, /he or fix feveral Duties thatfiill r^jnaif^ (^ this § valuable Commodity to this Nation, ^ - ^ SuRELV then no one can fo much as think of another Duty on this Commodity 5 but left i( Jhould be fo, I have ftated the following Queries, in order to (hew the Danger of such an Experiment, and the Neceffity there is for im- mediate Succours in regard to our Plantations, rather than additional Hard(hips. .; .^ ^ I ft. .^ Whether an additional puty on a Com- modity^ which is already over-loaded with puticsj can be thought//^/? or reafonable? 2d ^ ^ S//«5f rage 45. • I 4 J. Na I. .■ s^a ■"»»A * t» (23) id. ^. Whether it is not the Intcreft of Great Britain to encourage and promote her Colonies in America^ inftead of fubjeding them to great Incon- veniences and Hard(hips, fince it will in con^ fcquence increafe our Trade and Navigation, as well as the Confumption of our Manufadturcs ?vo>v 3d. ^ When large Crops of Sugar are made in America^ and more Sugars (hall be imported into Europe than is fufficient for the European Demand \ will it not lower the Price in the fame Degree as liich Surplus fhall amount to, without the Jeaft Regard to high Duties, or any other increas'd Charges whatfoever ? 4th. ^ Whether the Quantity of Sugar, which depends on Weather and other Cafualties, and i$ of fo long a Growth as not to be brought to Marw ket in much lefs than two Years after the Time of " preparing the Land for planting the Sugar-Cfine, can be afcertain'd or proportion'd according to the European Demand, as in the Cafe of moil other Commodities that are not fubje<5b to fuch Cafu* alties or Delays, or where the Quantity may be enlarged or abated at the Difcretion of the Mer- chant, or as he fliall Bnd it for his Advantage, let the Duties and other Charges be more or lefs ? 5th. ^ Whether upon due Confideration of the two foregoing Queries, it will not evidently ap- pear that the Duties on Sugar, of the Produce of eur Plantations^ ♦ lie on the Planter or Manufac^ tureTy and not on the Confumer ? 6th. ^ Whether the continuing the high Duties on thqtf rodudl of the Briti/h Plantations, may not be ac^nted one of the principal Caufes or the flouriihing Condition of the Irencb Trade and Co* B 4 ^.-i , i-i^-..o .; loniet * yUe^ Supplement to Mr. /^ieyh Memoirs on the Jmtrican Trade, tobehwlatMr. C^mjm't at ih« $wit$b^\inxkCi of the Rojrsl-^Excbiuige, Vif mi ii ' (24) , Ionics over and above ours ? ■ If fo, what will be the Confequence of additional Duties ? 7th. ^ "Whether it is not an evident Difcou- ragement to the Settlements in the Britijb Sugar Iflands, to be annually apprchenfive of any further Incumbrances to be laid on the Produds of fuch Settlements, although they may not be adually laid, fince it may baulk our Planters from buying more Negroes, and fettling more new Plantations in Colonies that may upon all Exigencies of Go- vernment be under fuch Apprehenfions, whilft their Rival Neighbours meet with better Fare? 8th. ^ Since the French as well as the Dutch grant Subfidies, Bounties and other Immunities to encourage their African and American Trade^ Will •it not be confiftent with the true Intereft of this Nation to do fo too ? 9th. ^ If the Commerce of the Englijh and French Hiall continue in the fame Courfe, without any Alteration of Meafures on either Side, is it rot natural to fear that their Increafe, or at lead that of the French^ will continue in the lame De- gree or Progi eflion lor the Time to come, as it has done for the Time oaft ? •"' • .-.:'v7 •,.' * The Alteration of Meafures on our Side, or the Expedients neceflary to be taken, is the next Point to be confider'd : Wherefore I fhall offer the fol- lowing Propofitions, in Hopes they may meet with the Approbation of thofe in whofe Power it is to j>ut them in Execution. •* i.v^V *' PROPOSALS. • i ift. To eflablifh a proper Method of Enquiry into the State of our Commerce, Colonies and Manu* fadures. .^.zd, Xo revive^ fecure and extend, the African ^rade^ by a fufficient Parliamentary Aid, in fuch 4 Manner as to make the Intereft of an African 5 ' • -' - . Company -UO 'f. ( 25 ; Company and feparate Traders mutually advan- tageous to each other, as well as to our American Planters. 3 d. To encourage a Confumption or Vent of ths Produ5ls of our own Plantations^ by * granting Bounties, § eafing Duties and removing all perni- cious and unneceffary Obftrudions and Reftri«5lions that lie on fuch Produce, before it fhall come to the Confurners, as well at Home as Abroad -f . /^th. To eafe the Manufacturers of this Kingdom of burthenfome Taxes, that our Home Manu- factures may become cheaper, and thereby enable us not only to vie with other Nations at foreign Markets, but alfo to fupply our Colonies at chea- per Rates; and to eftablijh a Fund to anfwer the PremifeSy and what elfe may from Time to Time ap- pear neceffary for fecuring and extending our Com- merce^ Colonies and Manufactures, frt As to the Method of Enquiry into our Com- merce, Colonics and Manufactures, mention'd in the firft Article, there is nothing, in my humble Opinion, that will anfwer this End better than to follow the Example of the French, by cflablilhing a fpecial Board or Council of Commerce, tocon- iift of a competent Number of experienc'd Mer- chants, or fuch as liave been a long while engaged in (Commerce and Colonies^ to be properly ele<5ted by- the principal trading Cities and Towns of Great Britain and Ireland, together with our Colonies in 'America, as the Intereft of thofe Colonies is inti- mately interwoven with that o^ England', and fuch a Board to be authoriz'd and enjoin'd to fit at leaft once in every Week in London^ throughout the * P'idt Appendix B.- $ C. t ■ D. ■ No. I. II. No. I. II. E. .E.*f.Pagey«. ■■I I! ■mi Year, to receive, difcufs and examine all Propo- fitions and Memorials relating to Colonies, Com- merce and Manufaftures that fhall be fent to it, and to confider of adequate Encouragements to fuch as fhall fend them in, and alfo to be wholly attentive to the examining and promoting what- ever may be mofl advantageous to Commerce, as well by Land as by Sea, within the Kingdom and out of it, and concerning Works or Fabricks, and Manufaftures. The Reports of fuch a Board may, from Time to Time,' be made to his Majefty in Council, and be referred to the Lords Commijfioners for ^rade and Plantations in the ufual Courfe \ and the Parliament will, when they pleafe, call for fuch Informations and Proceedings as they fhall think proper : Mat- ters thus previoudy examined, difcufs'd and re- ported, will carry more Weight, and be receivM with more Attention, than the Applications of any private Man, or any particular Set of Men in the ufual Manner, which are commonly attended with tedious Delays, artful Oppofitions, or Imperfec- tions in fome Shape or other. The Advantage*' of the African Trade to thi$ Nation, and a Scheme to revive, fecure and eX' tend that Trade, according to the fecond Article of Propofals, may be feen at large in the Ap- pendix mark'd A. The third Article of Propofals, to encourage a Confumption or Vent of the Produ£fs of our Planta* tions, is divided into four Parts or Appendixes, mark'd B. C. D. £. under the following Heads, viz, -i^tiM^uiUi '^^li ii.^ v-iiv;i v't?v ^'fi B. A Propofal for an additional Bounty on the Ex* portation of all Britifh Sugars to foreign Markets^ mtb Obfervations tbmon^ ^ ^ r. - - ,^ C. Pro*'^ .11 .- j-i. i'<«»'^ ■i'. : .',•»* (27 ) C. Propofals to eafe the Duty of Excife on Spirits extraSfed from Molasses of the Gro%vth or Produce of the Britifti Plantations %. and to abolijh the Duty of 4 \ per Cent, paid in Barbados and the Leeward IHands. D. Propofals for removing all the unfteceffary Ob- Jiru^ions and Rejirittions that lie o« Sugar and Rum, of the Growth of the Britirti Sugair Iflands in America ; which may he done without any Ex- pence to the Puhlick^ and without Prejudice to any Body except our Rivals in Urade, . ' M jh': E. Propofals for preventing the Confumption of ioxG\%n Sugar y Rum^ Molajfes and Brandy, in any cf his Alajejiy*s Bntifh Dominions, . .a In regard to the fourth Article of Propofals, toi eafe the ManufaSlurers of this Kingdom of burthen- fome TaxeSy by raijing a new Fund, * it may be alledg'd that the Exigencies of the Government cannot at prefent admit ofeafing Taxes and grant- ing all thefe Aids and Bounties, however necelTary it may appear to be for the Security and Prefer- vation of our Trade and Plantations; and as Works that require great Applications are little agreeable to the Humour and natural Difpofition of many, fo it can't be expedled that they can be propos'd and all executed at the fame Time. However, it feems neceflary at this critical Jundlure, to propofe fomething that may be put^ in Execution as Opportunity oifers, or as the Ne- cefllty of State may require ; and as there are many of the prefent Taxes, belides what is already mcn- tion'd, that lie very heavy on the Manufadburen and landed Intereft of this Kingdom, there is no- thing that feems more eligible to anfwcr all thefe Purpofes, 4nd many more, than a general Fund to be rais'd according to the fbUowing Schenoe, viz* The SCHEME, f Vide Page 30, 31, . ( 28 ) The SCHEME, commonly called Sir Matthew DeckerV, in a 7reatife entitled. Serious Con- fiderations on the fevcral High Duties which the Nation in genrral ("as weJJ as its Trade in particular) now labours under. It is therein computed, That the Houfes in Eng- land amount to 1,200,000. In Scotland to 250,000. And in Wales to 150,000. ','.■*" T •■■*'■ r ■ V ^ * • '■' It is fuppfed, \. lOOjOOO in England may be empry, and fo7 : pay nothing. 3 5-00,000 to be inhabited by the Poor and 7 lower Sort, and to pay jiothing J Then it is propofed. That 600,000 of the richer Snrt pay 6 1, per Hoiife, or Familj'-, in an Ave ; rage, which is computed from,' 3 /. to 60 /. per Houfe, or Fa miiy, including the Lands or' real Eftates It is propofed, That Scotland and Wales pay one lialfof the Proportion that England WAy pay. ' ao«,ooo of the richer Sort to pay 3 /. per 1' •. • iJ'i;. Houfe, or Family, in an Ave- i >-. • ■ 1 r '■'^S^j which is computed from .,.,., 30 ;. to 30/. per Houfe or Fa-/ ' ' ' ^" ■ n\i\y, including the Lands or\ *;' 5. 'J . real Eltatcs. .• .- ,.> I 3,6oo,oo« .{ 600,000 jT. 4,200,000 This Tax may be rated by the Veftry of every Parifli , according to the Rents of Houfes and the Value of Perfonal Eftates ; or according to the Appearance, or Proof, of the Circumftances of the feveral Families, in regard to Coaches, Servants, Wine, and other voluntary Expence of Luxuries, or otherwife, as Ihall be found moft expedient upon trying the Experiment ; and to be re- turn'd to proper Commiflionersy to be appointed m (29) in each County, (who may alfo determine all DIfputes) then to be afcertainM by Parliament; and to be cbllefted by the Churchwardens of every Parifh, and be paid in by them to the Receiver- General of the County. : :'- ' • * ..„ If this Propofal to raife 4,200,000/. annually fhall be thought extravagant, perhaps one Moiety of the whole, or a lefs Proportion, may anfwer the Purpofe or try the Experiment : But when it is conlider'd how eafy it will come from every In- dividual, and what Benefit will accrue thereby from EASING the many weighty and dangerous i" Loads on our Commerce^ Colonies and * Mann- fa^ures, and alfo on our Landholders, on Account of the Land-Tax, as well as ihe Taxes on what they expend^ furely no one that will duly and im- partially confider this Part of the Scheme, and the Confequences of it, can fay one Word againft it; efpecially as there will be fufficient to anfwer the Drbts of the Navy, and other Exigencies of Go- verment, without borrowing more Money on long Mortgages, to be fecur'd by burthenfome if not ruinous Taxes ; it will afford Bounties, where ne- ceflary, for the National Welfare , and eafe Taxes where it fhall, from Time to Time, be found of national Advantage. // will enable us to heat our Rivals in Trade in our ^urn, and terrify cur Enemies^ hy letting them fee that we can raife our annual Supplies without running further in Debt ; befides many other Conveniences and Advantages enumerated in the faid Treatife, efpecially thofe of removing all Temptations to Smuggling, and of gradually lowering the national Debt. *lif* i .iiirfii. •\ The prefent Duties on Coals, Candles, Soap, Salt, Leather, Beer, Ale, Sugar, Rum, Molafles and Malr, (^c. i^c. ^c. •a Man's Labour in France in many Manufaflories cofts b«C 4 iiUi4 oi vik>'^ APPENDIX i. C 33 ) i'APPENDIX (A.) : * Proposals to revive, jectire and extend the African Trade. TH E African Trade is of great Importance to the Trade and Navigation of Great Bri- tain, and therefore ought to be reviv'd and fup-* ported at all Events. This Nation will gain great Advantages by cffedually fupporting this Trade : Firft^ By de- feating their greateft Rivals, who have ftruggled hard, and not In vain, to gain Advantages over us in this particular Branch of Trade : And, Secondly^ By fecuring a Trade that may, in Time, take off, diredtly to Africa, much larger Quan- tities of Britifh Manufa6tures than ever, in ex- change for Gold-Duft, Ivory, Gum, Wood and Bees- Wax, and Negro-Labourers for the Support of our Plantations ; befides Bullion for Negroes they* may fell to the Spaniards, French and Portuguize. Since therefore this Trade to Africa is of fuch Confequence, and as it is impradicable to fupport the fame without Forts and Settlements on the Coaft of Africa, and 'jj the 'Trade is open\and free to all his Majejlfs Subje£fs, it feems neceflary that the Legiflature fhould interpofe, and fettle fuch an annual Allowance, for a certain Term of Years, as Ihall be judg'd fufficient to maintain the Forts and Garrifons on that Coaft, and to be fairly ac- counted for to the Publick. Then ncvr Adventurers will be encourag'd to come into and fupport this Trade, under the Name if ( 33 ) Name of the Royal African Company of En^land^ or the Wefi India Company, or any other Name, by taking an Aflignment of the prefent Com- pany's Property, and raifing a new Stock to carry on the Trade efFedually ; and this may be done without any Prejudice, but rather with Ad- vantage to the prefent Company, and to all his Majefty's Subjefts trading to Africa and to our American Plantations. A Company to be thus eftablifli*d, will be able to fecure t^i^BritiJh Intereft in the Inland Countries of Africa^ and thereby fupport a Competition ia that Inland Trade with foreign Nations, which feparate Traders, without a Company fecur'd by Forts and Garrifons, cannot do. Because fuch a trading Company, fo fecur'd, can make ftrong Alliances, (by means of their conftant Refidence, and extenfive Trade) with the African Princes, which cannot be done by feparate or temporary Traders, or by Government Officers. As to the Allowance propos'd to be granted to fuch a new Company, that mufl: be fubmitted to the Wifdom of the LegiQature. But Duties on this Trade, in any Shape, will not anfwer j becaufe foreign Nations exempt their Subjefts trading to Africa from Taxes, and grant their Companies Bounties and Subfides to enable and encourage them to fecure and carry on this Trade : Ththutch to theAmountof about 25,000 /. per Annum^ and the French to the Amount of 40,000 /. per Annum and upwards : And therefore any Tax on Britifb Traders to Africa^ would give fuch an Advantage to Foreigners as need not be any further explain'd : and the ill Confequences that would naturally follow would not end in Africa^ but would alio reach all our Plantations in Ainerica. And here it is to be obferv'd, that the Honou- C rablc kl? !■ II!*. (34) rable the Hoiife of Commons, in the Year 1730, rcfolvcd that the Trade and Navigation to Africa fhould never be charg'd with any Duty for the Maintainance of the Brifijh Forts and Settlements there ; and they have granted an Allowance -every Year fince that Time to the Royal African Com- }3any of England for tliat Purpofc ; but Experience lath fhewn that this Allowance has not by any Means prov'd fufHcient. The Allowance of 10,000/. Sterling lately granted to the prefent Company, will not enable them to keep their Forts and Caftles in Repair, ^nd much lefs in a proper defenfible Condition : It will take more than twice as much per Annum to enable any Company to keep them as they ought to be; and above 100,000/. per Anmim^ were they in the Hands of the Government without a trading Company to make Alliances by means of their RcTicknce and Trade as aforefaid : For as furh Alliances will procure more Friends, there will of Confcquence be a better Strength and fewer Enertiies ; ai>d hefides, the Company's Governors, Fi^«5lois at'td other Servants, may alfo officiate as military Officers and thgrtbylaVe lafge,Sunis to. thtf'Puyick. ■>-i.v*.'Cii:?OL:>n), hpk nn-j^J ^" •-». r»T ss, s^i- Im order to r'end'ci" fiieh a Compafty, and the reft of his Majefty*s Subjeds, ferviceable to each other as well as to the American Planters, the Company's I 'ad:ors fhould be -always authorizM by the Com- pany, to fell Negroes to feparate Traders for Goods^ Money or Bills of Exchange ; a Credit, as to Bills, ro be firfl: obtain'd from the Company: By this Means the feparate Traders may be furnifliM with their fujl Complement of Negroes of the Company, if they pleafe, and be difpatch'dfrom the Coafc in three or four Weeks, inftead of three or four Months, whereby there will be jgreat Savings in Demurrage and Mortality j and befides, the ifr ,^ri3»-uj *.^ i:^»ji Off- jiVi-]jv^ ut'^j 'i- Seajncn X m ) t e t s IS c r > s 9 Seamen may have a much better Chance of going their Voyage round in good Health. The Planters in America will be fupply'd chea- per, and with healthier Negroes, by meansoffuch Difpatch and Ihort Voyages, as the Negroes can be afforded cheaper^ and will not be fo fubjedb to Diftempers contrafted in long Voyages, which often carry them off after they are purchas'd by the Planters. It is to be obfervM, that Negroes from the Gold Coaft and IFydaby by far exceed thofe of Calabar^ Angola^ or even Gambia j as the former are robuft and hardy, and are ufed to work and live hard in their own Country ; and the others arc lazy and of a tender Conftitution : which is the great Reufon -wYiy tht French zxc fo particq-rv iarly folicitous to get a Settlement at AnamaboCy and, by Degrees, to engrofs all the beft Negroes on the Gold'Coaft^ which contains the greater Part of the Britijh Forts and Settlements. The greateft Difficulty that now feems to lie in the Way of reviving this Trade, is the prefent Situation of ^tVifyjdX African Company of £«f« land as to their Debts and Incumbrances, and. th©; ; Uncertainty of the Value of their Charter aod other Property. ^'^ ; ;- .. For to compute fuch a Property in a national Way, and according to the Eftimation that has been heretofore made between one Nation and another, and one Company and another, for Forts and Settlements in Africa^ it Ihould be firfl con- fider'd, What a Value this Nation .would put upon fuch a Property, to get it out of the Hands of the French^ or Dutch, (hould any imcxpeded Event ever put it upon a Tryal ? Surely not lefs than the better Part of a Million of Pounds Sterling. But fince it can't be fuppos'd that the Brit^ Nation will ever fubmit to fuch an Event, or C 2 grant ]■ i grartt fuch a Sum to the prcfent Company for their Privileges and Property, but that they will rather encourage the future Profperity of tliis va- luable Trade, by interpofing in fome fuch Manner as is herein propos'd, and giving all due Encou- ragements to all Parties intereftcd therein j and that the prefent Company will gladly come into rea- sonable Terms, rather than to lie in the uncertain State they are now in ; I will offer fome Thoughts for theConfidcrationofthofewho may be inclin'd to become Adventurers , or are otherwife interefted in the Security and Prefervi^tion of the African Trade. Suppose then a Stock, or Capital, of 300,000/. flioiild be railed by Subfcription, by new Adven- furcrs, or a new Company, arxl shat 12 per Cent, may be cle.u'd per Jjnnum, one Year with an- other, upon fo much thereof as may be employ'd in Tiade, which I allow to be a high Reckoning, and yet fcarcely fufficient to anfwer the Expence of maintaining the Forts and Qirrifons, fo as to prefeive the Jfr/can Trade to this Nation, j Un ; / . Then fuppofc tlic prefent Royal African Com- pany (hall a^rce to take, in Calb, 100,000/. in full for their whole Property and Charter, and 10 execute Aflignments to, or enter into fome proper Agreement with the new Company ac- cordingly. £. 100,000 Then there wiU remain a Calh7 trading Stock of J" 200,000 £. 300,000 •.»'! Thus the whole Stock will amount to 300,000/. and the Trading Stock to 200,000/. which may be computed, frcm the Benefits of a conftant Refi- dence, the Influence over the Natives, and other Advantages, to yield 12 per Cent, clear of all CJiargcs and Rifque, one Year with another, or : 24,000/. loo /. tfi- ler lall lor L (37) 24,000/. Thar will bear a Dividend of * ^ per Cent, per yhiHum on the whole 300,000/. Stock. And the old Company will receive 100,000/. whereof 75,000/. will go in dilijharge of their Debts, and the remaining 25>ooo/. will be 10/. fr Share on 2500 Shares, which their prefent Stock confids of. ^,» As foon as the Subfcription is full, and the pre- fent Company Ihall fignify their Confent, the Sub- Ibribers may chufe aCourt of AfTiftants, or Direcflors, according to the ufual Form, and the true Intent and Meaning of the old Charter. The new Company muft be feciired, by the old Compa-ny, againft all Debts and Demands of the Creditors of the faid old Company, before the Money fliall be paid. -. > \. .^Mih." The faid Sum of 300,000 /. may be paid by the refpedive Subfcribcrs into the Banky or as the new Company (hall dire^l, in two equal Pay- ments, the firll within one Month after the Par- J lament fhall have fettled fuch an annual Allowance as (hall be judged fufficient- by the Ma,jority, in Number and Value, of the faid new Adventurers, to maintain the Forts and Garrifons oi. the ( 'oafl of Africa for fome certain Term of Years, and the other Payiiicnt within three Months after ; and in cafe of failure of Payment by any Sub- Icriber or Subfcribers, fuch Defaulter to forfeit at the Rate of 20 per Cent, on what (hall be lub- (crib'd by him, her or them, for the Ufe and Be- nefit of fuch of the faid new Adventurers as fliall duly pay in their refpedlive Proportions. 1 F the Inland Trade and the Demand for Negroes fhall increafe, there may 'be an additio- nal trading Stocl^ rais'd in proportion to fuch In- creafe. ^ C 3 ' But — —»—^— ———*.»— —» .— — »i II I I II * A certain annual Dividend of 8 /. for every lOO /, is ecjual to J /. per Cent, p*r Annum on itf* A 11 lie ■ . (38) But fpccial Care mull be taken that fuch a Slock be extended no further than to what may be necefiary to carry on the Trade efFedually : Then every Proprietor will feel the Profits that may arife, which will naturally encourage them to be watchful that the Trade be carry'd on agreeable to the Intention of the Legiflature, and for the common Good of all Parties interefted. For if this Trade is put into the Hands of an opulent Company, whofe Stock on which the Profits of Trade is divided ihall amount to Mil- lions, then fuch Profits will be fo infignificant to every Individual as not to be felt, which may prove a Temptation to thofe in the Diredion to make the Africa:. Coaft a Receptacle for fuch is may be altogether unfit for the Truft that may be repos'd in them; and befides, the Compe- tition will be too powerful for the feparate Tra- ders, which may, in Time, weary them out, and leave the whole Trade a Monopoly, to the Preju- dice of xht American Plantations, and confequent- Jy to the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom. 'c-^i^ APPENDIX 't •1 \* *•* ?"ff. Uu ^I'/firj.-'i ' Eaji-lndia Goods -LI—- 10'^, 000 Remains to the Sugar Planters aiid Merclianty 72,000 J??O.00O C4 & SI I. Tins r' i (40) This Sum of 180,000/. that may be thus faved to this Nation by the Exportation of i2,oc;oHoglheads of Sugar only, amounts to ten times the proposed Bounty ; and the fame Propor- tion will hold good for any larger Quantity, as it is in the Cafe of the French^ who export fix times that Quantity to foreign Markets : Surely then fo fnr^ll a Proportion, to be thus advanced by the Publick towards obtaining fuch an Addition to the rational Bal lance, and alfo to regain a loft Trade from our natural Enemy^ befides many other natio- nal Advantages, will be readily granted without Hefitation, unlefs the running of foreign Sugar into our Sugar Iflands fhould be thought an Objedion ; but this may be cafily avoided, by putting the foreign Produce of America upon * the fame Foot- ing with the foreign Produce of Europe that fhall not be firft landed in Great Britain^ as to Prohi- bition, Seizure and Forfeiture. ' '''-^vtiicr vi-rrj r^ * ^/Wlr Appendix E. e. Page 54, *f>./t^W.f *- ■ • * s.' fi ^ < » M^.iJ .J. ., , -APPENDIX 'i fi">-5d ;^j;;f' T! ' • .'.'! ' ; ;', M 'i 'W Ji"..- '. ..' Jul* 'iJif ,:■ ,n ¥ ,.>.A, •I ■.'J ,.; ii -U'^.> v^;:' I (41 ) ir. -iri: trr:-} A P P E N D I X (C) Proposals to cafe the Duty of Ex- cife on Spirits extracted from Molaffes ..: of the Growth or Produce of the Bri- ' tilli Plantations ; and to aboliflj the Duty of 4 I per Cent, paid-in Bar- bados and the Leeward Illands. p N° I. THAT the Duty on Molaffes Spirits be lower'd fo far as to enable the Diftilier to afford fuch ^'^oirits lb much cheaper than run French Brandy, as may prevent the Smuggling of that Commodity without bringing Molaffes down to an uncommon low. Rate, OBSERVATIONS. Before the 25th Day of March 1743, Six- pence />^r Gallon was charg'd upon the Diftilier for the Duty of Excife on Low Wines, and Three- pence per Gallon on Spirits extra<5bed from Molaffes or foreign Materials, fo called, although of the Produce of Britijh Plantations , which Duties amour I ^;i one Shilling />^r Gallon on fuch Spirits fo chtf- "i 1 and from that Time thefe Duties have been c .id, which amount to much more than the Diftulcn have given, or can afford, for the Molaffes fince thefe new Duties were impofed. It has been found by Experience, that thefe ad- ditional Duties cannot raife the Price of Spirits in proportion to the Tax ; becaufe French run Brandy is oftentimes fold at 3 j. to 45. per Gallon on our Ses s'^afts 5 but, on the contrary, it has lower'd the !<• ' (4= ) the Price or Molafies from about i6s. to about 10 J. per Hundred Weight ; and Molaffes of our Plantation Produce ulually fold in England at 20 s, per Hundred and upwards, before it was over- burthen'd with Duties of Excife. This Impofi- tion therefore miift prove highly prejudicial to our Sugar£imters as well as the Revenue i becaufe it baulla^the diftilling of Molafles, and brings the Price to a very low Ebb^ without any Ad- vantage toiany Body but our Rivals in the Sugar Plantations ; and it difcourages our Refiners, who are a ufeful Set of People, as middle Men be- tween the Planters and Confumers. It is computed, that before the palTing this Law the Quantity of Molafles-Spirits made, was about one 8th Part of le Quantity of Malt-Spirits made, and now it is k. 7 one i8th Part ; not- withftanding the Quantity of Malt-Spirits now made, is near the fame as it was before the faid Law pafs'd : Whereby it wiii appear that the Re- venue on Molafles-Spirits is abated confiderably, notwithftanding the Duty is doubled : And the Quantity of Malt-Spirits now made, keeping near the Quantity made before, can be no ways at- tributed to the Abatement of the Quantity of 'Molafles-Spirits, but the Lofs falls altogether on the Sugar-Tradej without the leafl: Advantage to the Landholder of Great Britain. It is not to be admitted that the Quantity of Malt-Spirits can increafe on Account oF the Fai- lure of the Qiiantity of Molafles-Spirits, whatever may be the Gafe with regard to French fmuggled Brandy ; for Molafles-Spirits are of a different Kind from Malt-Spirits, and fell for a better Price : This, indeed, may be the Caufe why the Duty on the one is double what it is on the other •, but when the freight and Infurance from our Plantations, and ■*. the fi: '(43) the Duty upon Exportation and Importation, and other Charges on our MoIalTes are confkler'd, it will appear that the Britijh Sugar -Planters do not get as much clear for the C^iantity of Molafles that makes a Gallon of fine Spirits, as the Britijh Landholders t^et for thcQuantity of Corn that makes a Gallon of Malt-Spirits. Since this is apparently the Cafe, I fee no Caufe why there fhould be any Difference in the Duty, efpecially as * it is evident that this Duty on Molaffcs lies on the Planter and not on the Confumer ; and fo it is in the Cafe of Sugar. And befides, too high Duties, in any Shape whatfoever, on any Part of the -f" Produce of the Britijh Sugar- Cane, are inconfiftent with the true Intereft of this Nation, as we have dan- gerous Rivals and Competitors to ftruggle with ; and the Sugar-Cane iSy in EffeSi^ the Produce of Great Britain as much as our Corn, Flax or pyiooi ; fmce our Sugar-Plantations are cultivated, main- tain'd and fupported with Britijh Produce and Manufactures, either diredly or by a Circulation of Trade : And the Supplies and Products of our Plantations are tranfported in Ships built in the Britijh Dominions, and navigated by Britijh Seamen. II From hence it alfo appears, that the Confump- tion of Molaffes, Sugar and Rum, of the Produce of our Plantations, is a Means of paying for the La- bour of great Numbers of Britijh Manufadurers^ Artificers and Seamen v which evinces, that the Navigation^ ff^ealtb and Strength of Great Britairty muft increafe in proportion to the Confumption of the Produfts of its PFe/t-Indid Illands. ; vi.- a. Should it be k>und expedient to reduce thfs Duty on Molaflcs-S|)irits, the Britijh Planter will •i*- :ri.,i f^." 11 » H Fide Page aa, ji, ya. f Siigar^ Molaffcs and Riinji i" ( 44 ) receive the Advantage i: i the Price of his Sugar before the Molaflfes is feparated from it by the Re- finer ; bccaufe the Spirits extracted from the MclaflTes would keep up its Price, according to its Finenefs and nearnefs in Quality to French Brandy *, and thereby Hand in Competition with fmuggled French Brandy, to the Prejudice of the French Nation, and without interfering in the leaft with Britrjh Malt-Spirits, as the Price of thefe fine Molafles-Spirits will be far beyond that of Malt- Spirits, and confequently beyond the Reach of the lower Sort of People, , >.,.,,; :,,.,.,. , >\' ^\■.'^ 'V '/') V:~- NMI. That the 4 \ per Cent, Duty paid in Bar- bados and the Leeward IJlands be abolifh'd, and that the Ufes of that Duty be paid out of fome other Fund. !- OBSERVATIONS. ..m .r nul; The Planters o^ Barbados and the Leeward JJlands labour under great Hardfhips fi-om the Duty of 4 4 per Cent, paid there on the Exporta- tion of all their dead Produds, fince the Planters pay it all, whilft a great Proportion of their rich Inhabitants do not pay a Shilling towards thii publick Tax, notwithftanding it is apply 'd chiefly towards the publick Expence, for the Ufe of the Inhabitants in general : Befides, the annual Sum paid into his Majefly's Exchequer in London^ from this Duty, is but a * Trifle in proportion to the Burthen that lies on thofe laborious and indefa- tigable Sugar-Planters who pay it. --^ i'^rf n It was propofcd a few Years fince, by a noble Lord in one Houfe, and by a worthy Member in the other, that this bucthenfome Duty fhould be taken off % and it was further propofed, that a *— * From %' if: APPENDIX J'-' C40 Wi* ' *' • APPENDIX (D.) .>',?i> ,'AXi'>t* Proposals /or removing all the un" necejfary Obflru6lions and ReflriSlions that lie on^v gar and R u m, of the Growth of the Britifti Sugar Iflands in America ; vphich may be done -with' out any Expence to the Publtck^ and ivithout any Prejudice to any Body ex* cept our Rivals in Trade, f i' ^,UK. ^f •) i- N »» , N"J. ^ to Sugar, ihrioni o) <:h 1"^ H A T the AS: for granting Liberty to carry Sugar diredly from the Britijh Sugar Iflands to foreign Ports, be amended in the foltowmg Particulars, viz.' ' *- " rft. That l.kehce«?'fdT 'ihfi ' foportation of Brit^ Sogap tfom the Sugar Iflands diredlly to ' foreign Markets, be taken out in the Sugar Iflands, as "wtW^i^in London zx\A Edinburgh, upon- proper Security being given to the ref^eftive Go-' vernors to perform the Rcquifites of the Law that granted that Liberty.' '^ n.-*/ LiSDci^yi?/; aci hjm- 'This may oftentimes fave in this 'Trade from i s. /04 s. per Hundred fVeight of Sugar ^ or from 12 to 24. per Cent, iy the Markets and , . 'Freights^ accountir^ the nett Value of the Su- gar, after atiChar^es are dedu^ed^ «/x6s. 8d, Sterling per Hundred Weight^' * idt That fuch Ships as go into thit Trade may be -owBed4>y fwch of his Majefty's Subjcdts as are permitted (47) permitted to own Ships in other Trades to and from Great Britain and the Britijh Plantations inf America. This may fave^ in this Trade^ from is. to is, per Hundred fVeight of Sugar, or from 6 to 1 2 per Cent, hy a Sufficiency of Ships, and confequently in Freight and Difpatcb. 2d, That fuch Ships may proceed diredly to the Northern, as well as Southern Ports, without touching in Great Britain before the Delivery of the Cargo, but to come to Great Britain within eight Months afterwards, as diredled by Law. . This may fave in the Northern Trade^ in fome Inftances, from Sd.to i s. per Hundred IVeight cf Sugar, or from ^ to 6 per Cent, in Freight, accounting the Price of Sugar as above. Further Obfervations on the three foregoing Articles, As to the firft Article concerning Licences, it is to be obferv'd, that before the Ihif^ing of any* Sugar, or other * enumerated Goods of our Plan- tation Growth, Produdlion or Manufafture, it has been ufual, in purfuance of the f Ads otr. Trade,, to giye Poods -i^ the J^antations br in Great Britain, not to. €nrry fiicl^ Gdods? 66( aajTAx*. other Places, than to fuch as are by thofe A'fts h-»i -* mited and appointed : The like to be done in re-'*- It Car. II. Cap. 26. Sedl. xi. . Tlie firft of thefe Adls limited the Bdnds to be taken m Qreat Britaift only. Tlie lait jxrmiiced them to be tftke^HljittiW Plaiuatioiss by the Governors there, r I;- ^ C48) vcnicncVi buf, on the other Hand, it would ^ive the Br'Ulp Planters and Merchants a better Op- portunity to fend their Sugar to the beft Markets^- as ibon as they hear they may gain an Advantage, as there would then generally be in the Plantations n Choice of Ships of all Sizes, fuitable to the Qiiantity that may, from Time to Time, be v/ant- cd at foreign Markets ; and quick Intelligence and Difpatch is the Life of Trade : And bcfides, the Freight by means of taking out Licences as here propofed, could be afforded at Icaft one or two Shillings ^(?r Hundred Weight cheaper than- by any Ship that is oblig'd to take out a Licence in, and to proceed di redly from Great Britain 'y and as Cargoes of Sugars are ufually made up by fu.ndry Merchants and Planters, fome on one Side of the Water and fome on the other, it has been iound difficult to get Ships of a proper Size to go into this Exportation-Trade, for Fear o't Difap- pointmcnts, which have often happcnM fince this* Liberty was granted, from many unforefeen Ac-. cidents, particularly in lofing Time and miffing good Markets. In regard to the fecondArticIe, concerning Owners of Slips, it is to be obferv'd, that all Owners of Ships are to refide in Great Britain or the Sugar- lilands •, fo that any of his Majefly's Subjects that: rcfide in Ireland^ the Nothern Colonies, Africa or t ViwyBritiJhFsi'^OYy abroad, are debarr'd from lending a helping Hand to regain a loji Trade that has turned . out fo much, in Favour of the French Nation : Surely then this Trade requires as much Encouragement, , in this Cafe, (as well as all other Cafes) as any Trade whatfocver, fince the principal Part of our Ship- . ping-Trade is uliially carried on in Partnerfhip, . by Pcrfons who have other Views of Gain than barely, the Profits of Shipping, whicK is often a ioiing Trade ; A BrilijJj Fa^ftor at Hamburg, yhi- , Jierdam,?. 1 St' W C49) Jkrdam, Leghorn^ or any other Port of Europe^ would join with Merchants and Planters in Great Britain, Ireland and our Colonies, and become Joint-Owners of Ships with a View of Difpatch ; which is the greateft Advantage that attends the Shipping-Trade. The Merchants would be con- oern'd with a View of Commiflions, and other Ad- vantages., and the Planters View would be to en- courage a foreign Confumption, and to avoid a glutted Market at Home; and all this would be attended with lower Freights, and a Choice of Markets, befides an Increafe of Britijh Merchants at feveral foreign Ports, and, confequently, of the Britijh Intereftin feveral foreign Countries. As touching the 3d Point, which reftrains all Ships bound to the Northern Part of Europe, to touch and enter at fome Port in Great Bri-c tain in their Way tofuch foreign Ports. This at firft View appears to be convenient from the Situation of Great Britain in the direft Way td all the Northern Ports, where we may probably fend Sugar ; and, no doubt, many Ships will touch without any Compulfion, efpecially in the Sum- mer Months, and in peaceable Times, to try the Market, and for Intelligence and Orders. And fome People may think it neceflary to guard againft carrying on an illicit Trade 5 but certainly fiif- iicient Care is taken to prevent that in this Aft; as well as in other Afts of Trade : And fince every Ship is oblig'd within eight Months after the De* livery of her Cargoe at foreign Markets to return to Great Britain^ and there unload what fhe ihall have on Board, there fcems to be no Caufe why the like Liberty may not be given to Ships bound to the Northern, as well as Southern Ports of j£tr* rope. And Inibinces may happen to make this Reftriftion of very ill Confequence, efpecially in the Cafes of War, bad Weather, ^d con&suy Winds. D In r' f? ^ )i '< I "IV 1 f - 1 »v ■Ti 4r. (50) In War, Ships muft run into fomft Fort to de- liver "a Man ife ft, and perhaps up the Channel, and be in Danger of being taken by their Enemies ; \i^hich may be avoided by going North about Scotland^ and keeping at a Diftance in their Way to the Baltick^ Hamburgh^ or Holland. ' ' '' '* .' In bad Weather, the Ships may proceed to foreign Ports with a fair Wind that may be con- trary as to their touching, and prove dangerous while they are beating up and endeavouring to get into a Britijh Port, only to deliver a Manifeft of her Cargoe. The Ship may be no looner in Port but the Wind may prove as contrary as it was fair before, and thereby detain her many Weeks for a Wind . 4t a large Expence, and perhaps to the Lofs of a good Market, in cafe the Ship Ihould be prc- , These three proposed Amendm.ents in the Ac^t would infallibly anfwer the Intention of the Le- giflature, by encreafing the Exportation of Sugar to foreign Markets abundantly, and thereby en- ireafe the national Ballance as well as our^t^ India Colonies in Proporticn to the Encreafe of fu(h an Exportation. N'' II. As to Rum, ''''''''' "^^' That Rum may be re-exported from Great Bri- tain without paying the Duty of Excife, provided it is. done, before landing, or within fix Months ' after landing, which is the Time now allow'd by Law for the Payment of this Duty. "''"'' /.'"^i'v- ::o : ,; OBSERVATIONS.^'^ ^^^^^^" *".,!' The t)uty of Excife on Rum is gj. Sd. per Gallon, and no Drawback is allpw'd on the Re- exportation, as in the Cafe pf other Goods, fo that no Rum can be re-exported, whereby moft of the outward-bound Shipping continue to take Fren^ fmuggled Brandy* One One ot the Ohjc^lions made to fiirh an Encou- ragement for the Re-exportation of Rum, is trom fome Gentlemen wlio may apprehend ir may infP tcrferc with Malt-Spirits, in regard to fupplying the •utward-bound Shipping, and our Trade to Africa i but I may venture to fay, that Fremf^ Brandy and Dutch Spirits now interfere moft in this Inftance, and that very little Advantages ac- crue to this Nation by the Britijh Malt Spirits that are exported: Or that nothing near the Advantages that would otherwife accrue to Great Britain, by permitting Rum to be re-exported before landing, or from the King's Warehoufes, at any Time be- fore the Duty of Excife becomes payable, as the Law now Hands, without paying that Duty ; fmce it will appear from the Cuftom-houfe Books, that there has fcarcely been exported from Great Bri- tain^ for many Years together, of Briajh-msidc Spirits, upon which the Bounty is granted, above the Value of 400 /. on a Medium, per Annum, This Indulgence will, in Time, add greatly to - * Confumption of our Rum, as great Quan- tities would be thereby confum*d up the Batticky in Germany and elfewhere, and every Ship would probably carry fome for Sale, where no Sritijh Malt-Spirits will fell at all ; the Produce of which will return and centre in this Nation. Small Quantities will do beft at firft, until they take a Liking to our Rum to the fame Degree as the People of Great Britain and Ireland have of kte Years done: Then whole Cargoes df Rum and .Sugar too would be fent to thofe foreign Ports, directly from our Sugar plantations, which our . Laws, even as they now ftand, permit : This willftill add to our Plantation^ treng thy and natio- nal IF'ealth^ and without Pi^udice to the Revenue, i .as the Quantity to be imported into Great Britain will always be fufficient to anfwer the Demand. D 2 APPENDIX * Vide Page 43. I m fit (50 «Y1f r^*.\\xfl j'vr^tM It If,- rl>;^ .'i.h 'Ki/V \SS i APPENDIX (E.) > Proposals for preventing the Con^ 'I fumption of foreign Sugary Rum^ II Molaffes and Brandy^ in any of his '<■ Majejiys Bxkiih Dominions. - {,< > a."OE FORE the Ye-r iyn2. Sugar, Rum D and Molaifes, of the Growrn of foreign Plantations, were imported diredly from fuch •foreign Plantations into Ireland, and alfo into our Northern Colonies, upon paying little or no Du* ties i but thofe Commodities of the Growth of Britijh Plantations could not l>e carry'd to Ireland without being firft carry'd to Great Britain, and leaving large Duties there, befides tlic Charge of a double Voyage ; nor could they be carry'd to our own Northern Colonies without paying much more Duties than the French paid on the like Voyage : This was the Situation of this Branch of Trade for many Years together, which made a confiderable Alteration in Favour of the French Colonies. ( 1 73 2. ) But by an Ad pafsM in the 4th and' 5th Years of his prefent Majefty King George the ti, IMtiJh Rum was, amongft other unenumeratcd G(X)ds of Plantation Growth, permitted to be im- ported into(b. ) Ireland direftly from the PkntAtiors, whereby great Qiiantities of Britijh Rum have fince been imported and confum'd there, inftead . of French Rum and French Brandy :, and furely »this lad Article of Brandy Ihould be totally prohi- bited from being imported into any of his Ma- id C 53 ) jcfty's Britijh Dominions, whilft it interferes 'valiA 'Btiii^RMm and other 'Bnt\(k Spirits, % (1733.) And in the 6th Year of his prefent Majefly all Sugar, Rum and MolalTes, o0 foreign Growth, were prohibited from being imported into Ireland^ unlefs loaden and fhipp'd in Great Britain^ in Ships kgally navigated. This Excep- tion or Permiffion, however, .has prov'd prejudi- cial to our Sugar-Trade fince the prefeot War with France, infomuch that great Quantities of foreign Prize-Sugar have been loaden and ftiipp'd from Great Britain to Ireland by Virtue thereof; which Pradtice may, in future, in cafe of large*' Crops of Sugar, prove of very ill Confequcnte to our Sugar Plantations unlefs aCc) fpeedy Stop be put to the fending fuch Sugar mtQ Ireland-, whidi fhould be look'd upon, in this Inftance, as a home Market. (d.) By the faid Ad of the 6tb Geo. II. a Duty of 5 s, per Hundred was laid on Sugar or Penneles, 9<^. ^wtaallon on Rum or Spirits, and 6dper Ga(i6nOn Molaffes and Syrrups of the Produd of any PLthtation in America not in the PofTeflioa of his Majcfty, imported into any of the BritUb Plantations in America, which Duties are to be paid down before landing. But as there is Liberty to carry thofe foreign Commodities into Port with- out bcin^ liable to Seizure before landing, there are great Quantities fmuggled without paying anj Duties at all', which is contrary to the truf^ Intent 'and Meaning of the Legiflature not only in re- gard to the Duties, but alfo as it gives a Vent, by a Britifh Confumption, to the Produ£is of foreign A me- ricaii Soil, raifed chiefly from the Produce, ManU' faSfkres and Navigation of our foreign Rivals -, to the Prejudice of the Vent of the ^roduSis of Britifih Aitieritan Soil, raifed chiefly by the Produce, Manu^ fadtures and Navigation of Great Britain . • i * . (e.) As I ! 1. If ; u (54) (e.) As a Remedy for this great Mifchief, It is pl^^s'd. That our Jmericah Colonies be put upon the fame Foot with Irelmdy in regard to the Ii.i^ portation of thoie foreign Commodities of the Growth ^ ' Such a Prohibition would be of the utmoH: Conleqtience to our Plantations in America^ as it would diftrefs the "French Colonies and Commerce to a great DegreCj fince they can find but a fmall Vent for their Rum and Molaffes any where but in Britifh Dominions, and they would then be com- pell'd to fling away moft of their Molaffcs, from which they makfe their Rum, or give it to their Hogs and florfes as they usM to do, before the Englijh took it off their Hands, more cfpecially as wc have now taken from them, Louijbourg and the l( / i ."^'t\ »v ( ss ) . •^ the Ifland of Cape Breton^ before which Titjifi there was a large Trade carry'd on there, -betweeii the French and fomeof our Northern Provinces in jimerica^ whereby the Trench got a confiderable Vent for their Molafles, Sugar and Rum, and other Merchandize of foreign Growth and Manu- fadurc, in Exchange for Calh, Fiih and other Merchandize carried thither by the Engiyh^ It has been obje6ted, that Jamaica^ and all the Britijh Carribbee Iflands, cannot make Rum and MolafTesfufficientto anfwerthe nece'fiary Den^ands of our Northern Colonies in America^ and that they cannot take off their Surplus of Horfes, Lumber and other Products : But certain it is, that there is Land enough in all thofe IQands, with proper En- couragements, to raife as much Sugar, Rum and Molafles, as will anfwer the Demands of all Europe and jimerica. And if they (hould have a Surplus of Horfes, Lumber and other Produdts, after our IQands have their neccflary Supplies, they may it\\ them to Foreigner for CaA^v Cocoa, Coffee, l.o%- wood. Cochineal or any Thing elfe, except for Sugar, Rum and Molasses, which Commodi- ties are the Staple and main Support of our Sugar Colonies : The Vent therefore of fuch 5r/V^ Pro- duce cannot be too much encourag'd, as every Branch of the Britijh Dominions will feel, th^ Ad- vantages of it. . * There is at this Time another Objedlion, that is. That we are at War viith. France^ and therefore there is noOccafion for any fiKh prohibition *, but if it is not granted in Time of War, can it be cx- pe^ed in Time of Peace ? Or, is it to be expected that the fame Amity and Friendfhip will not fubfift between the two Rival Powers after the War Ih^l ceafe, as it did during the laft Peace. No doubt there will be an Oppofition to this Propofition from fome particular Perfons interefied 1 S ! •' \\\ ... I* I mUntnc of the Northern jtmericdn Coldnirf,' anil penbaps from feme illicit Traders in the Scuthern Colonies; but if iuch a Prohibition ihall bo found ex|xdicnt, and approved by the Legiflgaire, the Pfofpitft on ^1 Sides, would certainly be much iDoie agreeable than it is now; for we now feo Ibmeof his MajeftyV Subje£la in North Armrica^ puc thcnifelves under an uncertain and precarious Dependance^on Foreigners in regard to this Tcade, trhojnay, and probably will, when they find ft lor cheir Adyantage, fiing oflF that Di^pendance in one Day ; But on the other Hand, we ilaaM fc« all his Majefty V Colonics in ^irmnrica dependant on each other, apd every one working for the mutual •Advantage and Improvement of the whok^ under the SiKTCOiir and Support of thtir Mothej;i-Coiintry i •which will be a more, certain and lading Depen- dance, as it will hold as long as the Britife Empire iiiall lland. (f.) To countervail any Difad vantage that may; Ibr a fbort Tinie, attend fonneof his Majefty's Sub*- jc^ts in the JsForthcrn Pfovinces oi Jmericoii proper fiounries, and other Encouragements* jxiaj bt •given for raifing Hemp, FJax, Silk, Pot-Afhand £roa in thofe Provinces,. Part of which may be feat "Home Boi^gh and raw, in fuch Proportions- as fliali be JouikJ advantageous toUheir JMothcr*Countr|fc •' in order to be manufadhir'd "in this Kingdom* ^beijthcfeCoyftiinddidcsi which rfie now purchased chiefly vkitbC^ will be purch«s*d with our home Maniil^ures^ carry'd thither by BtUiffj Navi*- ^tion. ; > ". ■ • "»»«•*• .*-, F J N I A 7i u