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Les diagrammss suivants illustrent la mAthode. 32X 12 3 1 t 3 4 • 6 '> t. iaAr^r/.v •- a a/ ^.-i*!** /'iii-Ti^^a TA:-rH OJ tysj"' pr;>9* ^ • vi A Ji I J' 3i M O " n T i W a I A a o 1 o >? ^."{j ^iVr vif?!?t 'i, 1 <^1ATI>? ) ',/ < i . mti ASi \c .A 3X0^^1: .rial r\ T . . .^ . AT %. "> i ^ D <1 M ri-:'-v ii^ -iJ-yj dt^ ^^■f^^*^ ^i? #'^'t;? !??>;. t?*\^ ♦k T '^■* ^« fwOilifi, f I nctwj* l^^-Mitv^-^ {^, 1 n vl? '.17-'r-5 '-''.(•• »*,fi •fe^ «»•* J A .v^ I" ♦ .-W ,4i**^ - • M¥i '»d* fsti«.)fftifv *;V*f • U >r»A» .: ..ii;?fr V. ,fi:T:r.'^Tf-i- p /!!>/;• .,;; .V* u t ■ 1^- M ' <-» :. 4 . i Vi •# • . « ^ t^ U 4»1 i' .. <;. ^f \^ I m 1 :»53 &}llfi tWLV! '. THE Ita: CONTENTS. IKTRODVCTfON i-iur, at, pgt f The principal *dhraiiuiget of France wkb fe(ped to trade 19 t. The fiatunl proAice ind tominotiiciet of tKt conntry ii» t. The nibordioation of the common people U, 3. The rules and regulations they are obliged to fenif yii^ l|i|fUi^aAaiii>g their £cmmU» aii Aive to the intereHs of Great Britain, become, for the very fame rea(bn, of the greated benefit and advantage to France '*' xS la. Their public ftock of wealth greatly increafed, by foreigners of all countries travelling among them f^ a % \\sct>9\ If Thi c 6 tf % fe '« T s;^ ■ ^ The piiqc^ ^liftiifiiita^- lftf^A«ace witk re^^ «'^ gard to trade '^»sj;jt I. Th« ^1^^«liel& tSf tbttr g^venittMt ^ <*. The RomlAiidigidti --► 3.- As a conlcqutfnefe of that, the great number of reUgi9a^ ,of both (exes 4. Irii^r namerdus an^ poor nobility Ti The arbitrary manner of leVylil|{ lhtfr«taBetH' - tf. The Mattriles, a great clog to their trade 7. Their ex«liiive;chtatermfnalnop9lJiei;fTr riiu; ti Their expence in the article of fliipping u>;^4i .! i* ^ The two natural vices of the Freach, faming and fine clothes, a great dctrimeai. to their tradtf >' 10. The bad ftttntioB pftheh- ports SI. Thc^ftnaiBg of;tbeij; re«eii6a]n;.to,;miJ«U;-u>^ -j. The pnnapof AdfantKgM of G^t^]^^ refuel to trade . ik. 34 35 3tf 37 ^. 3i :'l*r •nfi'-N 'l?l: .,•» s. The natural produce and commodities of ih^ coijatry.,; 'JiAni4.it^t-^[>riRu ku& '•ifK^Nf? . : » . The number, ggjodtacfs, «nd ,flt^atlon of oi^r ports 3. The herring and, cod fUheries. 4.. The mildnefs of the goTernment 5. As a confe(]ueoce of that^ the freedom and li- berty of confbience 4, The repute and merit of qui; ip^ufaAorers for their Aiill and iugenuity 7. The whole b^lk of the people may be conceni« . ed in trade. If they plea(e, without any difrepu- tation. to their fiunilMs; which is not the cale in France 8. Our vaft colonies on the continent of America, a Angular advantage f . The advantages of the ifland of Jamaica, over any of the French iflands, on account of its &- tustion ^9 a. t>. 4» 43 r^-^^^'P'W^ 'E ^'T liN^ to. Tk^ v«fy grants 6r Great llrit«iii. in one re- f c over the French In another MrVeflyg^ 4| 11. The low intereft of money, and the eafy and' 1^ expeditious tcanafen in ^fattdti (jbre to Gre|t '■, ^j^ Britain a manifeft advantage in.coninctc^ . > 44 t^ principal diTadvaiitag^ .^f Grnt Jftntaiii. ^ vf . The want df iUbord^don 411 the loiMl^^ elall!^ • '. ofpeojrte'" ••■■." «••'■•' >*• ■■■ '. - • * > '/>^*rr il. ». Tl»e fnkligloM espokeofdcftiooeciing^Kr uiL'' 4ii j^. Tbo nAnnoibert of podr .. :. ;..:.i U:i i&. ^. <^v being too fond of tcayelUiif M9i&k9€f^ n.Gur^ tber iovoovottimKC to^Anui«r fhrrajr>;. ;^n . »r, 13. ^Tbe hifh price of iabouv , 14. Want of f«blic infpe^lorSt Fropofftlt ;for rsmedjing many of the abo?e dities they intend to export, in order that they may be compared ,together, before the goods are fufllered to be put on fltip board I4j^ -— — XV. To alter the method of colleAuig our duties upon particular (brts of goods im- ported 143 ■ 1 -'■ ■ xvi. To lay taxes on certain articles of lu< xury, vice, or extravagance 149 Conclufion 16$ The appendix, containing a plan for railing 9nt only tax on the conAffleri of luxury 173 ■it }■' i.l a- * : ) X^il ;* ,,r .J To the Right HoNOvkABLt . i / A to t*r. .'i < J ' t H t III!,, ..,.■- • i • E A R L O F H A L I F A Xi, Firft Lord CtemmilSpntr ; . ■ .For : Tj^ und Plaqtationi^ > r M My LoiD, * 1>E R M IT me onec tnore to wait up- ^ ottyour lordfliip Mrith a new edit^ oit of the etifuing treatife, now greatly enlarged, and, I hope, in fome refpeds, made lefs unworthy of your lordihip's 'protedHon* A treatife, relating to^ the ihltel'eftsi and commerce of Ortat Bri- tain, naturally feeks to fhelter itfelf un- der the patronage of an EarXt of Ha- lifax. ^ But there is ftiH a more particular motive for this acidreffs, , His majefty, ever ftudious of the good of his people, in app6inting your lordftiip firft com- 1.1 i-A^ . . -1 «-■ w i 4 D E D I CAT ION. miflioner of trade and plantations, hath fhewn the moft vigilant regard to the welfare of both, by committing this important fuperinticndency to hands u- niverfally allowed the moft able, and the m6ft inclined! to £Xecut6 fo great a truft with increafing fuccefs. Your lord- fliip, in a -very ftibrt fpace of time, has confirmed our warmeft hopes. And Great BKtaih, witH^its depletid^ht^colo- nies, form to themfelves the moft pleaf- ing profpedls on this ocqifion. T ^ ' . . W^AB Rot your 4cjp^e's candour ^reat ^s yopr abilities, tfiiaincoii^de^ able performance would never luive apr peared before fo fkilful a judge, nor the author have prefumed to pro£e& him- felf in fo public a manner^, w^at ip great truth he is, with the uunoft re- fpcdt and efteem, .... My lord, i Your lordftiip's moft obedient. And moft devoted humble fervant, JOSIAH TUCKER. ,* I ..J C i 3 T H E /, li^TROBUCtlQN. ALL commerce is founded upon the want8, natural or artificial, real or ima- ginary, Avl}ich the people of different coun. tries, orth|C ^i^erfnit cbflTcs of inhabitants of the fame country, are dcGrons, in defeft of their own (ingle abilities, to fupply by jnutual intercourte. If this commerce be carried on between the inhabitants of the faip^ .<:oui>try4 with the groififiph or msjnuf;i- Ayre^of th^t^C9«i)itry,only, it is called hon^^ confumption : which is fo far ferviceable, as it prefer ves the fcveral- profeflions and fta- tionsoflife in their due orjer, as it pro- motes arts and fcienccs, with a rotation of induftry, wealth, and mutual good offices between the members of any community. For ihefc reafons, traffic, merely of this kind, is of great importance, though it net- ihcr increaics nor diminifhes the public ftock of gold a^d filver. But providence having intended that there ihould be a mutual dependence and i INTRODUCTION conBcftion between mankind m general, w# find it almoft impoflible for any particular people to live, with tolerable comfort, and in a civilized (late, iJ9depen4ent of all their neighbours. Befides, it is naturaf for men to extend their views, and their wiflies, be^ yoad the limits of a fingle community, and to be defirous of enjoying the produce or manufaAures of other countries, which they muft purcbafe by fome exchange. Now thii intercourfe with other nations is called fo^ reign trade. And in the exchange of com^ modities, if one nation pays the other i quantity of gold or filver over and abov^ its property of other kinds, this is calkd ^ balance againft that nation in favour of tht other. And the fcience of gainful commerce principally condfts in the bringing this fingle point to bear *. Now there can be but one ^ ThU U rpoKcn yttUh rifftf\ to the ultimate baUnee of trade. For in reference to the intermediate balance, it doih not always holi tiue. A treaty may be beneficial to the na- tion, where the imports < xcecd the exports, and cooieqaently the baUnce paid in fpecie, if that trade, diitaiy or indircA- ly, is ncctlfary for the carrying on of another more profitablf and advantaj^eous. But tlcn it is to be ubfetved. This trade is not beneficial, conlidered in icfelf, but only as It is relative and fubtcrvient to the carrying on of another. This is tlie cafe, with re fpeft to the greateft part of our trade to tht Bal- tick, and the Eaft-Indies: They are Inrtmm^ntal in prooir* io^ a balance dfcwbrre, though, properly If eukiu;;, difadvas* i* I M INTRODUCTION 7 general method of puting it in pra£Hce; and that is, (ince gold and filver are become the common meafure for computing the value, and regulating the price of the comfiM>ditie» or manufa&ures of both countries^ to ex- port larger quantities af our own^ and iin» port leis of theirs; fo that what is wanting iii the value of their merchandite^ compared with ours, may be paid \n gold ahd filver. The confequence of whicn will be, Thac thefe metals will be continually incre^fing with us, as far as relates to that particular trade and nation, and decreafing with thenw And in what proportion foever their money comes into our country, in that proporrioft it may truly be ajffirmed, that our (ailorSr freighters, merchants, tradefmen, manufa- cturers, tenants, landlords, duties, taxes,, exciies, etc. are paid at their cxpence. Or ta put the matter in another light j when two couniries are exchanging their produce or manufactures with each other,, that nation, which has the greatefl: number employed in this reciprocal trade, is faid ta> tagrnus in themfelvei. Whirti bi trigs the matter to tht point l>om whence we fct out; vii. *' That the fcicnce of gainfutl ** comnicrce confifh, ultimately^ In procuring a balance oft'^yldl ** or filver to ourrdvci Ctom utlicr nailonk.** Ai B Introduction. receive a balance from the other; becaufe the price of the overplus labour muft be paid in gold and filver. For example; rf there arc only ten thou&nd perfons employed in Eng^ land in making goods or ratfing (bme kind of produce for the market of France; and forty thoufand in France for the market of Eng* knd — then we muft pay thcfe additional thirty thoufand Frenchmen in gold and (ilver; that is, be at the charge of maintaining them. Thit it the cleareft and jufteft method of determining the balance between nation and nation: (or though* a difference in the value df the refpeftivc commodities may make fbme difference in the fum a^hialfy paid to balance accompts, yet the general principle^ that labour (not money) is the riches of a pcopfe, will always prove, that the advait- tage is on the fide of that nation, which has inoft hands empfoyed in labour. The principles of trade therefore being To clear and certain in themfelves, and withr al fo obvious to any man of common capa- city and application, it is a very furpriiing matter how it comes to pafs, that both men of good undcrflanding are many times to- tally ignorant of thcm^ and merchants tbemr ■:'i :# • t A ecaufe >e paid ere are lEng" ind of 1 forty itional filven them. lodof >n and value make aid to ciplc> sofa h has ' ^a» ■v ji i N T & O D U C T I O N. , felves fo divided in their femiments about them. ^ ^ As to the firft cafe, perhaps it may be a^c- counted for, if we confider what difadvaiN tageous notions men of a liberal and learnr cd education have imbibed of this noble and interefting fcience; on which the riches, the ftrength, the glory, and I may add, the mo- rals and freedom of our ponntry, fo effenti. ally depend. Yet It has been rcprefcnted as a dry unentcrtaining fubje^l, dark and crab> bed, perplexed with endlefs difficulties, not reducible to any fixed and certain principles; and therefore fit for none, but the mercafh • tile part of the world, to give thcmfelves af- ny trouble concerning it. But upon a fair examination it wrH |>erhaps appear, that thil reprelentation is very falie and injurious. As to the fecond, it mud be indeed coiv fefled, that merchants thcmfelves are very often divided in their fentiments concerning trade. Sir * Jofiah Child, Mr. Gee, Mr. Caiy of Briftol, and almoft all commercial • The words of Sir Jofiah Child ftrongly rorrr«hor»t# lihat ij» here alleged. ** Merchants, fays he, while they art ** in tht bufy and eager profccution ot tbtir jarticulaf •* trades, although they be very wife and good mm, au i ot ** alwayi the hcfl judge; of IraJc, as it relates to the power ** aud profit of » kingdom. The rcafun may be, bccaulc tbcOr 10 J N T B. O D U C T I O R writers^ have long ago taken notice of thit difFerence of opinions. But however ftrangf and unaccountable it may appear to peribns ]K)t converfant in thefe matters, there is a very flrong and convincing reafon., when the afiair is (earched to the bottom, for the diiagreeing opinions of different merchants purfuing their refpe^tive interefts.. The leading idea, or the point aimed at by every merchant, muil be, in the nature of thing$^ and in every country, a balance in favour of himfelf. But it doth not always follow^ that this balance is likewife in favour of the nation; much lefs of other merchants, whofe interefts may be oppofite to his own. While therefore each perfon fees in a favourable light his own branch of commerce,^ and de* ** eyes are to continually fixed upon what makes for their ** pecufiar gain or lofs, tllat they have no Icifure to expati- ** ate or turn their thoughts ts what is raoft advantageous to •• the kingdom in general." •• Tlic like may be fatd of all (hop-keepers, artificers, cto- *' thiers, and other mamifaurers, until they have left off **^ their trades, and being rich, become by the purchaie of *' lands of the fame commuti intercfl with mod of their •* countrymen." This juftiy celebrated writer was himfelf an inflance of itie truth of this obfcrvaiion. For, if I am not greatly mi- Aaken, he did not write this very trcatifc, till he had left off trade, and being rich, became by the pnrchafi* of lands of ibt Skmc common int«rc(l with the rcll of his countrymca*. v. \^i e IS a mthe^ r the hantt The Jvery ivour IIow^ f the ^hofe V^hilc rable i de* r their xpatU OlMStO ■ wi INTRODUCT EONI u ites to procure all poffiUe advantages to that traffic, on which the profperity of hini» felf and his family, perhaps tot ally , depends^ it is but vealbnable to expeft their (eti^ xnents fliould ciaik ' ■ ' Hence therefore fome have thought, that a per(bn of a liberal and learned education^ not concerned in trade, is better qualified to engage in die fludy of it as a fcience, than a merchant himfelf: becaufev fay theyvbis mind is freer from the prejudice of felf-in- tercfty and therefore more open to convifli- OA in things relating to the general good. They add^ that though he may not under- fiand the buying and felling of particular commodities, or the fitteft time to bring them to a profitable market, (which i^the proper province of a merchant) yet he may underdand, in what refpeds the nature of that trade contributes to the Ipfs or gain of the public, with a degree of evidence, which perhaps the nterchant never thought of: as being indeed not concerned, merely as a ^lerchant, in fuch kinds of difquifitions. But without pretending to determine who arc the beft qualified to engage in the fludy of this mod ufcful and extenfive fciencci Ifit us rather humbly recommend it to the t% INT R O; DUCT I OR attention of them both. For undoubtedly both have their, adyantages; and perhaps the application of both together .might be more (uccefsful: than either of them feparatelyi If the one Ihould happen to be le&zfelf inter efled, by means of his fituation in life, iind more open to convi<(^ion in cafes relating to the general good; the other, for the very fame reafb|i^ is raoFC flcilful in cheipra^iice of trade, s^nd a better judge, whether the projeft, perhaps fo fair in theory, is fe^fibk in fad. • As to the private IntereA of merchants^ which is here fnppofed tb be^a.bia{s upon their mh|ds, this, moftcertaihlyy coincides, for the moft part/ with the general intereft of their country : and fo far it can be no ar gnment in their disfavour. But neverthe- lefs, truth obliges us roaGkno^lege, that in certain cafes, ^ " A merchant may have a '** ditiinft interod from that of his country, ** He may thrive by a trade which may •*' prove her ruin," Nay more, he may be impoverifted by a trade that is bene6cigl tp 'her. But undoubtedly^ the raoaient he per* ^t hi * Britifti Merchant, VoL II. p»g« 141. 8vo edition, irt't. Bee likew'Uc (he infbiaces there given to confirm this obferva- liota. rm IHTKODUCT I dm. i| ccives tii is carrying on a lofing trade, hd will quit it> and employ his thoughts and his fubftance in the proiecution of fome o- ther. Moreover^ as^ it- is a balance^ in' foVdyff of himfdf i wltich ^ is. the principial trbjeft 6( Mb aims: iawd endeavours;' iit cawndt be ix* pefted, bttt of two trades, ,both advantage- ous to the communicy, he will embrace that which i? nvdft profitable to hbiielfj^ though it fiiould happen t6 be iefs -giilrifui to thi public. It IS a maxirixjV/ith tradisVs, ttnii juftifiable one, to.get all^that can be got in ■z legal and honeft. way. And if the laws of their ccfufitry do give them th6 Jiermiffion i>f carrying on ai>y particular gainful trade; it is their bufin^fs, as merchants, to engage in the profeCuiion of it. — As to the great point of national adv&tvtage, or cMlidvantage^ this is properly the concern of others, who fit at the helm of government, and confo- quently whofe province- it is, to fraiiie the laws and regulations relating to trade in fuch a manner, as may caufe the private in- tcreft of the merchant to fall in with the ge- neral good of his country. For thefc reaions therefore, the appoint- ment of the board of trade muft certainly appear a very wife and necefiary inilitutionf ^ INTRODUCTTOlf. the intent and defign being, as I humbly Conceive, to anfwcr this very ^d. And die honourable members of it may be looked upon» m this lights as the guardians ol the public welfare. In prefiding over the geno* ral commercial intcrefis of the kingdom, they are to infp^ the fevcral branches of fra;Sc> that ai^e carried an» and to give no* rice toitlw legiflature, whethel-the profit of th^ kingdom^ or of the merchant; i&.fmoft prpn^oted; that the proper remedies or en- couragements may be applied, according a| therafe requires, by (topping up the forme^ cr chanriels of « difadvantageous trade, b- peniqg new ones, which may enrich the public and the adventurer together; encbnt- raging him to perfevere, and to enlarge his dealings in every branch, which is benefici' al to the conununity^ and in one word, by enabUng the merchant to find his own pri- vate advantage In labouring for the good of bis country. Self and focial happinefs, in this cafe, mud be made to tinite: otherwife it will happen in this, as in mofi other afiairs, that focial happineis will not be promoted at ;ill. ' And as the affairs of commerce muft for thefe reafons ultimately come vinder the cog- m nizs be • ni thei woi the the! tcu boti fror ly OW not gen nat! van hin pat coi be! a 1 th( mi Rl m' in m iimbly nd the looked ol the gen^ giom, bes of vc no- ofitof i^moA or ei^- ing ai tforinr de, fa- h the ^ncbiih ge his nefict- d, hj n pri. »ocl of k, in jrwifc Skits, ted at iftfor ecog- INTRODUCTION, t^ nizance of the legiflature, it were greatly to be wiihed, that men of eminence and dtf linAion, whofe birth and fortunes procure them an admiflfion into the Britiih fenate, ^ould employ a little more of their time in the cultivation of a fcience, fo worthy of their greateft regard and attention. The in- tercft of their country, and their own, do both concur in requiring fuch a conduft from them. I beg leave to mention not on- ly the intereft of their country, but their own: for it is a mod certain fad, though not fufficiently attended to, that the landed gentleman is more deeply concerned in the nation?^, effefts of an advantageous or difad' vantt^eous commerce, than the merchant himfeif If this aflertion (hould appear a paradox to any one, I hope a few lines will convince him of the truth of it. Suppofe then fome general calamity to befal the trade of the kingdom: — Or, to put a more ftriking cafe, fuppofe the mouth of the Thames to be choked up with fands and marfhes, (as that fine river in France, the Rhone, really is) foas to afford no port worth mentioning for the purpofes of commerce- in fuch a melancholy cafe, the merchants, manufafturers, owners of Ihips, failors, and B i6 INTRODUCTION. all the multitudes of tradermen dependent upon this commerce, would indeed be the firfl afied^ed; but they would not be the greateft lofers. For after the firft fliock, they Would eafily remove with the beft of their effe6ls, and try their fortunes elfewhere. But the landed gentleman, what mufthe do? he is bound down to the foil, and cannot re- move his eftate, though the perfbns are gone, who ufed to confume the product of it. Thus ihe evil becomes incurable^ and perpetual with regard to him, and every day increaf ing: whereas with refpeft to the merchant, it was only a ihock at firfl, which he has the chance of getting the better of, by re* moving to a more advantageous (ituation. It is fervently to be wiihed, that provi* dence may never vi(it us with fo terrible a judgment, as the choaking up the mouth of our principal river leading to the metropolis of the kingdom. But the bare fuppolal of fuch a cafe is fufEcient to prove, 1 humbly prefume, with irrefiltible evidence, that the landed gentlemen, in the counties adjacent to London, are more deeply interefled in the confequences of the trade of London, than the merchants themfelves: and therefore, that thofe (uppoied diltin£i:ions of landed in* ■ 4:- imv IN T R O D U C TI O N. 17 tereft, and trading intereft, In the ferife they are commonly u(ed, are the moll idle and filly, as well as falfe and injurious, that ever divided mankind. But above all, we muft beg leave to ob- ferve,by way of inducement to the landed gentleman to turn his thoughts to this ftudy, that his very private intereft is rather a help, than a detriment to him in the profecution of it. It puts no wrong biafs upon his mind, but directs him to the true point of light, from whence to fee, and to judge of thefc affairs: which is a circumftance in fome re* (pe£k peculiar to his fituation. For,, if we fuppofe the fcene ftill to con- tinue in and about Londor^ (though the fame would hold true of any other part of the kingdom) as the private intereft of the land- ed gentleman arifes from the general com- merce of the place, he can have no partial views in relation to trade, nor can reap any advantage from monopolies, exclufive com- panies, or fuch like deftruftive artifices. The more perfons there are employed in every branch of bufinefs, the more there will be to confume the produce of his eftate: fo that he will have no temptations to complain, that the trade is over flocked, or wifli the B2 18 INTRODUCTION. promotion of this tnde, in order to the de» tlenfion of that. In (hort^ hrs own intereft is conne^led with the good of the whole; (b that he cannot but be extremely well quali- fied to underhand, and to promote it, if he will pleafe to make ufe of the advantages hd is happily poflefled of. i'Vf ^i -V ^r, *'? ISj.V i K«. . n * . « ' ' * *^ - ■» * f t *■ . ! * t r -^1:. J I *^'»*^ . t 19 ] A BRIEF Essay on Trade. The principal Advantages of France withrefpeft to Trade.. I.nr^HE natural prodiKe and eoromodi*^ * X ties of the country.— — Thefe are* chiefly wines, brandies, (ilk^ linen, hemp, and oil. I do not n^ention corn; for though they raife a great deal, yet, as they are great bread-eaters, they confume a great dealy and have little to fpare fop exportation; Their harveAs alfb are more precarious th^n. ours, and often faiK ^, II. The Subordination of rht common* people is an u»rpeakable advantage to^rhcm in refpeft to trade. By this means, the^ mamif&^burers are always feept indudrious: they dare not run into ihocking lewdnef^ andi debauchery; to drunkennefs they are^ not inclined. They ♦ arc obliged to enter into^the married fiate^ whereby they raiie ug^ * The law of France obliges all unniarrTewering the price of carriage. Among thefc, that of Languedoc, and the two canals of Orleans and Briare, are worthy to be particularly mentioned. By means of the former, a com- munication is opened between Bourdeaux and Marfeilles, between the ocean and the Mccliierranein, \yithout pafling through the Streights of Gibraltar, and furrounding all the coafts of Portugal and Spain : and by vir- tue of the two latter, an eafy intercourfe is maintained between all the great towns fi- tuatcd on the Seine and the Loire. Many other canals there are, and more ftill in- tended to be made, greatly advantageous to ihcir commerce.. , •I ai An Ess At on Tradi:.* V. The French enjoy a great advantage in the goodnefs of their fugar colonies. — ■• — It is not owing to any fuperior Ikilfin riiem, or wrong condu^ in us, nor yet any greater oeconomy in their planters, or profufenels in ours, (for upon the ftri^eft enquiry, both will be found to be very culpable) that they exceed us in the cheapnefs or goodnefs of their commodities; but becaufe our Leeward iflands are worn out, bemg originally of no depth of foil; and the ground is more upon a leveU confequently more fubjeft to be burnt up; whereas their iflands are ftill ve^ ry good. In Martinico particularly^ the ground is rich, the (oil deep, diverfified with high hills, affording copious dreams of wa* eer, and refrefhrng ftiades. Another great ad- vantage which the French have over the Englilh in their fugar colonies, is then* Agra- rian law, whereby monopolifts are prevent- ed from engrofling too much land. So that the number of whites are greatly encreafed, the lands improvecf, more commodities raiP cd, the phnters obliged to a more frugal manner of living, and all things rendered cheaper. By thefe means Martmicocanmudef fixteen thoufand fighting men; but Jamaica^ which is near three times at larje, only four Am Essay ok Tiadi* 23 thou&nd. Add to this, that the inh:^bitants of old France do not ufe the tenth part of the fugars for honpie confumption^^vhich the Englifli do; and therefore have that com- modity to export again to foreign markets, and with it to encreafc the national weakh. VI. The French colonies receive all their luxuries and refinements of living from their mother country; which is a very great ad- vantage to it. They arc not fuffered, nor indeed doth it appear, that they are much inclined to go to any other fhop or market for thefe things. Neither have they (et tip any manufactures of their own, to the prejudice of their mother country. In« deed, as to the necedaries of life, they fup* ply themfelvcs with them where they can; and frequently buy of the Englifli. But this is a cafe of neceflfity, which cannot be fub* je£k to reftraints. As to articles of luxury, parade, and pleafure, we very feldom hear - that they buy any of them from us. VII. The manner of collefting their da- tics on feveral forts of goods imported, is of greater advantage to trade, than can eafily be imagined. In the port of Bourdeaux (and I take it for granted fo good a regulati* on obtains in other places) there are public I «4 An Essay oh Trade/ warehonfes, very proper and convenient, ad- joining to the cuftom houfe. And all provi- Cons and goods, necedaryfor the ufe of their fugar colonies, are there depofitcd by the merchant, till the fliip fails, duty free, pay* ing only a moderate price for cellerage. When flie returns, the fugars, etc. are land- ed in the king's warehoufes, where they re* main, till the importer has found a purchafer for a proper quantity : then he pays the duty for that, and has it taken away, letting the reft continue. Or if he intends thefe goods for exportation, there they lie ready and convenient. By this means he is never driven to ftreights on account of the king's duty ; and is enabled to carry on a very ex* tenfive trade with a fmall (lock. The confe- quence of which is, that many perfons are hereby capacitated to enter confiderably in* to commerce, who could not otherwife have done it. For one thoufand pounds fterling in France^ will go near as far as two thou- fand poiinds in England. Not to menti* on, that as there is no money imru^diatcly advanced on account of the king's duty, the whole gains of the merchant will arife only from the money actually in trade: now as this is Icfs by near one half to what it would 4 As Essay on Trade. 25r liave been, had the duty been all paid at once ; coniequently he can afford to fell one half lefs than he muft have demanded in the other cafe. VIII. Their neighbourhood to Spain, and prefent connexion with it, is of fo great advantage, as to be worth all their trade be- fides. For it is certain, they get more from the Spaniards than all the trading nati- i tions in Europe. Their poor from Peri- ■ gord, Limofin, and other places, come year- ly into Spain to reap their corn, and gather .^ in their vintage; and carry back what they have earned to fpend in France. The fifli- ermen from Bayonne, and the neighbouring places, fupply them with great quantities both of fre 111 and fait fifh to eat on Faft- days, and to keep Lent. The pedlars and fliopkeepers in Spain are moftly French, j| who retire into thc.r own country, when they have made their fortunes. The towns in Languedoc fupply them with cloth, filks, and (lockings; Rouen with hats, and coarfe linen ftuffs ; Abbeville, with (iiperfine cloths; Amiens and Arras, with worded and cam* blet Ituffs; and Lions, with all forts of rich filks, gold and (ilver lace, etc. for their con- fumption both in Europe and America. In tS Ak Essay on Tradi;. (hort, the greateft part of the produce of the mines of Potofi is brought into France. Hence it is, that their payments are all in filver: and gold is more fcarce in France, in the currency of coin, than filver is in Eng* land. A plain proof, that they have the great trade to Spain, as we have to Portugal. IX. Their addrefs in drawing raw mate- rials from other countries to work up in their own, (erves greatly to enlarge and extend their trade. — France produces fome wool and (ilk; but not a fourth part of what they manufacture. Wool they import from Bar- bary, the Levant, and Spain. They alfo bring wool from Switzerland. Some little perhaps is run from England ; but, I have good reafon to believe, not much. The quan- tity from Ireland is very confiderable ; which is owing to our own wrong policy. The bed of their raw filk they draw from Piemont, the Levant, Italy, and Spain. Their cotton is brought from the Levant, and from their fugar colonies. And the afhes for making foap at Marieilles are chiefly imported from Egypt. X. They reap nnfpeakable advantage, by the permiflTion and encouragement given to foreign merchants and manufaAurers to An Essay on Trade. 27 fettle among them. — By this good policy the price of labour is always kept fufBcientJy low. A competition and emulation are raii ed, who fhall work, and fell the cheapeft; which muft turn out greatly to the nation- al advantage, though it may not be fo favour- able to the private intereft of individuals. For thefe rcafons, the government is parti- cularly gentle and indulgent to foreigners. And the fituation of the country is greatly affiftant to this difpofition of the govern- ment. ^France is furrounded with popu- lous, that is, prolific nations, who have no trade and manufactures of their own to em- ploy their poor, Flanders, all Germany on the fide of the Rhine, Switzerland, Savoy, and fome parts of Italy, pour their fupernu- merary hands every year into France ; where they are carefled, and received into the ar- my, or the manufacture, according to their inclinations. The Rhone is fo eafy and cheap a conveyance, for the fwarms of in- habitants bordering on the lake of Geneva, that fo fmall a dim as one fliilling, or eigh- teen pence each perfbn, will bring them to the chief manufuClurinff town in the kincc- dom, viz. Lions. And there are laid to be no lefs than ten thoutand Svvifs and Gcr- ^m 98 An Essay on Trade. mans employed in that city. The numbers alfo in all the other commercial towns are very great, and daily increafing. XI. The Englifli monopolies, which are fo dellrii£live to the interefts of Great Bri- tain, become, for the very fame reafon, of the greateft benefit and advantage to France. — Marfeilles is a flagrant, and a melancholy proof of this adertion. For the trade of this place hath flourilhed and increaledjuft in the fame proportion, as that of our Turkey company funk and declined. All the fine ftreets and new buildings of the city date their original from this period. So that we may truly fay, they were built, and are now fupported, by the cxclufive Turkey compa- ny of England. Moreover, the Englifli Hudfou's-Bay company is the only caufe, which can make the French fcttlements in fo wretched a country as the northern parts of Canada, to flourifli; with fo dirticult and dangerous a navigation, as that up the bay of St. Lawrence. It is this, and no other, is the caufe that enables them to extend their colonies, and to underfell the Englifli in all the articles of furr ; which they apparently do in times of peace. XII. Thepublic (lock of wealth is greatly An Essay on Trade. 19 encreafed, by foreigners of all countries tra. veiling among them. — The advantages from hence accruing have not been fo much at- tended to, as, I humbly think, they juftly deferve. For while thefe foreigners refide in the country, they not only pay for their food and board at an high rate, but they al- fo clothe themfelves with the manufactures of it, and buy many curiofities. But this is not all: for having contracted a liking to the produce and manufactures of the country they travelled in, they continue to ufe them vA\en they are returned to their own; and fo introduce them to the knowlege, edeem, and approbation of others: this begets a de- mand; and a demand for them draws on a correfpondence, and a fettled commerce. Thefe are the advantages which the French enjoy by fuch numbers of foreigners travel- ling among them ; whereas they Icarce ever travel themfelves; and by that means circu- late the money in their own country. XIII. France enjoys no fmall advantage* as it doth not lofe much by the article of fmuggling, in comparifon to what England doth — This is owing to the llriCinefs of their government, the many fpies they have np- C 2 / JmJF 30 An Essay on Trade, on every man's a£lions, and being able ta punifli the flightefl offence more feverely, and in a more fummary way than we can, or is confirtent with a free conilitution to do. The principal Disadvantages of France with regard to Trade. I. THE firft difadvantage to a free trade is the government, which is arbitrary and defpotic ; and therefore fuch as a mer- chant would not chiifc to live under, if he knows the fweets of liberty in another Country, and has no attachment of family, or intereft to keep him ftill in France. It mud be acknowleged, his property, ge* ncrally fpeaking, is fecure enough, but his perfon is not fo. To explain this, we muft beg leave to obfcrve, that though there are fixed and ilarcd laws in France to decide all cafes of property, and criminal caufes, as here in Enp;land; fo that a man may know ihe rules he is to be governed by in thofe refpefts, and can have an open trial for his life aiid fortune: yet there are no laws to aicertain the nature of political offences, or An Essay on Trade. 31 to circiimfcribe the power of the jnJgc: fo that he muft be entirely at the mercy of the Ueuttnant de police y and liis deputies; who can imprifon him at will, without afllgning any realbn, or bringing any evidence to con- front him. And therefore his only fecurity confifts, in being continually laviili in the praiie of the king and the niiniRry, and in faying nothing which may afford the leait pretence to the (pies, who fwarm all over the kingdom, to inform againft him. II. The fecond difadvantage to the free- dom of trade, is the Romifh religion; which has added to its many other abfurdities, a fpiric of cruelty and perfccution, lb repug- nant to the (cope and tendency of the golpel. Therefore a proteftant merchant, if at the fame time a conlcientious man, will find himielf very often reduced to great difficul- ties, in order to avoid on the one hand the fin of hypocrify, by compliances ngainft his con- fciencc, or on the orher, the danger attend- ing the excrciic of his religion, and the edu- cating of l/isciriKlrt,^n in the protellant way* This, I fay, w ill ofren happen, even at pre- fcnt; though the bigotry of the court of France is not near fo great, as it was in for- mer times. c 3 m i-ii i(' f.\ .M n it An Essay on Trade. Ill, Another great burden, and confe- quently a difad vantage to the trade of France, is, the great number of religious of both fexes. — The lowefl computation of thefe a- mounts to near three hundred thoufand per- fons: a great part of which number might, and would be employed in trade and manu- fafturcs; and the reft might be ufeful to fo- ciety in other (pheres. But that is not all;^^ they arc a very heavy weight upon the public. Vaft eftates are appropriated for the fupport of fome of thefe religious orders, whofe fund is continually accumulating, not only by legacies and donations, but alfo by whatever fortune each perfon is poflefled of, at the time of taking the vow. And o- thers, who are of the mendicant orders, and are allowed to have no property, be* come a continual tax upon the induftry and charity of the people; and thefe moltly of the middling ami lower lort. Not to men'- tion the increafMig riches and dead wealth in ail their churches. IV. A founh threat diCadvantac^e to the trade of France, is tlair numerous and poor nobility. The nature and conftitution of that government require the notion of birth and family to be kept up very high, An Essay on Trade. 33 as it will always create an indigent nobility, and confcquently dependent upon the court for fuch preferments as may not deroge, or bring a (lain upon their family. More- over, the fame refined policy induces the court to make the military fervice be e- fleemed the mod honourable; as it mud render the whole body of the nobility foldi* ers to fight their battles; the richer ferving for glory, and the poorer for an honourable fupport. The conlequence of all this is, that they heartily del'pife the Bourgeois ^, * In Frsnce, the inhabitants are nflially diAinguiflied by three ranks, or orders; the noblefle, the bourgeois, and the paifiins. Each of thefe are totally di(lin£l from the other. The poderity of the noble fle are all nobicffe, though ever Co poor, and though not honoured with the titles of count, marquis, etc. as noblemen are here in England. The poOerity of a bourgeois, though ever fo rich, and though the family have left off trade a hundred years ago, are ftill but bourgeois, un- til they arc ennobled by patent, or have wiped off the diC* grace of having been merchants, by fome Hgnal noilicary fer- vice, or have purchafcd fome honourable employ. Therefore when the nobleffe call the merchants bourgeois, burgeHes, they mean it as a term of infamy and reproach, anfwcring to that of pitiful low mechanic in Englifh. Indeed, by fonir ordi- nances, the noblcflc are permitted to engage in certain branch- es of foreign and wholcfulc trade, without bringing anv (lain upon th'-ir family. But thefc i>ermi{nons .\i!l have very little efficacy to indu <• the nobility to turn merchants, as Icng at the military fervice is fo highly exalted in credit and raputa- tion ab')ve mcri-Iiandiir. The very {^fiiiiis of the govern- ment makes it a fcanJal not to be a folditr : laws will have little force Bgainft this. ' ''tS 4 Ml a >'m ■M 34 An Essay on Trade. that is, the merchant and tratlefman: and he, when he gets rich, is as defirous of quit- ting fo diflionourabic an employ, wherein his riches cannot fecure him from infult and contempt. Being therefore ambitious of raifing his own family to be of the noblelle, he leaves off trade as foon as he can, and breeds up his fons to the military profelfion, or piirchafes fome office in the law or civil government, which may ennoble them^ V. The trade of France (uffers another inconveniency by the nature of its taxes. — Some of the(c, in certain provinces, are very arbitrary; as the taillc, which is levied moflly upon the poor peafants and manufa- fturcrs in the country villages. Others are very heavy; as the duty upon fait, which is fliockingly opprcffive. Others again, though not quite {"o oppreffive, are yet e- qually improperly laid; bccaufe they are upon the necclFaries of life, vvhicli arc to feed the trade ['man, and to vicinal the (hip- ping. Thus, fi)r example, all forts of p'-o- vilions, corn, wine, Inucliers meat, poultry, eggs, fifli, garden ililT, and fruit, pay a du- ty at the cnterance of fome of their great cities. There are dutic in Ibmc trades, is very confidcrable. And there is alio, in time of\>var, an annual de- mand of a certain proportion of men out of each maitrile; which is underflood to imply a fum of money by way of equivalent. Thus, the more thefe maitriles become ufe- ful to fupply the exigencies of the govern- i m n u j6 AnEssay on Trade. ment at a pinch, the more privileges they will acquire; and the greater the privilege is of any particular company, the lefs will be the general trade of the country. VII. The French fiiftain fome difadvan- tage by their monopolies and exclufive char- ters. They have an Eaftlndia company at Port rOrient: MurfeilJes is a free port for the Levant and Barbary trade; vi'hcreas there is a duty of 20 per cent, upon all merchandize ofthofe countries, if imported into any other port of Frji-.cc in rhe Medi- terranean. And even at Marfeilies, there is a particulir cxclufivc C(>mpany for import- ing corn and wciol from Africa. Lions is free for all lilk entrrincT, or v^oing out; whereas there is an heavy duty in the neighbouring towns; bv' which means, Lions may be (aid to have an cxcliifive charter. And there is go.xl reaioii to conchidc, there is fomething of the fame nature for the Turkey cloth at Carcadonne, the (ilk and worited (lockings at Nifines, tlic clotl/mg for the Ibldiery at Lodeve, the luperfine cloth at Abbeville, the fluffs at Amiens, the camblets at Arras, the painted linens and cottons at Rouen, etc. VI IL The French labour under no fmall difadvantage on account of the expence they An Essay on Tradi. are at in the article of Jhipping.- 37 •They have more men to navigate their fliips than the Englifh, becanfe they arc not fo expert failors. They muft carry fome fupernume- rary landftien, by the king's orders: they muft have many officers to govern thefe men, becanfe the merchant is to be refpon. fible for them when the fhip returns. Thefe officers will have a grand table, a cook, and new bread every day. The (hip lies long in port, if lent to the Weft-Indies to dilpofe of the cargo: becaule their creolians are laid to be lb diflioneft, that they do not care to truft them vvirh commiflions. And (b the expences of the officers and of thexrew run very high. Add to this, that the officer, be. longing to the marine in France, will find ^vays and means to give great trouble to the merchant, both as to the c oice of failors, and of officers, unlets he is properly cond- dercd: which is generally done by buying fome fliip ftores of himltlf, or hiends, at an exorbitant price. IX. The two n:Jtional vices of the French, gaming and fine clothes, are a great hurt to their trade. Thele expences cannot be fupported but bv a large profit; and that will always leflen the demand at a foreign n S8 An Essay on Trade. market, if their neighbours cnn afford to fell cheaper. Not to mention the fvvift ruin which gaming fometimes brings on, and the lofs of time uccafioned by it. X. The (ituation of the French ports is a great diCidvantage to them, with refpeft to the Hamburg and northern trade: and in regard to the louthern and Weft-Indies, they are not better ficuated; and are not near fo many, nor fo good as ours, efpecial- ly if we take Ireland into the account. They have only an advantage with refpedl to the Mediterranean. • XI. The farming of the revenue is ano- ther great difadvantage to the commerce of France. For thcfe farmers have moft im- moderate profits, and live in all the fplendor and expence of the firft princes of the blood. And as they a£l by the king's autho- rity, they tyrannife over the fubjefts with impunity. Yet I cannot fee how the French government can be without fuch a fet of people. — For when money is wanted, they arc ready to lend, while the lubje£l is afraid: therefore they borrow of the iub- jc61:, giving their own fccurities, and then lend to the government at an advanced An Essay on Trade. 39 price, paying themfelves, as the duties are coUefted. ,. To thefe difadvantages, it has been inti- mated, T ought to have mentioned their ma- ny holidays, on which they mufl: not work, and their pompous procefflons, which draw the people a-gazing after them. The thought did occur to me before, at the lime of writing the firft edition : but I fuppreifcd it then, and now beg ieave to affign the rea- fons; viz. In the firft place, thefe things are greatly wearing off in France every day; fo that the lofs of time is not fo confiderable, as one may imagine. Secondly, Allowing that fome time is idled away during thefe holidays, and in feeing proceiTions, etc. itill, if we caft up the account of the time and money which are fpent here in England by all forts of manufafturers in horfe races> cock-Hghtings, cricket matches, bull-baitings, but more elpecially in mobbing and elcdlio- neering, (all which are not in France) I am pcrfuaded, we Ihall find the advantage gain- ed over them, on the fcorc of their holidays iand proccdions, to be none at all; and that upon comparing both articles together, the fsmount of the difadvantages will be found >io be greater on our fide, than on theirs. D . : Irri 'm U 1 I! C 40 3 The principal Advantages of Great Britain with refpeit to Trade. I. THE natural produce and commo- dities of the country; corn, wool, lead, tin, copper, coal, butter, checfe, tallow, lea- ther. All which are not to be found in France, in that plenty and abundance they are in England. II. The number, goodnefs, and fituati- on of our ports. Thofe on the Weftern fide of Great Britain (efpecially if we reckon Ireland a part of ourfelves, and include both iflands under one general intercft, as in rea- fon and policy we ought to do) are almoft as well fituated for the Southern trade, as the French: they are four times as many in number, and much better for fafety,and depth of water. And as to the North and Baltic trade, the French can come into no companion with ours. ^ • III. Nature has been very bountiful, in bcQowiiig on us fuch excellent fiiheries; particularly the herring-fifhcry, on the Northern coafls of Scotland| and the cod on t * An Essay on Trade. 4» the South Weft of Ireland. — Thcfe great advantages are always in our power to cul- tivate and improve; and it is our fault, and our reproach, that we do not. IV. England enjoys another advantage by means of its free government.- A merchant can go to law with the crown, as cafily as with a private fubje^l. The judges are for the life of the prince on the throne, and confequently not under the immediate influence of the court. No man's perfon can be detained, but a reafon muft be i^ivcn, and the matter brought to an open trial, where his equals are to be his judges, and to decide between him and the crown, whether he hath committed an offence sh* gainft the ftate, or not. V. Another ineftimable bleffing, and a great advantage, confidered merely in a com- mercial view, is the liberty of conscience we enjoy in thefe kingdoms. Every man is permitted to worfliip God in the way he thinks the right and true, v^'ithout fear or referve; and may educate his children in his own religion. The Roman Catholics in- deed are under hw.c legal difcouragemcnts: but it is plain, the Ici^iHature confidered them . tather as a political, than a religious feft. Da ^^1 ■'«P <■>•'», t it ■!(. .1 '-^r. '■{ m 42 An Essay on Trade. when thofe laws were ena£l:ed. And the prefent government, by its conduit towards them, has given them fufHciently to iinder- ftand, that they fliall not be difturbed in the free exercife of their religion, provided they will give no diftnrbance to the (late in civil affairs, by (iding with its enemies. This, furely, is but a rcafonable demand: and here the matter feems to reft. VI. England has always enjoyed an ad- vantage in trade, as its mannfafturers have ever been in high repute for their fkill and ingenuity. Our locks, chains, clock- work, mathematical inftruments, and all forts of cutlery ware, far exceed al! others at this day, and are defervedly preferred by foreign nations. And our failors are confi- dcrably fuperior to the French, in their art and dexterity. VII. England enjoys a very vifible ad- vantage over France, as the whole bulk of our people may be concerned in trade, if they pleafe, without any difreputation to their families. The profeffion of a merchant is cfteemed full as honourable as that of an officer. And no man need leave off trade, when he finds himfelf rich, in or- der to be refpe^ed as a gentleman. It is An Essay on Trade. 43 likewife no fcandal for youncjer brothers of the moft nntient families to be bred up to trade and bnfinefs. VIII- We enjoy a (ingular advantage by our vaft colonies on the continent of Ame- rica. ^From Newfoundland to Georgia, is an iniinenfe country; where all the inha- bitants do ufe more or lefs of the growth of their mother country; and England again receives the produce and growth of theirs. This is a mutual benefit, and ftill improve- able. IX. The ifland of Jamaica has fome ad- vantages over any of the French iflands, on account of its (Ituation, to carry on a be- neficial trade with the Spanifli main; the fvveets of which have been fo fufficiently felt during the late war, as to need no fur- ther ilkiftration. And this ifland is capable of great improvements in many other re- fpe£ls. X. The very wants of Great Britain, in one refpeft, might be turned into a fingular advantage over the French in another. > It is certain, France cannot carry on a trade to moft countries with that advantage to tlie country it trades with, as the Engliih can. For example; the Engliih can trade I> 3 ■ . -Ill .m m ■«>1| .;■?', 44 An Essay on Trade. I with the Spaniards to mutual advantage: if the Englifti export cloth and fluffs to Spain, they can take off fruits^ oil and wine, by way of barter. Whereas the French can make no ufe of thefe commodities, hr.ving fo much of their own growth both to ufe, and to fpare. A confideration of this nature, well timed, and ftrongly urged, might have a good effe£l upon the Spanifc court, to ii>» duce them to favour the Engliflx commerce, and discountenance the French. It is owing to the fuccefsful application of Sir Paul Me- thucn on this very head, when envoy to the court of Portugal, that the Englifh at this day enjoy the whole trade of Portugal,. and that the French, in a manner, arc excluded. XI. The low intereft of money, and the eafy and expeditious transfers in the funds, give to Great Britain a manifeft advantage in the aflairs of commerce. For were the intcreft as high as in France, the exportation of our manufa£hires would be much dearer, as every exporter would expc£i to get a profit lUperior to the intereft of money; the lure confequence of which would be a lef^ fening of the cjivantity exported.- Be- fjJes, the merchants of London, by means of Eafilndia bonds, and the c^mck transfers An E$£ay on Txade. 45 of ftocks, are enabled to make a profit of their money, when not employed in trade; by which means they can afford to buy and fell for lefs gains. The principal Disadvantages of Great Britain with regard to Trade. I » V .» I. THE firft and capital difadvantage, is the want of fubordination in the lower clafs of people*- -This is attended with dreadful confequences, both in a commerci- al and a moral view. If they are fubje£t to little or no control, they will run into vice : vice is attended with expence, which mud be fiipported cither by an high price for their labour, or by methods flill more deftru<5tive. The end of all is poverty and difeafe; and fo they become a lothfome burden to the public. Nothing is more vifible, than the great difference between the morals and ia- duftry of the manufacturing poor in France, and in England. In the former, they are fo- ber, frugal, and laborious: they marry, and have flocks of children^ whom they bring }^ji \.''< m 'M ■■Ail *#i m 4<5 An Essay on Trade. up to labour. In the latter, they are giv- en up to drunkennefs and debauchery: the ftreets fwarm with proftitutes, who fpread the infc£lion, till they are carried to an hof pital, or their grave. The npien are as bad as can be defcribed ; who become more vi- tious, more indigent and idle, in proportion to the advance of wages, and the cheapnefs ofprovifions: great numbers of both fexes never working at all, while they have any thing to fpend upon their vices. II. The prodigious expence of eleftio- necring is another fatal fiab to trade and in- duftry. It is not only fo much money fpent, but it is fpent moftly upon manufa> fturers; and fo it gives them a talle for idle^ ncfs, and brings on an habit of drunkennefs, and extravagance. The want alfo of fubor- dination, ju(l now complained of, is m^illy to be imputed to the fame caufe, as it (ets them above control, frees them from all re- flraint, anJ brings down the rich to pay their court to them, contrary to thejuft and proper order of fociety. III. Another very great burden on the Engliili ccmmerce is the vaft nilmbcrs of poor; and thole every day increaling. It we inicc the matter to its fountain-head* An Essay on Trade. 47 we fliall fi»d it to be owing principally to the fame caufes, viz. eleftioneering, and- the want of fubordination. And if a calculati- on was made of the expences of eleftioneer- ing, and the ruinous confequences of it, to- gether with the annual poor tax, I am very fure, it would exceed, in the proportion, what France expends in maintaining three hundred thoufand religious of both fexes: fo that we gain no advantage over France in this refpeft, through our own diflblutenefs and ill management. IV. Our trade is greatly burdened by the nature of moft of our taxes, and the manner of colIe£^ing them. — The cuftoms on the goods imported make thofe goods come much dearer to the confumer, than they would do, if the confumer himfelf was to pay the duty: and this becomes a ftrong temptation to our people to fmuggle. The taxes upon the neceflaries of life are in faft fo many taxes upon trade and indurtry: and fuch muft be accounted the duties upon (bap, coal, candles, (alt and leather. Likewilc the duties upon the importation of foreinjn raw materials, to be employed in our own ma- nufaif^ures, are fo many fetters and chains to prevent the progrefs of labour, and cir- 4i 11 ■■:lFi ■M 1 I ■I 48 An Essay on Trade. dilation of wealth. Thefe impods were firft laid on, under a notion of promoting the landed intereft; but happy would it have been for thefe kingdoms, if the landed gen- tlemen had understood their intereft, before they attempted to Ihew their zeal in pro- moting it. Moreover, the expenfive manner of col. letting all our cuftoms is ftill an additional difadvantage ; fuch as the multiplication and fplitting of offices, patent-places, fees, fine- cures, penfions, etc. Thefe things indeed create a dependence upon the court, and are (aid to ftrengthen the hands of the go* vernment; but if they do fo in one refpedb, they weaken it much more in another. They give too juft caule for complaint; the beft friends of the prclcnt ertablifhment arc grieved to fee any meafures which they can- not vindicate. Repeated murmurs, where there is a rcnl foundation for them, natural- ly tend to aliciijre the affections of the bulk of the peo}>lc, wl-'ich above all things Ihould be iTuarded ap,ainll; bccaule in times of ac- tual dano;cr, it is the people, and not place- men and pcnfloners, Who can fave the go- verniiKMjt, mu] oppolc thcmiclvcs againft the iavaiioas of i'orcign, or the infurreCtions of ' I An E^say on Trade. 49 ^omeftic enemies : as was plainly feen in the cafe of the late rebellion. V. The great number of fmugglers in England are of infinite detriment to trade. ■ They carry nothing but bullion, or wool out of the kingdom, and return moftly with the commodities of France. They are the neceflary caufe of creating many offices, maintaining floops, fmacks, etc. to guard a- gainft them; and they furniOi a pretence for adding many more. Thus they become doub! mifchievous. They tempt others to do th 'Vie, for fear of being ruined in their lawful trades by being underfold. The prac- tice of fmuggling debauches the morals of the common people, it leads them into per- jury, and tutors them up in all vice and ex- travagance. So many expences incurred, fo many deficiencies in the revenue, mufl be made wp fome other way ; that is, by duties not fo liable to be embezzled. And therefore faft it is, that every man in paying taxes for land, etc. pays for the damage done, or cauf- ed by fmuggling. And yet till there is a pro- per fubordination introduced, and the quail, fication for voting fomething altered from what it is at prefent, it is ea(y to lee, there never can be any effectual cure for this ^^ ■-V t^ U \.j. ■ r". ■ n»t 1 .'' 50 An Essay on Trade.* growing evil. Smugglers are, for the moft part, inhabitants of boroughs and towns cor- porate: they, or their relations, friends, det»l- ers, acquaintance, etc. are voters, and "verhum fat fapienti, VI. Our monopolies, public companies, and corporate charters, are the bane and de(tru£lion of a free trade. — By the charter of the Eaft-India company, at lead nine thou- fand nine hundred and ninety-nine Britiih fubje£ls, out often thoufand, without hav- ing committed any fault to delerve fuch a punilhment, are excluded from trading any where beyond the cape of Good Hope. By the charter of the Turky company, a like, of a greater number, are excluded from having any commerce with the whole Tur- kifli empire. The Hudfon's Bay company engrodes all the fur trade with the Indians, in an extent of country almoft as large as half Europe. Thus the intereft of nine thou- iand nine hundred and ninety-nine fellow- fubje(fls is facrificed, in lb many refpe^s, for the fake of a fingle one. The whole nation fufTers in its commerce, and is debarred trad- ing to more than three fourths of the globe, to enrich a few rapacious dire£lors. They get wealtlvy the very fame way by which Am EssAr on Trade. j?i the pubJic becomes poor, viz. Firft, by ex- porting^ fmalLquantities of o^r own manufac- tures, in order to have an exorbitant profit; and adly, by importing but a few of the raw materiak of foreign countries, that they may have the higher price for what they' bring home. A double mifchief i equally fatal to the community, both by the fmali- nefs of their exports and imports* And as. to corporate charters, and com- panies of trades> they arc lifcewife fo many monopolies in the places to which they be- long, to the great detriment of national com# merce. Toconvinceany oneof this, let him but fuppofe a fet of town and country butchers frequenting the fame market ; and that the country butchers were excluded for a market or two ; would not the town but- chers raife their price ? i. e. put all their fel- bw-citizcns under contribution, by mean? of this privilege? And doth not every other company the fame in all things they fell ? And what is the confequence?- A gene- ral dcarnefs among one another, which muft light at laft upon the foreign trade, and therefore diniinifli the quantity to be export- ed. VII. Our imprudence and narrow-fpirit- ^W. ■a %■ A Mi 1 *'iii5 i i 52 An Essay on Trade. cdnefs, in not inviting foreigners to fettle a- mong us, is another material diiadvantage to the Englifh trade. — Foreigners can never get rich in a flrange country, but by work* ing cheaper or better than the natives. And if they do fo, though individuals may fuffer, the public is certainly a gainer; as there is fo much merchandize to be exported upon cheaper terms, or Co much (aved to the mer- chant, whereby he may afford to export the cheaper. Not to mention, that by this means the price of labour is continually beat down, combinations of journeymen againft their mailers are prevented, induftry is en- couraged, and an emulation excited. All which are greatly for the public good. Befides, a foreigner juft efcaped from flavery and oppreffion, when he gets rich in a land of liberty and plenty, is not likely to return home, but will fettle among us, and become one of ourfelves, with his whole family. And what are all Englifhmen but the defcendants of foreigners? In fliort, it is the fame weak policy to prevent foreign- ers fettling among us, as it is in the poor about London, to oppofe the Welfli and Irifh coming up to work in the gardens, and carry in the harved ; not conGdering, that An Essay on Trade. 53 if the gardener or farmer cannot have his work done cheap, he cannot aflbrd to fell the garden-ftuff, bread, etc. cheap to them. So that they themfelves find their account in the cheapnefs of the labour of thefe per- fons. Indeed the Enj^Iifh fliould give more encouragement, ^''p*- ^le, toftrangr-«' than France doth ; as for many other realons, fo particularly for this, that the Flemifli, Ger- mans, Swifs, Piedm^ ntife, Italians, etc. can arrive at moft of the manufafturing towns in France at a trifling expence j whereas the long journey from their own country, and the paflage over iiito England, are a very great difcouragement to foreign manufaftur- ers to come to fettle here. VIII. Our ill-judged policy, and unna- tural jealoufy, in cramping the commerce and manufactures of Ireland, is another very great bar againft extending our trade. This is a moft unaccountable infatuation, which has not the fliadow of a public and national reafon to defend it. For if Ireland gets rich, what is the confequence? Eng- laivJ will be rich too, and France will be the poorer. The wool which is now fmug- £ 2 : ( A. 11 4> 1 \ 54 An Essay ov Thadte. m gled from f Ireland into France, and niari» faftured there, and from thence fent to op- pofe our own commodities at foreign mar- kets, would be manufactured in Ireland ; the French would lofe the benefit of it, the Irilh would get it : — The rents of the eftates in Ireland would rife; and then the money ^vould foen find its way into Elnglaml. Be. .fides, the Irifh might be incorporated into the Englifh parJiament, and make one nati- .on with ourfelves, bearing an equal ihare of taxes, and fo eafing England, at the fiime time that Ireland is enriched. — But more c(f this hereafter. IX. Want of a lefs expenfive way of re- pairing our roads* want of more navigabfe rivers and canals, are a very great difadvan- tage to England, in comparifon of France. — Every one muft be fenfible of the heavy tax, which fo many turnpikes lay upon trade ; and how bad even the turnpike roads are in f A clergyman, vshok living U in the weft of Ireland, aflbred me, that jufl after the peace, the wool finngglers of his parifti, |5ot upwards of 'jo per cent, bjr the wool they fold to the FrenchiL — As long as this \$ the caie, laws and rcllrirtions will fignify nothing. If we have a mind to pre- vent the ^, m ! I 1 "i •*■■*■':'■ ■ ' .f ' ^ 'ii 5^ An Essay oUnTnADE* ¥ of their mother country, nor fo ftudious of her welfare.— la many of thefe colonies fc- veral manufactures are fct up^ and more in- tended to be erefted, which will greatly in- terfere with the trade of England. And ,we muft expert that this evil will not de- creafe, but increafe by time, unlefs an ef- fe^ual method can fpeedily be put in prac- tice, to divert the thoughts of our Ameri- can colonies from thefe purfuits, to (bme o- ther.s>, equally ferviceable to them, and left detrimental to us. BeHdes, they not only &t up manufaClures of their own in oppofiti' OB to. ours> but they purchafe thofe luxu- ries and refinements of living from foreign- ers, which we could furnifh them with. It is computed, that they are fupplied with at lieaft one third, of thefe articles from foreign nations; amongft whom the French come in for the grcateft fhare.. XIL We alfo fufflr a further inconveni- ence in not inviting foreigners to travel into England, and fpend their money among us^ and in being too fond of travelling oiir- felves — ^It is certain, England has as many curiofities for a. foreigner: to obierve, as any country in the world: the whole ifland> and every thing^ belonging to it|^ being in An Essay on Trade. ^57 many refpe£ls different from the continent, and worthy the attention of a ftranger. And even as to fine paintings, original ftatues, and antiques, we have prodigious collecti- ons of them in private hands/ though little known even to our own countrymen, for want of a public and general catalogue. Moreover, pur Epglifli travellers in France and Italy are continually making new col- lections in order to carry home, and embel- li(h their own country. And yet our gen- try are fo (hy to ftrangers, the fervants ex- peCk lb rpq^h vails, and the common people are fo rude and affronting, that very few care to travel in fuch a country. * ^' ** Xni. The high price of labour is ano- ther in fuperable bar to a large trade.— The caules of which are fuch as have been affigned alt'eady, viz. EleClioneering ■— the corrupt morals of the people —- taxes on the neceflaries of life — monopolies, public companies, and corporate charters of trades^ XIV. We fufJer a very great detriment through the want of public infpeClors, to fee that our manufacturers produce every thing good in its kind ; that they give good weight and rneafure, and fold the worfe fide outer- moft. And what is ftili worfei where fucli 'f .n, i> ' . "I "f 'ftt;| \\ -J ; 1 I tl: . .T k 58 '^ An Essat ON T hundred' pounds (lock in trade for a tradefman, to qualify them to vote; the immediate confe- quence would necefTarily be, that the manu- faSuring part of our nation would not be called from their work, to run roving after every ele£bioneering : a proper lubordinati- on would be efte£lually introduced; the hws againft idlenefs and debauchery might be executed ; and fmuggling in a great inea< (lire fupprcdcd: and all this without run- ping^the rifk of difobliging fuch voters, and iofing their votes. Moreover, when things were put upoii fuch. a footings it would be a. matter of honour and reputation to have a vote; and conlequently, the voter would pique himlclf more upon his integrity and uncorruptnefs, than he now doth. He would be above that bribery and corruption, wJiich appear fo openly and avowedly on all fides, at prefent, throughout the king- dom. Likewife a fpirit of emulation and induftry would be excited; and the privi- lege of voting would become a laudable in- ducement to every artificer, (not to get drunk, or to take a paltry bribe, as at pre* fent is the cafe) but to be frugal and fav- An Essay on Trade. 63 ing, in order to raife himfelf to the degree of a voter. And many artificers might ac- complifli this by a few years induftry after they are fet up. The number alfo of the poor would confequently be leflenedj the price of labour reduced; and the perfons themfelves, who would be debarred of vot- ing by fuch a fuppofed bill, much happier, much richer, and quieter than they now are. Add to this, that a militia for land fervice, and a regifter for the fea fervice, might then be introduced, if it was judged expedient; whereas at prefent it is impra- ftlcable; becaufe fuch a power, where-ever lodged, would infallibly be applied to the bad purpofes of influencing votes at the time of ele£lions. I" 551 II. P R O P O S A L. " To creft certain courts in all manufactur- ing places of the kingdom, where the chief dealers themfelves fliall petition for them, with the title off Guardians of the morals f The complaints igalnfl the morals of the manufa^ur- ing poor become louder every day, and certainly demand, if any thing doth, the ferioiis attention of the Icgiflalure. Combinations of journeymen to extort exorbitant wages — This money (pent in drunkennefs and debauchery^ fo that they are the poorer rather than the richer at the week'f F n 4$4 An Essay on Trade. i I: of the manufafturing poor." Perhaps jfbme- thing to the following effed, might fugged hints to be improved upon. end, by the advanced price, — their unfaithfulnefs to their truft — the badnefs of their work, whenever their mafters have a great demand, and dare not turn them ofT, — the increaf- ing number of the poor; thefe, and many other articles of Che like nature, are .the compiainti judly made on this head. A certain very ingenious gentleman, and himfelf a great manufacturer in the clothing way, has attended to them with great alliduity ; and is engaged in a fcheme which he intends to exhibit to the public, of a very fingnlar nature, lor the reformation of thefe abules. He has carefully ob- ferved, that in exceeding dear years, when corn and provi< fions are at an extravagant price, then the work is beA and chfipeft done: — but that in cheap years, the manufa^r- crs are idle, wages high, and work ill done. He has carried the(e obfervations through many years back ; and confirm- ed them by the teflimony jf feveral great writers upon trade. Therefore he infers, that the high duties, taxes, and ex> clfes upon the neceflaries of life, are fo far from being a difadvantage to trade, as things are circumdanced among us, that they are eventually the chief fupport of it: — and ought Co be higher Aill, in order to oblige the poor cither to work or Aarve. Some things may certainly be faid in favour of this fcheme. But an humane and compalfionate man carnot but be forry. t« fee the morals of the poor fo very corrupt, as to oblige any one to think of fuch an expedient. In the fnean time, as much may be faid againd it; and as it would involve the innocent as well as the guilty in the fame pu< nifhment; perhaps fome other expedients would better an- fwer the jood end propofed, and not be liable to the fame objeOions. If the qualification for voting was fettled as in the firA propofal, and court guardians creAed, as propofed in this; and foreign manufa^rers naturalised, in order to JUep down the price of labour, and prevent any comblnaii- An Essa^ on Trade, 6s ]?^ The qualifications of each member of this court to be as follows, i ft, That he em- ploy not leis than twenty roanufadlurcrs on his own account, the greater part of the year; by this regulation, the mod eminent, as well as the moft concerned, will be the only perfons admitted, idly, That each member fubfcribe a certain fum, fuppofe two guineas at leaft, every year, towards the good purpofes hereafter to be mentioned ; but that they be admitted to receive the legacies and donations of others. 3dly, That each member be a married man, in order to fet the good example here recom- mended. The aim of this court to be to difcoa- rage vice, idlenefsand debauchery,— -and to encourage induftry, probity and fidelity, in the lower clafs of people. The means to effeftuate thefe good de- figns, with great fubmilfion, perhaps may be as follow. ons among our own people, (as (hall he mentioned in a fnc- cecding proporai) peihaps the morals of our poor would be as unexceptionable, and the price of labour as cheap as in a- ny other trading country. But which-ever fcheme is right, or if neither are, the affair itfelf defcrves the moll ferious regard of every one, who withes well both to the fouls and bodies of his fellow creatures, tnd the good of his country. '■ -J'i ! M • 3 ' i: ■ t 66 An Ess At aN Trade. ,!- I ft, By removing all temptation, as much as poffible, out of the wayj to which end this court guardian Ihall have the folc power of judging, how many alehoufes, etc. are neceflary to be licenfed in their re- fpeftive diftrifts: that is, they fliall not have a power to exceed the number allowed by the juftices, but to leden them as much as they pleafe. Neither fliall they have the power to nominate the perfons to be licen- fed; but after they have delivered in their lifts, the juftices fliall nominate, — unlefs the juftices delay to do it for a month after delivery: in fuch cafe, they fliall be im- powered to nominate themfelves. They fliall likewife have the power of levying a certain fine by diftrefs of goods, or in de- fault of that fliall inflidl corporal punifli- ment, on all perfons who keep cockpits, flcittle-allies, and all fuch places for the re- fort of the common people, within their diftri6t, alfo thofe who fet up ftages for cudgel playing, eic» or booths for horfe- races, or bring liquors, cakes, fruit, or any like temptations, to draw people toge- ther. They fliall alfo be impowered to expel out of their diftri^l, all fuch common people as cannot give a good account of An Essay on Trade. 67 themfelves by what means they fubCft; and ftiall particularly be enabled to remove fuch women, as are furpedled to have a bad charafter, unlefs they can clear themfelves from the imputation, by the oaths of three, at leaft, of their neighbours of good fub- ftance and repute, that they believe then^ to be innocent of the charge, arl efteera iliem to be honeft, chafte, and fbber per- fbns. adly, Thefe court guardians fliall endea- vour to encourage induftry, probity, and praftical religion, by the following me- thods; viz. by allowing forty fliilUngs a- piece to any young couple going to be mar- ried, that can make it appear by the tefti- mony of their mafters, that they have fav- ed three pounds and upwards, by working in their fervice; and have behaved welh If each of thefe can produce fuch a chara- £ker, then this forty ftiillings to be made four pounds. But not to be paid till a year and a day after marriage, during which time they are ftill to behave well. — By al- lowing alfo fomething difcretionally to thofe, who are overburdened with large families^ or are fick, whofe chara^lers are known to be good: — By prefenting alfo a few good ■v;rt % I* 'lit U f' ill '.j^ 6S An Essay t-^ Trade.' m books to the remarkably diligent and indu- firions. Suppofe thefe were the Bible, and Gaftrel's Chriftian Inftitutes; which are books that no perfons pf ever fo different religious perfuafions can objeft to. If thefe were neatly bound, gilt on the back and leaves, with a cloth cafe, and had ft? \pt on one fide in gold letters. The hand of the diligent maketh richj And on the other. To THE PRAISE OF THEM THAT DO WELL J they would be kept as family pieces, and trophies; and might excite the fame lauda- ble emulation in their poflerity, which it had done in themfelves. The diftri^ here fo often mentioned, IS fuppofed to be ten miles round from the town or place appointed for keep- ing this court. The court to (it every month at leaft, for the difpatch of bulinefs, wherein the attendance of three members will be fufficient : and every quarter a ge- neral meeting, which muft be compoied of feven. Thefe are only offered with great fub- mifFion, to the public, as hints to be im- proved upon. The importance of the af- An Essay oi? Trade. 69 fair requires that fome expedients fliould be tried without delay. If thefe are judg. cd improper, the author would exceedingly rejoice to fee better in their room; and thofe eflfeftually carried into execution. tt. III. PROPOSAL. ^i i^- ** To incorporate both the Britilh ifles* together, and to make one kingdom in all refpefts, as to parliament, trade and taxes.'* This propofal of incorporation has long been the wifli of every generous difinter- eded patriot of both kingdoms. And in- deed inexpreflibly great would be the bene- fit on both fides. The Irifti would Ihare in the advantage of our trade, and we in theirs. By permitting them to get rich at the expencc of the French, they would be enabled to eafe us of the burden of the worft and heavieft of our taxes: — whereas at prefent, the French, through our own unaccountable infatuation, get rich at their expence. By this mutual benefit, neither kingdom would be looked upon as foreign to the other ; but the goods of both would be imported duty-free, or perhaps be confi- dered only as coming coaft-wifc. The ho- ^ 1:t!if ) V 1' 1^';;. i 70 An Essay on Trade. ftile prohibition againft wearing, or ufing the produce of either kingdom, would be repealed; and all that unnatural war be- tween the commerce of the two nations, would be at an end : — which would be at- tended with thefe further happy confe- quences, that many of the necefliaries of life would be imported cheaper into Eng- land, than they now can be purchafed; a great advantage this to the merchant and nianufadurer: — and many more of the lu^ xuries, ornaments, and delicacies of living, would be exported from hence into Ireland. For moft certain it is, that in proportion as Ireland grew rich, they would take the lead for the richeft of their clothes, furni- ture, plate, jewels, equipages, etc. from England, Likcwife the inducements of be- ing near the parliament, the court, the pu- blic funds, etc, would bring many more I- rifli families to refide, and fpend their for- tunes here, tlian now do. In fhort, what- ever wealth Ireland would draw from other countries by its produce, manufa6lures, and happy fituation; all that would continually center in England. But here, methinks, I hear felf-intercft making an outcry, " They would run a- An Essay ^l-i 1 RADF. 7« way with onr trade." But pray let me> calmly afk, who would run away with it? or where would they run to? Why truly our own people, our own countrj^men, (who may as juftly be called fo, as the in- habitants of any neighbouring county,— and are feme of the beft, and moft faithful fubjefts the government has) would per- haps carry fome part of a manufafture from us to themfelves. — But what detriment would this be to the public? The people of Yorkfliire have done the very fame thing by Gloceflerfliire and Wiltftiire. Let us therefore have a meeting of the clothiers of thefe two counties to petition the parlia-; ment, that the Yorkfliire looms and mills may be all broke and deftroyed: for they have run away with our trade. This is fo ridiculous and abfurd a propofal, that I believe there is no perfon living, but muft fee and feel it to be fo. And yet let me aik, Is not this the very cafe with refpe£l to the objcftion againft incorporating with Ire- land ? Or if there be a difference between the two cafes, I fliould be glad to know wherein it confifts? Is Ireland to be looked upon as a diftinft kingdom? — more is the pity: for as the two kingdoms have but '■"l; tt - .. . . :;-M n Ah EaiSAY ok Trade. one common beady-^^one common in cvcK both ID church and ftate^ — the &me friends, — and the fame enemies; they onght ta have been long fince confolidated together, Bm allowing it to be called a diftin^ kingdom at prefent, till it is united: — fo is Yorkfhire a diftinft county, and was for* merly, in the times of the heptarchy, a kingdom likewife diAin£b from the two counties above-mentioned. Is Ireland a great way diftant from England? — York- fliire is at a greater diflance ftill from the cofunties above-mentioned. And the com- munication between them is not fo eafy by knd^ for the purposes of commerce^ as the other is by fca« '* But Ireland is more advantageoufly '' fituated for the trade to the Weft-Indies; *' therefore — ^^ therefore we muft deny our own people the benefit of trading, be- caufe they are advantageoufly (ituated for carrying it on. This is a weighty argu- ment; Bridol, for inftance, is better Ctuated for the Irifh trade than London; therefore kt us Londoners petition, that the port of Briftol may be locked up. It would be an endlefs, and a tedious piece of work, to wade through fuch grofs Am Essay om Trade. 73 and palpable abfurdicies. One thing is plain and obvious, that felf-intereft, the bane of all public good, is driven to hard fhifts, in order to cover fuch views as fhe dare not openly avow. If England itfelf was divid- ed into two kmgdoms, one comprehend- ing all the fouth, the other all the north fide of the Thames, and there were hoflile prohibitions againft import'ing certain forts of goods from London to Southw^rk, and vice verja, and high duties upon all the re(l: many individuals, on both fides, would find their own private intereil in upholding the divifion, and would cry out, upon any propofal being made for an union — ** Thefe foreigners will run away with our trade'' — ''They are better fituated than us'* — *' Our trade is in danger." But would this cry weigh with upright men on both fides, who had the welfare of the community tru- ly at heart? — ^If it would not, what fliall we think of the fame argument, when urg- ed againft Great Britain's incorporating with Ireland. !;■ m w IV. PROPOSAL. " After fuch an UBi<»i of the two king- rwv 74 An Essay on Trade. doms, as above propoQicI, to lay by degrees the Englifli taxes upon Ireland ; and to eafe the Englifh of the mod bnrdenfome of theirs in the fame gradual manner." — Sup- pofe, therefore, the firft year, that the Eng- lifli laws of excife, and the duties upon French wines and brandies, are extended to Ireland; then England might be eaied of the fait tax, the fame year, or the following one. If in the fecond year Ireland were charged with the ftamp and paper duties, England might be difcharged of the tax up- on foap and candles. If in the third, a tax was laid upon the window-lights in Ireland, the coSil duties might be taken off from England. If in the fourth, the tax was laid upon coaches, this would enable the parlia- ment to difcominue the duty upon leather. Laftly, If in the fifth year, Ireland was fubjefked to a land-tax, this would eafe the lands and houfes of England of at lead one third of their burden. V. PROPOSAL. " To fct up woollen and filk manufafturcs in the weft of England, and (buth-weft of Ireland, (fuppofing the former propofals to take place) in order to rival the French." An E-ssay on Trade. 75 The price ^ of labour is as cheap in thofe parts, as any where in France. And when a proper fubordination is introduced, the temptation of ele^ioneering removed, the mod grievous of our taxes aboliihed^ and a * The price of labour at the places under-meuttoned was given me, as follows: At LiHe, the wages of journeymen (locking nnd camblet weavers, about 14 fous per day, i. <. about i| pence £ng- lilh; a fous being a little more than an halfpenny. Abbeville and Amiens*, journeymen weavers, and cloth- workers, according to the nature of the work, and their dexterity, from »o to 50 (bus per day. Ditto : to women employed in the manufacture, not more than I a fous per day. Hcdgers and ditchers in the country^ about 10 fous per day. Nantes : journeymen fliip-carpenters, about 30 fous per d«y. CaAelnaudary : labourers mending the canal of Languc- doc, Sy the jobb, earn about ix fous per day. Mifmcs: journcymca weavers in the filk and flocking traJe, from 30 to 35 fous per day. Marfcilies: journeymen taylors, 3a fous per day. — Dilfo caii>wnteis, 30. — Ditto filk-wcavers, fiom 30 to 35 fous per day. Toulon: journeymen carpenters in the king's yards, 30 fous per day. Lions: journeymen workmen have fcveral prices, accord- ing to the filki, velvets, gold ftuffs, laces, ilc. from 50 to ICO Ibus per day. Laud carriage of goods from Marftillcs to Lions, and r'lct vcrfa, i^x^o Knglifli miles) uhich is often done either for fpeeJ, or fafcty, the Rhone being difficult to mount, and fine }>or)ds may take damage in going do^^n, per hun- dred, (108 lb. Englilh) from tf to 7 livres. A", il. A iivrt is 10 pence halfpenny Engliih. G H fm 1** '•» ■", m u 1" • 'O 4' j6 An Essay on Trade. trade fet open ; it is probable, that labour might be ftill much cheaper: by which means, the French might be cut out of a great deal of their Levant and Spanifh trade. Moreover, when the woollen manufa* £lures come to be effeftually eftabliflied in thofe parts, it will be next to impoflible to run the wool to France : for both the wool itfeif will bear a better price, fo as not to make it worth their while ; and each manu- fafturer will be a kind of centinel, to pre- vent its being exported unmanufa£^urcd. This therefore I humbly conceive, is a much better fcheme of prevention, than that of the reverend Mr. Smith, in his Me- moirs of Wool ^ J for it anfwers all the ends • The fchctne of prevention propofec! by the rcvcrcmj •nd iitgcnious author of the Memoirs of Wool, is to this cf- ft£l; •* That tlir ports be opciTrd for exportation, but tha* fuch a duty be laid upon the wool, as (hall greatly difoou- rage, or rather abfolutcly prevent the exportation of it ; un- Jefs the markets in England happen to be fo low, and thofe •broad fo high, that the difference in the price would coun* tcrvail the expence of carriage, freight, and the duty paid at exportation," This is his fcheme fairly ftated: upon which J Hiall only nr>ake this brief remark, That the quantity of wool run from England is extremely inconfiderable ; the dif- ficulty, danger and expence of fmuggiing, together with the hu(h-moncy, neceffary on fuch occafions, being already al- mod a fuffident bar : but if his fcheme took place, the ^^uantity exported of lon^ combing wool to mtkc nulff» An Essay on Trade. 77 propofed by him in that fcheme, and is fub- jeft to none of thofe inconveniencies which his is generally fuppofed to be attended with. This gentleman, — for his indefati- gable labours in collefling all that has been ever (aid upon the fubjeft, and prefeniing it to the reader in one view, — for his judi- cious remarks, and the pains he has taken in corre£^ing many popular errors, which had too generally prevailed, — moft juflly deferves the univerlal thanks and applaufe of his country. But among the feveral requifites necefla- ry to enable us to rival the French in the Levant and Spanilh trade, one, and which ought principally to be regarded, is,, to lay the trade open. Wherefore I now proceed to the it VI. PROPOSAL M ' m >.i - '■■■% if Viz. " To lay open and extend our nar- row and redrnincd companies; beginning with the Turky and Hudfon's bay compa- nies, whic!^ hurt the trade of Great Britain wrhicli the French chiefly want, would fometimef be much greater, and the price at home alwayi dearer than it it at prefciu. Ga. i 78 An Essay on Trade. more eflentially with refpc^ to France, than any other company can do.'^ Here, agam, that watchful dragon, felf intereft, will be apt to take the alarm ; and I do not expe^ any thing I can fay will have charm enough to lay him afleep.- — Many fpecious reafbns have been offered in favour of excliifive companies; which, though they convinced none but thofe that were interefted in them, yet they ferved to perplex a debate, by drawing off mens at- tention from the true merits of the caufe. I fliall endeavour therefore for the fake of (uch as have honeft intentions and a pu- blic fpirit, to give an impartial ftate of the cafe, with as much clearnefs and concife- nefs as I can. Firrt then, I will allow, that in certain cafes, and at certain jun£^iires, exclufive companies might have been a prudent in- ftitution, calculated for the public good; as, I ft. In order to introduce arts, fcicncos, and manufiftures among a barbarous and favage people: which was the cafe with the late Czar of Mufcovy. It was neceffu- ry for him> in his circumllances, to give fuch extenfive privileges to merchants and tradcfincn to come and (cttlc in his country, Awt Essay oh Trade. >9 as would over-balance the temptation of felf-intereft for refiding any where elfe, idly, In order to induce fkiiful artificers to come and inftruft an ignorant people; which undoubtedly they will not do, unlefe upon a valuable confideration. — This was the cafe with our Engliili princes abouc two hundred years ago, in granting fo many privileges and exemptions to the Fie- mifli, and other foreign manufacturers. gdly. In order to conquer the deep- rooted habitual lazinefs of a people, by bringing examples of induftry and the good efTcCts of it, before their eyes. This, a-r mong other reaibns, is much the cafe with the Spanlfli court at prefent, in being fo dc- (irous of in-troducing foreign manuCi^urcrS' into Spain. ■ 4thly, In order to have a large capftaf,. fufiicient to embark in any hazardous un- dertakings which may call for great (urns to he expended, before the project can be brouffht to bear, and the trade to anfwer. And whereas no private perlons by them-* fclves, or vohintary afrociations, can be fnp- pofcd equal to fuch an urJertakinc^; there- ft^re when individuals rcfu(c or decline*, ir k but reafonable that thoic wlio advciitur^; sw , I . "J m to An Essa'x on Trade. m m in a joint flock ihould be incorporated , and have a privilege excluding all others from interfering in this new branch of com- merce, ♦ tiH the adventurers are fufficiently paid for the rifks they ran, and the expen- ces they M^ere at. Now all thefe are very good and fiiffici- ent reafons, where they hold, for the efta- biifhing of exclufive companies. For it is better to have the trade of an exclufive company, than no trade at alf. And in procefs of time, according as the reafons for continuing them do ceafe, the trade ihould be laid open. 5thly, There is alfo another reafon in certain governments, whofe credit is not cfleemed good with the people, for the cre£\ing of fuch public bodies. And that is, for the fake of borrowing money at an exigence, when individuds will not iruft them. This T tilieve, was the cafe with our own govt rnment in former times; * If privitt perfonii will not aflociate volunUrily to em- bark in fume hazardous undertaking, the better way would be, tu allow a fuflRcient premiunn or bounty to encourage all •dvrnturers, rather than to grant excluttve privilef/s to a few. For both the one and the other are a charge on the public; but the monopoly is by much the worfc, the dcartrt, and the moii difficult to be broken through. An Essay on Trade. 8r But 6thly, There is dill a further mo- tive remaining, which, though a very bad and fcandalous one, yet h: is to be feared, hath had the greateft fliare in erefting nw). nopolies of all the reft. And that is, in plain, but very expreffive Englifh, jobbing. And moft of the charters for monopolies^ which were lb plentifully granted in the time of king Charles the Second, whofe pleafures made himfelf and his courtiers very needy of money, betray the original from which they were derived. — Particu- larly that famous one for the Hudfon's bay company, which is a grant without any bounds or limits of feas, mountains, rivers, degrees of latitude or longitude; and there- fore, if valid, might impower the company to challenge all the lands of America, which were not difpofcd of by prior grants, as well as the coafts on Hudfbn's bay. But enough, I hope, hath been fald, as to the reafons for the inftitution of cxclufive companies. My fecond attempt therefore, will be to fliew, that none of thefe rcalons do liold in our prelent circumftanccs. — For if any of them do, let me alk which? Is it the flrft, fecond, or third i* 1 believe the moll fan- f'f j^k im . ) 22 An Essay on Tradk. guine advocate for exclufive companies, will jiot infift upon either of thefe. Is it th^a the fourth? — This, I am aware^ will' be cbiefly infifted on. — Not that it can be pre^ tended at this day, that private adventurer^ are either unable, or unwilling to engage in any trade carried on by a company, were it laid open; but the pretence is, that a rccom- pence Ihould be made them, before they are diflblved, for the expences^ they have been at. And doubtlefs, if the original ad- venturers, or their reprefentativ^s, can make it appear, that they have not yet received a reafonable profit for the money advancea by them to make a capital (lock, the public will confider them fo far, as to make good the deficiency. They have a plea of righc and equity for this. — But they have no co« lour of right for any imaginary value, which they may put upon their flocks. Nor is the public concerned to regard it: nfiy, the very plea defeats itfelf: for if their jflocks have been really lold in the market greatly above par, this is a plain proof, that they have received a reafonable profit already, for the money advanced to make a capitaL — And therefor ought not to have any far- ther compenUiioik. An Essay on Trade. H To proceed: as to the fifth reafon for exr clufive companies, there caa be no pretence for it any longer in our times. For it is well known, the credit of our government is fo good, that individuals rather chufe to lend their money upon pubKc, than private (ecurities. — And that they do it evea on cheaper terms. Wherefore, laftly. If thefe nufances to a free trade, and the public good, ihall {till continue, it is too plain, that they will owe their prefer vation to the fame caufe that gave them birth, v/z. a jobb. — But that I may exprefs my utter diflike againfl them, in common with every other ditinterefled man, who wifhes well to the good of tha whole community, I fliall go on, Thirdly, to point out a few of the princi- pal evils, and deftruftive confequences at- tending them. In the I ft place, Thefe exclufive com- panies cannot trade, if they were inclined, upon fo eafy terms, as private adventurers would do, were the trade laid open. So many dire^ors, fupercargoes, ftorehoufe- keepers, fadlors, agents, clerks; — and all the pickings of their leveral dependants: — fo many fees, fweetnings,^/f. from the ma- *■%. ;.*; ' ' 'if m IS 'i-nM 84 An Essay on Trade. m nufafturer, or under merchant, that his goods may have the preference to others, — and the expences of carrying many forts of goods from diftant parts of the country, where they are manufaftured, up to the me^ tropolis, ther^ to be fhipped off, inflead of being exported from the next convenient port; — Expences of warehoufes, etc. make it impoflible for any corporate company to trade upon an equal footing with private adventurers: and confequently of extending their dealings fo far as if the trade was o» pen. For this reafon it has been always found, that if private adventurers ihall be permitted to engage in the fame trade, they will infallibly carry it away from the com- pany. "^ And upon the fame principle, if * "We have a convincing proof of the truth of both theft obfcrvations, i(\. In the cafe of the African company, and the Britlol and Liverpool traders: adly» Wc have another, and a woful one» in that of our £ngli(h company trading to Turky, and the French trading thither alio from Marfeilles. Our Engli(h company had formerly alt the trade for cloth to the Levant: which being obfervcd by the French, ever jealous of the Englifh commerce, they fee up manufa£hires of tlieir own in imitation of them. Theft manufactures flill bear the name from whence they were derived, viz. Londrins pre- miers, — Londrins feconds,— ^Londrins hrges. But they have fo fupplanted the trade of London, becauft it is in the hands of an cxduHve company, that the £ngli(h have little or nothing of a trade, comparatively fpeaking, in thoft parts. Whereas the French (hipped off to the Levant, the very day An Essay on TuADEi 9S there are two natians, rivals in the fame trade, that nation which permits a free and open trade, will always be fuperior to the the feu were free, afier the peace, July 13-14, 1748, fonr thoufand bales of the above-faid dotli : each bale, one with another, worth about iaoo livres. That is about x 10,000 1. fierling in all. If it (hould be faid, that the French have gotten this trade from us, not fo much on the account of the Wantages we labour under from an exdufive company, as idvantage- oufnefs of their (ituation< T have this furthe* icmark to of- fer; viz. That if the trade was open, we have many advanta* gcs which they have not, to counterbalance the inconveni- ence of our tituation. They are obliged to import moft of their wool from Turky, Spain, or Africa, into Marfeilles; aud to carry it chiefly by land-carriage from thence to Carca(V fone, about 130 miles. ^Then to carry the cloth back to Marfeilles; which cannot be done at a fmall expence. Th«y are aifb obliged to fetch tin, lead, and (hot from England, and fpices from Holland, for the Turky markets; in all which we have moll certainly the advantage over them. And therefore, if we had woollen manufactures erected in the wed of England, and the (buth-well of Ireland, (according to propofal V. where labour is as cheap as in any part of France, where we have wool on the fpot, and when manufactur- ed, might be immediately exported, without being carried up to London; where tin, lead, and fpices, may be had upon much eafier terms than they can at Marfeilles: I fay, with all thefe advantages, and an open trade, we could more than counterbalance any advantage t^at the French can draw front the (Ituation of Marseilles: and then we might import the raw materials of filk, camels hair, (kins, etc. much cheaper than at pref^nt, to the emolument of thoufands of families. But for a more particular detail of the nature of the Turky company, fee a little traO jud publifhed, entitled, Reflections on the Expediency of opening the Trade to Turky, printed for T. Trye, Holbornc. ^^ 1 i*l '■ ' I.] ' -'A 11 u- Pi IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 I4£|28 12.5 u ta |22 m |U 11.6 0% ">> ■.- 7 /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIUTIR, N.Y. I4SM (716) •7a-4$03 96 kv Essay oit Trade* other, which confines it to a company: — other circumftances fuppofed to be equal, or nearly fo, , adly, As they cannot trade fo cheap as private adventurers, even were they inclin- ed, they muft therefore neceflarily omit nHi« ny lefler branches, as not anfwering their expence, which in the hands of individuals Would turn to good account, atid perhaps give bread to thou(ands of families. Tbe(e articles are called lefler, not becaule they are lefs extenfive, for perhaps in that refpeft they may be the greateft, but becaufe they are lefs gainful; which therefore a compa- ny muft leave untouched, unlefs they will trade to their own lofs. But, gdly. It muft be obfcrved, that tlie views of every exclufive company arc quite of a different nature from what was fup- pofed above. For they do not, and never did, defire to trade as cheap as others, but as much dearer as they can. The charter itfelf fecnres them from any competitors; and therefore they have no need to feek to get the trade to thcmfcives by felling cheap. But on the contrary, where-ever tliey have the market to ihcmfelves, they will both fell and buy at tlicir own price. This is the gr^aceft and mo(l intql^rable pf all the evib ormonopoUe;s* }:t is a fVQ- ilitufion of the trade and wel&re qf the pn« blic, to the mcrcilefs ravages of greedy indi- viduals. We may the better judge of the fnifchievQUS eflfeds of all monopolies, by at- tentively obferving the inde^tigable pain^, and^great expence, which every felfinter- efted perfonchearfullyfubmits to, in ordt^r to acquire it, even in a free trade. For if he has a large capita), iie will fink (bme part jtQ vtnderfell another adventiirer, whp ha3 lefsi in order to break hifn i.s^d ch^o* vben hebas done that;, h^ will raife the price of his commodities again, fo as to make himfelf foon whole (or the lodes be had incurred- Now if a private iQerdiAUt can find his account in loGngifb. much mo- ney, in order to get atia mooppply iri« free trade, wfaiat exorbitant gains muftan exclu* five company make, who are fenced in by law, and have none to rival them? Nty.the evil becomes without remedy in this latter cafe. — For whereas in the for- mer, either the engrofi^r himfelf, or his fa- mily, will retire from bufinefs, after they' have amafled great riches; by which means the trade will again be opepe4. — In the H » ■ 1 '1 ♦ • f< it A^ EssAT ON Trade. latter cafe, vh. that of a company, '' One *' fucceeds another iijDon the fame plan of preyit^g Upon the public, without inter- miflioii:** So that neither the death, nor exorbitant wealth of one fet of proprietors, give us any profpeft of being delivered from the power and opprefllon of the next. But the affair of a public company (viz, the Hudfon's bay) was, * laft feffions, brought upon the carpet before the Britifli parliament, — Let us fee therefore, what they had to fay for themfelves, when called upon by their fuperiors, — and when, doubt- lels, they faid all they" could, — and gave c- very thing the beft colouring. It appears, therefore, from the papers, which the honourable committee, appointed to examine into the (late of their affairs, were pleafed to make public, for the gene- ral information of the kingdom, that the fol- lowing particulars were proved to the facis- faftion of the committee^ — and even were not contradided by the agents for the com- pany. ift. That the company always have dif- couragcd the fettling a colony in any part of their vad and boundlefs empire. * Vii, In the year 1748. - \ An psftAY ON Trade. . 99. 2dly,;That th^y difcouraged the tompa-; r^y's fervaiits from converfing with the In- dians, — whereas the French promoted an intercourfe with each other as much as poffible. gdly, That the climate is much warmer, and the foil better, higher up the country, than towards the fealide. — Yet no fettle- ments attempted. j^ 4thly, That the French have extended their fettlements more and more: and where- ever tl>ey have come near the Engli/h, they have carried mofl of the trade from the Engllfli,— «— not vice ver/a, . 5thly, That the forts * pretended to be m 4 m ♦ A great ftreft is laid by the advocates fot exclufive fonopaniei, on the nece/fity of ercAing forts in certain di- Aat)t countiiei, for fecuring the trade to ourfelvesj— thrre> fore they infer companies ought to be cAablifhcd in order to fupport this expcnce. A Hrange argument this! and « Aranger inference! for if forts are neceflary to be erected; againd whom are they neceflary? not againft the people of the country who are to trade with us. That is too abfurd. — We are to coltivatc their friendfhip, and ought to ingra- tiate onrfclves by all due a£ls of kindnefs, into their favour. But if rhefe forts are nere(Tary to be ereAed, in order to Keep the whole trade to ourfelves, and prevent other Eu- ropean nations from interfering with us ; how came it then to pafs, that wt were fbme years ago fo alarmed at the O- Aend company, who had no forts, and no defign of attack- ing ours? Yet it Is very phin. they could carry on a trad«, and even underfell the £ngli(h EaA-India company, not- H2 I i fvl ereAfed and garrifotted> drfe of no^ftrcngth, were they attacked by an European enemy ; and only ihvvc to fubjeA the Indiana to the coinnfrand of the company. 'vhhdiinilin^ dieir fyttii Ami thd faqjb^ Uktt are Hg^in re. vivcd wi(h regard to the JEmbden compiMiy eftablilhed' by the king of Ptuflia.-^If the trade was now to be laid open» lUbjeck onlj^ to the Hngle reftri^on. that the private tntderft ih >uld not come into the fame ports or harbourr, where the cotnpjnics have forts:-— what would be the coniequence ? plainly this; That the companies would be rainetl: and'thc private adventurers, chough dcditutc of ibrt4» would get all the irade frcm (hero.-^ — If it is faid* that Uiele forts arc ncceHary to guard and defend their magazines againfl thievet tfld robbers; how t^a comes it to pafs, that the Eafl-lndia company themfclves have none on the coafl of China, whert the people are [aid to be as thievifh and dilhonfft as in any place in the world .^^^-^—Aiid how did the Biiflol aiid Liver< pool traders maintain their ground along the toad of Guinea, without forts, where the natives ant much more warlike tbaa in any part of India. BeAdes, the alfatr of Madrals has fufHclently opened our eyes, as to the ofe cxnd importance of ihefe pretended forts. — and the national advantage arising from. them. And as to the forte io HuJiun*s Bay, Father Charlevoix oblervet in his hidory of Canada, that when a f reneh vedel with about fifty hands, appeared before the be ft -of thefe fcrts, the brave Englilh governor fUrreodrcd without' iiring a gun! Thus it is, that forts. In the hands of exdu- five compames, have defended the honour, andpreierved the cuminerce of Great Britain! But even uUuwingk that they are neceffary aad advantag?- cus to the general trade of the nation; what need then of a company? \^ it not a national concern.' If Co^ why (hould l!)ey not be e*eAed and fupported at a national expcace.* Take the argument therefore citbci way, what rcaibn is these fur an exclusive company I An EslAY OH T&adeI ft ' 6th\y^ That B[»any other Wanches^ >e« fides the ftaple trade of the company^ might be attempted, were the trade open, with the greateft pirohahility of fqecefs.-^^— r^par^ ticularly the feveral branchea of the fiflier* ies: whereas the company, who know when they are well, as one of their witncfles ex" prefled himfelf, or in words to that tffeik, give themfelves no concern about the mat- ter. ' 7th]y, That the Indians do a&ually takc^ a great many more beaver, than they carry to the factories— —Not finding it worth- their while to bring more to trade with. , 8thly, That the Indians cannot carry large quantities, not any thing fo large" as they take in hunting, were they dedrous,^ — • becaufe their canoes, deeply loaden, are not able to withftand the waves and ilorma they may meet with upon the lakesji— be- caufe they arc forced to unload very often, and carry the Ikins upon their backs, on account of the falls and currents; which create much fatigue and labour, and lofs of time: — becaufe alfo they are obliged to hunt as the} travel, for their daily fuftenance; which article alone caufes a delay of a fort- E''' 'U \ »! 92 An Essay ok Trade. nig^t, and longer, in going the fpace which might be gone in three days. But| 9thly, all thefe inconveniences might be eafily remedied, — by ereAing a Fort about iixty leagues above York fort mpon Nelibn river> upon a fork, where the river divides,--^by making a (etdemcnt a- bout eighty or ninety leagues above that, upon the lake.ofPachegoia,*— and by intro- ducing our European conveniences of ma- gazines and carriages. By thefe means all the beaver would be bought, which the In- dians now make ufe of otherways, as not anfweringto bring it to the forts, — the time might be faved, — and the French driven to rellnquiih aU that trade. In fhort, both our exports, and our imports \vould be prodi- gioufly increafed; and many tribes of Indi* ans would, in that targe trad of country, be brought to trade with the Englifh, who bave yet fearcely heard of the Engliih name. So many important particulars aliedged^ ^^provcd, — and even not contradi£led, one would think, wouk) have been fufficient to l^ave carried any national caufe^ againfi the private intereft of a few individuals* ^ut — let U3 in the next place fee, what An Essilt on Trade, ^i they and their friends had to oflir in juftifi- catioa of their tondu^^, — pretending, that they carried oil a trade equally beneficial to the nation, as if the trade was open. ^^ The I ft thing alledgcd, was, that they buy all the beaver which is broiJght them;— and if more was offered, inore they would boy. w. . This may be very true; and yet no way* inconfiftent with the chart^e fummed up inr the above-recited particulars, againft them.— The Indians as favage as they are, have the natural logick of feeling when they are well: or ill ufed, as well as other people: and if they find better treatment in one place than another, will go to the beft, and have as lit- tle dealings wi tbey would buy all; because dW^ 94 A)f Essay oh Trad^* it would not be worth the Indians while to carry them back; and becaufe they greatly wanted European goods* But thefe Indians would feek anochet* market againft the n^^xt time« if they could; and would bring no more goods to the company^ than abfolute nece(^ fity obliged them. But, sdiy, it was alledged, that if more goods were given to the Indians in exchange^ they would not bring more beavers; becaufe they are an idle, lazy race of people; and, having no artificial wants to gratify, have no ambition to fpur them on to take more pains,— it is true, they have not fuch artifi- cial wants as we have; they do not want fum* ptuous houfes and gardens, rich furniture, orcoaches and chairs — but they want beads« bells, Kttle looking-glafles, rings, and fuch trinkets ; (beHdes many articles of theif cloathing, beddhig, hunting, fifhing, and fowling) and are as impatient to be gratiB* ed in thefe refpe£^6, as we can be in ours. In thefe things, therefore, they a re as co. yetous and ambitious as the reft of mankind, --•-take as much pains to acquire them,--- and repine and murmur at the faAories, when they have not as much for their com- modities as they think they defer ve. B^ As Es&AY ON" Tf IUAD^E.V 9S fii&r it fliould be remembered', diat fauir^ ing is rather a divenfion mxh them, than a' toil; and that, in fa£l, they do take a great dcai more than they bring down ta the forts, — What they con^dec as/ a tdil, 18 not the hunting part, but the being! obliged to be the porters of u^bat th^ ha?e taken inlhl3n^ iog, down ro the fii^ories; andiy«tbe|)aidii fo little fioT their trouble. Biit, jd'ly. As 00 tihecharge aga&^them^^ of exporthag, fb licde of oiii;!owd mahufacw tures^; it was faid by iheiif advocates, that if five thoufand pounds worth of goocts; bought ali the furrs the Indiah^. had to &U^ that ^ fum was as* good as teh llioufand *' There was an egregious falbcjF* ufed fn thit argumenf. -^!f ttit IMRW or exchange witK the IndhiDf bad beeii kif bullion, iht ai^aient would have hclit^ gPod» i^ ^ oiiMlk money would have been (aved to the naticm. But as it wm all in our own manufaAures, f. e. the labour of our oWv people,, riie dlmiaifliiBg of Ach ex|>orrs, k mfitCt riiedimi* nifliing of onr own oianufaOures, and defrauding the nation of fo much labour, whereby the hands employed in thofe roanu- fa£hires mu(l become a rent charge upon the pubitck, — of fteal; — or f^arve, or fly their country. The only Umitction which ought to be put upon the quantity of our own manu* faAures, to be exported, is what the nature of the thing wilt of Itfelf put upon them ; viz. To export no more than is con* fiflent with the rea(bnable gains and profit of the exportrr. If he can afford to export ten thoufand pounds Weinh of Englifh manufaOures, where an exclafive company would e:*:-' port but five thoitrand; K is fbYtht general good of the cottn- try» that he (honld do it. And all trade ought to be Iftid t^t4 m il"^' ii m I: llw 96 An Ess^Ay on Trade. pounds : nay, it was better ; becaiife there- by five thoufahd pounds were faved to the nation. This is a reafbn, which is fpecious enough at firft vittw^ but will not bear the examin- ing. Firft .therefore, we deny thefa£b; and infift upon.it; that the Indians had more furrs to fell, if the company would have given a fufEcient pri^e to the Indians, to have made tt worth their while to have brought them down ; or rather, if the coiii- pany had built fettlements and magazines higher up, fo as to have fuperfeded the ne- ceflity of the Indians coming down. ' But 2d, We will allow the faft,.and ar^ gue with them upon their own ftate of the cafe. Now if five thoufand pounds wprtK of manufactures, in this refj'^eft, is as good, nay better than ten thoufand pounds worth; for the fame reafoo/ one thoufand pounds and open, in order to induce the ex]$orters to rival each p- ther ; that the publick may obtain this general good by their competitorlhip. But if ihey cannot afibrd to export lb much, there is no need to re(lrain them by laws and penalties, from doing that which their owit private intered will fugged to them (bon enough. And it is really aflonifliing, that fach a fallacy, ib grufs in itfelf.. fo dedruflive in its conAqucnce'l, could have efcaped the notice of a BritiOi fenate, and could bave pafied not only without ccnfurCf bat with fomc. degree pf a^pUoTc. ', An Essay on TkAD*. 97 ^Vorth is better ftill, becaufe more wov^M be favjed tathc nation. Suppofe therefore, thsw: theiCoropatiy, and every other expcirter in tbekingdom, (for every other hais the fame right of arguing in this manner) fuppofe, I fay, that all exporters could leflen the ex- portationsof purown manufa£lures by nine tenths, and yet could get as much money, or efTefts in return, as they had before; what would be the confequencc? why, only this, that thefe exporters would become princes; and the reft of the kingdom beggars. They would be like a Spanifh Don in Mexi- co, or Peru, who has a prodigious rich mine, which required but few hands to work it. And therefore he indeed would be a great lord; but all his wealth would not enrich the neighbourhood,. Co much as a (ingle ma- nufafturc here in Ei^gland, . which being branched out into yftriO]i?s^hands, gives a com- fortable fubfiftence to many families, caufing a general circulation of labour. •H It is not therefore gold afid filvef, jcoiifi- dered merely in themfelves, tha^ can make a kirigdom flo^Kifh, but the parceling theiji out into proper fhares, by means of the di- vifxons and fubdivifions of different trade?. Without. this the more richeyn a few hands. m 1^9 Ak E^say our Trade. ^— Ac greater would be the poverty of the red, and the more alje£i: and dependent their ftate would be. And if ail merchants were no bdttcr common-wealths men than thefe, the interior of a kihgdom woidd be very little profited by foreign merchandize, ——nay, in fome refpefts would be much 'the worfe. '' In Ihott, fuch an argiirticnt as this, viz,t6 decreafe our exports, and increafe their price abraad, beyond what is neceflary for the comfortable fubfiftence of the merchant and mannfa^lurer, is only worthy of fuch a caufe^ Were it put in pra^^ice, it would get all the wealth of the nation into a few 'hands, — it would turn nine tenths of our manufa^urers a begging> — ^and reduce them to the neceflity of becoming lacqueys and footmen to futh exporters, -^or ftarving, -*— or flying the courttry. — It would fink the value of our lands, and bring (wift de- flru£lion on the manufa^urer, farmer, gentleman, and all (lations,- — except the ex- 'porter!. "He mdeed would be great, — and 'he atone. One may therefore the better judge of the goodncfs of fuch a cau(e, which required fuch kind of arguments to fuppori 'it. And fo much for exclufive companieit An Essay on Trade. 99 VII. PROPOSAL. t.'«-^ To encourage foreign merchants and tradefmen to fettle among us, by a general naturalization a£l for all protefbnts. And if it be judged improper to admit them into offices of truft or power, it is eafy to add a . claufe, that thefe privileges (hall dill be con- fined to the natural-born fubje£ls. Here again the baleful (pirit of felf-inter- eft exerts all its powers to oppofe fo public and general a benefit, *' What! muft " foreigners, and we know not who, come " and lake the bread out of our mouths? an honeft Cambro-Briton would have called all Englifli-men foreigners, and he knows not who. But waving that, — let me calmly afk, what bread do they eat ? — and out of whofe mouths? It muft be Englifli bread: the corn grew here, — was manufac- tured, was fold here. And the foreigners, who eat it, earn it by their labour, and pay for it. So far then, we hope, there is no offence. The more inhabitants there are to conlume the produce of our lands, the bet- ter can the farmer and the gentleman pay their (hopkeepers and tradefmen, and the '.» ■ih 160 An Essay on Trade. more manufaftures will they confume in c- very refpeft. L^t us fee therefore, in the next place, out of whofe mouths do they take this bread? If they introduce ne^ ma- nufaftures, or Carry ihofe already eftablifh- ed to greater perfe^ion, in that cafe the pu- blic is greatly benefited, and no individu- al can be injured. If they employ them- felves only in fuchasare already fettled and perfected, they will not defraud the mouths of fober, frugal, and induilHous perfons, ^ho may work as cheap, and can work as well as foreigners. And therefore fhould be obliged to do both. It can be, there* fore, none but the abandoned, debauched, and diflblute, who would chiiTe to<^be idle three or four days in a week, and want to have their wages fo high as tofuppdrt this extravagance, that can make fuch a com- plaint? and fhall they be heard? (hall we continue the exclufion of all fober and in- duftrious foreigners, fo much to the natioil- al difadvantage, merely to gratify the extra- vagant and unreafonable humours of fuch wretches as thefe ? furely, it is to be hoped, we (hall purfue more prudent meadires, both for our fakes, and their own. But we are told farther^ *' that Engli/h A^. Essay ON Tjt^AD^ i^ot tradcCnen, of every denpraination, are ufed to live better than foreigner $; and therefore cannot afford to work or to fell fo che^p as thcy.'^r^ .be it fo: carry then this argu- ment lo a foreign mar^et^ and fee whether it will perfpade the inhabitants, of that coun- try to, trade with you* A French, and an Engliljh merchant, are competitors with, and rivals to each other in the *iiarkets of Sj)ain^ Portugal, Italy, Turky, and in fliort all over the, world. The French-man offers his goods at jo, 15, lo, or ^ per cent, cheaper than theEnglifli. Our country- man is demanded, why he will not fell his goods as cheap as others? His anfwer is, " that, ^he mianufafturers and merchants "live better in England than foreigners do, " and therefore he cannot afford it." This is a moft pcrfuafive argument. — Undoubted- ly he will fell much cloth by alledging it. He is afked again, why they will not in his country admit foreigners, vyho work cheaper, to fettle among them, that fo they may be able to trade upon an equal footing with their neighbours? to this he replies, '* that foreigners, and he knows not who, ^' ought not to come and take the bread '* out of the mouths of the natives." — Such I2 102 An Essay on TRAiftr. kind of reafoning muft give thtni% high idea of the fetife and difccrnment of our countryman. Let us therefore apply the cafe to ourfelves, and not argue in that ab- furd and ridiculous manner at home^ which he is reprefented as doing abroad. The admiflion then of foreigners to fet- tle in our country, is (b far frotti taking the bread out of the mouths of the natives, that it is putting bread into the mouths of thofe, who, otherwife, in a fliort time muft bive none. For the Englifh muft trade, at leaft, upon an equal footing with o^her nations, or not trade at all. — And then, when the hot trading at all is the confequence, we ihall indeed have no foreigners to complain of, but we Ihall have a much forer evil: — and then, perhaps when it is toe late, the moft felf-interefted among us will be (brry, that we had not admitted the frugal and in- duftrious from all parts of the world, to fhare the gains of trade with them, rather than to have none at all. But let us try all this reafoning by plaip matters of fa^. The town of Birmingham, for example, admits all perfbns to c,ome and fettle among them ; whom, though they are Engliihmen, the original natives of the place u t€ •An Essay on Trade. lej may as jnftly term foreigners with rcgarrf to ihem> as we flile other nations by that name. " Foreigners, therefore, and I •* know not who, came from all partSr and; fettled at Birmingham; and took the bread out of the months of the original " natives.'^ What then was the confequence of this great wickednefs?— why, whhin'thefi few years, the trade and buildmgs of the town have been prodigiouily encreafed, and) all theeftates for a great many miles roundv have felt the benefit of this great acceflioa of trade and inliabitants. B^rminghant, from being a place of little confequence, is now become one of the mod flourilhing and confiderable i«i the kingdom^ And there is no town, with its «x€lu.'I;e charters, that can boafl of fo many ikilful artUts, as thia> which adrnks of aJl comers.. Moreover, there are fewer Beggars m this town, Manchefter and Leeds,, where aB are free, than in any which has companies: of trades, and excIiA^ve charters.. Sa true and certain it is, that thefe cights^ and* prif vileges, as they are called, do multiply t»he numbers of the poor, inilead of diminifliing them; becaufe they damp the fpifit e£ inr duAcy^ frugality, and emulation. A mao» y •i I04 An Essay on TrapIi. fa^%rer^ who knows, that no foreigner, dares come in to be a competitor againft him, thinks himfelf privileged to be idle* And all luch privileges are juft fo many combinati- ons to fink the value of lands, and prevent the extenfion of commerce. The other inftance 1 fliall mention, is the. cafe t)f the French Hugonots, who fled from the perfecution of Lewis XIV, and took refuge in England. But great was the out- Cry againft them, at their firfl: coming. " Poor England would be ruined! foreigners ^'encouraged! and our own people ftarv- ** ing!'\this was the popular cry of thofti times^, -But the looms in SpittlefieWs, and the fhops on Ludgate hill, have at lad fufficiently taught us another leflbn. And now, it is hoped, we may fay without of- fence, thefe Hugonots have been fo far from being of di(?ervice to the nation, that they have partly got, and partly feved, in t;h4 fpace of fifty years a balance in our favour of, at lead, fifty millions (lerling. In fliort, felfintcreft apart, what good reafon can be afTigned, why we fhould not admit foreigners among us? — our country is but thinly inhabited, in comparifon lo wliat it might be: and many hundred thou* An EisAY ON Trade, 105 fands of acres t)f good larwJ, iii Eaglarttl and Wales, not to mention Scotland and Ireland^ lie either entirely wafte, or are not fuffi- ciently cuhivated, for want of hands, and pertbhs to confume the prodn£l. Our vaft commons, .all over the kingdom, and many of the foreAs and chaces, might be parcel* led out in lots, to fuch of the foreigners as chufe.a c^mntry life; and the reft might find employment, in fome fliape or other, in the different manufii£lures. The natives of England likewife do not increafe fo faft, as thofe of other countries; our common people being much more abandoned and de- bauched* The^ marriage (late alfo i^ not f\if ficiently encouraged ampng us: and tea thou (and common whores are not fo fruit- ful (fetting adde the fin of the pai-ents, the difeafes of the few children that are born, and their want of a proper and virtuous e- ducation) I fay, 10,000 common whores are not fo fruitful as fifty healthful young married women, that are honed and virtu- ous : by which means, the ftate is defrauded of the increafe of upwards of i 99 fubjefts out of 200, every year.— Add to all this, that it has been long obferved by men of thought and fpeculation, that more young m io6 An EssAT OK T&adx. children die in England from the birth to two years old^ than in any other country. The Tea likewife, and our extenfive planta- tions, are a cootmual drain upocr us. And the manu&fturing poor at home are killing themfelves, and^ i^f I n>ay be allowed tlie cxpreiTron, their poAerity Irkewife, as faft as they can, by thofefureinftruments of de^ith,. gin and fpirituous liquors. For all thefe rea- fons therefore^ as weH as on account of lowering the price of kb#ur, and preven^ ing the combinations of jo^imeymen, fe loudly complained of, and feverely feh throughout the kingdom, k is humbly hop- ed, that thofe perfens, who* hsive hitheno oppofed the naturalisation bilt, will fee cauft to change their fentimems; and will look upon it as highly ufefuland expedient/and produ6Hve of the greateft national advan. tages. There aie many thoufands of manu. fa^^urers, both in> fitk and woollen, in the fouth of France, all zealous protcftants, who iF^^ould gladly come over, if rhey could learn that they fiiouM meer with a kind receptr en. . As to the difficulty of making their efcape out of the French king's dominions, ihey would find ways and means to deceive cvcA the vig^ilance of their governors,, by ro-^ van. anu. the ivho ;arA ptr leir ms, ive An En^sAT ON Trade. 107 tiring, as it Were one l>y one, and reniQving under various pretences, towards the oift^ nu&fturing towns in Eicardy and French* Fhnders, (from whence they could fo eafi- ly pafs over to us) were they fure of find- ing prote£lion and reafenable encourage-^ nsent. And as England and France are rivals to each other, and competitors in almoftall branches of commerce, every fingle manu- facturer fo coming over, woxild be our gain, and a double lofs to France. Upoii a review of this propofal, as it flood in the (econd edition^ the author can- not (ee any caufe for that fury and refent- ment, (b liberally beilowed upon him, for offering his thoughts, he hopes in no im* proper manner, to public confideration.-^ If his arguments were inconcludve, why were they not anfwered? — if abfurd, they ought to have been defpifed: but fincethey were thought worthy of fo much notice, why doth not Come perfbn undertake to con- fute a late treatife, viz. Reflexions on the expediency of naturalizing foreign proteft- ants, wrote exprefsly to vindicate this pro- pofal? fuch a method would have been fair and ingenuous, deferving the regard of the public, and the thanks of the wrker of this lo8 Am ESLSA.Y 019, TKAnt, treaiife) who would Baire thought it na dif grftce to have acknowiegedr'hi» error io the nioft open manner.— *-But it ever was the hard &te oFthofe who have laboured to pro- mote the true intereft of their cauntry>and to efiaUifh a, genieraJl lySem for the propat Ration of sai^o^al wittue and, good morajs, to he vilified and infulted^ white livingi and nevtt to have real juftice done to their chara£ter8# till they are de^d. A«i|naii.m;^y write pieces of ementaiooK^t^, ^d) h^ ap- pla/uded:*-^or he ni^y dip hispei> it^tgaH for the ufe of a party, and be adored: but he muft not bend his ft^diesfor* the: general goody with a dependence, o^ ai^y oti^er re- ward). than th$d raiie difficulties, it may be pro- A K E S S A Y O K T R A D E. 1 9 per to expatiate upon thefe reafbns a little. ift, Therefore, it is neceflary that we fliould encourage a trade to pur own planr tations for ail (oris df naval fiores, in order that we may not be too dependent upon the will and pleafure of foreign courts, with regard to thefe necefl&ry things. M^ny, if not mod of the. knplemen^s for navigation, and confequently for ^;(ea war, are^purchaf- ed from the (everal nations bprderjiig upon the Baltic. Suppofe then that Sweden, RufliAijOr Dehfu^rik, fliiould, for certain rea- Qms of (fate, )or by the intrigues ,pfj4jbf (French, by an embargo on thefe commq- dities, at a crifis when we greatly wanted them;— *or ihould refufe them to us, and (ell them to our enemies f. to what a difiref fed fit uatjon; would this reduce us? and who can tell what might be the confequences of itFrand as the politics of princes are ever fluctuating and changing, why fliould we put it in the power of any potentate to have fucha command over us? , adiy. As the b^ilance in regard to all rhefe countries is confiderably againft us> common prudence will fugged, that we ought to turn it in our favour, if we can. Now this we flxall be able to do (or at the i'l M.ti 1x6 An Essay OH Trade. worft, bring it to an equilibrium, which i^ itfelf is no d^radi^antageous kind of com- Itterce) if We can ptirchale the fame com- modities in our own plantations, which we iifed to import from thefe countries. Be* (ideS) the balance is not only againft us with tegard to Sweden/but alfo the very money which is drawn from us by means of thisJof- ing trade, \s converted to (upport a French intereft in oppoHtion to ours. But gdly. Were the cafe indifferent, where we traded, (which it is not) the natural af- feftion, which the motheif country ihould have for her colonies, where wc have (b many friends, relations, and acquaintance, Ihould determine us to give them the prefer- ence.- — But indeed our own intered is near- ly and eflentially concerned in this affair: for, 4thly, Unlefe we promote a trade with them, and take off the growth and commo- dities of their plantations, they will be re. duced to the neceflity of offering them to fale at other markets, or permitting other na- tions to come and trade with them: the confequence of which will be, that they will take the produdl: and manufaAiures of thefe nations in return. And indeed this is too Am Emat/oh ^tiAr>'t. ill. miKth the <:aie at prefent : for one third» at leaft, of theiuxuriesand elegancies of life, brought into our colonies (as was obferved^ before) is the ^owth and manufii6^ure of other countries, and principally of France. And as our trade, particulady to (bme of th.e northern colonies, is growing lefs and Ie(s, this evil mud daily increafein the fame proportion. Moreovei^A j^y, Unlefs we can fupply our colonies with fuch commodities and manufafture^ as they watrt, by way of barter for (bme of theirs which they can fparc,— ^hey will be obliged to raifethofe things themfelves« And feeing that many of the new fettle^ ments on the continent of America, are (e- veral hundred miles up the country, be- tween, and be3rond the mountains; this dt- fiance of fituatioh will increafe the neceflity they are already under of manufaifturing for thcmfelves, — unlefs we can divert their thoughts to fome other projefts. Nay more, when once a manufaftur6 is fet up in thoft diftant regions, it will extend itfelf down- wards; and the inhabitants on the fea-coafl: will be fupplied by their neighbours in the * See the -Xlth dHadvanttge 'of Great ^Hutn. Fa^e 41* m 112 An Essay on Trade. uplands^ upon cheaper and eafier terms than we can fupply them.-;— It is a juft complaint, that many of the provinces have fet up fev^ral fpecies of manufa£^ures, which greatly interfere with the trade and profperity of their mother country. Yet how fhall we prevent them ? There is but one way to do it, that is either juft, or prad^icable: and that is, by an exchange of commodities to mutual bjenefit.-^A mutual benefit is a mutual dependence. And this principle alone will contribute more to the preferving of the dependency of our colo- nies upon their mother country, than any other refinement or invention. For if we are afraid, that one day or other they will revolt, and fet up for themfelves, as fome feem to apprehend ; let us not drive them to a neceflity to feel themfelves independ- ent of us: — as they will do, the moment they perceive, that they can be fupplied with all things from within themfelves, and do not need our affiftance. If wc would keep them ftill dependent upon their mo- ther country, and in fbme refpefts fubfer- vient to her views, and welfare; — let us make it their intereft always fo to be. For thefe reafons therefore, it is humbly ' r An Essay on Trade* 113 terms a juft s have ftures, le and Yet lere is uft, or nge of nutual id this to the cole- n any if we jy will 5 (bme : them epend- oment pplied s, and would ir mo- ubfer- let us • iimbly apprehended, that the trade to our colonies and plantations, muft appear to be of the utmoft confequence to the power, ftrength, and profperity of Great Britain. But to efre£^uate this good end, an important que- ftion comes next to be decided; viz, * What ' produce fhould our colonies be moft encou- * raged to raife and cultivate?— And what ^ fort of manufactures flaall they be allowed ' to barter in return for ours?'-^It is eafy to fee, that they cannot make large pay- ments in gold and filver; and it is alfo e- qually plain and certain, that we will not, cannot, indeed allow them to introduce fuch things among us, as will prevent the confumption of our own commodities, to fuch a degree, as to be upon the whole, of national difadvantajre. Wherefore, with great fubmiflion, I will beg leave to offer fome few plain obferva- tions, which perhaps might not be altoge- ther unferviceable as to the regulation of fuch a trade. Firft then. It feems chiefly requifite, that due encouragement fliould be given to our colonies, to apply their thoughts to* wards the raifing of fuch commodities, as do Ka I m ■■■ ! ■ -¥ 3 m i 114 An Essay on Tra^k; not interfere with tbofe of the mother coun- try. Secondly, They fhould alfb not only be ;iHowed, but be particularly encouraged to import all fuch ravir materials as are to be manufiiftured here in England j even though we raife the (ame (brt ourfelves: becaufe the more we have of thcfe, the bet- ter; fince the cheaper they are purchufedi the more of them can be worked up^ and the more tliere are worked up» the greater number of hands are employed; and confe- tj^uently, the more labour, or employment IS procured to the nation. Moreover, this argument becomes fo much the flronger, if the raw materials we have of our own> are oy no means futScient for the demand of the manufafture, cither as to quantity, or goodnefs; which is the cafe with the bar- iron here made in England; (b that we are obliged to have recourfe to foreign coun- tries for a fupply;— as in the cafe of bar- iron we do to Sweden, to the amount of near 200,000 1. fterling a year. Thirdly, We ought to permit our colo- nies to fupply us upon cafy terms with all fuch articles of luxury as we are wedded to, and will have either from them, or others. An EfisAT OTM Trade. irg — Confequefttly, in reafon and good polky, they ought to feave the preference, by be- ing indulged to import thefe articled under the adfantage of an ea(y and reafonable dti- ty; trhilft the commodities of foreign nati- ons are charged with higher iittpofls and cu- floms. In fuch a cafe^ the mutual exchange of commodities between us and the colonies would become a mutual advantage: but that is not all; for as the duties would be moderate, the temptations to fmuggling would be fmall; the confumption of the commodities of our own colonics greater, and that of other nations lefs: by which means, the revenue iifelf would rife much higher than it doth, when there are large and heavy duties: for thefe will ever be at- tended with one or other of the following cffefts, eithet the preventing the importa- tion of the commodity,, or its en-terance at the cuftom-houfe. Fourthly, In the regulation of a trade with our colonies, fome regard fliould be had to thofc diftant parts of the co^untry, which lie remotcft from the fca; that evert the fartheft inhabitants may Kkewife finJ employment \n the raifing of fuch commih didcs as are fitted for their fituaiio£i> and ■i ii: fi' m ii6 An Essay on Trade. are light of carriage. And if their thoughts are properly taken up in the caltivation of thefe things, they will have neither time, fior inclination to purfue other proje^ls, which might prove detrimental to the mo- ther country. From thefe principles therefore it feems clearly to follow, That the culture of cof- fee, cocoa nut, cochineal, indico, and pi- mento, ought efpecially to be encouraged in the mountainous, inland part of Jamaica* —And that of bar-iron, hemp, flax, indico, and raw filk, in the countries between, and beyond the mountains, on the back of Ca- foluia, Virginia, Pcnfylvania, etc. Some of thefe indeed are heavy goods; and therefore feem not fo proper to be rail- , ed in a country fo far diflant from any fca- port: but on the other hand, when it is conCdered how particularly rich the foil in thofe parts is, and how well adapted the country for the ralGng fuch articles> and how conveniently the inhabitants could load the cattle they bring down every mar- ket-day, with thefp commodities; the difli' , culty, I hope, in great part vanilhes, and the propriety of alFigning thefe traAs of flights :ion of time, oje£ls, le mo- feems of cof- nd pi- iragcd maica. ndico, n, and of Ca- ;oods; >e raif \y fca- . it is foil in i^d the > and could y mar- B difE- i, and as of An Essat on Trade. iiy land for the culture of them, evidently ap- pears. Enough therefore has been faid, to c- vince beyond all contradiction, that . it is the interefr of the kingdom, that fuch a trade as here defcribed, fhould be carried on: but whether it is the iritereft of the merchant to embark in it, is another qucfli- on : and yet, till he can find his own pri- vate account in the affair, it is too clear a point, that whatever has been faid as to the public and national advantage, will pafe for nothing. — A merchant will not engage in a lofing trade, and ruin himfelf to benefit his country. Indeed it is unreafonable to expeft he Ihould. And the great complaint agalnft the trade to fome of our northern colonies long has been, that there is nothing to be got by it; that is, that the merchant can get nothing, or next to nothing, if com- pared to his gains to and from other places. The trade to Denmark, Sweden, or Ruflia, is more advantageous to him, though very detrimental to his couutryj and therefore, if we would expe£l th«> merchant to turn his thoughts wholly to the plantation-trade, we muft caufe him to find bis chief intereft in the purfuit of it» m iiil f ^ ii, ii8 An Essay and duties y, but ans, if ual ro e for- nporr- e con- )refer- But irtrcu- I wari- additi- of a on by mniit- ^hicb com- imtry h ad- ecipi- new ntifa- )t an- efbre e tbe fcule An Esrsay on TirADs^i 119 (cale gently and gradually on the fide yon would favour; that fo the inhabitants of that country may have time to raife the proper quantity of the commodities that are wanted, and may increafe and perfe£k their mahufa£^ures, by due application and e:xpe- rience. — And alfo, that we ourfelvcs may not be diftrefled on account of the fcarce- nefs, or the badnefs of the commodity; or be forced to pay an exorbitant price, by means of the monopoly which the inhabi- tants of the favoured country will have a- gainft us. Wherefore, fecondly, another more com^ modious, and lefs exceptionabk way, is, to grant certain privileges and exemptions;— which Iball continue till the trade is fufficU ently eftabliflied, and needs no fupport; that 18, till the merchant can find it worth his while to engage in it, without being paid at the public expence. Suppofe therefore, that at the beginning of fuch a trade, cer- tain commodities were permitted to be im- ported upon eafy terms; — ^or rather duty free, which is better ftill: then our colonies would turn their thoughts to the raifing them; and the merchant would find his own private account in importing them. .ill t'-^i ito An Essay on TradeV i w But if any thing obftruSed, fo that this did not prove fufficient to engage them in the profeciuion of fuch defigns; or that the de- mand flill ran in favour of the goods of ano- ther nation ; then, Thirdly, The (cale muft be turned by the addition of a bounty upon importation : and to quicken their diligence, and excite ti fpirit of emulation, to thefe encourage- ments may ftill be added, Fourthly, A perfbnal premium to fuch merchants, as Ihall import the mod of thefe commodities, and the beft in their kind* Prizes of this nature, are obferved to do wonderful things in theraifing and perfe£l- ing of a manufafture. We have (eeij their good efFefts in Ireland; and it were greatly to be wiihed we had the fame laudable in- llitution here in England. If certain fums were vefted in the board of trade for this purpofe, we might not defpair of feeing the mother country in a few years fiipplied with pot-afhes, bar-iron*, flax, hemp, indi- * The great clamour lately raifed againft the IntroduAi" on oFbar-iron is an adonilhing inftanceof the ignorance and infatuation of the Engliih in regard to tlieir own intere(l. For let us aflc even an iron-mader, if the Americans (hall not be permitted to import iron duty free, what courfe will they, nay mud they take, but to manufa^ure it tbenafelves .' An Es*at on Tradi^ im CO, cochineal, coffee, cocoa nut, pitch and tar, all forts of naval {lores, and raw filk chiefly from her own colonies. The fe£t is undeniable, that all thefe things can be raifed in our plantations either on the con- tinent, or in the iflands. And though (bme difficulties would attend the enterprize at firft fetting out, yet induftry and applicatir on, together with the inducements of boun- ties and perfonal premiums, would fur* mount them all. If prizes were ifixed, viz. So much to the firft, the fecend, and the third importer of the moft in quantity, and beft in kind ; and notice given thereof in the gazette by public authority; what an emulation would it excite amongft all the merchants of the kingdom? how gladly would our colonies embrace fuch propofals, and quit the purfuit of the manufaftures they are now engaged in? It is certain, thefe manufaftures, though highly detri- mental to us, are not fo advantageous to for how (hall they be able to pay for Englilh |;oods» unle(s they can make proper returns ? And if you will not admit their bar-iron, you drive them to the ncccffity of manufac- turing it: nay more, you give them a bounty: for as the bar-iron will be cheaper in America, if there is no Englifli market ; this difference in the price is in faft a bounty given by yourfelves for the encouragement of iron-aiftniifa£turei in Anieric*. : ' t i n *; rt iji An Essay on Trade. i: them, as the raifing the above mentioned commodities would be; becaufe th^y could employ their negroes in fuch work; where- as the negroes are foimd to be not fo pro- per to engage in a manufacture, which ha^ a long courfe and different parts before it is completed; and the labour of the white people is dear and .expeofive. As to the article of raw (ilk, the import- ance pf it, I hope, will juftify the recom- mending of the culture of it in a very par- ticular manner. The excelTive price it now bears, and the great difficulties to which ifhe manufaflurers are driven, in order to get it at any rate, recjuire that fomething fhould be attempted without delay. Eve- ry nation now begins to perceive, that it is imprudent and impolitic to fuffer fqch pre- cious materials to be exported unrhanufa* Ctured out of their country. They have therefore prohibited the doing it uoder the fevereft penalties: — and w? cannot blame them. But for that very reafon we ought to endeavour to raife the commodity our- felves. And, with humble fubmiiEon, no time ever feemed fo favourable for the do- ing it, as the prefent. For as the price is high, this is not only an inducement to (et t . An Essay on T&ade. ,i»| about it: but alio as we have now a diffe- rent fort of inhabitants in our colonies to en- gage in it, than we had before, we have therefore the greater profpeft of fuccefs. The complaint formerly was, that the cul- tivation of it would not anfweron account of the dearnefi of labour. The inhabitants towards the fea-coafts could employ their time to greater advantage in the culture of tobacca, rice, etc. therefore the fcheme fof raw filk muft fail. But at prefent we have feveral thoufends of Palatines and Moravi- ans, fettlfed in the vallies between the moun- tains, in a country much like Piemont, where the beft (ilk grows : now as they can- not cultivate rice or tobacco for exportati- on ; and as they are far removed from the center of trade, and are alfo a parfimonions, abftemious people, they will certainly work much cheaper than the Englifh heretofore towards the fea-fide, who were ever noted for the contrary qualities. So that upon the whole, the time and the occafion invite; the neceflities of the manufacture, and the intereft of our country, require that fome attempt (hould be fpeedily made for the raifing of raw filk in our colonies. . ' T m ft 124 An Essay om T&adx; IX. PROPOSAL. I ijii To eflabUOi a police for the prevention of fmuggling. ^ ' It may indeed be too diffieult for a * private perfbn to find out a reipjedy equ4 ' Ito a difeafe fo univerfal^ and of fo long a * continuance : but yet as every well meant * endeavour for the pubVc fervice is candid- ' ly accepted, when offered with modefly ' and fubmiffiony it is to be hoped the fol- ' lowing thoughfSi, whiqb proipeed np far- ' ther than by way of qi?eryi y/ill be fa- ' vourably received. ' Query I. If the privileges and exem- ' ptions of the iflands of Guernfey and J^r- ' fey, etc. were abolifhed, and tbpfe re- ' mains of the- dukedoijn of Normaiidy per- '. fe^yy united to the Britifli crown, could ' the fame frauds be then praftifed, as to ' the rp nixing of goods \3^hich have a draw- ' back granted them, fmuggjing of French ^ wines, brandies, teas, coffee, chocolate, ' filk, lace, and all other commodities, as * are at prefent ? — Could the French wines * This quotation is takjen out of my Inq^uiry concerning I he Ufe of low priced Spirituous Li^^uors; printed for T. Tryc, Holborn, An Essay on Thape. lay .' be mixc wkh'Port^ and then entered as if * they were all tl>e growth of Portugal, to * th^ great detriment of the revenue, the > jnaaifeft injury of the Portugal trade^ the ' cei^tain irreparable lofs to the nation, and ' the open avowed encouragement to per- ^ jury ?-^Cowld the fmacks and cruifers, ' which ^ere defigned to guard the coail, ' have the fame pretence to enter the porta * of France, which they have now to ftep * into Guernicy and Jerfey, viz. to fee * what vefiels were lading; and fometimcs ' take in a lading for themfelves^-r^/ ^urs * cufloies euftoiiat ipfosf * Query II. If the jurifdiftion of the ifle * of Man wias ahnexed to the crown, in the ' fame manner as the hereditable jurildifti- * ons in Scotland lately were, could France, * Holland^ Denmark, etc. find any place * in our own feas, as a ftorchoufe or maga- ' zine for dcpoiiting their feveral contraband ' goods, in order to run them on the coafts ' of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ire- ' land? If the coUeftors of the ciiftoms of * the prefent noble propnetor of this ifland, * were obliged to lay before the parliament * their books of entries for the laft feven ' years^ and fucb entries compared with the L2 1 xi + w M r! |g H ii 126 An Essay on Trade. M Uh N i^ m * accounts that might be tranfmitted from * France, Holland, Denmark, etc. would ' It not appear, that the re(pe£^ive India ' companies of thofe countries had import- ' ed vaft quantities of teas, and other India * goods, principally with a view to fmuggle / them into Great Britain and Ireland? And ' ought not that circumftance alone be an ' alarming confideration to the Englifh Eaft- * India company, to the government, and * the whole Britiih nation? Do the ' French, Dutch, Danes, etc permit the ' Englifh to ufe any port of their dominions ' for the like purpofes? And would it not ' be more advantageous to the Britiih nati- ' on, as to the mere article of profit and ' lofs, to pay fiibfidies to thefe countries of ' 200,000 1. per annum, than to let matters ' continue on the prefent footing? Laftly, * with regard to our own fubjefts, if this * ifland were annexed to the crown, could ' the corrupt part of the commanders of the < iinacks and cruifcrs receive any emolu- ' inent for conniving at the evils here com- ' plained of? Or the honeft part be infult- ,* ed, and even imprifoned by the deputy fj 'governors or their agents, for difcharging 'faithfully their duty? And would thenc- An Es^AY ON Trade. 127 cefl&ry expences for the prevention of fmuggling be a fourth part the funi, to which they now amount? * Query III. Whether the prefent me- thods of coUe^^ing the duties on French brandies, and other foreign goods^ are not found to be eventually productive of great temptations to fmuggle them? Whether fuch temptations could polTibly be fo ftrong, if there was a permiffion fome- what of a like nature granted to the im- porters of thefe commodities, as there is now granted to the importers of rum, viz. To put them in the king^s warehoufe^ fay* ing the duties only for the quantities they take out, when they meet with a furchafer, and leaving the reft to continue f Whether a fmuggler with one hundred pounds ftock, would nm the rifque of his life and fortune, which the prefent laws lubje^t him to, if he could commence a fair trad- er, to fufficienf advantage, with fo fmall a capital? And whether, in cafe of fuch a permilFion, a man would not carry on a more extend ve trade with one hundred pounds, in certain lorts of goods, than he can do now with fix times tlie Turn? . • Whether the great frauds, lately com- L3 i ■M ;i.»ir" li i;f f! m 128 Ak Essat on Tra©». M t m- w i ♦ * plained of in the tobacco trade, to the prd- * digious detriment of the revenue, and the ' national intereft, cannot litewife be ac- ' counted for, upon thb principle here fug- * gefted? And if the importers> of tobacco * were allowed to lodge their cargoes in the * king's warchoufe (or in their own, undet * the lock and key of thfe cuftom-honfc crffi- ;' cer) and from thence to take it away in ' fmall quantities, /z^ir. ti hogflidad or two ' at a time, fuitable to their convenience, * would not this circumftance alone catif^ ' the Virginia trade to flourifli, prevent * frauggling, and fuperfedc the neceffity of ' all other devices ? * Qiiery IV. If all feizures were abf(> * lately prohibited to be fold for home con^ ' (uitiption, could they then cover the vend- * ing any confiderable parcels of un-cuftom^ * ed goods, which are now vended in large * quantities by this means?— and if the * feizurcs were not to be ufed at home, * wuuld the purchafers give an higher price ' for fuch goods, than they do for oih* rs of ' lilic intrinfic value? and is not the rdvan* ' ctil price now given, a plain indication of * tiC ufcs to which they are applied? * Qiij^ry Y. If the commanders and offi- An EksAT on Trade. 129 * ccrs of the fmacks and crutfers were to be * paid only one half of rheir falaries 6f * coivrfe, and the other half by way of gra- 'tuity, when it appeared that they had ' been vigilant and a^ive to aH high degree/ * would not this quicken their motions, and * add h^w life ana v* ^owr to their endea. * tours? — If thofc who could give no proof * of an extraordinary vigilance were to lofe * fttch grattaitieSi and others to retierve * them, as an additional reward, who had ' diftinguiflied themfelves the naofl efmiii- * endy, would not this be a means of rarfing * a fpirii^ of emulation among them, and * making the a€Hve principles of mtcreff, * Ihame, fe^r, honour, drfgrace, all unite -« and operate for the public good. ^ Query VI. If a few independent com* * panics of light horfe were raifed, in the na- ^ ture of hiiflars, would not fuch kind of 7 cavalry, viz, Englifli hunters) be much * more proper to fcour the coaft, and pur- * fue fmugglers, than heavy horfe and dra- * goons, and regular forces ? — And if their ' officers were paid in the fame manner, as * is propofcd for the officers of fmacks and ' crullers, would it not be an additional ie* HJ :•! «i"<; 1^1 11. H' m 130 An Essay on Trade. ' curity for their integrity, and an incentive ' to their vigilance? ' Query VII. If the whole feizures were ' given to the captors, would it not be a ' greater, encouragement than giving them ' a part? and if the fees and expences of * the court of exchequer for condemnation 'did not rife fo high, would not this en- .; hance the value of the prize, and iConfe- * quently make the captors more aftiye and * vigilant? Whether there have not been .J inflances of cuftom-houfe officers com- ' pounding with the delinquents for petty * leizures, rather than be at the expence of *j condemning them in the exchequer, as ' that would fwallow up the profit? * Thefe queries, the author would huny * bly offer to public confideration; not ' doubnng but many other methods might * be found out, greatly conducive to the * fame good end. As to the difficulties a- * gainft putting this fchemc in immediate ' execution, he is not aware of any, but is ' far from prefumingto determine that there * are none.' V)' X. PROPOSAL. To " invite foreigners of diftinftion to An Essay on Trade. " 131 *' travel among us,'' that fo we may have fomething in return for the vaft fums which we yearly fend abroad. To this end there is wanting a concife treatife in French and Englifli, fetting forth the advantages whic^l perfons of different fades and inclinations may enjoy by fuch a tour: the man of plea- fure and divcrfion — the virtuofo--^the fcho- lar and man of letters — 'the lawyer— phyfi- cian — divine — mfi. {bine bgenious hand hath n6t yet lent therfi Ws friendly afEfhhce, by an cxprcfs treatife tm the fubjeft. It ^^rcnild be a great plea- fure to the author to contribute what he can, only as an inferior workman, m the ^ccompltfljirtg fiich a Befign. And therefore if he tdvili fungi vice cotif; ti5 Horace ex- prefles it, and be confrdercd only as a whet- lione to give an edge 10 th« mclinations of o.ther^, who have abiKttes to execute fuch a •fchemfe, he would gladly offer his affiftante. "^ With thefe femhnfents therefore he begs icare to ptopofe the following rough (ketch, only as general hints to be improved up- on, tr/>. Suppofc a modeft treatife was wrote, without puffing, or too much extolling our- felves or our country, contslining a plan for a foreigner to travel in England a year, or longer, with pleafure and advantage: Chap. I. Setting forth the fituation of the country, the air and climate, nature of the foil, and its general produ£lions. Chap. II. The prefent inhabitants, prin- ciples of their government, their virtues and vices, humours, diverfions, the manner of converfing agrcenMy with them, and ac- commodating one^s ielf to the general taiie ttheih treatife It plea- hat he m the srefbre ice ex- \ whet- ions of fnch a iflancd. lebegS fketch, 7cd up- wrote, ng oiir- >lan for ear, or • • fion of turc of s, prin- virtues tnanncr and ac- al taiic An Essay on Trade. 135 and genius of the country, method of learn- ing the language — and pronunciation- method ajid expence of travelling — manner of obt^ning recommendations from abroad to London,, and from London to the other parts of the kingdom. Chap. IIL Containing the plan for a fo- reigner to make t|ie tour of England. ia eight ftages, within the compafs of a year, each {lage illudrated by a map, containing les environs, or the diftri6l of ten miles roimd tl^i& pjace* of refidence; in which di« ftrift the principal feat$-^t ^wns^-manufa- ftures— curiofities, f/r. fliould bo briefly, defcribed: viz. fuppofing the ftrangcr land-, cd the beginning of April J then the ijl ftage, London and les environs, in the mop^h of April. . ., '■ It might be improper a foreigner jhould (lay longer in the capital, upon firft coming over, than to fettle his correfpondences, and. get recommendations toother places; left, whilfl; he is a ftranger to the Ian*. guage, h^ Ihould affbciate too much with his own countrymen, and be little benefited by his travelling. ri» j 2d ftage, Cambridge and les environs, in Mdj.^^.Ifere he iliould begin in earn<^ft to ih ': r •I' 1*!" i it! ■ m '"M r:l i<34 An Essay on Trade. learn the language by the help of fome good grammar, and to learn the pronunciation by coming to church with his French and Englifli common prayer, and liftehing to the clergyman's flow and deliberate reading. If this method was duly praftifed, foreign- ers would not find that difficulty in learning the pronunciation of our language, as they ^re apt to imagine. And this is an advan- tage of teaching it, in fome refpedl peculiar to USf. grf ftage, Oxford and les environs] in June. Note, In laying out the route be- tween place and place, it would be proper to contrive it fo, as the traveller might fee as many things worthy of notice in his paC lage, as he could. , /\th ftage, Birmingham and les environs, in July. •^- 5//; ftage, Briftol and les environs^ in Au- guft. ^ ()th ftage, A tour from Briftol to Portf moUth, through Wilton, Salisbury, f/r. and (hen returp to Bath, at the end of Septem- ber. yth ftage, Bath and les environs, during Oftober and November. 8//; ftage, London,' during the montlvs of .Ak' EisA^yoM Trade'. 135 Decefnber, January^ FeSruai*y and- March, which complete the year. If after this the for^'gner choofes to re- fide longer id ?ngfaiKK mi^ to fee other parts of the kingdom, then he might take ar to^r of fir motithsl uf the folio vexing man- ner jtJfr; r t. York, aind les eniiiroffs, in the month i)f ApriL .. ■ '^' ■'• ■• ''1 »^ Leeds ind Mahche{fef;in^ May. ^^^ , J. Li^^rpobtand Cheftdr/ in June, i** 4. Chitfv^ofthandPerby, injulyr '^^ 5. Nottingham and I4orrfaaiti|»t<:>n, in Ail* guft. J 6* Prsam thence throng London to the jJaCd of emburkation,' irt September j vifit- inp; the priiicrpall feats, towns, ^cof Kent or Eilex, in the way to Di>ver or Harwich. Chap. IV. Containing obfervations on the literature and learning of the £nglifh; and the advantages which perfons of different tAftes may reap front being acquainted with them. — Concluding with a fmall catalogue of the choiceft authors in polite literature, and the feteral fcienCes ;— with a lift of our beft play^, as to mlorals, language, and de- j5gn; thatfo a foreigner may know, when 1 m u. ■ f If i^'„. m 1^6 Ak Essay ok TiADE. it (halt be worth his while to go to our theii* tres. -^ilc li XI. PR 6 P O SAL. «* ;;■ II J A 1 i. To 'cut (bmc'canak betwieeh bur great * towns of trade, for the conveniency and * cheapnefs of carriage. '-rrCanals arc much preferable to the making rivers navigable^ even where both niight be dojie. tFor in the firft place,, the expence is noti^eater, except perhaps the purchafe of the ground. In the next place, they are kept and repair- ed at a much eafier rate. They arc not fubjeft to inundations, or the fliifiing of the fand and gravel, and ar!e; generally much fliorter and ftreighter. — But what is above every other confiderationi a boat laden with merchandi]^e in a canal, may be drawn by a fingle horfe, op a full trot, as in Holland, up or down the ftream, whetl>er there be a flood, or noij and requires but two men to guide it. If a canal was dug between Reading and Bath, then there would be an eafy and cheap communication between the two principal cities of the kingdom, London and Briftol: goods and paflcngers might be carried at one All EssatP on Trade. 137 quarter of the prefent expence: and furely 75 1. per cent, faved in freight, dcferves confideration. The riVer Kennet, from Reading to Silbury-hilU is a plain illuftrati- on how prafficable fofarfuchafcheme might be. And from thence to the defcent towards Caln^ on the Bath fide, is the only difficuU ty. But fuch who have feei> the great ca- ned of ;L;^guedQC, ar^ very 'well afliired it might j?ftfily b^ :performed> J^nd at a fortieth part of the expence which the other was. Nay, on the flat grounds near Yatesbiiry church, wat^r is fo plenty ip the wintei* time, that it lies upon the furface for weeks together:. And ^s there ^r^ rijfing grounds on both fide«, r^efervoirs might be nude to receive the land-floods, and fupply the car nal with water, during the dry feafon. But if the canal itfelfrvya? only funk ten or twelve feet deeper than ordinary, for two or three furlongs, it is very probable, that natural fprings would be met with between thofe hills. For the wells at Yatesbury, as I re- member, are not twenty feet deep. What a pity is it therefore, that fo many advanta- ges are neglefted? if the like fituation had been in France, a canal had been made long ago.— —-Indeed fomething might have been Ma 1 I' m \J' ' I'. V '"■!■ I, i}8 Ah E^iay i)n Tiiiki>fc alledged in our excufe, had we th^ lame difficulties to encounter with, which the French fiirmounted' in making the canal of LanguedoCy agnd are again to fucnxoum in making the new canal, from the Parance tp Marfeilles. But there are no obflru Aions of rivers and rivulets in our way; no need of making arches, and troughs of Aone to 9arry the canal over tbem ; — no fte^p hills to ale end, or mountains to pierce through: and yet the thing is not fo much as attempt* ed, though the common intereft^ and the (!• f uation of the country, (b ftrongly invite us to perform k. > A canal alfo ou^ to be due between Glafgow and the fhore oppofito 'io Alloa ^ which would o{3ien a cominunkation be- tween Glafgow, and Leith the port of E- dinburgh. — The (ituation in thefe parts is extremely inviting, even more (b than the former; as the paflage is much fliorter. And our foldiers in times of peace might be employed in the public works, alternately with performing their exercife, receiving a fuitable addition to their pay, when thpy are at work. •■■(i-' . I ■ *^,i ' An Essay on Trade* X39 XII. PROPOSAL. To * raife a filhery on the northern coaft of Scotland/ by giving a double premium for (bme years, till the trade is fufficiently eftaUiihed, for all herrings caught and cur^ cd by perfons refiding within certain di- ftri^Sy and exported to foreign markets. Several 6ther fchemes have been lately offered to the public in relation to this mat- ter; and all of them> undoubtedly, good in fomc refpeAs. Every thing of this nature hath its refpe^ve convenience and incon- venience. And if the fcheme for carrying on the fiiheries by means of a joint ftock, and a company, im powered to make by- laws, and prelcribe rules and regulations, can (land clear of the imminent hazard of degenerating into a jobb, through the cor- rupt influence and finifter views of the ma- nagers and direftors of fuch a company ; — 1 fay, if the fcheme is freed from all rea^ fonable fufpicion of tending to fuch a point, I fhould much rather prefer it to that which is here, with great fubmiflion, offered in its ilead. It is certain, that a joint (lock is a quicker and more expeditious way; — but the encpuragement of a double bounty ap- M3 1 m i u 140 Ak Essay 0^ Tradi* pears to. me more fure, and lefs liable to be corrupted. For in this latter cafe, there are no fums advanced till the work is done, and the herrings publicly examined, whether they arc marketable or not: there is no fin- gering of the money in the meain time by managers and diredors ; nor can there be ar ny items pf expences and disburfementSi fees and filaries, brought to account: things whfch are the bane of all public ibcieties> and the great caufe of their corruption, and degenerating from their original inAitution. .^ Befides, if a double bounty, or perhaps $vc ihillings per barrel, wde given for all herrings (b cured and exported, it feems to me, that the Dutch themfelves would be tempted by the lucre of fuch a bounty, to fettle on the northern coads of Scotland, and make one people with the inhabitants of the country; — which would be the great- eft advantage that part of the kingdom could poflibly receive. » XTII. PROPOSAL. . To 'eftablidi civil governments at Gib- raltar and Portmahon, and make them free ports.' — The fuuiicion cf Gibraltar is ex* An Essay on Trade. 141 tremely commodious for vending feveral forts of commodities in Spain and Barbary: and the ifland of Minorca is not lefs happi^ ly fituated for carrying on an advantageous comme/ce with (bme parts of Franfce and Italy, and, by-means of the neighbouring illand of Majorca, with Spain alfo. Seve^ ri\ forts of coarfe woollen (luffs, and Man- chefter goods, would be acceptable in Baxv bary, provided they could be had reafona- bly cheap: which can never be, till'thercii a free port. Several fortS' of the nianufa* ftures of Manchefter and Spitde-Fieldsj would be very agreeable to the tade of thd Spaniards, French, and Italians. But above allj our Birmingham ware, our cutlery, ra- zors and fciflars, watches and chains, locks, metal buttons, fniiff boxes, toys, and all the forts of Bijoux d^ jittgleterre, as the French call them, which they are inexpreffibly fond of, would find a prodigious vent in all thefe countries. The leaft amount of the whole trade, that might be carried on by means of thefe two ports, were they made free, would be 1 00,000 1. a year. And furely (uch a fum is worth the getting;—! efpeciaily by a nation 80,000,000 1. in debt. u* M.'.' .J •PI iJ u 14a Ah Essay 0)1 Traps* If n fcheme of this kind was to take place in the ifland of Minorca, it would then alb fiand a fair chance of beipg peopled by En* glifli families, or by fuch as are well-affeA- ^4 to the EngUili government. Whereas at prefent there are fcarce any, except the garrilbn, but bigoted Spaniards, who at the firft taking of th^ placc^ would have been glad to have parted with their pofleffions for a trifle, and to have retired into Spain. Butnaw they are got imo^nfely rich; their lands are iiiid. to be more than 6ve times their former value; find yet their bigotry and averfion continue as (farofig as ever. . a»" 1^ XIV- PROPOSAL. ; To have ' public infpeAors into all out manufad^ures */ and to oblige all exporters to deliver in (amples of the commodities they intend to export, in order that they may be compared together, before the g(»ods are fujfered to be put on fliip board. This, if faithfully and honeftly executed, Would always keep up the credit of our manufu^ures at home and abroad, on which . the (pi r it and life of trade principally dc* pends. All polfible means ihould be talo Ak Esjbav oh Tj|A3)£. 43 en to pi^event private frauds in packing-^ deficiencies in weigjht and m^fure-^undue firetchingof cloths upon the rack» which alone b«t1) ocoafioned irreparable loft to ^tt nation. The fta.'udu]]ent;and deceitful flionU be prevdntdd^ as much as k is poffible* firom getting ridh ^ the expence of their honeft neighbours, and the welfare of their coun* try, which is too often ftcrtficed to iheir knarery. In &ott, in all kinds of jnannfaftureSi fht worft part of it :flun;dd ^ put outermoA i. am|Je, aoc ihe bed; that (b the buy* er, in feeing the mark and leal of the office^ may confide in that, ^ndbe aiTuced, thatlie SI not deceived by what is out of fij^t. f if U * \J, tfi -» XV. PROPOSAL. To ' alter the method of cplleftlng our duties upon parti^cular forts of goods im* ported, VI J ^.' By lodging them in ware- houfes ereAed at the public expence, titi the importer fetches them away, a,ccording * Something hath been already faid on this fubjcA, ptgc iftf. query III. Where a police was propofed to prevent fmnjygUng: but as rruth is uniform throughout, and ii at- tended with all poffible advantages, the propoAl U now c«fi- fidercd uadcr aaotber tUw« ^ "1* i 'H 144 Ak EisAt ON TR*ADBi at be wants them, arid jjays^ the duty; or taufes it to 1)6 paid by the perlbn who pur- chafes of hi(f}» Thislcheme, landienOble^ Would raife a great cIamour> if enforced by any compulfiye Iaw;?but if left to each per- fon's free dbice, there is the highefi pro^ bability, that it would univerfiiUy obtain. Suppoie therefore, that the laws relating to the cuftotns'iti general fliocdd icohtinue as they are; but that permiflion fhould be grant* ed to fuch pei^fohs as ari dcfiroiisof ig£n^ it, to land their goods in the public magazines, there to remain at the ufual moderate rent for cellarage, ;till fuch time as they find it their intereft to refnove them, and then to pay the duty. If fuch al permiflion was grants ed to the importers of fugars, rom, wine^ brandies, tobi^ccOi f^ifins, primes, 9f)d cur- rants, it is ea(y to forofce, that almoft eve- t'y one concernied would iembrdce it*. J'or, in the firft place, the * expence of wafe- houfe-room would be juft the fame; but the difference between paying the duty all at once upon importation, and paying it by degrees, would be yery great, and much to ti * If DO public ma;raz!nei were cre^ed, the merchant night put the gocdft iu hii own v^are-hooTCt having one kef iimfclf, and ihc king's officer an9ther. . . ,, jche advantage both of the importer, and the {>ublic. The iqttporcer would be a gainer> as h^, would npt be flraiten^d for inoi^ety^ to pay^he duutis e?fry tiji)i<5ihii$ Ihip arriv^j; And.fl[)iigW keep his; goods till te Taw » pro- miflng niiarJket, or might export them to fome foreign coUntryj if they bore there a better price. And this itfclf Wpful4 be $ great advantage to th^ public, as it would render our Country a kind of 0ot9!nfion ma« gazine for others, and as we (hould get by it all the pfo(it$> .of ^freight and Qomfnifllon^ and perfons ofri^iC^Uig^npeanArpetCVilation would then, engage iq^ , the fpeoulative part of trade; that isi they would buy up aH commodities thprt were cheap in foreign countries, lodge them in their own, or the king's warehoufes, and then re-export them to tt^ofe^ cpuntcie^ wheiT^. tt^e demand ran bigheft. ]3ut this cannot, be idone upon the prefpnt fyftem of paying duties. Moreover, the public would be more efpecially bene- fited, as the trade would be increafed, and the goods afTqrd^d much the cheaper. — — When a trade can be carried on with a fmall flock, the more perfons are capable of em- barking in it: and when the duties are not paid allat onccj but by degrees, as the goods '<■: «:- Can be foldj the home-Cdnfutiicr wUl ttiy fo much the cheapet. For he will onfy pay ffte king^ fimple duty,-*-dicl eaipenccs of the ftdv^eht^fei — anvd th^^metthiin^ fin^^gmt vpon-th^t sklfvenfure: v(rh^r^d^ sicc^dhig td the prefent way of collecting ihi6 ttvtm€, every confumer pays smother cdnrMleiPable article, viz. * the gttifts of the merchant on ' the foms advanced tb pay the kingV da- •*ty.- Aiidifthegoods^h^vepafle^ from the merchant importer W the hft r^ailer, through two of three hands^ bef^e theiy come to^ the confomer, thieh he payd^rwo^ dt three advanee$ the more^. So 'that in i^ft, he not only pays the firft duty to the king, but perhaps twice as much aigdin to others, by means of thefe advances upon advanced. The confequcncc of all which is, that trade becomes monopdized by a few rich prr* * fons, becaufc there is a greater flock requir- ed to carry it on: and fmugglers will be the more numerous, and the more audacious, becaufe the temptations to, and the gains of fmuggling, become fo mufch' the greater. \l . -net) •. ' • -• .}V/ * See this ktUlr ftt in a trils aad ftrong iighf In « tr«<- tife entitled. ** An FiTay on the Caufcs of the decline of the Foreign Trade, Lotidoo, i744*' Printed for J. firothcrton* Pages itf^ tnd 17. buy & ify pay s of the bant on ig\ du- •6m the ttaile^ e ikeiy in fad, p king, others, vances. It trade ch per* rcquif- bc the acious, ;ains of ;reater. In ■ tr«4- inc of the rothertofl* An Essay on Tiiade. 147 Whereas by the method now propofed, both thefe mifchiefs would be prevented to a great degree. Qbfei-ve, ift, The propo- fal here made, compels no perfbns to fu,b- mit to thefe regulations, but only permits them to make ufe of them, if they are dit pofed to do \tr '^ ferve, adly. That this Icheme requires no new officers, even at the commencement of it: and when it has been thoroughly ' ried and known, it would certainly greatly leflen the number of them. A fet of public magazines (which, by the by, might be (b contrived, as to be orna- mental, as well as ufeful) built uniformly, and in a quadrangular figure, might eafily -be taken care of and infpefted by a very few officers, who might well be fpared from the numbers now employed as land-wait- ers, tide-waiters, (earchers, deputies, extra- ordinary men, etc. — Obferve, gdly, That with refpcA to any embezzlement, which thefe magazine-keepers might be fufpefted of, this might be prevented, as mnch as any thing of fuch a nature can pofTiSly be (not only by weighing the goods, gauging them, and taking famples before they are deliver- ed into the officers care) but alfo by mak- ing it necefTary, that thefe officers fhould be ' - N I ii4& An Essay on TradTc: engaged with two fufficient bondfmen in two forts of fecurities, ofie to the king, to enforce their fidelity to'hiiti, and another to thie mayor or chief rtagiftriite of the town, and his fdcceflbrs, wher6 the maga- zine is kept, in truft for the merchants, to enfure thdir horiefty to them: and that when any of thele officers are fiifpefted of cmbezzKng th?. merchants propcirty, the party aggrieved itiiiy hfe it liberty to bring an a&ioh in the name of the mayor, or chief inagiftrate for the time being, and recover treble damages, with cofts of fuit, on proof *of filch embezzlement. Now in all thefe tefpefts the prefent propofcl diflfers entirely from the late famous excife fcheme; and every objection made againft that, is obvi- ated here. As this lafl: prqpofal, and one or two more, would be attended with fome ex- pence, were they carried into execution; — and as the nation, in its prefent circum- ftances, might be fuppofed incapable of bearing a farther load; I Ihall therefore en- deavour to point out a method how certain taxes might be raifed, without burdening any of the neceflaries of life,-*and yet fuf ficient to anfwer all thefe expences,— and fmen m king, to another of this le maga- lants, to nd that ►efted of rty, the to bring or chief recover on proof all thefe entirely me; and is obvi- or two ome ex- ecution; circum- )ablie of jfore en- f certain irdening yet fuf IS,— and An Essay on T&ade^ 140 be moreover highly conducive to the refor- mation of the morals of the people, and the general welfare of the kingdom, viz* •XVI.. PROPOSAL To lay certain taxes on the following ar- ticles of " luxury, vice, or extravagance;"^ which taxes iHall be applied to the general iroprovenaent of commerce ; by maintaining confuls,^ and erefting forts, according to pro- pofal vi. Building of magazines and ware- houfes, as fp^cified in proposal xv. Q'w*, ing bounties and perfonal pr^mium^ to the greatefl: exporters of our o^yn manufac- tures,T--the like to the greateft importers of raw. materials from foreign countries, — e- fpecially from our own plantations, accord- ing to propofal viii. And in fhort, by purfuing all fuch ways and means, as ferve to excite the merchant and manufacturer to promote the intereft of their country, and their own together. Wherefore, the I ft tax propofed is. That upon bache- lors, and widowers, of a certain age, with- out children. The manifold ill confequences that flow from the modifti praftice of mens living ba- N2 ;1 ^^h w I ■!R. 150 An Essay on TradS/ - „ ■ . . . ■ ^ chelors, are too glaring and evident. For we may venture to pronounce, without any degree of uncharitablenefs, that it is one great caufe of all the lewdnefs and debauch- ery of this age. Sonie few indeed un- doubtedly there are, who no ways contri- bute to thefe immoralities by their (ingle life. But they ;ire too inconfiderable in number to deferve to have particular exem- ptions, even were it poflible to diftinguifli them from others, which it is not poflible to do in a legal way. In all things calculated for the general good, fome individuals muft fuffer; and it cannot be avoided. Now (to confider this matter merely in a commercial light) as there are at leaft ninety-nine in an hundred, who gratify their, defires, but lb as to add no proper increafe to the public flock of inhabitants, in which the riches and ftrength of a nation do confift, one may eafily judge of the evil of fuch a praftice, by its bad confequences. And in London particularly, where this vice of living bache- lors moftly prevails, there it is obfervable, by the bills of mortality *, that more perfons • To thli paragraph it has been objeftcd, that the year- ly hills of mortality, which make the burials more than the births, are oot be relied upon, as to this point : '* Becaufe " there are no births regiflercd, but the births of thofc who «i- «« «k t. For out any is one ebaiich* ^d un* con^ri- r (ingle able in r exem- finguilh (fible to culated Js muft Tow (to mercial nine in es, but ; public 1 riches ne may )ra6llce, London bache- jrvable, perfons : the yetr- -e than the " Bccaufc thofc who Ajff Essay on Trade. iji die than are born, every year. So that were it not (or the continual fupplies from ** are baptized^ according ta the form of the eftablilKed' ** church ; whereas diilenters of mod denominations are bvi* *^ ried in the church, and confequently regiftered there.'* Now as it Is a- very matefial apticle to know, with Com& degree of certainty, whether more, perfons die in London,. than are born; — and' consequently; whether the whole city would not be depopulated in a century or t>^'0, if the inha- bitants followed the fame courfes they now do, were it not for the influx of Grangers, to (upply thefc deficiencies ; I (hall therefore beg kave to offer the following confiderations^ iw uply to the above objeflion. I. Some children are begot in the country, yet born m> London ; (bch, for inAance, whofe mothers come up to town* ftr the convenienee o^: (kilful attendance: and as this is'thr caft with many families of di(lin£tion, confequently^- the- AnmBer ofbinhs is fib much increaf^d. II. Many perfons coutraO their dtath-ficknefs in London,. }^t arc carried out of it for. ihc benefit of the air, and die in> the country; there they are .burisJ,. and no notice taken oB them in the regitters wirHin' the biHs of mortality. III. Jnfl- the fanric i» the e^ of thofe, who die 'n Lon« doD, y«t are carried, to their burial-places in the country: the number of thefe is confiderable in the year; whereas there are few^ infhinces of perfons being carried out of the" country, to be interred in London. IV. Many difleoters of different denominations have bV rial-places of their own; and cbnfeqyently, the numbers ofl' their dead" do not fwell the reglflcrsof the ellablifhed«horch> (b much as might be imagined'. But allowing, that the numbers of diflenters buried in the:: eftkbliihed church, may make Tome diifercnce in the accocnt;. flill this- difference cannot amount to any thing nearrhef^m^ which is- found' to be the difTerei^ce between birth's sai bn«- rials iO'tRe compafs of a year; viz^ about fsven thoufand'- CkAk, The numbers of births, gcneraify fpeakitig, amounc< tou 14, or- I tf ,000 in a year; and the burials fiom' ax,.tOE» m\ 1^ f?*j 1,5* An Es$A.¥ ok TlLABB^ the country, where the marriage (late is not yet quite fo unfafhionabie^ that great, me- tropolis would be depopulated in a courfe of years. And yet there li no place, in which there are fo great numbers of the fe* male fex, in the proportion, as in London. Can it be credited^ though perhaps it is too true, that in this city alone there are up- wards of ten thoufand loofe women, from f fixtfeu years old to forty, who have not fifty children in a year? and the few they have, are born with all forts of diforders, and educated, if they chance to live, in all kinds of vice and wickednefs? In fliprt, it has been often remarked, that the greatefl rakes, that all Europe can prodqce, when they arrive in England, and come to Lon- don, are quite fhocked and fcandalized at the unparalleled Icwdnefs and debauchery reigning among us, fo far beyond any thing S4,ooo in the Came time: 9 diftcrence of three to two. How (bun would this depopulate any country, were it not for fo- reign fupplies? And how terrible do the eifeOs of vice, lewdnefs and debauchery, appear to the general intcreOs of a kingdom, when ieen from this point of view? What aa abfurdity. therefore, was it in the author of tht Fable of the Bees, to fay, ** That private vices are public benefits!" It is virtur alone, which can make a nation flourifli. And vice of every kind is, either immediately, or in its confe- ^ucnces, injurious to commerce. ■: * An Essay on Trade. i 53 e IS not sat me- courfe ace, in the f»* ondon. t is too re up- 1^ from ive not w they orders, , in all aprt, it jreateft when Lon- ized at jchery r thing tfvo. How ot for fo- of vice, tct^s of What an JFablc of Jcnefiti !" h. And ts conic- al they could have imagined. Now if thefe ICQOO loofe women had not been debauch^ ed and corrupted, and were married to per- fons of their own rank and condition, they might have had at leaft one thoufand heaJ^ thy children every year j and thefe in a fair way to be bred to honeA trades and cal* lings. Befides, upon the prefent footing, the injuftice donci^to the married tradefmani and jaiided gentleman, is mod grievous anci intolerable. ^ For they pay the excrO;, and feveral other duties, in proportion ta the confumption of their f^ilies; but rhe bachelor pays only for his (ingle felf; i. (t» thofe who are mod beneficial to the public, are dmibly, trebly or quadruply taxed, in proportion as they are beneficial; and o^ thers who are a nufance to it, are therefore exempted. Is there any juftice or equity in this? I add, men may und rftand thefe things as patriots and politicians, who would turn a deaf ear to lefturcs in morality and divinity. Nay more, fach abounding of lewdnefs, and farfeiting of proftitution, doth in faft tend to increafe the more un- natural vices, inftead of preventing them, as . y 1* Cauics of the, decline* etc. p. 14, i5,«T-afid ^S'lciC'.i I ...it.' 154 An Essay ok Trade. it is vulgarly, though erroneoufly, fuppoP cd. ' And the hiftory of all nations, from the former times down to the prefent, confirms xin& aflertion. Antient Greece and Rome, and modem England, to memioii no more, have furniihed too many examples in proof of this point. And realbn iifelf ihould tell us, that it is with this, as with all other de« praved appetites, where forfeiting and fa- tiety are inducements to feek out lefs nata* ral ways of gratification. Wherefore the propofal here is, that alt bachelors, after they have attained to the age of twenty-five years, fhall pay treble king's tax, — poor tax, — window tax, — zndl the taxes upon coaches, dU they marry r and that all widowers, between thirty and fifty, if they have no children, fhair pay double. Thus the greateft, i, f. the weal- ihieft offenders,, are properly mulfied. For undoubtedly they ha-ve it in their power to fettle in the world, if they wiH; They are the people who fee bad examples; and by their Iktion, riches, intrigues, and addref^, debauch thofe young women- at firft, who afterwards become thtt comnnon profiitutes of the town. But as this only reaches the wealthiefl of tbeni^ and us there are vafl: fuppop om the )nfirm9 Rome, > more, 1 proof uld teU ler de* and (a- 8 nata* hat all: to the trebJe ^-and' Tiarryr y and IT pay weal' . For vcr to- 2y are nd by clre6> whor iriue9 >» the r vaft Ail EiisAV OK TkADEi numbers of fingle men, whom this (cheme would not affe^, therefore there fhould be added to it a general capitation tax for ^11 bachelors, of whatfoever degree, above twenty-five years of age. And if this was fixed at twenty fhillings a he^dfer ann, for . all above the condition of day-labourers, and at ten fhillings for them (with an ex^ emption only for common foldiers and fail- ors) it would be a very juft and equitable law, and would certainly be attended with many good confequences, both as to the. morals and the commerce of the nation. The 2d tax propofed, is, that upon menial mcn-fervants, /. e, fuch who are not cm- ployed either for the purpofes of husbandry or commerce, but for (late and grandeur. ^ It was the great principle, which run' through the whole plan of the Eflay on the Caufes of the Decline of Foreign Trade, before quoted, that each perfon (hould tax himfelf according to the figure and (lation of life he chofe to appear in; — but that all the necertaries of life fhould be duty free. Now in the cafe before us, livery fervants, footmen, valets, men cooks, etc* certainly cannot be ranked among the ncceilaries of ii4 m (or fuch s^ U3(. If siny one chooTes to have nhem^ he himfelf cbpoies ta appear in, an e- levatied condition* and therefore is the fit' ted tp pay towards improving the com- nxerce, and extending the general intereft of the kingdom, . Butthat is noxall^ for thefe men-fervants, genenalLy (peaking> are by nature fitter for qthcr Qa]Lplpym(ents, ha.dtb.9y not taken up \y\ih thU idle one; and roight fct^ve been ufe- ful tQ their country, by lea or land,, either in the feyeral parts of husbjmdry, or in labo- rious trades ; whereas by their prefent way pf living they render therpfelves ufelofs. in aU reCpe^ls; and i^t only fo, but keep thou-. lands of the other (ex out of an honed ena-. ployment, which by nature they are fitted for ; and very often are tempted for the ^yaut of it to take to vicious courfes. I be-, lieve it will hardly be denied, but that wo- men fervants might perform all the functi- ons, which men fervants do, in rcfpe(5t to waiting at table, tending the tea-kettle, etc. and equally as well. They might walk behind their ladies, and carry their books to church, as well as any footman, and why they are not permitted to do it, is matter of t Tome aftoDilhment to a rtiiriking rnittd. In ihdrt, the poorer atid the middlidg j!)art of the fetnale fcK are deprived of 'thofe em* ploymcints which properly belong to them, very often tb their own utter ruin, and the detriment of fociety. If a young woman has a geriteelifli educatibn, and a Tinall for- tune, Ihe ft^nds vtpon ihc brink df «deftru£li- on; and even if Ihe is defirous, flie fcarcely knows, what trade to put herfelf to, in Or- der to be out of the way of temptation. For, excepting two or three trades, which women ftill retain, all the reft are ehgroffed by men. We have menmantua-makers, ♦men-milliners, men-ftay-niakers, men-flioe- makers for woraens flioes, men-haircuttefs for womens hair, etc- and very likely in time we fliall have fempftreffes, laundrefles, and clear^ftarchers, of the feme fex. "^ Such perverfions as thefe, of theordcr df fociety, are not of fmall ill confequcnce, ei- ther to the welfare of individuals, or the good of the ftate. And therefore to dif- courage fuch practices as much as may be, in the affair of men-fervants, the propofal k, that each of them fliall be taxed two fliil- lings and fikpence in the pound, according to their wages, to be paid by their mafters i^fi A»^ Essay on Traixc. and miftrefles> and to be colle6kd by the officers of the window-tax. If a fcheme of this nature were ejSTeAu^lIy put in pra^icei the confequence would b^, either, that wo- men-fervants would be employed, rather than men, which would anfwer a good end in that refpeft; — or elfe, that thefe men- fervants, though idle and ufelels in them- felves, would contribute to the promoting of commerce and extending our trade, by means of the tax they pay for this end ; — though (brely againft their will. The gd tax propofed, is, that upon fad- dle-horfes. * The tax upon corches, as far as it wentj was an excellent and public (pi ri ted aft of the legiflature. It was laying the burden, where it ought always to be laid, viz, upon the luxuries, the ornaments and refine- ments of living. But undoubtedly it wa^ defeftive as to its extent: many gentlemen of fortune, efpecially if they are fitigle, do not choofe to keep coaches; and others may live in fuch parts of the country, where the .fituation is not convenient for their (b do- ing. Yet they all keep faddlehorfes in a- bundance, — hunters, — and perhaps racers, — without paying any tax; though thele Am EtiAT oti ThAds. t^f rbtmgs are »mcks of mere luxiiry^ paridd wad pl0afur«, is much t» c^ach^ii Is therd now any equity or juftice.fn thU? and arc not fueh persons the< propereft ifabjedbs to pay towslrds the fupport of our manuFa* £lures^ and extending our comm^ce? Uit- dbubtedly they ar^: and therefore the pro^ polalis tbis> tbatallowners of faddle.horfest young horfes under five y^ars did excepted^ be taxed at the rate of five fhiilingi per horfe every year; — faving only one horfe# which fhall be admitted to be jkept free of all tax by each owner, on the fuppoficion^ that ridihg may be neceffary for his healthy or on the account of budnefs. If greater allowances than this were made, it would be opening a door for fraud and coUnfioh 7 and if lefsi it might bear hard upon (he real wants and neceifitied of many per^ple. Per* haps even thts indulgence of one horfe^ tax-freci to each proprietor, might fcem too rigorous a redraint; and might actually be fo in certain circumftances^ but in all cafes of public concern, it is tmpofllble to adjuft things in fuch a manner, as chat every per- fon can be pleafed, — or even that the inte- red of every individual may be fo particu- larly taken care of, accorcKng to the nature Q i< H '■-1 1 •01 m ?• %^o Am EtsAT ON Trade. (^f his peculiar circumflanees, as that be cam hay0 nd juft reafon to cotnplam* To pro^ cccd; therefore, the > 4th tTiX propofed to be levied is on dogs of every fort and kind, except fliepherds dogs, and houfe dogs. For every thing be- yond this, is mod undoubtedly an article of luxury, and diverfion; and as fuch, jufUy liable to be taxed. m ^.>yn;.i Wherefore the propofal is, that the ownj ers of all dogs fhall pay one ihilling for each dog every year. And as there are fuch prodigious numbers of hounds, greyhounds, pointers, letters, fpaniels, beagles, lap-dogs, and turn^fpits all over the kingdom, this would bring in a very confiderable revenue, which might be employed to the greated national advantage, in fupporting and ex- tending our trade and commerce. — If this tax fliould caufe a diminution of the fpe- cies, there would be no harm in that; nay« it would be attended with a great deal of good; as for many other reafons, fo ptrti- cularly for this, that the dreadful and (hock* ing calamities, attending the bite of mad dogs, would be lefs frequent than they now are. — If any one Aiould objeft, that turn- f(>ics Qughi; to be conHdered as neceflary itn- An Essay on Trade; iii plemcnts for drefling of vi£luals, and there' fort ought to b€ excepted out of this regii* lation. The anfwer is obvious and eafy; viz. that jacks and fmoke-jacks are prefer- able to turn-fpits in every refpe^t: — they are cheaper, all things conddcred; and a fpecies of manufafture, whicK ought to be encouraged. But above all, ''lere is no danger from them of thofe (hocking confe- quences aforementioned, which every year have occadoned the deaths of many people, in the mod dreadful manner. .*'Add to this, that no other method^ than what is here propofed, can be e0e£hial for the prefervation of the game. For as long as poachers of allkinds are allowed to keep dogs, free of any tax, it will be impoflible for penal laws, in fuch a conflitution as £n« gland is under, to prevent their ufing then\ to the deftru^lion of the game. But the laying a tax upon dogs (Irikes at the princi- pal root of the evil complained of. The 5th tax propofed, is a double turn- pike tax on all perfons who travel on Sun- days, A modifti and a reigning vice this I which ought to receive fome cheek and diP countenance from the legiflature. Not once in a thoufand times can there be a juft O 2 3 'I m I- r!ii; m Wi An Ef s AT on TiuM; ^ 3 'aAi) reafdtiable excufe for tbis priAket xnd tfi^r^f^T^ h b<^comds a pf&ptr "dud fit fbb* jeA fot a tax^ according tfo the principles before! hid down, ' i^ n -; n-1i -^ Ih ihbrt,^ we ftibnitrlt with gricar ^fd- rence td the judgment of the intett^gefht nsad^r, whether there is not aitipl provifi« i>ti nikde iii'this pfoporal/feir all th^ expi$n< res which might belncnrretf by th* c^ecu^ fion of rfhy of thfe reft*— aftd that tvfA^iie bitfdehjngatty oi^ articte' of the feat neceP faries of life. Were the fixes ta be laid, an Irefffe reeofffrteiidfed, rh^ ^^uld indeed ve- fy ^rbhkh^ ^iAife a coftfitferaMfe'dirtiihti* to 6f AefaiKicfeiT ithfch #e!», are fo ftv i-i Ah Essay o>i T^ape. i6j^ ftotA caufing commerce to flagnate, that they quicken and. etvliveq it; and therefore may be compared to the pruning of a tree by a fkilful hand, by which means the tree la prelerved in health, and lads the longer. The fruit, upon the wholcr is more in quan- tity and better in quality, and a vigorous circudation, and equal iK)urifhment are maintained throughout. Wl^ereas, on the oth^t h^nd, one tingle tax, though (mall m its amount,, if injudicioufly laid on, fo as to> (lop the progrefs or circulation of labour, !$> in k& th^ heavieft and moft infupportable of all others. Thifri» a do&rin^ litde un- ^^r(lood» efpeciaHy by the landed tntered, who' of all perfoBS oughc k>' flody it the^ mod, as it never can be theu? ifiterefi to-a& upon a contrary principle* C O N C L U S I O R AjND thua^haTC I venttiped tagrvc my fentiments, with that freedom* and utirefer- vedneft, which isns^turaltofinen'whamean^ well, and whofc f private ends of my own to fer-ve** cither tiie: K! rip f$4 At^Ciisi^t on^ I'KfAd!^^ Ane w^y or the oth 1 htfVe bafd^ bhS mi^fely b^ caufe feme people dd no^ ^hoofe to be ttH \^hefd the core of the evil Ijes, and hi^w« if may be taken our? If th€ alt^raiibns, herW; propofcd, are ncceflary of ^dvai^tageowf tib^ the public, that alone fliouldbe feffidehtUd^' recommend them to the efteem of all per- fons of worth and charafter; but if they are not, I put in no plea/ or apolo^ fer tftem: — only I will add, on behalf of the author, that his intention)! were go6i, though he was miftakeni' »• I am alfo well aware, that there is a cov flomary prepofTeflTion enrettained agaiiii(ir proje^sr of all kind&; and that projeAors anr looked upon as a race of beingi who hav«r '^ (boidthiag very fiiigohr and ^him^cal sa thdr com.po(itioiiv And yet I: chink ic i»qA be allowed^ that, liotwithibodiilg ali^ ch« prgudice whtdi foale cbknericai gi^tieMen of this fiamp have dravim trpon themfeivesii (here muft be both proje£b sati ]^rojei^rs> when thiprgs ate. bad, and want mendingf dtherwife they never pould be- better, noiii theifaulcB carre^ed* . >:> n j r t i i With re^e6r tatliec^fe iyc£>re us^ tbere are two geD^ral obje^ions^ a» ht ais I aia^ ^le to perceive, which may be made a^ gainit what has been advanced^v y .^^^^^t^i iThe.&ft is, thait miny qF the ^e^ofalsr plough they may be right! in. theory^ are in»^ pra^cable in fa^ii. w< The (econd is, that the (chemes^here kid iovftir are attended with dieir iiiconvenienr' ctea as well as others. . ' \ii t^ .To the firil of thefe I reply; that no one can be certain of this, till afi attempt hais> been made to put them in pradHce: and we? may be very fure, every one of them mights be eafily put in execution, were perfons afr reaUy animated with the love of their coun^ try, and as truly concerned: for its welfare and profperity, as; they pretend to. be ; andi had fomo^ among yxs, in their oppoiltioa to 'i- ■ b' i §66 An Essay oh TkADi. every meafure of the government, ;o iaxk, hcetic fcheme at hearty whidi ihey cover o* ver with rpedous names. , . /\. iT Be&le$» none of thefe fchemeSr no>^ sot alt of them together, are To difficult in them^ felves to be carried In^o execution, as that £ngle one which lias been: (o happily pep- &^cd in onrown days, theunbh with Scot* land. — In that cafe, inveterate national pre» j:ttdices,-**-natkMial pride,-^family-intereft,— fclf-intereft, — ^Jacobitical intereft, — preten- ces: of confcience, — fears of religion, and the refpe^ive churches of borhkingdocnst: *<— all i;hef^ confpired to heap up difficulties in the. way w Aim! yet all were furmounted by the firmnefs and addrefd of thoie true pa» triots of both kingdoms, to their immortal honour, who had the management of that affair. "Whereas in the prefent cafe, there can be no pretences^ of confcience, no fears of the churches being in danger, to encoun^ ter with : there are no national nnimofities^ or national pride, or the intereft of great fa- milies, to obflruft us; and very little of par- ty fpirit can miflgie>in any of thefe affairs: felf intereft h the chief obftacle to^ be fur-» mounted. Thiis- is indeed l great one, which will draw every, thing that it can to itiadiftt i^te. But it is urn ioTvipertbte, if WtthAood bymenMrbah»v^»tnijekw^for thw eoui^ trff^ni pn*4eoteHn4^irci%tlon to time fhctr^Q^Qtvottk^y ttki guide ch^m arigbt, ; Moreover) fuppofing none of tfaefe pro- poTak are fu($h as vf'Al ^6 dowii at preieiir> yAik. men are ftill ^ their prejiidices, and fond 0f their oivt^n-optubna: yet/even in that ttfc, it) .may not be anlirs t^ lay before them ihe ihbgs tbat'ar^ right; 'vi^htcb tliey may conGder of at ihw leifmre. When men conne 10 reafiifi and) refle£^/ their prejudiced iiri]i1>e^li t^ fefcen^ and tinit iv ill reconcile tKem te ihofe expedieiitsy ^kicb tii^y had itoTeighed bitterly ^ffMihtloft^ perhaps for want of nnderftanding dnd knowiqg di^m better — ^Tbus it often happens, that propofals deemed* impracticable at one fe^* fen, ort necoimt of the ^}>oJpular outcry tf* gain(l cbemv.may be called fod^c another^ with equal vehemence and impatience. And Aef-efore^ M4th hiimble ftYbmif&oni> it may not be nmifs to Icvfe thefe propofals upon netovd for future examtnatibn,^ though none ^them flioUld beji^dged feadbk at the pre-* ^ Sat kefides the former objeftjicm,arccdii«l t .«.' «' ~ i |68 AiJl Essay ol^ TlAi)!. iS) tteir^is fchctme kfelf h zxtehiti WitH 3(i€ grant ft !8: lin* fcrcly no miti in h\i fenfes could ever fuppoft, thttt ttfere cfcmld be any fcheme calculated for the g^^^ral good, which would noc bear hardifpor! rhd in t« refts of feme pankular pcciplc,-^rtie true way of edimatiitg any propofal is^ td confider, whether it dotb remedy more old incon venfencies than it introdtic^ new bneis ; •^-andi^whetherjupoib rhe^h6le> it h bene* ficiti or nof ,-^and its betKefits ttP fuch rai<> portaaoe a» deferve^ ro be reg4rded?-^Laft- ly, Whether Kkewlfefomeftfth^ very fais convenienciet which are fiippibrtid to attend it» may not be prevented or amended by fbrdier experience and obfefyntk)!). This it the true way for eftimating any propofal'f and by this rule I would chooie that my own ihould be tried j and then let theot (land o; fall. ' ' " *- We are always complaining of the baA morals of our people; of a general corrupt tion; and the being out<^rivalled in traddy Ncyerthelefi, it is very certain, that the prefent fyftem of things greatly contribute* to the increafe of each of chefe evik My meaning is, that it lays powerful temptati^ >^ja E^SAY ON TitADB. t6^ Ons; in pcppl^s way.^—And theft; iwhat can be €xpe4le4? ibm^ fevir perhaps will prove iheir, virme to be fiiperiorj but the great inajority will certainly be corrupted. For evideot it h, that the innocence of the bulk 9f, mankind is bcft preferved by their be^ ij)g kept ignorant of the temptation^ or at> great, dtftdnce from it. Now what is the Biatural tendency of cuftomhoufe oaths, e- te£)ipn oathsi freedom oaths, etc. but to en- tice and encourage mankind to be guilty of the foul (in of wilful and deliberate perju^ ry? What are the heavy taxes upon the 9iar4ed (late, and exemptions for bach'cfors» hut the like inducements to men to remain Gngle, and to gratify their dedres in an un» lawful way? What are all the exclufiv^ companies, alL^the heavy duties p:pDnim« portation, and the many ftatutes for cramp* ing the trade of Ireland* butfo many cbnti* nued attempts to drive away the trade from ourfelves to the French, who are not only our rivals, but.the moft dangerous ones wo can have? And truly we have greatly fuc^: Cf edcd in all thefe: yet who can we blame bui ourfelves? It may be pleaded indeed in excufe for thefe laws and eflablifhments,, tj^^ ,^hey were noiorigiqally intended to: 1 t I I i.7 as visri^d by etperienee, sind how they do operate in fa^? andifitiimadeto appear, thM: they are Co deftru^ve ib their confequetices, and fobyerOve of our morals^ libettieSi and commerce, it is but of little confidation to know, that they wdre efta- bltflied with a better view; ilwe ire now confidertng the thitigs tJiemfelves, with their natural confequences, not the chara- Aers or defign of their authors and proje- Acts. I will only add one reflo^on more to what has been faid; vh. that if v'c woirkl ftill keep on our trade at a foreign marker, we muO, at lead, be upon an equal footing with other nations, as to the goodneis and cheapnefs of what we have to (cU; other- *wif^ we cannot exped, that foreigners Aiould give us the preference tO their i>wn k)fs. Th'w then being the (late of the cafe, it ncccfliirily (blk>ws, that we mufl atway» iiftv* $» eye u^fon the prattces and proceed- Is, hbi ytuch ik:y of dhow lade to b their xiorald^ )f little e efta- e no^ witfc cliara- [ proje- lore to rtarkef, footing tk and other- rigners if own le cafir, atway» roceed- AfN Essay on Trade. iji ii^s 9F our rivals^ and take our meafMres a(:99rjjng)y,. as &r as regards this mufua} emulation. If they C9ntxive ways|and means to render theijr manufaftures cheaper or better than they did before, fo as to outvie us; we muft flrive to outvie them in cheap- ne(^ a^ goodnels, or be deprived of that parVPf conamerce by tl:\em: if they invite foreigners to fettle, a i^aopg them, in order to have the more hands, and to keep down the price of labour; we muft do the fame, or take the. copfecjuence to ourfelves: if they allow of no exclufive companies in a branch of tradei which interferes with our trade; we muft put down our companies, or lofe that trade: if their manufacturers are fobey and induftrious, and work for low wages, and feldom become a burdci; u^jn their parifhes; we muft endeavour to put our? upon the fame footing, or b^ :ontent .' *^rh the poverty which will be brought upon US: if their government requires little or no duties upon importation, in order to encpijr rage the greater numbers to engage in trade, and that all merchandize may come the clieaper to the confumer; we muft imitate them in that reipc£l, and change our cu- ftoms into inland duties; or udminifter con* P t I' ^^5 tmtiil tttej^titiaii to the nfecdy attd frAiidu- ditfetit to Wrta fm'tigglers ^nd Tuiffeir o\jr- Telvei to fi'iik wnli^ tfiefe 'cvAs, ibg^thfer With the bifrdfen and wei^t of our cSx- Rotts. Tficife irfc tbe dttrniti\rdsi ^fch are fet bfeBrc us; ihd brte ^buld think, that if nxahkmd Were ^no^ ^rditly tdJMded Witli ih'eir prejudices, ihd biailed ty private faicrirffe i^d finJftcfr Ww^, th'ey htei hot be long in defiberatiiig which to cho6fe. — Not to mention, thiat as every country in £iiro^ KbW begins to imderftand the max- ims of trade, ind apply ihemfeWes to com- raicrde, tmd are adiiafly railing jail (brtt 6f mannfiaftufc^ of their 6Wh, and haVe laid hew dtines tipon ourVj- — for thefe reafbns, we ought to be moi^e intent than ever to ctyhtriVe all Ways and means pofBble to l6w cr the price of every thiitg We export, in order to overbalarlccilhefe Additional dc'ties by dint of cheapnefs df labot/r, ind to out- Vic fhefe rit^ rivals by the ^oodncfs of our munufaAures. •i . AJ*,f1«^LmJ**3?.l' m ■t mi^l- AN A P PBN D ?X. Cohtdining a iPXAN for mfmg one on* ly TAX on the confunicrs of luxu- ries. ^tn THg^ f9rnmg V^^t\9^^k W^re f wlea. tpr.^tfp}js jfxqjor ftrf^e^? of foaui)^rf^^an4 of collcffing th^ publip r,evjep|i^e, migjit bo brought aboMt as g^adii^Ily as ppffible. And n,o grenrer deyiar ai^ ,werc aiternpt^cj tp bq raac^e if om fhe pf e/f nt ftate; ,0^ itbcfe affair^, than feeraed abfQiyteJy n^scefliryj Jeft tpcj precipitate a fhock might prejudice mankind againft conviction. I did not therefore pro- pofc fome of the above mentioned alterati- ons, as what appeared to me the very beft which could be deviled; but the belt in our prelent circumftances, and the likcliefl: to iuccced. For I am convinced, that what 1 am now going to offer, U in itfelf a much P2 174 An' Essay on 1[*^kAbl. more effectual remedy, if our conftitutlon is ftrong enough to admir the sipplicatioti or It, T^< of e ftheme is ttketvomota quarto pamf hlet, which w'oald Jh hofiour to any man, feveral times already quoted; viz. An Eilay-i. am die Ca aies isuid 'Decline of ' the Foreign Trade. ' But as I fliall rake the liberty to^ tnake fome few alterations from, and additions to, what thi^ moft ingenious author hath ad- vanced, I /hall ptH thofe articles in a diffe- ^rtnrchara£lier, that they may be diftinguifh- ed from his; and that his' origioar plan may not be involved in any ceufurc, which per- haps is only due to »ny additions and altera- tions. — The rcafbns which induced me to believe that foriie fe\x^ thing? might be aher- cd, or added for the better, (hall be laid be- fore the rea'^!cr in the fequel. ' ■\ ! t . ' V ■*A- ■ • i 4 >■*■'.' ' . I U. "1 ' •' "•'T; • • ■ ' ■ rxh ^yki «l ^r^ t-: t » / \ ' JlM Kf *r^^ h i^«-. . \( '• » *■ M.riJ -iit. \M J,. » '- An Essay on Trade. m An Extradl from page 44, ^/T. of the E0ay on the Caufes and Decline of the Foreign Trade, Vr •^'dff^-fj Firft and fecond Profo^als. ^ TO lay one tax on the confamers of Ii?- xuries, and take off all our other taxes, cxcifes, and ctiftdms:-^and when that h done, to mafee aH onr |X)rrs free. As the mt^ney-afTair h always the grand ofcjeft, fomething, by way of equivalcnr, mufl be given for the raxes taken off; as fuch the following ichcme h ofTered* w4 Propofal for raijlng one only tax an t£e confumers of lusmies^ It is hereby propofcd, that all pcrfbnsi iifing, wearing, or drinking the followiruj articles of luxury, as particularly fpccified,. be obliged to take out a licence yearly, pay- ing each one lubddy for eiich arriclc of three halfpence in the pound only, on the computed income they Ihould have to fupv \'xrt the ftation of life they voluacatiiy 1'3 ' 17(6 Aw Essay on Tra»jl place themfelveJi in, by the article of luxu- ry they ufe, wear, or drink, as by the ex- «u>ple foUo^wing. t« j: A R T I C L E S df L U X IT RT. ^^^^^^ halfpence per pound. All perfons £. £. s. i. t. Keeping two cotehes ah^tix for thehr life Sooo f:6: '1. Ufing difhes or plafes of filver at their tables, commonly called (crvices of plate 4000 %$ ■3. Keepmg a cotch ^aird 'fix for thdrufe xooo la: 4. Keeping a coach snd fonr for their ule looo 6 5. Drinking Prcnch wines la their'houfes " or lodgings 1000 tf t^. Keeping a coach and two tot their u(e fioo' f Chariots, four-Mvhetl er(oiit ■ £. I'jC' 17. Prinking Po^ wine in their ,houf&tHti, nets, fowlji^-pieoc^, etc. i^. Ufing China plates .for »de(erts ooly, (having no ierviees of Chintf) Jlp. \^««rif}g fp^ ^rffiiyerjforitheir diffs (except on coats, gowns, hat,s, or (Hoes} 100, ai. Wearing jewels in rings, or ear rings 100' 4i». Qoia^to^plays, opecM, concerts, balls, jniffjuerades, ridottos, lon^ rooms* p>^ blic gardens Going to hear and 4>uU-l>aitings.; prize- ^^btii^gs, boxti|gnnatcfaes, co«k-%^u- ings, and horfe-races a4. Ufing no filver plate but (poons %5. iDrinktng braQ4yi tfi«i, ©r :any Tpirils, in houle, lodging, or (erviqe %6, \(^earing filk or filk (HtfTs in apparel xj . .Having pidures, paintings or priats in houfe or lodging a8. Having more than one looking- gl^fs in ditto %9. Drinking tea, co0ee, or chocolate, >n houfe, lodging, or fervice }o. Ufing China tea-difhes, cups, or faucers 31. Playing at c»rds, t^cie, )or .any .other game, which is not ufed for the fake. of bodily exercile too f J 90 »5 i. IX 1% i 14 I» 1 1 tx 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 4. 5 6 3 3 3 3 3f 3f a! This is the general fcheme of the author : suid I have vcatuced ;to mak« fbchaddili^ 178 An Essa'v on Trade. ons to it, as, I hope., are cpDHftent with his good defign. I fhall therefore make no a^ pology fop each particular alteration j and only oWerve with refpeft to the 5 th and the r7th articles, /. e, the di(lin£^ion between drinking French wines, and other wines, which are the principal alterations^ that they both feem to me to be highly necefla- ry. The author indeed makes no diffe- rence throughout the treatife between pro- moting the coiifumption of French wine or Port wine, as if it was the feme to the conv* uierce of this kingdom : but,' though I ac- knowlege with plealure the inftru^lion I have received in other parts pf the fcience of commerce, I cannot follow him in this \ and mud dill (lick, to the maxims of all the former writers on trade, till I can fee more reafbn to alter my opinion. If French'clar rets. Burgundy, and Champagne, were as cheap as Port, few men would hefitate long ■which to choole. The Britifh merchant, I think, has fatisfa^orily proved, that were we to aboliib all duties on P'repch goods» and they to do the fame on Engliih (as was partly the fcheme of the miniltry during the four iafl years of queen Anne) the con- (equence would be, at kad, for a great ma- E. It with his bake no a? |th and the between cr wines, ions, that [ly necefla- no di-ffe- Iween pro h wine or the xronv ugh I ac- iru^ion I ie fcience ni in this; of all the Tee more rench'cJar ► were as fitate Jong rchanr, I flat were h goods» b (as was ' during the con- jreai in;^- An Essay on TiADE. 179 iiy ycar$, that Enghnd would be overrun Aiirith^ Fi^tiicS fflk«;lace«i' Wines, brandies, ifbths^ fluffs, Vibbandrf, iftns, toy s.ytc. And the'JV^ ;\ \ 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WltSTM, N.Y. I4SM (7U) •73-4S03 o^ 4n fM^T oy,7|^9« The aptbar in the i)fjj^ p||^^f|i ff^g|^ Indeed, as to playing %? (wJ^,^/^ ^.f;f^ IHH a|W^ *hip 10 i^^^oo^pi^iHl^ iW«*Rr AM Si^Af 1>ilTltkill^ iff ba^ufe gamiitg 6f ^Vety kind ^u]^t^>^ fm. Ifi p<^<^ mtecs ^ coitclh tiid«t,liid f>i[^ tvhil^t^nds 1^ -iimi^, ttd^ihi^ And AliMi Irt^ ^ 4^lki#tiif <^^qr ^«i^ Wot toV' ftV iRiff'^ tfrat vjr lb 'xWii1^» tRw l^iikik k^ ^ kiftd f^^fehMe ^ijh fet^ biiMb'gi'Mflds tir^^dih ^o'ttpoii ^'fNb ft^ Mr ^ nbc atfhiic d^Mi^tth^iTtfa diJiMft^ toihiVe fhdre Wlh^ drUDk ^iti Kh Yxnttijr ^h bhe #h6 kedpt oiily 1 fihgte chtridt, 'tffid r6 iifc a-giNMtltr^fif Ity hi proportioli ^ ^ve^ 1«1 Alf jEs^ lY ON 'J^t A p^f , fore iH f»U riafon 4i«^i\jfi|^ he (h^^ : The next . article jhgt he prbppfes i^, f,Tbat husbands ihQul4 pay for chmr wives r, the one fourth of the article thj?y pgy % ^ l^^mielvfs^ to entitle them to ufe ^ (ami^; f#li4 ^hil ihe parent^ fcouW pay for c?^ .^^h^ under age jh(^ ooe eight of the ar^ ' tide they pay for themfelves*^ to entitle 'them to ufe the/aii)e*' Here again I |thi forry I 6x^imyfeiE\^h\igtd^p^MSpt,^ the worthy^'sitHhof *, If iher h u^haD4 ia^ltax'^ ed fop hiiiwi%^ aqd!|»i:^i^s.f<3>r thffir qhil: dren ia proportibii to iheir Yi^unjbers^ thif would be making too near apprpacbes to the &ult the autlipr Imd himfelf tq juftly » coodemnedin ottrprefeot (yflem. Befides* when a man hat ^,&i^y,;he is si^f,eSku\y obliged to emer more articles tt^s^p he wouji4 do/ were he (ingle. And it would be a grpat and difcouraging hardfliip for the hjpada of families to pay .diefe articles^ or any ps^t of them, Qvei? agaiu/ on the accoiM)t of tbfic waives and children. Moreover^ I do i^qc fee how we could rightly diftioguiih whtdi articles belonged to the husband, which to the wife* and which to the children. Jt edr Ah Els AY OK TxAOE. 1 9(3 ibierelbrc ieemt it# :nk|' rjindre equitable wciy, jibtt the ihusiK^d orfittmhe reborn (jblefor the whole family, and be confider^ edi sit if he enticed all the artkies of l)*s fijDgle feif. If the ^mily are extravagaiir, and will u(e ly taxed, if o£i '^ ivr^ljf } 01^ y earl df age. 'y^^^ttji wiih txiimii&lifii ' it tbo< ;fooai. f < SupfHrfe rather^ lAlat th^y paid a fin^e tax for each: article^. tjU they arrived at twenty five years; and then were trebly taxed, till they married; and that wtdowera likcwife without chik dcen, if upiirards« of tbiri^|r, and nbder forty five, wer^ doiibly tdxed* l^sntvv r The author then recommends, that all perfonsi fuch at he therte reckons up, who get their living by the hixuiies and cxtnu. vigince 0f others, flioulii: be, obliged) to pi^ for every article' they enter, as if they bad an income of five hundred pounds m yeair.'^But here I think diere is not a fufE« cieot diftin£Hon made between the difitrent olfiin pf tbde.paople; feing Jrlkt^idoo^^ whidb fintetyitssV^ ikoequd wiiy df tab iagtimdfioc •(•Uagn^tabib tiohis%ii^^}i^ pnaximt. Suppofe ckevefiim/ JnliltfaA ^ fyt*^ kig iipoh/ftiiy ,faf^ull»^«fii^ ihtfi IM •f lhnog» 4iciEiording on iidien (k^ but mi^ much higher, viz. that all ko^pem ef«fa«» 2«na, alt'lioitfefj* ^ct«L4iwl ihlie ijl fU^cwi/ fliJew-[9Bii|i^4 fliwUl be ireU^m^, '«^ kng?sstb«yiUAiCMMl>e Jb«^h|d'4n «# Aiofot who retail frendiii^kiea or bfttnlieft^ ^ Bvt andott^tiadly^thc wayanil OMtwier^C krying fudi a4li»r 'it khe >poiiN mVkh im< fij«sitioft4heiiaKiffiofiii>rthepab)k. And on this hczd, the worthy 4dthoeiiMiit of aa OMtoqnnoiifagiieity and te (itheaie is a list upoii taiiityi thevc^ 4i)|rnaliirfi\«£clitt paffios hetruf^nftilf, and siittiiar :lMritoiio«i.ki:^ icdt^quetitljrv theF<^ ««> b^ finke VomiL i for d^ii^cling tke tevish . aaift^mi focb »i€aUk<«t^Bi(it* fttppofe a few firan^ fliouid be attempted in bme parti* etfkr> ciceiimibiti^^^ then the follovc^ing «icffai9id; brfaieH ld1|»M)pd&s^ is the mnft e^ fe£iudw8)i?of"wif#^and Axir children 2 and I wiU fuppolb that hd cnttnr ennery ^ofw ticle he well ean; and comparb that tax with thtf preient ; ki order ' 00 f^ whae-ad- #anta^ may^b^ reaped by if^^ httv,i-.m%i •) rmlBr ia I f il^gentleinain o£ »5o I. .pers^iiiinini liviog . fcrvtces) included ^ x ir ^^ '^y/JeWetigfit^. -necklaces and Iblitaires; ring^ ^4.^ two wheeteacKaiTe -^'V''^ '.. V'tf'iit',^ *>. A paei drhoiliiaiigre7-hoiin^f.gdns, ti^i^^-'^-f^i^ ' . ^i.\ttdaU4 '- '■^■■■•- *^/y^^H. * « •■ •■«^^f^0^twj tf^Ken-ftnrama U Hvcwy, or W n^alt at tabic iv'*t» t',f 'y. Saddle horft» v^t^r ^]^ :|;| i^^ ^< P»^ inll^^tt Mnca (^c^ Fiittcri)i^'riiai^ '' ti! f . GoU apd fitvct h' drefs (esAfpt on coafl, ^" > > ^ ip. G/iiof t» ptijf^a; all other SifaCam W ^ ''^clnded •■'' "■• ■ ^y^^^^.^, t tt. Piaarei. piteit. ete. I- iflit 'j^t [^»». Tea, colfiie, and cKecolatc t 4f ;:.i *^t3. JLooking fraflra 1 li 5 J^i4»PlayHifat-^*rdg'^»»^wJ*l«?>" . t^^^f^H^in^iih;^ Total, which thlt gcatkoiffi nwotd pir[ % mt " - "^V^ <^' ^ " annval liecnde' . - ^f .-'f;.! ::■- •/ i.^gj: tf^'^^ , tte •*!) ^J 4 lav^' W 4ir> Vbvreaf » g€Btlcm9ii of^^b^ ifimne'bi- ^ome^ let hfin be aafhififtl at he #idH can, .pap/at prjeff tic foe .Wro^f, hia.^ife, cWt Irireo, v#ri4 fafniiy, m dutie9,:^npf9Sj amd excifca to the kbg, «nd p0r^uUit(^.t^ q^ 0.3 %ff§ Am^Edikr'on TBkmi^^ letrioftM'f^sifk^ of enhaiKmg coiifeqfierrcet^'atmofl dbo^e the fermer; though the neat prod«ce» which Comes dear to the governmenti it full dtib thud lefs, by the fbtbwteg tftim&tioiu ^^ ^4 "iriie gfefteflnvtn h chafgcd with |h« kiof^ 4^ ^>«y., fuBtftnt aird excife* for alt tlie.&k« iMfi^ .r»^. . « leather can^kf («94 Pf^^f**^*^) *!l fl^ pmIi ; in4 l^op^ (and pcKhiqpf ale^ bccr» cyder and j«r- V i>y> aJl tht wintt M«ip4i]F» npn* Md^ i|irifs> ch« A|yi|r, ri^^s* currants, lemons, oran|es, tqbw* ciD> the tea* •oSu^ and dMe«li|te» aa4 Mhev .'trtl^s lUtd and confttmed "iy bioilcilf md Ik* may : vbkbi jif^a Isvcrji Arbg^^ii^afa HMf atnonnt to up, aaor^ fltip a fci m ]^. He b «^ar^d with the prunary kind of ad* fanees on cfidi of $ikUk artid^-vi. «. t|« a^ fii$^ wdiich the person, who firft pays the 4i« tP M^c^ iiei^ till ft comes Co the coi|fap|Mf« 3f k9 moili pity ibr all ; which at teaA mu(t amoufir. fo^^ ^ ^ * Hf is charged with all (econdary ki^4 : .'xaoces» 1. c. the reciprocal advances of tte prica of labour, froyi^i^ «^ ^jf ^ CfWfinoditiieik. .^whlA iradefmen. landlords, and alt peo p l e cpncemed. maW..ii^ ,9mt, aa9ih«r>-^Tn-Thii|^^ •«« toi)|k at Jeaft amoont to as mi^ inocf *-* 1 ^ ■ .^;^ » I • -•'4M ■ V , I f 'it •i>:i/t:i , .».v* '.lI Total paid «| preient^ evenj yoA |oo4 oMi|n9«iF j *io> . #1 ^ .f^ baft «xpla^#d by an- iHii^Mtkn ^ bdtb U thf |kma |^«. Sttppoie A. Ky tradf a (botmako': ha^ boys his feather of titt Hmner iiit cttrrief.^aifd pl^ t6' thetfr' th^ i\iij(^ dlily; Mi Ihthr adviKCM npn itrke chaf|ps fbltd*^, wHh thraddH* iton of their ^^fincei^ and a new pof af his own, upon th* iboes he (clTi. Tkti It the nator* of all priinaty^'tivftncef» '1 'J ptr aoavm fer the 4oties a»4 their coofe- flsftvittttfi'lUtt' »4-<..?f<>4fr)||{; X have herjp ^IIowe^xMie ^tl^r^fo^ cotfe^'' ang; and whoever eoptiidors the vaft ex- pellee whTch tjie 26v0rinmehtTsit,,e(pecfat- ly m the iait and cuitoms, will be apt to conclude, that I have lipt allowed 'enough. As there is a drawroack upon ail fait expoct- cd, and fait ;|(^ , the ^fe qf the fiflvB^el: it nccc(Sury tR4t ihfy u^uld Wi« , / . i^ -^ But t^R ir nAt ill • %t A: Baii thit #. t, Dl ' ^. )l. G* el^. fh«t U the VicdieN*, |!!>^W t9k«itt» ji%f»W cKeeicnionfrrs, cli«nikrs, croceri^ cIo(^fer%, tti^^rt^ ifiijio Ikon, ill the^miie(!^«A^wnom ht ile^A w^JR. ?»• liyewifii iiiMgi Mmitlfb thfif rt^QS!iea4Nuit»ti' Thiiti^r^J* hfh»t no re|[porc;e bul wl|at ^if p^«f^j hw^^^ charges hts mocv ssl^^crf 8|^in, * wKh a leteiidary m> viMte, iii oritr !•• aiifbct'iM dM^iiMf'. Yhut t|ie * m^df \tAi^j^tnrf ^W. It Vs tl»rd%«T mt longcn^toit j^^oice ^Si ^* yf' ^i^nfc^:* 4^^^^ or m^re* k tie t>r{i( ^cWfter. W 6th«f tltW tpeiiMMJiirlMliOfltft^.'-^Ki^lMftiyi M^ (kli tllfiigicM^ fca^s* «(fM^||^ ^ tlie«atuinK of ,|li« 4^b«o^c hect reeo«BiaeiKl«dU aU neceiSurtca.o£ Uff» bdog.3ttty4kcpofedf mthat^as it is pro- 'j^fed^-lAHir^ach peirfon ihall be obliged to leottei'sER3 i^)ler;ahd^^p^ the arbnej witheic 'i0f Ifirthtr cxpcnce, three pcncfe in the pound would be full fufficfent for the (ala- ^^Tjr^of Hie receiver and his cferkt in fhis, fix IbiUbi^'lind eight pence willicarcely fiici^ ^r'ilte coitefiing of twenty Ihtllings, ereiii t^^xnptitin^ ^If up^n ah average. So tMt wti|;h' the fubjefi^ with all his oeconom^^ *|rsiyr ahnu^Hy fbi'ty pdunds, W inlKe dthe^ort^^ |fie fclsca; Wo^Id p^ l^^t^twi^nty one pounds feventeen ihiUings a»d fbtf cficfe/ihdftgh Hft app^rcd in a intiBli 'gayer ftiSiife ofBfc. And yet tKc eive^^ ■I'i ■^fimfktkr oir' J^ni^s. ifk me hfhi thic my, '*^ ere- IJIgS xxeh ^iroirid 'it have been^ badt^ttiejfvbotli Uved in 4ibe»iftfne'iiegree e^ gaiety mild TnTofiiteQeCi? ^- Siich'»ltha!9tt dierefbre, a»bei^ipropoi^ ielf; at fo be-eljaks^ dbwn €@ ite *f)ff^ •leiic aidvamge ^^of ptivsit!^ * iiiitl^reaie. ihcAdsk of iiibabitaiits, raife the rf- ^l y^ue of all pur J^dsc aiid comiQodUJi^^ ^and depreft the ^prdept^ imaginary and fifi^* e|iQU;$^o^l^. as there, W0Mldh^ n<>uduty lip- on importation, it would invite moi^^^fry |[|n&.to jeogAge ioL^adiSf and prc^nentthe very poiTibltity of ftnui^ling: aa all ports would be(opeo» every part of the kingdom ji^jfttW halve af^irjand «5<^^ ^feiw»i >ai»i csceUcint conftqueftces^. jnhkk doferme to be more purcicttlarly noUcL 4$ w«h«ie Kit tb^of tbe kisid oow C9iittiag> For fiefl^ it wonid be a nQftjejKeUkmd f^mfotw^ l^h^ tPffne a cbake it his iinmediate ttit«r f<^^ c^ go ttr Ipw ,^ i^Q$Jb^; (o tbat^Ke «ir it cliAnM^^iMk h^^pteBmirtntcSt^ot 1^ umdy' perfen^ 4b be Hlbd^ to fncceedv And I'ttn «firaid>rl 'ihtty ftftply to thii-a^kihoo llid^ysords i ii^af d in a c:tie not very ^diffe* lent'ftom it: 8rr;rtits is all rigBt; .btk'ii wit mnti^ib r^it is m;k6niefl: ♦' " :\Ju^l However, there is a fatisfaftion in offfef? ing things right and honed to public con(i- deration, whether they are accepted, or not. It is a laudable pallidn to be willing to do the mofl extenfive good. And therje arc not many men, though many may be honed and upright in their private capacity, who think themfelves concerned to be a- ^ve and indefatigable in promoting the welfare of tfie communiify. ' The cafe with the felfiih and defigning is quite the re- vcrfe: they are ever vigilant and induftri- ous in defeating every meafure, which is not calculated for their own private advan- tage, to the detriment of others. Their ^ craft is endangered by fuch a fyftem : and therefore they always cry it down, and are atealous in oppofing it. Thus it is, that in mofl: contefls, where the public good is concerned, a few knavifli and diflioiieft per fons are ah over-match by If 4 A^ BttAV '09 their seal omA MniPf fengpreatarf i who ke inore hegligiOQt and iaAficreitic. £1 Tcry generous andUBfiltei^efted p^opoftlnft« tufally aiai ms all dKi(e> wholpriyvpon th^ public. ;But let the event ht what k wiU, an honeft man» who doth his doily, enjoys that latis&QSta which they arc ftrangers to*!: ' {■'■..■ ' ''■:) .; ■' '.i-rlr ^1^7:/^':.H ■4 1. 3' "i .,: .:]f. it\Ui 8j.a! ' ill < '■- : I ; I I ,. ) ') I • i; : ii. ill: •;:;•' •> n: • " 5 f THE E K D. ) ilk. -I*)/'! nc!' V ,■ ' • ' ' 1 1 ! i -' } . hnn ^(VV'.h n yi:. pyr-i-U VM .!. 'j'-^rr*?: .iflt^jfuj:- iuifti fif if I i - r» ■ » ^jl •n.^f'v 16 .-% T- * fe ^TI??i^lClt V^i^^*^' '■ '11 -K! lOrjl >rt? i'5 K-Ij *j ,j, : ii^^iiw" i:;oii>£i*i^^ .^^*A' j^' -i^ . M^jt^^^: i^^S