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23 VMBT MAM STMIT

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CIHM/ICMH

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CIHIVI/ICIVIH
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mi

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Ori
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Th<
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whi

Ma
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ant
bad
rigl
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ma

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illustrant la mAthoda.

ly arrata
ad to

int

ina palura,

apon A

1 2 3

32X

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W^^^'K^,,^,''"

"♦*,

.0**5

p.-^,.

c,v>

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■■4^

LETTER

, ** • *

To the Honourable

;

M—

r^,

i^i .» I-

Com-

— ^ner

Trade md Plantatioa

«f--^i..

.")

-'i"

V;V

>-M-'

':i t ■

t O NV O Nf

^i ':,^- .

i^ ' *

(■>■

.? Wo

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^.i

'%^- >'■

jprinted fotjf^ines Roberts,

in Wmwkk fjnu.

near the Oxford'Army

}7H'

<*.

■v>o

;l V

2*1

>^'

, -^^f^*

V5i,-'».

JU^

^ -JlSiM^-

«t-^

The

t-..

► » ■«

SIR

IBelk
thou

11 of It: 1
profccatil
k and hj
Thought
him, air
Woes fall
. And all
Views oi
uncontroi
can the
Is it Coj
Happinelij
be impute
who cignl
Grandeur;
of mcerly :
fg^in, am

•i

*»r«>f«MM^.

[Jj

L E T T E R

T O

The Honourable A—r M — re.

S t R^

Uoyal'Bxcbange^ z6 Atay^ I7I4«

I Believe Mankind will agree, that they lictle
thought to fee in this Nation private Men ob*
liged to draw their Pens in Defence of the Trade
\\ of it : That the fair Merchant, inftead of fedately
profecuting his Aflairs, to the Welfare of his Fami-
ly and his Country, would be compelled to turn his
I Thoughts to the Danger and Mifery that threateas
* him, amazed and helplefs to fee a Torrent of
Woes falling on the Commerce of his Country:
And all chiefly owing to the Midakes or (iniller
, Views of one Man, which have been hitherto
i uncontrouled, or rather acquie(ced in. What
I can the Conduft of this Man proceed from ?
^ Is it Contempt of the Merchant, Envy of hif
!Happine(s, Stupidity or Treachery, that ic muft
ibe imputed to? I( the fir ft, fuch (\i there are any)
|who (ignorant of the (upport of their Luxury and
fGrandeur) are ftupidly contented with the Pl'^fure
|)f meerlyfpending Life, might foon go to the Woods
igain, and live in the State of the primitive lahabt-

A £ cants

I I >ii< - »iwi m i ■>-»^^.#Mi

"i riiuiiii

\1\

£'■

it '

'*-^fe-

'.'»r- .j »' W« ii ) .-

[4]

tants of our Ifltnd, but for the afiiftance of the
Merchant. He is the Support of Empires and of
Kingdoms } without his Aid, the attempt of Con-
quest would be vain: 'Tis he augments the I^rice of
Land, enriches the Tenant to pay his Rent, ena-
bles every Subjed chearfully to contribute te hit
Princes Taxes i and who pays a larrsr Share than
the Merchant himfclf ? What Kingdom or Sate is
there, that is not even raised by him to their prefent
Grandure ? Have any of our Neighbours acquired
theirs without his Adidanoe ? He is the very Axis
of the Treafure and Power of all Countries whatfo-
cver. They that dcfpife him, (infenfibly contemn-
ing the dufe of their own Happinefs) are ObjeAs
ofthc Pity rf all Mankind.

Is it Stupidity and Ignorance? 'Tis certain all
Countries are more or lefs formidable as they ebb
or flow rn Trade. Holland and Flanders are no*
table Examples of this. When Tyranny, loads
of Taxes and other Oppreilions tofled the Com-
mercial Ball from Flanders^ by the Deflru£bion of
the Trade of Bruges^ Slttys^ and Antwerp \ HoUdnd
caught it with open Arms, who by carrciling it e-
ver fince, has made it flouri{h to (b great a De-
force, that it has raifed the United Netberlajtds to a
Power, able, at times, to witbftand alone the Shocks
of all the mod Potent Princes of Europe. Prance is
another Example*, for my Witucfs, 1 bring a French
Author lately publiHied at Paris, where fpeaking of
1 rade, he fays, ' There are few things in Govern-

* ment that deferve more Attention ^ to be convin-

* ced of this, let Men only refleft on the State of
*• Europe^ and obfcrve the difference between Coun-

* tries that have Commerce, and thofe thafi have

* not. England^ and HoUandy on whom in the prefenc

* Age all depends, ^ do (oi {hou*d^ govern their

Intereft

* Gtod Mvici, httdw Hcntjiy mvHgh toftUow it*

< doi
« Prai
« of ti

ting Cor.
in the
certainl\
hefo it
for Siat
Tyr/tnn\
fitotrt

Intereft abroad with refpcftcvcr to their Tra flick.
Husbandry and Commerce nouri(h and enrich a
Nation: 'Tis thofe two Arts that give it Life and
Strength : A Truth that ought to be written in Let*
ten of Gold in all the Cabinets of Princes and Mini*
ftersy to admonijh them to confijer the Husbandmen
and Traders as they deferve. By Commerce, the
Riches of the moit diltant Countries are brought
ta a State; Ti/ a Mine that affords the more, tbt
more ^tis wrought, and is never to be exhaufied. The
Lord Chancellor Bacon fays, That Merchants ^nd
Traders are in a State, what the Blood is in the
Body. It may be proved by Examples, as ancient
as the World, that Nations have been powerful
in proportion to their Application to Commerce;
witnefs the Tyrians, the Athenians, the Carthagi'
nians: But without recurring to fuch diflant In-
fiances, it will be fiiflficient to examine the fur-
prifing Changes which Commerce has made in our
Times among our Neighbours.

* England, by the Prote&ion and Encouragement'
which Queen Elizabeth, during her Reign, gave
to Commerce, has from that time fo enlarged her
Trade and Naval Strength, that (he has been able
to maintain eafily thofe mighty Fleets which have
rendered her the Terror of the Ocean.

* Nothing is comparable to what the Dutch have
done by following this M. *'ii: But we have in
France,SLnd under our own E^-'^s, convincing Proofs
of the ufefulnefs of Commerce. * Cardinal Rich*

lieUf

* NoffondtrtheCardinal had n$ better fucctfs in his Attempt effrtno"
tingCommerce, his tw» Ceimter-projeBs were too great to be accomfli(heJ,
in the time he govern' d as prime Minifteri his firfi Attempt (ottrs mtfi
certainly can never be the fame) vas to defiroy Commerce } by his Sucufs in it,
hefo impoveriflt'd the Subjeils of France, that they were foon qualified
for Slavery by which he gaind his firfi Point, and made the Monarchy
Tyrannical : His Second was, by retrieving and increafing the Commerce^
fi to tmtth thutTyramctd Monitrchy at tt mftkedM reft of Europe foon

become

\ /I

■JH

jLiML.

■•W5C?«#i«**^

[«]

lieu^Md. MonHeur Colbtrt^ thofe excellent Miniftersy
fo zealous for aggrandizing the Prcncb Monarchy,
thofe Men of greac Knowledge and clear Judg-
ment, applied themfelves very much to enlarge our
Commerce \ they did not take Mcafures jud e-
nou.^h and their good Intentions had but mode-
rate Succffs: Yet the Auv^menration of Traffick
has enabled France tofu^ort three Wars offeveral
Tears conunuance again^i all Europe united. What
wou'd our Nation be then, if this never-failing
Spring of Wealth were as ably manag'd by us as
our Neighbours? My Lord Belafyje ufcd to fay,
that if che turks did but know what they might
be capa' le of doing by Se^, and if the French
JfjOH^d come to apprehend rightly to what a Pitch
they wight carry their Commerce^ the refi of Europe
wou*dfoon become their Conquefl.
* The Fxample of Bruges^ Slnys, and Antvperpj
proves thac Commerce may flounih in a Monar-
chy, as well as in a Common- Wealth, * when
the Prince and his Minifters know thoroughly the
Importance of it, protc£b it with a high Hand,
follow the true M ixims relating to it, prevent en*
grolfing and deftruSiive Comfanies, leave the Mer-
chant all the Liberty requifite for carrying it on,
do not take upon them to fubjeS it to the interejied
Views of their Courtiers, do not load it with too
high Duties, do not prefer ^like the Owner of the
Hen that laid Golden Eggsj pr^^fent Gain, how
great foever, to a long Train of durable and cer-
tain Advantages, which wou*dbe a continual Fund

become their Conqueft, and render it tmiverfal. How near this vat being
accompliflfd. is ftill fre/h in our Memories, and the Circumftance thef
are again p$tt in of effe^ing it, is now the Terror of Europe. The von-
derfid Effects of Commerce!

* IVou'd the Minijiers ofG. B. But allow one Hour in t Weeh^ to th*
ftudy of Commerce, 'twou'd be haffyftr this Nation. A poor Requefli

lifts

%..

*&.,

liftersy
irchVf
Judg-
geour
juft c-
mode-
rafHck
fevtral
What
failing
y us as
to lay,
might
French
r Pitch
ILurope

Intxverpj
Monar-
^ when
,hly the
Hand,
ent «i-
Mcr-
it on,
iterejied
ith too
of the
, how
d ccr-
al Fund
of

vat being

faace thtf

The von-

\t]t, 10 tht

[7]
• of Supplies to them, by the continual Increafe
« of the Riches of their People.

If it proceeds from Treachery, fcarce any Punifli-
ment can be adequate to the OBence.

Sir, *tis to you 1 thus fpeak, who Patronize our
Trade, and am convinced you 11 agree co the Truth
of what 1 fay. We all know that it was to your A-
bility the Care of our Trade was left at the late
Treaties, and to your difccrning Judgment the Cars
of the Crown*s Property in jimericd was recom-
mended. The Fatigues you underwent in your
Journey to Taris^ the mdefatigable Induftry and Skill
you have (hew'd in your Management of the late
Treaties* and your difimerefled Aims through the
whole Courfe of them, are evident Proofs how 2^^-
loH$ you are for the Welfare of our Country. To
whom then mud I complain, but to you, of any At-
tempts to the Prejudice of our Commerce, or of any
Afperfions thrown on thofe who zealouily oppole
them? Give me then leave to bemoan our living in
an Age among Cotemporaries, who not being
contented to calumniate the living Patriots of our
Trade and Welfare, even unjuftly afperfe and rake in
the AHies of the Dead. I fay, in the A(hes of one,
who has done more for the Trade of this Ifland than
ever was done by any one Man : 1 mean the late
Mr. Metbuen, The Experience of the pad and pre-
fent Age judifies the excellent Treaty he made with
Tortugal, 1 am fure you intirely agree in thcfe Sen-
timents, and did 1 not know the Zeal you have for
the Juftiflcation of it to the Publick, I {hou*d wave
the producing any Vouchers to manifeft this noto-
rious Truth.
I The laft time 1 had the Honour of being with
f you, you may remember you reached from your
I Shelf, a Book call'd, ^alt andFiJhery, by John CoU
l/w/, Accomptant to the Royal Filhcry Company,
'ijrinted Anno i68i. 1 was not a little furprizcd when

yoii

'€/

j*w ^ ' ^ i|w * * -

you tornM to that Part wherein he fpeaki of Cmuny
and Portugal Wine, to find the following Remon-
Urance, which he fays was delivered by the Mer«
hand of Lofkkn, to the Lad Long Parliament.
« Whereat the Portugal Trade it very advantagi-
oos to this Nation, becaufe it does annuilly con-
fume a great quancicy of our Manufa&uref, Fifh,
&c. and of late declincf, becaufe the Sugar and
other Commodities of that Country, are either fo
fallen in Price here, or grown fo fcarce there, as
that the Merchants trading thither cannot procure
wherein to have retHrnv, nor the People of that
Country wherein to make Satisfaftion for the
Goods they take, which hath occafion'd the fet-
ting up of Fabricks of their own, and the prohi-
biting of our Commodities *, to prevent the faid
Inconveniency> being that Country abounds with
feveral forts of good Wine, and is capable to af-
ford great Quantities thereof, which are in a man-
ner totally prohibited firom being brought into
this Kingdom, by the great Cuftom charged there-
on, of i6 I. i8 /. II d. fif Ton, as on Spanijb
Wine, whereas their Ufe, norGoodnefs, doth noc
render them capable of paying more than the
French.

* It is humbly conceived, it may be the Intercft
of this Nation, that by Ad of Parliament, theCu-
ilom of the faid Wines may be abated, ^mJ that fee'
ing the Freight from Portugal is 40 s. pcrTbw more
than from 1" ranee, thai the Otftom may he lefs than
what is charged on French Wine^ for the Rcafons
following.

* fiVy?, The abating of the Cuftoms would cer-
tainly introduce the Expence of the faid Wines,
and make them ferve to fupply the great wane of
Returns, at prcfent experimented in that Trade,
and confecjuently be a great Means to increafe the
confumptioa ofou; Manufa^ory in that Country.

* Secondly f

i:t

ore

^fe-^-.

Remon-
thc Mcr-
iament.
idvtntagi-
iiUy con-
rcf, Fi(h,
Suear and
; either fo
; there, at
)t procure
lie of that
1 for the
'd the fct-
the prohi-
nt the faid
3unds with
lable to af-
e in a tnan-
ought into
irgcd there-
on Spanijb
1, doth not
e than the

the Intercft

md that fee'

yerTon wore

he left than

the ReaCons

would cer-
oid Wines,
reat wane of
that Trade,
increafe the
lat Country.
< Secondly^

[9]

* Sectmdfyt h would diminl(h the Importation cf
French Wines, which ic is well known, are pur^
chafed with Monies \ whereas it is probable, tbefe
will always be fur chafed with our Aianufatlory\ and
it may be convenient, to encourage the growth of
Wines in Portugal^ thereby to lejfen the French
Trade,

• Thirdly^ Whereas the Prince of /^or/M^^i/ did, a-
bout a Year fince, make a Law to prevent the
weuring of Foreign Cloth, Gold and Silver Lace,
and fome other Commodities, and did alfo let up
Fabricks of Bay«, and Serges in that Country, be-
caufe they have not Eflfeos to Ballance their Im-
portations, which hath already proved of greac
Prejudice to the faid Trade, and may prove very

' fatal if purfued : It may be hoped, that by thus
' introducing the Expence of their Commodicief,
( and the taking of them in Exchange of our Ma-
' nufa6^ures, they may be brought to negled the
' ObferVation of the faid Law, and the (aid Fa-
^ bricks, becaufc the Occafion of them will be thus
' taken away.

* Fourthly^ It may advance his Majefty's Revenur,
« for the prefen: extraordinary Cullom is lirtle Icfs

* than a total Prohibition, fo that the faid Wines

* yield at prefent very little to his Majefty % where-

* as if theCuftom be abated, they may yieldacon-

* fidcrable Sum. and whatfocvcr may be received

* Icfs on the French Wines, will be advanced on

* thefe, and probably more, becaufc of their Varie-

* ty and Goodnefs, and alfo bccaufe a great quanti-
< ty of the Wines of that Country arc not fo ftrong

* as the French.

The Remark you made is very jufl, that the

Merchants in thofe Days who made the Remon-

ilrance, and Mr. Collins^ who many Years after gave

us this Copy, cannot befaid by any one to have

orefeen the Controverdcnow in difputc about the

B Trade

»'■■•

..- i

(

n !

Trade 0^ Great Bfitain^ and therefore it mull be al-
lowed by every body to be &n Impartial Account of
our Trade to Poy/wg^?/ and l*rrf«c^ J the World will
cert i inly be pleafed with this Copy, especially if
I Jet them know that a Pcrfon of your long Expert"
ence^ and excellent Judgment in Trade, ftudyed and

y?«c/^ clofe to the Hints of ir, in the late T ty of

Commerce J other wife, how is *•" pofHble the excel-
lent T ty you made with France^ could fo eX'

m^ly agree with it in each Particular,

I am of Opinion^ that Mr. Methuen had a fight
of this Paper, if not, I do affirm, that he under-
fiood the Advantage of the Portugal Trade, and the
Pernicioufnefs of the French^ as well as any Man in
E^glandy except your felf.

We may obfervc, that in thofc Days the PortU'
gal Trade was (even before their Gold Mines were
difcover'dj extreamly advantagious to this Nation.
That it declined, bccat fe thofe People had not
wherewithal to pay us o r Ballance, and the Dutiet
on their Wines being e 'jal or higher than thole
on the French : Thcfe wt e alfo the Caufes of the
Prohibition of our Commr lities ; but by the Difcove-
ry of their Mines, and the naking the Portugal Trea-
ty, thefe Obftrudions are ow removed ^ Experience
fbews'us how good Jud, :$ our Merchants were in
thofe Days of proper iv^medies to continue the
Advantages of that Trade, and prevent the damage
we fuftain'd by that of France.

We find that they gain'd 40 x. per Too, more by
the Freight of our Ships fi:om thence, than they
did from France.

Wc may obfeive, that the raifing of the Duties
on French Wines higher, than on thofe of Portugal^
(which is an Equivalent to what they defircd^ has
brought the Wines of that Country into ufc in
Great Britain^ and that it occafions a great Con-
fumption of our Manufaftures*

per

luft be tl-
ccount of
orld Xvill
>ccially if
ftg Expert-
udyed and
— ty of
the cxccl-
uld fo eX'

ad a fight
he undcr-
e, and the
ny Man in

the TortU'
Aines were
lis Nation,
had not
the Dutiet
than thofe
ufes of the
heDifcove-
tugal Trea-
Experience
Dts were in
ntinue the
:he damage

n, more by
than they

the Duties
of Portugal^
Ic fired j has
into ufe in
great Con-

["]

It ftiould be particularly regarded, that the
French Wines in tbofe Days were purcbafeJ with
Money : And as the FiencbYi^MG cxtreimly encreafed
their Manufactures of Wool, mull be again pur-
chafed with our Money, if the Wines of each
Country are charged with an equal Duty : Nay»
(hould the Duties on the Wines of each Country
be lowcr'd, fo as to fink that of the French confi-
derably from the prcfent Rate, and bring it near as
Low as the Duty on Portugal and other Wines, the
fmall Difference there would then be between them,
would have Hill the fame Effcd. As for Example :

Suppofe the Duty on "Portugal Wines was funk to
iSl.per Ton, and that on French Wine to 27/. per
Ton, (by which we ihould ftill keep up to the For-
tugal Treaty) yet the Difference then, between one
and the other, being fo little, would encourage the
Confumption of French Wines, and abate that of
other Wines. French Wines pay now about jo/.
per Ton more than other Wines, but if the Duty
ihould be fix'd on this Foot, the Difference would
be but 9 /. per Ton, and of Courfe but nine Far-
things per Bottle* out of which is to be dedud:ed three
Farthings per Bottle as an Equivalent for the dearer
Freight of other Wine, France being fo very nigii,
fo that French Wine will pay but three half Pence
per Bottle more xhvMFortugal and other Wines.

I appeal to all the World, efpecially to you, Sir,
if it is to be imagin*d, that any Body that can af-
ford to drink Wine, will not fooner be at the ex-
traordinary Expence of three halfpence for a Bottle
oi French Wine, than confine themfelves to diink
Torttigal Wine, for the fake of faving three half
Pence, efpecially when French Wine is fo much
more coveted than the other.

*Tis plain, by Experience, fince Mr. Methuen's
Treaty, that the Importation and Confumption of
French Wines has been diminifhed, and tt

\l I dicial Tr«ide Icfien'd.

B z

preju-
And

**»*.

^.jnmt'

i!*Wj^

•«*35fafer

\. {

I '

[1*]

And that the Wines and GOLD o£ Portugal has
been wholly purchafcd by our Manufafturcs, Fifli,
and other Produds. By our Fifh, our Newfoundland
Trade has been in ibme Meafure fupported, as well
as that Nurfery of Seamen mainrain'd.

France by infuppor table Duties, has prohibited
our Filhjin order codifcouragc that Trade, but with
a greater View to deftroy our Nurfery of Seamen.
Arc they not in the right on^t ?

We fee that by Mr. Methuen^ Treaty with Por^
tugal^ our Manufudures are re-admitted, and their
Fabricks ncgle^Vcd. But by the prcfent Treaty with
Trancey there is nothing (lipulated that can have
that Confequencc there, but on the contrary, the
French Manufafturers working 7^. in a i j. cheaper
than ours, the vait Quantities of their Silks, Lin«
nens, and Paper, that will continually glut our Mar-
kets, mud efFedually deftroy all thofe Manufa&ures
here.

We cannot but be fenfible of the Advantages this
Nation has received by Mr. Methueni Treaty; that
the beneficial Trade of "Portugal in thofe Days decli-
ning, has not only been retrieved and mod confide^
rably improved, but we have been faved by it from
Ruin, by the deftruftive Trade of France. 'Tis to
be h >ped thefc things will be fo well weigh*d, that
we {hall never venture to put thofe two Trades on
the ancient Foot, only to Ex; erience what we know
already has been fatal ; if wc Ihou'd, we are fure to
lofe by one moit confiJerably, and being deprived
of the vail Advantages we make by the other, fhali
be able to gain n thing by it to fupport our Loft:
How long we fhall be able to pay out of the Bag
without putting in, I leave the World to judge.

Thus much as to that Remonftrancc, which, no
doul-t> arofc from the Experience of that Age, a-
grceable to the Obfervations which Mr. Samuel For--
trey made, amongft other Trades, on that of France^

and

c
c

<
c
(
c

rr— ■> ..

^ortugtl has
urcs, Fi(h,
fvpfmndland
:cd, as well

prohibited

c, but with
of Seamen.

y tvith For'

d, and their
Treaty with
It can have
ontrary, the
, I s. cheap'tr
r Silks, Lin-
;lut our Mar-
S4anufa&ures

(vantages this
Treaty, that
(C Days dccli-
^oft confide^
td by it from
mce. 'Tis to
weighed, that
ro Trades on
hat we know
j^re are fure to
>eing deprived
le other, (hall
3ort our Loft :
Lie of the Bag
i to judge.
:c, which, no
that Age, a-
[r. Samuel FoT"
hat of France^
and

and prefentcd to King Charles II. in the Year i66^
by which it appears we loll; to France above One
Million Hx hundred thoufand Pounds a Year, by
the Account the French themfelves made of the An-
nual Gain they got by England, I give it in his own
Words.
I. * In the next Place, our Manufadures are to
be confider*d, on which chiefly depends both the
Wealth and Profperity of this Kingdom } for by the
Encreafe and Encouragement thereof, the SubjeAs
are employ d in honed and indudrious Callings,
mainrain'd and preferv'd from Want, and thofe
Mifchicfs which commonly effcA Idlenefs: The
People furniHi'd at Home with all things both of
Neceflity and Pleafure , and by the Overplus pro-
cure from Abroad, whatever for Ufe or Delight is
wanting.

£. * The chief Manufa£i:ures amongft us at this
Day, are only woollen Clothes, woollen StuS
of all forts, Stockings, Ribandings, and perhaps
fome few Silk Stuffs, and fome other fmall things,
fcarce worth the Naming ; and thefe already na-
med, fo decay'd and adulterated, that they are aU
mofl out ofEfteem both at Home and Abroad,

3. ^ And this, becaufe Foreign Commodities are
grown into fo great Eileem amon^fl us, as we
wholly undervalue and negleci the Ufe of our own ;
whereby that great Expence of Treafure, that is
yearly wafled in Clothing, Furnitures, and the like,
redounds chiefly to the Profit of Strangers, and to
the Ruin of his Majefly's Subje£ts.

4. * And this will more plainly appear, if we ex-
amine the vafl Sums of Money the French yearly
delude us ofy either by fuch Commodities as
we may as well have of our own, or elfe by (iich
others, as we might as well in great part be with-
out : Whereby no doubt our Treafure willfoon be ex'
hanjied^ and the People ruin'd^%& this Particular may

' make

, -.' /

make appear, which not long fince was delivered
in to the King of France, upon a Defign he had
to have forbidden the Trade between France and
England\ fuppofing the Value of EngUlb Commo-
dities fent into France^ did furmount the Value of
thofe thstt were tranfported hither.
I . * There is tranfported out of France into Eng'
landj great Quantitiei of Velvets plain and wrought, |
Sattins plain and wrought, Cloth of Gold and f
Silver, Armoyflns, and other Merchandizes of
Silk, which are made at Lhns^ and are valued to
be yearly worth One hundred and fifty thou-
fand Pounds. i

2 * In Silk, Scuffs, TafFaties, Poudufoys, Ar- '
moyfins. Cloths of Gold and Silver, Tabbies plain
?md wrought* Silk-ribbands, and other fuch like
Silk Stuffs as are made at Tours^ valued to be
woiih by the Year above Three hundred thou*
fand Pounds.

3 . * In Silk-ribbands, Galloons, Laces, and But-
tons of Silk, which are made at Faris^ Roven,
Cbaimnntj St. Eftienes in Forrefis^ by the Year a-
buuc One hundred and fifty rhnufand Pounds.

4. ' A great Quantity of Serges, which are made
at Cbalons, Cbartres, EJiamines, and Rbeimesy and
great Quantities of Serges made at Amiensy Cre-
vecoeur^ Blicourtj and other Towns in Picardy^ by
the Year above One hundred and fifty thoufand
Pounds.

f . ' In Beaver, Demicaftor and Felt Hats, made
in the City and Suburbs of Paris •, befides many '
others made at Roven^ Lions, and other Places,
by the Year about One hundred and twenty thou-
fand Pounds.

<J. * In Feathers, Belts, Girdles, Hatbands, Fans,
Hoods, Masks, gilt and wrought Looking-GlafTes, |
Cabinets, Watches, Pidures, Cafes, Medals, Ta-
blets, Bracelets, and other fuch like Mercery

t Ware,

c
c

<
c

« ai

C rl

b>-

delivered

m he had

ranee and

t Comnio*

Value of

into Eng'
wrought.
Gold and
ndizes of
valued to
ifty thou-

ufoys, Ar-
bbies plain
r fuch like
ucd to be
dred thou-

i, and But-
rfx, Rovtn,
he Year a-
'ounds*
ch are made
beifftesy and
Imiens^ Cre»
Picardyy by
ty thoufand

Hats, made
efides many *
:hcr Places,
srcnty thou-

bands, Fans,
:ing-Glafles,
Medals, Ta-
ic Mercery
* Ware,

« Ware, by the Year above One hundred and fifty
thoufand Pounds.

7. < In Pins, Needles, Box-combs, Tortois-diel-
ombs, and fuch like, by the Year about Twenty

thoufand Pounds.

8. ' In perfumed and trimmed Gloves, tbat are
made at Paris^ Roven^ Vendofme^ Clerimnt^ and
other Places, by the Year about Ten thoufand
Pounds.

9. * In Papers of all Sorts, which are made at
jiuvergne^ PoiSiott^ Umofin^ CbampaignCj and Nor^
mandy^ by the Ye;ir above One hundred thoufand
Pounds.

10. * In all Sorts of Iron-mongers Wares, that
are made in Forrefis^ Auvergney and other Places,
by the Year about Forty thoufand Pounds.

11. * In Linnen Cloth that is made in Britain^
and Normandy^ as well coarfe as fine, there is
tranfported into England^ by the Year above Four
hundred thoufand Pounds.

12. ^ In Houdiold-StufF, condiling of Beds, Ma-
trefies, Coverlids, Hangings, Fringes of Silk, and
other Furniture, by the Year above One hundred
thoufand Pounds.

13. ^ In Wines from G^o/We, Nantois^ and o-
thcr Places on the River of Loire^ and alfo from
Baurdeauxy Rockelie, Nantes^ Roven, and other
Places, are tranfported into England^ by the Year,
above Six hundred thoufand Pounds.

14. * In jiqua Vita^ Cider, Vinegar, Verjuice,
and fuch like, by the Year about One hundred
thoufand Pounds.

T f . * In Saffron, Caftle-Soap, Honey, Almonds,
Olives, Capers, Prunes, and fuch like, by the
Year about One hundred and fifty thoufand Pounds;

iC. ^ Befides five or fix hundred VefTels of Salt,
loaded at Maron^ Rocbelhy BouagCy the Ifle of O/?-
r(7», and Ifle of Rbee^ tranfported into England

* and

['6]

« and Holland^ of a very great Value. So as by thii

* Calculation, it doth appear, that the yearly Value

* of luch Commodiues as are tranfporced from

< France to England amounts to above Six and cwen*

< ty hundred thoufand Pounds.

^ And the Commodities exported out of Eng-

* land into France^ confiding chiefly of Woolen
' Cloths, Serges, Knic Stockings, Lead, Pewter,

* Allom, Coalsy and uU elfe, do not ainounc to a-
i bove Ten hundred thoufand Pounds a Year. By

* which it appears, that our Trade with France is

* at leaft Sixtef^n hundred thoufand Pounds a Year

* clear Lois to ihis Kingdom.

' Whereby the King o( France ^ finding it would

* prove io his Lof-^, to forbid the Trade with £*g-
' lanJy foon laid afide the Defign *, however, raifed

* the Cuilom of fome of our EngJi/h Commodities,

* by which means the rem of thofs Comtnod'tties is
J very much lejfen'd and kindred

*• Hereby it may appear how infcnfibly our Trea-
« fure will beexhaufled, and the Nation bc^gar*d,

* whilfl we carelejly negleEl our own Interefiy and
f Strangers abroad arc diligent to make their Advan*

* fages by us.

In the fecond Paragraph, where Mt. Fortrey men-
tions the different forts of ManufaAurcs we had
then in England, he does not fo much as Name
thofe of Silk, Linnen and Paper, from whence we
may infer that they were, eithcir fo inconflderable
as not to be worth Notice, or that we had then
none at all, and that they have been flnce that time
brought to the great Perfc6fcion they are now in.
Mufi they for the fake of France be deftrofdl

From the fourth, 1 muft beg leave to obferve,
that it was the Intention of the French King, for
his Country's Good, to have forbid the Trade be«
tween France and England^ had he, upon this Exa-
mination, found it prejudicial to his Kingdom^ as

to
he
Gail

o as by this
early Value
>rceci from
K and cwen-

ut of Efjg"
sf Wooilcn
d, Pewtt^r,
lount to a-
Ycar. By
th France is
inds a Year

Dg it would
c with Eng*
ever, raifed
bmmodities,
mmod'tties is

y our Trea-
•n beggar*d,
nterefiy and
beir Advati"

Forney men-
res we had
h as Name
whence we
confiderable
7c had then
cc that tine
are now in.
ofd}

to obferve,
b King, for
c Trade be-
>n this Exa*
ingdom, as
he

he fufpeded it was. Yet, notwithdanding he found
it, upon this view, fo cxtreamly Advantaeious
to France^ and fo greatly Prejudicial to Englandt
he was fo far from being fatished with the yreac
Gain he made, that he loaded cur Commodities
with farther Duties, to prevent the Confumption of
them in France^ and to encourage his own Manu*
fafbures.

We have the fame reafon on our fide, at leaft*
to continue the high Duties and Prohibitions on all
his Commodities, that are prejudicial to our Ma*
nufaftures : Efpecially fince, wc feem to have led
nn Opportunity of fettling that Trade upon an ad*
vantagious Foot. What can we now exped from
France? Is it to be fuppofed that France will do any
thing in mere favour of our Trade, to the Preju-
dice of its own, that once intended ^vholly to have
prohibited it, had it been the Icaft detrimental
thereto ?

Mr. Fortrey has ihew*d us, how detrimental the
Trade oi France was in the Year ifi^Sj, he gives it
from the State the French themfelves took of ir, and
that State muft, by all impartial Men, be allowed
to be true. If this is to be contradidcd by the A4ef'
cator^ what muft wc believe ? It is probable thac
the French at that time took an Account of the State
of their Trade with all Nations. They were then
confidering, how to lay their Duties on Im porta-*
tions and Exportations equally over all Parts of
their Country, and to Eftablirti a general TarifFe i
At this time the Duties were various in fundry,
nay in moli Parts of France^ fome Provinces paid
more, and others lefs, £r the fame Commodities j
and the Confufion was fo great, that the Merchants
iff France hardly knew what Duti.s they were to
pay, and the King's Collectors General unable to
iStatc »nv txift Account of that part of the Reve-
nue ariling from the Cuftoms. This occaiion'd the

G fccdmg

■v*

C »8 ]

fettling the Tariffe of 1^64, which was the fir ft ge«
neral TArifFe that ever was fettled in France, 1 hope
from hence, no body will think it improbable, that
tht French \ti or before the Year 1663, fhouldtakc
a true State of their Trade.

The confident Authors of the Mvtcator^ not-
withflanding, in their very firfl Paper, they fay, it
is hard to contend with a General receiv*d Noti-
on, that the Trade to France was always Prejudici-
al, yet undertake to make the contrary appear, and
that it always was, and always will be beneficial.
V^hy would they have Mankind (contrary to all
known ^zB.%) believe that that Trade always was
beneficial ? I am fure I have Rcafon on my fide to
affirm diredly otherwife, that the Trade to France
always was prejudicial, and will be fo again, when-
ever their Commodities are re-admitted by taking
off the high Duties and Prohibitions.

From the State of our Trade in or about the
Year i65^, I come to the Year 1^74, when a
Scheme of the Trade with France was drawn out
o£ the Cuftom-Houfe Books from Michaelmas 1668,
to Michaelms i66p. By this Scheme ^hereto an-
nexed^ it appears that the Ballance France gain'd
from us by Trade was reduced to iibout a MilUon.

A SCHEME

.' I

[Here place the Scheme,"]

I m*^-^:^ MrCrWSS*^*-*

the (irft g^«
mc€» I hope
obable, that
» {houldtakc

frcator, not-
they fay, it
ceiv'd Noti-
jfs Prcjudici-
' appear, and
e beneficial,
ntrary to all
always was
1 my fide to
de to France
isain, when-
:d by taking

>r about the
74, when a
s drawn out
aelmas 1668,
^hereto an-
France gain'd
c a MilUoD.

SCHEME

J-^ .-♦ o

r r

;v f

\' ■'

■ F

1- ■ '

•*«£!s

■^.c.

*-»«»««<Serf5«^-.j)|

"^•i^-Da-^^^

- ^M. .-!

-'' \tm tk- t0t* li t*-

.j-f«?;;^i^*^

SCHEME of the TRADE,

As it is at prefcnt Carried on

Between England and France,

In the Commodities of the Native Produdl and ManufadVurc
of each Country; Calculated as cxacSkly as pofliblc, in Obe-
dience to the Command of the Right Honourable the Lords
Commiflioners for the Treaty oF Commerce with France:
And humbly tendcr'd to their Lordlhips.

CmKiiitifi /.v,-*. /r//''«nirnS'j>ul fHr>'^Ul1(:^

XUilltn M^iH Silk hUm^AilHUs,

, -A'.PttMi of N.uwich St,:ff-. at
«ie»4 r.ecf- ol SerL'M 4'id ri-.p<.li-

I jnat, at

it^SiPirtMol ilj>r,'' Mj)C', it
f't lliinilt M HiltHi fi..)rit at
4^'' S'>iill JouSIr tityi;!. -it
XI4 n-v cil ^Ur)* Wnrllcd HoCr, It
^M W.ftn M«..i\Vurica llofL. at
ir^i: Oii.'ifti of Chil.lient Huf., aX

l« *V.t;.N »i Kt.ii.rvl, «t
It ,1 l-.j,!! gf Lortoii, «t - -
III I (I1; I loths at • - •
4iKtu.it Llollil, ai ...
ll'*|SiM .1I, Clutt-.i, «t • -
<" iDouljIe Nnrlhvrii Do/eni, ut
r;.vlSir..^Ic NorlliLrii Do..eui, ftt k 00

M DnuJi l>u.-.o)». ai - - - » o^
1-1 tJil'i R^flH-», at - - - J 00
fi'l\.i.i>llo.ic», it - - - - J po '
IcP.'KaI.e., It - • - ' '» '

V 'b Li-ii*uih wtouglit Silk, Jt » ' - I

1 I >
1 10 o
6 o.*) o
4 00 o
t -e o
t cr o
o c8 o
p 01 o
900

10 3 OfttCl,

8 CO o
If to r,
f 00 U

A J. rf.

■^.8 JO

1^910 O >i

rrt4 ■ i-

W'i o ti

iB"^.! u ..

4l'-'i> .. a
I 4J u II
4''] ' o o

> o p I

lU J 00
^Y' " "

4 ! o o
IT* o o

8<5r o o
18 a a

6;4'$6 o c

^■ i ii r-c full of »!>»« »■» r,ir°«"''

j„„,j,„- t,. tU Culloii Ho.fc U'J i«i
ill i-.t I'ort of Imn, Ir.im .Vr./Mi/».ii
l«6S, to Mulat-mil ■S'^'J. And lor -II
r,rj.,ni *c calculaie oi;« TKird I'an
mort' Aii.ountt iii all w •

SiiK iKI^, t^B Kif"'"' »' *« «i>n«i«i
irt diiumflickl, »ii»l not cncrcalcd.

i(oo' Foa.lcr of Lcid, at - - ii o o ;r F»y. jiroe o o
Cii..oj lliimlnJ ol" Till, at - - 4 » o fn-C, 14000 o o
; runs ot Allom, at - - - l4oo^v#i». 140000

Calvci Skmi and Lcithtr Iiu 00 o o

Sc-erjl forti of Skim, Clew, l.ai>ihorn|
Lrj,c<, Butter, Coppeus, Old Shoovi,!
&ia(.oJ, Tobacc.'-f P", Gloicl, Red j
Lcail. LinfeeJ, Caii'Ue', IronWjic, Ha-

■.caii, l-inieej, ^ai,iM*«, ,i".i-,T-,k, ■" .
bcrJjIliery W^irc, and oilier t[,ml Coni-|
moditei, which nsay aaouni i,r ^Itimm

Balance ganied by t^« f'tnth from us
Yearly, litCJes tiicToys,01oiej,Lacit, c"r.

84;! I oS 08

81^400 CO 00
171011 oC 08
9^f 118 17 04
136150 C4 CO

jSrt.M.

^mmn

iMMf ^mmK9

m.'i.

ftmmtMiui tmftrttd imf EngUliJ/V** FlWlCf,

•r

T*/i.w'a/.

t*^f<itt.

Lirmtn mJ Stlk MtmnftUkftt,

t. i. J.

/. f. d

^ f.d-

fi.Hj ,W

Picai of Lmkram tiH D^m-lii, at 6 (.0 f-rT..

Jfiuiro ao

I'll

Hurt.',. ! „l Viny and Nuyali Caiivat* at 6 ou t> fr i/mmi.

101010 ou

J""

ll.inJ id of Nttmiaiidy Lanvatt tl - - 7 00

3fooo ou

IfllO

lic^i .,| *i,inti.is Jt . - - 10 OffrT,,

IkfO 00

Iiu .

IVa- i.r d)i.-d I.Mii.cii, at • - - 1 I'O

ifoo 00 u

'6 4

V-u. . t U jii-r TjM iijf, at • • ux

760 08

})c/^

YirJ <'l l)4|'rr N<ipkitiing, at • • ni a

1694 16

M-'5

Du/iH ul ItutkraiDh at - - • t lu

344000

11 J

Biilti ol IMdaviv-s at • - - If

90a 00

I'-'i

Pair (I Old ShAia, at - - of

7ar 000

IJ.w.

PuunJ ul wruugl.i Sdk| 11 - - » u«

ff»tf, T!ui tVii Yt.ari itf''4t thcrt hath been rrcrived at
the I'on uf P»jtr unly, at we are inforiuied, ifiMo^
for LuDuin of Wrought Silk : Ho that cmfidcr.ng
wUt may be convry'd awty |>ri*ai«ly. ai)d ih^t nn-Kt

]0tfOOO 00

»!«!".« •tt.ri^i'.i'.'ir »,i;/';.JJ;.."» nr^r..^

ill Value than what ia abuvr.

So; I Jo o« •

IIOOO

Tuii of F.fmrh Wine one Year with a-

iikthercutt ... -t% too fm Turn, *Vf°o 00

40CO

Turn of Uraiidy, one Year vith ano-

I cr, at ----- &D 00 o/vr T***-

80000 00 ul

1 •t-J^Q QQ ^

iCcooo

Reims rf Pai^cf, at - - - of ofn/tftim.

40000 00

ijoc'Pt:! of Truem, at - - 4000

63CO 00 0'

4.0 HiiJreJ of I'Vwhcrt - - f 00 ftrHmnd. |oco ou u

J .. V 1 Huiidrea of K:dilcia> - - J 00

if-00 00

J0O3

6000

WegK of Salt, at - - » "n Offrftf^h.

6000 00 n

Huidred of Rozin* tt - 1- 08 frrftimJ.

14 JO go

V.ii.gar. Rapi. Cyder, Wadd» Cork, Oakam, Soai>, Tiir-

leniine, Cafcra* Olirw, Brignolis, Parchment, Win-

Jow-OU(i, Teafeli. Corn-Fana, Baiket-Rodi, Boi-

Wood, and Cremor Ttrtar» which may amount fir

Jinmmt at Icall to - - -

4000 3 00 U

11140D 00 •

BefHlei all manner of Toyi for mwfli and C*<ifrfl», Faoi,

Jcdamin-Glovci, Licet, Point'lacei, lich inibroidered

M36iyoo4 •

Uarmenti, and rich enbroidered Bcdi, aiiJ othei: V«U-

oientii which art of in iiicreXble Value,

By the Account above, your Lordlhips may perceive, that the Linnen and Silk ManufaAures only. Imported from Frmci, amount to L'p
wards of Eight Hundred Thoufand Pounds, and the Manufadures of Wooll and Silk Exported from tHglaad thither, do not amount to
E'.plity Five Thoufand Pounds. As alfo all other Commodities of the ProduA and ManutaAure nf btgltmd Ejtported into Fraiui, do not
amount to Ninety Thoufand Pounds more: Whereas the Wines, Brandies, and other Commodities of the Produft and Manufi£lure of
Tr.vicc Imparted imo En^UnJ, amount to upwards of Three Hundred and Twenty Thoufand Pounds i betides an incredible Value of
Toy I rich Apparel, Point-Lace, c'''C So that it is apparent, that the Exports of our Native Commodities and Manutadures to France,
3re Icfs in Value by at lead One Million of Pounds Sterling, than the Native Commoditict and ManufaAures of Frarut, which we receive
from thence : And if it plcafe your Lordlhips to reflet thereupon, your Lordlhips will ealily difcern the great Prejudice the Znglifli Na-
tion hath futtained, and the great Advantage the French have, and do daily make, by holding ibis Treaty m Sufpencej this Nation being
upon the Matter excluded Trade chilher, wbile in the meao Time the french enjoy all and as great Adyaotages as ibey can rcafonably
expcft by any Treaty.

Patience IVardf
Tomas PapilloM,
yamet HoubloH,
William Bellamy ^
Mifhtul Godfrey^

Gtorge Torriautf
John Houbliin^
Job» Hougbe,
John MerviM,
Ptttr Par»w(in*f

John Dubois,
Bemj. Godfrey,
Edm. HarrifiHf
Btnjt Dttamie,

IfiMi ihii SCUSME iuvtia Po^m i8 tnd 19.]

:i I

' I

ir.

* f

•^

" f

C «9 ]
This SCHEME of TRADE, the MER^
CATOR treats with Contempt, calls it a horrid
Roguery, and many other hard Names, fiich as are
the bed Produft of the Brain of his Prompter^
who flew at firft to the Cuftont' Houfe Accounts thac
were iajd before the laft Parliament, to cruHi this
SCHEME) but (ince he has found that thofc Ac-
counts reduced the Lofs by France but 62,103 /. ^ '*
if 1 a mere Trifle, from what the S C H E M E makes
ir, he is grown Hck of Crtflom Houfe Accounts, and
now fays, that the Entries of Exports and Imports
in the Qiflont-Houfe Books, can give no true Account
if the Matter^ and that tke Judgment made from
them it all Fallacy and Cheat: Very find thofe
Books arc one Day his Refuge, another not Au-
ihentickj any thing to ferve his Turn. The Truth
|of this SCHEME ^which was fign'd about forty
nfears ago, by fourteen of the molt eminent French
Traders in London^ all of them being required (by
the Commidloners for making a Treaty of Com-
inerce with France at that time) to give their O-
pinions on the State of the French Trade) is Evi-
dently made out by the Britijh Merchant^ N** 8d
•nd S2, beyond the Contrndi^ion of any but fuch
whofe Labours are imploycd in the Service of the
French Trade, however detrimental to that of their
own Country.

I (hall only obferve, that the Price of our Ex-
ports mention'd in the Scheme are put at much
higher Rates than they are now worth. Lead over-
Valued above three Pounds />tfr Fodder, AUom eight
Pounds per Tun, and other things in Proportion.
Norwich StufFi, Serges, Perpetuanaes, and mod
of the Woollen-Goods, are rated one fourth Part
more than they will now yield. On the other hand,
the imports are as much under valued, as Wine at
ill. 10 s. per Tun, which is now worth 2f /. Bran-
^ at 20/. which is now fold in France for 2f /. the

C a

V'llus

**i

•*%-^

' \

C 20]

V2\nt o( French wrought Silks ought at leaft to be
doubled, in the firft Flace they arc very much un-
der-rated, in the next, more were clandeftinly Im-
ported, than paid Duty> Had this Scheme been
exadly calculated, 'twould have fallen very little
fhort of Mr. Forney's Account, which muft be cx^
a£t, becaule the French could better come at the
Qjiintity and Value of the Goods exported from
thence hither, by their Cufiom'Houfe Books, than we
poflibly can at the Quantity of our Importations
from thence by ours, by reafon of the many clan-
^eftine Importations.

I will therefore, upon a modeft
Calculation, add to the Ballance
of

Said to be loft to France by this
Scheme,but a fourth part of the value
of the Exports, tho* forae of them
are over rated near half the value.

To the Wine 12 /. los. per Ton,

To the Brandy 5/.ferTun,

To the Silks only,
thoMt ought to be a great deal more,
and the whole comes to 14^5384 4 o

^55118 17 4

427f 5 6 8

i57foo

20000

^ooeoo

o
o
o

This Sum, befidcs all the Goods at the Foot of the
Scheme not rated, andfaid to be of an incredible Value,
we are yearly to pay to France upon ratifying the

T ty of Commerce in P~l-m— t, the whole will

be abf^ut the Sum Mr. Fortrey mentions. A Free-
giit cf 1 J. in the Pound by a Voluntary Aflcfment
on Stock in Trade, or otherwifc, to be paid by the
Britifh Merchants to the French Monarch inftcad of
Commerce on fuch a Foot, would be a faving of
above 500000/. a Year to the Nation.

The King of France judged right, when he con-
iider'd that if France tock more Goods from Fvg-

layjd

-^-^s..

lead to be
much un-
edinly Im-
hemc been
very little
nud be ex*
>me at the
or ted from
ks, than we
nportations
nany clan-

/. /. d.
• 5118 17 4

27; 5 6 8

7foo o o
.0000 o o

)000O o o

^5384 4 o

Foot of the
edible Value,
atifying the
: whole will
I. A Free-
y Aflcfment
paid by the
^ in (lead of
a faving of

hen he con-
irom Ef}g'

C"]

land than Et%Jand took from France^ his Nation
mud lofe by ours, and his Intentions to prohibit
the Trade were calculated for his Intered.

As this Nation has found by long Experience*^
that confiderably greater Quantities of Goods have*
been imported from France^ than ever were expor-
ted thither, and that we lofe mod confiderably by
France^ 'tis our Intered to continue that Trade up-
on the prefent Edablidiment ; For the Confcquence
to us would be more fatal than to France^ if they
lod by us^ it would not oe only the lofs of a Mil-
lion and a half in Money» but greatly Impair, if
not totally Ruin mod of our other foreign Trades.
For Example:

Wc Import and Confume annually a certain quan-
tity of Wines, fuppofe it be £0000 Tens, or any
other quantity ^ if we import from France 14000
Tons additional to this quantity^ we yet fhall be
able to confume no more, than now we do. As
we (hall certainly covet to drink the bed Wine,
we mud import (o much the lefs from other Nati-
ons, which is now purchafed by our Manufadures,
our Manufactures mud then lye on our Hands % when
the Vent is doptt our Looms mud dand dill, and
our Manufadlurers darve, come upon the Paridies
for a Maintainance, or go to France to find Work,
as many did from Ireland^ when their Woollen
Manufactures were prohibited to be exported to
foreign Parts, we not having work for them here j
to that A£b of Parliament the Woollen Manufadure
of France is extreamly obliged. I hope we ihall
not now oblige them with fuch another.

1 am very apt to think that when the Authors of
the Mercator threatened to prove that the Trade
to France was always beneficial, they imagin'd,
after poring on this Scheme, that the 965 128/. 17 j.
4^. ballance, was our Gain» becaufe it dands in the

Column

'■>'■

-'•^j^-

-^..r^,,^.-

'im liiJIIyi —<»--■.>.

Column of the Exports : And this may be as
well fuppofal, as that fuch an one fhould ven-

tiire at T tics of Commerce, who has not

Brains enough to diftinguilh between the Gain of
a private Merchant, and the Gain of a Nation.
This Creature fays, that we cannot gain above zo
per Cent, of the Value of the Woollen Manufadures
we export to Portugal-, that to gain a Million year-
ly by our Trade to Portugal, we muft export thi-
ther five Millions yearly \n Woollen Manufadlurer.

If Portugal pays to England for the Value of a
thoufand Pound in Woollen Manufadure, a thou-
fand Pound in Money ; does not Portugal pay for
the Wooll and Labour of all the People cenccrn'd
in the working up of this Manufafture? And is not
the whole Sum clear Gains to the Nation ?

If England pays to Portugal a thoufand Pound
for a quantity of Wine, does not England pay for
the Produ6fc of the Vineyard, and to the Labourers
of Portugal, conccrn'd in making of the Wine, their
Wagci > And is not this Sum clear Gains to PoT'
iugal?

But, Sir, to fet this matter in a light that you
will perfectly undcrlhnd, Suppofe thnt the King
o£ France (hould pay to a Subjed of Great Britain
fifty or one hundred thoufand Pounds for any good
Service, is not this Sum clear Gains to that Subjed,
for his boneft Indullry and Labour ?

Ic is julfc the fame thing between Nation and Na*
tion, whatever one Nation vends in another, of its
own Produd and Manufadure, the Sum ic is vendec|
tor is clear Gains to the Vending Nation.

A Merchant may gain one thoufand Pounds to
his Country, and yet get nothing, nay even lofe,
hy the Adventure himfelf.

Wha|

Vi
V

S
b
h

"wH'

iw» ,T .-

be as

d yen-
^as not
Gain of
Nation.
>ove 2o
fadures
m ycar-
irt chi-
adurcf.
le of a
a thou-
pay for
nccrn'd
1 is not

Pound

pay for
tourers
C) their
:o PoT'

at you
: King
Britain

f good
ubjed,

id Na-
, of its
rendecl

ids to
1 lofei

Wha|

.ftA

What can we fay of the French Trade, if we
may not believe the Experience of former Times ?
What Judgment can be made? There has been no
open Trade between us for about twenty or thirty
Years. I hope we (hall relie on what is Evident,
and not on the Judgment, Computations, and Pro-^
phefies of the Authors of the Mercator,

I miift trouble you with one Voucher more, to
prove the Difadvantage of the French Trade to this
Nation, and that it was acknowledged fo at a Time,
when every thing that was French was generally fa-
voured amongftus; 'tis the Senfe of King, Lords and
Commons, about three or four Years after this
Scheme lad mentioned was made* and when nothing
but a Profpe6t of the Ruin of our own Trade could
have occation'd it.

Prohibition Ad, Anno 30, Car. z,

< "inOrafMuch as it bath been by long Experience
JL * founds that the Importing of French Wines^
Brandy^ Linnen, Silk, Salt and Paper, and other
Commodities of the Gromh, Produ^, or Adanufa'
Sures of the Territories and Dominions of the French
King, bath much exhaufted the Treafure of this Na-
tion, lejfened the Value of the Native Commodities
and Manufactures thereof and caufcd great detri-
ment to this Kingdom in general : Be it EnaBed by
the King's moft Excellent Majejiy, the Lords Spi-
ritual and Temporal, and Commons in Parliament
affembledy and by Authority of the fame, &c.

Thefe Vouchers will eafily find Pardon at your
Hands, they are fo exadly conformable to your O-
pinion 1 you would lay your Country under an ex-
tream Obligation, if you would be pleafed to give
us fuch farther Remarks on 'em, in behalf of the

Trade

• >

A*.

■«*inwi m tiiiw'tt w^^jW

^-^»»fc i >»^a>w ^ ii<

4 *

I Hi
Trade of Great Britain^ as a PcrToO of your Abili-
ties, and unfuffeBed Integrity is capable of ; and I
doubt not, but with a very little of your help, all
fiich will eafily be confuted, who dare prefume to
write againft the Trade of our Country. I point in
particular at the MERCATOR and his Prompter^
and fince I have mention'd them» I muft with hum*
ble Submidion, give you the bed Information of
them that 1 am able^ and leave the World to judge,
if the AiTcrtions of two fuch Wretches merit any
Credit : They being both the OfF-fpring of the Pillo-
ry, no doubt are naturally endowed with a large Porti-
on of Sincerity. One of 'em, I muft acquaint you, is
fo infolent as to interfere in your Province, and to
affume the Management of our Commerce to him-
felf, he fays he is Prime Miniller of Trade, and has

the AiTurance to ftand at the Door of the M try,

and forbids Entrance to any who offer to Adven-
ture with any Informations for the Benefit of our
Trader he is a huge Fellow, and has a Face that
*Arikes Terror into all who approach him, he has
kept this Pofl fb long, and feared fo many, that
none of late dare go nigh *em. You know. Sir,
he has afTumed your Province^ and vill do unfjpeak-
able Damage to our Country, if you don*t take
care to get him turned out. Such an Impoflor as this

ought to be fent to Nevogate^ and from thence

The Man has good Underftanding, and talks
well, but makes a bafe \Jk of all his Talents*, he
has however raifed himfelf by his Genius, from a
mean Native of the Town of Monoghan in Ireland^
to the Titles of Don Artiirio^ le Comte de Tariffe^
Marquis d^Ajfiento. The firft and laft of his Fami-
ly that ever was upon Record, had a Poft cf pub-
lick Truft in the Town, and the Marquis d*Ajfen^
tu was born at the Paternal Seat of his Family,
the Tap-houfc at the Prifon-gatc.

.w ~^-

As lam unwilling to eciipfe the Ambition of any
great Man, I muft aflurc you, this AfEiir was told
mc as a very great Secret j however, I venture to
impart it to a Perfon of your Integrity^ being Con-
fidenc you'll let it go no f .riher.

As to his Secretary Daniel^ I believe he muft
mike a fccond Entry, and another Hymn, before he
can have any Pretences to vie Merits with the Fa-
mily.

Having given fomc Account of the Mercator^ and
his Di^ator^ 'twon*t be amifs to ihew the Meihod
of their Writings. They go on; without confu-
ting; or anfweiing any Objection made againft their
Affcrtions, as a Lawyer at the Bar pleading a bad
Caufe : Having proved this Pointy my Lord, I proceed
to /bew your Lord/hip, &c.
So Don Arturio.

Having confuted the general received Notiony that
the Trade to France was always prejudicial to this
Nation, notwith (landing it appears to have beea
fo by the Experience of many Ages, and the Opi-
nion of Parliaments long before the Revolution, and
of she late Houfe of Commons \ and proved that that
Trade was always Beneficial and that the Opinions
of thofe Parliaments, and of the late Houfe of Com*
monsf are the Clamours of the prefent Fafbion : I
proceed to ihew, that by de{lroyiri» the Portugal
and other Trades, and E»gland*s jfing above a
Million a Year to France^ we (hall Le greater Gain-*
crs, than ever we were before.

He will much fooner be believed, if he fhcuM

fiy»

Having proved that Daniel D F ■ comes

every Night to my Houfe in Bl y Sq-'^re,

I proce^cd to fhew, that Birds of a Feather flock to*
getber,

. D Thac

.-wr:

■

That there is not one Whig or Tory in G. B.
that can fay cither of us is an honed Man ; I pro-
ceed to fliew hotb Parties jpeak Truth,

That, when I was an Arbitrator between Sir T.

key SirB.

— F h , and the E L

Company, 1 extorted of the faid Gentlemen a Bribe
of above Ten thoufand Pounds in /— <» Stock, for
awarding and Procuring them a general Rcleafe^
1 proceed to (hew that / am no FcoL

That the chief Value of a Man centers in his
Honefty and Integrity i 1 proceed to {hew that I
am not of that Opinion.

That I order'd Captain M rs to leave

his Remonllrance of the Importance of the liland
of £../.» at my Houfe, it being referred to me, and
funk it from the M*-*— ry; I proceed to (hew that
Aionfiew de T— y is m generous Man,

That all my Tranfadions in the publick Affairs
are with a View to Stock- jobbing » I proceed co
(hew, that ^hcn ever t am Bit, my Broad-brim'd
Jefuit'tcal Lyon in Sheeps Cloathing at Jonathan's
fiawls out, What ! does the Wind hlotp in your
Face?

That it is for the Honour of the Nation to pro-
ftitute the Dignity of the Cr— n» to the little
Tricks and Arts of Stock-jobbing : I proccd to

ihew, That by mijleading the M — J'» I am a

Man of inteRYity.

That at wttling the T' ty of Commerce,
Monfieur de T"cy fhaked me by the Hand, I pro-
ceed to fhew he vpas a wife Minifler in fo doing.

That the Trade of the Nation is neither Whig
or Tory: I proceed to ihcw, ^tis a very Whimsi-
cal thing to he an honejl Man.

That my Countryman Don M — uel M ffes

Gil ». an hip: T^ift, was the only fit Pcr-

fon to make the Aff-nto T ty : I proceed to

ihew,

G. B.

I pro-
Sir T.

: E L

a Bribe

:k, for

1 in his
' that I

o leave
e liland
me, and
icw thit

c Affairs
oceed co
d-brim'd

in your '

to pro-
be little
oced to

I am a

)tninerce,
I pro-
mg,
|er Whig

HIMSI-

^Jfes

fit Per-

[occcd to

fhew.

'fj for a tmt

f *r]

ihew, / impofed b'tm on the M —
frotejiant.

That by my. Mountainous Water-works of
Le dy I vie with the French King ; I pro-

ceed to (hew, V/j whb bis own Money,

That as a Reward for my Honefly, I? , _^^

enjoy as C r of Tr per Ann, 5 '' ^^^^

As the K. of Sp'-n's Agent for the AJj-nto^ 5000
As D/V/o, by Qil an, my Deputy, 3000

As Pay-maftcr, , 6oco

And I proceed to fhcw, I pay out of it to my
two Deputies, my Brother M'—re, and G— <j«,
but ^00 1. per Annum each.

That by the Ruin of the Tr— de of the Nation,
I hazard the Fall of the prcfcnt M y: I pro-
ceed to ihcw, I am bired by tbe Whigs for that Pur*
pofe,

Inftead of proving the above Facts, or ary
thing elfe, that has the lead Tendenoy to Truth,
he goes on thus :

Having proved that thirty Shillings per Ton
Freight from France^ brings a larger Gain to the
Nation than four Pounds per Ton Freight from
Portugal^ drc. I proceed to fliew that thirty Shil-
lings is a larger Sum than four Pounds.

That the French Weavers have nine Sols, or five
Pence Englifi, per Ell, for weaving of Luteftring,and
the Efiglt/fj Weavers twelve Pence per Ell, and
each work in Proportion in all other Manufaftures;
I proceed to (hew that Luteftrings and all other Ma-
nufadiures are made cheaper in England^ than in
France.

That the more Luteftrings and other Silks are im-
ported into England^ the ftwer Weavers will be
cmployM in France -, I proceed to (hew that the
more will be em ploy M in E^fgland.

D z That

IS-

'^•i*,^»r^^:^ ^

i ■

r*8]

That the larger Quantities of Silk, Linncn, and
Paper that we imporc, the more will be made here *,
I proceed to ihew that the Icfs will be made in
France.

That the greater the Woollen Manufadure is in
France^ the larger Qumtities they will take from
us^ I proceed to fhew that the higher the Duties
are they lay on ours, the more it ^'\\\ facilitate our
Tnde.

That France has no Commodities that wc can
take from them, without Prejudice to our own
Manufactures i 1 proceed to fhew that therefore we
ought to pafs a Bll of C— m— rcc on the Foot of the
prcfent T ty.

That two Woollen Drapers, two Mercers, two
Linnen Drapers, and two Stationers, vying for Cu-
flomers, in their diftinft Trades, ought only to
trade with each other; I proceed to (hew that we
ftiouM only trade with Brance.

That forafmuch as our A6ls of Parliament fay.
No Alien whatfoever fliall have Liberty to Fiih at
Newfoundland i I proceed to Ihew that Ads of Par-
liament contrary to the Fr^cb IniereA are not in
Force,

That the more the French and Spaniards fiili in
our American Seas, the greater Number of Seamen
we ihall raifc} I proceed to {hew that a Prohibiti-
on of our Fifli in France^ is the only way to eii-
creafe that Trade.

That the French have ever had as much right to
Nevpfoundlandy and other Parts of Amerrca^ as the
FngUflr^ \ proceed to (hew that they have alfo a
Right to the Indurtry, Labour, and Gain made by
the People of G. B- in all other Trades.

That by our Entries to be raide only at St. Va-
lery upon the Somme, Roven, Nantes^ Lihourne^ and
Bomdeauxj with a Prohibition in the Mediterranean^

and

en,

le here
nade in

ire IS in
kc from
: Duties
tate our

we can
)ur own
efore we
3C of the

ers» two
for C u-
only to

' that we

nent fay,

Fifli at
ts of Par-
re not in

is fiiTi in
f Seamen
Prohibiti-

-ay to eii-

rigbr to
a^ as the
ive alfo a

1 made by

It St. Va-
'mrnCy and
Herranean^
is

C*9]

is meant, at all Places of Entrance in the Kingdom,
Countries and Territories under the Dominion of the
French king \ I proceed to lliew that the May-Pole
in the Strand^ is the Pike ofTeneriff.

Such are his Arguments, as if his Readers had
the fame Motives to believe them, as he has to
write thcn^, and took for granted all he aflerts to
be true. This fort of procec ding may do with fuch
as undcrftand nothing of Trade, and read only his
Papers \ but they who read all, and fuch who have
been bred to Merchandizing, and know what Trade
is, muft have other fort of Proofs than his Papers,
to convince 'cm that the French Trade, on the
Foundation he would have it, can ever be other-
wife than ruinous and den:ru61:ivc. Trade can on-
ly be cultivated by Flxperience, and never fupported
in Oppoficion to it, by any Shim Sham Pro-
jedts, tho' form'd in the refined Air of Bl y

Sq— re.

The Pufillanimity of Mankind muft be exream-
ly great, if among fo many worthy Gentlemen
who walk the Exchange of London^ and are fin-
cere Lovers of their Country, mift loyal and dutiful
ul SuSje6ts to Her Majefty, and heaity Well-wifh-

crs of her M rs, there are not a Nunribcr

to be found, who out of Rcfpcft and Service to

the M y will commit to writing their iincere

Thoughts on the prclent T ty of C— mm— rce,

and fubfcribe their Names, that we miy fee who
are for preferving the Trade of G. Britain, and
who are for yielding it to France. For my Part,
I fhrill readily make one of the former, but do
not care alone to be the fingle Burt : Tho' if I
fhou'd, I am certain I can incur the Difpieafure of
no M — r, nor can I conceive it to be any blot in

a M r of S tc, according to the unfortunate

Falhion of G / B », not to be a perfect Ma-
iler

' '1

■*^{*.^<

/ »

[JO]
(tec of ics Trade: 1 will be bold to fay, but v/ith
Sorrow, no Man in this liland is, tho* particular
Branches are extreamly well undcrftood by thofe
concerned in them. 1 believe in all T— ties of
€■ rcc, as well as the prefent, it has been the
Cuftom of M— rs to pitch upon fomc one Pcr-
fon or Perfons, who they thought Judges of Trade,
to confult with. A M*— r in fuch a Cafe nsay
eafily be miftaken in the Pcrfon he chufes, efpecial-
ly if he on whom the Choice falls has a good Af-
furance% a Man that has but a fmall Portion of
Knowledge in Trade, or a few general Notions,
may eafily ihine before another who is no way Ma-
iler < f it, or pretends to it. If fuch is our Cafe,
whoever the Perfon is, he ought to acknowledge
the Miftakes he has made, and r.he M ry be in-
formed of the Truth, by fuel) as underfland it: And
not endeavour by perfifting in his Errors to bring
Reflexions on the well-mcining M — ry, Deftru-
£l:ion on the Trade of the Nation, and on our
Country, by ufing Arts and Tricks to get it paft.
The owning his Ignorance will merit Forgivenefs^
and it would be too (cvere even to think he un-
dcrftood it.

I am of the Opinion fo good a M— ^ry as ours,
will think tbcmfelves obliged to any Gentlemen,
who {hall endeavour to fee them right in the Af-
fair of our Commerce, and make 'em fenfible how
much they have been imposed upon, by the Perfon
they rely on, who ftands between them 4^nd the
World, and Brow-beats all Mankind that endea-
vour to approach them with Zeal for theirs and

their Country's Service. When thcM ry is fen-

fible of this, no doubt but they will diicountenance
fuch a Procedure. Had we a bad and deftrudive

M ry, as England has too often had, they would

for thtir own lukes, as their Intereft, redifie fuch

notorious

[ 3» ]

notorious Abufcs: AVhac then is tiere that maf
not be cxpedcd from a wife, juft, and prudeno
M ry?

I fay again, had we the worft M— — ry
that ever were at ihe Head of Affairs, can they de-
ter the Gentlemen of the Exchange of London and
other Part?, from fpeaking up for the Trade of
our Gauntry ? What dependdnce can they have on a
M ■ ry ? what do they, or can they expe£b
from them ? nothing, but what they may demand ;
the juft Prott6fcion of our Trade : And can any
M ■ ry refufc it ? Why Ihould wc then be a-
fraid to defend our Trade? The Expectation of Pofts
and Places is fordid and defpicable, when compar'd
with the more, noble Profcflion of the Merchant.
How many have on this Foundation raifed them*
felves to grace the f refent Age, and will leave a
Race to grace Pofterity ? Mud they then be St«
lent, when their Eftates, the Product of their In*
duftry, lyes at flake, and this profpedt of their Po*
flcrity may not only be precarious, but they thera-
felvcs deprived even of the Means whereby their
Anceftors obtained them ? No! they will defend
their Caufe. Sir, if you (hould be asked who fpeaks
this, fay 'tis a Merchant, fay 'tis a Briton^ fay 'tis
one that like a Roman dares defend his Country's
Good, that detefts the Name of Fadion, of
Whig and Tory, of Parties contending for Pofts
and Places, 'tis one that regards no Country under
Heaven, whofe Intereft interferes with that of his
ov/n, fay 'tis one that wiU never fell the Trade of
bis Country,

You'll pardon this Warmth, a Man of your Virtue
and Zeal I am fure can't do othcrwife.

1 have another Secret to impart to you. I am juft
now informed that our Don has lately furniih'd his

Man

•iv ^ .J

I ^

•'if V i

<. \

Man Daniel with Materials for a Pamphlet. The
Duif, nocwichdandiiig his Love For Money, has
been To Zealous in communicating it, that he has
difpcrft many thoufinds by the Penny-Pofl, Amonuft
the Afpcrlions on many worthy GeniKmen, the
Don chiefly aims at Her M.tjctly's abitil and bell
M r.

He Taxes him with Trimmings and with Cowar-
dkCi he cills him a Waxen L. L. and pronounces
him Contemptible. What ! Is this gre.;t and expe-
rienced Statcfman, to be taxed with Trimmin/;,
bec.iufc he docs not implicitcly follow the Didat^s

of a Little Tricking Policician, a M r of

Yefterday ? Is the Dcfccndant of that noble Family,
from whofe Valour c ur Sovereign bears the Title
Qi France t to be taxed with Cowardice, becaufe he
was the firft who olTercd to the P. of Q
his Sword and his Purfe, to refcuc the Liberty of
his Country? Is he ^ Waxen L. L. becaufe he did
not receive Impreffions deftruftive to the Intereft of
the Kingdom which he governs ? Is he Contempti-
hhf who will not give into thofe Meafures which
can only make him fo? Muft all the ancient No-
bility of this Kingdom be render'd Defpica-
ble, by Upftarts ? Mull the illuitrious Name of

T f, which for many hundred Years harf

been the Terror of France, be now branded with
Cowardice becaufe it was fo ? and becaufe the pre-
fent great Owner of it cannot d'^generatc from his
noble Ancellors, and dare not ('if that be Co war-:
dice) comrly with Schemes which may in the end
give up his Country to Tyranny, and a French
p. \ver.

'^uc ro rrnirn to the Mercator. Says Don Artw'to^
Fvj}^ The Dntch are our Rivals, and have robb'd
Us oi ma:.)' ot our beft Trades^ therefore 'tis our

Intcrclt

la ]

liitereil to give the Benefit of tbcfe we have left to
France.

Secondlyy The Dutch have robb*d u? of our Spice^
therefore the French lhou*d have our Sti^ar

Ihirdly^ The Dw/cib wholly reap the Hciufii of our
Herfitigs^ therefore we ihould give our Cod to France*

Fourthly^ ThcDd/cirby bubbling of us have raise!
A great Naval Vmer^ therefore the French ihou'd
have our Nurfery of Seamen to raifefuch another.

Fifthly^ '! he Dutch embrace the French Trade,
therefore we fhould do the fame.

Sixthly^ The Dutch are our Rivals more than the
French.

It mud be from Ignorance, or a bafer Motive,
v^hich makes any one aflert that the Dutch rival-
ling and interfering with us in Trade, can fufficient-
ly juftifie any of the Don\ late Conccfldons in Fa-
vour of France, if wc arc SuflFerers by the Dutch
in our Trade, as we moil certainly are, mufl we
likewife be greater Sufferers by the French, tho*
in our Power to avoid it ^ Mu(l every Body be
afraid to open his Mouth againft a T — ty injuri-
ous to our Country, for fe!\r the Don and Daniel
fhou'd call him a clamorous fidlious Party- Man?
have they not had the Infolence to call the Gentle-
men of the 1 ite Hufe of Cnwruons fuch, who wife-
ly rejeftcd that T ty? When all the Gentle-

men of G. B. are abufed by thnfc Wretches, you
may b^: affured, ic is for their good Adions j They
can rail at nothing that is Bafe.

'Tis no new thing, and 1 believe will not fooncr
be forgotten than the Injuries w« have receiv'd
from France, that the Dutch robb'd us of our Spice
Iflands in the Eaji-Inaies, an ineftimable Treafure/
Are wc therefore to agree that the French ihall pro-
hibit our IVefi'India Commodities ?

E Cm

-^S*. \-*i-

) '

Can any Briton thiok it reafonable, that becaufe
our bupintls has given up the Herring- Fijhery to the
Iniluitry of 'he Dutcby and becaufe our Greenland
fifbery is Iharcd by the Dutch and French \ thar wc
ihould give that of our Cod in America to France,
v/hich is our beft Nurfcry of Seamen? We have e-
lUblifh'd and confirm'd the French in the largeft and
beft Part of that Fifliery, to which before they ne-
ver had any manner of Title, as will be made appear
at a proper time.

Are we juft to our Country, in eftablifhing to the
Trench Nation a Nurfcry of Seamen Cwho thirft af-
ter a Naval Power, and whofe Fleet, entirely raifed
in the latter Years cf her pretent Monarch by this
Fidiery, has ilngly contended againft the united
Naval Power of G. B. and Flolland^) becaufe the
Dutch have through our Indolence and Stupidity,
raifed to themfelves, in our Fi(heries,a greater Num-
ber of Ships and Seamen than the reft of Europe is
Mafter of?

Is it a Reafon that we ftiould embrace the French
Trade on the Foot of that T— — ty, becaufe the
Dutch Trade to France ? The French Trade, con-
fidcring the different Circumftances of the Dutch
and Oursy may be Beneficial to them) tho' it is de-
ftrudive to us. Holland is to be look'd upon as
a Sea-port to a vaft Country on the Continent, they
corfume but a trifle of the Goods they import from
France j after receiving a very good Toll of them,
they are fent to other inland Countries to be con-
fumed*, Great Britain mu^ confume all her Imports,
by which fhe would prevent the Confumption of
thofe from fuch Countries, whofe Goods flic has in
Exchnng? for her Manufadures, and fuch Goods
of France as interfere with her Manufa^ures muft
in time, by the cheapnefs of the French Labour^ de-
ftroy fuch Manufafturcsi Can any Goods of France

pafs

a
ai
n.
E
b
tr
th

•» \

,^<"*r^'

caufe
othc
nland
ir wc
rancCy
ivc e-
liland
cy nc-
appear

to the
irft af-

raifcd
jy this
united
ife the
pidicy,

Num-
irope is

French
iife the
:, con-

Dutcb
: is de-
ipon as
r, they
re from

theiiiy
c con-
nports,
tion of
i has in

Goods
:s mud;
(Uff dc-

France
pafs

[3n

pafs through Gra*/ Br/><i/« or its Dominions, a$ rhey
do through holland, to other Countries, that can-
not be carried much cheaper to thofe Countries,
diredly from France^ If not, ihe mud conlumc
them her felf.

As to our Manufadures of Woo?, we know the
French King wears his own, nor dare his People
appear in his Prefcncc clad in any other. . Vv^ ho
then can fuppofe he will ever encourage ours ? But
to come ctofcr to the Point, the Manufafturers and
Labourers of frame work feven Pence in a Shilling
cheaper than ours, they have Sheep all over France^
and of courfe have Wool : Their Wool indeed is
not fo good as ourr, but they have Spanijh to mix
with it much cheaper than we can have; France and
Spain join; with their own, and Sfanijb Wool,
they make very good Manuf^flurcs, with which
they content thcmfelvcs. Their Gentkmen of
Eftates may now and then fancy a Suit of Englifi
Cloth, if they do, they'll have it as the Trade
now Itands, and if the Bill of Commerce were p^ft,
'they'll not take a Piece the more. The great Con-
fumption of Wool does not iyc amongfl thefe
Sort of People, *tio amongft the infcriour Sort, and
the Manulaftures they confume are made much
cheaper in France than any we can fend them.
What View cun we then have of encrcafing our

Woolen-Maaufafture by this T ty ?

Befide?^ our fireft SpaniJIj Cloaths have no mix-
ture of FtiglifJ:) Wool ; others have, as from one
Pound ot Spanijh in twelve P )unds o^ Engiifb^ to
all Degrees, till the major Pri t is EngliJJj-^ th(?y
are Coarfer or Finer according to the S.)rts oi Spa-
nijjj Woo!, and in Proportion to the Qi^iantity of
£Mglfjh ; by the firil Sore we Vcr-d only the La-
bour of our People, not the Product: of our Coun-
try. Thus we fee the French want not Wool, only
the Art to make as fine Cloth as we.

E i Great

■^:-

i^^

••uy'

C 36]

<?rtf^/ 2^f>tf/if and Trance^ are like two Woollen-
drapers ftrugling to get ofF their Commoditres, with
this diilin^tion that France makes her Goods above
^o fer Cent, cheaper than Great Britain ; will yon eon*
fine tbefe two Drapers to deul met her ?

Their Manufactures of Silk^ Linnen and Paper,
are made ftill much cheaper in proportion than thofe
of Wool: Their Silks are better fancied, and our
Ladies fond of them } our Silk Manufadure is won*
derfully encreafed and improved within thefd
tv CRty Years, and may ftill improve, if not difcou«

raged by this T ty, even to excel thofc of

France* Improvement is peculiar to the Genius of
the ^riti/h Nation, we excel all Nations in mofi
Arts we learn from them : Tij pity we Jhould then
deftroy thofe ManufaElures^ that are already brought
fo fu great PerfeSiion,

Tis very plain that their Silks, Linnen, Papery
Wines and Brandies, admitted on the Foot of the

T— ty pf Corammerce, will Ruin the Woollen,

and all other Manufa6hires of this Iflandi

The Coft and Freight of French Wines and Bran-
dies, being cheaper than thofe of other Countries,
will prevent the Confumption of fuch as we ndw
have from thofe Countries, of courfe; if we do not
take the Wines cf Pmugal^&c, and they cannot pay
us for our Manufactures otherwife, and will there*
fore take none, who will be our Chapmen ? We
have already proved how very incondderable Quan-
tities the French can take.

Their Silks, Linnen?, and Paper, will more im-
mediately deftroy thofe Manufactures in our Coun-
try, by being cheaper imported than we can make
them *, as alfo prevent the Importation of fuch from
other Countries, as we have in Exchange f^r our
WooUen-Manufafturcs.

I v/ould willingly ask an honeft Country Gentje-
^aii) that loves to drink a Glafs of Claret, and to

fee

olkfi-

with

ibove

» eon*

?»pcr,

thofd

id our

won-

thefd

lifcou*

ofe of

ills of

I moil

d then

Wougbt

Papery
of the
oollen,

\ Bran-

intriefi,

e now

do noc

lot pay

thcrc-

? We

Quan-

)rc im-

Coun-

make

h from

far our

Scntje-

and to

fee

[^7]
fee his Wife and Daugbter in French Silks ^ whe-
thcr it would be more welcome to him, to beat
that the la' ouring People of France are well em-
ployed, their Wines aiu) Silk very clieapv andthae
bis own Tenants are come upon the Pariih} or
that French Silks and Wines arc dear, and bis Te-
nants thrive* and pay their Rents?

Thofe that are for the former may be for the
T— -ty of C rce.

I take this to be our prefent Cafe, there are no
Comnrodities in France bat will in fame Meafore be
prejudicial to our Manufadures.

We haTe many Commodities in G,M, that France
mud and will have.

For thefe latter they mud pay us ready Mony,
and did in the laft Interval of Peace^ when wegain*d
on our Ballance between ^ ooooo and 40000a hf^An,
by them \ and French Pifloles were alnioft as plenty
as Guineas. I fay we now gain by them in the
fame Manner, and are paid in Gold for our Commo-
dities ^ 1 appeal to the Gentlemen of the Mint in the
Tovper^ if they have noc "had (ince the Treaty of
Peace confiderably above half a Million of French
Money lent in to be recoin*d.

If the Trade is open'd on the Foot of theT— ;— ty,
they will not only pay for our Commodities, in
Commodities, but by 2a\ Innundation of them, pre-
vent not only the Confumption of our own, as well
at the Commodities of other Foreign Nations, and
hinder the Exportation of ours, but require above a
Million fer An. in ready Money, and they mud be
paid it. ' • '

Since this AfFair of our Commerce appears to be
fo prejudicial, 'tis our wifeft vfay to keep upon the
Foot we now are. I would not be underftood to
mean that Commerce with France could not have
been fettled upon an advantagious Foot to us; it

moll:

- .

C38]

mod certainly mighr, but as the time is pad, I fhall
only ask you a few Queitions.

If we had been as much in the Power of the
French^ as they lately were in ours, what T— ty
of C— — — rce fhould we have been compeli'd to
have accepted from them ?

Would they have fufFer*d us to have continued
the lead Prohibition on any of their Commodities
or Manufafkures ?

Would they have aIlow*d Imports at a few par-
ticular Ports, to be a proper way to facilitate their
Trade?

Would they have permitted us and the Butch to
have fiihM at Newfoundland^ as we do them and the
Sfaniardi ?

Would they have yielded the Ifle of Breton tous,
as we have afFe£bionately done to them?

Sir, Thefc Queftions you can eafily anfwer. But
pray, what does Don jirturh mean, by faying the
butch are our Rivals more than the French \ he al-
lows both to be our Rivals, but how are they
fo?

• Are the Butch fucb, becaufe they indullrioufly
reap thofe Bleilings which Providence and Nature
defign'd for us, and which from our Indolence and
jStupidity* we rcfufc ?

Are the French fo, becaufe they are grown fen-
flble of the Importance of Commerce to a Nation*
zealous to propagate their Naval Force by the
Treafure of our Jimerican Seas? Which Naval
Force, for many Years the Terror of this Ifland, has
now a Foundation laid to become the Terror not
only of Europe^ but even of the World, and all ow-
ing to their M ters, induftrioufly Wife, and

iludious in the Affairs of Commerce, the chief con-^
cern of Nations; which with ours are Trifles, ber
ncath the Care of ihe Great •, the Bufinefs of Foot-

men.

* •! «'S

[ 39 ]

Or are they both our Rivals ! becauTe their
M ten and Managers of their Commerce

are too hard for ours, and (hew as much Skill and
Care of their Trade, as we can Ignorance and Neg-
ligeecc of our own i

Thcfe, Sir, I fuppofe are the J)on^% Reafons, for
calling them Rivals, but you and I cannot call
them fo, for laying bold of thofe Advantages, de-
fpifed and negleded by thofe they are faidto Ri-
val, but on the contrary each of them a wife, an in-
duftrious, and a great People. What Opinion
the World will have of us, I leave you to judge,
who am,

SIR,

Tour Humble Servant.

FINIS.

"Errata, In Title Page, lege,
FendUit HlC Auro fatriam-.^'^ VirgJ

r. :

•,^^ /

'.'k^o^^rt'