AN ESSAY ON THE Treaty of Commerce WITH FRANCE, &c.

IT is in vain to make Complaints of the Iniquity of the Times; and make a long Introduction to blame the People for the Humour that at preſent, like a Contagion, infects the Nation, and ſpreads it ſelf Univerſally into all Converſation, (viz.) of finding Fault with, and Condemning every pub⯑lick Tranſaction, before they Weigh or Conſider the Reaſon and Nature of the thing. It is enough to ſit down and look on it with regret, and with a juſt Pity for the Diſtempers of our Native Country, apply ſuitable Remedies for the uſe of ſuch as are not Incurable, and [4] for the opening the Eyes of thoſe who are not wilfully and reſolutely blind; leaving the reſt, as the Pariſhes uſed to do Houſes ſhut up with the Plague, to their own Fate, with Lord ha' Mercy and a Croſs ſet upon the Door.

The Treaty of Commerce made with France, is the preſent Subject of every Man's Diſcourſe, and it were to be wiſh⯑ed People came to the Reading it with leſs reſolution to Diſlike it beforehand than they do, or at leaſt with a juſt reſo⯑lution to Read and Conſider it, before they paſſed their judgment for or againſt; but ſince that cannot be hoped for in this Age, it may not be a uſeleſs endeavour to open the Eyes of ſome miſguided miſ⯑taken People, about ſuch things in the ſaid Treaty, which they may either on one ſide or other Cauſeleſly Condemn, or too eaſily approve. That things being ſet in a true light, every Man may Rea⯑ſon with himſelf calmly of this matter; for certainly a thing of this Conſequence ought to be Duly weigh'd, and Cooly Debated, before we come to make ſuch Concluſions as are to Determine our judg⯑ments, both of the Treaty made, and of thoſe that made it.

To Do this as it ought to be done, it ſeems needful to enquire a little into the [5] ſtate of our Commerce with France be⯑fore the War began, that People may a little know upon what Foundation things formerly ſtood, and may accordingly judge whether we are better or worſe than we were before.

We are told in the Treaty of a General TARIF, that is, an Act of Trade made in the Year 1664, by the French; by this, ſome People underſtand a Treaty of Commerce formerly made between England and France. which is a general miſtake, and which miſtake ought to be ſet right, the Words themſelves explain it, a Tarif made in France, ( [...] the Treaty) by which is to be underſtood, a Table or Decree of the ſeveral Impo⯑ſitions and Prohibitions, made by the King of France, for the Regulation of his own Subjects, declaring what Goods ſhall be Imported into France, and from what Countries, and what ſhall not be Imported, and what Cuſtoms or Duties ſhall be paid in France upon thoſe Goods which are allow'd to be Im⯑ported; ſomething like our act of Na⯑vigation, allowing for the difference of the Subject only.

When the Dutch have entred into any Treaty of Commerce with [...] they have grounded thoſe Treaties with re [...]pect [6] to their Liberty of Trading into France, upon that Tarif of 1664, that is to ſay, They have declared themſelves Content with thoſe Conditions of Trade, and have only Articled that they ſhould not be o⯑therwiſe obſtructed; and therefore we found that in all the Tranſactions at Ʋtrecht, when the Dutch were Inſiſting on the particulars of their Trade to France, it was call'd, The French granting them the Tarif of 1664, that is, granting that no other Impoſitions or Prohibitions ſhould be laid upon them in France, than that Act of Trade had formerly laid.

Purſuant to this Notion, we never find any of our former Treaties with France make the leaſt mention of theſe things, ſince admitting or not admitting the Importation of Goods and Merchandizes into a Kingdom, is the undoubted Pro⯑perty and Right of the Sovereign Power or Government of that Kingdom, much more the determining what Duties, Pay⯑ments, or Impoſitions, ſhall be charged upon the reſpective Goods brought in; which Payments and Duties being paid by the People of the ſaid Nation who Import, no other Nation can Object a⯑gainſt them.

And therefore we find in all our for⯑mer Treaties, nothing of this nature has [7] been entred into at all: The firſt Treaty of Peace between England and France, after the Reſtoration, was the Treaty of Breda, Anno 1667. wherein all that is ſaid of this matter, is in the Fourth Ar⯑ticle, thus, ‘"Navigation and Commerce ſhall be Free between the Subjects of both the Kings, as it was during the Peace, inſomuch that all of them may Freely, and without any Moleſtation. go with their Goods into each others Kingdoms, Provinces, Places of Com⯑merce, Ports, Rivers, and there ſtay and Traffick." Vide Treaty of Breda.’

In the Feburary following, there was a Treaty between England and France, con⯑cluded at St. Germans on Lay, the late Duke of Montague, being then the Engliſh Ambaſſador in France, and this is call'd a Treaty of Commerce; yet from one end to the other, there is not one Word mention'd in it of the Duties paid or to be paid in either Kingdom by the Mer⯑chants; as what really was the peculiar of every Prince or Sovereign Power in their reſpective Dominions; and there⯑fore tho' this Treaty is called a Treaty of Commerce, it ought rather to have been call'd a Treaty of Navigation, every Ar⯑ticle therein reſpecting the Navigation of Ships, Freedom of Ports, Viſiting Ships, [8] adjuſtitg what are, and what are not Contraband Goods, Terminating Differ⯑ences about Paſsports, detaining Veſſels, &c. what Goods are liable to Forfeiture, and how to be Seiz'd, and the like; but not a Word about Tolls, Cuſtoms, Du⯑ties, &c. upon Importation.

The next Treaty, was that of Nimeguen, where the Dutch were only immediately concern'd, and a Treaty of Commerce was likewiſe ſettled then, between France and Holland, Anno 1678, but even in this Treaty we have not a Word relating to what Duties or Impoſits the French ſhould lay upon Goods Imported into France, except as follows.

The only Remedy, in all theſe Caſes, that has been uſed by theſe ſeveral Na⯑tions, has been, that wh [...] [...] [...] laid high Duties upon the Goods im⯑ported, or Ships Importing, from another, or Prohibited the Importing [...] and ſuch Goods, or ſtop'd Trade with the o⯑ther, the other Nation con [...] [...] the like, and theſe Impoſitio [...]s [...], and Interruptions of Commerce were generally taken off, at the concluding a Peace, tho' not always.

Thus when the French after their Ta⯑rif of 1664, laid a Duty of F [...]ty Sols per Tun, upon all Shipping that came into their Harbours, it was [...] highly by all the Trading part of Europe, the Danes and Sweedes were very uneaſy at it, their Ships being large and the Loading ſuch as Timber, [...]boards, Planks, Baulks, Spars, &c being of but little value, it went [...] [...]nto the Freight, but they were of too ſmall Conſquence to obtain any A [...]eration in France. The deſign of the French King be⯑ing Really very juſtifiable [...] difference to encourage [...], [10] to build Ships of their own, and fetch the Goods themſelves, in which Caſe they went Free. The Dutch ſollicited eagerly to be exempted from this Duty, the Trade they had with France being very great, and carried on wholly in their own Shipping, but they were ſo far from obtaining an Exemption, that in the Treaty of Nimeguen, the Dutch, by a ſeparate Article, conſented to pay that Duty of Fifty Sols per Tun, as follows.

[11] The Engliſh were as much concern'd in this Impoſition of Fifty Sols per Tun, as any Nation, the Dutch excepted; but ſeeing no juſt Foundation to object againſt the reaſonableneſs of the French laying ſuch an Impoſition, and having by their own Act, called, The Act of Navigation, done almoſt the ſame thing, or in effect worſe, they contented themſelves with laying a like Duty of 5 s. per Tun, upon all French Ships which ſhould Lade in the ſeveral Ports of England, and ſo it has reſted till this time.

The next Treaty of Peace was at Ryſ⯑wick, and in this England made no Treaty of Commerce at all; It was indeed Ver⯑bally agreed, that Commiſſioners ſhould be appointed to meet afterwards to enter into a Treaty of Commerce, and to ſettle the Trade between the two Nations; But as France did not ſeek it, and Eng⯑land thought they had no occaſion for it, the War alſo being very quickly renew⯑ed, that Propoſal vaniſhed.

Now to make way a little to the ex⯑plaining the preſent Article of Commerce in debate, it may not be amiſs to enquire Why England was ſo indifferent at the late Treaty at Ryſwick, whether they entred into a Treaty of Commerce with France or no? And if this thing be rightly Under⯑ſtood, [12] it will open the Eyes of many, if not of every conſidering Perſon, to the Juſtice, nay, to the Advantage to England, by the preſent Article of the Treaty of Commerce now made, which ſo many complain of, and ſo few underſtand.

It is too well known, to need any De⯑bate, that England had for many Years, we may ſay Ages, carried on the Trade with France, with manifeſt diſadvantages; That by the prodigious quantity of Wines, Brandies, Silks, Linnen, Paper, Glaſs, and other Goods, which we greedlly Imported into England from France, the Ballance of Trade went againſt us to a very great yearly Sum; France having uſed many ways to encourage the In⯑duſtry of their own People in Woollen Manufactures there, in order to leſſen, as much as might be, the demand they might make from England.

When the War interven'd, England by [...]veral Acts of Parliament, laid Ex⯑ceſſive high Duties upon ſome of the Goods uſually Imported from France, e⯑ſpecially Wine and Brandy, and others were entirely prohibited to encourage the Engliſh to purſue with Succeſs the Attempts they had made of ſetting up the [...] Manufactures in England, ſuch as Paper, Glaſs-Wares, Hats, Linnen, [13] Wrought Silks, and the like, theſe high Duties and Prohibitions remain'd in Force even when the War was at end; nor did the reſtoring of Commerce in general Terms by the Treaty of Ryſwick alter the Caſe at all.

It came immediately into Debate a⯑mong the Men of Trade, Whether the French Trade was worth ſo much to us as to make it worth while to open it at the Expence of taking off thoſe high Duties and Prohibitions or no? And it ap⯑peared ſo evident that it was abſolutely neceſſary to keep on the high Duties, as well to encourage the Trade to Portugal, from whence all our Wines came in re⯑turn for Woollen Manufactures; as alſo to prevent the exceſſive Flux of French Wine and Brandy to the over-ballancing the Trade to France, as alſo to ſupport our ſeveral Manufactures of Silk, Glaſs, Pa⯑per, Wrought Linnen, Iron, &c. in which we began to Improve, ſo as to be likely in time, not to want any or thoſe Goods from France. I ſay this appeared ſo evident, that no Man c [...]uld think with any Patience, of entring into any Treaty of Commerce with France; but every one was convinc'd, that it was neceſſary to keep on the high Duties, [...] to give the Advantage to the other Trades above [14] named, and keep the French Trade under foot.

Upon theſe accounts it was that no Treaty ever came to any head with France (notwithſtanding Peace was made) for the regulation of Commerce, and it was apparent that England was in the right of it at that time, for that in that Interval of time, from the Peace of Reſwick, to the Commencement of the laſt War, the French bought exceeding Great Quantities of Goods from us, while we on the con⯑trary took but very few Goods of them in Return, and the Ballance of Trade was turn'd againſt France.

This the French King was ſo ſenſible of, That to give his People the Equivalent, he made a new Tarif or Settlement of Duties and Cuſtoms of Goods Anno 1699. the ſame which is now mentioned in the 9th Article of the preſent Treaty, by which ſome Goods he entirely Prohibit⯑ed from England, (viz.) Red Herrings, which when ſome of his own Merchants Petitioned againſt, he anſwered wiſely, Is not the Sea open? If my Subjects want Herrings let them Catch them, not Buy them of others. Upon other Goods from England he laid higher Duties than be⯑fore, eſpecially our Woollen Manufa⯑ctures, ſuppoſing two things, (1.) That [15] it would encourage his own People to make them at Home; and (2.) might lead the Engliſh to open the Trade for French Wines and Brandies, in order to make way for the Trade of the Wool⯑len Manufactures again into France.

But this had no effect here; for the Government here, who eaſily foreſaw that the Trade of our Woollen Manufactures in France, was never equal to their Trade of Wine and Brandy here, and that the Channel of Trade was Happily turn'd to our Advantage againſt France, were far from enclining to alter it, and thus the Notion of a Treaty of Com⯑merce was ſlighted as a thing France might deſire indeed, but we were better without than with; And this was the true Reaſon why it never came to a head.

Upon renewing the War, New Prohi⯑bitions of Commerce on both ſides fol⯑low'd of Courſe, and to prevent the Wine Trade falling in by private Methods, ſuch as Confiſcation, Prize-taking and the like, under which Heads, while the Duties were low, great quantities of French Wine was dayly brought, a new Duty additional to the former was lay'd upon Wine and Brandy, particularly 25 per Ton upon the Wine, and per Ton upon the Brandy, which amounted to a meer Pro⯑hibition [16] except for a very ſmall quantity, ſo great an Advance of the Price reducing the Conſumption to almoſt nothing; and the Portugal Wines, a very profitable Trade to England, became our general Draught all over England.

This is the true ſtate of the Affair of Commerce between England and France, and thus Her Majeſty found things when her Miniſters came at Ʋtrecht to Treat of the Settling a New Treaty of Commerce, and from Hence it will appear that the Meaſures taken in the ſaid Treaty, and the Conditions agreed on relating to our Manufactures in France, and their Wine and Brandy in Great-Britain, and taking off the Duty on either ſide, are not only equal and juſt, but are founded on the True Intereſt of Trade, and much more to the advantage of Britain than of France, as will appear, if the following Particu⯑lars are Impartially Conſidered.

Upon this New Treaty, after having in General Agreed in the 6th Article, thus, That the Subjects of each Party ſhall Pay the Tolls, Cuſtoms and Duties of Import and Ex⯑port through all the Dminions and Provinces of either Party, as are Due and Accuſtomed: That is, as the Government of that reſpe⯑ctive Country ſhall Exact or legally Im⯑poſe. And again in the 5th Article, ‘'That [17] Subjects of each of their Royal Majeſties may have Leave and Licence, to come with their Ships, as alſo with the Mer⯑chandizes and Goods on Board the ſame (the Trade and Importation where [...] are not prohibited by the Laws of either Kingdom) to the Lands, Countries, Ci⯑ties, Ports, Places and Rivers of either ſide.'’

This again allows that either Nation may Make, and Continue ſuch Prohibi⯑tions of Trade as they think fit, without any Infringement of the Peace. Indeed the Nature of the Thing implies that they ſhould and ought to do ſo; for every Country is judge for themſelves, what it is they ought to Admit, and what to Prohibit.

The Miniſters of England then finding the High Duties neceſſary to be Continued upon Wine and Brandy, at leaſt to a certain Degree, as well to ſupport the Appropria⯑tions of thoſe Duties, as to prevent the Ruin of our Trade; and alſo Conſidering that thoſe Duties being laid by Parliament, could not be taken off but by Parliament; and that therefore the Plenipotentiaries could not poſitively agree to take off what their Principals had no Diſpenſing Power to Direct. Our ſaid Miniſters a⯑broad, [18] I ſay, could not therefore reaſonably yield to the taking off thoſe Duties by an abſolute Conceſſion: And as it could not be expected on the other hand that the French would, without ſuch a Conceſſion, take off the Duties they had laid on our Goods, and leave the Duties we had laid upon theirs to be paid, there appeared but one Expedient for ſettling this, which is con⯑tain'd in the 9th Article (viz.) That when the Parliament and Government of England ſhall agree to take off the high Duties in England, then the French ſhall take off their Duties upon our Goods in France: The Ballance of Equallity in which is evedently given to Great Britain, in that the French are bound, and the Choice is given to England, whether to take off their Duties and open the Trade, or let it remain as it is.

I can ſee no Objection that lies againſt this Article, but what is founded upon thoſe unreaſonable Peoples Notions, who expect the French to give up all Condi⯑tions of Trade to us, and that we at the ſame time ſhould abſolutely tye up our Trade from them; and ſince the Advan⯑tage of the Trade as it now ſtands lyes manifeſtly againſt the French, the leaving this Article to our own Choice, to Deli⯑berate [19] upon and Determine as we ſhall find Cauſe, is a tacit preſerving in our own Hands thoſe Advantages as long as we ſhall think fit, which is a kind of Advance made upon the French, that they have very ſeldome been found to admit; and had any ſuch Advantage been given on our ſide, ſome People would have val⯑lued themſelves very much upon taking hold of it, againſt the Prudence or Fi⯑delity of thoſe who Managed the Trea⯑ty.

I ſhall return to this Head again, after a brief Examination of ſome Clauſes in Commerce which are ſettled by this Trea⯑ty, particularly to the advantage of the Britiſh Trade, and which no Treaty be⯑fore this ever either obtain'd, or ſo much as offer'd at: Not that th [...] is ſpoken of as a Ballance to any thing yielded up by our Miniſters, for it do [...]s not appear that any thing is ſo yielded up, o [...] that it is expected thoſe who Compl [...]in in General Terms ſhould be Anſwer'd and Silenc'd by ſuch Particulars; but it may be needful to remind ſome People (more Reaſonable than others,) how far the Intereſts of the Commerce of Britain are really ſecured by this Treaty, and what Advantages in Trade are obtain'd by this Treaty, which [20] never were obtain'd before. For Exam⯑ple:

1. The Impoſition of 50 Sols per Ton is here expreſly agreed to be quitted in France to all Her Majeſty's Ships: It is true, we quit at the ſame time the 5 s. per Ton on French Ships; but whoever pleaſes to Calculate the Number of Ships Trading from each Kingdom reſpectively, will allow there is no Compariſon to be made; and tho' we contented our ſelves, as is noted before, with laying that Duty of 5 s. per Ton upon French Shipping, as a Return for their Tax of 50 Sols per Ton, it was becauſe it was a Duty of the ſame kind with the other, rather than that it was any way Proportion'd in the Collection; and therefore when the French take of their 50 Sols per Ton, for your 5 s. per Ton, they give you 20 s. for every 1 s. you give them.

2. The Liberty of Importing Cured or Salted Fiſh into France, is a Point in Trade Gain'd m [...]rly by this Treaty, and which as I noted before, after the Peace at Reſwick, was abſolutely Prohibited in France, and upon the beſt Reaſons (turn⯑ing the Tables, and making their ſide our own) that could be imagined (viz.) [21] to Encourage his own Subjects to Fiſh for themſelves, which is many ways an Ad⯑vantage to the French more than to other Nations, eſpecially in the Breeding and Encreaſing their Seamen, a thing they ſo greatly want. This Trade by the 3d Article of the Appendix to the Treaty is to be admitted, being only referr'd to the Diſcuſſion of Commiſſioners, whether it ſhall pay according to the Rule of the Tarif of 1694, or of 1699.

3. Liberty of Religion comes in as an Addition to this Treaty, and which I do not obſerve to be mentioned in any of the former Treaties, occaſion'd, I ſuppoſe, by an Edict of the King of France, paſt and publiſhed in 1699. whe [...] in no Merchant Strangers were allow'd to [...] in France without Conforming to the Popiſh Church; whereas now every Proteſtant is at liberty to purſue the Dictates of his own Conſcience, as by the 5th Article thus: ‘"But in the Buſinneſs of Religion, there ſhall be an entire Liberty allow'd to the Subjects of each of the Confe⯑derates, as alſo (if they are married,) to their Wives and Children, neither ſhall they be compell'd to go to the Churches, or be preſent at the Religi⯑ous Worſhip in any other Place: On [22] the contrary they may, without any kind of molleſtation, perform their Religious Excerciſes after their own way, altho' it be forbid by the Laws of the Kingdom, Privately and within their own Walls, and without the ad⯑mittance of any other Perſons whatſo⯑ever." Vide the Treaty P. 10. Article 5.’

I might enlarge on the juſtice of this Article, and the Conſequences, which o⯑mitting it might have brought to this Nation; but being principally engaged here, in matters relating to Commerce, I purpoſely omit it for the preſent.

4. The Fourth Article, viz. for the Freedom and Equality of Importing Virginia Tobacco into France, ſeems to be very conſiderable, and eſpecially upon two Accounts, or in two Caſes, in which England has been, and might be, under eſpecial diſadvantages in the Tobacco Trade in France; which Trade, as it is Improving in France, is of the laſt Con⯑ſequence to England to preſerve, and if poſſible, to Improve it; that Trade being at this time in the greateſt danger ima⯑ginable of being utterly loſt to this Na⯑tion, as to that part of it eſpecially which is Exported again to other Countries.

[23] The two Heads of this Article, relate (1.) to the ſelling it into France, to un⯑derſtand which, more eſpecially it is to be obſerv'd that there is a certain ſet of Men who have engroſſed, as we would call it here, the Privilege, or obtain'd a Patent from the King, to uſe our own Words again, for the ſole Liberty of Importing Tobac⯑co. Again by another Edict, no Stran⯑ger can be allowed to Sell or Import any Tobacco, but it muſt be done by ſuch and ſuch; ſo that whoever brings any Tobacco into France, is obliged to ſell it to theſe Men, or have it ſeized, and give it to them for nothing which he pleaſes. Now this Monopoly is put to an end, and the Subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, may Import and Sell their own Tobacco to whom they pleaſe, and for the beſt price they can; and in one of the Articles not yet adjuſted, it is de⯑manded by our Ambaſſadors, That the letting out the Duties of Tobacco to Farmers, ſhall wholly ceaſe. (2.) The other Article relating to the Trade of Tobacco, is, that Tobacco Imported into France from England, ſhall pay the ſame Duties, and no other, as the Tobacco of any Country in Europe or America, be⯑ing brought into France, does, or ſhall pay; [24] this I mention, becauſe of the loud Com⯑plaints that ſome People make of the great probability, nay, certainty, that after the Peace, France and Spain would give and take reciprocally ſuch Advan⯑tages in Trade, to, and from each other, as ſhould be very much to the detriment of England, and to the Advantage of France in matters of Commerce. Now as it is manifeſt, that in the Article of To⯑bacco, eſpecially Tobacco prepared, as for Snuff, &c. Spain has great quantities brought Home yearly from America, and that it would be much for the Advantage of Spain to have the ſame Imported upon eaſy and good terms into France; yet, that by this Treaty, France obliges her ſelf to give neither Spain or any other Nation any advantage over the Engliſh in the Trade of Tobacco.

Nor is this an Inconſiderable Article, France being lately come into the Cuſtom of Smoaking Tobacco, and which England can ſupply, (placing the Goodneſs againſt the Price,) Cheaper and Better than any Nation in the World, alſo the Encroach⯑ments upon the Virginia Trade which have happen'd in theſe few years, being con⯑ſidred together with the diſcouragements which the Virginia Merchants have of [25] late met with, this Article is of very great Conſequence to them, and may help to ſave that ſinking Trade from final Ruin, till ſome other Methods may be found out which may reſtore and revive it ſome o⯑ther way.

As to the reſt of the Articles of this Treaty as they are the ſame Mutalis Mu⯑tandis, with the other Treaties of the ſame kind, either made by England or by other Nations with the French, there needs no other Remark to be made, nor can any Objection lye againſt them, the uſual Forms being Calculated for the Secu⯑rity of Commerce and Navigation. I ſhall therefore return to the ſaid Ninth Article, in which all that can reaſonably be objected againſt in the whole Treaty ſeems to be contain'd; and here it may be enquir'd what the real Objections, that our People pretend to make are, and to what they tend; for, till this is known, it will be very difficult to know what part of it wants explanation.

The firſt thing which I meet with, is, That our high Duties and Impoſitions as well as Prohibitions, upon the Growth and Manufactures of France, are demanded to be taken off, and thoſe Duties reduc'd to an equality with the Duties on the like [26] Goods brought into Great Britain from other Parts.

This, it is alledged, cannot be done, (1.) Becauſe it is expreſly ſtipulated a⯑gainſt in our Treaty with Portugal. (2.) Becauſe it would Ruin our Wine Trade to other Countries. (3.) Becauſe it would over-run our whole Trade, and turn the ballance againſt us again, as it was before in favour of France.

The ſhort Anſwer to this without any Circumlocutions, is, Then, can't you re⯑fuſe it and not take thoſe Duties off? But then ſay Objectors, You cannot have the free Export of your Manufactures into France; to which the Anſwer is alſo direct, you muſt do without that too. And what then? Why then,

• 1. You will have as free an Export as you had before the War.
• 2. You had better be without that free Export, if the equivalent which you are to give for it would Ruin your Trade. But let us enquire into the thing:

1. I ſay, You will have as free an Export as what you had before the War; this has ſome things in it which would a little reflect upon the Prudence and Judgment [27] of ſome People, and for that Reaſon I ſhall mention them very cautiouſly; (1.) You will have the ſame Liberty of Trade, which you had after the Treaty of Ryſwick, and which then was not com⯑plain'd of at all. (2.) If as ſome alledge, the French are ſo fallen upon making the Woollen Manufactures of England, that they are in a Condition to ſupply Spain, What need have we to inſiſt ſo much, and at ſo great a Price, upon the Liberty of ſending our Manufactures to them who can have no occaſion for them, being able to ſupply themſelves and other Na⯑tions alſo? But to purſue this Argument would ſeem Inviduous, this Paper has no ſuch Deſign, the preſent Argument ex⯑tends thus far only; The State of the Caſe between the Engliſh and the French Trade is ſuch, That no other Concluſion could poſſibly be made, in the particular Article of the reſpective Duties. Our Miniſters, if they had been willing, could not have conceded the high Duties (laid here) to the French, becauſe they could not repeal Acts of Parliament. Some of the Prohibitions laid on French Goods are ſo eſſential to the encouraging the like Manufactures here, that it could by no means be thought of; at leaſt, till it was [28] laid before the Parliament, by whom theſe Encouragements and Acts of Par⯑liament were Granted and Made. On the other Hand, How could it be asked of any Nation to open their Doors to our Trade, and agree that we ſhould ſhut our Doors againſt theirs? And yet, even in that Caſe, the Treaty, as it ſtands, has, as is ſaid above, actually done ſo in ſome Particu⯑lars; for whereas not the leaſt Farthing is abated by the Treaty on our ſide, the French in the ſeveral Articles mentioned before, have actually receeded from ſeveral things on their ſide, as the Fifty Sols per Ton upon Ships; the M [...]nopoly of Tobacco; the admitting Fiſh in Ba [...]rels, that is, Her⯑ring and Salmon, which they had prohi⯑bited before? All this is done on their Side without the leaſt Conceſſion on our Side; but all that is offered on our Side, is left to the Parliament to determine, whether they will come into it or no.

2. If the Equivalent, which you are to grant in Lieu of the French Trade be too great, if it be ruinous to our Trade, we had better be without it.

[29] Upon this Foundation, no queſtion the Plenipotentiaries of her Majeſty acted; for firſt obliging the French to ſtand to it on their part, they left it entirely to the Determination of the Parliament, to whom it would certainly occur, what the value was they Exchanged, as well on one Side as the other: If it be true that the French have Wooll ſufficient for their own Manufacturing, and both can and do Manufacture ſufficient, not only to ſupply their own Dominions, Collo⯑nies and Plantations, but alſo to Export to other Nations, then it muſt certainly be of no great Uſe to us to open a Trade with them at all, becauſe there is no Advantage to us in it, they having little or no occaſion for the Manufactures which we think to ſupply them with.

On the other hand, If it be true that the French upon taking off their new Du⯑ties, revoking and repealing their Edicts and Tarifs, will neceſſarily take off a great quantity of our Manufactures; then it cannot be true, as has been ſo warmly ſuggeſted by ſame Writers, That the French have go [...]en the Manufacture into their own Hands, and will not only ſup⯑ply themſelves, but other Nations alſo. On the other hand, France is a Country [30] of a vaſt Extent, full of People, and if they take our Manufactures for their own Uſe, will take ſo great a quantity as we can hardly Buy ſuch an Advantage too Dear, and the reducing the Duties of their Goods here; eſpecially as it is mention'd in the Ninth Article of the Treaty, may, or may not be a thing of great Extent to them and to us too, as we do or do not rightly manage it. For ex⯑ample:

What is it they ask of us? I ſee but two things that are material in their Demand. They ask (1.) That we ſhould Repeal all our Prohibitions. And (2.) Reduce our Additional Cuſtoms, which have been laid upon their Goods ſince the Year 1664. and they offer to do the like. Well ſays our Merchants, What then muſt the Cuſtoms of Wines and Brandies be no more than in the Year 1664. that will bring Claret down to the Price of Six Pound, to Eight Pound a Hogſhhead again, and the common Tavern Price to One Shilling per Quart, and what then will become of our Spainiſh and Portugal Wine Trade? The Article anſwers for it ſelf in this Caſe, the miſtake is in the Reader, not in the Expreſſion; for in truth, there is nothing at all of ſuch a [31] reduction; but on the contrary, the French are oblig'd to ſubmit to whatever Duties we think fit to lay upon the Wine and Brandy, as will appear more parti⯑culary in the next Head: For the French are wiſely brought down to conſent to this Propoſal, viz. That their Wine ſhould pay as much as the Portugal Wine, only we join to admit, that it ſhall pay no more, and yet the Complaint of our People, againſt this Clauſe, is, ſo loud, that the old Proportion of things can be ill heard, and ſome People conlude, that this equality will ruin the Trade of Eng⯑land: For, ſay they, The Inclination of our People to French Wine is ſuch, that if it be at the ſame price with the Portu⯑gal Wine, none will Drink the latter; and therefore it is abſolutely neceſſary, that the French Wine ſhould be laid under the diſadvantage in their payment of Cuſtoms, that the Portugal Wines may ſtill be made the Common Draught, as it is called through the Nation.

To this there lies two Ob [...]ections.

1. If it be true that upon opening the French Trade as above, they will neceſſa⯑rily take our Manufactures in Return for their Wines, then we have the ſame Ad⯑vantage [32] in both Trades, and ought to En⯑courage one as well as the other, and the Reaſon is juſt that the Duties ſhould be alike, and the Encouragements or Diſad⯑vantages equal; if it be not ſo, then it alters the Caſe: But then ſome other Ob⯑jections will be ill maintain'd, (viz.) That the French have rejected our Trade to ſet up the Manufactures among themſelves, and plac'd high Duties on all our Goods, without which they would be out-done, and their own Manufactures Diſcouraged.

2. That the Portugal Trade always paid a leſs Duty than the French, is a great miſtake, and conſequently it is a miſtake, That it they are reduced to an Equality, the Portugal Trade will be ruin'd; for it is apparent that from the Reſtoration to the Revolution, being Twenty eight years, and the Reign of two Kings, the French Wines were always Charg'd at above 6. 10 s. per Ton leſs Cuſtome than the Portugueſe Wines, which always paid Spaniſh Wine Duties, and yet the Portugueſe had a very conſiderable Trade with us for Wine, and very far it was from being loſt.

[33] Again, We do not ſee that this De⯑mand of the French will help their Bran⯑dy Trade at all: For all they Demand is that their Brandy ſhall pay no more Du⯑ties than the Brandy of other Nations, it is but paſſing an Act then that the Brandy from Spain, Italy, or any other Nation, ſhall pay as much as the French pay now, and the Brandy Trade ſtands juſt where it was: This is ſo eaſie to do, and of ſo little Con⯑ſequence to us, that it cannot be Diſpu⯑ted: For all the Brandy that we Import from Spain and Italy is ſo little, and ſo ordinary, that it matters not to us whe⯑ther we Import any of it or no; and what-ever then is wanting in the Import of Brandy by reaſon of the high Duty, will be made up in Malt and Melaſſes Spirits, and ſo the Treaty of Commerce, may be a means to preſerve the Diſtilling Trade to us, which every one owns is of the Greateſt Conſequence, and which can be ſupported, humanly ſpeaking, no other way.

If the Engliſh Plenipotentiaries fore⯑ſaw this, they acted very wiſely when they brought the French to yield up that Point, and not abſolutely Determine the reducing the Duties to what they were before the firſt War, which would have [34] been very injurious to our Trade; if they did not forſee it, the good Luck is greater than the good Meaning; and it is to be hoped the Commiſſioners who are to Treat ſtill of farther Regulations, will take care to make this Article of the Brandy effectual.

In this could we be Impartial in our Judgment of things, we might ſee that this Treaty of Commerce is made with ſeveral advantageous Clauſes againſt the French Trade, which none that ever paſt before Contain'd, and in this particular it is remarkably advantageous, That the French are bound to take off all the Duties, Cuſtoms, Tarifs, Edicts, &c. ſince 1664. as by the Article; but we are only obli⯑ged to provide by a Law that their Goods pay no more than the Goods of other Nations: So that if we pleaſe to Charge the Spaniſh Brandy, the Portugal Reds, Malaga Whites, Florence, Galitia, &c. at 100 l. per Ton, the French muſt pay the ſame.

I would not be found putting a wrong Conſtruction upon the Treaty, and con⯑ſequently upon the Treaters; but I leave every Man to make his judgment from the Words of the 9th Article, which run thus:

[35] ‘'It is farther Enacted, That within the ſpace of two Months after, a Law ſhall be made in Great-Britain, where⯑by it ſhall be ſufficiently provided, That no more Cuſtoms or Duties be paid for Goods and Merchandizes brought from France to Great-Britain, than what are payable for Goods and Merchandizes of the like Nature Imported into Great-Britain from any other Country in Eu⯑rope; and that all Laws made in Great⯑Britain ſince the year 1664. for Prohi⯑biting the Importation of any Goods and Merchandizes coming from France, which were not Prohibited before that time, be Repealed. The General Tarif made in France the 18th day of Septem⯑ber in the year 1664. ſhall take Place there again, and the Duties payable in France by the Subjects of Great-Britain for Goods Imported and Exported, ſhall be paid according to the Tenor of the Tarif above mentioned, and ſhall not exceed the Rule therein ſettled.'’

It ſeems plain here as Words can ex⯑preſs it, 1. That we are only to make a Law or Act of Parliament, to reduce the Duty of French Wines, and the Duty of all other Country Wines, to the ſame Rate, the like of Brandies, &c. 2. That [36] upon our doing this, upon our paſſing this Law, or within two Months after it, the French are obliged to admit our Eng⯑liſh Goods upon the Foot of the Tarif of 1664. and to Repeal all the Additions of Taxes. Cuſtoms or Duties Whatſoever which have been laid ſince that time, to the Rate they were at before.

I believe this part of the Article has not been Conſidered as it might have been by moſt People, and if it had, perhaps ſo many would not blindfold have Con⯑demn'd the Article [...] Ruinous and De⯑ſtruct [...] to our Trade, even before they enquired into the particulars: But as I hope the [...]iſtakes of this kind are not ſo many or ſo great, but that they may be eaſily rectified, and the People will be forward to own themſelves in the wrong, when they ſee plainly that the Advantage is on our ſide. Theſe Conſiderations obliges me rather to endeavour to con⯑vince the Perſons of their Error, than to refle [...]t upon their Weakneſs.

Upon the whole, the Treaty, like other things of ſo nice a nature, gives many People uneaſineſs at firſt ſight, for want of rightly underſtanding the intent and meaning of it, and to others, for want of Conſidering rightly what they [37] do underſtand of it: The Conditions of it are evidently to the Advantage of the Engliſh Commerce in the main; perhaps ſome part of Trade, ſome particular Perſons and Intereſts in Trade may be touch'd, may be ſhortned in their pre⯑ſent Advantages and future Proſpects; but as to the Intereſt of Trade in Ge⯑neral, I think it eaſie to make out, that the Commiſſioners who are to meet to Regulate Duties. Remove Difficulties, and State the P [...]ons and D [...]ences of Things, may ſo order it, that the General Intereſt of Trade in Britain ſhall be bettered very much by the Treaty: And tho' it is reported, and is not doubted but Endeavours are now uſing, and will be uſed to procure Cla⯑mouring Petitions from the ſeveral Ma⯑nufacturers and Labouring Poor, as well in the Trade of Silk as Wooll, yet I am perſwaded Time will ſhew them that the firſt will be little in⯑jur'd, and the laſt greatly better'd by this Treaty, eſpece [...]lly if the Com⯑miſſioners who ſhall be Entruſted with the Management of it underſtand their Duty, and act their Part with Courage and Fidelity.

[38] And that we may a little open the Eyes of the Commons about this mat⯑ter, for they ſeem to be the moſt affect⯑ed with the Danger from it; a Word or two may be neceſſary to ſay to them:

Firſt, for the Woollen Manufacturers: It has been for many Years the Com⯑plaint, That the French have Prohibited our Woollen Manufacture; That they have put a ſtop to our Trade; That the Dutch have a great Trade to France, Holland and Flanders, who make pro⯑digious quantities of our kinds of Ma⯑nufactures, ſend them into France, and ours are Prohibited, and the like: The Government having now made an Eſſay to Remedy this Evil, and to open a Trade for our Manufactures, We ſeem agriev'd, and as much offended the other way; becauſe by opening this Trade with them the Silk Trade and the Portu⯑gal Wine Trade will be touch'd. But look into your Woollen Manufacture Trade, if opening a Trade with France Gives you a Free Market in ſo large a Country where you had none before, Shall not this Encreaſe the Conſumption of the Woollen Manufacture? And is not that of infinitely more vallue than what we [39] ſpeak of againſt it? Every one agrees that our Woollen Manufacture is the Life and Soul of the Engliſh Trade, and if this be but forwarded and promoted, whatever other Trade ſuffers, it is able ſufficiently to make us amends for that Loſs: The Employment of Families is this way, and perhaps this way only to be ſupplied. If it were poſſible that other Manufactures could be Encou⯑rag'd, and this be Preſerv'd, we ſhould all be pleas'd and ſatisfied: But this muſt be Preſerv'd, muſt be Encourag'd, muſt be Extended, what-ever riſque we run of the reſt. Either France will, upon the making this Treaty Effectual, take off a very great quantity of our Wool⯑len Manufactures, or it will not; if it will not, Why do we deſire a Treaty of Commerce at all? Why do we Com⯑plain that the French have Prohibited Trade with us? If it will, if the Mar⯑ket for our Manufactures will be great in France, then what are we Diſſatisfied at? and why is not the Treaty now made our Advantage? Let thoſe People who argue againſt it Compare the Ad⯑vantages of an Encreaſe of our Wollen Manufacture, with all the Diſadvan⯑tages to other Trades, and ſee whether [40] the Benefit on one hand is not ſuch, that the Loſs on the other hand ought to be riſqu'd for it.

But here comes in our Complaining Crouds with Petitions and mournful Repreſentations, That their Manufa⯑ctures will be ruin'd; the Colcheſter poor People, as I have been told, are particularly alarm'd, and yet it was never heard that the French ever went about to make a Piece of Bays in this World, no, nor are they able to do it, they know the impracticableneſs of it. What then can be the Diſſatisfaction that can affect that ſide! I might name ſundry other People who are Employed in Manufactures in England, eſpecially thoſe which depend upon the goodneſs of the Wooll, whether the Fineneſs, or the Length of the Staple: The Petitions therefore of theſe Peo⯑ple, if they come, ought to expreſs that their Apprehenſions of the French are grounded upon ſufficient Evidence of Fact, ſuch as, That they have already attempted, or are likely to attempt the making Bays in France, and the like.

[41] It were then to be wiſh'd, ſome Peo⯑ple would calculate a little from juſt pro⯑poſitions, what quantity of Manufactures France has uſually taken from us, when we Traded with them upon the Foot of the Tarif of 1664. and what it is probable they may take again, if mat⯑ters return to that Channel; and then it would be ſeen what price we ought to bid, in Order to reſtore the Trade to that Rule of Taxation; and what ſuch a purchaſe would be worth in our other Trade, which, as they ſay, we muſt give in Exchange for it; and this would be a very good way to make a right Judgment of the thing, for, as is ſaid before, either our Goods will find a Sale in France, or they will not; if they will, it is certainly our Intereſt to procure the Trade to be open, and though it ſhould hurt us a little in ſome other branches of our Commerce, the loſs would not be felt, at leaſt, not e⯑nough to move us to prevent it, becauſe of the Profit of the Woollen Manu⯑factures which is our main Support and Dependency.

This brings me to mention the Com⯑plaint of thoſe who are concern'd in the Silk Manufactures, which is the alter⯑native [42] to the other. Theſe People are made to believe, that they ſhall Infalli⯑bly not ſuffer only, but be ruin'd; and they talk already of ſuch a ſtop to the Weaving, that I know not how many Journey-men Weavers (more I believe by a great many than there are in the whole Broad Weaving Trade) are al⯑ready turn'd off, and out of Employ⯑ment.

I do acknowledge it is a hard and melancholly Circumſtance when any publick Tranſaction ſo claſhes the parts of the Body, I mean the Body of the Nation, that one can hardly live with⯑out the Deſtruction of the other, and yet as I ſaid above, the Woollen Trade is ſo great, that there is no compariſon between it and the Silk Manufacture; neither muſt the preſervation of the one be ſet in competition, when the preſer⯑vation of the other is the immediate Queſtion: But what if after all the Melancholly things which have been ſaid upon this Subject, it ſhould appear, that the Silk Manufacture in England may be preſerv'd and ſupported in a conſi⯑ſtency with the preſent Treaty of Com⯑merce, and particularly with that part of the Ninth Article, which Conditions [43] for the taking off the Prohibitions upon the French Goods Imported into England. This is a Point few have touch'd upon; but I make no queſtion, it may be farther handled in time; and thoſe Perſons, whoever they ſhall be, who ſhall be employ'd by the Government to regu⯑late the Duties of the two Naions, and to remove the difficulties that may be in the way, cannot be ſo Deſtitute, as to want a proper medi⯑um for the claſhing Intereſts between the Silk Manufactures of each King⯑dom as well as for that of the Woollen.

If then the Woollen Manufacture be encreaſed, and the Silk not diminiſhed, the Woollen advanced, and the Silk not diſcouraged, Men muſt be very much at a loſs to find out wherein the Da⯑mage or Intricacy of the Ninth Ar⯑ticle of the Treaty of Commerce does conſiſt.

The miſsfortune lies in the difficulty there is to open the Eyes of the Poor People, who are ſeverally employ'd in the Engliſh Manufactures, whether of Silk or Wooll, both which, for ought I ſee, are equally allarm'd, and equally poſſeſs'd with apprehenſions of their Trade being ruin'd by the French.

[44] But all popular Diſatisfactions are allay'd by time, the care of the Go⯑vernment will be to prevent the real Miſchiefs, and the Fears of the People will wear off in the experiment, when the Woollen Manufacturers ſhall ſee that a greater quantity of Goods are Vended than uſed to be, and the Silk Manufacturers ſhall ſee, that as many Looms are employ'd as were before, then the Folly and Blindneſs of their preſent apprehenſions will abate, and they will Peaceably acknowledge that that were miſtaken.