EXTRACTS From ſeveral MERCATORS, &c.

A Compariſon of the Duties payable on the Four Species excepted out of the Rule of the Tariff of 1664▪ with what they are now liable to, by ſeveral ſubſequent Ta⯑riffs; and how they will ſtand charg'd by the Tariff of 1699.

IT will be neceſſary to enter a little into the Hiſtory of our Trade with France, for the laſt 40 or 45 Years: And becauſe ſome Period of Time is proper in all ſuch Caſes to take a Riſe from, it ſhall be placed at the Year 1660. If any think that Time is not ſufficiently remote, they ſhall be fairly followed, let them go back as far as they pleaſe: In the mean while, I muſt take Notice to the Reader, that the Particulars are too copious and exten⯑ſive, and eſpecially their Numbers ſo preſſing; that no Time or Room can be ſpar'd for Preambles, and Introductions.

About the Year 1660, the general Book of Rates was made in England, according to an Act of Parliament, whereby a Subſidy of Tonnage was laid on Wines and Bran⯑dies, and a Subſidy of Poundage after the Rate of 5 l. per Cent. upon all Goods and Mer⯑chandizes Imported.

In Imitation of this, in the Year 1664, the French made a General Tariff or Book of Rates, wherein they followed us in Rating all Goods and Merchandizes at a Tax of about 5l. per Cent. ad Valorem, except that, for the Encouragement of their own People to improve in Trade and Manufactures, all the Manufactures of Silk, Gold, Silver, Hair, Thread, and Wool, were Rated at 10 per Cent. according to their Value. This Tariff [4] was eſ [...]eemed by all the Nations in theſe parts of Europe, to be very eaſy, and not the leaſt Interruption to their Trade with France.

That the Reader may ſee at once what was paid upon our Engliſh Manufactures by that Tariff, and what has been laid on in France ſince that time, the foregoing Table is plac'd at the begining of this Paper; and alſo, as what there will be Occaſion often to mention, and refer to: Out of which the Whale-bone, Fins, and Oyl, might have been omitted; becauſe we have no Share of that Trade: But as it may be uſeful for the Information of ſome People, the whole is above Incerted.

All our Woollen Manufactures Exported from England to France, are reduced to the old Duties payable by the Tariff of 1664. Except Broad-Cloth and Serges, which are to pay, (as by the Tariff of 1699) (that alſo being capable of being moderated by Com⯑miſſioners) thus:

Broad-Cloth, which from the Year 1667, paid 80 Livres, will now pay only 55 Livres.

Mill'd Serges, which paid 15 Livres, now 11 Livres.

All other wollen Goods pay after the Tariff of 1664, (as aforeſaid,) when their Wines paid Duty here but 7 l. 10 s. per Ton, and Brandy but 1 l. 10 s.

This part being thus ſtated, let us turn the Tables, and view the other ſide of the Trade, (viz.) Our Import from France, where the Particulars will be very ſurprizing; and this following Concluſion is moſt natural there from, (viz.) That if we Traded with France to our Advantage before, much more muſt we do ſo now; for the State of the Trade between England and France ſtands thus.

An Account of the ſeveral Duties which were payable upon French Goods Imported into England from France at the Year 1664, and of the Duties payable upon the ſame Goods after [...]he Peace.

Every True Britain, whoſe Concern is for his Countries Intereſt [...] muſt look upon this Table of Duties with great Satisfaction.

The ſetting this Account againſt the former, clears up the Treaty of Commerce ſo ef⯑fectually, that farther Enlargements muſt ſeem unneceſſary: Nevertheleſs, ſince, Mat⯑ters of Fact concur, it ſhall next be ſhewed what Regard Her Majeſty has had to the other Trading-Intereſt of Her Subjects: How the Ports of France are opened to Them upon equal Terms with the French Subjects themſelves, and that even in ſome things prejudicial ſo themſelves, as in the Levant Trade in particular.

The Hudſons Bay Company Pray, that the French may ſurrender all the Forts and Set⯑tlements in Hudſons Bay and Straight, and be obliged to renounce all Right and Pre⯑tenſions thereto for the Future.

Granted.

And that they make Reſtitution of Damages to the Value of 108, 514l. Sterl.

Granted. The Quantum only being referr'd to Comm [...]ſſioners.

[5] The Turky or Levant Company Pray, that They may have the [...]ame [...]i [...]erty of Trade in France as the French themſelves, and not to pay higher Duties than by the Tariff of 1664.

Granted.

And that They be allowed to carry Goods to all Parts of France from the Levant di⯑rectly, or the Goods of the Levant (viz.) Raw Silks, &c. from Great-Britain.

Granted, as in 1664.

The Eaſt-India Company Pray, that the Prohibitions and high Duties laid in France on Eaſt-India Goods ſent from England may be taken off, and to be on the ſame foot as in the firſt of King Charle [...]'s Reign.

Granted. And yet the Prohibition in England of Eaſt-India Goods from any Place but the Eaſt-Indies, continues.

The Virginia Merchants Pray, That the Tobacco of the Engliſh Plantations be Impor⯑ted into France under a reaſonable Duty, and the Importers to ſell it without Subjection to the Farmers.

Granted. Under the ſame-Duty which other Nations pay, as to the Farm, referr'd to the Commiſſioners.

Lyme Regis Prays, The Prohibition of Woollen Manufactures, and the high Duties laid in France, may be taken off, and the ſaid Goods be Imported into France, as formerly,

Granted,

The Merchants of Briſtol Pray, The ſame as above from Lyme; as alſo that Tonage of Ships be aboliſhed on both Sides.

Granted,

And that all our Merchants be permitted to Buy and Sell Tobacco in France under moderate Cuſtoms, without being ſubjected to the Farmers.

Referred to the Commiſſioners.

That nothing might be wanting to ſecure to Great Britain a compleat Freedom of their Trade to France; all the Advantages of the Treaties France has made with other Na⯑tions, are contained in this Treaty, and all the Privileges ſtipulated for them, are by her Majeſty's Care for her Subjects Profit made our own, as by the Eighth and other Article [...]; whereby it is ſtipulated, that her Majeſty's Subjects ſhall be Treated in France in the ſame manner as the Nations they moſt favoured, and even as the French King's own Subjects.

The Ninth Article adds, And all Prohibitions, Tariffs, Edicts, Declarations, Decrees made in France ſince the ſaid Tariff, of 1664 contrary thereunto, in Reſpect of the Goods and Mer⯑chandizes of Great Britain, ſhall be repealed.

As to this it is objected; that it is not ſaid Goods and Merchandizes of the Subjects of Great Britain, but Goods and Merchandizes of Great Britain, which implyes (ſay they) the Manufactures of Great Britain only. But the Abſurdity here is ſo groſs, that it is ſtrange the Wiſdom of the Turkey Company ſhould fall into it: For (1.) if it had been meant of the Manufactures of Great Britain, only, it would have been ſaid, The GROWTH and PRODUCE, not the Goods and Merchandizes. By Growth and Produce, indeed the Manufactures had been underſtood; but by the Goods and Merchandizes of Great Britain muſt be underſtood, the Goods and Merchandizes, which the Subjects of Great Britain TRADE IN. But (2.) it is out of Queſtion, That if the taking off the Prohibitions, &c. of the Goods and Merchandizes of Great Britain was meant only of the Manufactures, then was the whole Levant Trade prohibited ſtill; which the Gentlemen do not pretend to.

Thus it appears, that the Conſtruction the Company would have put on▪ the Words of the 9th. Article, (viz.) Goods and Merchandizes of Britain, would be the Ruin of that very Trade which they Petition to ſupport, and would Prohibit all their Levant Goods in France. Such People, like Children, muſt be dealt with by the Nature of things, and muſt have given them not always what they DO ask, but what they WOULD ask.

[6] Some Conſiderations might be offered here, upon the Turkey Companies deſiring the Liberty to carry their Raw Silk from England to France; and yet at the ſame time Pe⯑tition that the Silk Manuf [...]ctures here ſhould receive Encouragement, as if carrying the Silk abroad (which is a means to keep up the Price of Silk) ſhould at the ſame time be a means to encourage the Weavers and Manufacturers of Silk in this Kingdom. This Myſtery is referr'd to them to unfold. Alſo the Conſiſtency of their deſiring to ſupply France with Raw Silk, at the ſame time that they deſire the Silk Manufactures of France ſhould not be encouraged.

In general, all the Memorials, Petitions, and Repreſentations given in, as well from publick Bodies of Men, as from private Merchants, do allow, that if the Priviledges, Advantages, Abatements of Duties, &c. which they requeſt, or repreſent as needful▪ may be obtained, there will be a great and beneficial Trade driven from England to France.

To make it plain then, that all thoſe Priviledges, Advantages, Abatements, &c. are real⯑ly obtain'd by the Treaty; the Contents of thoſe Memorials are here ſum'd up▪ (the Memorials themſelves being too long) and moſt of them demanding the ſame thing with but little Variation.

[7] It would be reaſonable here to deſire thoſe People who inſiſt ſo much upon this Re⯑ſerve of Cloths and Serges out of the Tariff of 1664, to conſider what the exception amounts to, and how far it may hurt the Trade, that they may Judge whether the Damage is equal to the Complaint: To this purpoſe the Difference in the Serges is ſet down again here; (viz.) That the Serges which paid 10 Livres in 1664, and were af⯑terwards brought to 15, and then to 24, and after that prohibited, may now be freely Im⯑ported into France paying only 11 Livres, that is to ſay, one Livre advance upon a piece of 15 Ells; and the Difference upon Cloths is, that the Piece which paid 40 Livres before, in 1664, muſt pay now 55, being 15 Livres upon about 31 Yards Engliſh Meaſure.

To make this Eſtimate more plain, it is to be noted, that the Ell [...] mention'd in all theſe Caſes is to be underſtood the French Ell containing 5 Quarters of the Engliſh Yard, and ſo the Account of the Exception of Cloths, and Cloth Serges, may be read thus.

Cloths per piece containing 25 Ells, that is, 31 Engliſh Yards and a Quarter, to pay 15 Livres more than by the Tariff of 1664.

Cloth Serges per piece containing 15 Ells, that is 18 Yards and 3 Quarters, to pay 1 Livre more than by the Tariff of 1664.

Conſidering Men, when they come to weigh this, will be apt to wonder what it is the Trading part of this Nation have been ſo much allarm'd at in the Treaty with France, and will hardly be brought to believe that the Complaints which have been made of ruining our Manufactures and encouraging the French, ſhould all be raiſed from theſe ſmall Differences.

Would theſe People turn the Tables, and make the Caſe of France here the [...]r own, what loud Complaints would they make in England, if any Manufactures which our own Peo⯑ple were endeavouring to make at home, ſhould have been admitted by the Treaty from France, with alike ſmall Advance on the French Goods more than they paid in 1664. Whereas every body is ſenſible that the French are to pay here upon all their Goods 2, 3, 4 or 500l. per Cent higher Duties than they paid in 1664, and in ſome Goods much more. Had theſe advanced Duties been taken off, how would they alledge that Foreigners were encouraged; that the Bread was taken out of the Mouths of our own Peo⯑ple; that the Importing Manufactures from abroad, which we could make at Home, was taking away the Employment from our own Poor to give to the French: Yet this is the Caſe here. The French have given all the Encouragment they could to their Peo⯑ple to fall upon the making the Woollen Manufactures of Great Britain; it is ſuppoſed none can blame them for that; ſome ſteps they have taken in it which promiſed them Succeſs, while the Duties of 80 Livres and 120 Livres were laid on Engliſh Cloths; and yet even then, great Quantities of Engliſh Cloth were carried into France, which obli⯑ged the King of France at laſt, to make a Prohibition of Engliſh Woollon Manufactures in general, (viz) in the Year 1701.

But after all theſe Advances in the Woollen Manufactures, the French King being obli⯑ged by the Neceſſity of his Affa [...]rs to make a Peace, has yielded to ſuch a Peace as opens the Door into France for the Woollen Manufactures of Great Britain, at the ſame Rate of Cuſtom and Duties as they paid 49 Years ago, long before his own People m [...]de any conſiderable Attempt that way; having excepted or reſerved but two ſpecies of Manufactures, and upon them has only advanced about 2 or 3 per Cent.

There is ha [...]dly a Manufacture Erected by us in Britain in the memory of Man, but that if the high Duties laid upon Forreign Goods of the ſame kind were taken off, or within 2 or 3 per Cent. of what they were before, would be ruin'd, and the Un⯑dertakers thereof muſt lay them down: If the Manufacturers of Paper, Linnen Cloth, Canvas, or Sail Cloth, and many other things were heard to this, it is believed they would all acknowledge the Truth of it.

[8] But the French King is obliged by this Treaty, what Diſcouragement ſoever it may be to his own Subjects and their Manufacture [...] to take off all his Prohibitions and high Duties, and give all the Engliſh Manufactures a free Entrance into his Country, upon the ſame eaſy Duties they paid in the Year 1664, except two ſorts only, (viz.) Cloth, and Cloth Serges.

That this may admit of no Diſpute, the Affirmative leads to the particular ſorts of our Woollen Manufactures, which by this Treaty may be carryed into France by the Rule of the Tariff of 1664, viz.

Spaniſh Cloths, Serges, not Cloth-Serges, Double Bays, Single Bays, Says, Perpetuana's, Spaniſh Draggets, all ſorts of Norwich Stuff [...], Linſey-Woolſeys, Kiderminster Stuffs, Shalloons, Chenys, Peny⯑ [...]es, half Thicks, Cottons, plain double and ſingle Dozens, i. e. Yorkſhire Cloths, Kerſies, Duffels, Tammies, Plaids, Blankets, Rugs, [...]lannels, Worsted Hoſe, Woollen Hoſe, Knit-Caps, Knit-Wa [...]c [...]ats, Knit-Petticoats, Friezes, Camtalogns, and whatever other things are made of Wool, and wrought in Great Britain, all are reduced by this Tariff to the Duties paya⯑ble in 1664.

What has been ſaid of the Liberty of Commerce obtained by the Treaty with France, the Reduction of the Duties in France to the Tariff of 1664, and the Reſerve or Limi⯑tation of two Species of our Manufactures only, (viz) of Broad Cloths and Serges, to a ſmall Advance of Duty; has been more than ſufficient to explain thoſe things to any Mens Underſtandings, which are not politically dull: Unleſs theſe People expected that her Majeſty ſhould have made a Condition with the French King, that his Subjects ſhould make no Woollen Cloth, or that when they had made it, they ſhould not export it to Turkey, for fear of prejudicing our Levant Trade.

If the French Merchants in Turkey hold their Cloths up to equal Price with the Engliſh, no Buyer will take them, except when a ſufficient Quantity of Engliſh Cloth cannot be had to ſupply the Market.

The French Cloths being inferiour to the English in Quality, are for that Reaſon, and no other, Sold in Turkey at a lower Price.

It is evident that the French want the Materials, (viz) the Wool, eſpecially in thoſe parts of France where their Cloths for the Turkey Trade are made; and whither the Engliſh or Iriſh Wool which they get by Stealth, cannot be carried without very great Expence; and that the Wool they make uſe of inſtead thereof, and to mix with the Spa⯑niſh Wool, is of an inferiour Quality to the Engliſh Wool, they themſelves will not deny. But if theſe were not ſo, and they were to make Cloth wholly of Spaniſh Wool, or of Engliſh and Spaniſh Wool mixt, yet the general Way of Workmanſhip of the French Na⯑tion, is known to be ſlighter and looſer in all their Manufactures, than the Manufa⯑ctures of the like kind made here, and that our Workmen perform almoſt all kinds of Work-firmer and more ſub [...]antial, not only than the French, but alſo than any other People. So that our Cloths, and even all our Woollen Manufactures, will Sell for a better Price, than Manufactures of the ſame Denomination from other Countries.

As to the Silk Manufactures, they have ſuch a ſufficient Proviſion, made for them, and ſuch Encouragement given them already by the high Duties on Foreign wrought Silks, as well of France as of any other Country, that as they ſtood in no need of Pro⯑hibitions during the War, ſo they ſtand in need of no farther Aſſiſtance during the Peace.

For this Reaſon, as they have nothing to ask but that thoſe Duties ſhould remain; ſo the Treaty of Commerce has taken none of them away; and if the Silk Manufacture [...] cannot ſubſiſt with that Difference upon them which thoſe Duties have laid, neither would they ſubſiſt with a Total Prohibition.

It is obſervable, that during the ſaid high Duties, particularly upon Alamodes, and Lustrings, none of them have been Imported here, that is, legally Imported; as for Clandeſtine Importation, or Running of Goods, that can be no Argument, becauſe nei⯑ther [9] can the Quantity be great, or is it poſſible entirely to prevent thoſe things either in this Country or in any other. The Difference between the Manufactures of Silk at home, and thoſe imported, ſtands thus:

Foreign wrought Silks of all kinds, pay for every 20 pound Weight, L. 12. 3. 7. Netts Duty.

Alamodes and Luſtrings, pay for every 20 pound Weight, L. 31. 17. 3. Nett Duty.

Now if the Foreign wrought Silks pay above 12 Shillings per Pound Weight, Duty up⯑on Importation, all Diſcounts taken off; the Diſadvantage which they muſt lie under, muſt exceedingly leſſen that Importation, and ſeems ſufficient not only to encourage, but to quicken the Induſtry of our own Weavers.

But ſince the Encouragement of the Silk Trade, and Employment of the Weavers is ſpoken of as a thing of ſuch extraordinary Weight, it may be very neceſſary to ſtate the Caſe of Manufacturing in general, that our Opinion of things may be rightly bal⯑lanc'd.

It is an undoubted Rule of Trade, that the Employment of our own Poor, and Con⯑ſumption of our own Growth, is the firſt Principal of Commerce, and ſhould be the laſt End of all our National Improvement.

As Great Britain is ſtated in Matters of Trade, this Concern for the General Inte⯑reſt of that Trade, centers upon our Woollen Manufacture: There is a juſt Concern due to every Branch of Trade, but to that moſt, which moſt contributes to, and is moſt eſſential, in the two great Ends of Trade above-mentioned; (viz) Employment of the People, and Conſumption of the Produce. This the Woollen Manufacture is ſo far ſupe⯑rior in, to all other Branches of our Commerce, as admits of no Compariſon; and therefore the principal Concern of the Nation is, and ought to be the Woollen Manufacture.

It is true, Prudence may ſo guide, as that this Concern for the Woollen Manufacture, tho' it be with a Preference to all our other Goods, yet may not be in Oppoſition to them; there being a manifeſt Difference between, ſhewing a peculiar Regard to one, and injuring the other; as a Man having many Children, may ſhew a peculiar Affection to his eldeſt, without injuring the reſt: But then, on the other hand, neither muſt any of the other Branches of Trade claim or expect ſuch a Regard or Concern to be ſhewn to them, as ſhould be injurious to the Woollen Manufactures.

The Silk Trade is uſeful and advantageous, but Silk is a modern Manufacture, and is uſeful and advantageous, as it is a Return for, and encourages the Exportation of the Woollen Manufactures, and no otherwiſe: The Woollen Manufacture is the Eldeſt Child of the Nation's Commerce: The Silk Trade is a Foſter-Child taken into the Family, made uſeful and meriting to be encouraged, but always with a Subſerviency to the Good of the Heir.

If the Turky Merchants drive any conſiderable Trade to France with raw Silk, whe⯑ther from England by Re-Exportations, or from the Levant directly; the Silk they car⯑ry, it is allowed, muſt be the Product of Engliſh Manufactures; ſo that by that Method, not only our own Silks, but, even the French Silks alſo, as to the Materials they are made of, are the Product and Return of the Engliſh Woollen Manufactures. The next Difference is the Workmanſhip, which lies thus, that one is perform'd by the French, whom we ought to have no Regard to in Trade; the other is perform'd by our own People, whom we ought to ſupport.

But granting this; if on the other hand, a Bale of wrought Silks ſhould be brought from France, bought there with a Bale or Bales of Spaniſh Cloth, or other Woollen Goods, it is eaſy to prove that it is more our Intereſt to bring over that Bale of wrought Silk; and that the ſaid wrought Silks are more our own Manufacture, than if they had been wrought in Spittle-Fields; becauſe the Woollen Manufactures which were firſt ſent to Turky to purchaſe the raw Silk, which this Bale of Silks was wrought from, and the Spaniſh Cloths or other Woollen Goods ſent to France to purchaſe the ſaid Silks, [10] when wrought, not only conſumed the Growth of England, but employed above Six⯑teen times the Number of People in their making, &c. more than the Bale of wrought Silks would have done, if they had been made in Spittle-Fields.

On the other hand, this implies no Danger at all to the Engliſh Manufactures of Silk, becauſe tho' the Humours and Fancies of ſome expenſive People may run them upon buy⯑ing Foreign wrought Silks, yet while the high Duties here remain as they are to do by the Treaty, the Difference of Price will be always ſuch as will leſſen the Demand of Foreign Silks, reſtrain the Humour aforeſaid to a few People, and preſerve the Bulk of the Manufacture in our hands.

It is objected by ſome, That the Difference is not ſufficient; that notwithſtanding 12 l. 3 s. 7 d. to be paid upon the Importation for every 20 Pound Weight of wrought Silks, yet that the French will bring in their Silks. But this amounts to no more than this (viz) That they will bring in ſome few: Which is what as above, may be to our Advantage. But they will not pretend, that the Difference of the ſaid Duty ſhall not leſſen that Importation, and reduce it to a ſmall Quantity, and that the Groſs of the Trade ſhall remain in our own hands.

The Subſtance of the Petitions of the Silk Weavers, and of others who pretend to ap⯑pear in their Behalf, is in ſhort this, That the Importation of French wrought Silks may be prevented: The Pretence to make their Petitioning national, is the Danger, they ſay appears, that French wrought Silks will now, by Virtue of the Treaty of Com⯑merce, be imported in great Quantities into Britain, and the French being able to un⯑der-work us, will alſo Under-ſell us, and the Weavers thereby be ruin'd.

What Foundation there is to ſupport theſe Things, will appear, upon making a few Enquiries into matters of Fact; and ſome juſt Calculation of the Proportions of one to the other.

The Affairs of the high Du [...]ies upon wrought Silks Imported, is given in Anſwer to the Weavers, and ſeems to make their Apprehenſions appear very irrational: Above 31s. per Pound Duty on the Importation muſt be paid upon Alamodes and Luſtrings, and above 12s. per Pound upon all other wrought Silks; except Italian Silks Imported in En⯑gliſh Ships, which pay Duty 10 s. 6 d.

The Force of Reaſon prevailed in the firſt, and the Weavers have given it up, owning at the Bar of the Houſe of Commons, that the Difference is ſufficient in the A⯑lamodes and Luſtrings, and that the French can do them no harm there; but it ſeems they think 12 s. or 10 s 6 d. per pound too little upon the other wrought Silks: But they ei⯑ther did not know, or omitted to take notice, that the Raw Silk which thoſe French Goods are made of, pays Sixteen Livres per pound Duty at the firſt Importation into France; that the wrought Silks, when ſhipp'd again to be brought hither, pay 5l. per Cent. Cuſtom ad Valorem upon their Exportation, both by the Tariff of 1664; and that the other Charges, ſuch as Tranſportation by Land-Carriage to the Ports they are ſhipp'd at, Commiſſion for Buying, Fraight, Riſque of the Sea, &c. cannot be ſo little as 5 per Cent. more. So that here is about 12 per Cent. more upon the Value of the Goods to be added to the Difference of 12s. or 10s. 6 d. per pound; all which put together, makes ſuch a Weight upon the Foreign wrought Silks, and gives ſuch an Advantage to the Engliſh Weavers, that it is wonderful to think they ſhould complain.

To add to the Conviction of theſe Things, it ſhall be a little examin'd, what effect this Difference has already had upon the Silk Trade; from whence may be Eſtimated ſome thing of what may be expected for the time to come.

The Weavers ſaid Themſelves, at the Committee of the Houſe of Commons, that they make to the Value of Three hundred thouſand Pounds every Year, in Black Silks only; whether it be Truth or not, is not eaſy to be examined: But in this Caſe, if they al⯑low it, we are not to queſtion it, for if it be an Error, it is againſt themſelves; their [11] Quantity of other Silks they ſpake of as prodigiouſly great. It cannot be amiſs to obſerve then, what Quantity of Foreign wrought Silks have been imported here from all parts of Europe, under our high Duties, and ſee what Proportion they bear to the Quantity which theſe People ſay they make at Home, whether theſe Foreign wrought Silks have been French or no, is not the Caſe; The Duties are near the ſame; and as they are Imported from Countries to which France had an open Trade, it is not improbable many French Silks have been among them, and if more has not come in, the Difference made by the Duties have been the apparent and only Reaſon, and the ſame Reaſon muſt hold good ſtill, as long as the ſame Duties remain.

All that can be alledged againſt this is, to beg the Queſtion and ſay, That There will be more Imported now; but before that can be allowed, they ſhould ſhew a good Reaſon why more was not Imported in theſe Years above-ſtated, being the Quantity from I⯑taly was always much greater, before the raiſing the Duties here; and that Reaſon which is good for preventing the Importation from Italy, will be good for preventing it from any other Country.

What has been ſaid againſt the Reaſon of this, is ſo little to the Purpoſe, and with ſuch little Force, that it is worth no Notice, the Facts are ſo clearly made out, that they amount even to Demonſtration: The high Duties have effectually check'd the im⯑portation of wrought Silks, and will do ſo ſtill. If the French had their raw Silks chea⯑per than we have it, how comes it to paſs, that ſo much weight has been put upon the Levant Company's obtaining a Liberty of Exporting Raw Silk from England to France? which is obtain'd for them by the Treaty, and which the Company are now fully ſa⯑tisfied, is ſettled to their advantages. If the French had raw Silks cheaper than the Engliſh, it would be abſur'd to ſpake of our ſending raw Silks from England to France. Goods [12] are ſhipped from Port to Port, to mend their Market, not to leſſen their Value; if our Merchants did not advance the Price, they would never ſend their Goods abroad.

Not only the French have not their raw Silk Cheaper than England; but on the con⯑trary, England has their raw Silks cheaper than all the World; thoſe Countries excep⯑ted, who have it of their own; and this will appear, by the great Quantity of raw Silk Exported from England to other Countries; as alſo of Mohair Yarn, which is equal⯑ly concern'd in the Argument; and the following Abſtract of One Year may give a ſpecimen.

It would be an unaccountable Trade, if it ſhould be true, that other Nations had Raw Silk cheaper than we have it, when at the ſame time they ſhould buy ſuch Quan⯑tities of it every Year from us.

If any Nation in the World can have Raw Silk cheaper than England, Italy may be thought to be the Place, becauſe they have great Quantities (Sicily included) of Silks of their own Growth. It will be hard to aſſign a Reaſon why Italy, who have Silk of their own, and with whom our Trade has been always open, ſhould by our high Duties be obſtructed from ſending their wrought Silks to England, and France, who buy great Quantities of Silk from us, ſhould not.

As the like Arts have been made uſe of to poſſeſs the People with an Opinion, that the Intereſt of Britain has been neglected with reſpect to the Portugal Trade, which were before employ'd in that of the French; ſo it will eaſily be made appear, it has been done with the like Weakneſs, and 'tis hop'd it ſhall be with the like Succeſs.

It is alledged, That the Treaty with France, and the Treaty formerly made with Por⯑tugal, and no [...] ſubſiſting, are inconſiſtent with one another; That the Effect of the Treaty with France will be the [...]eſſ [...]ing the Importation of Portugal Wines, by Lower⯑ing the Duties on the French; that this will leſſen the Conſumption of our Woollen Ma⯑nufactures in Portugal, that our Trade there will be en [...]irely loſt by a Prohibition of all our Woollen Manufactures in Portugal as it was before the War: And the like.

It is needful to go back and look into the former State of the Portugal Trade, before the late Treaty, and enquire into the Nature and Reaſon of the Alterations, Additions and Encreaſes, which have been Accidents to that Trade, and which have brought it from what it was, to what it now is; in which, if the Cauſes aſſign'd for it's Encreaſe are miſtaken, the Notions we entertain of ſuch and ſuch things endangering its Decreaſe, will appear equ [...]ly groundleſs.

Two general and Vulgar Errors, or Miſtakes, are entertained among us relating to the firſt part of the Portugal Trade; (viz) what it was before the Treaty with Portugal; and two more relating to what it now is, or will be by reaſon of the Peace. The Mi⯑ſtakes about what it was, are (1) That the Portugueſe had prohibited all our Woolllen Ma⯑nufactures. (2) That the Encreaſe of our Trade or Export to Portugal, was occaſioned by, and depended upon the Encreaſe of our Demand for Their Wines. Our Miſtakes about what the Portugal Trade is now, or is like to be, are, (1) That upon our reducing the Duties of French Wine by the Treaty of Commerce with France to an Equality with the Portugueſe Wines, the Wine Trade from Portugal will be ruined, and we ſhall import no more. [13] (2) That upon this, the Portugueſe will immediately prohibit our Woollen Manufactures; and ſo that great Trade which it is alledged, tho' falſly too, Exports two Millions Year⯑ly in the Growth and Manufacture of Great-Britain, will be loſt.

If every one of theſe may be clearly proved to be Miſtakes, and that neither the things ſuggeſted, or the Conſequences drawn from them, can be ſupported by Truth or Reaſon, then all our Uneaſineſs about this Portugal Trade; will appear cauſeleſs and ill grounded. To do this, there needs no more than to ſtate Matters of Fact; and give ſuch Proofs of every thing as the Caſe will admit.

1. That all our Woolen Manufactures were Prohibited before the War, is a Miſtake; and truly this is a Miſtake of ſuch a Nature, ſo obvious, and ſo eaſy to be confuted, that it is wonderful it ſhould be expected by any body to do their Arguments any Service. It is well known upon the Exchange, and no Portugal Merchants of any long ſtanding, can be ignorant that the Prohibition was ONLY of our Medley Cloths, which were forbidden not only to be imported there, but to be worn; the Reaſons whereof alſo were aſſigned, (viz.) Not that they ſet about the making them there, as ſome alledged, but becauſe they found their People forward to run into the French way of Clothing and Dreſſing themſelves, which the Court for many Reaſons thought fit to prevent. But no Man who has any competent Knowledge of the Portugal Trade, will pretend that the Bays, Says, Perpets, Serges, Stuffs, Stockings, Cotions, Plains, Kerſeys, &c. which were always the Groſs of the Engliſh Exportations to Portugal, were ever under any Prohibition there, or any other of our Woollen Manufactures, the Woollen Cloths as above only excepted.

That what is ſaid here may, as it is Reſolved all things in this Paper ſhall, carry it's Evidence along with it, the Words of the late Treaty with Portugal may be produced for Proof: In the Second Articles after the Proportion between the Cuſtoms of Por⯑tugueſe Wines and the Cuſtom of French Wines is ſettled, follow theſe Words; Butt if this Abatements of Cuſtoms as is preſumed to be made, ſhall be after any manner prejudiced or Abo⯑liſhed, ſhall be just and lawful for his Sacred Royal Majeſty of Portugal, again to forbid the WOOLLEN CLOTHS.

From he [...]ce may be noted alſo, that this part of the Agreement was not ſo abſo⯑lutely and [...] laid down, as an Eſſential of the Treaty between England and Portugal, without which the Peace of the two Nations could not ſubſiſt, but Proviſion was expreſly made in the very Article, that if it ſhould be ABOLISHED, yet the Peace ſhould r [...]main entire; only the King of Portugal would then be at Liberty if he thought [...] make himſelf Amend [...] upon England, by prohibiting the Engliſh WOOL⯑LEN CLOTHS.

The next vulgar Error, or Miſtake, which we are led into about the Portugal Trade, is, that the Encreaſe of our Exports of the Woollen Manufactures of Great Britain to Portugal, is occaſion'd by, and depends upon the Encreaſe of our Demand for their Wines: This, however abſurd, and in its Nature contrary to the Truth of Fact, is the thing on which the Argument is made to turn; from which they would infer, that as our Demand for Portugal Wine decreaſed, ſo will their Demand for our Manufa⯑ctures decline: And in ſhort, that if by the coming in of French Wines, the Portugal Wine ſhall be wholly left off, as they vainly ſuggeſt, ſo will alſo the Demand for our Woollen Manufactures in Portugal ceaſe, and that Trade be loſt.

The People who argue thus, confute themſelves in their own Calculations: For Firſt to magnify the Portugal Trade, they tell us that we export thither Annually the Value of Two Millions Sterling, moſt of it in the Woollen Manufactures of Great Bri⯑tain againſt this, give them leave to make their own Eſtimates of the Wine we Im⯑port from thence, and take the largeſt Year and the higheſt Price they can reaſonably ſuppoſe, the Quantity will not amount to above 8 or 9000 Ton, which Account there [14] will in the purſuit of this Article, appear Reaſon to make great Abatement of too; but were it ſo, and account the Wines prime Coſt one with another, at 15 l. per Ton, or, to pleaſe them, at 20 l. per Ton, which is much above the true Coſt in in Portugal, they will not amount to 200,000 l. which by their own Account, is leſs than one Tenth part of the Demand for our Manufactures. This will very ill make it out that their Demand for our Manufactures is occaſion'd by, and depends upon our Demand for their Wines; by which they muſt make it appear, that the Nine parts of the Trade de⯑pend upon the Tenth, and the greater is occaſioned by the leſs, which is an Abſur⯑dity in the very Nature of the thing.

But the matter of Fact is evident, and known to all that have any tolerable Know⯑ledge of the Portugal Trade, (viz) That the Encreaſe of the Trade to Portugal, has been occaſion'd by the Diſcovery within theſe few Years of the Gold Mines of St. Paul in the Brazils, by which an immenſe Treaſure is gain'd yearly to the Portugueze Nation, as well as to their King; that by th [...]s means the People in Brazil are ſo in⯑creas'd in Wea [...]th, and the Trade to Brazil are ſo increaſed as a Conſequence, that the [...]leets which about twelve Years ago, were uſually Twenty-three to Twenty-Eight Sail of Ships from Lisbon to Brazil, are now Seventy, Eighty, to a hundred Sail, and the Exports of Engliſh Goods to Portugal are increaſed in Proportion.

This is the true and the only Reaſon of the Encreaſe of their Demand for Engliſh Manufactures; and th [...]s has no more Dependance upon, or is occaſion'd by our De⯑mand for their Wines, than it depends upon any thing that has no Relation at all to it.

It is very ſtrange to find the Oppoſers of any Argument lay the whole Streſs and Weight of what they have to ſay upon any thing which they are not very ſure they can ſupport the Truth of. But it is perfectly ſurprizing to ſee Men value themſelves and their Cauſe upon Accounts and Calculations which are fraudulent and errone⯑ous, known by Themſelves to be ſo, and which they might be ſure, in an Age like this, when Men take nothing upon Truſt, would by inquiring Heads be ſoon detect⯑ed and expoſed.

Nothing of this kind can be more wonderful, than what we ſee practiſed juſt now by ſome People, in handing about a Paper call'd, A SCHEME of the Trade between England and France, in order to make the Trade between England and France look with an Aſpect to pleaſe them, and to anſwer all the Romantick things they have ſaid of it; which Paper or SCHEME, was Printed in 1674, and ſaid to be Sign'd by ſeveral eminent Merchants of the City of London.

Something might be ſaid to the Deſign of that Paper, when it was firſt publiſhed, and to the Perſons who Sign'd it (viz.) That it was Calculated for a Deſign then on foot, to expoſe the Publick Management, and divide the People againſt the Court.

It may be proper than for the detecting the Fraud of this Scheme, to enter into an Exa⯑mination of ſome of the Particulars wherein it differs from the true Account of that Year; which ſhall be done by giving a brief Abstract of the ſaid Scheme, and likewiſe of the true Account from the Custom Houſe, as it is now laid before the Honourable Houſe of Commons by the Commiſſioners.

By both which it will appear, that the Deſign of this Paper, call'd A SCHEME, was then, and the making it publick is now, to leſſen in the publick Opinion the Va⯑lue of our Exp [...]rtations to France, and to encreaſe or heighten the Value of our Im⯑portations from France; a Deſign in it ſelf diſhoneſt, but much more ſo from the man⯑ner of doing it, as will appear by what follows.

Our Exportat [...]ons to France from Michaelmas to Michaelmas 1668-9, are made by the Scheme to amount to l. 171, 021. 06. 08, and all the ſpecies of Goods are reſtrated to theſe few, (viz.) Woollen Cloths, Dozens, Kerſeys, Raſhes, Pennyſtones, Cott [...]ns, Flannels, Hoſe, Bays, Stuffs, Serges, and Perpets, with ſome Petties, which are Crowded toge⯑ther at the Value of 20000 l.

[15] Two Obſervations ſhall contain what is ſufficient to ſay to this part of it, and nothing can be deſired to expoſe it more.

1: That here is not half of the ſpecies of Goods named which are every Year Expor⯑ted to France, and which, as appears by the Cuſtom-houſe Books were actually Exported to France that Year.

2. That of the ſpecies of Goods which they have named, they have not ſet down the true quantities which were really Exported to France that very Year.

Theſe are ſuch Tokens of a deſign'd Colluſion and Prevarication, that nothing of that kind can be more corrupt.

But to deſcend to a few Particulars of this Fraud, that the People may ſee in how groſs a manner they are Impoſed upon.

1. Take a few of the Articles mention'd by the SCHEME of Goods Exported to France, 1668-9, as aforeſaid, and when Compared with the real Entries of that Year in the Cuſtom-Houſe Books, from the Port of London, according to the Account given in by the Commiſſioners, and now lying before the Houſe of Commons.

And any one, upon Caſting up the following Particulars, will ſee to what a Mag⯑nitude this Part will amount.

2. Add to this, That to leſſen the Appearance of our Trade to France, they have wholly omitted all the Fiſh, ſuch as Herrings, Pilchards, Salmon, and White Fiſh; all our Plantation Goods, and all the Goods of other Countries Re [...]exported by us to France; of which the Quantities Exported that very Year were very great and are ſo every Year: The Particulars are too long to ſet down here, but may be gueſs'd at by theſe few.

Beſides prodigious Quantities of other Goods Exported to France that Year; as may be ſeen by the ſaid account from the Cuſtom-Houſe, now lying before the Houſe of Commons.

[16] The remaining Particulars are ſo many, as makes it plain, that the Value of our Ex⯑portations to France for that Year exceeded the Value of our Importations from France very conſiderably, as by the Cuſtom-Houſe Books will appear.

The Errors in the Account of the Importations, are no leſs unfairly Stated than theſe, and the Fraud is extended to a much greater Value; Nay, even the manner of Stating it, diſcovers a deſign of Impoſing upon the Publick. For Firſt the Export is confine [...] to the Port of London, only with an allowance of one Third more for the out Ports, whereas the Import is ſaid to be for the whole Kingdom, let them take it which way they Pleaſe.

If their Imports are for the Ports of London only, then they have committed a Fraud in the Quantities to the Value of above 721,796 Pounds, as will be prov'd by the Cuſtom-Houſe Books.

If their Imports take in the whole Kingdom, then they have committed two Frauds inſtead of one (1.) In the Quantities: And (2.) In offering to ſtate the Debtor ſide of the Account upon the Port of London, with a Gueſs at one Third more of the Out-Ports, AGAINST all that they ſay was Imported in the whole Kingdom.

If they had deſign'd a fair and juſt Account, They ought to have ſtated the Ex⯑ports and Imports exactly for the Port of London, and have made the Addition of one Third for the out Ports equal to both ſides; and have ſtated both ſides upon the Im⯑ports and Exports of the whole Kingdom; For if the Exports exceed the Imports for the Port of London only, as appears by the Custom-Houſe Books: It would have been much more ſo for the Out-Ports, becauſe many of our Out-Ports, which lye in or near thoſe Countries where the Woollen Manufactures are made, Fiſh cured, &c. Export much greater Quantities to France, than they could conſume the Value of in French Goods, as Exeter, Colcheſter, Yarmouth, and many other Ports.

But the Prevarications are yet more groſs, and the Value greater; As one part makes the Exportations to France ſeem leſs; ſo the other as dexterouſly makes the Importa⯑tions from France ſeem more: Nor will their making a Gueſs or Wholſale Al⯑lowance of one Third for the Out-Ports on one ſide anſwer for it, unleſs they had either made the ſame allowance ſerve on both ſides, or extended the Account to the ſame period of Time on both ſides without it; but acting fairly did not ſeem to ſuit the Deſign.

Thoſe who would ſupport the Paper call'd A Scheme, produce a Paper, ſaid to be Signed by the Farmers of the Cuſtoms, containing an Account of the Importations of Wines, Brandies, and Linnen from France, from Michaelmas 1667, to Michaelmas 1669, which they make to be very large, and from whence they would argue, that one half thereof muſt be the Rule of the Year 1669. Had this been a meer Gueſs, or had it been at any other time, the Calculation might have been leſs ſuſpected. But there lies ſo juſt an Exception againſt the Year 1667, and it was ſo well known to them, that it cannot be any thing but a meer Deſign.

It is well known, the Plague had in the Year 1665 put an univerſal ſtop to all Trade, except ſuch as Neceſſity forc'd the People to, for meer Proviſions. The next Year the Fire of London happen'd; and as the Fire began near the water ſide, and a⯑mong the Warehouſes and Cellars of the Merchants, the Quantities of Wines as well as of other Goods which were ſpoil'd or deſtroy'd, were very great. Add to this a War with France and Holland; by which the Trade with both was ſtop'd, and which War was not ended till the Treaty at Breda in July 1667.

Theſe Things might well ſuppoſe England to be ſo Exhauſted of French Goods, as that the Importation of the next Year, (viz) 1667, muſt be prodigious great; and no ratio⯑nal Judgment can be made of the Trade to or from France by the Accounts of that Year. This is farther demonſtrated by the Article of the Brandies which the Account [17] of the Farmers aforeſaid makes for the ſaid Two Years to be but 3775 Ton. But by an Account of the ſame Farmers for the laſt Five Quarters of the ſaid two Years, (viz.) from Michaelmas 1668, to Michaelmas 1669, the whole Quantity of Brandy Imported, amounts to no more than 680 Ton; and yet the SCHEME affirms, there was 4000 Ton of Brandy Imported from Michaelmas 1668, to Michaelmas 1669. And this is of⯑fer'd as one undeniable Evidence of the Fraud of that SCHEME.

There may be a parallel Caſe found out to illuſtrate this, and that is of the Expor⯑tation of Lead from England to France in the Year 1662, which amounts to, as by the Cuſtom-Houſe Books, a moſt prodigious and unuſual Quantity (viz.) From Michaelmas 1662, to Michaelmas 1663, there was Exported from England to France, 21,757 Fod⯑der of Lead, which at 12 l. per Fodder, as the Scheme allows the Price to be, amounts to 261,084 l. It would be acknowledged very unfair, that this ſhould be given in as an Article of our uſual Export of Lead to France; for, as an extraordinary Year is no juſt Rule to take a Medium of Calculation from, ſo no more is the Year 1667, to be taken as a proper time to Calculate our Importation of Wine from France; the prece⯑ding Accidents of a Plague, the Fire, and the War, joining together to make the De⯑mand for Wines that Year extraordinary great.

Perhaps it is a Fate upon us, that the Inconveniencies and Ill-Conſequences of re⯑jecting a Trade ſo evidently Beneficial to England, muſt be diſcovered by our Experi⯑ence, and muſt be felt before they will be known; in which Caſe this Paper will have Occaſion not only to mention thoſe Inconveniencies before hand, but to remind you of them when they happen.

This Paper ſhall alſo, in its Courſe, be adapted to the ſeveral Trading Counties and Towns of Great Britain, to make appear, that now the War is ended, all the Goods and Commodities of France may be Imported into this Kingdom, eſpecially ſuch as are to be Re-exported, as Brandies, Linens, Silks, Paper, Laces, &c. Since upon ſuch Re-exportation all the additional Duties are drawn back; when at the ſame time not one Yard of the Woollen Manufacture of Great Britain, which are all prohibited in France, nor of our Fiſh and other material Commodities, can be Imported into France, the Articles not being made effectual.

The Inſtances of this, ſhall be hereafter eſpecially applyed to the particular Trading places of Great Britain, who will thereby be able to judge whether this is not the true State of their Caſe, and whether the Dutch or Flemings will now have the Im⯑portation of our Manufactures into France, as they have had for above 20 Years laſt paſt, and reſerve to themſelves the Dreſſing, Dying and Finiſhing of thoſe Goods; whereby the Manufacturers of Great Britain will become Slaves to Foreigners, who will either ſet their own Price upon our Manufactures, or ſet up Fabricks of their own in Imitation of them, all which might have been avoided, by having an open and direct Trade with France.

This Paper ſhall not ſuggeſt ſo much Unhappineſs to Great Britain, whoſe general Good it is deſign'd to promote, as to propoſe that the Articles of Commerce ſhall not in time to come be farther conſider'd. The Parliament of Britain who are the true Judges of their Countries Good, cannot be ſuppoſed to omit any thing that ſhall be apparently for the publick Advantage; and therefore when it ſhall appear to them which we will not queſtion, that theſe Articles are proper to be Re-conſider'd, they will no doubt, act therein, as Reaſon and Juſtice requires.

In the mean time, ſeeing we are to carry on our Trade without the Advantages which were expected from the Treaty, let us enquire upon what Terms we are to carry it on, and how we ſhall Trade with France for the time coming.

The Tariff of 1664 is now no more to be mentioned in this Affair: The low Du⯑ties which our Goods would have paid in France, are out of the Queſtion. The Edict of 1701 muſt now be the Rule of our Trade in France: And that this may be un⯑derſtood [18] without any Difficulty, and be as little ſubject to Miſtakes as poſſible, the E⯑dict it ſelf may be its own Expoſi [...]or; of which the following is a faithful Abſtract.

An Arreſt of the King's-Council of State, containing a Rule for the Importation of Goods and Merchandizes of the Manufactures of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging. September 6th, 1701.

HIS Majeſty continuing his Application for the Profit and Advantage of his Subjects in matters of Trade, &c. and being in his Council, has forbidden and Prohibi⯑ted, and does hereby Forbid and Prohibit, from the Day of the publication of theſe pre⯑ſents, the Importation into this Kingdom of the ſeveral Merchandizes hereunder ſpeci⯑fied, being of the Growth and Manufactures of England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c. whither coming directly, or from other Countries, on the Penalty of Confiſcation of the Goods and of the Ships bringing them, of whatever Nation they are, and of 3000 Livres Fine upon the Merchants who ſhall Receive or Import them.

All ſorts of Stockings, and Caps of Wooll, Silk or Thread, whither Knit or Woven.

All ſorts of Wollen Cloths, R [...]ines, Bays, Serges, Norwich Stuffs, Camlets, Mohairs, Ta⯑faties, Pluſh, or other Stuffs, whither of Wooll, Silk or Hair, or mingled with Wooll, Silk, Hair, Thread, or Cotton.

All ſorts of Hats, of what ſort, or of what Materials ſoever they are made.

All ſorts of Leather, Tann'd, Curry'd or Dreſs'd.

All ſorts of Gloves. all ſorts of Buttons, and Ribbands, whither of Silk, Gimp, Worsted, Thread, or of any thing elſe. All ſorts of Cutlers, Ironmongers, or Braſiers Wares;

All Watches, Pendulums, and other kinds of Clockwork.

All ſorts of W [...]es and Liquors. All ſorts of Tin, Wrought or Unwrought.

All ſorts of Lead, whither in Pigs or otherwiſe.

Alſo His Majeſty forbids, and prohibits all Haberdaſhery, Drugs, and Spices, to be brought into any part of his Dominions, from England, Scotland, or Ireland, or the Do⯑minions thereto belonging, or from any other Countries in Engliſh Shipping.

His Majeſty Ordains and Appoints alſo, that the particular Goods hereunder ſpecified coming from the ſaid Countries of England, Scotland, or Ireland or the Dominions thereunto belonging, in whatſoever Ships or Veſſels they ſhall come, upon their Impor⯑tation into his Majeſty's Dominions, ſhall pay the following Duties, That is to ſay,

[19] This is a ſtrict View of the preſent State of the Engliſh Commerce in France, and theſe are but part of the Burthens and Incumbrances of our Trade there, which her Majeſty, by the Treaty of Commerce with France, and in her juſt Concern for the good of her Kingdoms, had procured to have her Subjects delivered from; But the Arti⯑cles being not made Effectual, they are now to continue, ſo that our Trade is to re⯑main in general prohibited there, till ſome Act ſhall be paſſed here, to render Effe⯑ctual the Proviſions made for a Freedom of Commerce, and till Two Months after, all which time the Profits of an advantageous Trade are loſt to this Nation.

It is alſo to be obſerved, that while all theſe high Duties and Prohibitions remain upon our Trade into France, moſt of the French Goods are ſtill at Liberty to be Im⯑ported here, paying the high Duties; the Caſe of which will be, that for all of thoſe which may be Re-exported whither to our Plantations, the Spaniſh West-Indies, or o⯑ther Parts, thoſe high Duties will be all drawn back, and the French Goods be ſo far prejudicial to our Manufactures without our having any Share of the Advantage from the Trade to France.

In like manner, the Wines and Brandies which may be uſed at Sea, or in Foreign Parts, will draw back all the high Duties; and for the other part (viz) the Home Conſumption, they will be brought in as Spaniſh and Portugal Wines and Brandies or elſe ſmuggled upon the Coaſt: The Silks, Linnen, Paper, &c. will come in as Dutch and Flemmiſh; by which means the French will have the Benefit of the Peace as to their Part of the Trade, and Britain will be entirely ſhut out, or be ſubſervient to Foreigners, who ſhall carry it on for their own Benefit, as they have done for 20 Years laſt paſt. [...] There have been divers Repreſentations made to the King of France himſelf, by his own Subjects, as well Merchants and Manufacturers as others, all againſt the Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain, and eſpecially againſt the Eighth and Ninth Articles, the ſame which our People are offended with; Complaining, and with great Ear⯑neſtneſs too, againſt admitting the Engliſh Woollen Manufactures into France upon the low Duties of 1664, as what will be ruinous to the Manufactures ſet up with ſo great Suc⯑ceſs in France; For that the Engliſh will now bring in all their Woollen Manufactures upon them, in ſuch great Quantities, that thoſe made in Languedoc in Porton, in Pi⯑cardy, and other Places will be Ruined; That the Engliſh make thoſe Goods ſo much better than they can be made in France, and they will be ſo Cheap, the high Duties which his Majeſty had laid on, not ſo much to enrich his Treaſury, as to encou⯑rage the Induſtry of his own Subjects, being taken off, even as far back as the Ta⯑riff of 1664, that the French Goods will find no Sale; but that the Engliſh Goods will in proportion to their Goodneſs, be ſold much cheaper than any can be made in France. Farther, theſe Repreſentations go on in very preſſing, tho' humble Terms, it being ſpoken to their King, to Complain, that an open Trade with England will al⯑ways be to the great Damage and Loſs of the French; for, ſay they, the French Na⯑tion has very few Goods to ſend to the Engliſh, but whereof other Nations have the like kinds, and do alſo Import the ſame into England; But the Engliſh have divers Goods to ſend to France, of which no other Nation can ſend the like; That is to ſay, Lead, Tin, Leather, Allum, Coal, Pilchards, Salmon, and ſeveral other kinds; whereas the Wines of France are ſupplied to the Engliſh by Portugal, the Brandy by Spain, the Wrought Silks by Genoa and the Dutchy of Milan, the Fruits and Perfumes by Italy, and the Linen and Paper by Hamburgh and Holland.

For theſe Reaſons they repreſ [...]nt, that the Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain, as it is now fixed, would be Diſt [...]uctive, and an entire Ruin to the Trade of the French Nation; concluding, that France can never recover it's Wealth and Greatneſs, if ſuch a Treaty of Commerce ſhould be permitted to take place, and unleſs ſome way be found out to continue the high Duties, and thereby to keep out the Engliſh Manufactures from being permitted to come into France.

[20] Theſe Repreſentations ſeem to rally the Engliſh, for what they call a Stupidity incre⯑dible, that they prohibit Trading with France, at the begining of the firſt War, By which (ſay they) the Manufactures of France, have arrived to a great Height, which it was impoſſible ſhould have been, if the Engliſh Woollen Manufactures had continu'd to have been ſent into France; and inſinuate, that it ſhould have been the Moſt Chriſtian King, not the late King William, who ſhould have cauſed a Prohibition of Trade to have been publiſh'd; for that the Engliſh Trade was the only Deſtructive thing to the Induſtry of the French Nation.

Theſe Arguments are ſo pungent, and carry with them ſo much Weight, that it makes a moſt pointed Satyre upon the French King, that he ſhould not comply with their Deſires; but it muſt be acknowledged, that if their Reaſons are juſt on the French ſide, it will be hard to find that our Complaints of this Trade can be reaſonable on the o⯑ther ſide; for it is hardly Rational to ſuggeſt, that the Trade between theſe Two Na⯑tions can be to the Diſadvantage and Loſs on both ſides

Many Deluſions have been ſpread about to amuſe and deceive the People in this Matter of the Treaty of Commerce with France; ſome of which have been Detected and duly Expoſed, and many who have been Deceived by them begin to recover their Judgments, and to find that the Treaty which they have been prevail'd upon to Reject and Contemn, is really a Foundation of the moſt advantageous Commerce that Britain can be engaged in; That the French muſt Trade with us under the moſt diſadvan⯑tageous Conditions imaginable; That our Export will be eaſy to us, their Imports here hard and Loaden with Burthens to them; and we begin to ſee theſe People now repent the Oppoſition they have all along made to their Countries Good, and would undo what others have done if it was in their Power to do ſo.

But there are ſtill Miſtakes behind, which muſt be removed, and Objections which however they may be ill-grounded, yet require ſome Notice of them; as eſpecially this (viz) That there are but three Ports in France at which our Manufactures are ad⯑mitted to be Imported, (viz.) St. Vallery on the Soame, Roan, and Bourdaux. It is won⯑derful to reflect how much this prevails in the Minds of the People, conſidering it is evident that the limiting the Ports for Entry, concern only the two Species, (viz.) the Cloths and Cloth-Serges, which is plain by the Specifications of the Treaty, and not all the reſt of our Woollen Manufactures. But as to all our other Woollen Manufactures, Bays, Says, Serges, Perpets, Stuffs, Druggets, Dozens, Kerſies, Stockings, &c. All our Re-exported Goods, ſuch as Cottons, Indicoes, Sugars, Eaſt-India and Turky Goods, and all other, they are f [...]eely allow'd by the Treaty to be Imported into all the Ports of France; and before this Treaty, the ſaid two ſpecies of Manufactures were confined to but Two Ports, (viz.) Calais, and St. Vallery on the ſame.

It has been ſaid, that the Reaſon why the French Confined our ſaid Woollen Manufa⯑ctures to certain Ports for their Importations was, that the Land Carriage and Local Duties of the ſaid Goods ſhould riſe ſo h [...]gh upon them, that the Price ſhould thereby be made too great for the Buyer, and give the advantage to their own Manufactures. Let ſuch People but look Back upon their Own Arguments, they are not only falſe in them⯑ſelves, but inconſiſtent with one another; for if this were true, then it muſt be true alſo, that their own Manufactures ſtood in need of thoſe Helps; that their own Manu⯑factures were ſo Inferiour to the Eng [...]iſh that if the utmoſt Diſcouragements were not put upon the Engliſh Goods, the French Manufactures would not be told, that the Engliſh Ma⯑nufactures ſo excelled the French, in the real intrinſick Value, that if theſe were ad⯑mitted, tho' upon the hardeſt Terms to be Imported into France, yet they would gain Ground there; and to be brief, would Sell before the French, albeit the Difference made by the Burthen of Duties there, was at that time above 40 per Cent. and theſe things they will not allow, having on many Occaſions publiſhed that the French Ma⯑nufactures are as good as Ours, and if permitted to come into England, would ruin our own.

[21] But on the other hand, this ſuggeſtion cannot in general be True; for had it been ſo that the limiting the Importation of the Woollen Manufactures of Britain to a few cer⯑tain Ports, was contriv'd to Load the ſaid Goods with the farther Burthens of Land-carriage, &c. Why then ſhould the Ports they were limited to, be choſen out upon the greateſt Navigable Rivers in France, neareſt to the Place where the Centre of their Trade lay, and where the chief Conſumption of our Manufactures was to be expect⯑ed. For Example; Roan and Bourdeaux. The City of Roven lies on the River Sein, and is to Paris as Graveſend is to London: From thence the Navigation of the Sein conveys every thing by Water upon Five great Rivers, (viz) by the Oyſe and the Aiſne into the Iſle of France and the lower Champain to the City of Rhiemes, the Rhe⯑telois and the Edge of the Dutchy of Bar; by the River Maza through the whole Pro⯑vince of Champain, by the Yonne into Burgundy and Nivernois, and by the River Loyng and the Canal de Briare into the great River Loyre to the Cities of Orleans, Nevers, Blais Tours, Angers, &c. even down to the Occean, and through the very Heart of France: Again the City of Bourdeaux is the Centre of the Engliſh Commerce in France, and where the greateſt Number of our Ships reſort for the Wine and Brandies which are brought from thence, Therefore appointing Bourdeaux as one of the Ports for the Import of our Manufactures, was rather making the Trade eaſy than difficult to the Engliſh, and ſo far from a deſign of making our Goods dear, and encreaſing the Charges upon them, that it was rather giving Eaſe to it by opening that only Port to which the Engliſh could bring them upon the eaſieſt Terms of Fraight, and where the greateſt Demand for thoſe Goods was to be found; where the principal Conſumption of them might be excepted, and where the greateſt Convenience of Ireland Navigation was to be had, in order to convey the ſaid Manufactures to all Parts of the Kingdom of France: For the City of Bourdeaux ſtands on the Garonne, from whence they have a Navigation by other Rivers; (viz.) the Dordonne quite through Perigott and Limoſin into Auvergne; by the River Lot through Quercy and Rovergne even to the Sevennes, and by the Royal Canal from the City of Thoulouſe on the Garonne quite through the Province of Lan⯑guedoc to Narbonne, and into the mediterranean Sea; ſupplying the whole Provinces of Gaſcoign, Guienne, and Languedock with Britiſh Manufactures by Water Carriage.

This rather ſeems to intimate to us, that the French King finding it convenient on other Accounts to limit the Importation of theſe Goods to certain Ports, yet appoin⯑ted thoſe Ports ſo, as that his Subjects might have the Goods brought with the great⯑eſt Eaſe and the leaſt Charge that could be to thoſe Markets, where the greateſt Con⯑ſumption of them was, and where the Principal Traders in thoſe Goods were ſettled; who from thence ſupplyed the whole Kingdom by the Convenience of Water-Carriage: As to the Reaſon of naming particular Ports and Places for the Importation of theſe Goods, it is known to thoſe who are acquainted with the Affairs of France, That it was occaſioned by the differing Circumſtances of the Contracts with the Farmers, and was a thing practiſed in other Caſes in France as well as in this of the Woollen Manufactures, as particularly the Drugs and Spices which are limited in almoſt the ſame manner.

Alſo this limiting the Importation of Goods to certain Ports, is not a new Practice or peculiar to France only; the like is done in England, particularly the Alamodes and Luſtrings, are confined to the Port of London; and the Importation of Wooll from Ireland is limited to Three or Four Ports only, but however is ſo ordered, not that the Iriſh Wooll ſhould by Reaſon of Land-Carriage be made dearer to our Manufactures than the Engliſh, in order to diſcourage the Importation of it; But for other particular Reaſons, drawn from the Circumſtances of the thing it ſelf; and therefore the Towns to which the Importations of Iriſh Wooll is limited are ſuch, as are not only neareſt and moſt con⯑venient by their Situation for the coming from Ireland, but neareſt and moſt conveni⯑ent to thoſe parts of England where the Manufacturers live, who make uſe of Iriſh Wooll, [22] and are the principal Buyers and Conſumers thereof; as Mi [...]e [...]ead for the Serge-Ma⯑kers of Ta [...]ton; are Biddiford or Ba [...]ſtable for the Serge-Makers of Exeter, Tiverton, &c. at L [...]verpool for the Clothiers of Yorkſhire and Lancaſhire: And the like.

Had not the Convenience of the Manufacturers been conſulted in this Limitation, but on the contrary, had it been contrived or appointed on purpoſe to add the Burthen and Expence of Land-Carriage to the Price of the Wooll, Briſtoll might have been na⯑med, Milford-Ha [...]e [...], or any Port in Wales, which tho' lying as wel [...] for the Naviga⯑tion of the Iriſh Veſſels, would yet have greatly encreaſed the Price of the Wooll to the Manufacturers, by the Charges of carrying it on Horſeback after it was landed; in like manner had the King of France limited the Importation of the Engliſh▪ Manufactures with Deſign, as it is alledged, to Enhance the Price by Land-Carriage, he would have choſen ſuch Ports for their Importation as were moſt remote from thoſe Parts, where the principal Conſumptions of them was known to be, and moſt remote from the Conveniences of Water-Carriage: This was very eaſy for him to have done, had he [...]amed the Cities of Rochell and St. Mall [...] for Example, inſtead of Roan and Bourdeaux, the Caſe had been qui [...]e altered, there being no River Navigable near them; and then it would have been difficult to have aſſigned any other Reaſon for ſuch Limitation, than that of Diſcouraging and Burthening the Trade: But as it is now, there is no room for any Suppoſition of that kind.

Further it might be demanded why the French King ſhould not rather lay ſtill high⯑er D [...]ties on the ſaid Woollen Manufactures, than ſtudy to raiſe their Price by the Diffi⯑culties of their Importation; the former being the readieſt Method of Diſcour [...]ging their Market, and which would at the ſame time have brought in ſome Gain to the Crown, which is an Article they are far from being forgetful of in France.

Much has been ſaid in Diſcourſing on this Subject, about the Ballance of the French Trade being againſt England: That the Ballance formerly againſt England has been Diſpu⯑ted, and that with good Reaſon; the contrary in many Particulars evidently appearing; But that the Ballance will be againſt England NOW, is too evident; for it is impoſſible to be otherwiſe: the Nature of the Trade will not permit it to be otherwiſe; The French will bring in great Quantities of their Goods here, of which ſome will always be conſumed at home, what Price ſoever they coſt; and all that we want for Re-Expor⯑tation, whether to our own Colonies or other Parts will go abroad, drawing back the high Duties, which, as it is alledged, are to hinder our Trading in them. So that ſtill all our Foreign Commerce, ſo far as theſe Kind of Goods are Demanded, will be French.

Againſt this, it is demanded, how muſt Payment be made? [...]all our Trade to France is in ſome Reſpect prohibited, as has been ſhewn by the Edict of 1701, publiſhed MERCATOR (No. 13.) and what is not prohibited is loaded with ſuch high Duties, as are almoſt equal to a Prohibition: We have been told that we pay for all the Goods we buy in France with ready Money, whether we did or no BEFORE may be debated another time, but it is evident that we ſhall buy NOW; the Articles not being made Effectual, muſt be paid for with Money, or not paid for at all; for the French will take nothing of us. So that they having formerly ſhut the Door of Commerce againſt En⯑gland, we have bolted it now on the wrong ſide, and will not ſuffer them to open it again, altho' they are willing to do it.

If the Ballance of Trade by this means runs againſt Britain, which before always ran againſt France, we cannot blame them, but muſt blame our ſelves, who have been wil⯑ling to have it ſo, and have ſo blamed our Party-Intereſt with our Trading-Intereſt, as to ruin the one, in order to carry on the other.

The Objection upon which all this Matter ſeem'd to turn, has been, that the French have NOW all kinds of Woollen Manufactures of their own making, and have no need of our Trade; this is carryed ſuch a Length by ſome, that they inſiſt, that the [23] French make all the ſorts of our Woollen Manufactures as good as the Engliſh, and much cheaper than they can be made here; that they are able not only to ſupply themſelves but other Countries, nay all Countries ſays one Author; and Britain too, ſays another Author: But it would be ask'd of theſe warm People, Why then do they ſo ſtrictly and carefully Exclude, Prohibit, or Load with Duties, all the Engliſh Woollen Manufactures? If their own are better and cheaper than the Engliſh, their Quality would be a Prohibition as effectual as an Edict or Arrest du Conſeil, and much more, and other Prohibitions would be needleſs.

But whatever we are pleaſed to ſay, the French know better, and as they have good Reaſon to be moſt ſenſible of the Defects of their own Manufactures, ſo they are very careful to keep the Engliſh Goods out, that the Goodneſs of one againſt the Meanneſs of the other, may not be diſcovered by the Trade it ſelf: Nothing can be a more un⯑deniable Proof of the Miſtake of thoſe People who talk ſo warmly of the Goodneſs and Cheapneſs of the French Manufactures, than the French King laying ſuch repeated Bur⯑thens upon the Engliſh Goods; and after this was done, and ſeveral times encreaſed, yet, when the Manufacturers there found, that notwithſtanding their high Duties and Burthens, the Engliſh Goods would be bought by their People, whatever they coſt, be⯑ing recommended ſo effectually by their own Worth and Goodneſs, that all the French could do in the meer way of Trade would be of no Signification to it, They Petitioned the French King to grant a Total Prohibition of Woollen Manufactures, which he did: And this was all done during a Time of Peace; ſo that the War is not the Reaſon of this Caſe, but the meer Nature of the Trade, and it is eaſy to be diſcovered that it had been to ſmall Purpoſe to go about making Woollen Manufactures in France, if the Engliſh Woollen Manufactures were not effectually Prohibited.

Her Majeſty, on the other hand, has ſo effectually ſecur'd to her Subjects all the Advantages of the French Trade, that ſhe has not only obtain'd the Revocation of all that the King of France had been doing for 50 Years, for the Encouragement of his Subjects in the Woollen Manufactures, by which ſhe gives her own People a full Oppor⯑tunity to extend their Trade into all parts of France with Advantage, but on the con⯑trary, has continued upon the French Importations hither, all thoſe Inequalities and extraordinary Duties which were needful to exclude them from any prejudicial Ex⯑ceſſes in England to the Diſadvantage of her own People: By both which the Ballance of that Trade is effectually ſecured to be on the Engliſh ſide, and we are in a fair way to recover all the Injury done to our Commerce by the laſt impungent Prohibitions.

Would theſe People turn the Tables and make this Caſe their own, what may we ſuppoſe they would ſay if the Queen of Great Britain had, in Her Majeſty's Treaty of Commerce, Conſented to take off the high Duties laid on the Importation of thoſe French Manufactures, which our People have been Encouraged by thoſe high Duties to make here, and given Permiſſion by this New Treaty to the French, to Import the ſaid Goods upon the low Duties, which the ſame Goods paid here before the Year, 1664. For Example, Should the Duties on French Alamodes and Luſtrings have been reduced to 6 s. per l. which they paid before the War, inſtead of 31 s. 10 d. which they are to pay now; ſhould the Duties on French Brandy, which by this Treaty is to remain at a⯑bove 51 l. per Ton, have been reduced to 30 s. as it was before the Revolution; May we not ſuppoſe the Diſtiller of Corn and Mollaſſes, the Weavers of Alamodes and Luſtrings, and the Dealers under them all, would have made Repreſentations and Complaints of their Trade being ruin'd and given up to the French, their Families Impoveriſh'd, &c. like as we find the French Merchants and Manufactures in France have done on their ſide to their King, and for which we muſt acknowledge they have very good Reaſon.

It is ſcarcely worth while to mention here, much leſs to give an Anſwer to a Re⯑port very Confidently ſpread about, and which ſome people are weak enough to take [24] upon Truſt, viz. That by the Treaty of Commerce, leave was to be given to Export our Wooll unwrought into France: But as it is certain, that ſuch a R [...]port is induſtriouſly ſpread about, where it is thought there is Ignorance enough to ſuffer ſo great a De⯑ [...]ſion, it is reaſonable to obſerve from it, what Endeavours are us'd by ſome among us, to Impoſe upon the people of this Nation in the groſſeſt manner, for the carrying on other Deſigns, equally Deſtructive to the publick ſafety.

But to return to what was mention'd, viz. of the real abatement of Duties, which is obtain'd by this Treaty; it may be a profitable Explanation of the preſent Treaty of Commerce, and may prevent the prejudices which ſome Entertain againſt this Treaty, ſhould a brief Account be given them of the Difference between the preſent State of our Trade with France, and what it has been at ſeveral times; when it has neverthe⯑leſs been carried on by us to Advantage; and what it was to have been by the Trea⯑ty, or would have been, had the Articles been made Effectual: And as this ſhall be done in brief Tables, referring to the ſeveral Heads of our Exportation, as they now lye before us; ſo they may afterwards be brought down one by one, to the particular Trading Towns and Counties of Britain, where thoſe Branches of our Manufactures are carried on:

To begin with our Woollen Manufactures, all which now ſtand Prohibited, and muſt do ſo till the ſaid Articles are made Effectual, the following Table will ſhew what Du⯑ties are taken off by this Treaty, and upon what low Duties they would have been admitted into France by this Treaty, had it been made Effectual, as well as what Pro⯑hibitions and high Duties the Trade now labours under.

The following is an Account of ſeveral Goods and Woollen Manufactures of Great Bri⯑tain, now Prohibited in France, the Time when the high Duties were laid upon them before the ſaid Prohibition; with what they were to pay by the Tariff of, 1664, which was to take place, if the Eighth and Ninth Articles of the Treaty had been made Effe⯑ctual.

They muſt be no Manufacturers themſelves, nor much concern'd for thoſe who are, or for the Woollen Manufactures of Britain in general, who can read this Table with⯑out [25] being ſenſible of the Diſadvantage our Trade lyes under in the preſent ſituation of our Commerce with France: When they ſhall Read the Word Prohibited continually before every Article of our Woollen Manufacture, and ſhall remember, that for Twelve Years paſt, none of all thoſe Goods have been admitted into France but by way of Holland; whereas very great Quantities of Woollen Manufactures were Yearly Expor⯑ted thither before, beſides other Goods of the Growth and Production of our own Country, or of our Plantations, which is the ſame thing, and ought ſo to be eſteem⯑med.

When the QUEEN, who always had the Good of Her Subjects, and the Proſperity of their Commerce at Her Heart, found it was in Her Power to open ſuch a Door of Trade to Her People, on Terms ſo much to the Loſs and Diſadvantage of France, and ſo evident⯑ly to the Advantage of Her own Kingdoms; it could not but be with great Satisfaction, that Her Majeſty gave in Charge to Her Miniſters and Plenipotentiaties, to Conclude a Treaty, which took off all the Burthens and Prohibitions, which the Miſtakes of former Years had brought upon the Trade, and by which Her Enemies were obliged to make deep Wounds in their own Trade, to comply with thoſe Demands.

But, it muſt be very diſobliging to the QUEEN, as well as very ſurprizing to her Faithful Subjects, to ſee in what manner ſome People receive, and how diſingeniouſly they Conſtrue all Her Majeſty's Endeavours to ſhew Her affectionate Concern for the Welfare of Her Subjects, and the Proſperity of Their Commerce; as if that very Care, which Her Majeſty has ſo Eminently expreſs'd, for Their Good, was a Contrivance of Her and their Enemies, to betray us to the French, and to give up the Britiſh Intereſt in Trade, to the moſt dangerous Rivals they have in the World.

Certainly Mankind cannot be ſo far carried away with the ſtream of their Paſſions, as to deny this general Maxim; That nothing ought to be believed in ſuch publick Debates as theſe, but what is proved. This Paper has from its beginning, taken this for a Rule, and therefore brings Authentick Proofs with it, of every Thing it ſays, yet theſe Men ſay it is all Lies; on the contrary, they bring no Proof at all of what they ſay, and yet they expect to be believed.

To ſhorten the Diſpute, the MERCATOR ſhall as modeſtly as the Caſe will allow make a fair Challenge to all Oppoſers; which if they do not Anſwer, they can but ill Juſtify any of their future Objections againſt the Truth of what is alledg'd in this Pa⯑per.

The Challenge is▪ That whereas they charge this Paper with Lying, they ought to de⯑ſcend to Particulars; and ſtating it truly, let the World know what ONE THING it is the MERCATOR has Affirm'd, Aſſerted, made Publick as Truth, which is not ſo: If this cannot be done, the charge of Lying will turn back upon them, with great Diſad⯑vantage to themſelves.

One Condition only muſt be deſir'd of them, (viz.) That they will not expect any thing ſhould be taken upon Trust on one ſide more than on the other; and therefore that they will be careful, as the MERCATOR has always done, to quote their Authorities for all they ſhall ſay; the Validity of which, when Confronted with thoſe of this Paper, may be eaſily examined, and the Readers may judge whether are in the Right; if they do not think fit to do this, as the MERCATOR will not think it worth while to take any Notice of them, ſo neither can they expect it of any one elſe.

That their Scheme of which they [...]oaſted, is it ſelf one general Complication of Fraud; and falſe Repreſentations has been made appear, even to both Houſes of Par⯑liament; The MERCATOR in that, as in every other Caſe of like Nature, ſays no⯑thing from himſelf, but ſpakes the Language of the Cuſtom Houſe Books, gives exact Copies of the Commiſſioners Reports, ſign'd under their Hands, and proves every thing in particular by Authentick Papers; if theſe are falſe, the MERCATOR would be [26] very willing to ſee the Proof of it; if any miſtake has happened, whether wilful or by the negligence of Clerks, the Books are remaining, and may be referr'd to: Why do not theſe People tell us where theſe Miſtakes lye? why do they not prove that the MERCATORS has made falſe Draughts of thoſe Accounts and Reports? omitted any thing or added any thing to make his Arguments appear the Better; as on the other Hand has been proved to be their practice, even in a moſt ſcandalous manner, in their late SCHEME, under the hands of the Commiſſioners of the Cuſtoms, and by them Laid before both Houſes of Parliament.

All the uſe this Paper ſhall make of this unfair Uſage, is only to proceed with the ſame Caution in all that it ſhall make publick, ſtill taking care to offer nothing but what is ſufficiently confirm'd by ſuch Authorities, as ſhall always ſtand the Teſt of the ſtricteſt Examination; taking no notice of any thing which ſhall be ſaid in Oppoſition to it, unleſs it comes likewiſe ſupported by ſuch Proofs as may give a due Weight, and make it reaſonable to be Inquired into.

But to return to the Subject of Trade, from which as few Digreſſions as poſſible, ſhall be made in this Paper.

The laſt MERCATOR gave a true Proſpect of the State of one Branch of our Trade in France as it now ſtands, and as it might now have ſtood, had the Treaty taken place, that is to ſay, the Branch of Trade which concerns our Woollen Manufactures in particular. The Manufacturers of Great Britain may there ſee what Circumſtances they are now in as to Trade, and what their unnatural Joy is built upon which they have ſo publickly ſhewn at the Delay of the Advantages which they might by this time have rafted of in their Trade.

Next to the ſaid Exportation of our Woollen Manufacture, the Fiſhing Trade is our im⯑mediate Concern, and that more eſpecially ſince our Union with Scotland: The Northern Parts of Britain have a peculiar Intereſt in the Fiſhery, and the ſecuring a Market in France for the great Quantities of Fiſh that are or may be Cured in Scotland, and in the North, and West parts of England, is of ſo great Conſequence to this Nation, that it can⯑not be omitted in a Treaty of Commerce.

The French had not forgotten this part, or to encourage their own Subjects to launch into the Fiſhery as well as into the other Branches of our Trade: The high Duties in France laid upon Fiſh from Great Britain, were an effectual Support to the French Projects of Fiſhing, and a Bar to the Fiſhing of Great Britain: For Scotland by the Union being brought into the ſame Prohibitions, and being eſteemed as the ſame Nation, came thereby alſo under the ſame Inconveniencies of Trade, and lost the Advantage of their Trade to France, which before was very conſiderable, eſpecially in Fiſh; Scotland having al⯑ways before the Union, Exported to France yearly, a very great Quantity of Herring, Salmon and white Fiſh.

It cannot but be grateful to all thoſe Parts of Britain which are ſenſible of the Benefit of the Fiſhery, and who depend upon the Exportation of the Fiſh when taken, to underſtand That the Importation of our Fiſh into France is now, by this Treaty, left open upon very eaſy Terms, and particularly, upon the ſame Terms with the Dutch; which could never be ob⯑tained before.

The juſt Care and Concern which Her Majeſty has ſhewn for the Intereſt of Her own Subjects, and the Extent of their Commerce, has been ſeen in removing that Inequality, and providing that our Fiſhery ſhall now be upon the ſame Foot with that of the Dutch, and have the ſame Encouragement of an open Trade to France; a thing which however the Dutch have Taught us to reject here, they always took care to ſecure for themſelves, and found no little advantage in it.

The Merchants and Gentlemen of the North-part of Britain, and of the Weſt alſo, have frequently expreſs'd to the Government their great Concern for the obtaining [27] this Liberty of Commerce; and the great Advantages which it would be to them, if obtain'd; as may be ſeen by the Repreſentation of the Royal Buroughs in Scotland, for⯑merly ſent up to the Lords Commiſſioners of Trade; and of others alſo: And unleſs we could ſuppoſe them to Act in Contradiction to themſelves, it muſt be a particular Satisfaction to them all, to ſee what proviſion Her Majeſty has made for the ſaid Fi⯑ſhing-Trade by this Treaty; and it muſt be impoſſible, without an Infatuation, which it would be rude to ſuggeſt, that the Merchants and Trading People of Scotland, of the North of England, of the Coaſts about Y [...]mouth and Loeſt [...]ff, or the Counties of Corn⯑wall and Devon, can be drawn into ſay, they are pleas'd that the Articles of this Treaty re⯑main Ineffectual.

Having thus often mention'd Scotland, and the Fiſhing-Trade, it is proper alſo to take notice how, by the preſent Treaty, Her Majeſty made it Her eſpecial Care, in behalf of Her Scots Subjects as well as Engliſh, to have all thoſe new Burthens which were laid upon the Britiſh Fiſhing Trade only, and which gave that Trade away from us to the Dutch, taken away in France; and as it is very ſurprizing, that the Power of any Party-Influence, ſhould make us in England inſenſible of ſuch advantages. So the next Paper ſhall let you ſee what thoſe Advantages are, and that they are not equally diſ⯑regarded in Scotland, as they are here.