SOME FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ETC. serges, perpetuanoes, and most of the other woollen goods, exceed what they are now worth about one-fourth part. Nor can it be supposed that any of these woollen goods will be sent to France, though it should be granted that there is a liberty by the treaty so to do, because it's contrary to reason to believe that when the French are such expert workers of that manufacture as to vie with us in a foreign trade, as they actually do with too much success in that to Turkey, how can we In the third matter referred to the commissioners, || p. 55 of the Treaty of Commerce,' it is said that only barrel fish is to be imported into France. Now a last, or 12 barrels of herrings, is to pay 40 livres tournois, or 37. 11s. 3d. sterling, at 4s. 6d. per French crown of 3 livres tournois; which calculation of 4s. 6d. is made according to the intrinsic worth of their money when in time of peace; for 'twould be impertinent in us to make the calculation at the price the money now goes at in France, where the French king has from time to time heightened or lowered the denomi-expect to compare with them in France itself, nation of his money as his affairs have required, the regulation whereof is expected every moment; so that every barrel of herrings will pay near 6s. sterling, besides a further duty, which perhaps may not well be considered, viz., that by the same article 'tis also to pay a further duty, or excise, or by what other name it shall be called, in the several towns through which it shall pass all over the kingdom of France. The words of the article are as follows: "And at all the places of entrance in the kingdom, countries and territories under the dominion of the king, even at all free ports (of which Dunkirk is one), the duties of landing and consumption shall be paid which were appointed before the tariff of 1664 (who can tell how much that may be ?), and besides 40 livres per last of twelve barrels." Can this, together with those duties of 6s. per barrel, be deemed any other than a prohibition? There was no need to restrain its importation to five places only, for, these things considered, one would have been more than could be made use of; so that the French may truly say, they gave us five places, the better to facilitate our commerce in this commodity. Note. The calculation in the scheme hereunto annexed is made on the prime cost in France and in England, to avoid any mistake in valuing them as they now sell, when duties, &c., were added; nor would that show the real value in the country from whence they are brought, without which a true estimate cannot be made of the balance of trade. If at that time this nation took off 11,000 tons of wine and 4,000 tons of brandy from France, communibus annis, how vast will the importation be now? N.B. The lead is overrated near 31. per fodder; alum above one third part, first cost, and other things in proportion. The valuation there put on the Norwich stuffs, where they are at home, or pretend to send them any of our woollen goods? So that the allowance they give us of importing woollen goods to St Vallery, Rouen, and Bordeaux, must not be esteemed of any moment to us. If the trade to France was disadvantageous in 1669, as by this scheme it seems to be, 'twas because the low duties then paid here in French commodities gave a great encouragement to their consumption. On the contrary, 'tis acknowledged by the papers of the commissioners of trade that in the three years and a half after the peace of Ryswick this nation gained, upon the balance of trade with France, 385,000.; where 'tis to be considered that all that while the French commodities were under severe prohibitions and very high duties, which, discouraging the consumption of French goods, brought the balance in our favour. Nor will the French take any more of our commodities now than they did during that short-lived peace; but if the duties be lowered here, and the prohibitions taken off, we shall take off their goods to an immense value, which may rather exceed than otherwise the calculation hereunder. Upon the calculation in the scheme hereunto annexed, £. s. d. 507,250 4 0 800,000 0 0 Clarets, which in this calculation are set at but 127. 10s. first cost in France, are since increased to 251. per ton, are with another, at the very least, occasioned by the great demand there is for those wines, from the fashion of drinking red wine now more than at that time, not only in England but in Holland, Germany, and even France itself, so that at 251. per ton they are rather under than overvalued ; which upon 14,000 tons per annum, that 'tis acknowledged by the commissioners were imported since, comes to 4,000 tons of brandies, at 251. per ton These four articles alone make upwards of without reckoning any increase in the linen manufacture. The paper, feathers, kid-skins, salt, and rosin, amount, by the calculation hereunto annexed, with the vinegar, cork, &c., to Together £. s. d. people, whose absolute dependence is on the manufactures of England, and reducing them to a state of beggary, or force them to go to France; which was the effect of that act of parliament, which was made to hinder the sending any woollen manufactures out of Ireland to any foreign country; for the poor of Ireland who could not, after that, find employment there, and were refused to be admitted into the several parishes here in England, who thought they had poor enough, were reduced to the necessity of going to France or starving. The French were so wise as to receive them, poor as they were, with open arms; and 'tis this that has very much helped to bring the perpetuanoes and other woollen manufactures in France to that perfec tion, which will increase still more and more, if our own poor workmen are forced to go thither 350,000 0 0 too. Some gentlemen may apprehend that if the 100,000 0 0 eighth and ninth articles of the treaty of com. merce are not rendered effectual, the peace will be broke; but there can be no reason to fear any 1,757,250 0 0 such thing, for the treaty of peace and the treaty Over and above the laces, &c., to an incredible value; besides the increase which (were there time) might be more particularly found by the custom-house books from 1669 to 1668. N. B. That in the year 1620 there was a book printed giving an account of the Newfoundland trade, which then employed upwards of 200 sail of English ships, wherewith we then furnished all Europe with that fish; but that trade is now, since the French have had liberty of fishing and drying their fish there, most miserably decayed; and, 'tis feared, will do so every day more and more if they are to have Cape Breton yielded to them, which is to the west-south-west of all our settlements there, and be also allowed to dry their fish to the northward of Bonavista, by which they will be on both sides of us. By all that has been said, 'tis not intended to debar gentlemen from drinking French wine, but only that if the duties on wine must be lowered, the high duties on other commodities should not. After the peace of Ryswick, the best French claret was commonly sold at 100l. per ton by the importer, and 1201. per ton by the vintner, which is but 2s. 9d. per quart; and when the high duties on French wines are reduced down to the duties payable upon Portugal wines, it will only lessen the price about 7d. or 8d. per quart. So that the dispute lies here, whether gentlemen will be contented to pay 2s. 9d. per quart, with the high duties, or whether they had rather, by taking them off, have it at 2s. 2d. per quart; and at the same time let in all other commodities of the growth, product, or manufacture of France in great quantities, to the ruin of many poor of commerce are two distinct treaties; nay, so far from that, that the rest of the articles of the treaty of commerce will still be firm. So that no inconvenience can arise by the not passing such an act; but, on the contrary, a great deal of good; for then the silks, linens, paper, salt, and other growths and manufactures of France, will be discouraged, and our own encouraged. And as for wines, the greatest misfortune attending them will be, that they will be sold by the retailer at about 7d. or 8d. per quart dearer than if the duties were lowered; a great inconvenience indeed! And as for brandies, they may, paying the high duties, be sold at 2s. 3d. or 2s. 7d. per quart; but if those duties are taken off, we shall lose the distilling of any spirits from barley, molasses, or other things here, which bring in so great a revenue. But, besides, there is no part of the treaty of peace, nor any other article of the treaty of commerce, that can be any way broken by leaving the eighth and ninth articles as they are, as will appear from the words of the ninth article itself, for there 'tis provided:-"That within two months from the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, commissaries shall meet on both sides at London (what to do?) to consider of and remove the difficulties concerning the merchandize to be excepted out of the tariff of 1664, and concerning other heads, which are not yet wholly adjusted." And then the article goes on, and says:-" And at the same time the said commissaries shall likewise endeavour (which seems to be very much for the interest of both nations) to have methods of commerce on one part, and of the other, more thoroughly examined, and to find out and establish just and beneficial means on both sides for removing the difficulties in this matter, and for regulating the duties mutually." From whence 'tis plain that should such a law pass as is there demanded, it is supposed by the article itself that there would be many things which would yet demand to be more thoroughly examined, and to find out and establish just and beneficial means on both sides. So that there may be many alterations made after passing such a law, and the treaty not thereby be broken. But growth, or made wholly of English materials. if it should happen that the French commissaries The edict runs thus:-"Or donne pareillement should be stiff, and would not agree to just and sa majesté que les negocians Anglois, soit qu'ils beneficial means for us, our act would, notwith-viennent sur des vaisseaux d'Angleterre, ou sur standing that, be passed, and they would reap des vaisseaux d'autres nations a eux apparthe benefit of it. tenans; et les vaisseaux Anglois, soit qu'ils appartiennent on soient commandes par des Anglois, on qu'ils appartiennent a des negocians d'autres nations, on soient commandez par d'autres estrangers; ne pourront apporter dans le Royaume d'autres marchandises que celles du cru, et celles fabriquees aveq des matieres du cra d'Angleterre, â feine de confiscation de la marchandise et du vaisseau, et de trois mille livres d'amencé contre le marchand qui les recevroit dans le Royaume." These things we take to be of the utmost consequence to the well-being of the nation, and we hope that just and beneficial means will be settled, and then the French cannot so easily prejudice us. In English. In our humble opinion, it had been better that one of the five places where barrel fish is admitted to an entry in France had been situated on the Mediterranean Sea, and that Marseilles had been inserted instead of Libourne; or, if no place in the Mediterranean could be procured, that at least those five on the ocean had been placed at such distances as to render the consumption more diffusive. Marseilles is the chiefest for trade of all the French ports in the Mediterranean, whereas Libourne is a place of little or no trade, and is so near Bordeaux (distance about 10 leagues) that 'tis feared very little more of the inland part of France will be supplied from thence than from Bordeaux alone, both rivers on which they stand having the same emboucheure, or opening to the sea, and may be fitly compared to Gloucester and Bristol, or Rochester and Lon-as are of the growth, or manufactured with the materials of the growth of England, upon pain of forfeiting ship and goods, and 3,000 livres penalty upon the importer." don. The advantages which the French may receive by the ninth article more than we, deserves to be taken notice of. The words are, folio 14,-"That no more customs or duties be paid for goods and merchandises brought from France (é Gallia) to Great Britain than, &c. ;" and lower in the same page 'tis said," That all prohibitions, tariffs, edicts, declarations, or decrees, made in France since the said tariff of 1664, and contrary thereunto, in respect to the goods and merchandises of Great Britain (bona mercesque Magne Britannia), shall be repealed." By which words we are apprehensive that should an act pass to make this article effectual, the act of navigation and other acts (this being subsequent to them) may in some measure be repealed. And that all goods, whether they be of the growth or manufacture of France or of any other country, as Turkey, Italy, &c., coming from France (é Gallia) may be admitted here, by virtue of this article, without an equal admission of Turkey, East India, or other foreign commodities, to be sent from hence to France; because we fear that the words Magna Britannie, of Great Britain (not é Magna Britannia, from Great Britain), will by that subtle nation (who know as well how to make use of the letter against the spirit as the spirit against the letter of a treaty) be construed to restrain us from sending them any commodities but what are properly of the growth, product, or manufacture of Great Britain; an advantage over us which ought not easily to be allowed them. What makes us the more fearful of the foregoing disadvantage to this nation, is the nice distinction the French made in their edict of the 6th September, 1701, prohibiting our merchants and our ships (though sold to and navigated by others) from carrying any merchandise whatsoever into France except they were of English traders, whether they come upon ships belonging "His majesty likewise orders, that the English to England, or upon ships of other nations to belong to or are commanded by English, or them belonging, and English ships, whether they whether they belong to traders of other nations, or commanded by foreigners (that was lest we should have the advantage of building for and into the kingdom other merchandise than such selling ships to other nations), shall not bring This severe edict of 1701 does not appear by the ninth article to be repealed, and therefore will still be in full force; for the words in the ninth article are only, "That all prohibitions, &c., in respect to the goods and merchandise of Great Britain, shall be repealed," but this respecting the goods that are not of the growth or manufacture of Great Britain, but brought in English ships, is not hereby repealed, and consequently no wrought silks, printed or stained calicoes, no pepper, nor other East India goods, no gauls, or other Turkey goods, can be sent into France from hence, because they are not of the growth or manufacture of Great Britain. Nay more: no cloth, ratines, or serges (were it possible to afford them cheaper than the French), can be sent into France from hence if they are manufactured of, or mixed with, Spanish wool, that being a foreign material; nor any fish, unless it be wholly cured with English salt. But supposing that a liberty of carrying Turkey and other commodities to France in British ships should be yielded us, it can be of little use in any trade, but less in the Turkey trade than any other. For if it be considered that the French have a very good woollen manufacture in the southern provinces of France which they send to Turkey from Marseilles, and receive their returns in raw silk, and other commodities, directly back again: if it be further considered how vastly nearer Marseilles is than England to Turkey, and how much more the freight and insurance is from Turkey to England than to Marseilles; and also that on re-shipping from hence the half-subsidy (which is not drawn back), together with the freight, insurance, and other charges on re-shipping such goods from hence to France, must greatly enhance the account. When these things are put together, he must be very fond that can suppose any Turkey, or any Italian, Spanish, Portugal, or East India commodities, can be shipped off from hence for France. So that this liberty, if it be granted, ought to be esteemed of little account; and that all things, even their concessions, are to be suspected from such a nation as that. Aut ulla putatis Dona carere dolis Danaum? Sic notus Ulysses? Aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi; Aut hæc in nostros fabricata est machina muros, Inspectura domos, venturaque de super urbi, Aut, aliquis latet error: equo ne credite, Teucri, Quequid est, Timeo Danaos, et dona ferentes. Virgil. |