1

for the Irish market ;" but he complains, that the Irish duties on Scotch muslins, and every other kind of Scotch goods, in which there was so much as a thread of cotton, were so high, that they amounted to a total prohibition. This gave the greatest encouragement to smuggling, and had induced some very considerable cotton manufacturers to leave Glasgow and its neighbourhood, and settle in Ireland. He says, it is the opinion that no less than £100,000. worth of Scotch muslins, and other Scotch cotton goods, would be sold annually in the Irish market, were it not for these excessively high duties; and he suggests, whether it would not be proper to lay a proportional duty on all Irish linens brought into Scotland.*

The imports of Ireland may be considered as almost wholly intended for her own consumption, either as materials for manufacture, or for the immediate use of the people, since the quantity of goods purchased for the purpose of re-exportation, although increased of late, has never borne any large proportion to the whole

amount.

The following tables will afford some idea of the state of the Irish trade, since the year 1777, between which, and 1811, a considerable increase seems to have taken place.

The Official Value of the Imports of Ireland.

The Official Value of the Exports of Ireland for the same periods.

To Great Britain.

British Colonies.

All other Countries.

Irish Produce. Foreign Goods. Irish Produce. ForeignGoods. Irish Produce. ForeignGoods.

25th March 1777. £. 249,369

Year.

Year ending

From the foregoing there appears to be a considerable increase; but that of the real values of Irish produce and manufacture were much greater. On an average of three years ending 25th of March 1800, the earliest period in which the real. values have been computed, the Irish produce exported was £.6,435,049.

On a like average ending 5th of January 1811, £.11,607,610.

An Account of the real value of the Exports of the growth, produce, and manufacture of Ireland, for the three years ending 5th of January 1808, and of the Imports of all articles, being the growth, produce, and manufacture of foreign countries into Ireland, during the same period:

The chief materials for manufacture imported into Ireland, seem to have been ashes, including barilla, tanners' bark, hops, salt, sheeps' wool, cotton wool, yarn, and unwrought iron. The respective quantities of these articles imported, on an average of three years ending 25th of March, were as follows:

In the articles imported for general use, a distinction is to be made between those of food, or of fuel, and those which are used in clothing, furniture, or other domestic purposes: although an increase of either of these classes may be considered as indicating a corresponding increase of property, yet the progress of the latter class, excepting so far as the internal production, or manufacture of the like articles may have decreased in Ireland, distinctly shews an improvement in the habits of the people, and a more general diffusion of the comforts of life. In the first class are to be placed, sugar, spirits, tea, tobacco, wine, and coals, which, although necessary to a certain extent in Irish manufactures, are imported chiefly for personal accommodation. The most important articles in the second class are blankets, carpeting, drapery, haberdashery, hats, stockings, and watches.

In the following tables of the quantities imported, the quantity re-exported, if any, has been deducted, in order to give a more distinct view of the actual consumption.

* Or omitting the last year, in which a heavy duty was imposed, and taking the average of the two preceding years, 6,804.

The increase of the last-mentioned articles affords a very satisfactory proof of the growing prosperity of Ireland, and at the same time shews, in a very striking manner, the importance of the Irish market to the industry of Great Britain.

The exports of Ireland are naturally divided into two great classes, the produce of the soil, and the produce of industry. The first comprehends the various productions of grain and provisions; the second, linen and woollen goods, together with spirits; the only objects of commerce resulting from Irish industry of which a considerable export has yet taken place.

It is to be observed, that the difficulties which have arisen in settling the drawbacks between Great Britain and Ireland, in the spirit trade, under the Act of Union, and the prohibitions of trade thence occasioned, have materially contributed to check the export of spirits from Ireland in the last three years. On an average of three years ending 5th of January 1806, it amounted to 1,057,305 gallons.

That the reader may be enabled to form a comprehensive view of the Irish trade, I shall give a general table of the Imports and Exports from the years 1777 to 1811.