now proceed to produce my documents, which, as they contain indubitable facts, will convey the most fatisfactory inferences: The fair inquirer will perceive from them, what was the whole value of British manufactures, which we exported, both before, and fince, the American war; how much we fent, in each period, to the feveral countries in Europe; and how much we tranfmitted to our more diftant fettlements:

The British manufactures, which were exported, to all coun tries, according to a fix years average, ending with 1774, amounted, in value, to

Ditto, ending with 1792

The annual increase was

£.10,342,019

14,753.959

£4,411,940

The British manufactures, which were exported to the feveral countries in Europe, except the British dominions, according to a fix years average, ending with 1774, amounted, in value, to

Ditto, ending with 1792

The annual increase was

£4,185,053

5,466,253

L. 1,281,200

The British manufactures, which were exported to the British dominions, in Europe, according to a fix years average, ending with 1774, amounted, in value, to

Ditto, ending with 1792

£1,063,327 1,443,361

The British manufactures, which were exported to all coun tries, without Europe, according to a fix years average, ending with 1774, amounted, in value, to

Ditto, ending with 1792

£.5,093,639

7,844,345

£2,750,706

The annual increase was

The expreffions, British manufactures, which are thus made ufe of, in the custom-house books, are too narrow to comprehend the whole truth. The exports of thofe years, which, by comparifon, communicate fo much useful instruction, contained not only the fabrics of earth, and iron, of filk, flax, and wool, but alfo the whole products of the land, and labour, of Great Britain. And, the exports of thofe years comprehended the furplus produce of the land, and labour, of Great Britain, which, after fupplying domeftic confumption, remained for the fale of foreign markets.

From confidering a little the amount of the exports of the produce of our land, and labour, before the American war, and fince, there is much important inftruction to be gained. According to your theory, we ought to have exported lefs: According to the fact, we have exported almoft fifty per cent. in the laft period, more than in the firft. Yet, during the last period, upwards of FOUR MILLIONS of taxes were annually collected from the land, and labour, of this energetic country; of this "almost exhausted people *;" more than in the

first. You talk roundly of a much larger fum of yearly taxes, without reflecting that, to give a temporary wound, you inflict a mortal ftab on your own fyftem. Folly alone could contend, that our land, and labour, would of courfe produce more, because they were burthened with four millions of additional impofitions. But, wifdom may certainly maintain, that our additional taxes, to whatever amount, fince the American war, did not prevent the improvement of our lands, did not obftruct the operations of our labour. By coupling the two facts together, our larger export, and our greater taxes, it is incontrovertibly proved, that notwithstanding the additional burden of four millions a year, we exported annually, according to a fix years average, ending with 1792, £.4,411,940, in value, of the produce of our land, and labour, more than in the period of fix years, ending with 1774. "Hereof, fays Raleigh, experience hath informed reason, and time hath made those things apparent, which were hidden.”

But, as a physician, you have a falve for all fores. You find a chemift in Birmingham, a potter in Stafford, and a millwright in Manchester, who, by their genius, have counteraled the expence and folly of the American wart. With all my respect for abilities of every kind, I cannot easily be perfuaded, that the efforts of a few can work great effects on

See The Brief Examination of the increase of the revenue, &c. page 35.

4

+ Page 7.

the

the labours of the many, if the million be not already enlightened, and active. Roger Bacon arofe, during feudal darkness, with a genius, and talents, fuperior to the genius, and the talents, of your chemifts, potters, and millwrights. He put forth his light. But, his candle fhone, amid an ignorant, and idle, people, like a flambeau in a fog. It is a deep remark of that other luminary of our ifand, Lord Bacon, that they, who can ask questions properly, are already half mafter of their fubject. Our bleachers, our millers, and our other ingenious tradefmen, must have been beforehand greatly enlightened, to have derived much inftruction from your chemift, potter, and millwright. The bufiness of life does not admit of fantaftical caufes for its prosperity or decline. The unexampled export of the produce of our land, and labour, during the fix years, ending with 1792, was therefore owing to our having a greater number of people, who are better inftructed, and more industrious, who employ greater capitals, to more profitable purposes, who derive an energy from the conftitution, and place a confidence in their rulers.

We not only produced more, owing to those caufes, but the countries around us confumed more, during late times, owing to fimilar caufes. Of the produce of our land, and labour, we exported annually to Europe, exclufive of the British dominions, according to a fix years average, ending with 1792, £.. 1,281,200, more than we supplied, during the fix years, ending with 1774. Yet, if we

may

may credit your history, Europe was afflicted, in that period, with war-fyftem, and funding fyftem, with oppreffive governors, and famifhed people. You must allow, then, that your theory is contradicted by the fact:

"Truth is a health, that never will be ficke,

"An endleffe life, a funne, that never fets."

Let us ufe the light of this funne to look upon the exports of our products, in the two periods, before, and fince, the American war, and to the British dominions, in Europe, and to the British factories abroad. We fee, in the laft period, a great augmentation, over the exports of the firft. They too have been obftructed by war-fyftem, and funding-fyftem: yet, in your confiftent language * they have grown profperous, in fpite of the wretched politics of their rulers. Still, however, the fact gives a death-blow to your thetry. But, of you, I fear, it cannot even now be faid, as of the apoftate emperor :

Julian, Apoftata, the foe to truth,

"Cried out at length, that truth had conquer'd him."

*,

You are determined not to be conquered, like Julian, by truth. You fight manfully against facts; and you perfevere obftinately, in maintaining that, if hoftilities continue, we fhall have no customers for our goods, as none will remain to confume them. Let us then examine, where, and who,