Columbia $mbe#itp rntbeCitpofSetoPurk LIBRARY SELIGMAN LIBRARY OF ECONOMICS TRUE INTEREST Q F GRE AT BRITAIN, Wh [Price One Shilling.] THE. TRUE INTEREST p v. GREAT BRITAIN, WITH RESPECT TO HER AMERICAN COLONIES, Stated and Impartially Confidered. By a MERCHANT of LONDON. An mpias. Di/lat, Jumafne prudmter . Ho*. LONDON, Printed for G. Kearsley, in Ludgate-Strat. M,DCC,LXVI. ERRATA. Page 18, line 20, for without, read unlefs. ?. 28, in the note, for p. 16, read p. 36. P. 33,1.4, dele comma after were. P. 37J. 10, dele but. P. 40, 1. 22, for will, r. would. P. 40, 1. 24, fox will, read would. P. 45, 1. ii, zhex kind, infert of. P. 1. 5, after fence, infert currency, for 100/. TRUE INTEREST 0 F GREAT BRITAIN* &e. T H E behaviour of the colonies in North America, on account of the late. aft of parliament, commonly called the Stamp-aft, feems to be of fo extraordinary a nature, as to de¬ mand the moft immediate and attentive confideration of the legiflature. The au¬ thor hopes, therefore, any attempt to inves¬ tigate the caufes of the conduft the A- mericans have purfued, will not be re¬ ceived with difpkafure by the public <, and if any hints in the courfe of it be found afeful, he flatters himfelf, whatever imper¬ fections and improprieties may be obferved in it, will be pardoned, as not intended to miflead ? he will with readinefs receive the correction of candor, and own his miflakes B thp {2] the moment they fliall be pointed out to him. - The importance of the American co¬ lonies to Great Britain, feems to be fo well underftood, that it would be mifpending time to endeavour to convince any body of a truth which is univerfallv acknowledged} hut it mav not be improper, for the infor¬ mation of thofe who only eonfiaer the fadt as indifputable in general, without being acquainted with the particular advantages refulting from the feveral different parts of that immenfe territory to Great Britain, If a fhort account be given of the nature of the traffic carried on by the colonies, on the continent in particular, and the grievances * they have of late complained of; and which, perhaps, may be found to be the occafion of the late difturbances. I fhali be eafily pardoned for faying no more of the trade of the iflands than is abfolutely r.eceiTary, on account of their connexion with the continent; their intereft with re- ipecL to the mother-country having already been pointed out by many abler pens than mine, and being at prefent perfectly well undcrflood. IjJorth _ m North America, in the point of view in which I am defirous of confidering it at prefentj ought to be divided into throe parts, North, Midland, and South. The firft comprehending all the country north of the Jerfeysj the fecond, the Jerfeys, Penfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North. Carolina; and the third confiding of Sou tlx Carolina and all thofe countries which we are in poffeffion of to the fouthward. The whole of this immenfe region, whofe boundaries to the weftward have not hitherto been afcertained) extends from the 50th to the 25th degree of north latitude; and confequently the temperature of the air, and quality of the foil, mud be extremely different in different parts of it. In the fil'd divifion are produced excel¬ lent mails, and other timber; the animals furnifh us with plenty of very rich furs, and the Teas and rivers abound with prodigious quantities of fifh, both of the greater and leffer kinds. The midland parts produce tobacco, all kinds of corn, grain, and pulfe; live cattle of all forts, both for burthen and provifions; the country a- bounds in iron and copper mines; and, if the inhabitants can be induced to make B 2 the the attempt, there is not the leaft doubt but the beft of wines may be produced in a country, where moft delicious grapes grow wild on vines of a fize hardly to be credited by thofe who have net been eye- witneftes of the fadt. The third, or fouthern divifion, is capa¬ ble of producing filk, coffee, cacao, co¬ chineal, indigo, cotton, rice, olives, fruit and wine; and there are fome articles common to each divifion, viz. hemp, flax, naval ftores, peltry, pot-afh, and lumber. The exports of the northern provinces, to Great Britain, confift of fpermaceti and train oils, fith, furs, malls, {hips, and fome articles of lefier confequence. The greateft part indeed of the fifla which are taken, are immediately carried to foreign markets; but the remittances made for that article to Great Britain, upon a moderate compu¬ tation, are fuppofed to be not lefs than 3CO,cool. annually. Many of the {hips built in North America are fold to fo¬ reigners, which is another means of bring¬ ing a large fum of money into the king¬ dom. Provifions, the moft ftaple com¬ modities of the countries immediately fouth- ,[5l fouthward of thofe lad-mentioned, are likewife exported to ad vantage to foreigners, and the greateft part of their produce vi- fits Great Britain in fpecie. Virginia, Ma¬ ryland, and North Carolina, in the fingle article of tobacco *, produce the fum of 500,000 1 . fterling, at leaft, from France, Germany, Flanders, Italy, and other parts of Europe. — The provinces of South Carolina and Georgia are of no fmall ad¬ vantage to us: we are now in a great mea- fure fupplied from thence with our indigo: Europe has very little rice which is not brought to it from thofe colonies; and the large fums of money which we pay to France, Spain, Italy, Turkey and China, for filks, both raw and wrought, will be faved, if the fouthern provinces are pro¬ perly encouraged to raife that article, and their value be almoft ineftimable.—Such are the exports of North America to Eu- * I do not here take any notice of the "reat ad¬ vantage the revenue receives from the duty paid cn tobacco confumed here, becaufe I confider the monev asraifed upon the confumers in England ; but I only beg leave juft to put the reader in mind that it is prin¬ cipally confumed by labourers and mechanics, who are enabled to purchafe great part- of i< by the colo- nifts purchafxng the produce of their labours. B 3 rope j m rGpe ; and, in return for them, they re¬ ceive from Great Britain not only eyery necefiarv (except provifions) but almoft every luxury of life. In order to pay for which, they fend the whole produce of their land, which will find a fale with us j but as that is much infnfficient. for that purpofe, they alfo fend every thing elfe, which is the production of their country, to every place we will permit them to traf- nck, in order, thereby, to enable them to make up the deficiency, but in vain; they continually are in arrear to us, and and ever will be fo, while fuch immenfe tracts cf fine land tempt the poflefi'ors of thole which are adjoining to them to make new lettlements, the effecting which will ever keep them from amaffing other riches, and be a continual fource of wealth to thefe kingdoms, as it infures us a confiant fupp’v cf raw materials, and an increafing market to return them to, when wrought up. This fhort view of the nature of our trade with the North American colonies ihfnciently points cut from whence we are enabled to fupport that burthen of taxes which m which o.ur very exigence, as a free people, 'obliges us to raife, in order to put ourfel ves upon a refpedtabie footing in Europe, and to impower us to afford our colonies that protedtion and liberty they have fo lately experienced, and ftill continue to enjoy. But, while we are {training every finew in order to make that protedtion effedtual, and that liberty permanent, it is not to be wondered at that we call upon them to Main a part] of that weight with which we are opprefled. The chief quef- "tion is, whether the (hare laid upon them 'be too great, or whether it is not rather injudicioufly placed ? It is apparent, from what has been be¬ fore faid of the produce and imports of North America, that they have not endea¬ voured to enter into any kind of cultivation which will be prejudica! to the produce or manufactures of Great Britainj but let it not be from thence imagined, that it is not in their powerno perfon, who is the lead acquainted with North America, but muft be fenfible, that the wool of their (beep is as well adapted for all the ufes to which it is applied in England, as any B 4 in. m in the world *. The only method to pre* vent their making any attempts of th* kind, is, by encouraging them to turn their force to other objects, which we cannot fo properly attend to, and making it as much their intereft as ours, to feek a different employment from that of their fellow fub- jedts in England. In order to do this, it is mod: certainly found policy to make every thing, demanded by them froqi Great Britain, come to their hands as cheap as poflible j as thereby every temp¬ tation will be iemoved to their endeavour¬ ing to produce, or make it amongft thein- felves j and every facility ought alfo to be * About thirty years ago, when the produce of the tobacco colonies was at a very low price, the diftrefs of the inhabitants obliged them to manufacture great part of their own wool, cotton, and flax ; and there arc merchants now in England, who remember moft of the common people of thofe provinces cloathed in the doth and linen manufadlured amongft them- feives. No longer ago than the year 1757, the f.me happened again in the province of Virginia, where it was dilgraceful for a gentleman not to ap¬ pear in a cotton coat made in his own family.—As toon however as the price of their commodities roTe in Europe, they immediately fent home, (for fuch is the tender appellation Great Britain is known by in the colonies,) for all thofe articles which a neceflary (economy obliged them before to make for themfelves. given l9l given to their exports, in order to enable them to pay for what they receive fron? ns. If I am right, in this principle, there has certainly been a miftake committed in the late regulation, which directs the additional fums to be retained on the In¬ dia goods, and German linens, exported to the colonies; as it obliges them to pay more money for the fame goods thaw they ufed to do; which not being in their power, muft, of confequence, prevent their demanding fo large a quantity; by which means the nation lofes, without the revenue being benefited. It is not only from this additional duty, that the American colo¬ nies are hurt, but they are prevented alfo from receiving flaves at fo cheap a rate as heretofore ; for in order to prevent the goods, which on exportation are to leave this additional part of the duty, charged oh 'them at importation, from being clandef- t'inely reimported, a new difficulty has been thrown in the way of the merchant trading to Africa, who is obliged to can¬ cel his bond, given for the exportation of fundry forts of India goods neceifary for the trade of that quarter of the world, withia [IO ] within eighteen months after the date thereof j by the oath of the matter of the (hip, who probably may not be able to finUh his voyage in two years, as it often happens, (particularly upon the Gold Coaft) that (hips lay feven, eight, and even twelve months, before they are com- pleatly flaved. The reftri&ion, laft-men¬ tioned, has given fo much uneafinefs to many principal merchants trading to Af„ rica, as well as to the gentlemen who are concerned in fupplying fuch merchants with the India goods, for which fuch bond muft be given; that the firft difficulty they are brought into by it, will probably force them to quit the bufinefs; and the lofs of our African trade may be the [fatal confe- quence. The obliging the Americans to pay more for the goods they receive from us, than heretofore, is not all that they have reafon to complain of j we have done ou endeavour, to prevent their being able to pay for them at all, by flopping the export to flrangers of great part of their produce, which we cannot receive from them ourfelves, thereby preventing them from taking fuch com- I II } commodities, in payment for it, as. they were accuftomed to do, and which they might advantageoufly fend tq Europe ; this we have done, by laying fuch a tax upon them as amounts to a prohibition: thus, the following goods cannot be imported into North America without paying Foreign Sugar - £. i 2 o pepcwt. Coffee - - 2 19 g percwt. Indico * o 0 6 per lb. The duty of foreign molaffes, is indeed reduced to three-pence per gallon; but l doubt whether any great advantages have refulted from this alteration. I am well aware, I fhali be told, that fuch tax uponthe importation of the articles above-mentioned, from the foreign Ame¬ rican Iflands to our fettlements in North America, has been impofed in order to the advantage and emolument of our own iflands, and not with any view to raife money upon the North Americans. 1 have too great a regard fo£ the ifland- ers, as fellow-fubjects, to with North America any advantages at their expence j hut I have aifo the fame regard for the in¬ habitants of North America j and cannot^ withop without concern, fee laws made to the prejudice of the latter, which are not only of no advantage to the iflands, but manifeftly prejudicial to the intereft, both of North America and Great Britain: fuch muft every law be, which prevents the export of thofe commodities from N. America to Grangers, which cannot be ex - ported by them to advantage to G. Britain, or the Britilh American iflands, or of which they have more than either, or both the laft-mentioned countries can pur- chafe from them; except the goods re¬ ceived in payment, fliould be fuch as ma¬ nifeftly tend to deftroy the trade of fome other part of the Britilh empire; the con¬ trary of which, I hope to be able to prove, will be the cafe with refpedt to the ar¬ ticles above-mentioned, of fugar, coffee and indigo. The forefts of North America afford fuch an inexhauftible fund of lumber, that the inhabitants are able to fupply not only our iflands, but the whole world, with it; and therefore a freedom of ex¬ portation ought to be permitted, not only to the American,French and Spanilh iflands, but r [ *3 3 but alfo to Europe*. Flour, corn, horfes,' rice, and fuch other produce, as North America abounds with, ought alfo to be permitted a freedom of export to fuch of the iflands of America (not fubjedt to Great Britain) as {hall be in want of, or willing to receive the fame. Some people, indeed, are of opinion, with refpedt to the latter, that they ought not to be permitted to receive any thing, in payment, but caffi j (for there are many object to their being allowed to import foreign molaffes j) but I hope I {hall have no great difficulty in {hewing that fuch opinion is very errone¬ ous: It muft arife from one or other of thefe two reafons; either, that the pay¬ ment to the North Americans of fuch commodities, injures our own iflands, by * Staves and heading, for the making of Cafks, are much demanded at Bourdeaux, Porto, Lifbon, &c. but the colonies, from whence thofe articles can be exported of the belt quality, and at the cheapeft rate, are not only prohibited carrying them to thofe markets, in common with the reft of North Ame¬ rica, but if that prohibition fhould be taken off, they are deprived of the advantage of any back freight, as they are not allowed to carry back even a load of fait, to cure their provifions with ; nor are they permitted to load wine from Porto or Lifbon, or any part of the Spanifh dominions, or even from the Canary iflands, making making their produce of lefs value, oty that it is much to the advantage of our rivals, in trade, to permit them fuch an op¬ portunity of vending theirs; without which, they could not cultivate their lands; or if they did cultivate them, it would be at fo great a difadvantage, as to give our fugar colonies a great fuperiority over them. It was, I believe, upon a fuppofition the former objection was well founded, that the reftri&ion complained of was laid upon the North American commerce: I dare fay die queftion has been very maturely conlidered, and I therefore am fearful of being thought too hardy in aflerting, that the fad would not prove fo; but this I am fure of, a remedy would be very eafily found, 2nd might as eafily be applied; though I own myfelf of opinion, fuch commerce be¬ tween North America and the French and Spanifh iflands would in no wife aflfeft the price of fuch commodities (either in our own iflands or in Europe.) It has been affertea, that the Britifh iflands in America do not produce fugar fuf- ficient to fupply the demands of the Britifh fubje&s; and as a proof of it, an account of t 15 3 of iriiports and exports has been produced from the Cuftom-houfe books for ten years, from 1745 to 1755*, the lateft period that can with any propriety be pitched upon, as ever fince the year 1755, there is no pof- * An account of the raw fugar imported fromChrift- mas 1745, to Chriftmas 1755, diftinguilhing each €. qr. lb. To Chriftmas 1746 — 753,449 o 17 1747 — 008,462 z 14 1748 — 981,449 1 6 *749 “ 933 > 2 9 6 2 5 1750 — 914,044 2 23 1751 - 825,947 1 27 1752 — 837,083 o s 1 753 -t, 117,9.39 3 * *754 — 859^31 2 ** *755 ~*>*77>3 6 9 0 2 S 9,008,173 1 3 An account of the quantity of raw fugar exported from Chriftmas 1745 to Chriftmas 1755, diftinginfli- ing each year. To Chriftmas 1746 — 93,244 o 22 1747 - 51,885 i 1. 1748 — ^5,727 1 H 1749 — 128,107 2 O 1750 — 107,964,0 22 * 75 * ~ 43,769 3 6 * 75 2 - 35 » 7*2 2 if *753 “ 55,687 2 6 1744 — 42,818 2 17 *755 —' 105,030 0 24 779,947 1 19 Ability {>«■] “Ability of diftinguifliing what was really thd produce of the Britilh colonies, and what was clandeftinely imported as fuch, but which were in reality either the produce of jprizes taken in America, or obtained by con¬ traband trade with the French and Dutch iflands: And by that account it appears, that no more than 900,817 cwt. of fugar was annuaUy imported upon an average, and the.average of the export was only 77,994 cwt. which is a quantity not fufficient for the-confumption of Ireland only, which' ufed to fupply the deficiency from Lilbon. And it is notorious, that liotwithftanding the duty of five {hillings which formerly was charged upon all foreign fugars imported into North America, more than half of *what was confirmed' there was clandeftine- lyimportedfrom the French iflands. Should this.be the fadt, it is very apparent, that however the price of fugar may be reduced by the North Americans having permiffion to ufe as well as import foreign fugars, there would be ho difadvantage to the Britilh em¬ pire in general, as the whole eonfump- tion of the produce of our ifllands is amongft ourfelvesj and therefore is like ( J 7 ) an inland • commerce, which very • lit¬ tle affedts the public, though the balance may be much more in favour of one part than of the other. But fhould I be mi (take a in my opinion, that a much greater free¬ dom of' commerce with the French and Spanifh illands than is at prefent allowed the North Americans, would by ? no means be injurious to the intereft of the Britifh American iflands ; yet there is an eafy means of preventing fuch inconveniences, if it be apprehended; by obliging all fuchfugars, cof¬ fee, &c. to be re-exported to Great Britain, under fuch reftridtions as (hall render them unfaleable but for exportation: and there needs but very little argument to prove, that fuch permiffion to the North Americans to bring the commodities of the French and Spanifh iflands to markets, where our own are feldom or ever fent, can in no wife in¬ jure the latter in price ; more efpecially as there is not the leaft reafon to fuppofe, but that if the fubjedts of Britain did not bring them to market, other carriers would be found for them, if they could not bring them themfelves. Thelaftobfeivation may ferve in part for an anfwer to the other ob- C ' jedtians t>8) jection made by Toms to this traffick, viz. that unlefs it was permitted, the French would have great difficulty in vending their produce, or could not cultivate their land, at lead to the fame advantage as at prefent, for want of lumber for their calks, and tim- berfor hcufes, mills, &c. which they would not eafily get ellevvhere. I fliould be hap¬ py, if I could congratulate my countrymen upon the truth of that obfervation; but, alas 1 experience convinces us of the con¬ trary.—The French’ and Spanifh iflands are large and fertile, and capable of producing almoft every thing they have occafton for: the inhabitants having more valuable com¬ modities to cultivate, are willing to deal with the Britifh colonies for thofe they can¬ not obtain, without employing their Haves to a lei's advantage than they do by purchafing of the North Americans j fueh, as without they bought them, would be fo far fiom being of advantage to the owners, that they would really become burthenfomc to them ; and it therefore mall certainly appear very ftran^e, that we ourfelves fliould lay any obflacles in the way of the North Ame¬ ricans, that may cbftrucl their exchanging the ■ the fuperfluoiis part of the produce of their country for fugar, cotton, coffee, indigo, &c. by which we in reality make the lat¬ ter commodities, in a fort, the produce of North America; and by permitting (if not compelling) the re-exportation of them to foreigners, we not only prevent that com¬ merce from being injurious to our own A- meriean iflands, but furnifh the North A~ mericans with a means of paying for thofe goods which they purchafe of us, for which they have no other way of making remit¬ tances. It is the more to be wondered at, that fuch falfe notions of commerce fhould prevail in this inftance, when a glaring ex¬ ample of the impropriety of it is before our eyes 5 it was under the fame pretences of fupporting our own fugar colonies, and di- ftr effing thofe of France, that Englifh fhips were prohibited loading fugars home to Eng¬ land from the French iflands, by the very heavy duty which they ftill are liable to j it was urged, if we did not bring them home, the French could not; but what was the conference of the experiment? the French merchants either freighted or bought fhips from other nations, and we not only loft the C g freight freight, but a nurfery for a great number of feamen, which is now a very confiderable fcurce of the French naval ftrength. I pretend not to fay, that the French and Spanifn iflands do not receive a benefit from this intercourfe with the Britilh fubjedts in Korta America. I am fure if they do not, there is no reafon in the world we fhould expedt they willpermit it; forwhat commerce can long fubfitl where there is not a mutual benefit arifing from it ? AH we have to con- fider is, whether, upon the whole, it is more advantageous to us than to forego it intirely. If any difadvantage would refult from this commerce to the prejudice of our own fngar colonies, I hope I have proved it would not be from liberty given to the North Americans of importing the articles at prefent prohibited. I am not fo well convinced of the pro¬ priety of their importing foreign molafles; I will therefore ftate the arguments both for and againft, as fairly as in my power, and leave myreader to determine for himfelf. On the one hand it is urged, ‘ the North Ame- * ricans have a neceffity for that commo- * dity, in order to carry on their trade to the t 21 ] . c coaft of Africa, and their fifliery on the * coaft of New England and the banks of ‘ Newfoundland. Withrefpefl; to their Af- ‘ frican commerce, it is the foie article ‘ which they carry to the coaft, where they ‘ difpofe of it to the {hips of the different ‘ nations trading there; from which they * receive in payment all the different fpecies * of goods neceffary to form a compleat car- ‘ go for tradingwith the natives; of whom, ‘ having purchafed a cargo of {laves, etc. ‘ they return to America, from whence ‘ they remit the produce of their cargo to ‘ Great-Britain. That if they are prevent- ‘ ed importing fuch foreign molaffes, this ‘ branch of their commerce will be entire- * ly loft. * The ufe of it in the fiiherv is after ‘ it is diitilied into rum, but it is alio brew- ‘ ed into beer, with the aftiftance of fprucej 1 which is the common drink of the peo- 1 pie employed in the iifnery, who pay for ‘ it with the refufe of their hfb, which are c ufed by the French and Spaniards for the £ provifion of their negroes; and which, ‘ unlefs difpoled of to them, would remain ‘ on the hands of the fithermal for want C 3 'of e of other purchafers. It is further alledg* ‘ ed that provided the importation of it in- ‘ to North-America be not permitted, ora c heavy duty be laid upon it, no advantage ‘ can refult therefrom j becaufe the fifhery ‘ at Newfoundland occafions fuch an in- ‘ tercourfe between our fifliermen and thofe e of France, it will be impoffible to prevent ■ our {hips from being fupplied by thofe be- c longing to the French iflands, and that at * an advanced price, proportioned to the ‘ dificulty they will be put to in obtaining ‘ it. — That unlefs we confent to tike ‘ molafles in exchange for our lumber and ‘ other goods fent to the French iflands, * they will intirely prohibit theintercourfej e and as a proof of that fad it is urged, that c the duty of three-pence per gallon, which ‘ is now impofed (but very partially col- ■ Icded) upon the importation of that arti- ‘ cle into North-America, has occafioned ‘ a duty of eight {hillings per quintal to be ‘ impofed in the French iflands on allBritilh ‘ fiih, which is extremely prejudicial to our * fifliery in America. c Another argument for the liberty of c importing this commodity is, that a cargo [ 23 ] ' c of lumber is of fo fmall value, that the * amount of it is not fufficient to purchafe a ‘ compleat lading of any other articles.’ Allowing the above arguments, it ought to be confidered, whether the injury done to the commerce of the Britilh fugar illands does not counterballance the advantages gained by North-America, from the per¬ mitting fuch foreign molaffes to be import¬ ed and ufed, without reftridlion, not only for the purpofes for which its utility is ac¬ knowledged, but likewife for the confump- tion of the inhabitants of North-America, and in their trade with the Indians. • It is notorious the French have a much larger lhare of the fugar trade than ourfelves ;■ their illands being much more capacious, muft certainly have greater quantities of good land, which confequently may be pur- chafed on eafier terms ; and the inhabitants, being lefs burthen’d with taxes than thole of our illands, may certainly make fugar at a cheaper rate. But as the Britifh fugar coio- Ionies have a market for their rum in Eu¬ rope, and for their rum and moluul-s in A- naerica, they have thereby an advantage, which in fome meafure balances thole the C 4 French I>4] French enjoy : And every interruption which can be given to the French in the diSpofal of thofe articles, tends to put the Bsit-fh fugar planter nearer upon S footing with their rivals than heretofore; as, un- leis we purchafe them, it is hardly poffible they can make any other ufe of them than in feeding their cattle; it not being the in- tereii of France to fuller the diftillation. of mclaffes into rum, to the prejudice of the ccnfumption of brandy. This therefore is a very ftrong motive for our difeouraging fuch importation of foreign molaffes, par¬ ticularly as we may expedt that a confide- rable addition to what our own illands ufed to produce, will in all probability be made in the illands ceded to us by the late treaty of peace. The iettlement of which will oc- cahon a great demand for lumber, frames of houfes, fugar works, mills, &c. and the canes planted on new land grow fo luxuriant as to afroi d little elfe but inolafTes; it is but reafonable therefore to reflrain the North- Americans from trading with foreigners, for any commodities which will particular¬ ly interfere with the produce of thefe new sequifuions. It 125 3 It is alfo ta be confidered, whether the taking off the duty of eight {hillings'per quintal, which theFrenchhave laid upon the Bridfti fifh imported into their iflands, will be a confequence of our permitting the free importation oi their molaffes; becaule, if not, the duty charged by them upon our fifh amounting to a prohibition, l fee no way our fifliermen can difpofe of it but in exchange for the French rum and molaffes at fea.—But if, notwithftanding what is before urged, the neceffity of the North- Americans, for the fupply of their fifheries and their Affdcan trade, renders it expe¬ dient for them to be permitted the impor¬ tation of foreign mollaffes, it will be worth confideration, whether it ought to be charg¬ ed with the prefent duty of three-pence per gallon, or indeed with any duty at all. If it be neceffary to permit the importation of it, for rhe fake of the two branches of com¬ merce above mentioned, every impoftupon it will in fome degree be an injury to them. But there is another reafon, which perhaps may appear more conclufive to thofe wh® cxpedt to raile money by the duty: it is, that when any tax is laid upon a commodity nearly [26 ] nearly equal to the prefent, which is fifty per cent, upon the prime coft, it is fuch a. temptation, that even in England there is the utmoft difficulty, nay, an abfolute im- poffibility, totally to prevent fmuggling, although the number of fupervifors, tide and land waiters, riding officers, &c. are almoft as numerous as the traders: What chance is there then of collecting fo heavy a duty in a country like America, where not more than a dozen officers are appointed to fuper- intend and guard the commerce of thatcoaft, from Cape Charles to Rhode ifland ? If there¬ fore there be a propriety in laying any tax upon the importation of this commodity, it ought not to be fo heavy as to lay the trader under any temptation to engage in a clan- deftine commerce. One-penny per gallon is certainly as much as it ought to be charged with; and I will venture to foretell, with¬ out the fpirit of prophecy, that it will pro¬ duce a much more confiderable ium, than what has been collected under the prefent duty. I own however, that I ffiould think the northern colonies would be extremely bene¬ fited, if the confumption of the rum didd¬ led [ *7 1 led from fuch molaffes could be reftrained to the purpofes for which they are allowed to be neceflary, as the ufe of it among# themfelves is become fo immoderate as to call aloud for fome reftridtion j and with refped to their commerce with the Indians, the want of it may be fupplied, as ufefully at lead, by fpirit diftilled from their corn, to fay nothing of the produce of their vines, provided they would be induced to cultivate them.—If there is a practicability of reflrain- ing the ufe of fuch rum to the purpofes of commerce, it will mo# certainly very con- fiderably leflen the demand for it, and will, in fome meafure, anfvver the pur'pofe of di- ftreffing the French fugar planter. In hopes an expedient will be found for this purpofe, it will be neceffary to examine the remain¬ ing reafons urged for an unlimitted permif- fion to import the article inqueftion, viz.that a cargo of lumber is of fo fmall value, mo- ialfes is the only lading they can purchafe in return ; and unlefs they are allowed to re¬ ceive that,they muft come back dead freight¬ ed. The other is, that unlefs, they agree to receive molaffes in payment, the French, &c. will not purchafe their commodities at all. C 28 ] all. The firlt obje&ion I hope will, in a great meafure, be obviated, if they have li- bertyof loading thofe commodities on board, which are not at prefent in their power to do; as there appears to me no reafon what¬ ever (provided my principle is a good one) why they may not purchafe with cafh, or bills of Exchange, fufficient to compleat their lading of the more valuable commodities, provided the purchafe fo to be made be not at a higher price than it ought to be, to leave the purchafer a freight for his proffit; becaufe, if fuch commodities are obliged to be re-exported, the ca(h will be again fent back into the kingdom, with an addition of all that Ihair be gained by the carriage of them. Indeed I do not fee why fuch drips may not be permitted to proceed direftly with their cargoes to Great-Britain,* where fuch part of them as they fhall not be allow¬ ed to difpofe of may be landed for exporta¬ tion, and put under the king’s locks, and each particular package be made its own warehoufe, as is at prefent, the cafe with refpeft to tobaccos. Bond may alfo be given for re-exportation within a limited time, * Though there is no law toprevent t'neirimportation into Gre2t-Bntain, yet there is fo heavy a duty paid at landing as renders it impracticable. Vide p. 16. ([ 2 9 3 upon pain of paying fuch duty as fliall be thought proper, which will be expreffed in the bond. This would effectually pre¬ vent a poffibility of its interfering with the produce of our own iflands. The other objection feems at firft fight to have greater weight; for to be fure, if the get¬ ting amarket for theirmolaffesis the only ad¬ vantage refulting to the French andSpanifh iflands in the Weft Indies, from their in- tercourfe with the North Americans, they would be much to blame to permit it on any other terms. But they certainly re¬ ceive other benefits, which render the commerce definable to them; though, per¬ haps, the ballance would be rather in favour of the North Americans, as they have no other market for the goods they difpofe of there. It may, however, with propriety be faid, in a commerce where no cafh paffes in payment of a ballance, but the whole is carried on by way of barter, that the trade is mutually advantageous. For although it be allowed the French iflanders have provifions and lumber fufficient for the maintenance of their people, and the fupply of their neceffities, yet the North Americans can afford to fell thefie common dities [ 30 ] Cities to them for much lefs than they caff afford to raife them at; or, to explain my- felf more clearly, one Have employed ini producing-fugar, cotton, cacao or indico,- will be able to produce enough of fqch articles to'purchafe a much greater quantity of thofe the North Americans carry to them, than bis labour could procure, and, whatever the difference is, will be gain to themj fo that there is no reafon to dread a fuppreffion of that trade, unlefs it be from an imagination that they can thereby induce you to trade with them upon their own terms. And, as a far¬ ther proof that fuch trade will be con¬ nived at (if not permitted) the Dutch, from St. Euftatia and Curacoa, trade with the French illands for fugar, indico, &c. for which they give North American produce in exchange. And the opulence of the inhabitants of thole barren Dutch iflands, Ihew they carry on the trade to advantage, although they firii purchafe thofe very com¬ modities of our Northern colon ids them- felves, and confequently trade under the difadvantage of a double freight, which in fuch bulky articles is of vaft importance. I do not pretend to fay the commerce car¬ ried [ 3i 3 ried on by the Dutch is altogether allows ed of; but if they can carry on fuch a clandeftine trade, cannot we do the fame ? and the North Americans will deferve much lefs reproach for carrying on a con¬ traband trade 'with foreigners, to the emo¬ lument of the whole nation, than for fmuggling upon their own coafts, to the manifeft injury of Great Britain. After what I have faid, I leave it to better judg¬ ments, whether any, and what reftridion ought to be laid on the importation of fo¬ reign molaffes into North America: but, whatever maybe determined on'that head, it is certain, that the trade of theN. Americans have, in other inftances, been exceedingly interrupted by the reftridions it has lain under from the late regulations; and I am apt to believe the difficulties we have put them to, have produced no one advantage, either to Great Britain or its revenues, while the inconvenience they have felt, has ill difpofed their minds towards us, and, in a great meafure, been the fource of their late mifbehaviour. As I have fo freely given my opinion upon this fubjed, it may perhaps be imagined, I mean to refled up¬ on f 3 *] on the gentleman principally concerned in forming the regulations complained of, I lhould.be extremely fony, if that was the .cafe} on the contrary, I profefs myfelf to have a very high opinion both of his abi¬ lities. and integrity; and I confider the late ■regulations, as -the fuite of a fyftern that has been long adopted, for the.government -of the colonies-} and the .inconveniencies .now complained of are not fo great as they have heretofore fuftained, with a molt ad- .mirable patience. I could give a variety of inftances, but a few may fuffice: in the late war, when. North America was blefi: with the moll plentiful harvefts ever known there, a general was empowered to lay an embargo on provilions all over the continent, which prevented the expor¬ tation of, fuch a quantity of corn, that, I fpeak within , compafs when I fay, as much was deftroyed by vermin as would have brought the owners upwards • of 500,000 k fterling } nor was this the only -illconfequence refulting from this injudi- .cious and. ill-timed Hep; for the vaft quantities of corn, obliged thereby to be ftpred, bred fuch a multitude of thofe ver¬ min. [ 33 3 niiri as deftroyed great part of their fuc- ceeding crop 3 and years elapfed before the inhabitants of Maryland, and the fouthern parts of Penfylvania were, freed from that particular kind, called the wolfe 3 and it is to be obferved, that this kind cf fly was not known before that period, in any part pf the continent north of South Carolina. Since then no Want of corn in Great Britain has ever occafioned a particular permiffion in fa¬ vour of the colonies to import it 3 but they have only been allowed fuch per- miffioii in common with other nations, whofe proximity have given them an op¬ portunity to reap the advantage, to the ut¬ ter exclufion of the colonies, except in one inftance *, although thereby a conflderable fum is carried out of the kingdom 5 when, if the colonies alone were allowed to fend corn to us when we wanted it, it would be fent in payment of part of the debt they owe US.: The tobacco colonies have fuffered much from the heavy duty laid upon their pro¬ duce, which has vaftly leflened its con- * The year 17585 when theie was no Europe. D corn in fumjf- r 34 1 iumption, and the confequence will foon be ieverely felt, in the lofs the revenue will therebyfuftain. Every body muft remember when that article was given gratis by the publicans to their cuftomers, which pro- digioully encouraged the confumption, as it was generally called for; and, if very little of it ufed, was probably deftroyed; now, amongft the common people, who¬ ever takes tobacco, generally carries it in his own box: multitudes have left off taking it; and, as it is notorioully naufeous at firft, it will probably be more dil¬ uted, efpecially as it is in a fort banilhed polite company; and even in the form of fnuff, is not half fo much made ufe of as heretofore. It is not indeed to be fuppofed people, even of the middling rank, will deprive themfelves of any gratification, of the kind I mention, from the confideration of the increafe of its price, which to be liire is very trifling, when put in. compe¬ tition with what ufe has in fome meafure made, if not a neceflary, an amufement, we Ihould not willingly be deprived of: but it is not fo with the lower people; if they find the price advance upon them, they [' 35 ] they muff .content themfelves with a lefs quantity; and, finding that expenfive, they will endeavour to prevent their children accuftoming themfelves to the ufe of it, which they will the readier do, as they will not be induced to it from the ridicu¬ lous, though conftant practice of aping their fuperiors. The tobacco planters would not how¬ ever have reafon to complain, provided the imports charged upon that commodity were proportionable to what was paid by others; but the contrary is fo much the cafe, that when a duty is laid, ad valorem , upon dry goods, that article, by being rated at ten times * more than its value, pays ten times more in proportion than any other goods which are taxed at the fame time. Another hardfhip which the colonifts have, long complained, of likewife, and which is. not only an injury to them, but to. Great Britain, is, that many fpecies of goods which are intended for exportation (even tobacco,. which is put under the king’s * Tobacco, though upon an average it is not worth more than two-pence per pound^ is rated at twenty-pence per pound. D a locks, [ 3