Part 3

And as for their saying that our Sugar Colonies won’t let them have Rum for their Lumber; more than half, nay two thirds of the Lumber that is carried there, is carried in Ships that go from _New England_, in order to load Sugar there for _London_; and not any of these Ships will sell their Lumber for Rum or Melasses, if they can get either Sugar, Money, or Cotton for it: For the Planters always strive to buy their Lumber with their Rum and Melasses: I have known several Disputes, the Planters insisting on their taking Rum for their Lumber; and the _New England_ Men insisting on Sugar. A great Quantity of _New England_ Ships go to the _West-Indies_ after this manner every Year (to the vast prejudice of the Ships of this Kingdom) and load Sugars for _London_; receive their Freight for the said Sugars to help them to pay the Ballance of Trade, they talk so much of; and then return home, where they are paid off, and refitted; and this Kingdom hath no other Advantage from them, than the Port Charges they pay while here. They tell us likewise that their Fishery and Navigation is a Nursery for Seamen, and a very great Advantage to this Kingdom: For my part, I am of a quite different Opinion; as to their Fishery, that they have ravished from us; it was formerly carried on by the Inhabitants of this Kingdom, and by Vessels built, paid off, and refitted, and victualled in this Kingdom; but now all these Advantages are engross’d by the People of _New England_, and by Ships and Vessels built, paid off, refitted, and victualled there: Besides, most of the Men employed in this Fishery are Seamen of _Great Britain_, that have deserted his Majesty’s and Merchant Ships of this Kingdom; and are entirely lost to this Kingdom, in case of any Emergency. And their other Navigation, that they seem to be at a loss to provide Business for. If this Bill should pass into a Law, pray might they not be as well employ’d in fetching Supplies of Sugar, Rum, and Melasses from our own Sugar Colonies, as they are now from the _French_? But were they left destitute of an Employ; the more they are obliged to reduce their Navigation, the more they would be capable of serving their Mother Country, and answer the End for which they were first settled, encouraged, and protected: For the End and Design for which they were settled, was, that they should supply this Kingdom with such Commodities, as we were obliged to other Nations for, as Naval Stores, Hemp, Pot-ash, _&c._ in exchange for our own Manufactures; and not to become Rivals in our Trade and Navigation: Not to ravish from us our Fishery, as well as our Seamen to carry it on; and attempt by their Shipping, and by the Advantage they have over us in building, refitting and victualling them, (as they have a long time had all their principal Materials, duty free; as Hemp, Canvas, and Iron) to worm us out of the Freight every where; and probably, in a little time, may become the sole Carriers both of _Europe_ and _America_. For as there is inch a proportion of Commerce to be carried on in the World, by the Subjects of _Great Britain_; then nothing, can be more certain than this, That the more their Navigation encreases, ours must in proportion decline; then certainly our Artificers, and Seamen must follow the Navigation (as they and several Owners of Vessels have too much done already:) Then of what Use must our Navy be to us? What! must we send to _New England_ for Men upon every Emergency? No:

“_For oh! it much imports you, ’tis your all_ _To keep your Trade intire, intire the Force_ _And Honour of your Fleets; o’er that to watch_ _Even with a Hand severe and jealous Eye._”

They have also told you that should this Bill pass into a Law, it would encourage the _West-Indians_ to monopolize their Rum, _&c._ Is not the Case the same with respect to Sugar with _England_? can we be supply’d any where else? and how do they monopolize that Commodity? or how is it possible that any Commodities in the Hands of so many People, Inhabitants of several islands that lye at so great a Distance, that some of them have not any Correspondence, can monopolize? besides the greatest Number of those People are necessitous, and must sell for what they can get, for Subsistence and common Necessaries: And pray is not the Lumber in _North America_ in fewer Hands than the Rum and Melasses are, or can be in; then have they not all the Opportunities the Sugar Islands can have, of making their own Price _&c._?

And as for their telling you that the _West India_ Islands cannot take off their Lumber, we have rather Reason to apprehend that they will not be able to supply the Sugar Colonies long, at any tolerable Price; for the Price of Lumber rises every Year. And a little Time since I was up in the Country where their Lumber is saw’d, and enquired of some of the principal Men concern’d in it, of the Reason of their Lumber being dearer and scarcer every Year, seeing they had such Quantities of Timber in the Country; they told me that it would still continue to be dearer and scarcer, and they should not long make it worth their while to supply the _West-Indies_ at any tolerable Price: For the Woods contiguous to the Rivers, on which their Mills stand are very much exhausted; besides they were confin’d now to the Timber that grew on their own Properties, being more restrain’d than ever from cutting the King’s Woods; that if they were to be without great Snows, (upon which they draw the Timber down to the Sides of the Rivers on which their Mills stand, and which when it melts floats down the Timber to their Saw-mills) they could by no Means supply a tenth of the Lumber they usually do.——I could insist on a great many other Particulars, but I have already exceeded the Bounds I prescribed myself at setting out, neither will the Time allow me more than to tell you that I have Hopes you will think of this Affair, and determine upon it with that Impartiality which is so peculiar to you: And that I am,

_SIR,_

_Your Most Obedient,_

_Humble Servant._