Part 2

3. Horses; whose Labour is so necessary, that we can neither carry on our Husbandry or Trade without them; besides their Fitness for War, being accounted the boldest in the World; and for all these Uses are transported abroad; for the first, to our Plantations in _America_; and for the last, to some of our Neighbouring Nations: But their Flesh is of no Use, their Skins of little, the Leather made of them being very ordinary, only the longest of their Hair is used in Weaving.

There are sundry other Sorts of Beasts, some whereof require no Care in Raising, others little, such as the Stag, the Deer, the Rabbet, the Hare, the Badger, the Goat, and many others, whose Skins are necessary for our Trade, and useful in our Manufactures.

[Sidenote: Tillage.]

Tillage is that whereby we raise our Corn by turning up the Earth; the several Sorts whereof are Wheat, Rye, Barley, Pease, Beans, Vetches, Oats, &c. which not only afford Nourishment to ourselves, and the Beasts we use in Labour, but serve also for Trade; as they give Employment to our People at home, and are transported abroad, more or less, according to the Overplus of our Expence, and the Want of our Neighbours, besides the great Quantities us’d in our Navigation.

These Products are all clear Profit to the Nation, being raised from Earth and Labour; but their chief Advantages arise from their being exported, either in their own Kinds, or when wrought up, the Remainder, which is spent at home, tending rather to supply our Wants, than to advance our Wealth: Which Exports being more or less, according to the Price they bear in other Countries, and those arising from the Proportion their Lands holds with ours in their Yearly Rents, are not so great in Specie, as when wrought up. Butter is the chiefest, wherewith we supply several Foreign Markets, and did formerly more, till by making it bad, and using Tricks to encrease its Weight, we lost much of that Trade, and are now almost beaten out of it by _Ireland_, which every Year makes theirs better; besides, they undersell us in the Price, as they do also in Beef, occasioned by the low Rents of their Lands.

’Twas the Act of Prohibition made formerly in _England_, that first ushered them into a Foreign Trade, their sole Dependance before that Time being on our Markets, and from hence they were supplied with what they wanted; but being thereby prohibited from bringing hither their Cattle and other Provisions, they endeavoured to find a Vent for them in other Markets, which they did with good Success, and to more Advantage; the Sweetness whereof gave a Spring to their Industry, and put them on the Woollen-Manufactures, which they also vended where they exported their Provisions, till in time it became so great and flourishing, as to give us Apprehensions it would endanger ours.

[Sidenote: Corn.]

As for Corn; foreign Markets are supplied therewith, both from thence, and from the Islands of the _Azores_, cheaper than the Rents of our Lands will admit; but our Plantations have still some Dependance on us for our Product, and as the Lands of _Ireland_ rise in their yearly Value, they will have more. We also raise considerable Quantities of Hemp and Flax, both which are useful in our Trade.

[Sidenote: Fruits.]

The other Fruits of the Earth, such as Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plumbs, together with the Herbs and Plants, serve rather for Food and Delight than for Trade: Some Cider we do export; also Spirits raised by the Distillers, both from some of these, and from Barly.

[Sidenote: Fish.]

On the Sea-Coast both of this Kingdom, and also of _Newfoundland_, and _New-England_, are caught great Store of Cod-Fish, Herrings, and Pilchards, which are saved, and sold in foreign Markets.

[Sidenote: Minerals.]

Nor is this all the Product of our Earth, whose Womb being big with Treasure, brings forth Lead, Tin, Copper, Calamy, Coal, Culm, Iron, Allom, Copperas, and sundry other Minerals, which are sold in foreign Markets, whither we send them: Besides a great Expectation we have from a much richer and more valuable Discovery, lately made in that Part of _Great-Britain_ called _Scotland_.

[Sidenote: Trees.]

Among the several Trees that adorn our Fields, the Oak, the Elm, and the Ash, are the chiefest; these not only serve in Building our Ships and Houses, but also furnish us with materials, wherewith our Artificers make many things fit for Commerce: And it were much to be wish’d, that better Care was taken to preserve our Timber, for the Benefit of Posterity.

[Sidenote: Manufactures.]

The third Part of our Inland Trade is our Manufactures, whereby our Products are improv’d in their Values and made useful in sundry Manners, both for our selves and others, by the labour of our People; and fitted for such Services, as of their own Natures, without the help of Art, they could not have been proper; and those to suit the Necessities and Fancies, both of our own, and also of foreign Countries to which we export them; where they yield a Price, not only according to the true value of the Materials and Labour, but an Overplus according to the Necessity and Humour of the Buyers: And this adds to the Profit, and encreases the Wealth of the Kingdom.

These Manufactures, as they employ Multitudes of our People in their Making, so also in Exporting them, and importing foreign Materials to be used with our own, such as Oyl, Dye-stuff, Silk, Wooll, Cotton, Barillia and many others, which are either manufactured here by themselves, or workt up with our own Product.

[Sidenote: Sheep's-Wool.]

And first to begin with Sheep’s-Wooll, whereof either by it self, or mixt with Silk or Linnen, we make Variety of pretty Things, fit for all Climates, and proper for the Wearing of both Sexes; wherein the Invention and Imitation of our Workmen have been so great, that they have out-done all that went before them. From a strong Cloth, fit to keep out Cold in Winter, they have turn’d their hands to a fine thin sort, which will scarce keep warm in Summer; from hence they fell on Perpets, Serges, Crapes, Stuffs, Sayes, Ratoons, Antherines, and many other Things, fit both for outward Garments, and inward Linings; of various Colours, Stripes, and Flowers, some of them so fine and pleasant, as scarce to be known from Silk: Besides those Multitudes of coarser Cloth for the Poor; also Rugs, Blankets, and all sorts of Furniture for Houses. And such a Progress have they made in these Manufactures, that a Man may have his Picture wrought at the Loom, with the same Exactness as if drawn with a Pencil; one Work-man vying to excell another, they make Things to answer all Occasions. And as for Arras and Tapestry, I believe it will be allowed, that they do not fall short of those from whom they first had the Art: Add to these, Hats, Stockings, and many other things, which are both worn at home, and exported abroad.

[Sidenote: Cotton-Wool.]

The next material for the Manufactures is Cotton Wool, which is now become a great Imployment for the poor, and so adds to the Wealth of the Kingdom; This being curiously pickt and spun, makes Dimities, Tapes, Stockings, Gloves, besides several things Wove fit for use, as Wastcoats, Pettycoats, and Drawers, of different Stripes and Finenss; and I doubt not the Workmen would equal the _East Indies_ for Callicoes, had they Encouragement; with all which we supply our Plantations and other foreign Markets, besides what serves for our Consumption at Home.

[Sidenote: Hemp and Flax.]

Hemp and Flax are the Grounds for another Manufacture; for tho’ Weaving of Linnen is not so much used in _South Britain_, as of Woollen, yet in _North Britain_ it is, and may be farther improved, not so much by Laws to direct the Workmen in their making it, as by apt Methods to encourage them; and even in _South Britain_ several Counties are imployed thereon, who not only supply themselves, but furnish those bordering on them, with such Cloth as answers the ends of _French_ Linnens: Besides which great Quantities of Ticking, of all Finesses, Incle, Tapes, Sacking, Girtwhip, and many other Things are made thereof; also Cordage, Twine, Netts, with Multitudes of other Manufactures, which imploy the Poor, and bring by their Exports Profit to the Nation; and I can not here omit Sail-cloth, wherein we have made a wonderful Progress in a little time, at the Charge and Expence of private Stocks, who deserve to be encouraged.

[Sidenote: Glass.]

Glass is a Manufacture brought to so great a Perfection, that it keeps many of our People at Work; and the Materials whereof it is made being generally our own, and in themselves of small Value, costs the Nation little, in comparison of what it formerly did, when we fetch’d it from _Venice_; the Noble Plate Glasses which we now make of all sorts, both for Houses and Coaches, do greatly set forth the Genius of our Workmen; besides the various Sorts of Utensils made for common use, fit for all the Occasions of a Family, which look almost as well as Silver, and it would be better for the Nation that they were more used in its stead; also the Glass for Windows, of different Beauties; and Glass Bottles; all which find a greater Vent both at Home and Abroad by their Cheapness.

[Sidenote: Earthen-Ware.]

And as for earthen Ware, the Progress we have made therein is such, as may give us Hopes, that Time will bring it to such a Perfection, as to equal if not exceed the _Dutch_.

[Sidenote: Silk.]

Silk is another Material for a great Manufacture; which being brought from abroad Raw, we here Twist, Dye, and Weave into different Goodnesses, both Plain, Striped, and Flowered, either by itself, or mixt with Gold and Silver; so Richly Brocaded, that we exceed those from whom we first had the Art; besides great Quantities of Ribbons, Silk Stockings, and other Things, not only to serve ourselves, but also to Export.

[Sidenote: Distilling.]

Distilling is an Art so exceedingly improved, that had it not met with discouraging Laws, ’twould by this Time have attained to a very great Heigth, and brings great Profit to the Nation; for next to making something out of nothing, is the making something that is Valuable out of what would otherwise be worth nothing; therefore this Art ought to have been handled charily, to have been trained up with a great deal of Gentleness, and not loaded with Taxes in its Infancy, by which Means we were like to discourage it in the beginning; however it hath still bore up under all the Weight laid upon it; ’twas a great mistake to appoint Measures by Act of Parliament to the Distillers in their Workings; Mens Knowledge encreases by Observation, and this is the Reason why one Age exceeds another in any Sort of Mistery, because they improve the Notions of those who went before them; Therefore confining the Distillers to Corn only, was an Error, (’Tis true, other Things were allowed to be used, but on such Terms and Restrictions, as were next to a Prohibition) who by degrees would have made Experiments on that themselves, using it with other Mixtures, and thereby drawing from it a cleaner Spirit than it doth of itself afford, which they might in Time have rectified to such a Fineness, as to have encreased very much its Use; no Kingdom can give more Encouragement to Distilling than this, whose Plantations being many, and well Peopled, where those Spirits are so necessary, and useful for the Inhabitants, and these depending wholly on us for all things, would have caused a Consumption of very great Quantities, besides what is used in our Navigation; we have many Materials of our own to work on, such as are Molosses, Cyder, Perry, Barley, and others, all which in Time they would have used; for as they found their Sales increased, they would have made new Essays; it was a very wrong Step, to discourage Distilling from Molosses, Scum, Tilts and Wash; an Error the _Dutch_, nor no Trading Nation, would have been guilty of, and proceeded from ill Advice given the Parliament, by those, who under Pretence of advancing Corn, design’d to discourage Distilling, only offered it by that handle they thought it would be best received in the House; Trade and Lands go hand in hand as to their Interest, if one Flourishes so will the other; Incourage Distilling, and it will spend Hundreds of Things now thrown away.

[Sidenote: Sugar-Baking.]

Refining of Sugars have given Imployment to our People, and added to their Value in foreign Markets, where we found great and profitable Sales, till the _Dutch_ and _French_ beat us out, occasioned by the Duty of 2 s. 4 d. _per Cent._ laid on Muscovado Sugars, 1 Jac. 2d. to be drawn back at Exportation, whereby they were wrought up abroad cheaper then they could be at home; but that Law being now expired, and the Parliament have since granted a draw back on refined Sugars when shipt out, hath very much helpt that Manufacture.

[Sidenote: Tobacco.]

Tobacco also hath imployed our Poor by cutting and Rowling it, both for a home Consumption, and also for Exportation; but the latter is lessen’d, as the Places, to which we used to export it, work it up themselves.

[Sidenote: Tanning.]

Tanning of Leather is an Employment which deserves to be encouraged, because it furnishes us with a Commodity, fit to be farther Manufactured at home, and also to be transported abroad; I know the Exportation of Leather hath been much opposed by the Shoemakers, and others who cut it at home, and represented as attended with ill Consequences, one whereof is the making it dear; but, would it not be of much worse to confine and limit that Employment to an Inland Expence? On the other side, would it not naturally follow, that when Leather rises to a great Price, the Exportation must cease, because _Ireland_ will undersell us? And would it not seem an unreasonable discouragement to Trade, if Tobacco, Sugar, and the Woollen Manufactures, were debarred from being exported, only because they should be sold cheaper at home? For suppose the Occasions of the Nation could not consume all the Leather that is made, to what a low Price must Hides be reduced, for no other Reason, but that the Shoemakers may get more by their Shoes; ’Tis true, if they could make out, that those Countries must then have their Shoes from us, where we now sell our Leather, I should be of their Minds; but it must needs be otherwise, seeing _Ireland_ is able to supply them; this proceeds from a very narrow Spirit, and such as ought not to be encouraged in a trading Nation; a good export for Leather, will cause a great Import of Raw-Hides, which will be more Advantage to the Nation, then if they were tann’d in _Ireland_, and sent abroad thence.

[Sidenote: Minerals.]

Nor can I omit the several Manufactures made of the sundry Mineral we dig, and render malleable, which would be endless to enumerate, _viz._ of Tin, Lead, Iron and Copper, wherewith we not only furnish enough for our own use, but supply our Plantations, and other Places Abroad, the Workmanship whereof adds much to their Value; and from the last of these we have of late made Brass and Battery; an undertaking begun by private Stocks, and carryed on without the help of a Patent for fourteen Years, and I am of Opinion, it would be much better for the Nation, if good Projections were rewarded some other way, and left open, to be improved by all who were willing to make Experiments at their own Charge; this in all Probability would be a more likely way to bring them to perfection, and in less Time, then to tye Men down like the Motions of a Clock, to be directed only by one leaden Weight; of this we have a late Instance in the Project of _Beech Oyl_, for if but one half of the Profit can be made thereby, that is set forth by the ingenious Patentee, in his Book written on that Subject, against which I see no Objection, if the Computations are rightly stated, I make no manner of doubt, but that private Stocks would before this Time have made a greater Progress therein, than hath been done by the present Undertakers, on the joint Stock; and therefore I think it would be very proper, where such Patents are granted, after some reasonable Time, to enquire into the Proceedings of the Patentees, least the Nation be deprived of the Advantages it expected to receive, by the granting those Patents.

[Sidenote: Clock-work.]

There are many other Things which may be, and daily are improved amongst us; as Clock-work, wherein we sell little but Art and Labour, the Materials whereof they are made being but of small Value; Watches and Clocks of great Prices being sold for the Courts of foreign Princes.

[Sidenote: Paper-Mills.] [Sidenote: Powder-Mills.] [Sidenote: Artificers.] [Sidenote: Methods to improve our Manufactures.]

Paper Mills are a Benefit to the Nation, as they make that Commodity from things of themselves worth little; so are Powder-Mills; also Handicrafts, who supply us with things for our own use, which must otherwise be had from abroad, and also with others, which when exported, are more or less profitable, as the Labour of our People adds to their Value, Things being cheaper to us when we pay only for the first Materials whereof they are made, the rest being Work done at Home, is divided amongst our selves; so that on the whole it appears to be the great Interest of this Kingdom to advance its Manufactures; and this I humbly conceive may be done these several Ways.

[Sidenote: By imploying the Poor.]

1. By providing Work-Houses for the Poor, and making good Laws, both to force and incourage them to work; But designing to speak larger to this in the Close of this Tract, I shall refer the Reader thereto.

[Sidenote: By freeing our Manufactures from Customs.]

2. By discharging all Customs payable on our Manufactures at their Exportation, and also in the Materials used in making them at their Importation; for as one would encourage the Merchants to send more abroad, so the other would enable the Manufacturers to afford them cheaper at home; and ’tis strange that a Nation, whose Wealth depends so much on its Manufactures, and whose Interest it is to out do all others, by underselling them in foreign Markets, should load either with Taxes; but there having been something done in this since my offering it to the Consideration of the Parliament in a former Discourse, both as to the woollen manufacture exported, and also to dye Stuffs imported, which hath evidently appeared to be an Advantage to our Trade, it may be reasonably hoped, that great Council of the Nation will make a farther Progress therein, when it shall come regularly before them; because the Exportation of all our Manufacturers ought to be encouraged, and not receive a check by any _Modus_ of raising Money, that so they may be rendred abroad on such Terms, as no other Nation may undersell us; this whole Kingdom being as one great Work-house, wherein if we keep our Poor imployed, they will advance the Value of our Lands, but if we do not, they will become a Load upon them.

[Sidenote: Logwood.]

And here I cannot but mention that of Logwood, a Commodity much used in Dying, which pays five Pounds _per_ Tun Custom when imported, and draws back three Pounds fifteen Shillings when shipt out again, by which means the dyers in _Holland_ use it so much cheaper then ours do here; now if it was imported Custom Free, and paid twenty five Shillings _per_ Tun at its Exportation, the Dyers there would use it so much dearer than ours; and I think it would be well worth Inquiry, whether a Prohibition, either total or in Part, of Shipping out our Manufacturers thither, and to the northern Kingdom, undy’d and undrest, might not be made, I am sure it would be a great Advantage to this Kingdom if it could be done, without running into greater Inconveniences; the _Dutch_ discourage their being brought in dyed or drest, that they may thereby give imployment to their own People, and encrease their Navigation by the Consumption of Dye-Stuff; the same Reason should prevail with us to dye and dress them at home; but this requires the due Consideration of a Committee of Trade, to hear what may be said both for and against it, before it be offered to the Parliament.

[Sidenote: By not importing things manufactur'd.]

3. By discouraging the Importation of Commodities already manufactured (unless purchased by our own, or by our Product) such as wrought Silks, Callicoes, Brandy, Glass, &c. and encouraging the bringing in the Materials whereof they are made, to be wrought up here; by which Means more Ships will be freighted, and more Sailors imploy’d, besides the great Advantage to the Nation in the Ballance of its Trade, which must be returned in Bullion, as those cost less abroad than the other; and this will enable us to afford a greater Consumption of foreign Commodities to please our Palates, such as Wine, Fruit, and the like, all which fill our Ships, and are fit Subjects for Trade, when they are purchased by our Product and Manufactures, and that the Profit of our Trade will enable the Nation to bear the Expence.

[Sidenote: By freeing our Manufactures from Excices.]

4. By freeing the Manufactures from burthensome Excises, which do much discourage small Stocks, who are not able to carry on their Trades, and make Provision for such great Payments, besides the Swarms of Officers, to whom We lay open the Houses of those Men, who deserve all the Encouragement we can give them, and ought to have things made as easy to them as may be; had they been laid on our Woollen Manufactures, as was once hastily proposed, we might have repented it at Leisure; Trade ought to be handled gently, we may tax the Trader without medling with his Trade; and he that considers the Expence of this Nation at Five Pounds _per_ Head (accounting only Eight Millions of People) comes to Forty Millions _per Annum_, and the Lands only to Twelve or Thirteen, which is more than they can be computed at by the Act of Four Shillings in the Pound, may see how much we are beholding to Trade.

[Sidenote: By rendring our foreign Trade safe and easy.] [Sidenote: Customs.] [Sidenote: Courts of Merchants.]

5. By securing the Merchants in their Trades, who export our Product and Manufactures, and making their Business, in relation to the Payment of their Customs, as easy to them as may be: To this End good Convoys should be provided in Time of War, and good Cruizers maintained to preserve their Ships, it being certain, that whatever is diminished out of the Merchants Stocks, doth so far disable them in their Trades, and consequently lessen their Exports; great Care should be taken, that the _Modus_ of their Entries at the Custom-House made as easy to them as might be, and a due Attendance given at the loading and discharging their Goods when the Customs are paid, so that they may be dispatched without Delay, and no unnecessary Remoras put in their Way, the Loss of one Tide being many times the overthrow of a Voyage; Courts of Merchants should be erected for the speedy deciding all Differences relating to Sea-Affairs, which are better ended by those who understand them, than they are in _Westminster-Hall_, where all things are tried by the nice Rules of Law, and therefore after much Attendance and Expence, are often referred by the Judges to such as are conversant in Trade; by this Means the Merchants would see short Ends to their Differences; but no General Rules can be given for these Courts, which must be settled, as they suit the Conveniencies of Trading Cities.

[Sidenote: By making the Banks more useful.]

6. By rendering the Bank of _England_ more applicable to the Encouragement of our Trade than now it is, which I cannot believe the Members of that Corporation will oppose, when it shall manifestly appear, not only to be the Interest of the Nation in General, but also their own. And I humbly conceive that it may be so directed, that every Subject in his particular Station, may receive a Benefit by it.

[Sidenote: Widows and Orphans.]