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 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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&'■ \WEI OF TRA 
 
 MEMOIR & 
 
 AND 
 
 CONSIDERATIONS 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 The Trade and Revenues of the 
 Britifi Colonies in AMERICA. 
 
 WITH 
 
 Proposals for rendering thofe Colon L: 
 more Beneficial to Great Britain. 
 
 By JOHN ASHLET Efq ; 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for C. Co r b e t t , Bookfeller and Publisher 
 at Addifon's Head m Fleetftreet ; E. Comyns, 
 under the Royal Exchange ; and J. J o l l i fk e , in 
 St. James's Street. 1 740. 
 
605^^ 
 

 PREFACE. 
 
 4 / HE feveral Memoirs which are 
 the SubjeSl of this 7reatife> are 
 approved or dijliked according to the 
 various Concerns or Interefi of thofe 
 to whom they have been communicated : 
 Some are of Opinion, that the taking 
 off feveral Reflri&ions contained in 
 the Law lately paffed for granting 
 Liberty to carry Sugar dire&ly from 
 the Sugar IJlands to foreign Markets, 
 is abfolutely fieceffary to enforce the 
 Operation of that Law; Others al- 
 ledge, that the illegal Importation of 
 foreign Sugar, Rum, and MolaJJes 
 A 2 into 
 
( iv ) 
 
 into BritifL Dominions, without paying 
 the Duties thofe Commodities are lia- 
 ble to by Law, and in fome Cafes 
 without paying any Duties at all, is 
 a heavy Grievance, and requires a 
 fpeedy Re?nedy ; and that a farther 
 Encouragement for the Confumption of 
 Rum i7i Great Britain will prove a 
 reciprocal Advantage to this Kingdom 
 and its Sugar Colonies : Some think the 
 Regulation of the Currency and Inter efi 
 of Money in the Colonies requires 
 the Attention of the Legifature ; 0- 
 thers would infift, that a farther eafmg 
 or taking off the Duty of 44 per Cent. 
 'would contribute a good deal towards 
 turning the Scale of the Sugar Tirade 
 in favour of the Britifh Nation. And 
 no doubt there are fome Opponents to 
 every Point, fince the Judgments of 
 Mankind are too often biajfed and 
 
 warpt, 
 
(V) 
 
 warpt, by Self-Intereft or Caprice, 
 in their Opinions on an Affair of this 
 Nature \ however, I fubmit the De- 
 termination of it to the Confederation 
 of thofe, whofe Candour and Impar- 
 tiality fets them above fuch groveling 
 and contrasted Views. It is, there- 
 fore, at the requeft of fever al eminent 
 Planters a?td Merchants, I have 
 ufhered every Part into the World, 
 in order to fhew how far the Bri- 
 tifh Legiflature have already ad- 
 vanced the general Intereft of our 
 American Colonies, and to lay afecond 
 Foimdation (if I may be allowed the 
 Expreffeon) for the farther Confedera- 
 tion of the fame Benevolent Spirits, 
 - who are always ready to fuccour and 
 fupport every Branch of his Majefeys 
 Dominions, fo far as is co?ifeftent with 
 the true hit er eft of the Whole. 
 
 As 
 
( Vi) 
 
 As the principal Motive that in- 
 duced me to turn my Thoughts on this 
 Topicky was to Jhew the many Ad- 
 vantages that arife to this Nation from 
 our American Colonies^ and how thofe 
 Advantages may> in my humble Opi- 
 nion y be Jlill increafed ; / jhall hope 
 fome Good may arife from this Publi- 
 cation^ and that it may prove ufeful 
 to all fair Traders^ Planters^ and 
 Others inter efied in Britifli America: 
 "This is the full Scope of my Defgn> and 
 Succefs in it the Height of my Ambi- 
 tion* 
 
 E R RA TA. 
 Page 9. Line 1 1 . dele your. 
 Fage 92. Line 21. for 2§ , read 2J-. 
 Page 131. Line 11. for Jewing, read fi curing. 
 
 Line 14. for Duty read Duties. 
 Page 139. Line 9. for Ricals read Rials. 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 AND 
 
 CONSIDERATIONS* 
 
 'Concerning the Trade and Revenues of 
 the Britifh Colonies in America, &c. 
 
 CHAP. L 
 
 IM and about the Year 1731, the planters 
 and other Inhabitants of the Sugar Iflahds, 
 obferving the dangerous Cif cum fiances of 
 the Britifo Sugar Colonies, from the vifible 
 Incrcafe of the French in their Plantations, fent 
 Home feveral Petition's and Reprefentations $ 
 and the Ifland of Barbadoes in particular ad- 
 drefs'd his Maieftv as follows, viz, 
 
 4 * 
 
 B 
 
 To 
 
t< 
 
 [ 2 ] 
 
 To the KING'S moft Excellent Majefty I 
 
 The humble Petition of the Planters, Tra-* 
 " ders, and other Inhabitants of your Ma~ 
 u jeflfs Jjland of Barbadoes, 
 
 " Humbly Jlcivcth, 
 
 ^pHAT this your Ifland of Barbadoes 
 was the firft fettled, and Mother of 
 a ail your Majefty's Sugar Colonies, and has 
 " for many Years paft been a very profitable 
 <c Colony to Great Britain, not only from 
 tc its Produce and Import of Sugar, Rum 3 
 < c Molaffes, Cotton, Ginger, and Aloes into 
 cc Great Britain, the taking off from thence 
 cc great Quanties of Woollen and other Ma- 
 il nufa£tures, and Goods that pay Duties to 
 " the Crown (which by means of the Barba- 
 " does Trade are not only confumed amongft 
 " the Inhabitants here, but are alfo exported 
 <c from Great Britain to Africa, Madeira j 
 " and the Northern Colonies, for the Pur- 
 €t chafe of Negroes, Wine, Fifh, and other 
 * c Goods for the Uie of this Ifland, and there- 
 cc by numberlefs Hands have been employ'd 
 " in your Majefty's Kingdoms and Territories, 
 * c and great Revenues have accrued, and do 
 
 ftill 
 
[3 1 
 " ftill continually accrue to the Crown) but 
 has alfo been a great Support to your Maje- 
 sty's Northern Colonies, and given a very 
 great and profitable Vent to their Fifhery 
 ic and other Produce, and alfo to the Produce 
 u of Ireland, befides employing in thofe feve- 
 " ral Trades 2[reat Numbers of Shipping and 
 kc Seamen, on which the Weak:, and Safely 
 " of the Eritijh Nation docs fo much depend 3 
 cc and after all leaves a cbnfiderable Balance in 
 u England, to the Benefit cf the National 
 " Stock. 
 
 " That within the] : few Years great Im- 
 cc provements have been made by the Dutch 
 <c and French in their Sugar Colonies, and 
 " great and extraordinary 7 '.i.couragements 
 " have been given to them not only from 
 < c their Mother Countries, but alfo from a 
 u pernicious Trade carr::d ca by them to and 
 <c from Ireland, and the Northern Br it [ft 
 4£ Colonies. And the French do now from the 
 <c Produce of their own Sugar Colonies, actual- 
 <c ly fupply with Sugar not only France it felf, 
 u but Spain alfo, and a great Part of Ireland, 
 u and the Britift Northern Colonies, and 
 " have to fpare for Holland, Germany, Italy, 
 H and. other Parts of Europe, And the French 
 B 2 <c and 
 
[4] 
 
 Cc and Dutch Colonies have lately fupplied the 
 u Northern Britt/h Colonies with very large 
 " Quantities of Molaffes for the making of 
 <* Rum and other Ufes, and even with Rum 
 <c of their own Manufacture, to the vaft Pre- 
 " judice of your Majefty's Sugar Colonies, as 
 <c Rum is a Commodity on which, next to Su- 
 " gar, they moftly depend, and they have in 
 (l Return (for fuch Sugar, Rum, and Molaffes) 
 " Shipping, Horfes, Boards, Staves, Hoops, 
 " Lumber, Timber for building, Fifh, Bread, 
 " Bacon, Corn, Flower, and other Plantation 
 " Neceflaries, at as eafy, or eafier Rates, than 
 c< your Majefty's Subjects of the Sugar Colo- 
 <c nies have. For the continual Supplies re- 
 < c ceived by the Dutch and French from the 
 " Northern Britifo Colonies, have enabled 
 " them to put on and maintain a great Num- 
 cc ber of Slaves on their Plantations, and to en- 
 " large their Sugar- Works, and make new 
 " Settlements in new fertile Soils ; and at the 
 " fame Time coft little, being now purchafed 
 " chiefly with Molaffes, which before this 
 "late Intercourfe between the foreign Colo- 
 " nies, and the Northern Britijh Colonies, 
 " were flung away as of no Value'. And 
 " thus the foreign Colonies are daily impro- 
 ving* 
 
t 5] 
 
 " ving, while your Majefty's Sugar Colonies 
 u are apparently declining 5 and inftead of fup- 
 cc plying, as they ufed to do, France and Hot- 
 Cf land with Sugar, they are now almoft con- 
 " fined to the Home Consumption in Great 
 u Britain, and are in a great Meafure exclu- 
 cc ded from the Kingdom of Ireland and the 
 " Northern Colonies ; who inftead of fending 
 " their Produce as ufual to your Majefty's Su- 
 cc gar Colonies, and taking Sugar and Rum in 
 <c Return, do now often fend it directly to 
 " the foreign Colonies in exchange for the 
 " Produce of thofe foreign Colonies : and when 
 " they do fend their Produce to the Britijh 
 " Sugar Colonies, they infill upon being paid 
 " for them in Cafli, which they export and 
 <c lay out among the foreign Colonies in the 
 " Purchafe of the very fame Goods that they 
 " formerly ufed to fupply themfelves with 
 cc from your Majefty's own Sugar Colonies, to 
 cc the enriching the foreign Colonies, and im- 
 " poverifhing your Majefty's. 
 
 u Your Petitioners humbly beg Leave ta 
 " lay before your Majefty, fome of the many 
 " Advantages the Subjects of foreign Powers 
 " have over your Majefty's Subjects of your 
 <c Sugar Colonies, as they have been well in- 
 JS form'd, 
 
 B 3 k 
 
I 6 ] 
 
 I. *'* The Ft crick and Dutch pay much lei* 
 f c Duties both at Home and in their Planta- 
 P tions, than your Majefty's Subjects do, 
 " whilft your Majeily's Subjects of this Iiland 
 cc are at a very great Expence to keep up their 
 (c Fortifications and maintain their Militia for 
 <c their Defence, (exclufive of the Duty of four 
 cc and a half per Cent, in Specie,, on all their 
 ic Exports) without any Charge to the Crown. 
 
 II. " The French Subjects of the Sugar 
 % \ Colonies are permitted to trade to the Spa- 
 f c nijh Iflands of Margueritta r Trim da do, and 
 ct Porto Rico, and alfo to carry their improved 
 " Sugar at a Duty of one per Cent, only, up- 
 5C on Exportation to any of the Spanifo Ports 
 cc in Europe, without firft importing them 
 < c into France, whilft your Majefty's Subjects 
 " are excluded from trading directly to any 
 cc of the Spanijh Ports, and are oblig'd to carry 
 cc their Sugar firft into Great Britain (after 
 iC paying a Duty of four and a half per Cent. 
 - £ in Specie here upon Exportation) before they 
 c .< can carry them any where elfe; and are 
 <;' obliged upon exporting them afterwards 
 cc from Great Britain, to leave in England a 
 < c Duty cf near two per Cent, and are put to ; 
 K the Rifque of a double Voyage, befides the 
 
 << Charge 
 
[73 
 
 ?c Charge of it, which amounts to above twen*- 
 cc ty per Cent. more. 
 
 III. " Your Majefty's Subje&s of this 
 * c Ifland pay upwards of ten per Cent, more 
 iC than the French and Dutch do, for what 
 ■" Sugar is carried to your Majefty's Northern 
 " Colonies, and confumed there ; by which 
 cC means thefe Colonies are moftly fupplicd 
 " with foreign Sugar, to the Prejudice of the 
 cc Plantation-Duties, being Part of the Ag- 
 cc gregate Fund, which might otherwife be 
 " greatly increafed. And altho' the French and 
 " Dutch Subjects of the Sugar Colonies do fo 
 11 vend their Sugar as well as their Rum and 
 €C Molaffes, to the Northern Britijb Colonies, 
 < c yet your Majefty's Subjects of the Sugar Co- 
 " lonies are restrained from vending their 
 cc Produce to any of the French or Dutch 
 cc Colonies, and at the lame Time your Ma- 
 " jefty's Subjects of the Northern Colonies and 
 " Ireland have that Advantage. 
 
 IV. " The French Subjects do actually fend 
 " great Quantities of Sugar and other Goods 
 " directly to Ireland^ without firft importing 
 €C them to Great Britain^ and paying a Duty 
 " there to your Majefty, which your Majefty's 
 £ Subjects of the Sugar Colonies are oblig'd to 
 
 B 4 " do, 
 
" do, and they are fupplied with Beef and g- 
 " ther Provifions diredlly from Ireland^ on as 
 " eafy Terms as your Majefty's Subje&s are. 
 
 "These, may it pleafe your Majefty, are 
 C{ fome of the many Advantages the Inhabi- 
 cc tants of the foreign Sugar-Colonies have over 
 <c your Majefty's Subjects of your Sugar-Colo- 
 cc nies, who have already fuffered very much, 
 <c and mull inevitably be undone thereby, unlets 
 cc your Majefty will in your great goodnefs in- 
 V iterpofe, and fave them, from the Ruin now 
 cc impending over them, which your Petitio- 
 ct ners humbly conceive may be effected, if 
 ^ c Order be taken to prevent any Sugar, Rum,, 
 " or Molaffes of the Growth, Produce, and 
 ct Manufacture of foreign plantations or Co- 
 " lonies, from being imported into Ireland^ 
 " or any of the Britifo Plantations, or Co- 
 m lonies in America, until they have firft been 
 cc imported into Great Britain, and paid fuch 
 <w Duties there to your Majefty, as thofe Com- 
 C£ modities are now liable to ; or that your Ma- 
 Ck jefty's Subjecls of your Sugar Colonies may 
 « have the like Advantages in theie Branches 
 *1 of Commerce, as the Subjects of fbreigu 
 ci Powers now actually have. 
 
 "Your 
 
[9l 
 
 f c Your Petitioners wholly depend, under 
 c< God, on your Majefty's confummate 
 " Wifdom, fovereign Power, and pater- 
 c< naj Care, and humbly pray your Ma- 
 " jefty will be gracioufiy pleafed to take 
 <c the Premifes into Confideration, and 
 " grant to your Petitioners fuch Relief 
 <c therein, as your Majefty fhall judge the 
 Ci Nature of your Petitioners Cafe to re- 
 H quire. 
 
 " And your Your Petitioners jliall 
 " ever pray, &c. 
 
 f You will obferve by this Petition the ma- 
 ny Difadvantages our Sugar Trade then la- 
 boured under, and the many Encouragements 
 the Inhabitants of foreign Sugar Colonies then 
 had over the Planters of our Sugar Colonies, 
 fince which time many Regulations have been 
 made, conformable to the feveral Complaints 
 laid before his Majefty by the faid Petition. 
 
 I. The Collection and Management of 
 ^he four and a half per Cent. Duty has been 
 fince regulated and eafed, to the Benefit of 
 the Planters and Fair Traders, altho' perhaps 
 pot fo to fome illicit Traders, and others con- 
 cerned in that Revenue, 
 
 II 
 I 
 
[ ">] 
 
 II. The Duty of about two per Cent, left 
 to the Crown upon Re-exportation of Sugar 
 is given up and all drawn back, and two Shil- 
 lings per C wt. Bounty is added to the four 
 Shillings which makes in all a Bounty of 6 Shil- 
 lings/^ C wt. upon the Re-exportation of re** 
 fined Sugar from Great Britain. 6 Geo. II, 
 cap. 13. SeSl. 10. 
 
 III. Liberty hath been granted to im- 
 port Rum, with other unenumerated Goods 
 of our Plantation Produce, directly into Ire- 
 land. 4, 5 Geo. II. 
 
 IV. Foreign Sugar, Rum and Molaffes 
 are totally prohibited from being imported in- 
 to Ireland, unlefs fhipp'd in Great Britain in 
 Ships legally navigated. 6 Geo. II. cap. 13. 
 SeB. 4. 
 
 V. A high Duty is laid upon all foreign 
 Sugar, Pvum, and Molaffes, imported into any 
 of our Northern as well as Southern Colonies 
 in America. 6 Geo. II. cap. 13. Sec7. 1, 2. 
 
 VI. Liberty is granted to carry all Sa. 
 gars directly from our Plantations not only to 
 Spain, but alfo to all the foreign Ports of Eu- 
 rope. 1 2 Geo. II. 
 
 S o that the Intention of this Petition feems 
 
 to be anfwered, faying what relates to a 
 
 Trade 
 
t " ] 
 
 Trade with the Spaniards, which the Affien- 
 to Con trad: hath hitherto obftrudted. 
 
 And befides all this, for the Encourage- 
 ment of the Growth of Coffee in the Plan- 
 tations, the Duty on Importation here is fix 
 Pence per Pound lefs, than for Coffee of Fo- 
 reign Growth. 5 Geo. II. cap. 24. 
 
 These Advantages and Amendments in 
 pur Sugar-Trade are apparently owing to pro- 
 per Reprefentations to the Throne, and to the 
 favourable Afiiftance of the Auditor-General 
 pf the Plantations, and the Readinefs of other 
 of our worthy Patriots, to make the Sugar 
 Colonies fome Part of their Care, and to lay 
 their Grievances before his moft Sacred Ma- 
 jefty, who has thereupon (hewn frefh Inilan- 
 ces of his Paternal Care of his remoteft Subjects. 
 
 And fince the real Advantages of our A- 
 merican Plantations to their Mother- Country, 
 are now fo univerfally known, furely too 
 much cannot be offer'd for to valuable a 
 Branch of the BritiJJo Dominions, on which 
 the Wealth and Naval Power of Great Bri- 
 tain does in great Meafure depend. Where- 
 fore I {hall, to the beft of my Capacity, fet 
 forth what I humbly apprehend may be flill 
 requifite to give the Britijk Subjects an Ad- 
 vantage 
 
[ '2 ] 
 
 vantage over Foreigners in the American 
 Trade, and thereby render our Colonies more 
 beneficial to their Mother-Country, which I 
 will endeavour to do by offering my Senti- 
 ments on the following Subjects, viz. 
 
 I. On the Act granting Liberty to carry 
 Sugars from our Plantations directly to foreign 
 Markets, with fome Comparifons between the 
 Englift and French in regard to the Trade 
 of the Sugar-Iflands in America. 
 
 II. The evading the Payment of the Du- 
 ties upon foreign Sugar, Rum, and Molafles 
 imported into Britijh Dominions. \ 
 
 III. The Confumption of Rum in Great 
 Britain and Ireland. 
 
 IV. The Regulation of Money through- 
 out all his Majefty's Colonies in America. 
 
 V. On Intereft upon Money in Colonies. 
 
 VI. The Duty of four and a half per Cenf< 
 paid in Barbados and the Leeward IJlands. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
[ i3 ] 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 On the Adi granting Liberty for carrying 
 Sugar from the Britifh Sugar Plantations 
 direftly to foreign Market s y with feme Com- 
 parifons between the French and Englifh 
 in regard to the Trade of the Sugar Jflands 
 in America. 
 
 DURING the laft Sefiion of Parliament 
 the Planters, Merchants and others, in- 
 terefted in and trading to his Majefty's Sugar 
 Colonies in America,, laid their humble Peti- 
 tion and Reprefentation before the Honourable 
 the Houfe of Commons, fetting forth the ma- 
 ny Difficulties they laboured under, in regard 
 to the Sugar-Trade. In purfuance of the faid 
 Petition, a Bill was brought into the Houfe 
 for granting Liberty to carry Sugar directly 
 to foreign Markets : The Cafe in the Appen- 
 dix, marked (N Q i. ) was printed; and the 
 faid Bill paffed into a Law, entitled, An Acl> 
 
I Hi 
 
 &c. An Abridgment of which is alio in the 
 Appendix, mark'd (N° 2.) 
 
 But there are feveral Reftrictions contained 
 in this Act, which it is apprehended will in 
 great Meafure baulk the Operation of it ; 
 wherefore I (hall mention a few that (in my 
 humble Opinion) may be worthy of imme- 
 diate Con fi deration. 
 
 I. Excluding Ships built in our Ame- 
 rican Plantations. 
 
 II. Taking out Licences in Great Bri- 
 tain only. 
 
 III. All Owners of Ships in this Trade to 
 refide in Great Britain, or the Sugar Iflands. 
 
 IV. All Ships bound to the Nothern Ports 
 of Europe, to touch and enter at fome Port 
 in Great Britain in their way to fuch Nor- 
 thern Ports. 
 
 These Reftrictions at the Time of paffing 
 the Act, were thought by fome of our worthy 
 Patriots to be of no Ufe, but rather a Preju- 
 dice to the Britifi Trade in general, and to 
 the Intention of this Law in particular. But 
 as they were laid hold of by feveral Oppo- 
 nents, who apprehended, and perhaps with- 
 out any juft Grounds, that their feveral In- 
 tereits might fome how or other be affected 
 
[ 15] 
 
 by fo great a Change in fo confiderable a 
 Branch of Commerce, it was thought beft to 
 let them ftand for a while, rather than to 
 rifque the whole. But as our Laws are not 
 like thofe of the Medes and Perjians, unalter- 
 able, this Law may receive fuch Changes, as 
 may appear for the general Good of Great 
 Britain, as well as for the Benefit of our 
 Plantations in America ; to which end I ihall 
 give my Sentiments diftindtly upon the faid 
 Reftri&ions. 
 
 RESTRICTION I. 
 
 Excluding Ships built in our American 
 
 Plantations. 
 To weigh this Point rightly, it will be pro- 
 per to confider thac thefe Plantation Ships are 
 built and fitted chiefly with Woollen, Linnen, 
 Leather, Iron, and other Produce and Manu- 
 factures of Great Britain, and fuch Ships are 
 the principal Returns of fuch Goods fent to 
 that Part of the World, dire&ly from Great 
 Britain, or of fuch as are, by a Circulation of 
 Trade, bought of other Countries with our 
 Produce and Manufactures. The Materials for 
 Cables and Sails, and great Part of the Iron 
 
 Work 
 
[16] 
 
 Work and other Materials, are lent from 
 Great Britain ; and the Hull and Mafts are.; 
 by means of this Trade, taken out of thofe 
 American Forefts; and exchanged for thofe 
 Goods, and thereby raife Money to pay for 
 fuch Produce and Manufactures, And mould 
 thefe Plantation-built Ships be difcouraged in 
 other Branches of Trade, as they are in this 
 one Inftance, Freight would be fo dear as to 
 lole the Britijfj Nation, one of the greateft 
 Advantages it now has over its greateft Rivals 
 
 In Trade. A low Freight -> and from the 
 
 great Traffick Great Britain now has, they 
 mud, in fuch Cafe, be compelled to buy Ma- 
 terials for building Ships of Foreigners, and for 
 Cafh inftead of Britijh Goods, to the enrich- 
 ing of Foreigners, and the Difcourag^ment of 
 all our American Colonies, as well as the Ex- 
 portation of Britijh Products. And it was< 
 obferved when the Bill for the direct Exporta- 
 tion of Sugars was under Confideration of the; 
 Parliament laft Year, that the refitting and fi- 
 nifhing Plantation Ships upon their firft Arri- 
 val into Great Britain, often gives as much 
 Advantage to the Shipwrights as the building 
 of new Ships, 
 
 The 
 
[ if ] 
 
 Th£ French take the Benefit b£ our Plan- 
 tation-built Ships to carry their Sugar direct- 
 ly to Spain> and often pay for fuch Ships in 
 Sugar, Rum and Molafles of their own Plan- 
 tation Growth, fo that they have in this In- 
 ftance an Indulgence that we are by this 
 Adl debar 'd from. The Province of Caroli- 
 na has this Advantage, without which the Ex- 
 portation of Rice diredly to foreign Markets 
 could not be carried on, and confequently 
 there would be a Reftraint upon the Raifing 
 of Rice in Carolina , and alfo upon the Export 
 tation of Goods from Great Britain, to raife 
 that Rice as well as the Plantation-built Ships 
 now ufed in this beneficial Trade, which re- 
 turns to Great Britain at leaft 80,000/. 
 Sterling per Annum, including Freight and 
 Commiffions, and the like may be faid in regard 
 to the Fifh Trade carried on from New Eng- 
 land, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, which 
 employs great Numbers of Ships and Seamen, 
 and returns to Great Britain at lead 300,000 /. 
 Sterling per Ann. beiides Freight. And no doubt 
 but the Liberty of a direct Exportation of Su- 
 gar, to be eafed as much as poffible from all 
 Reftri&ions and Obftrudtions, would foon re- 
 turn to Great Britain as much as the Rice 
 and Fifh put together, according to the fol- 
 
 C 
 
[i8] 
 
 lowing Computations on thofe three Commo- 
 dities. 
 
 RlC E. 
 
 The Province of Carolina has increased to 
 that Degree, as to be capable of exporting in a 
 good Year 80,000 Barrels of Rice, each Barrel 
 containing about 400 weight. Upon a Me- 
 dium of feven Years it is computed they may 
 make 50,000 Barrels per Annum. 
 10,000 of which may be computed to goto 
 
 the South of Cape Finijlerre. 
 38,000 to foreign Ports to the North of 
 Cape Finijlerre, and 
 2,000 may be confumed in Great Britain 
 and Ireland. 
 
 50,000 
 
 This Quantity of Rice will employ about 
 10,000 Tuns of Shipping, and 900 Sailors, and 
 may return to Great Britain about 80,000 /. 
 Sterling^* Annum. 
 
 Fish. 
 
 From Newfoundland \ New England, and 
 Nova Scotia, there are about 300 Sail of 
 Ships, great and fmall, or about 30,000 Tuns 
 of Shipping, employ'd annually in carrying 
 Fifh to Portugal, Spain and Italy, which em- 
 ploy 
 
ploy about 2700 Seamen, and may, by a Cifr» 
 culation of Trade, return to Great Britain a- 
 bout 260,000/. Sterling per Annum, in this 
 Article of Fifh, befides Train-Oil and Whale* 
 bone, of which there may be imported into 
 Great Britain to the Value of 40,000 /. per 
 Ann, and upwards. And it is computed that 
 about two thirds of all thefe Advantages arife 
 from the Fimery of Newfoundland only. 
 
 Sugar. 
 
 It is computed there is the Quantity of 
 about 80,000 Eriglifo Hogfheads of Sugar im- 
 ported into Germany, Holland, the Baltick, 
 Spain, Italy, and Turky per Am* (exclufive of 
 what is imported into Holland and Spain from 
 their own Plantations) which Quantity may 
 employ about 40,000 Tuns of Shipping, and 
 3600 Seamen, only to bring it to Europe, and 
 amounts in Value to 1,000,000 /. Sterling^ 
 Ann. computing at 12 /. id j. per Hogmead, 
 Freight and Commiffions included. 
 
 And it is computed that the abovemen- 
 tioned Quantity of Sugar is imported into the 
 undermentioned Places, viz* 
 
 C £ m 
 
 am* 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 EngltJM* 
 
 Hamburg, Bremen, and other Ports 1 
 
 c n t 30,000 
 
 or Germany — — - J 
 
 Bell and — — — 30,000 
 
 Petersburg, Danizick, and other 7 
 
 Ports in the Baltick — \ 
 
 Cadiz, and other Ports in Spain 5>°°o 
 
 Genoa, Leghorn, Naples and Mefjirta 8,0(301 
 
 Venice, and other Ports in the Afc- 7 
 
 ' C 4,000 
 
 diterranean — * — 3 
 
 80,000 
 The Britifi Nation had once a good 
 * Share of this Sugar Trade, but now have 
 none of it. And what Part they are to re- 
 gain, will depend upon taking off the Reftric- 
 tions we are now treating of, and granting all 
 reafonable Encouragements that can poffibly be 
 given, to enable the Britifo Subjc<fts to fell 
 cheaper than their Rivals at Foreign Markets. 
 
 Qjmck Intelligence of Markets is a Spring 
 to Trade ; but what would it avail, as the 
 Cafe now (lands, to hear at any of the Sugar 
 Inlands, that the Price of Sugars vvas raifed at 
 any European Market, while twenty or thirty 
 Ships were lying in their Harbours, and per- 
 haps 
 * Vide, Cafe of the Sugar Colonies in the Appendix 
 
[21 J 
 
 haps not one with a Licence previoufly taken 
 out in Great Britain, fince there is no Provi- 
 fion that a Licence can be taken out there, 
 even if the Ships are Brttifh built, and duly 
 qualified in every other refpedl : But fuppofe 
 there fljould be a Ship or two qualified upon 
 the Arrival q£ fuch Intelligence, would they 
 not naturally demand a Freight that would e- 
 qual, or exceed a French Freight for the like 
 Voyage, and fo give the French an Advan- 
 tage over us in this Inftance alfo that we might 
 otherwife have over them ? Fpr in cafe Ships 
 were to be licenfed in the Plantations, and Plan- 
 tation-built Ships permitted to carry Sugar to 
 foreign Markets, there would of courfe be 
 fome Ships, as well Britijh built as Plantation 
 built, that for want of a Freight for Great 
 Britain, would readily take in a Freight of 
 Sugars for any other Part of Europe at one or 
 two Shillings per Hundr. cheaper than can le 
 expecled by any Ships under the prefent Rl? 
 ftriftions, and fuch Ships may go with lefs, and 
 more fuitable Quantities, than Ships that go 
 from Great Britain direclly, on account of 
 this Exportation Trade. And fince it appeared 
 before the Parliament the laft Seffion, that the 
 French did not underfell us above a Shilling or 
 
 ® 3 eighteen 
 
[ w ] 
 
 eighteen Pence per Hundred, while they were 
 running away with this Trade ; this faving in 
 the Freight alone * would go near to enable us 
 to underfill them, efpecially if the Ships in this 
 Sugar Trade had the fame -f Encouragements 
 as the Ships that carry Fifh to the Mediter- 
 ranean Sea, who have the fame Privileges 
 as the Ships that are commonly called Aff 
 Skips, and thereby receive an additional 
 Encouragement in their Freights from the 
 Mediterranean to Great Britain. And befides, 
 fuch Plantation Ships will bring in a conftant 
 Supply of able Seamen at their Arrival in Great 
 Britain. Upon all which, it is fubmitted 
 whether Ships built in our Plantations mould 
 not have the fame Privileges in this Branch of 
 Trade, as they have in any other Branch of 
 Commerce belonging to Great Britain^ ejpe- 
 cially when it is to regain a loft Tirade ? 
 
 I have heard fome People exclaim againft 
 Tome of the Northern Colonies, and look up- 
 0:1 them as Rivals to. their Mother Country, 
 and particularly in regard to this Article of 
 Shipping, and fupplying Europe with Rice and 
 Corn. This Notion feems to me to be ill 
 
 grounded, 
 
 9 l r <Je Calculation, Pag. 32. 
 
 \ Vide 14 Car. II. cap. 1 1. Se&. 35, 36. and 2fo* 
 
 trad, in Appendix (N Q 4,1 
 
[ 23 ] 
 
 grounded, for if Ships were retrained from 
 being built in thoie American Parts, what an 
 immenfe Quantity of Cadi would go out of 
 this Kingdom, to purchafe Ships as well as 
 Materials for Building, at Norway and other 
 foreign Countries, fmce it is a received Opi- 
 nion that there is not Timber enough in Eng- 
 land, at a convenient Diftance, to anfwer the 
 Demands of the BritiJJj Navigation, without 
 great Prejudice to his Majefly's Navy. And 
 what a Stagnation would there be to the Vent 
 of almoft all Sorts of BritiJJj Produce and Ma- 
 nufactures, which now go to thoie American 
 Colonies, to build Ships, and to carry on the 
 many Branches of Trade that arife from our 
 Plantations, and bring home to Great Britain 
 fuch vaft Quantities of Sugar, Tobacco, Ship- 
 ping, Naval Stores, Rice, Rum, Furs and Train- 
 Oil, befides Ginger, Cotton, Indigo, Piemen- 
 to, Cocoa, Coffee, Aloes, Dying- Wood, and 
 other American Products ? And by a Cir- 
 culation of Trade a conliderable Ballance is 
 thereby brought home to the national Stock 
 from feveral Countries of Europe, whereby 
 we receive no fmall Share of the Products of 
 the Mines of Brazil^ Peru and Mexico : The 
 flaurifhing State of this grand Commerce, and 
 C 4 the 
 
t ?4] 
 
 the Revenues arifing therefrom, are in no 
 fmall Degree owing to a low Freight y occa* 
 Jioned chiefly from our building Ships fo cheap, 
 in our American Plantations. 
 
 It is well known that the Price of Corn 
 has not decreafed in Great Britain, upon 
 account of the Increafe of thofe American Com 
 Countries : And fhould thofe induftrious Peo- 
 ple be difcouraged, and decline improving thofe 
 Colonies, the French and other Foreigners 
 would foon ftand in their ftead, and be the 
 only Gainers thereby. And fince the French 
 ilruggle fo hard to gather Strength in Ameri- 
 ca, furely it is the true Intereft of Great Bri-? 
 tain to do fo too, and to encourage and nou- 
 rifh its Northern as well as Southern Colonies, 
 fo that one Part may be dependant on ano-? 
 ther, and every Part contribute to the Sup- 
 port of the whole, fpr the real Benefit of their 
 Mother Country. 
 
 The Northern Colonies are a great Sup-* 
 port to the naval Power of Great Britain, and 
 affift in great Meafure in giving us a Superio- 
 rity at Sea over all other Nations in the World ; 
 They add largely to our Trade and Navigation 
 ;he Nurfery of Seamen , the Indulgence given, 
 them by granting a Bounty upon the Impor- 
 tation 
 
tation of Pitch, Tar and Turpentine, has an- 
 fwered the Intention, as they have thereby 
 brought the Prices of thofe Commodities from 
 upwards of 50 s. per Barrel, down to 10 ilper 
 Barrel and under j which is attended with this 
 further Convenience, that it aids them in 
 making Returns for the immenfe Quantity of 
 Goods that are exported from Great Britain 
 to thofe Colonies, and it alfo prevents five 
 times the Value thereof from going out of the 
 Jtingdom in Cafli to Sweden, and other Fo- 
 reign Countries. And they alfo fupply the 
 King's Yards with great Quantities of Marts, 
 Yards and Bowfprits, inftead of thofe of fo- 
 reign Growth, and may in Time, with pro- 
 per Encouragement, do the like in regard to 
 Hemp and Iron, and even with this further 
 Advantage, that Britijh Produce and Main 1 - 
 fa&ures will purchafe what is of the Produce 
 of our own Plantations, and Cam chiefly muft 
 £0 to purchafe what is of the Produce of 
 foreign Countries. 
 
 Since therefore it is evident that our A- 
 merican Colonies^ with proper Encouragement, 
 can be made fo very beneficial to Great Bri- 
 tain in regard to its Trade and Navigation, 
 what Advantages may not alfo be drawn from 
 
 thofe 
 
[26] 
 
 thole Colonies in cafe of a War with France 
 or Spain ? A Squadron of Britijh Ships of 
 War to touch at one or more of the moft po- 
 pulous of thofe Northern Plantations, and take 
 under their Convoy fome thoufands of brave 
 Men, properly encouraged with certain Pay 
 and Hopes of Plunder, would fhake the Do- 
 minions of thofe Foreigners in America, and 
 turn the Balance of Power in that Part of the 
 World in favour of the Britifo Nation. 
 
 RESTRICTION II. 
 
 To take out Licences in Great Britain only. 
 
 Before the Shipping of any Sugar, or o«* 
 ther enumerated Goods in the Plantations, it 
 has been ufual, in purfuance of the * Acts of 
 Trade, to give Bonds in the Plantations or in 
 Great Britain, not to carry fuch Goods to. 
 any other Places, than to fuch as are by thofe 
 Acts limited and appointed : The like to be 
 done in regard to thefe Licences, as to their 
 
 being 
 
 * 12 Car. II. cap. 18. Seel. 19. 
 
 22 Car. II. cap. 26. Seel. 11. 
 
 The firft of thefe Ads limited the Bonds to be taken 
 in Great Britain only. The kft permitted them to be 
 taken in the Plantations by the Governours there. Vidz 
 Extraft, in the Appendix (N? 4.) 
 
being granted in the Plantations as well as in 
 Great Britain, would in fome Meafure take 
 off the Inconveniences mentioned in the fore- 
 going Article, and could not be attended with 
 any manner of Inconveniency -, but on the other 
 hand, it would give the Britijh Planters and 
 Merchants, a better Opportunity to fend their 
 Sugar to the befl Markets, as foon as they hear 
 they may gain an Advantage by fending any 
 thither. And two or three Months Charge, or 
 Hire of a Ship, to go dire&ly from Great 
 Britain to take in her Loading at the Sugar 
 Iflands, may in fome Cafes be thereby faved, 
 which in all Probability would amount to as 
 much as may be efteemed a reafonable Profit 
 upon the whole Voyage. And the Freight, 
 by means of taking out Licences as here pro- 
 pofed, could be afforded at leaft * one Shilling 
 per Hundred cheaper than by any Ship that 
 is obliged to take out a Licence in, and to pro- 
 ceed directly from Great Britain, without an 
 outward-bound Freight. But the Cafe may 
 be otherwife where any Ship mall have a fuf- 
 ficient Freight from Great Britain or from 
 Ireland, Madeira, Guinea, or elfewhere, in 
 their way to the Sugar Iflands. 
 
 RE- 
 
 * Vide Pag. 32. 
 
[28 ] 
 
 RESTRICTION III. 
 
 All Owners of Ships to refide in Great Britaii* 
 or the Sugar IJlands. 
 
 No Britijh Subjects, let them refide in any 
 Part of the World, are debarred from being 
 Owners of Ships by anyAfts of Trade, except by 
 this one Aft, and this Trade certainly requires 
 the contrary as much^ or more, than any ope 
 Branch of Trade at all : For the principal Part 
 of our Shipping-Trade is ufually carried on ift 
 Partnerfhip, by Perfons who have other Views 
 of Gain than barely the Profits of Shipping, 
 which is often a lofing Trade. A BritiJJo 
 Faftor at Hamburg, Leghorn, or any other 
 Port of Europe, would join wkh Merchants 
 and Planters in Great Britain, Ireland, and our 
 Colonies, and become Joint-Owners of Ship? 
 with a View of Difpatch, the Life of the 
 Shipping Trade. The Merchants would be 
 concerned with a View of Commiffions, an4 
 the Planters View would be to encourage a 
 foreign Confumption; and I think I may 
 venture to fay, that this is the firft Inftance of 
 Briiifi Subjefts being debarr'd from promo^ 
 
 ting 
 
[29] 
 
 ting and encouraging the Britijh Trade and 
 Navigation* 
 
 RESTRICTION IV. 
 
 All Ships bound to the Northern Part of Eu- 
 rope, to touch and enter at Jome Port in 
 Great Britain in their Way to fuch Foreign 
 Ports, 
 
 This at firft View appears to be convenient 
 from the Situation of Great Britain in the 
 diredt Way to all the Northern Ports, where 
 we may probably fend Sugar, and no doubt 
 many Ships will touch without any Compul- 
 fion, efpecially in the Summer Months, for 
 Intelligence and Orders. And fome People 
 may think it neceflary to guard againft car- 
 rying on an illicit Trade ; but it appears to me 
 that fufiicient Care is taken to prevent that in 
 this A<5t, as well as in other Afts of Trade : 
 And fince every Ship is obliged within eight 
 Months after the Delivery of her Cargo at 
 foreign Markets, to return co Great Britain, 
 and there unload what me fhall have on 
 Board, I fee no Giufe why the like Liberty 
 may not be given to Ships bound to the Nor- 
 thern, as well as Southern Ports of Europe. 
 
 And 
 
[3*1 
 
 And Instances may happen to make this Re- 
 striction of very ill Confequence, efpecially in 
 the Cafes of War, bad Weather, and contrary 
 Winds. 
 
 In War, Ships mull run into fome Port to 
 deliver a Manifeft, and perhaps up the Chan- 
 nel, and be in Danger of being taken by their 
 Enemies 5 which may be avoided by going 
 North about Scotla?id in their Way to the Bah 
 tick, Hamburgh, or Holland. 
 
 In bad Weather, the Ships may proceed to 
 foreign Ports with a fair Wind that may be 
 contrary as to their touching, and prove dan- 
 gerous while they are beating up and endea- 
 vouring to get into a Britifi Port, only to de- 
 liver a Manifeft of her Cargo. 
 
 The Ship may be no fooner in Port, but 
 the Wind may prove as contrary as it was fair 
 before, and thereby detain her many Weeks 
 for a Wind at a large Expence, and perhaps 
 to the Lofs of a good Market, in cafe the 
 Ship (hould be preferved. 
 
 1 will now fay a few Words on the Advan- 
 tages that may in all probability attend the 
 direct Exportation of Sugar to foreign Mar- 
 kets, and fhall point out the Difference, in 
 
 fom@ 
 
If*] 
 
 fome few Inftances, between the French and 
 Englijh, in regard to their Sugar Trade. 
 
 A low Freight, eafy Supply of Negroes and 
 other Plantation NecefTaries, and a Vent of 
 Rum and MolafTes, is what are accounted the 
 three principal natural Advantages of the B'rt* 
 tijh Sugar Trade : Thefe three Articles to be 
 nourifh'd and fupported with what elfe is here- 
 in propofed, would foon enable the Britifo 
 Subje&s to bring BritiJJ: Sugar to the Euro- 
 pean Markets eafier and cheaper than any Fo- 
 reigner whatever. 
 
 But the French have lowered their Freight 
 for Sugar within thefe few Years from ten 
 and twelve Shillings, to five and fix Shillings 
 per Hundred, chiefly by means of Ships built 
 in our Plantations, and the Increafe of their 
 Navigation 5 and they have of late Years 
 pufh'd on their Negro Trade from Africa 
 with the utmoft Vigour - } and they do not 
 content themfelves with Ships built in our 
 Plantations, but have large Supplies of Planta- 
 tion NecefTaries alfo from thence, in Exchange 
 for their MolafTes and other Commodities*, and 
 thereby fhare largely in thefe natural Advan- 
 tages of the Britifo Planters : whereby they 
 
 can 
 
 * fcb Barbados Petition, Chap, 1. 
 
[32] 
 
 can afford Sugar near one third cheapen thaft 
 they could, when they flung away their Mo- 
 lafles for want of a Britijh Vent. 
 
 However, as their Freight and Supplies 
 of Negroes are ftill dearer than thofe of the 
 Britijh Subject, their Price of Sugar, efpe- 
 daily their coarfer Sort, is kept down very 
 low in their Plantations, which compels their 
 poorer Sort of Planters to live extreme low, 
 and this whilft the Britijh Subject fold with 
 the French at foreign Markets under the Load 
 of a double Voyage, being from twenty to 
 eighty per Cent, as explained in the * Cafe of 
 the Britijh Sugar Colonies. Now as it is ap-* 
 parent that this direct Exportation alone will 
 enable the Britijh Subjects to afford their Su- 
 gar at the feveral foreign Ports of Europe at 
 leati two or three Shillings per Hundr. cheaper 
 -f than they did in the ufual way of Trade 
 
 before 
 
 * Fide Appendix (N° I.) 
 
 f 26 per Cent, faved on 11 j. 6d. the neat Value of 
 I Hund. of Sugar to fell in London at 20 s» per Hund. per 
 Account N° 2. in Appendix (N Q . i.) is 2 s. ii d. per 
 Hund. 
 
 2 1 per Cent, faved on 1 6 $% 2 d. the neat Value of 
 t^Hund. of Sugar to fell in London at 25 s. per Hund. 
 per Account N° 1. in Appendix (N*. 1.) is 3 s. 4 d. per 
 Hund. 
 
 So that 1 s. per Hund. faved on the firft Article, h 
 above 8| per Cent, and on the fecond Article above 6 
 per Cent, which Difference alone will beat out any Com- 
 petitor in any Trade. Fide Pag, 22, 27. 
 
[33 ] ■ 
 
 before they had this Liberty, this Change iri 
 Trade, with fome Eafe in regard to the Re- 
 ftrictions and other Matters herein mentioned* 
 muft naturally lower the Price of Sugar in the 
 French Plantations at lean: two or three Shil- 
 lings per Hundred, and of courfe render fome 
 of their Planters unable to live by making of 
 Sugar, or abate their Quantity to fuch a De- 
 gree, as to leave room for the Britijh Sub- 
 jects to regain a great Share of this profitable 
 * Branch of Commerce. 
 
 What Benefits therefore may not be ex- 
 pected, if the Reftridions herein mentioned 
 iliould be eafed and taken off, fince it is a 
 Fad; that Plantation-built Ships to go directly 
 from the Northern Colonies to the Sugar 
 Iilands, and there take out a Licence, can, 
 during the prefent War with Spain $ afford td 
 carry Sugar to the Streights at four Shillings 
 per Hundred, and fuch Ships to be obliged 
 to take out a Licence in Great Britain, 
 require five Shillings per Hundred. And it 
 is very difficult to get a Ship built in Great 
 Britain^ and otherwife reftrained by the pre- 
 fent Ad, to go at fix Shillings per Hundred, 
 
 D which 
 
 * Vide Calculations, Pag, 19; 
 
[34] 
 
 which is as much or more than the French 
 now give for the Freight of their Sugar. 
 
 The French Planters have a confiderable 
 Advantage over the Britijh Planters, in regard 
 to Intereft upon Money lent in their Sugar Co- 
 lonies, which I have tduch'd upon in the 
 6th Chapter : And the French coin in France 
 fmall Pieces of Silver, and fend it to their 
 Plantations to pay off their Governours and o* 
 ther publick Officers, which I have alfo 
 touched upon at the End of the 7th Chapter* 
 
 CHAP, 
 
[35] 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Upon the Duties payable upon foreign Sugar ^ 
 Rum, and MolaJJes imported into Britifli 
 Dominions. 
 
 TH E Btitijh Legiflature willing to fup-* 
 port and encourage his Majefty's Plan- 
 tations in America, and particularly the Sugar 
 Iflands, have thought fit to charge all foreign 
 Sugar, * Penneles, Rum, Spirits, Molaffes and 
 Syrups, imported into Great Britain, with 
 certain Duties which are abundantly higher 
 r-han the Duties upon the like Species of Bri*> 
 fijh Growth. -f 
 
 By an Aft pafs'd in the 6th Year of King 
 Geo. II. cap. 13. all thefe Commodities are 
 prohibited from being imported into Ireland f 
 and a Duty of five Shillings per Hundred is 
 laid on Sugar or Penneles, nine Pence per 
 Gallon on Rum or Spirits, and fix Pence per 
 
 D 2 Gallor* 
 
 * A coarfe Sort of Sugar made from Molaffes. 
 t Ftde Appendix. (N v . 3) 
 
r 36 ] 
 
 Gallon on Molafles and Syrups of the Product 
 of any Plantation in America, not in the 
 PoiTeffion of his Majefty, imported into any 
 of the Britifi Plantations in America, which 
 is to be paid in Money of Great Britain, ac- 
 cording to the Value of five Shillings and fix 
 Pence per Ounce in Silver, and to in Propor- 
 tion for a greater or lefler Quantity to be paid 
 down before landing. 
 
 Any of the faid Goods landed before due 
 Entry and Payment of the Duty, or without 
 Warrant from the proper Officer, are forfeited, 
 and may be feized by the Governour, or any 
 Perfon authorized by him, or by Warrant of 
 Juftice or other Magiftrate, or by any Cuftom, 
 Import or Excife Officer, or their Afliftants. 
 
 Any Perfon affifting in the unlawful land- 
 ings or receiving into their Cuftody any of 
 the aforefaid Goods fo landed, are to forfeit 
 treble the Value ; and for molefting the Offi- 
 cer in the Execution of his Duty 50 /. and to 
 fuffer three Months Imprifonment. 
 
 Officers conniving at the faid Offences, 
 are to forfeit 50 /. and be rendred incapable 
 of holding any Place under his Majefty. 
 
 Masters of Ships, being his Majefty 's 
 Subjects, receiving on Board any of the afore- 
 faid 
 
[ 37] 
 laid Goods, in order to land the fame con- 
 trary to the true Intent of this Aft, are to 
 forfeit ioo/. 
 
 Such Offences and Forfeitures may be pro- 
 tfeQitcd (within two Years after the Offence) 
 in any Court of Admiralty or Record in his 
 Majefty's Plantations where the Offence is 
 committed, and the Forfeiture is to be di- 
 vided 4 to the King (out of which the Charge 
 of Profecution is to be paid), 4 to the Gover- 
 nour, and 4 to the Informer.* 
 
 In all fuch Profecutions for illegal landing 
 the faid Goods, the Onus probandi is to lie 
 upon the Owner or Claimer thereof. 
 
 Not with st an ding thefegoodand whole- 
 fome Laws for encouraging the Britijh Sugar 
 Colonies, and difcouraging thofe of Foreigners, 
 it is well known that they are notorioufly e- 
 vaded, and great Quantities of foreign Sugar, 
 Rum, and Molaffes are clandestinely imported 
 for a Britijh Confumption, without paying 
 more Duties than the Britijh Subject, and in 
 fome Inftances, without paying any Duties at all. 
 
 D 3 As 
 
 * §{u. It theie Forfeitures are accounted Sterling Mo- 
 ney of Great Britain, or Money of the Country where 
 tb0 Oftence is committed, or Proclamation Money, 
 
[33 ] 
 As there is generally a riling and falling of 
 all forts of Commodities, according to the 
 various Occurrences in Trade, fo in Sugar, 
 the Prices in the Plantations ufually vary as 
 the Crop or Quantity of Sugar made, is in 
 Proportion to the Demand : ' When a fliort 
 Crop is made, it is natural to expect a pro- 
 portionable living Price to fupport the Planter ; 
 but fometimeSy when this is the Cafe, in our 
 Plantations, the French y by means of this il- 
 licit Trade, fling in their coarfe Sugar that will 
 no;: bear their high Freights to Europe, and 
 thereby take the Benefit of a Vent by means 
 of our low Freights, as fuch Sugar is thereby 
 "brought to Great Britain in Englijh Cafks 
 and Shipping, and pays no more Duty to the 
 Crown, than Sugar of the Growth of our 
 own Plantations, which is contrary to the true 
 Intent and Meaning of our Legiflature as be- 
 fore mentioned, and gives a Vent by a Britifh 
 Confinnption to the Products of foreign Ame- 
 rican Soil, raifed chief y from the Produce ■* 
 Manufactures, and Navigation of old Trance, 
 to the Prejudice of the Vent of the Producls of 
 Britifh American Sol, raifed chief y by the 
 P reduce y Manufactures, and Navigation of 
 Great Britain. 
 
 There 
 
[39 J 
 
 There is little foreign Rum imported 
 into Great Britain, faving what is run from 
 Dunkirk and Holland, when the Price will 
 anfwer the Rifque. Nor do I know of any 
 foreign MolafTes being imported, but have 
 heard there has been large Quantities im- 
 ported clandestinely from old France, and that 
 Sugars are alfo run into Ire/and .from that 
 Kingdom. 
 
 The high Duty of fix Pence per Gallon 
 Sterling on foreign MolafTes imported into the 
 Britifo Colonies, and the fmall Number of Of- 
 ficers on the extenfive Shores of the Northern 
 Provinces, for want of a Fund to pay Salaries to 
 proper Officers, obftrutts the Intention of that 
 .Part of the faid. Aft, pafled in the 6th Year of 
 the Reign of King George II, for the better fe- 
 curing and encouraging the Trade of his Maje- 
 fty's Sugar Colonies in America, fince there is 
 as rnuch foreign MolafTes imported into thofe 
 Northern Colonies, as there was before the paf- 
 iing of that Act, which cannot amount to lefs 
 than 10,000 Hogfheads, or i,ooo,ooo of Galloi s 
 per Annum, and little or no Duties have been 
 paid by virtue of that Acl, notwithstanding 
 the feveral Precautions before mentioned. And 
 eonfiderable Quantities of foreign Sugar and 
 D 4 Rum 
 
[40 j 
 
 Rum are alio frequently imported into thofe 
 Northern Provinces without paying any Du- 
 ties at all. 
 
 In the laft Seffion of Parliament the Ho- 
 nourable Houfe of Commons were pleas'd to 
 refolve as follows, viz, 
 
 " Rcfolv '</, 
 
 " That fome more effectual Provifion be 
 4C made for fecuring the Duties already laid 
 " upon the Importation of foreign Sugars, 
 • w Rum and MolaiTes into Great Britai?i % axi& 
 " his Majefty's Plantations in America'' 
 
 In purfuance of the faid Refolution, a Bill 
 was brought into the Houfe, and now lies in 
 a ftate of Sufpeniion ; but this Bill was attend- 
 ed with feveral Objections made by fome of 
 the Merchants -of London, trading to the Su- 
 gar Iflands, upon account of fome Difficulties 
 prcpofed to be laid upon the fair Trader : Be 
 that as it will, I {hall venture to give fome 
 Flints, that I humbly apprehend may tend in 
 fome Meafure to the further Security and En- 
 couragement of the Trade of his Majefty's Co- 
 lonies in America, 
 
 Ths 
 
[4* 3 
 
 The Laws now in being for the Regula- 
 tion of the Plantation Trade * are very well 
 calculated, were they put in execution as they 
 ought to be, which would in great Meafure 
 put an end to the Mifchiefs here complained 
 of: If the feveral Officers of the Cuftoms 
 would fee that all Entries of Sugar, Rum and 
 Molafles were made conformable to the Di- 
 rections of thofe Laws; and let every Entry 
 of fuch Goods dtftinguijh exprsjly\ what are 
 of Britifo Growth and Produce, and what are 
 of foreign Growth and Produce ; and let the 
 whole Cargo of Sugar, Penneles, Rum, Spi- 
 rits, Molafles and Syrup, be inferted at large 
 in the Manifeft and Clearance of every Ship 
 or Veflel under the Office Seal, or be liable to 
 the fame Duties and Penalties, as fuch Goods 
 of foreign Growth are liable to : This would 
 very much baulk the Progrefs of thofe who 
 carry on this illicit Trade, and be agreeable 
 and advantageous to all fair Traders. 
 
 And all Skippers and Mailers of Boats in 
 all the Plantations, fhould give fome reafonable 
 Security, not to take in any fuch Goods of Fo- 
 reign 
 
 * 14 Car. II. Cap.u.Seff. 2, 3, 9,10. 7, 8 Will.IIL 
 Cap. 22. SeSi. 5, 6. 6 Geo. II. Cap, 13. Vide Ap- 
 pendix N° 4. and pag. 36, 37. 
 
reign Growth from any Veffel not duly en^ 
 tred at the Cuftom-hoiife, in order to land the 
 fame, or put the feme on Board any other 
 Ship or Veffel, without a Warrant or Suf- 
 ferance from a proper Officer. 
 
 In fine, I would humbly propofe that the 
 Duties on foreign Sugar and Rum, impofed 
 by the beforementioned Aft of the 6th of 
 King Geo. II, remain as they are, and alfo the 
 Duty on Molaffes, fo far as concerns the Im- 
 portation into the Sugar Colonies; but that 
 there be an Abatement of the Duty on Mo- 
 biles imported into the Northern Colonies, 
 fo far as to give the Britijh Planters a reajbn- 
 able Advantage over Foreigners, and what may 
 bear jbme Proportion to the Charge, Rifque, 
 and Inconvenience of running it, in the man- 
 ner they do now, or after the propofed Re- 
 gulation fhall be put in Execution : Whether 
 this Duty fhould be one, two, or three Pence 
 Sterling-Money of Great Britain per Gallop 
 may be the Matter of Consideration. 
 
 CHAR 
 
E43l 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 On the Confumption of Rum in Great Britain 
 and Ireland. 
 
 RUM is a Commodity that is univerfally 
 allowed to be wholefomer than mofl 
 other Spirits, and is in eflfeCt the Produce 
 of Great Britain as much as Malt Spirits, Beer, 
 Ale, Woollen, Linen, or any other Produce 
 or Manufactures of Great Britain ; becaufe it 
 is with Britijh Produce and Manufactures, and 
 with Negroes and other Materials bought with 
 fuch Produce and Manufactures chiefly, that 
 the Sugar Cane is planted and raifed, and it 
 is well known that it is from the Sugar Cane 
 that Rum as well as Sugar is made. It is 
 from the like Produce and Manufactures, and 
 by a Cerculation of Trade, that fuch Negroes 
 and other People employed in producing the 
 Sugar Cane are cloathed and fed. It is Bri- 
 tijlo Ships, and Ships built in our Plantations 
 chiefly with Britijh Produce and Manufac- 
 tures, 
 
[44] 
 tures, that are employed in carrying thofc 
 Negroes and other Materials to make the Rum, 
 and bringing it to Great Britain, fo that the 
 Confumption of Rum may be look'd upon as 
 neceffary, and as beneficial to Great Britain, 
 as the Confumption of Malt Spirits. And 
 whilfl Rum as well as Sugar is confuming, it 
 may with Truth be imagined, that there is 
 at the fame Time, in enter, a Confumption 
 of Woollen, Linen, and almoft all forts of J5r/- 
 tijh Produce and Manufactures, and that fo 
 many Manufacturers, Artificers and Seamen of 
 Great Britain* are thereby paid for their In- 
 duitry and Labour, in Proportion to fuch 
 a Confumption. 
 
 The following Paragraph was inferted in 
 a Treatife wrote in the Year 1725. 
 
 " If once People could be made to believe 
 cl that the Produce of the Br kip Colonies 
 <c ought to be as tenderly regarded as the Pro- 
 " duce of Great Britain , Rum might be 
 * c put upon a Parallel with Britijh Spirits, 
 M and in Oppofition to French Brandy : A 
 li fmall Encouragement for the Importation 
 tc of Rum into Britain and Ireland, would 
 <l be a vail Encouragement to the Plantations, 
 • ' and very much difcourage the Confumption 
 
 " of 
 
[45 J 
 " of French Brandy, a Commodity that Is 
 " pernicious in every Degree, as Rum is be~ 
 <c nefkial : Such an Encouragement would 
 <c put the Sugar Colonies upon their Induiiry 
 u and Endeavours, to make a Spirit that 
 " might be as wholeibme and as acceptable 
 " as other Spirits, to obtain which, we are 
 if annually at a great Expence of Bullion. 
 
 Since the Time of writing this, confider- 
 able Encou ragements have been given for the 
 Importation of Rum into Britain and Ire- 
 land, which has proved very beneficial to that 
 Branch of Commerce, In thofe Days there 
 were but two Ways of importing Britifo 
 Rum into Ireland, one was by running it, 
 and the other was to fwear it was French 
 Rum ; but by an A£t palled in the fourth and 
 fifth Years of the Reign of his prefent Maje- 
 fty King George II, Britijlj Rum was, a- 
 mongft other unenumerated Goods of Planta- 
 tion Growth, permitted to be imported into 
 that Kingdom directly from the Plantations. 
 The Duty or Excife upon Britifi Rum and 
 French Brandy, has alfo been regulated fince 
 that Time -, and Brandy now pays four Shil- 
 lings and eight Pence per Gallon, and Rum 
 but three Shillings and eight Pence per Gallon 
 
 for 
 
[46] 
 for Excife, befides Duty *, fo that Rum pays 
 towards the Excife one Shilling per Gallon 
 lefs than French Brandy. 
 
 This Difference of one Shilling /w Gallon 
 with the final 1 Difference of the Duty -f it feems 
 is not fufficient to prevent running very large 
 Quantities of French Brandy which pays no 
 Duties at all to the Crown ; wherefore it is ap- 
 prehended a farther Abatement or Regulation 
 to fix Rum at three Shillings per Gallon for 
 Duty and Excife, and Brandy at five Shillings 
 per Gallon, will in great Meafure encourage 
 the Confumption of Rum, and thereby pre- 
 vent the Running of fuch great Quantities of 
 French Brandy or Rum either, and fuch Rum 
 would then pay for Duty and Excife above 
 five Times as much as Malt Spirits, which is 
 far from a Parallel. Suppofe then that fuch 
 an Encouragement, if granted, mould caufe 
 an Importation of 8000 Hogfheads, or 800,000 
 Gallons of Rum, inftead of 5000 Hogfheads^ 
 or 500,000 Gallons fuppofed to be now an- 
 nually imported, the Account would ftand 
 thus, 
 
 800,000 
 
 * To be paid by the Importer in ready Money, with- 
 out Difcount upon Entry before Landing, 
 f Vide Appendix N° 3. 
 
[47] 
 
 §oo,ooo Gall, at 3 s.per Gall, is 120,000/. 
 500,000 — at 4 j. is 100,000 /. 
 
 The Difference in Favour of the Grown 
 by this Branch of the Revenue, would be 
 20,000/. per Annum > and the Britifo Planters 
 would then find a Vent for 3000 Hogfheads 
 of Rum annually more than they do now, 
 which at twelve Pence per Gallon in the Plan- 
 tations, amounts to 1 5,000 1. per Annum y (be- 
 fides Duty, Excife, Freight, CommifTions, and 
 other Charges.) This laft Sum would of Courfe 
 be returned to the Plantations chiefly in Bri~ 
 tijh Produce and Manufactures, in like man- 
 ner as the Proceeds of the 500,000 Gallons, 
 fuppofed to be annually imported, is now xe+ 
 turned. 
 
 Such an extraordinary Encouragement in 
 the Vent of 3000 Hogfheads of Rum, would 
 not only prove beneficial in regard to the 
 Particulars abovementioned, but would of 
 courfe encourage and encreafe our Sggar Plan- 
 tations fo, as to raife a greater Quantity of 
 Sugar as well as Rum, and thereby advance 
 the Traffick and Navigation of Great Bri- 
 tain in proportion. 
 
 Should I be miftakeq in regard to the 
 Advancement of the Revenue by lowering the 
 
 Excife 
 
[48] 
 Excifc on Rum as here propofed, and admits 
 ting the lowering any Duties, cannot be 
 difpenfed with at this Time, there is ftill 
 Room to give fome further Encouragement 
 for the Importation and Confumption of this 
 wholefome and mofi valuable Commodity, by 
 permitting it to be landed, and lay in the King's 
 Warehoufe without paying the Excife until 
 fold, or other wife difpofed of by the Importer, 
 as in the Cafe of Jamaica Coffee, Arrack, or 
 other India Goods. This would eafe this 
 Branch of Trade to a high Degree, as the 
 Duty and Excife on Rum is now paid down 
 upon Entry before landing, and amounts to 
 
 * four times as much as the firft Coft, or neat 
 Value of that Commodity to the Proprietor, 
 infomuch that the Fadtors now refufe to ac- 
 cept of any Confignmeiits of Rum from the 
 Planters. 
 
 And in Cafe the Importer fhould be in- 
 clined to export any Rum, or fell any to 
 the outward-bound Shipping, it may be done! 
 without any Regard to the Duty or Excife, 
 and thereby a large Quantity of Britijh Rum 
 may find a Vent inftead of French Brandy, 
 
 and 
 
 * The Duty and Excife on 10 Hogfheads of 1 2Q0 * 
 Rum, is about ■ J 
 
 The firft Coft, or neat Value, fs ufually about $° U 
 
[49] 
 and fuchRum may be afforded to the outward 
 bound Shipping, at two Shillings per Gallon, or 
 under ; and now two Shillings and fix Pence, to 
 three Shilings, is ufually given by the outward- 
 bound Ships for French Brandy : And fuch a" 
 Vent to the Shipping only, may, in all pro- 
 bability, amount to Thirty thoufand Pounds 
 Sterling per Annum? and upwards, without 
 any Prejudice to Bri tiffs Spirits, but altogether 
 in favour of Britijh Subjects, and to the Pre- 
 judice of the French Nation, our greateft Ri- 
 vals in Trade, 
 
 CHAK 
 
[ 5oJ 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 On the Regulation of Money throughout all hh 
 Majeflys Colonies in America. 
 
 TH I S is a Matter of a nice, intricate 
 Nature, and I fear it is beyond my 
 Reach , however I fhall ufe my beft endea- 
 vours to lend a helping Hand to an Affair 
 that calls fo loudly for help. 
 
 On the firft Settlement of the Britijh Colo* 
 nies in America, an Englijh Crown was five Shil- 
 lings Denomination, but the Trade there was 
 carried on chiefly by exchanging one Commo- 
 dity for another, and with little or no Silver or 
 Gold : Sugar, Tobacco, and Rice, ferved as 
 a Medium for Trade in fome of the Planta- 
 tions. In Barbados the Merchants kept their 
 Books, and the publick Officers received their 
 Fees in Sugar fixt as a Standard at 12 s. 6 d* 
 per 100 weight -, fo that the Exchange be- 
 tween that Ifland and England^ varied in Pro. 
 portion to the Price of Sugar in England and 
 
 100 /, 
 
tool, in Barbadoes was fometimes worth 
 105 /. to 108 /. Sterling in England, 
 
 As the American Commerce flourished, fo- 
 reign Silver and Gold Coins were introduced, 
 and became a Medium for Trade, and Bill3 
 of Credit, commonly called Paper-Money, 
 were emitted in fome of the Colonies by their 
 Governments, to be difcharged by fome Tax 
 or otherwife, at certain Times to come* which 
 added to their Medium of Trade, and an- 
 fwered the Intention of thofe Colonies whilji 
 they kept within due Bounds, 
 
 As the faid Silver Coins went by Tale, and 
 were not milPd, they were dipt to fuch a 
 Degree, that the Exchange to England varied 
 in Proportion, and the Paper-Money alio va- 
 ried in Value, and was depreciated in feveral 
 of the Colonies, occafioned by their emitting 
 more than their Trade and Property could 
 bear, or from fome other Imperfections, and in 
 fome of the Colonies* fuch Paper-Money, not- 
 withstanding its Undervalue, went in Dif- 
 charge of prior Contracts, made when fuch Mo- 
 ney was of a greater Vahie, and iniiead of vary- 
 ing in Denomination in Proportion to its intrin- 
 fick Value with Silver, the Principal Standard 
 in other Countries, they varied the nominal 
 E z Price 
 
[52 ] 
 Price of Silver in proportion to the Value of 
 their Paper - Money 5 fo that an Ounce of 
 Silver that formerly went for 6 or 8 s. per 
 Ounce, has fince gone for 28 s. Money of New 
 England per Ounce, and for 42 s. Money of Ca- 
 rolina per Ounce ; fo that in Procefs of Time, 
 almoft every Province, as well as the Iflands, 
 varied more or lefs in their Currency, and con- 
 fequently in their feveral and refpedlive Ex- 
 changes between Great Britain, the Centre of 
 the Plantation Commerce, and thofe ColonieSj 
 which put the whole American Trade upon a 
 ftate of uncertainty, and into fuch Confufion, 
 that no Trader could tell how to value his 
 Debts after they were once contrafted. 
 
 Her Majefty Queen Anne by her Royal 
 Proclamation bearing Date the 18th jfune 1704, 
 did publifh and declare, u That from and af- 
 t£ ter the firfc Day of January next enfuing, 
 <c no Seville, Pillar, or Mexico Pieces of 
 " Eight, tho' of the full Weight of feventeen 
 " Pen ny~ weight and an half, fhould be ac- 
 <f counted, received, taken, or paid w T ithin 
 " any of the Colonies or Plantations, as well 
 " thofe under Proprietors and Charters, as 
 6i under her Majesty's immediate Commiffion 
 * and Government, at above the Pvate of 6 s. 
 
 <c per 
 
[53 J 
 
 u per Piece current Money, for the Difcharge 
 <c of any Contrails or Bargains to be made af- 
 cc ter the firft Day of January next; the 
 " Halves, Quarters, and other lefler Pieces of 
 cc the fame Coin, to be accounted, received, 
 c * taken, or paid in the fame Proportion ; and 
 u that the Currency of all Pieces of Eight, of 
 u Peru Dollars, and other foreign Species of 
 < c Silver Coins, whether of the fame or baler 
 " Alloy, fhould after the firft Day ofjanua- 
 c< ry next ftand regulated according to their 
 u Weight and Finenefs, according and in Pro- 
 " portion to the Rate before limited and let 
 " for the Piece of Eight of Seville, Pillar, 
 " and Mexico, fo that no foreign Coins of 
 " any Sort be permitted, to exceed the fame 
 " Proportion on any Account whatfoever." 
 
 In the 6th Year of the faid Queen Anne, 
 an Adt was pafled for afcertaining the foreign 
 Coins in her Majefty's Colonies or Plantations 
 in America, whereby it was enadled, cc That 
 " if any Perfon within any of the faid Colo- 
 c f nies or Plantations, as well thofe under 
 < c Proprietors and Charters, as under her Ma^ 
 " jefty's immediate Commiflicn and Govern- 
 cc ment, fliould after the firft Day of May 
 u 1709, for the Difcharge of any Contracts 
 E 3 or 
 
[ 54] 
 " or Bafgahis to be hereafter made, account, 
 c< receive, take, or pay any of the feveral Spe- 
 " cies of foreign Silver Coins mentioned in 
 " the before recited". Proclamation, at any 
 C£ greater or higher Rate, than at which the 
 ce feme is thereby regulated, fettled and allowed 
 c< to be accounted, received, taken or paid ; 
 iC every fuch Perfon fo receiving, accounting, 
 u taking, or paying the fame, contrary to 
 cc tbc Directions therein contained, fhall fuf- 
 *< fer fix Months Imprifonment without Bail 
 " or Mainprise, <£rc. and fhall like wife for- 
 t£ fcit the Sum of 10 /. for every fuch Of- 
 < c fence, &c. But with a Provifo, that no- 
 " thine in the Proclamation fhould extend or 
 cc be conftrued to compel any Perfon to re- 
 11 ceive any of the faid Species of foreign Sil- 
 c; ver Coins at the refpeclive Rates in the faid 
 " Proclamation mentioned." 
 
 By the abovementioned Regulation, Silver 
 at 17 dwt. 12 gr. for 65. is equal to 6 s. 
 jof d. per Ounce. 
 
 And there is a further Provifo in the faid 
 AS of 6th Qoeen Anne, w T hereby it is fe*^- 
 clared, cc That nothing in the faid Act con- 
 « tained fhall extend, or be conferued to re- 
 <c ftrain her Majefty from regulating and 
 
 I 9 fettling 
 
Iss] 
 
 « c fettling the feveral Rates of the Species of 
 <c foreign Silver Coins, within any of the laid 
 <c Colonies or Plantations, in fuch other Man- 
 " ner, and according to fuch other Rates and 
 <c Proportion, as her Majefty by her Royal 
 " Proclamation for that purpoie to be iflfeed, 
 <c mail from Time to Time judge proper and 
 < c neceflary, or from giving her Affent to any 
 < c Law hereafter to be made in any of the 
 " faid Colonies or Plantations 5 but that fuch 
 <c farther Regulations may be made, and fuch 
 " Affent given, in as full and ample Manner 
 " to all Intents and Purpofes, as the lame 
 * c might have been done in Cafe this Acl; 
 " had not been made, and no other wife, any 
 <c thing before contained to the contrary here- 
 " of In any wife notwithftanding." 
 
 The changing the Value of current Mo- 
 ney in any Country muft certainly make a 
 cenfiderable Change in many Mens Properties, 
 unlefs due Care is taken to proportion and tij~ 
 certain the old Currency with the new in* 
 tended Currency. 
 
 But this not being Fully provided for iy 
 the faid Proclamation or Acl, altho' they ex- 
 tended only to Contracts made after a certain 
 Day to come after the Proclamation, yet as the 
 Contracts made before that Time, remained 
 
 E 4 under. 
 
li 56] 
 
 ^nder a State of Uncertainty and Difficulty, 
 few of the Colonies have, or could without 
 much Lofs and Confufion qbferve this in- 
 tended Regulation to this Day. 
 
 Barbadoes indeed ftruggled through -it 
 with much Difficulty and Lofs to many of 
 its Inhabitants, and obferve it to this Day. 
 The Mcney-holders lent their Money juft 
 before the Regulation took Effect, for feveral 
 Months without Interefr, the Borrowers paid 
 it to their Creditors, fome with Lofs, and fome 
 without, fo it palled from Hand to Hand, and 
 Exchange, between England and that Ifland, 
 fell from 60 to 25 per Cent, which proved a 
 great Lofs to feveral, and particularly to thofe 
 who con traded Debts while fuch Exchange 
 was at 60 per Cent, and paid them when it 
 was reduced to 25 per Cent, and alfo to thofe 
 who had light dipt Money upon their Hands. 
 However, Grace this Regulation this Colony has 
 had an extenfive Credit, becaufe every Credi- 
 tor is fure his Money will be of equal Value 
 when it is repaid : And the Exchange be- 
 tween that Ifland and London is now about 
 30 per Cent, which is near the Proportion be- 
 tween 55. 3 d. the Value of an Ounce of 
 Silver in England, and 6 s. io-f d. the Value 
 of an Ounce of Silver in Barbadoes. Tp e 
 
[57] 
 The Exchange of the Leeward Iflands 
 plays at about 60 per Cent, and that of "Ja- 
 maica at about 40 per Cent, and varies from 
 Time to Time, according to the nominal Va- 
 lue they put upon their Gold and Silver Coin, 
 and other Incidents, 
 
 CarolinaZqv the fame Reafons, and from 
 a large Emiffion of Paper-Money , have raifed 
 their Exchange to 700 per Cent. Advance, and 
 New England to upwards of 400 per Cent. 
 Advance, which has proved a great Lofs from 
 Time to Time to fuch as have given Credit in 
 and to thofe Provinces, but as fuch Lofs has 
 happen'd gradually, it has not been felt fo ie- 
 verely as at firft View it may appear, and the 
 Price of Silver and Exchange in New England 
 has vary'd but little within the laft four Years. 
 
 New York, the J erjeys y and Penfilvam a, 
 allow 8 s. 6 d. to 9 s. for an Ounce of Sil- 
 ver, and their Exchange is from 65 to 70 per 
 Cent. Maryland allows 10 s. to 11 s.per Ounce, 
 and Exchange there is at about 100 per Cent. 
 Advance ; Bermudas is much as Bariadoes, 
 and Virginia is at 6 s. 8 d. per Ounce, and 
 Exchange there at about 25 per Cent. 
 
 Now for the better regulating all Money 
 and Exchange throughout all his Majeflys Co- 
 lonies 
 
[5§] 
 
 lonies and Plantations in America, I would pro- 
 pole that there be an equal and fixed Price fof 
 Silver throughout all thofe Colonies and Plan- 
 tations, and th.it all Contracts or Bargains from 
 fome certain Day to come, be made for fuch 
 Money, and fuch Money to be accounted, re- 
 ceived, taken, paid, fued for and recovered 
 accordingly. And no Recovery to be made 
 for any Money of different Sorts or Denomina- 
 tions that mall be contracted for after fuch 
 Time, except for fuch Money, and at fuch 
 Prices as mail be herein after mentioned. This 
 will naturally be called Sterling Money, Procla- 
 mation Money, or new Money, and what is 
 now Current, be it what it will, will be called 
 old Currency or old Money. In order to pre- 
 vent any Lofs or Inconvenience by fuch a Regu- 
 lation to any Creditor, Debtor, or Money-holder, 
 I will fuppofe the Standard of Silver mould be 
 fixed at 5 s. 3 d. per Ounce, the Price of Sil- 
 ver in Pieces of Eight or Bars ; then, 
 
 L. 
 
 loo new Money would be equal in Value to 
 
 130 old Currency in Barbadoes and Ber- 
 mudas, and 
 140 old Currency in Jamaica, 
 
 160 
 
[59] 
 
 L. 
 
 1 60 old Currency in the Leeward IJlands, 
 
 £ 00 , , ; n ffeto England, 
 
 1 65 — ___ in New York, the Jer- 
 
 feysy and Penfilvania. 
 
 12$ — — — — — in Virginia, 
 
 200 Paper Money in Maryland, 
 
 800 - in Carolina, 
 
 Or in fuch Proportions as the prefent Cur- 
 rency of the feveral and refpe&ive Colonies 
 ihall really bear to either of the undermentioned 
 Prices of Silver, as may be found moft agree- 
 able, viz. 
 5. d. 
 
 6 10 f per Ounce, which is equal to 6 s. for 
 ly dwt. 12 gr. the Price regulated by 
 Queen Anne's Proclamation, confirm- 
 ed by an Aft of Parliament in the 6th 
 s. d> Year of her Reign. 
 5 6 per Ounce, the Price afcertained for 
 Payment of the Duties on Foreign 
 Sugar, Rum, and Molaffes imported 
 into the Britijh Plantations in Ame- 
 s. d. rica. 6 Geo. II. cap. 13. 
 5 3 per Ounce, may be accounted the 
 Price of Silver in Pieces of Eight or 
 Bars. c 
 
[6o] 
 
 s. d. 
 
 5 2 per Ounce, is the Price of Englijh 
 Silver Coin or Sterling. 
 
 Notwithstanding fuch a Regulation 
 there would ftill be a fmall Exchange in the 
 feveral Plantations, in Proportion to the Rifque, 
 Charge, and other Incidents attending the 
 tranfporting Money from one Country to an- 
 other -, but every one, for the future, may ex- 
 pert an equal Value upon the Repayment of 
 the Money he mail credit, lend, or trade for 
 in the Plantations, without having the Value of 
 his Property depreciated by any Law or Cujlom 
 while it is in other People's Hands-, which is 
 the principal Defign of this Proportion. And 
 Gold mull and will always bear a Value in 
 Proportion to fuch a Standard of Silver: But it 
 is however propofed, that all Gold Coins, and 
 other Commodities, do pafs for the Satisfaction 
 of all Contracts made or to be made before 
 iuch a Period of Time, at the feveral and re- 
 ipective Rates or Prices, and in like manner 
 as they now pafs in each and every Colony re- 
 ipectively. And mould there be a neceffity for 
 creating and iffuing out Bills of Credit, common- 
 ly called Paper Money, to arifwer a Medium 
 
 of 
 
[6i ] 
 
 of Trade, or any extraordinary Emergency in 
 any of the Plantations, there may be a Provifo, 
 that feme reafonable Sums, to be limited, may 
 be iffued or emitted, provided there be a Fund 
 fuffieient to arrfwer an Intereft on all Bills of 
 twenty Shillings Value or more 5 and likewife 
 gradually to pay off, difcharge, and fink the 
 fame within a limited Time. But that nothing 
 in any Ad:, to be made in any of the faid Plan- 
 tations or Colonies, to extend, or be conftrued 
 to compel any Perfon to receive any fuch Bills 
 of Credit or Paper Money in difcharge of any 
 Debt, or to allow or account the fame a legal 
 Tender, unlefs fuch Ad: (hall have firft received 
 the Royal Approbation. 
 
 Now fuppofe Order fhould be taken that all 
 Bargains and Contracts that (hall be made after 
 the firft Day of January next, in any of his 
 Majefty's Plantations or Colonies in America^ 
 be made, received, paid, and recovered con- 
 formable to the Ad: pad in the 6th Year of 
 the Reign of Queen Anne, entitled, An Ad: for 
 afcertaining the Rates of foreign Coins in her 
 Majefty's Plantations in A??ierica : And that 
 all Bargains and Contra&s made or to be made 
 in the laid Plantations or Colonies before that 
 
 time 
 
[62] 
 
 time be paid, received, and recovered at the 
 current Value or Rate that the current Moneys, 
 of any kind or nature foever, adlually bore on 
 the firft Day of February laft in the laid Planta- 
 tions or Colonies refpe&ively, in Proportion to 
 6 s. for ijdwt. and 12 gr. or 6 J. 10 d. j. per 
 Ounce, the Price of Silver afcertained by the 
 faid Adt. And that the Rates or Value of all 
 fuch current Money, as it flood on the faid firft 
 Day of February be fettled and afcertained by 
 the Governor and Council of each Province 
 or Colony refpe&ively, or by fome other Au- 
 thority. 
 
 Th is Regulation would be no ways preju- 
 dicial to any Debtor, Creditor, Legatee, An- 
 nuitant, or any other Perfon whatfoeverj fince 
 the Money of all forts that is now Current, or 
 that may hereafter be emitted as above pro- 
 pofed, will pafs at its refpedtive Value, accord- 
 ing to Contract, to a fixt Standard of Silver, in 
 like manner as Moydores, Guineas, and other 
 Coins, or as India Bonds and other publick Se- 
 curities now pafs in Great Britain, 
 
 On the other hand, fuppofe the faid Procla- 
 mation and A61 fhould be attempted to be put 
 in Execution, without any Regard to Contra&s 
 made before fuch an Attempt, the greateft 
 
 Con* 
 
[6 3 ] 
 
 Confufioh mull enfue in fome of the Colonies; 
 fince in New England and Carolina every 
 Debtor, to comply with that Acl, without 
 fome further Provifo, muft pay the value of 4 
 or 500 Guineas for every 100 Guineas he con- 
 tracted to pay, or ftands chargeable with, by 
 means of any Legacy, Annuity, or otherwife, 
 even if it was but a few Months before: or to 
 fpeak in other words, he mull pay four or five 
 times as much as he ought to pay. 
 
 CHAR 
 
[ 64 J 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 On Interejl upon Money in Colonies. 
 
 Interest upon Money lent, or otherwise 
 credited in America, feems to want fbme 
 Regulation in fome of the Colonies, efpecially 
 in the Sugar Iflands, where Intereft runs at 
 8 and io per Cent, per Annum -, except at 
 Antigua, which Ifland has lately reduced it 
 to 6 per Cent. 
 
 High Intereft riiay be convenient and ne- 
 ceflary in new fettled Colonies, where the 
 Rifque is great, and the Profits anfwerable. 
 
 Low Intereft in all Countries that are well 
 fettled and eftablifhed, is beneficial to the 
 landed Intereft, or landed Property, and the 
 landed Property of a Colony ought to be pre- 
 ferred by the Mother Country before the Ufu- 
 rers Intereft; becaufe the Produce of any 
 Colony can be afforded cheaper where In- 
 tereft is low, than where it is high, as Expe- 
 rience 
 
rience hath fhewn in the Cafe of the French 
 and Britijh Sugar Iflands. 
 
 High Intereft in Sugar Plantations, where 
 the Produce of the Land is reduced to a low 
 Price, and any large Sum is owing, will infal- 
 libly ruin the landed Debtor, fooner or later, 
 in Proportion to the Sum he owes, which has 
 been the unfortunate Cafe of many of our Su- 
 gar Planters. 
 
 Should Intereft be lower in the Colonies, 
 the Planters Security would be better, and 
 as long as Sugar, or any other valuable Com* 
 modity is raifed in the Plantations, Neceffaries 
 will be carried thither, and in Courfe of Time, 
 with a low Intereft, long Credits may be out 
 of Ufe, and every Ship may then carry Home 
 the Proceeds of her Cargo, which will anfwc r 
 the Intention and Intereft of the Britijh Mer- 
 chant better than to leave his Trading-Stock in 
 the Colonies at a high precarious Intereft. 
 
 Since the natural Intereft of Money in 
 England is now at 3 and 4 per Cent. I mould 
 think 6 per Cent, a full Intereft in any of our 
 American Colonies ; but the Fall of the Pro- 
 duce of the Sugar Iflands, and the Calamities 
 the Planters have of late Years laboured un> 
 der 3 have made fuch a Change in Property 
 
 F in 
 
[66] 
 
 in fome of the Iflands, that the publick Of- 
 ficers, Lawyers and Ufurers, have gained fuch 
 a Superiority over the landed Intereft, that 
 the poor Planters can't hope for any Re* 
 lief in this particular, unleis the Britijh Le- 
 giflature fhall in their great Wifdom inter- 
 pofe, and fettle Intereft at once throughout 
 all his Majefty's Colonies and Plantations in 
 America at 6 per Cent, upon all future Con- 
 trails. This may feem the more reafonable* 
 as large Sums are now lent to fome of the 
 richeft Planters at an Intereft of 5 per Cent. 
 only, which enables them, in many Inftances, 
 to engrois the Lands of the poorer Sort of 
 Planters, who are obliged to pay 8 and 10 
 per Cent. Intereft, until they quit their Habita- 
 tions, and fometimes the Iflands, and thereby 
 abate the Strength of fuch Colonies. 
 
 The common Intereft in the French Sugar 
 Iflands is but 5 per Cent, and that as Ufury is 
 difcouraged, and the Dealers that way call it 
 Rent , and this low Intereft may be juftly e^ 
 fteem'd one of the Caufes of the great In- 
 creafe of their Sugar Colonies, and particularly 
 in encouraging their poorer fort of Planters 
 to fettle and improve their new Plantations. 
 
 If 
 
i"6 7 ] 
 If there fliould be an Inftance where any 
 Colony (hould find it for their Advantage at 
 any time hereafter, to give more Intereft than 
 what is here propofed, there may be a Pro- 
 vifo, that a Law may be made in fuch Colony 
 to allow fuch Intereft as the Demands of the 
 Colony may require, but to be limited to 
 fome fhort Term of Years, or not to be in 
 Force until it fhall receive the Royal Affent. 
 
 F a 
 
 CHAPa 
 
[68] 
 
 CHAP. VIL 
 
 Touching the Duty of 4 i per Cent, pajd in 
 Barbadoes and the Leeward Iflands. 
 
 TH E Produce of Barbadoes and the Lee- 
 ward Iflands (but not "Jamaica) pay 
 this Duty of 4 -i per Cent, on its being {hipped 
 off. It was given by the Inhabitants in the 
 Year 1662 to his Majefty King Charles the Se- 
 cond, his Heirs and SuccefTors for ever, and 
 by the Ifland of Barbadoes for the following 
 Ufes, *oiz. 
 
 For maintaining the Honour and Dignity 
 of his Majefty's Authority there. 
 
 The publick Meeting of the Seflions. 
 
 The often Attendance of the Council. 
 
 The Reparation of the Forts. 
 
 The building a Seffions Houfe and Prifon, 
 
 And all other Charges incident to the Go- 
 vernment. 
 
 But 
 
[6 9 ] 
 
 But little Benefit, in Proportion to the Bur- 
 then, has hitherto accrued from this Duty to 
 the Inhabitants of this Illand, who have been, 
 and ftill are obliged to have recourfe to other 
 Methods to raife Money for moft of the Ufes 
 for which this very Duty was given ; and fome 
 time part great Abufes had crept into the Ma- 
 nagement of it; but upon proper Reprefenta- 
 tions being made, new Orders and Regulations 
 were fent over in order to reform thofe Prac- 
 tices for the future, and to eaie the Planters 
 who pay this Duty. 
 
 There is payable out of this 4 4. per Cent. 
 1 000 /. Sterling per annum to the Heir of the 
 fir ft Proprietor, and 2000/. Sterling per annum 
 to the Govemour of Barbadoes, and it like- 
 wife pays the Officers who have the Care 
 of this Duty and the Afts of Trade, and alfo 
 of the Duties laid on certain * enumerated 
 Commodities carried from one Plantation to 
 another. 
 
 This Duty of 44 per Cent, is rather the 
 more burthenibme upon the Sugar Trade, as it is 
 in effedl paid altogether by the Sugar Planter, and 
 that too, upon his improved and manufactured 
 Sugar as well as the raw or dead Produce, and 
 F 3 con- 
 
 * 25 Car. II, Cap. 7. Sett. 3. 
 
l7°] 
 
 confequently upon the Value of the annual Pro- 
 duce of his Buildings, Negroes, Hqrfes, Cattle, 
 and other Stock on his Plantation, which in Bar- 
 badoes ufually cofts, and is actually worth twice 
 or three times as much as the bare Land. There 
 are Numbers of Inhabitants, as well yews as 
 ChrijlianS) who have a great Number of Ne- 
 groes and other large Properties in thefe Colo- 
 nies, that do not pay a Penny of this publick 
 puty. A Duty to be raifed upon Negro Heads 
 and the Towns in Barbadoes, according to the 
 ufual Cuftom of railing Taxes there, to anfwer 
 every Purpofe of this Duty, would be more 
 equal, as Matters are now circumftanced; fince 
 every one would then pay an equal Portion of 
 the publick Charge, and then the Planters 
 Quota of 10,000 /. to be raifed in Barbadoes in 
 that manner, would not amount to much more 
 than one third of what he now pays to raife 
 the like Sum, as may appear from the follow- 
 ing Calculations, viz.. 
 
 Suppose- 
 
I ft ] 
 
 Suppose a Plantation in Barbadoes may 
 make 
 50 Hogfheads of Sugar (Clay'd and"] 
 
 Mufcovado together) to pay for /. s . 
 the faid Duty of 4 1 per Cent. 9 s. >22 10 
 per Hogfhead, according to the 
 prefent Regulation, J 
 
 60 Hogfheads of Rum at 4.?. /^? I2 
 Hogfhead. 
 
 34 10 
 
 Suppose there may be 100 Negroes to 
 make the above Sugar and Rum.- 
 
 /. s. 
 100 Negroes at 2 s. 6d. per Head. 12 10 
 
 Z s. 6d. per Head on 60,000 Negroes,") /. 
 the ufual Number for which Taxes r 7>S°° 
 are paid, will amount to J 
 
 The Proportion of the Towns, Jews SI 
 
 and Patent Officers to the above > 2,500 
 
 Sum may be computed at J 
 
 - ■% 
 
 Then the whole Tax will amount to 10,000 
 
 F 4 So 
 
[7*] 
 
 So that 12/. 10 s. on Negroes (without any 
 regard to Windmills) will be the Planters 
 Quota to raife 10,000/. as above 3 and the 4^ 
 per Cent. Duty feldom raifes fo much per an- 
 num> altho' the Planter's Quota amounts to 
 34/. 105. as above. And there are fcveral 
 Planters in the Windward Sugar Iflands who 
 make three or fpur times the abovementioned 
 Quantity of Sugar and Rum with a propor- 
 tionable Number of Negroes. 
 
 The faid Sum of 10,000/. thus to be raifed 
 on the Inhabitants in general, may {till anfwer 
 tl>e following Purpofes, viz. 
 
 Sterling Barbadoes 
 Money. Money, 
 
 Houfe Rent in Barbadoes y and" 
 
 Officers, including the whole 
 
 Salary of the Surveyor-Gene- > 2 5 50 3315 
 
 ral of the 4 \ per Cent, now 
 
 all paid in Barbadoes. 
 To the Heirs or Affigns of the) q 
 
 E. of Carlifie firft Proprietor. ) r 
 
 To the Governor of Barbadoes 2000 2600 
 
 5550 7215 
 
 There will then remain for other 1 „ 
 
 Total 7692 10,000 
 
 ' The 
 
[73] 
 
 Th e Surplus will then be above 2000 /. Ster- 
 ling; Part of which may be applied towards 
 fortifying the Ifland, and making a good Har- 
 bour at Bridge-Town for the Security of Ship- 
 ping againji Weather or Enemies. 
 
 The Leeward IJlands may be accounted 
 for much in the fame manner as Barbadoes, 
 laving the Annuity to the firft Proprietor and 
 the Surveyor-General's Salary. 
 
 Such a Tax as here propofed would alfo be 
 more agreeable to the Cuftom of Great Bri- 
 tain, where perfonal Eftates are taxed as well 
 as Lands for die Subfiftance of the Government, 
 and every one pay their Proportion towards the 
 publick Expence. 
 
 It was propofed the laft SeiTion of Parlia- 
 ment by a noble Lord in one Houfe and by a 
 worthy Member in the other, that this bur- 
 thenfome Duty of 4 -i per Cent, be taken off. 
 And it was further propofed, that a Sum of 
 Money, and a handfome Sum too, be paid by 
 the Government as a full Equivalent to all thofe 
 who have a Right in, or to the faid Duty. 
 This, no doubt, would be a great Encourage- 
 ment to the Planters of thofe Windward Iflands, 
 and enable them to give a helping hand towards 
 turning the Scale of the Sugar Trade in our 
 Favour. Th e 
 
[74] 
 The French coin fmall Species of Silver in, 
 Old France for the particular Ufe of their 
 Colonies, in order to pay off their Governours 
 and other publick Officers, and eafe their 
 Trade. And fhould there be Silver and Cop- 
 per Money coined in England, and fent to 
 our Plantations for the fame Purpofes, it would 
 not only eafe our Planters, but would alfo re- 
 vive and nourifh the Trade of our Colonies to 
 the great Benefit of their Mother Country. 
 And this may be done from fuch Duties as 
 may arife upon foreign Sug^r, Rum, and Mo- 
 laffes, and other foreign Products imported into 
 his Majefty's Plantations in America^ or from 
 fuch other Fund as may be found jnoft proper. 
 
 A P- 
 
[75 3 
 
 A P P E N D I X. 
 
 N° i. 
 
 The Cafe of the Britifli Sugar Colonies 
 in the Tear 1739. 
 
 TH E prefent Situation of the Trade of 
 the Sugar Colonies in general is now fo 
 well known as to need no Proof, that Great 
 Britain has near loft that Branch of Trade 
 which concerns the fupplying of Ha?nhirgL\ 
 Holland, Flanders > the Baltick^ and the Medi* 
 terranean with Sugar. 
 
 The Brhijh Sugar Iflands have for many- 
 Years paft raifed Sugar fufficient to anfwer the 
 Demands of Great Britain and Ireland, and 
 when they had a Vent for it, raifed a confide- 
 rable Surplus for Re-exportation, infomuch 
 that Great Britain from the Year 17 13 to 
 171 8, exported about 18,000 Hogfheads per 
 annum out of about 62,000 Hoglheads im- 
 ported of ten hundred Weight neat to the 
 Hoglhead j and as the Home-confumption 
 
 hath 
 
[?6] 
 
 hath gradually increafed, fo from that Time 
 the Sugar Planters have not only made Sugars 
 fufficient to anfwer the Demand of the Home 
 Market; but whilft they had any Exportation, 
 imported a confiderable Surplus to anfwer the 
 Demands cf Foreign Markets. 
 
 From the Year 1728 to 1733 there was 
 above 93,000 Hogfheads of Sugar imported 
 per annum 1 of which about 14,000 were 
 re-exported, including Ireland and the Planta- 
 tions ; but the Remainder being much more 
 than was wanted for the Britijh Confiimptibn, 
 the Price was bore down to 1 8 s. 1 6 s. and 
 1 1 s. per Hundred, after having paid above 
 8 s. per Hundred for Cuilom, Freight, and 
 other Charges, which left to the Planter or 
 Merchant Adventurer not above One Half- 
 penny, or at mod a Penny per Pound for his 
 -Sugars. 
 
 These low Prices of Sugar, which held 
 to the Year 1736, except in fome very few 
 and fhort Intervals, put a Damp upon the 
 Progrefs of the Sugar Planters, and feveral of 
 their Plantations were flung up and abandoned, 
 and now lie wholly uncultivated, and others 
 are under-managed for want of a fufficient 
 Supply of Negroes, and other Neceffaries; 
 
 and 
 
[77) 
 and the Importation of Sugar into Great Britain 
 hath diminifhed above 1 5,000 Hogfheads per 
 annum for the laft Five Years. 
 
 Great Britain from the Year 1715 
 to 171 9 exported to Foreign Markets only 
 about 17,000 Hogfheads of Sugar per annum \ 
 and from the Year 1733 to 1736 exported not 
 more than 2,300 Hogfheads per annum \ and 
 in the Year 1737 not 450 Hogfheads, and 
 now there is little or no Sugar re-exported from 
 Great Britain, except to Ireland, which is a 
 Home-confumption 3 all which appears by the 
 Accounts in Appendix (A) to this Cafe. 
 
 The French, our greateft Rivals in the 
 Sugar Trade, fupply with their Sugars all the 
 Foreign Markets, that were ufed tabe fupplied 
 by the BritiJJj Subje&s, to the Amount of 
 feveral hundred Thoufands of Pounds Sterling 
 per annum, whereby their Sugar Plantations 
 are arrived to a moft flourifhing Condition. 
 
 Before the Year 171 6 no French Sugars 
 were known to be imported into Hamburgh, 
 but from that Time they have gradually in- 
 creafed in fupplying that City, and now furnifh 
 it with 30,000 of their Hogfheads of Sugar 
 per annum ; and there is fuch a vaft Quantity 
 of French Sugars imported into Holland, that 
 
 they* 
 
[78] 
 they are daily erefting new Sugar-Houfes in all 
 their Towns, without the Help or Want of 
 any Sugars from us. 
 
 This Increafe of the French in their Sugar- 
 Trade, it is apprehended, is ovving chiefly to 
 their Alteration of their Edicts, or Acts of 
 Trade, and other Encouragements, whereby 
 their Subje&s get their Sugar earlier to Market, 
 and cheaper than the Britijh Planters can do, 
 io long as they are compelled to bring and land 
 their Sugars in Great Britain, before they can 
 carry them to Foreign Markets ; by which 
 Means Britijlo Sugars have been loaded with 
 the Expence of a double Voyage, double 
 Freight, double Commiffion, which with the 
 extraordinary Charges attending thereon from 
 the Port of London, the principal Magazine of 
 our Sugar, amount to from 20 to 80 Lper Cent. 
 according to the Price the Sugar may be at, as 
 appears by the Account in Appendix (BJ* 
 beiides the Difadvantage of coming fo much 
 later to Market -, and by which means the 
 French are, as our Laws now ftand, enabled to 
 underfell the Englifo very considerably. 
 
 The Liberty of a direct Exportation of 
 x)ur Sugars to the feveral Foreign Ports in Eu- 
 rope> under the Reftriclions in the Bill now 
 
 depending^ 
 
[79] 
 
 depending, is the moft probable Means of 
 putting the Britiflj Subject in a Capacity of 
 once more difputing foreign Markets with the 
 French -> but without fuch a Liberty, there is 
 not the leaft Probability of regaining that moft 
 valuable Branch of Commerce. 
 
 The French have a Liberty of a direct 
 Exportation not only of Sugars, but of all other 
 their Plantation Produce to Spain, and by the 
 Situation and Privileges of the Ports of Dunkirk 
 and Marfeilles, the French have in Effect the 
 .Advantage of a direct Exportation of all their 
 Plantation Products to the Northern as well as 
 Southern Parts of Europe. 
 
 However ufeful the Acts of Trade, with 
 regard to the Claufes reftraining the Exporta- 
 tion of Sugars directly to foreign Markets, 
 might have been at the Time they were paired, 
 and for fome Time after ; yet the Sugar Trade 
 in general is fince fo much altered, and now 
 ftands upon fo different a Footing, that thofe 
 Claufes, if not altered, muft unavoidably di- 
 minifh the Britijh Shipping and Navigation, 
 and prevent our having any Share in the Foreign 
 Sugar Trade, contrary to the plain Intent of the 
 Legiflature, and in direct Oppofition to the 
 Act of Navigation \ whilft the naval Power of 
 
 Frame, 
 
[8o] 
 
 France, together with their Trade in America^ 
 will be thereby augmented. And the fame 
 Caufes which ftreighten the Briti/h Commerce* 
 will naturally enlarge the French $ and the 
 Naval Power of either Nation will thrive or 
 languish, in the fame Degree as their Com- 
 merce gathers or lofes Strength. 
 
 Our Sugar Colonies, if preferved, muft 
 always be dependent on Great Britain-, and 
 none of the Products of thofe Iflands interfere 
 with the Trade of their Mother Country, but, 
 on the contrary, fome ef them are of the 
 greateft Ufe in the Home Manufactures. 
 
 Numberless Artificers and Manufacturers 
 at home are employed in the feveral Branches 
 of Trade dependent on the Sugar Iflands, which 
 take off from Great Britain very great Quan- 
 tities of Woollen, ■ Linen, Corn, Hoops* 
 Leathern, Iron, Copper, Lead, and other 
 Manufactures, not only directly to the Sugar 
 Plantations, but alfo by Way of Madeira^ 
 Africa, and the Northern Colonies, in Ex- 
 change for Wine, Negroes* Fi(h, and other 
 Goods, for the Ufe of thofe Iflands $ all which 
 maintain and fupport a large Branch of the 
 Britijh Navigation : Which fhews, that the 
 Manufactures, Traffick, Treafure and Power 
 
 of 
 
[8i] 
 
 bf 6reat Britain depend in great Meafure on 
 the Fate of our Sugar Iflands. 
 
 Great Britain can never want a fuffi- 
 cient Supply of Sugar at a reafonable Price, 
 fince there is Room enough in the Britifh Su- 
 gar Iflands to make more Sugar than all Eu- 
 rope confumes. 
 
 Sugar is as cheap in Old Prance^ fince 
 that Nation had this Liberty, as ever it was 
 before; and yet that Nation in general, hath 
 been great Gainers by it. The Province of 
 Carolina hath increafed largely in Produce and 
 Navigation, fince it hath had the like Liberty 
 in regard to Rice, chiefly by that Encourage- 
 ment; and yet, notwithstanding, the Price of 
 that Commodity is no-ways advanced in Great 
 Britain, nor the Quantity of Rice imported 
 into Great Britain decreafed. 
 
 The Proceeds of fuch furplus Sugars may 
 amount to many Thousands of Pounds Sterling, 
 which will of courfe center in Great Britain \ 
 to be laid out in Briti/Jj Manufactures, or re- 
 main here; and the Ships employed in the di- 
 reil Exportation thereof, being refrained to 
 come to Great Britain before they go back to 
 America, no Danger can be apprehended of 
 evading the Acls of Trade, by carrying Goods 
 
 G of 
 
[82] 
 
 of the Produce of Europe dire&ly to the Plan* 
 tations, without being firft landed in Great 
 Britain, according to Law. 
 
 As the French as well as the Englijh have 
 each of them Lands enough in their Hands to 
 produce as much Sugar as will fupply the whole 
 Confumption of Europe, it is very evident, that 
 in a fmall Courfe of Years ofre or other of them 
 muft become Matters of the Trade, and beat 
 the other out of it. 
 
 It is very apparent, that the French are fen- 
 fible of this, and have fuch a watchful Eye 
 upon this Trade, that they neglefl: no Oppor- 
 tunities of encouraging their own People to 
 maintain the Competition, and give them every 
 Advantage over ours that opens itfelf to them; 
 and if the Britijh Legiflature think this Trade 
 worth their keeping, they muft do fo too, and 
 give the Planter all the Aid and Affiftance in 
 their power. 
 
 With this Aid the Britifo Planters and 
 Merchants are fanguine enough to believe that 
 they are a Match for the French, and that they 
 can afford to fell their Sugars at a Foreign Mar- 
 ket as cheap as they; but without it they can't 
 long fupport the Struggle, 
 
 The 
 
f 83 ] 
 
 'The Crifis now comes on apace; and there- 
 fore it feems neceffery that fbme vigorous Mea- 
 fure fhotild be immediately taken, and a new 
 Plan formed, that is better accommodated to 
 the prefent Circumftances of Things, or in a 
 little Time it may be too late; for if once this 
 Trade mould be fixed in the new Chanel the 
 French have got it in, it will then be too late 
 to think of bringing it back. 
 
 The French have been long intent upon 
 drawing it to themfelves, and have got too 
 great a Start upon us already. 
 
 A Liberty of carrying our Sugars direftly 
 to a Foreign Market, free from the Charge* 
 Incumbrances and Reftraints that at prefent lie 
 upon us, feems to be immediately neceffary in 
 order to keep this Trade from being wrefted 
 from us* 
 
 For this Purpofe a Bill has been brought 
 in, and paffed the Honourable the Houfe of 
 Commons, and which Bill (if paffed into a 
 Law) as it is humbly hoped it willj will be a 
 Means once more of regaining the Foreign 
 Sugar Trade. 
 
 The Objeftions that have been made to 
 
 this Liberty of a diredt Exportation, though 
 
 ihey are many in Number, carry very little, 
 
 G a if 
 
[8 4 ] 
 
 if any Weight, with them.- — The moft ma* 
 terial are thefe 
 
 OBJECTIONS. 
 
 Objefl.l. HP HAT our Sugar Iflands now 
 make as much Sugar as they 
 can • and therefore can't fpare from Great Bri~ 
 tain any Sugar for foreign Markets. 
 
 Anjw, This Objection may ferve to amufe 
 thofe who have little or no Knowledge of the 
 Sugar Iflands 5 but to fuch as are acquainted 
 with them, it is abundantly evident, that the 
 Britift Sugar Iflands can make more than 
 treble the Quantity they now do; and fhould 
 they increafe in growing of Sugar, Great Bri- 
 tain would be more certain of a fufficient and 
 conftant Supply, than if they remain confined 
 to the Quantity neceflary for a Home Con- 
 fumption; becaufe dry Weather, LoflfesatSea, 
 and other Cafualties, would be more effectually 
 felt in a fmaller Quantity than in a greater; 
 and Great Britain would naturally have the 
 Preference in cafe of a Scarcity, 
 
 ObjtSl, 
 
[«5] 
 
 ObjeB. II. That the Liberty defired will raife 
 the Price of raw Sugars in Great Britain to 
 an unreafonable Height, and be prejudicial to 
 the Sugar Manufadury here, by raifing the 
 Price of refin'd Sugar at Home, and preventing 
 the Exportation of it to foreign Markets. 
 
 Anfw. There can be no room to fuppofe, 
 but that if Sugar fhould bear a higher Price 
 here than at foreign Markets, the Sugars will 
 be imported into Great Britain, and not fent 
 Abroad, till the Home Demand is fatisfied; fo 
 that it is conceived, the Bill now depending, if 
 pafTed into a Law, can have no Operation at 
 all, but when the Price of Sugar is low in 
 Great Britain: for ever fince the French be- 
 gan to rival us Abroad, the Price of that Com- 
 modity has been reduced in foreign Markets. 
 This is the Cafe of all Competitions in Trade; 
 and in thefe Circum fiances of the Sugar Trade, 
 it would be in vain for the Britijh Planter and 
 Merchant to pretend, by the Liberty propofed, 
 to raife the Price of Sugar to an unreafonable 
 Height here. If they could effect it, this 
 would be even prejudicial to themfelves, and 
 hurt the Confumption: All that they aim at> 
 is to prevent the finking of that Commodity 
 fo low, that the Planter cannot afford to bring 
 G 3 it 
 
L 86 ] 
 
 it to Market. Whenever this happens, the 
 Quancity will decreafe of courfe, and the Price 
 muft rife; fo that the raifing the Price of Sugar 
 to an extravagant Height, is more to be ap- 
 prehended from thofe Means that tend to 
 ftreighten and leffen the Number of our Sugar 
 Settlements, than from thofe that tend 'to in- 
 creafe and inlarge them; for a regular and 
 qonftant Demand of any Commodity will al- 
 ways occafion a regular and conftant Supply, 
 and at a moderate living Price. 
 
 As to the Sugar Manufadtury of Great Bri- 
 tain, it was always abundantly fupplied; and 
 the Price of refin'd Sugar was never at an un, 
 reafonable Height, even when we had the 
 largeft Exportation of raw Sugars to foreign 
 parts, to the Amount of Twenty- Nine Thou- 
 fand Hogflieads in one Year. And, to mew 
 how little Reafon there is to apprehend any 
 great Rife of refin'd Sugars from the Bill now 
 depending, it may be obferved, that raw Su- 
 gars muft rife or fall 1 1 s. per Hundred to af- 
 Je£t the Price of refin'd 2 d. per Pound. When 
 the former fells at 25 s. per Hundred, the latter 
 may be, and is afforded at 8 d. or 9 d % a Pound; 
 raw Sugars muft therefore rife from 2 c s, to 
 36 s, per Hundred to bring the Price of refin'd 
 
 to 
 
[8 7 ] 
 
 fb 10 d. or 1 1 d. a Pound * -, a Price never to be 
 expected, unlefs in Times of the greateft Scar- 
 city. On the other hand, if raw Sugars mould 
 fall 1 1 s. per Hundred from 2 5 s. as it did in 
 the Year 1732 and 1733, and remain fo low 
 for a Continuance of Time, the Britijh Sugar 
 Trade muft be loft. 
 
 Wi t h regard to the Exportation of refin'd 
 Sugars, it is very remarkable, that though an ad- 
 ditional Bounty is allowed upon the Exportation 
 thereof, and though little raw Sugar has been ex- 
 ported for two or three Years paft, yet the Quan- 
 tity of refin'd Sugar exported to foreign Markets 
 is leffen'd, inftead of being increafed -, fo that the 
 Exportation of refin'd Sugars feems to be noway 
 affected by the Liberty propofed, the Conteft 
 between us and the French not being who mall 
 fupply foreign Markets with refin'd, but wi:h 
 raw Sugars; and as the Dutch and Hamburghers 
 can and do refine as well, if not better, than 
 the BritiJJj Subjects, they are furnimed wi r .h 
 thofe Materials for doing it by the French, 
 which we formerly furnifh'd them with, and 
 might do fo again by the Liberty granted in 
 the Bill. 
 
 G 4 ObjiSli 
 
 * Fide Appendix B. 
 
[ 88 ] 
 
 ObjeS. III. That this Liberty will be pre- 
 judicial to the Trade and Navigation of Great 
 Britain, 
 
 Anfw. It is apprehended, the very Reverfe 
 will be the Confequence of this Liberty, be- 
 caufe the more Vent there is for Sugar at Fo- 
 reign Markets, the more Sugar will be made 
 in our Plantations, and confequently more 
 Negroes and other Materials for making of 
 Sugar will be fent to the Sugar Iflands, which 
 have taken off from Great Britain within the 
 Term of twelve Years upwards of the Value 
 of Five Millions of Pounds Sterling, befides 
 another Million and a half that went to 
 Africa within that Term; all which in a 
 Circulation of Trade mult have employed 
 great Numbers of Britijh Ships and Seamen, 
 which will naturally increafe or diminifli in 
 Proportion to the Quantity of Sugar railed in 
 our Sugar Iflands; and it is provided by the 
 Bill, that no Ships are to be employed in this 
 particular Branch of Trade, but fuch as are. 
 built in Great Britain, and navigated accord- 
 ing to Law ; and fuch Ships are to return to, 
 Great Britain within a limitted Time after 
 the Delivery of the Cargo at any Foreign 
 
 ?9% 
 
[89 3 
 
 Port, before they return to America ; and in 
 this Cafe the Sugars, which, when we had an 
 Exportation, ufed always to be exported in 
 Foreign Bottoms, will be carried in Britijh 
 Bottoms. 
 
 Objetf. IV. That the Ships employed in 
 this Trade will be refitted at Foreign Ports, 
 and the Seamens Wages paid there. 
 
 Anfw. This may be urged in regard to 
 every Branch of Trade carried on from Great 
 Britain to any Foreign Ports, with much 
 greater Strength than in the prefent Cafe, be- 
 caufe the Ships who carry Sugars to Fo- 
 reign Markets under this Bill are obliged to 
 return to Great Britain within Eight Months, 
 which the Ships concerned in any other Branch 
 of Trade are not obliged to do ; and confe- 
 quently they are not under the fame Neceffity 
 or Temptation to refit, as Ships in other 
 Branches of Trade may. 
 
 Besides, if they refit abroad, theymuftbe 
 at a much greater Expence than if they did it 
 at home j for when they refit at home, they 
 difcharge all their Sailors, one only excepted : 
 Whereas, if they refit abroad, they muft have 
 all their Sailors: Whofe Wages agd Provifion 
 
 will 
 
[9°] 
 
 will more than over-balance what they might 
 otherwife fave in refitting there : And as to 
 the Seamens Wages, the Bill provides, that 
 no more than one half thereof fhall be paid 
 before the Ship returns to Great Britain. 
 
 But fuppofe they Ihould refit and pay abroad, 
 the Expence thereof cannot amount to one 
 tenth of the Value of the whole Cargo, which 
 will be altogether paid for by the Foreign 
 Confumer; fo that the other nine tenths will 
 even in that Cafe centre in Great Britain, by 
 Bills of Exchange or otherwife ; great Part of 
 which will be laid out in Britijh Produce an4 
 Manufactures, neceffary for the railing more 
 Sugar, and thereby pay the Britijh Manu- 
 facturer, and the Freight of the whole Voyage a 
 and alfo for the whole Labour in railing the 
 Sugar out of the Money thus raifed upon Fo- 
 reigners by means of this Liberty, 
 
 Object. V. That this Liberty, ifgranted^ 
 would be of no Ufe, lince the French would 
 notwithftanding ftill underfell us in Foreign 
 Markets. 
 
 Anfw. Th is Objection gives up the Foreign 
 Sugar Trade as abfolutely loft, and therefore op- 
 poles any Means being ufed to. retrieve it; the 
 
 Suga£ 
 
[9< ] 
 
 Sugar- Planters and Merchants are of a different 
 Way of thinking, and by the Help of a diredt 
 Exportation, not only hope to mare with the 
 French in this Trade, but to beat them out of 
 it : for with this Liberty they are of Opinion 
 they fhall be able to underfill the French ^ and 
 they hope it will foon be put to the Trial whe- 
 ther they are or not. 
 
 When we had an Exportation to Foreign 
 Markets, all the Sugars fent abroad were 
 chiefly exported from the Port of London^ and 
 came to the Foreign Market loaded with the 
 increafed Charges mentioned in the Calcula- 
 tions contained in the Appendix; and yet 
 thofe Sugars were fold in Foreign Markets as 
 cheap as the French: if therefore thofe 
 Charges are taken off by a diredl Exporta- 
 tion, it neceffarily follows, we mail be 
 thereby enabled to underfell the French. 
 
 Object. VI. That the Sugar Colonies 
 make more Sugar now than they did formerly ; 
 therefore they fland in Need of no new En- 
 couragement. 
 
 Anjw. The Confumption of Sugar is 
 greatly increafed, and the Briti/h Planters 
 Jiave increafed their Sugar Settlements, and 
 
 broke 
 
[92] 
 
 broke up new Lands, in proportion to the 
 Demand : But the French having rivalled 
 them in this Trade, and beat them out of Fo- 
 reign Markets, the Britijh Planters were 
 forced to defert and throw up many of their 
 Settlements ; and from that Time they have 
 gone on decreafing, and the French increafing, 
 in proportion -, and if Matters go on for a few 
 Years longer in the fame Way, we fhall not 
 raife Sugar enough for our own Confumption, 
 but muft purchafe that Commodity from 
 France, as we now do all the Indigo we ufe : 
 But encouraged by the direct Exportation given 
 by this Bill, the Planters would again increafe 
 and extend their Settlements, and make Sugar 
 fufficient to anfwer every Demand of our own 
 and the Foreign Markets too, 
 
 ObjeEt. VII. That the Britijh Subjects 
 may, as the Law now ftands, fend their Sugars 
 by the Way of Cowes to Foreign Markets for 
 the Charge of 2 i per Cent, of the grofs 
 Amount of the Cargo; and therefore any 
 Law for a direct Exportation is unneceffary. 
 
 Anfw. This Objection proceeds upon an 
 imaginary Computation, there having been no 
 Inftance fhewn of any Sugars exported by the 
 
 Way 
 
[93 ] 
 Way of Omw.— It has indeed been done in 
 Rice j but they are Commodities of a very diffe- 
 rent Nature, and the Expence of landing and 
 refhipping Sugars is much greater than that of 
 Rice, befides the Damage Sugar is liable to, 
 by having the very Quality of it altered in their 
 moving, the Molaffes at the Bottom again in- 
 termixing with, and fpoiling the upper Part 
 of the Sugar ; and likewife from the Waftage 
 Sugar (which is in the Nature of an effential 
 Salt) is liable to in the fhifting and moving ; 
 befides, from the niceft Calculations that have 
 been made for this Purpofe, it is apprehended, 
 that Sugars could not be exported by the Way 
 of Cowes y but at an Expence of 10 per Cent. 
 upon the neat Value or Proceeds of the 
 Sugars to the Owners thereof *. 
 
 But fuppofing the Fact was as here ftated, 
 yet every fmgle Objection that is made againfl 
 the Bill for a direct Exportation, lies, not only 
 with the fame, but much greater Strength, 
 againfl carrying Sugars by Way of Cowes; 
 becaufe Ships going by the Way of Cowes 
 would not be liable to any of the Reftriftions 
 laid by this Bill, nor be under any Obligation 
 of returning to Great Britain, 
 
 So 
 • Kit Appendix (B.; 
 
[94] 
 
 So that let the Expediency of this Bill be 
 tried upon the footing of this Obje&ion :— . 
 On the one hand, by the Help of a direft Ex- 
 portation, the Planters and Merchants think 
 they fhall be able to regain the foreign Sugar 
 Trade; — but, without it, they can fee nothing 
 but certain inevitable Ruin and Deftru&ion 
 upon the whole Sugar Trade of this Kingdom} 
 fo that, if they are in the Right, the Confe- 
 quence of denying them this Liberty mud be 
 the entire Lofs of the Sugar Settlements (and 
 particularly that valuable Ifland Jamaica) to 
 this Kingdom^ and of all thofe many and great 
 National Benefits and Advantages ariling from 
 them, and be the Occafion of fixing the whole 
 Sugar Trade of Europe in the Hands of the 
 French**— Whereas, on the other hand, if the 
 Planters fhould be miftaken, no poffible Na- 
 tional Inconveniencies could arife from the Ex- 
 periment being tried, becaufe they can do the 
 very fame Thing now, by touching and land- 
 ing at Cowes 9 and that not only without being 
 under any of the many Reftridtions provided 
 by this Bill, but, if this Objection fpeaks Truth; 
 at the inconfiderable Expence only of 2 £ per*- 
 Cent,. 
 
 UPOH 
 
C9S] 
 
 Upon the Whole therefore, and as this Bill 
 is propoied only to be a temporary one for 5 
 Years, and as it will be in the Power of the 
 Legislature, if any unforefeen Inconveniency 
 (hould arife from it, to fhorten its Duration, 
 and as the Advantages propofed by it are of fb 
 great and fo momentous a Nature, and the 
 Difad vantages alledged fo very inconliderable; 
 
 It is humbly hoped the Experiment jhall be 
 
 tried, and that the Bill granting Li- 
 
 berty of a direft Exportation of Sugars > 
 
 under the Rejlritfions therein mention* d, 
 
 Jhall pafs into a Law. 
 
 A P- 
 
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[98] 
 
 APPENDIX (B). 
 
 An Account of the Sale of io Hogfkeads of Su- 
 gar in London, Calculated at 25 s. 20 s. 16 s. 
 
 13. s. and 11 s. per Hundred. 
 
 N° (I.) at 25 s. per C. /. s. d. I. s. d. 
 To Cuftom of 1 20 C. at 3 s. y 
 
 6d. per C. abate 5 per > 19 19 00 
 
 C<?»/. 3 
 
 Bill Money, Primage and' 
 
 Poft 
 Lighterage and Wharfage" 
 
 9 <^. Porterag* 
 
 perage 6 d. 
 
 per HogiTiead 
 Land- Waiters 3 d Primage J 
 
 6 */. Peerage 1^ is ic4 d. £ o 8 
 
 per Hogfhead f 
 
 Warehoufe Rent 6 Weeks, -\ 
 
 at 3 ^. ^r Hogfhead per [ o 15 
 
 Week 3 
 
 Freight on 120 C. at $s. 6d. 21 o 
 
 '}o 3 6 
 
 i Wharfage") 
 ;e 10 d. Coo- / 
 
 is 2 j. 1 ^/. r 
 
 d — . ) 
 
 o 10 
 
 43 7 " 
 Commiflion and Brokerage ) 
 
 ^ r * ° > 4 IO O 
 
 Infurance on 125/. at 4 j&tfrjl 
 C*///. and Policy, being/ 
 the Medium between [ 5 4 6 
 Jamaica and the other J 
 lflands 
 
 Charges _ — ~ 5.3 1 7 
 
 Net Produce to the Proprietor 96 18 5 
 Amount of the Sale of ioj 
 
 Hogfheads qt. 120 C. at > 150 o o 
 
 25/. 3 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
[99 1 
 
 APPENDIX (B). 
 
 An Account of the Charges that may be faved 
 en the 10 Hogflieads of Sugar per Contra, by 
 being carried from the Sugar I/lands direttly to 
 Hamburgh. 
 
 On Importation, as on the other Side. 
 
 s. d 4 
 Bill Money, Primage and } 
 
 Poft J 
 
 Lighterage,Wharfage, Por- 1 
 
 terage and Cooperage J 
 Primage, Waiters and i 
 
 Warehoufe j 
 
 Intereft on the Drawback, 
 
 4 Months at 5 per Cent 
 
 Commiflion and Brokerage 
 
 ■\ 
 
 I. 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 
 2 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 On Exportation to Hamburgh. 
 All petty Charges at 6d.perC. 300 
 CommifTion on 153 /. at 2 
 
 per Cent, 
 Wattage and Pilferage from 
 dng out tc 
 per Cent. 
 
 } 3 1 2 
 
 altage and fi I terage from -j 
 
 taking out to re-fhipping > 3 o o 
 
 2 per Cent. j 
 
 Freight at 6 s. 8 d. per \ r Q 
 
 Hogfhead * } 3 & « 
 
 Infurance faved i per Cent. •% ^ 
 
 and Policy _ \ ° *9 6 
 
 ' x 3 7 4 
 
 20/. 9 s. $ d. on 96/. 18 j. j ^ 
 
 5 d. is 2 1 ^r CW. C 2098 
 
 H 2 No (II.) 
 
 • Taking all the Northern Ports u a Medium, but the 
 Freight to the Southern Ports is above twice as much. 
 
[ 10 ° ] 
 
 N 9 (II.) at 20/. per C. /. s. d. I j. d. 
 To Cuftom, Port Charges 1 
 
 and Freight, as before J 4 ^ ' 1 
 CommirTion and Brokerage! 
 
 3 per Cent. 4 ^ 
 
 Infurance on 90 /. at 4 per \ , > 
 
 Cent, and Policy — J 3 ID ° 
 
 Charges — 50 15 7 
 
 Net Produce or clear Value 7 , 
 
 to the Owner — j 9 4 5 
 
 Amount of the Sale ofj 
 120 C. at 20 s. 5 
 
 120 
 
 N°(III.) at 16 s. perC. I s. d. I s. d. 
 To Cuftom, Port Charges 1 • 
 
 and Freight, as before J^3 7 
 
 Cornmiflion and Brokerage 217 7 
 
 Infurance on 60 /. at 4 per ) ^ 
 
 €enti and Policy — 5 
 
 I ■ il I 
 
 Charges - — 48 17 2 
 
 Net Produce 47 2 10 
 
 Amount of 1 20 C, at 1 6 s. 96 
 
 An 
 
[ «» ] 
 
 An Account of what may be faved when fold 
 at 20 j. per C. 
 On Importation. /. s. d. /. s. d. 
 
 Port Charges, Intereft, Com- ? •- 
 
 miflion and Brokerage > 
 On Exportation. 
 Petty Charges, Waftage, 1 g g 
 
 Pilferage and Freight ) 
 CommiiTion on 122/. 10 s. 1 
 
 at 2 /^r CV»/. > 
 
 Infurance 4 /^ Cent, and ) 
 Policy 5 
 
 o 
 
 O 12 
 
 II 15 IO 
 
 1 8 /. o /. 2*/. 01169/. 4 j. 5*/. 1 s 
 
 is 26 per Cent. — > 
 
 An Account of what may be faved at 165. per C. 
 On Importation. /. 5. d. I. s. d. 
 
 Port Charges, Intereft,Com- ■* 
 miflion and Brokerage 5 
 On Exportation. 
 Petty Charges, Waftage, J g % 
 
 Pilferage and Freight, 3 5 
 
 Commiflion, Infurance, and ) 
 Policy, ^92 
 
 i6/. 4J. 2d.on4.yl, 2S. lOd.l r 
 
 is 34 per Cent. 1 4 
 
 H 2 N° 
 
[ w* ] 
 
 N° (IV.) at 13 j. per C. /. g. d. I s. d. 
 
 To Cuftom," Port Charges 1 , 
 
 and Freight, as before 5 ' 
 
 CommirTion and Brokerage 269 
 
 Infurance on 40 /. at 4 per } *■ r 
 
 Cent, and Policy J 
 
 Charges - — 47 10 4 
 
 Net Produce 30 9 8 
 
 Amount of 120 C. at 13 s. 78 o o 
 
 N° (V.) at us. per C. L s. d. I. s. d. 
 To Cuftom, Port Charges 7 
 
 and Freight, as before }"*3 7 
 
 CommirTion and Brokerage 1 19 7 
 
 Jnfurance on 40 /. at 4 /w 1 6 6 
 
 Cent, and Policy y 
 
 Charges — *- 47 3 2 
 
 Net Produce p 18 16 10 
 
 Amount o£ 120 C. at 1 1 s. 66 o o 
 
 An 
 
[ io 3 ] 
 
 An Account of what may be faved at 13 s. per C 
 On Importation. /. s. d. I. s. d. 
 Port Charges, Intereft, ^ 
 
 CommirTion and Broker- 1 4191 
 
 age ) 
 
 On Exportation. 
 Petty Charges, Waftage, 1 
 
 Pilferage and Freight 5 7 I? I0 
 CommirTion, Infurance and 1 
 
 Policy [200 
 
 9 17 10 
 
 14/. 16 s. ud. on 30 1. 9 s. 1 
 
 Sd. is 48 ^rto. J 14 16 11 
 
 An Account of what may be £ved when fold at 
 1 1 j. per C. 
 
 On Importation. /. s. d. I. s. d. 
 Port Charges, Intereft, -\ 
 
 CommirTion and Broker- > 41111 
 
 age J 
 
 On Exportation. 
 Petty Charges, Waftage, 1 
 
 Pilferage and Freight 
 )mmifTion, Infurance ar 
 Policy 
 
 CommirTion, Infurance and *% 
 
 ^1. L I 14 
 
 9 7 1 
 
 13 /. 19 .r. od. on 18 /. * ( 
 
 16s. 10 d. is J4per Cent. $ -r J ^ ° 
 
 I? 4 iV. & 
 
[ ia 4 ] 
 
 N.B. Freight from Jamaica is 10 /. per Ton of 
 4 Hogfheads in time of Peace, which at J2 C. 
 per H id. is 4 j. 2d. per C. which will make 
 1 per Gent, more on the Account N° (I.) and 
 more in proportion on the other Accounts. 
 
 6 d. per C. extraordinary Freight to Hamburgh on 
 the Account 
 N° 1. is 3 per Cent. lefs,makes 18 per Cent. . 
 2.-4 - - 22 ' 
 
 3 .-6 - - - 28 
 
 4. - 10 - - - 38 
 
 5. ^ 16 - ' ■ - - 58 
 
 And fo in proportion for any other Charge or 
 Savings, in Freight * or otherwife. 
 
 N. B. The Sugar that has been exported to Foreign 
 Markets , has been generally loaded with all the 
 Charges mentioned in the above Account under 
 the Head of Savings by a direel Exportation ; 
 but if the Planter were to export his Sugars from 
 London upon his own Account ^ without altering 
 the Property, the Charges would be leffened in the 
 Articles of Brokerage and double Commiffion. 
 
 N.B. 1 Hhd. 
 
 of Sugar con- 
 taining 1 2 C. 
 fo fell at 
 
 s. d. s. d. 
 
 ! 3 i°i r 16 2] s ")N°i 
 
 18 5/ 2 \ii 6/ il\ 2 
 
 H 3>|< 7 '°>^§>- i 
 
 OII \1/5 1 1 » < I 4 
 
 17 8J ' L 3 2JlU 5 
 
 Thus it appears that the Difference between the 
 net Produce of a Hhd. of Sugar to fell at 1 6 s> 
 per C. or at 25 s. per C. is above 100 per Cent. 
 altho' the Difference of the Price is but 9 s. per 
 Cent, which is not a Penny a Pound. 
 
 The 
 
 * Vide page 16. 21. 22. 27. 32. 33, 
 
[ M5 ] 
 
 The Amount of the Savings by the c 
 tation of Sugar. 
 
 To Hamburgh by the 
 foregoing Calculations. 
 
 irecl Expor- 
 
 To Holland, by 
 • another Cil- 
 culaf'on. 
 
 At 12 C. 
 
 per Hhd. 
 
 At 10 C. 
 
 per Hhd. 
 
 At 10 Q per 
 Hhd. 
 
 At2 5s. per C. is 21 per Cent. 
 20 - 26 
 16 ~ - 34 
 13 - - 48 
 11 - . 74 
 
 22 p. Cent 
 
 2 7 
 
 35 
 
 49 
 7 6 
 
 21 per Cent. 
 
 35t 
 
 771- 
 
 Suppofe the Charges at Cozves * were but 2 7 per 
 Cent, this with Wattage and Pilferage, (befides- 
 Lofs of Time) cannot amount to lefs than 5 per 
 Cent, on the Grofs Amount. 
 That is /. jr. d. 
 
 y\- per Cent, on 96 18 5 
 8i - - - 6 9 4 5 
 10 - - - 47 2 10 
 124. - - - 3.0 9 8 
 17^ - - - 18 16 io- 
 Which is 1 1 ~ per Cent, on an Average. 
 
 Sugars Imported into Great Britain. 
 From 1708, to 1718, 10 Years, 534391 tjjuAc *,* 
 1 71 8, to 1728, 10 Years, 68931 / " nas -F' 
 1727, to i 7 33> 6 Years, 93889 \t£££l 
 1733, to 1737, 4 Years, 75 6 95 ] Av ^g e -» 
 
 Diminifhed fince 1733, 18 194 Hhds. per Ann. at 
 
 10 C. per Hhd. 
 
 Or - - - - - 1 5160 Hhds. per Ann. at 
 
 12 C. per Hhd. 
 Suppofe 
 
 * Vide page 92, to 94. || See page 76. 
 
[ "*] 
 
 Suppofe the Reduction of Mufcovado Sugar by 
 refining it is as 12 is to 20, 
 
 d„ 
 
 \ per lb. is 4 
 
 1 - - 9 
 
 2 - - 18 
 
 8 //r C. 
 
 4 
 8 
 
 3 - - 28 
 
 
 
 4 " « 37 
 
 4 
 
 _ I t> 
 
 Admitting 25 j. /^r C. for Mufcovado Sugar to 
 be a Medium Price to afford the beft refined Sugar 
 at 9 d. per Pound, Mufcovado Sugar muft rife 
 5 j. 7^.4 per C, that is, to 1 /. ioj. 7 d. ^ 
 per C. to be equal to the Rife of 1 d. per Pound 
 on refined Sugar, and fo in proportion as above *. 
 And the Rife or Fall of Mufcovado Sugar 9J. ^d. 
 per C. will be but a Penny per Pound more or 
 lefs on the final 1 Proportion of the general Ex- 
 pences of the Confumer of Mufcovado Sugar, and 
 in fome Cafes it is above Cent, per Cent, on the 
 whole Amount of the Planter's annual Produce. 
 
 * See p. 87. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
[ >°7 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 N° 2. 
 
 Notes on the AB for granting Liberty to 
 carry Sugar directly to Foreign Markets. 
 12 Geo. II. Cap. 30. 
 
 ,\JO Ship or Veffel is to have a Li- 
 
 SeB. 2/ ^ 
 
 3\LN cence to carry Sugars to Foreign 
 Parts, by Virtue of this Aft, unlefs it mall 
 appear by the Oath or Affirmation of the 
 Mailer, that the Ship is Briti/J: built, and 
 the Property thereof is in his Majefty's Sub- 
 jects, refiding in Great Britain, or that the 
 major Part of them refide there, and the 
 Refidue in fome of his Majefty's Sugar Colo- 
 nies in America, and not ehewhere. But, by 
 Seel. 1 1. this is not to excufe Ships from being 
 regiftred, purfuant to the Act of 7th and 8th 
 of W. 3d. 
 
 Such 
 
[ io8] 
 
 Such Licences are to be taken under the 
 Hands of the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms 
 at London or Edinburgh, upon Bond being 
 enter'd into for iooo/. if the Ship be of lefs 
 Burthen than iqo Tons, and 2000/. if of 
 that, or a greater Burthen, to comply with 
 the Requifites in the faid Ad: mentioned. 
 
 Every fuch Ship to return to Great Bri- 
 tain within 8 Months after (lie mall have dis- 
 charged her Lading at any Foreign Port. 
 
 SeBt. 5. Before any Sugar is loaded by 
 Virtue of this Licence, the Mafter of the Ship 
 Is to deliver the fame to the Collector of the 
 fort, where the Lading is to be taken in, 
 with the Certificate annex'd, of Bond having 
 been given, and mall declare in Writing to 
 the Colledtor, whether he intends to load any 
 Sugars, by Virtue of this Licence, which 
 muft be done before any Goods are laden, 
 otherwife this Licence will be invalid, and of 
 no Force and Virtue. 
 
 Se&. 4. In Cafe any Ship or VeiTel, li- 
 ccnfed by Virtue of the laid Aft, mall take 
 on Board any Sugars, or other Goods, being 
 the Property of any other Perfon than fome 
 pf his Majefty's Subjedts, and fuch as fhall be 
 mipp'd and laden on their proper Rifque and 
 
 Account, 
 
[ 109 ] 
 Account, to be carried to foreign Parts ; all 
 fuch Sugars, and other Goods fib laden on fiw;h 
 Ship, will be forfeited and loft. 
 
 Sett. 5. The Merchant Exporter, before 
 he lades any Sugars by Virtue of this Licence^ 
 or any other Goods not enumerated, is to 
 make an Entry in Writing, with the Collector, 
 Comptroller, and Naval Officer, expreffing 
 the Name of the Ship and Mafter, on which 
 fuch Sugar or other Goods not enumerated, aie 
 to be laden, and where fhe lies, and the Places, 
 Keys, or Wharfs, where fuch Goods are to ba 
 laden, or firft Water-born, in order to be laden 
 on Board the Ship ; which {hall be fuch only 
 where an Officer or Officers are or fliall be ap- 
 pointed to attend the lading and (hipping there- 
 of, or at fuch Place or Places as (hall be men- 
 tioned in a Sufferance or Warrant to be taken 
 out from the Collector and Comptroller, for that 
 Purpofe; and the Exporter fhail thereon take 
 out a Cocket, whereon h«; mail endorfe the 
 Marks, Numbers, Contents and Denomina- 
 tions of the Sugars to be fhipped, and deliver 
 the fame to the Searcher cr other proper Offi- 
 cer appointed to examine the fhipping, and 
 mail iliip or lade fuch Sugars in the Prefence 
 of fuch Officer or Officers, cr at fuch Place as 
 
 <hall 
 
[ no] 
 
 fhall be mentioned in the Sufferance, that the 
 Officer may attend the (hipping thereof 5 and 
 if upon Examination, before or after {hipping, 
 there {hall appear to be more Cafks or any 
 other Sugars than fuch as fhall be endorfed on 
 the Cocket or Warrant, or any other enume- 
 rated Goods, all fuch Sugars and other Goods 
 fo {hipped, or put into any Lighter, &c. or 
 brought to be {hipped, will be forfeited, toge- 
 ther with the Ship, Lighter, &c. on which 
 they {hall be laden, and the Owners will for- 
 feit double the Value. 
 
 The Mailer of the Ship or Veffel before he 
 departs from the faid Colonies, muft receive 
 this Licence from the Collector, Comptroller, 
 and Naval Officer, who are to endorfe there^. 
 on, the Marks, Numbers, and Contents, and 
 Sorts of Sugars fo fhipped ; and the Collector, 
 and other Officers aforefaid, are to make two 
 Copies of fuch Licence, &c. which Copies are 
 to be attefted by the Mafter, and left with the 
 Colle&or, &c. who are to fend one of them to 
 the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms in Great 
 Britain refpectivcly. 
 
 The Officers in the faid Colonies are to 
 take no more thin the legal and accuftomed 
 
 Fees 
 
t H-xjl 
 
 Fees for any of the faid Entries, Cockets, En-- 
 dorfements, or Copies. 
 
 The Matter of the Ship is to proceed di-; 
 rectly to Great Britain, without putting into 
 any other Port, unlefs forced by ftrefs of Wea- 
 ther, or fhall proceed to the South of Cape 
 Finifterre, in the Cafe, and on the Condi- 
 tions, hereafter mentioned. 
 
 The Mailer of the Ship on his touching 
 at any Port in Great Britain, fhall deliver 
 his Licence to the CommUTioners, or the 
 Collector and Comptroller of the Port where 
 he arrives, immediately on his Arrival, with 
 the Indorfements, &c. thereon or annex'd, 
 and {hall alio deliver an exact Manifeft of his 
 Loading, exprefllng the Marks and Numbers, 
 with the Tale and Sorts of Cafks, attefted 
 upon Oath or Affirmation, and fhall alfo 
 make Entry of the Sort and Quantities of all 
 the Sugars on Board, with which he is bound 
 to foreign Parts, and fhall alfo declare on Oath 
 or Affirmation, to what foreign Port or Ports 
 he is bound with hi9 Loading ; whereupon 
 he may then proceed, taking his Licence, &c. 
 along with him, with a Certificate of having 
 touched in Great Britain, and complied with 
 the laid Aft. 
 
 In 
 
[ "2 J 
 
 In Cafe any Veflels mall proceed to foreign 
 Parts, without rirft. touching at fome Port in 
 Great Britain, and complying with the Di- 
 rections of this Act, they will be fubjecl to 
 the fame Penalties as if this Act had not been 
 made, except fuch as fhall be carried to the 
 Southward of Cape Fimjlerre, as hereafter 
 mentioned. 
 
 Seff. 6. Officers of the Cuftoms are 
 impowered to unlade and examine fufpedted 
 Ships upon Information upon Oath, and to 
 feize fuch Goods as fliall not be mentioned in 
 the Manifefl ; and in Cafe there be no Fraud, 
 Officers to reload and repair Damages. 
 1 SeB.'y. The Sugars taken on Board by 
 Virtue of this Licence^ or any Part thereof, 
 may be entered and pay Duty in Great Bri- 
 tain if dcfircd. 
 
 • Se5i. 8. If the Sugars to be loaded in the 
 Su^ar Colonies by Virtue of this Licence, are 
 to be earned directly to the Southward of Cape 
 Finijierre\ the Mailer of the Ship, fliall, on 
 his Arrival in the faid Colonies, and before he 
 lades any Goods, declare the fame in Writing 
 upon Oath or Affirmation, to be endorfed pn 
 the Back of this Licence. 
 
 -. " Se&.g. 
 
[ »3 1 
 
 Sett. 9. The Matter of the Ship or Veflel, 
 iiiuft, within eight Months after landing the 
 faid Sugars at fbme Port to the Southward of 
 Cape Finijlerre, return with his Ship to 
 Great Britain, and deliver his Licence, en- 
 dorfed as above, to the Commlflioners of the 
 Cuftoriis, or the Collector and Comptroller of 
 the Port where fhe: arrives, with a Certificate 
 figned and fealed by the Conful or two known 
 Britijh Merchants refiding at the Port or Place 
 where the Sugars were landed, certifying the 
 Landing thereof, with the Number of Cafks 
 fb landed, and the Marks, Numbers and Con- 
 tents of each Cafk, with the Name of the 
 Ship and Mafter, and that they verily believe 
 that no Tobacco, Melajfes, Ginger, Cotton* 
 Woolly LiJico, Pujiilk) or other dying Wood, 
 Tar, Filch, tittrpeiitjne. Hemp, Map, 
 Yards, Boiofprits, Copper Ore, Beaver Skins, 
 or other Furrs, of the Growth, Production or 
 Manufacture of any Britijl: Plantation in 
 America, have been there landed out of fuch 
 Ship ; and the Mafter (hall alfo make Oath or 
 Affirmation to the Truth of the Certificate, 
 and that none of the Goods before enumerated, 
 except Sugar, were taken on Board at any of 
 the faid Colonies, or landed at the Place of 
 
 I Places 
 
[ "4] 
 
 Places mentioned in the Certificate : And the 
 Matter of the VelTel fhall moreover make an 
 Entry of the Quantity and Sorts of all the 
 Sugars laden on Board his Ship at any of the 
 laid Colonies, and landed to the Southward of 
 Cape Fimjlerre, but not pay any Cuftom for 
 the fame ; and if the Mafter neglect making 
 iuch Entry, he fhall forfeit ioo /. And upon 
 the Licence being returned with the Oath of 
 the Mafter, and an Account of the Lading 
 endorfed thereon, as alio the Certificate of the 
 Conful produced, and the other Directions of 
 the Act complied with, the Bond to be deliver- 
 ed up, otherwife to be forfeited and profecuted 
 as directed by the laid Aft. 
 
 SeEi. 15. Persons falfifying, counter- 
 feiting, eraling or altering any Licence, Oath 
 or Certificate made purfuant to the faid A£t> 
 or knowingly publishing or ufing the fame, 
 ihall forfeit 500 /. 
 
 Seel. 16. No Sugars to be carried from 
 any of the faid Sugar Colonies to Ireland % by 
 Virtue of the laid Adt. 
 
 Seel. 17. The faid Adt to commence after 
 the 29th of Sept. 1739, and to continue in 
 Force Five Years, and from thence to the 
 End of the next Seflion of Parliament. 
 
 The 
 
[ "5] 
 
 The Form of a Licence given in purfuance 
 of the Adl of the 12 Geo. II. cap. 30. 
 
 By the Commiffioners for managing and caufing 
 to be levied and collected His Majefty's 
 Cuftoms, &c. in London. 
 
 A LICENCE to load and carry Sugars 
 of the Growth, Produce and Manufacture 
 cf any of His Majejlys Sugar Colonies 
 in America, from the faid Colonies direclly 
 to any foreign Part of Europe, except 
 Ireland, pur fu ant to an A£f pa fed in the 
 12th Tear of His prefent Majejly King 
 GEORGE the Second. 
 
 WHEREAS it appears to us by the 
 annexed Certificate of the Colle&or 
 and Comptroller of His Majefty's Cuftoms at 
 the Port cf That purfuant 
 
 to the Act above mentioned 
 one of His Majefty's Subjects rending at 
 hath given due Notice of his Intention to (hip or* 
 load in the faid Colonies, Sugars of the Growth, 
 Production and Manufacture thereof, on board 
 the Ship or Veflel called the 
 whereof is Mailer, and 
 
 I 2 tound 
 
[ ii6 ] 
 
 bound for one of the faid Sugar Colonies ; and 
 for that Purpofe hath given Security, with 
 Condition to comply with the feveral Regula- 
 tions, Matters and Things required by the faid 
 Act to be done and performed, as more fully 
 appears by the faid Certificate annexed ; 
 whereby it alio further appears to us, that 
 Proof hath likewife been made by the 
 
 of the Mailer or Perfon 
 taking Charge of the Ship, that the Property 
 thereof is in His Majefty's Subjects refiding in 
 Great Britain, or that the major Part of them 
 refide there, and the Refidue in His Majefty's 
 Sugar Colonics in America, and not elfe- 
 where, and that the other Requifites men- 
 tioned in the faid Act, have been duly com- 
 plied with. KNOW YE THEREFORE 
 That aforefaid, 
 
 the Mailer or other Perfon having or taking 
 Charge of the laid Ship or VefTel for this pre- 
 fent Voyage, or any of his Majefty's Britijh 
 Subjects, is, or are by Virtue of the faid Act, 
 hereby licenfed to fhip or load at 
 
 or any other of his Majefty's 
 Sugar Colonies in America, Sugars of the 
 Growth, Produce and Manufacture thereof, 
 
 i to 
 
[ H7] 
 
 to be carried to fome foreign Part of Europe* 
 except Ireland. PROVIDED the Conditions 
 of the faid Bond, and the feveral Regulations 
 prefcribed by the {aid Adt, be duly performed. 
 Given under our Hands at the Cuflom-Houfe % 
 London, the Day of 
 
 in the Year of the Reign of 
 
 His Majefty King GEORGE the Second, and 
 in the Year of our Lord One thoufand fcvm 
 hundred and 
 
 An 
 
[ "8] 
 
 P P 
 
 N 
 
 \in Account of the Duties on Sugar, Rum, 
 
 Inwards. 
 
 r Brown and Mu'co-vadoes Sugar, from the Britljh Plan- 7 
 tations, the Hundred Weight containing wzlb. y 
 
 brown, the Hund, 
 Wt- cont. 112 lb 
 
 
 white, the 
 Wt. cont. 
 
 Hund 
 nzlb 
 
 
 Mufcwadoes ythe Hund. 
 Wt. cont. iiz lb. "SmtofiLift 
 I India. 
 
 5 of Eaft-Indis 
 [ 
 no/ofEa&rJ 
 India. 1 
 
 iof Eaft- India 
 G 
 ^/o/Eaft-V 
 India. 1 
 
 idia 
 
 I 
 
 n Britifh S£#j — 
 n Ships not be-" 
 
 C c 
 13 
 
 longing to Great I 
 
 Brit, or Ireland, r 
 
 _ or Foreign built J 
 
 0/ Eaft- India ■ 
 
 t* Britifh Ships — 
 
 1 i» &&;&; not be-^% 
 
 »°°fZrt-J ^ghg A, Great/ 
 
 1 Brit. »r Ireland, f 
 
 or Foreign built. J 
 
 fVEaft-India 
 
 m Britifh Ships—* 
 
 in Ships not be-^t 
 
 longing to Great I 
 
 Brit, or Ireland, r 
 
 or Foreign built J 
 
 I from the Britijh Plantations—— 
 Weight cont. 112 lb. * 
 
 India 
 not fi 
 the Brit 
 Plant 
 
 
[ "9l 
 
 D I X. N° 3. 
 
 Spirits, and Molafle.% imported into Great Britain. 
 
 Rates. 
 
 By 12. 
 
 Car. II. 
 
 cap.4,©V. 
 
 By 1 
 Geo. I. 
 
 Duties to be 
 
 Paid on Importation. 
 
 cap. 7. J By Britijb. 
 
 I. s. d.H. s. J. I. s\ d. 4, 
 
 I 10 o 
 
 10 00 
 10 o o 
 
 to o o 
 
 15 00 
 15 00 
 
 15 00 
 
 400 
 400 
 
 400 
 
 768 
 
 500 
 
 7 6 8 
 
 768 
 
 o 3 3 18 
 
 2 6 o — 
 8 6 - 
 
 11 o — 
 
 4 19 o — 
 
 229 — 
 
 2 6 6 — 
 
 1 6 4 16 
 
 on 4 16 
 
 o 12 4 16 
 
 4 .6 
 
 II I 
 
 1 o 10 16 
 
 By Strangers. 
 
 2 8 16 
 
 I 4 
 
 O388 
 
 386 — 
 III O — 
 
 III o 
 
 529- 
 
 269 — 
 
 266 — 
 
 1 7 4 16 
 o 12 4 16 
 
 O 12 4 l6 
 
 2 10 2 l6 
 
 12 4 — 
 
 1 2 8 16 
 1 2 8 16 
 
 Repaid on Expor- 
 tation, in Time 
 by any Perfon . 
 
 '• d. 4 
 
 027; 
 
 3 13 — 
 1 3 9 — 
 
 1 3 9 — 
 
 4 11 10 10 
 1 15 7 10 
 
 1 15 7 10 
 
 m 
 
 146 — 
 096 — 
 
 096 — 
 
 2 4 11 — 
 
 o 8 8 10 
 o 17 5 — 
 
 o 17 5 — 
 
t no ] 
 
 Inwards. 
 
 CO 
 
 tin Britifh Ships 
 
 tin Britiih Ships 
 
 \ in Ships not be-"] 
 
 < longing to Great { 
 I Brit, or Ireland, { 
 (_ or Foreign built. J 
 
 Refined, double or fingle, in Loaves, \ in Shi 
 the Hundred Weight containing < longh 
 
 112 lb. / Brit. 
 
 I. or Foreig 
 in Britifh Ships — -— 
 
 St. Thome, and P^nellis, the Hun- 
 dred Weight containing nz lb. 
 
 I 
 
 Bat if !rugar or Papeles of the Britijh Plantations in America 
 be exported within one Year after Importation, the 
 whole Duty is to be repaid. 6 Geo. II. cap. 13. §. 9. 
 
 Rum, the Gallon — ■ 
 
 But may not be imported in Calks under zo Gallons. 
 
 C of the Britijh Plantations in Ame- \ 
 Molasses of Ra?neals< rica, the Ton — J 
 
 £ from any other Place, the Ton— r 
 Rum or Spirits of the Britijh Plantations \a America pays" 
 for Excije 3 i. 8 d.pet Gallon fingle, and 6 s 8 d. double or 
 above Proof. 
 Brandy Spirits, or Aquavits (except Rum, orSpirits of )- 
 the Britijh Plantations in America) pay for Excife 4 s. 8 d. 
 fingle, and 8 s. ?>d. double, or above Pi oof. By 6 Geo. Li. 1 
 cap 17. is. fi fig! e, and zs. double was added. J 
 
 Arrack imported fom any of his Majefty's Colonies in 
 the Enfi Indies, is by 7 Geo. II. cap. 14. §. 1. to pay 
 the fame Subfidies, Duties and Excifes as Brandy, and 
 other foreign Spirits. 
 
 Note by Practice pays as French Brandy. 
 
 tin Britifh Ships . 
 
 of France (and by Praftice Arrack \in Ships not be-'\ 
 of the E aft- Indies) the Ton cont. < longing to Great ( 
 252 Gallons ■ - I Brit, or Ireland, f" 
 
 (, or Foreign built} 
 
 of Spain, Portugal, or Italy, the f** B i^ ^f 
 
 Ion containing 252 Gallons. 
 
 i, the f '.""»*— 
 
 ^ longing to. Great I 
 I Brit, or Ireland, T 
 ^ <?r Foreign built J 
 
r «i] 
 
 Kates. 
 
 Duties to be 
 
 By 12 | By n. 
 
 Car. II. I Geo. \. 
 
 cap. 4,&V.' cap. 7. J By Britijh 
 
 17 sTd. 
 
 Paid on Importation. 
 
 Repaid on Expor- 
 tation, in Time, 
 
 I7OO 
 
 17 O Q 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 OOO 
 
 13 6 8 
 13 68 
 
 /. i,lL s. d. *«„ 
 
 (2858 
 
 2 12 8 8 
 0588 
 0628 
 
 o i 8 
 
 By Strangers, by any Perfons . 
 
 5. d. ^l. ,. d. & 
 2 O 4 10 
 
 2 12 8 
 
 12 8 8 
 
 628 
 
 0628 
 
 003 16^0 o 4 i,y 
 
 1 t 8 o 
 
 g 3 o 
 
 2 1 4 
 
 2 o 4 10 
 049- 
 049 
 
 o o 3 61-1 
 in 8 - 
 
 9 U 4 9 1 8 .— 
 
 To be paid by the Importer in ready Money, without Dif- 
 count upon Entry before Landing, and nothing repaid on 
 Exportation. 
 
 o o 030 e g 
 fc o 030 o o 
 o o o j^ 00 
 
 000 
 
 \S o o 
 
 5 5 6 
 
 5 *3 o 
 
 3 2 9 
 
 3 6 6 
 
 — j5 13 * 
 
 — ,5 U o 
 
 — 3 6 6 
 —'3 6 6 
 
 4 11 3 — 
 
 4113 — 
 
 2 15 7 10 
 
 2 15 7 10 
 
[ 122 ] 
 
 Inwards. 
 
 
 tin Britifh Ships* 
 \i 
 
 of all other Countries not otherwife 1 in Ships not be- 1 
 rated, the Ton containing 25 2 < longing to Great ( 
 
 Gallons 5 J Brit, or Ireland, f 
 
 I, or Foreign built J 
 But Brandy may not be imported in any other than Britijb or 
 Irijh Ships, or Ships of the Built of the Country of which 
 it is the Produft, or of the Port where it can only, or is moft 
 ufually firft (hipped, nor in Cafks not containing 60 Gallons, 
 Citron Water the Gallon « ■ 
 
 Geneva the Gallon ■ ■ ■ 
 
 Rosa So lis, and all other Cordial Waters not otherwife 1 
 rated, the Gallon " ■-' J 
 
 
 Rates? 
 
[ "3 ] 
 
 Rates. 
 
 By is 
 
 Car. II. 
 
 cap. 4,©^ 
 
 I 
 
 O O 
 
 o o 
 
 By 11 
 
 Geo. I. 
 ca p. 7' 
 /. /. */. /. s 
 
 20 o 03 17 
 
 Duties to be 
 
 Paid on Importation. 
 
 I Repaid en Expor- 
 tation, in Time, 
 By Britijh. | By Strangers, by any Perfon. 
 
 OOO 
 OOO 
 
 O O 
 
 d. 
 
 I. s. 
 
 2 
 
 20 4 2 ° "*"" 
 
 I o o 
 
 O 1 o 
 
 o 10 o 
 
 2 II 3TT 
 O 2 13^ 
 
 i 6 1^ 
 
 -'3 
 
 2 3? 
 2 16^ 
 
 7 1 
 
 i 1 
 
 3 7 
 
 6 — 
 
 6 — 
 
 2 5 °rr 
 
 002 7tf 
 o 1 3 4tt 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
[ i2 4 ] 
 
 Sect. 4. 
 
 A P P E N D I X. 
 
 N° 4. 
 
 Extracts of Laws and Rules relating to the 
 Plantation Trade. 
 
 12 Car. II. cap. 18. An Aft for En- 
 couraging and Increafmg of Shipping and 
 
 Navigation. 
 
 O Goods or Commodities of fo- 
 reign Growth which are brought 
 into England to be fhipped or brought from 
 any ether Place or Country, biit only thofe of 
 the raid Growth, or from thofe Ports where 
 the faid Growth can only, or are, or ufually 
 have been firft fhipt for Tranfportation, and 
 from no other Places or Countries, under for- 
 feiture of all fuch Goods, as alfo of the Ship in 
 which they were imported, with all her Guns, 
 Furniture, Ammunition and Apparel, one half 
 to the King, and one half to the Informer. 
 
 Se8. 18. 
 
 N 
 
SecJ. 1 8. No Sugars, &c. to be carried 
 from any Englifi Plantation, but to his Ma- 
 jefty's Dominions. 
 
 Se5t. 19. Bond to be given in England, 
 that if the Ship takes in any Sugar, &c. in our 
 Plantations, the fame (hall be by the faid Ship 
 brought to England or Ireland, and there un- 
 load the fame. 
 
 14 Car. II. cap. 1 1. An AB for preventing 
 Frauds, and regulating Abufes in his Ma- 
 jejlys Cujloms* 
 
 Setf. 2. The Mailer or Purferof any Ship 
 or Veffel arriving from Parts beyond the Seas, 
 fhall make a juft and true Entry upon Oath of 
 the Burthen, Contents and Lading of every 
 fuch Ship or Veffel, with the particular Marks, 
 Numbers, Qualities, and Contents of every 
 Parcel of Goods therein laden, to the beft of 
 his Knowledge ; alfo where and in what Port 
 {he took in her Lading, who was Mafter during 
 the Voyage, and who are Owners thereof, 
 and in all Out-Ports or Members, to come di- 
 re&ly up to the Place of unlading, as the Con- 
 dition of the Port requires, and will admit, and 
 making Entries as aforefaid upon the Penalty of 
 the Forfeiture of 100 /. 
 
&£?. 3. The Matters of all Ships outward 
 bound, to enter at the Cuftom-Houfe, and 
 declare to what Port or Place fhe intends to 
 pafs or fail ; and before they depart with fuch 
 Ship out of fuch Port, lhall bring and deliver 
 in a Content in Writing under their Hands of 
 the Names of every Merchant that (hall have 
 laden and put on Board any Goods and Mer- 
 chandizes, together with the Marks and Num- 
 bers, and lhall likewife publickly in the open 
 Cuftom-Houfe, upon his corporal Oath to the 
 belt of his Knowledge, anfwer to fuch 
 Que (lions as lhall be demanded of him by the 
 Guitomer, concerning fuch Goods, upon 
 Forfeiture of 100 /. 
 
 Se&. 6. Such Perfonas fhall forcibly hinder, 
 affront, abufe or beat Officers of the Cuftoms in 
 the Execution of their Duties, to be committed to 
 Prifon by the next Juftice of Peace, or other Ma- 
 giftrate,there to remain till the next Quarter Se£- 
 lions: And the Juflicesof the Peace of the laid 
 Quarter Seflions lhall punifh the Offender by 
 Fine, not exceeding one hundred Ponnds,and the 
 Offender is to remain in Prifon till he be dis- 
 charged by Order of the Exchequer, both of 
 the Fine and of the Imprifonment, or difcovsr 
 
 the 
 
 
[ ™7 3 
 
 the Perfon who fet him on work, to the End 
 he may be legally proceeded againft. 
 
 Sett. 8. Any Officer that fhall make any 
 falfe Certificate of any Goods or Merchandizes 
 which fhould have been landed out of any Ship 
 or Veffel, fhall lofe his Employment, and for- 
 feit 50/. 
 
 Se£t. 9. Goods fecretly conveyed beyond 
 the Seas, uncuftomed and undifcovered by the 
 Officers, the Owners, or fuch who fhip'd, or 
 caufed the fame to be fhip'd, to forfeit double 
 the Value of the Goods. 
 
 Sett. 10. Every Merchant, or other, paf- 
 fing any Goods inwards, or outwards, fhall 
 by himfelf, or known Servant, Factor or 
 Agent, fubfcribe one of his Bills of every 
 Entry, with the Mark, Number and Contents 
 of every Parcel of fuch Goods. 
 
 Sett. 35. Every Perfon that fhall export 
 any Goods or Merchandize from England 
 capable of a Ship or Veffel of two hundred 
 Tons, upon an ordinary full Sea, to any Part 
 or Place of the Mediterra?iean Sea beyond the 
 Port of Malaga^ or import any Goods or Mer- 
 chandizes from the Ports or Places aforefaid to 
 any Port of this Kingdom, in any Ship or 
 VeiTel thaj hath not two Decks, and doth carry 
 
 lefs 
 
f 128 J 
 
 efs than 16 Pieces of Ordnance mounted, to- 
 gether with two Men for each Gun, and 
 other Ammunition proportionable, fhall pay 
 i per Cent, over and above the Subfidy of 
 Tonnage and Poundage, otherwife due and 
 payable. 
 
 Seff. 36. Fish may be exported from any 
 of his Majefty's Dominions into any of the 
 Ports in the Mediterranean Sea aforefaid, \h 
 any Englifi Ship or Veffel whatfoever, provi- 
 ded that one Moiety of her full Lading be 
 Fifh only > and in fueh Cafe to import any 
 Merchandize in the fame Ship for that Voyage, 
 without paying any other Duties of Tonnage 
 and poundage than were heretofore accuftom- 
 
 j 5 Car. II. cap; 7. An Ati for the Encou- 
 ragement of Trade. 
 
 Sett. 6. No Commodity of the Growth of 
 Europe mail be imported into the Plantations, 
 but from Great Britain, under Penalty of 
 forfeiting fuch Goods, together with the Shipl 
 Guns, Tackle, Furniture, Ammunition and 
 Apparel. 
 
 Except, Salt from Europe for the Fifheries 
 of New-England, Newfoundland, Penfihania, 
 
 and 
 
[ 12 9 1 
 
 and New-York; Wines of and from thd 
 Madeiras, and the Weftern Iflands, or A~~ 
 zores ; and Servants, Horfes and Victuals of 
 and from Ireland, by Britiflo and in Britijh 
 Ships, j 5 Car. II: cap. 7. Seel. 7; 136^.1. 
 cap. 5. Seel. 1. 3 Geo. Ill cap. 12. Seel. 1* 
 Except alfo 7/-//Z? Linnen Cloth from Ireland, 
 by Britifi or /r//2>, fo long as Britifi Linnen 
 is permitted to be imported into Ireland Dut> 
 free — -3, 4 A?in. cap. 8. Seel. 1, 11. 1 Gee- 
 I. cap. 26. Seel. 3. 3 Geo. I. cap. 21. Seel, ii 
 SftS. 9. No Officer to give any Warrant 
 for, or fufter any Sugar, Ginger, Cotton, In- 
 digo, o*c. to be carried to any Country or 
 Place whatfoever, until firff unladen, and put 
 on Shore in Great Britain, under the Penalties 
 In the Acl mentioned. 
 
 22 Car. II. cap. 26. An Acl to prevent the 
 planting of Tobacco in England, and regu- 
 lating the Plantation Trade. 
 
 Seel. ii. Ireland left out, and the Bonds' 
 direeled to be given by the 12 Car. II. en- 
 forced, and to be taken by the Governors of 
 the Englifi Plantations. 
 
 R ftft Hi 
 
[ 130 ] 
 
 Selt. 12. The Governors of the Plantations 
 are to return yearly to the Cuftom-Houfe, a 
 Lift of all Ships as (hall lade any Sugars, &c. 
 in our Plantations, and if fuch Ships fhall un- 
 lade fuch Sugars, fyc. in any other Port of 
 Europe, other than England, the Ship and 
 Cargo forfeited. 
 
 25 Car. II. cap. 7. An AB for the Encou- 
 ragement of the Greenland and Eaftland 
 Trades, and for the better fecuring the 
 Plantation Trade. 
 
 Serf. 3. Giving Bond to bring the enume- 
 rated Goods, &c. of the American Plantations 
 to England further enforced, and a Duty laid 
 on certain enumerated Commodities carried 
 from one Englijh Plantation to another. 
 
 7, 8. W % III. cap. 22. An A6i for preventing 
 Frauds, and regulating Abufes in the Plan- 
 tation Trade. 
 
 SeB. 5. Officers in the Plantations to 
 give Security for the true and faithful Perform- 
 ance of their Duty. 
 
 SeB. 6. That all Ships coming into, or 
 going out of any of the faid Plantations, and 
 
 lading 
 
, f 1 
 
 lading or unlading any Goods or Commodities, 
 the Mafter thereof, and their Ladings fhali be 
 fubjecl: gnd liable to the fame Rules, Vifitations, 
 Searches, Penalties and Forfeitures as to the 
 entring, lading and difcharging their refpective 
 Ships and Ladings; as the Ships and their La- 
 dings, and their Matters are liable to by 14 
 Car. II. And the Officers in the faid Planta- 
 tions fhall have the fame Powers and Authority 
 for vifiting and fearching Ships, and taking 
 their Entries, and for ieizing, ferving, and 
 bringing on Shore any of the Goods prohibited 
 to be imported or exported, or for which any 
 Duty are payable, as are provided by the faid 
 Acl. 
 
 Se5f. 8. Notwithstanding the Pay- 
 ment pf the enumerated Duties, no Sugars, &c* 
 to beihipped 'till fuch Security given as required 
 by the Acts of iz and 22 Car. IL 
 
 S0. 13. Persons entring into the Plan- 
 tation Bpnds, tp be of known Ability, and tins 
 Condition of the laid Bonds fhall be to produce 
 Certificates of having landed and difcharged the 
 Goods therein mentioned in his Majefty's Plan- 
 tations, or in England, within 18 Months^ 
 otherwife the Bond to be in Force. 
 
 K 2 Sell. 14,' 
 
[ *3 2 ] 
 
 Sett. 1 4. No Plantation Goods to be landed 
 in Ireland^ unlefs firft landed in England. 
 
 4 Geo. II. cap. 15. &#. 1. It fhall be 
 lawful to import into Ireland from his Ma- 
 jefty's Plantations in America, all Goods of the 
 Growth or Manufacture of his Majefty's Plan- 
 tations (except Sugars, Tobacco, Cotton, 
 Wool, Indigo, Ginger, Speckle Wood, Fuftick, 
 or other dying Wood, Rice, Molaffes, Beaver 
 Skins, and other Furrs, Copper Ore, Pitch, 
 Tarr, Turpentine, Marts,- Yards and Bowfprits, 
 the Act 7 and 8 W.lll. cap. 22. notwith> 
 {landings 
 
 Sec7. 2. Provided the Goods be imported 
 in Briti/h Shipping, whereof the Mafter and 
 three fourths of the Mariners are Engli/h, 5 
 Geo. II. cap, 9. The Act 9 Anna, cap. 12. 
 and the Act 1 Geo. I. cap. 12. which prohibit 
 the Importation of Hops into Ireland from 
 Flanders, and other Parts (other than from 
 Great Britain) fhall be in Force, as if the 
 Act 4 Geo. II. cap. 15. had never been made. 
 
 APPEN- 
 
[ *33 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 An Account of the Prices of Sugar at feve- 
 ral Ports of Europe, compared with the 
 Prices at London ; calculated with the Du- 
 ties of 3 s. 4 d. per C. paid in London, 
 and the Duties at other Ports, but without 
 any Regard to Freight or other Charges on 
 one Side or the other. 
 
 LEGHORN. 
 
 SUGAR is fold here at fo many Dollars 
 or Piaftres per Quintal of 1 5 1 lb. Leghorn 
 Wt. for 2 Months Credit, with a Difcount of 
 2 per Cent, or 6 Months without Difcount. 
 lb. lb. 
 
 151 in Leghorn is equal to about 116 Englijh. 
 145 or thereabouts is equal to 112 
 
 A Piailre or Dollar is from 48 d. to 52 d. 
 according to the Courfe of Exchange, which 
 is now at 49 d. ~ in London. 
 
 K \ 6 Piaftre? 
 
[ 134 3 
 
 6 Piaftres/dr Quintal of Leghorn 
 
 is equal to 27 s. 
 § .... 35 
 
 . . • 43 
 
 10 
 12 
 
 9* 
 
 />*r 112/&, 
 in £#*<&& 
 With the 
 Duty of 
 3 h 4 ^ 
 
 G E N OA. 
 
 Sugar is fold here at fo many Litres 
 current Money per 100 lb. Genoa Wt. with an 
 Allowance for Wafte of 2 per Cent. 
 
 100 at &Jifti is equal to about 70 lb. Englijh. 
 159 . . .is equal to Tiz 
 
 The current Money is about 16 per Cent. 
 Worfe than Bank Money, which Difference i§ 
 their Agio 5 5 Livres Bank is 1 Piaflre or Piece 
 of Eight, 1 Piaftre or Piece of | is worth from 
 52 to 56 d. Englijh^ according to the Courfe 
 of Exchange. 53*/. is now the Exchange at 
 London, and §$d. at Genoa. 
 
 26 Livres 
 
20 Livres per 100 lb. Ge?ioa Wt.lper i 12 lb. 
 is equal to 2 6 s. /in London 
 
 30 37 f with the 
 
 35 ..... 43 J Duty. 
 
 40 . . . . . 48 : 6 d. 
 
 VENICE. 
 
 In this City they have alio a Bank, and 
 Sugar is fold at fo many Ducats current Mone 
 for a large Hundred, which is about 105 lb 
 Englijl^ and their fmall Hundred is 66 lb. 
 11 oz. Englijh. 
 
 A Ducat Banco is about 51*/. Eng- 
 lijh -, but there is a fettled Agio of 20 per 
 Cent, between Bank and current Money^ 
 which muft be deducted, befides an uncertain 
 Agio, which muft alfo be deducted to afcertain 
 the true Value of their current Money ; fo that 
 a Ducat of current Money may be computed 
 at about 33 to 36 d. Sterling. 
 
 K 4 8 Ducats 
 
[ 136 ] 
 6 Ducats per. i oo lb. Fenice^per 1 12 Ik. in 
 Wt. is equal to 27 s. /London with the 
 10 ... . 33 f Duty of 3^4^ 
 
 12 ... . 34 ^per.C. 
 
 16 ... . 50 : 6 
 
 iV^ P L E S. 
 
 In this City Sugar is fold at fo many Ducats 
 per Cantar of 196 lb. Englijh, or 1 C 3 %> 
 and a Ducat may be computed at 40 to 42 d, 
 
 Englijh. 
 
 100 lb. at Nafles is equal to 64 lb. 10 02;. in 
 London. 
 
 j 2 Dollars per Cantar is equal ")^r 1 1 2 /$. 
 
 to26;, 6i I in London 
 
 16 . . 34 : 6 f with the 
 
 20 . . 42 J Duty. 
 24 . . 50 
 
 HA M B U R G. 
 
 At this City Sugar is fold at fo many 
 Grotes Bank Money per Pound, and ufually 
 
 with 
 
[ *37] 
 
 with a Rebate of feveral Months more or lefs, 
 
 and i per Cent, for prompt Payment. 
 
 ioo lb. at Hamburgh is equal to 107 lb. 5 oz. 
 
 in London. 
 112 lb. at London is equal to 104 #. 6 as. in 
 Hamburgh. 
 The Duties to the Poor are -i /rr Gtz/. and 
 Impofition -I /^r G?»/. 
 
 32 Grotes or 16 Shillings Lubs, or Sty vers 
 make a Mark, in which their Accounts 
 are ufually kept. 
 3 Marks is 1 Rixdollar, which is about 
 4 $. 6 d. Sterling, according to the Courfe 
 of Exchange. 
 12 Deniers or Grotes, or 6 Shillings Lubs is 
 1 Shilling Flemijh. 
 
 20 Shillings Flemijh is 1 Pound FlemiJJ:. 
 
 Exchange is from 33 to 36 Schellings 
 Flemifo to one Pound Sterling, and is now at 
 
 34 j. 1 d. at London. 
 
 4 Grotes per Pound in Hamburgh-* per 112 lb u 
 
 without any Rebate ise-/ in London 
 qual to 23 s. t with the 
 
 5 • • • 2 8 J Duties. 
 
 6 • • i 33 
 
 8 . . 
 
 43 
 
 HOLLAND. 
 
[ 138] 
 
 HOLLAND. 
 
 Here Sugar is fold at fo many Grotes cur- 
 rent Money per Pound. 
 ioo lb. in Holland is equal to Jog lb. 8 oz. 
 
 Englifi. 
 U2 lb. in London is equal to 102 lb. 4.0Z. in 
 Holland. 
 
 Th e 1 r Duty is about 3 per Cent, except 
 what comes in Ships from the Plantations, for 
 which there is an Allowance. 
 
 There is a Bank at Amfterdam, and 
 the Agio in Htlland is ufually from 3 to 5 per 
 Cent. 
 
 They keep their Books and Accounts in 
 Guelders, Styvers, and Petlningens.. 
 
 1 6 Penningens is 1 Styver. 
 
 20 Styvers 1 Guelder, or Florin. 
 They alfo reckon, 
 
 8 Penningens to 1 Grote. 
 
 2 Grotes to 1 Styver. 
 
 \ 2 Grotes or 6 Styvers to 1 Schelling. 
 
 £0 Schellings to 1 Pound Flemijb. 
 
 Exchange is from 34 to 37 Scheljing? 
 
 Flemith to one Pound Sterling. 35 j. 5</. is 
 
 now the Exchange at London. 
 
 4 Grotes 
 
[ '39 ] 
 
 4 Grotes per Pound in Holland^sper 112 lb, 
 is equal to 22 s. C in London^ 
 
 jj . , . . 26 : 6d. C including 
 
 6 . . . • 31 the Duties. 
 
 8 . . . . 41 : 6 
 
 5 PA IN 
 
 At CWfe Sugar is ufually fold on Board 
 at fo many Piaftres or Pieces of Eight, or Dol- 
 lars of 8 Ricals Plate per Rove of 25 B. ©r per 
 Quintal of 4 Roves, 
 
 A Quintal, or 
 
 lb. lb. 
 
 100 of Cadiz Wt. is equal to 103 i- Englijk. 
 100 Englijh is equal to . .97 at CW/#. 
 A Piaftre or Piece of | may be computed 
 from 40 to 42 d. Sterling, according to the 
 Courfe of Exchange, which is now at 41 -J. d. 
 
 6 Dollars per Quintal of Cadiz on* per 112 lb. 
 board is equal to 25 s. 
 
 o . , , . . 32 : 6 d, 
 **> • • • • f 4° I &$s..4d. 
 
 J2 ..... 47 : 6 J included. 
 
 Alicant, Malaga, and Barcelona have 
 great Part of their Sugar from Cadiz. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 
 1 
 
 in London 9 
 > the Duty 
 
f H° 3 
 
 FRANCE. 
 
 Throughout this Kingdom Sugar is fold 
 at fo many Livres per Pound, but manyof 
 their Cities and Towns differ in their Weights. 
 
 Th e i r Duty is from 5 to 6 per Cent, upan 
 a low Valuation on what is confumed, and 3 
 per Cent, upon what is re-exported, or car- 
 ried directly to foreign Markets, and their Port 
 Charges are a good deal lower than in London. 
 
 A Livreis about 10 d. \ Sterling, according 
 to the Courfe of Exchange ; which is now at 
 32*/. per Crown of 3 Livres. 
 
 100 lb in London is equal to about 
 88 at Rouen and Havre de Grace. 
 90 at Roc hell. 
 92 at Bourdeaux. 
 
 1 1 3 at Marfeilles. 
 
 At HAVRE. 
 
 20 Livres per lb. is equal") /ter 112 lb. m 
 to 1 9 j. 6d. — t London with 
 25 . . 23 : 6 j the Duties.' 
 
 30 . . 28 .■'.,- 
 
 40 . , 36 
 
 At 
 
[ Hi] 
 
 At MARSEILLES. 
 
 20 LiVres per lb. is equall^r I12 lb. in 
 to 24 j. 6 d. L London witfi 
 25 . . 29 6 \ the Duties. 
 
 30 . . 35 t 
 40 . . 45 : 6 
 
 The Difference at the other Towns may be 
 eafily computed. 
 
 N. B. Accounts of this Nature are fubjeft 
 to ma?iy Uncertainties and Variations $ parti- 
 cularly in regard to the Exchange, Agio, U- 
 zance, Weights, and Drawing or Remitting 
 Bills, fo that I have not regarded the odd Pence. 
 And I hope, notwith/landing any imaginary 
 or real Imperfettions in this Account, it may 
 prove, infome Meafure, ufeful to thofe who have 
 not as yet traded to foreign Parts, efpecially 
 when they receive Accounts from, or hear of 
 the Prices of Sugar, or any other Commodity 
 at the feveral foreign Places herein mentioned, 
 which is the principal Defgn of this Account. 
 
 CON- 
 
[ 14« ] 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAR I. 
 
 H E Sugar Planters reprefent their 
 Danger from the Increafe of the 
 French Sugar Colonies ; and the Barba- 
 dian* Petition to the King in the Year 
 1731. ■ "- ■ ■ » «■-" Page 1 to 9 
 
 T 
 
 Setting forth (he following Particulars : 
 
 The Value of the Sugar Iflands, and parti- 
 cularly the Ifland of Barbadoes to Great 
 Britain. mma **** 2 
 
 The Improvements of the foreign Sugar 
 Colonies, and the Encouragements they 
 enjoy. *** 3 
 
 The Vent of foreign Sugar, Molaffes, and 
 Rum to the Britifh Northern Colonies in 
 Exchange for Plantation Neceflaries, and 
 
 the 
 
f H3 ] 
 
 the Advantages gained by Foreigners 
 thereby i -- Page 4. 
 
 The Britifo Sugar Colonies declining, con- 
 fined to the home Confumption of Sugar, 
 and in great Meafure excluded from Ire- 
 land • — 5 
 
 Their Cam fent to foreign Colonies to pur- 
 chafe foreign Sugar, Molaffes and Rum ib. 
 
 Foreigners pay lefs Duties than Britijl) 
 Subjects — 6 
 
 Barbados keep up their Fortifications, and 
 maintain their Militia without the 4 -J- per 
 Cent, or any Charge to the Crown — ib. 
 
 The French trade with the Spaniards in 
 America, and fend the Produce of their 
 Sugar Iflands dire&ly to Old Spain — . ib m 
 
 The Englijh have not that Advantage, but 
 fend all their Sugar to Great Britain, and 
 there leave 2 per Cent, Duty upon Re- 
 exportation — ib. 
 
 The Englijh pay 10 per Cent, more than 
 the French for Sugar carried to the Bri- 
 tifto Northern Colonies 7 
 
 The French fend Sugar and Rum directly to 
 Ireland^ which the Englift could not do, 
 and they have Supplies from Ireland on as 
 eafy Terms as the Englijh have — ib m 
 
 A 
 
[ *44 ] 
 
 A Remedy propofed to fave the BritiJJ? 
 
 Planters from the Ruin then impending 
 
 over them ■ Page 8 
 
 Encouragements and Regulations in the 
 
 Plantation Trade granted fince the Year 
 
 173 1. 9 
 
 To what Caufes thefe Encouragements and 
 
 Regulations are owing « — 1 1 
 
 Such farther Encouragements as areftillre- 
 quifite to give his Majefty's Subjects an Ad_ 
 vantage over Foreigners in the American 
 Trade pointed at — 12 
 
 c h a p. n ; 
 
 On the A6t granting Liberty for carrying 
 Sugar from our Sugar Plantations dire&ly 
 to foreign Markets, with fome Comparifons 
 between the French and Englifo in regard 
 to the Sugar Trade - — 13 to 34 
 
 Application to Parliament in the Year 1739, 
 for Liberty to carry Sugar diredtly to fo- 
 reign Markets — - — fc_ 13 
 Reftridtions in the Aft that baulk the Ope- 
 ration of it ' "_ ' _ i *4 
 
 The 
 
f 145] 
 
 The Caufe of thofe Reftridtions — 14 
 Rejiriclion I. 
 Excluding Ships built in our American 
 
 Plantations, confidered 15 to 2 6 
 
 Plantation built Ships the principal Returns 
 of the Produce and Manufactures of 
 Great Britain lent to New England, and 
 other Parts of North America 1 5 
 
 A low Freight one of the greateft Advan- 
 tages the Britijh Nation has over Fo- 
 reigners l(y 
 
 The French have the Benefit cf our Planta- 
 tion built Ships jy 
 
 Carolina muft in great Meafure lofe the fo- 
 reign Exportation of Rice, if excluded 
 from the ufe of Plantation built Ships ib. 
 
 The Value of the Rice Trade, and Fifli 
 Trade from North America j 8 
 
 The Value of the Sugar Trade 1 9 
 
 The Way to regain the Sugar Trade is to 
 enable the Britijh Subjects to fell cheaper 
 than their Rivals at foreign Markets 20 
 
 The Inconveniences of this Reftridtion, and 
 the Advantages that would arife to the 
 Sugar Trade and this Nation, if Plantation 
 Ships were admitted in this new Tradr. 
 
 21 
 
 The Northern Colonies exclaimed againft 
 
 L without 
 
[ 146 ] 
 
 without any juft Foundation — - 22 
 
 The great Advantages that have arofe to 
 
 Great Britain by Means of a low Freight, 
 
 occafioned chiefly by our building Ships fo 
 
 cheap in America ~ — . . 23 
 
 On the Corn Countries in America 24 
 
 The Northern Colonies are a great Support 
 
 to the Trade and Navigation of Great 
 
 Britain ib. 
 
 And can affift their Mother Country in Cafe 
 
 of a Wax with France or Spain — 25 
 
 Reftri&ion II. 
 
 To take out Licences in Great Britain 
 
 only, confidered' ■ 26 
 
 Reft r i 51 i 07t III. 
 
 All Owners of Ships to refide in Great 
 
 Britain ,or the Sugar Iflands, confidered 28 
 
 ReftricJion IV, 
 
 All Ships bound to the Northern Parts of 
 
 Europe to touch and enter in fome Port 
 
 in Great Britain in their Way to fuch 
 
 foreign Ports, confidered 29 
 
 Advantages of the direct Exportation of 
 Sugar, and Comparifons between the French 
 and Engli/b y in regard to the Sugar Trade and 
 the Colonies ■ 30 to 34. 
 
 A 
 
( '47 ] 
 
 A low Freight, eafy Supplies, and a Vent 
 of Rum and Molaffes, the three principal 
 natural Advantages of the BritiJ/j Sugar 
 Planter ■ ■■ . 3 x 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Upon the Duties payable upon foreign Sugar, 
 Rum and Molaffes imported into Britijh 
 
 Dominions 35 to 42 
 
 Notes on the A 61 paffed in the 6 th Year of 
 King George II. concerning the Importa- 
 tion of Sugar, Rum and Molaffes into Ire~ 
 land, and our Northern Colonies 3 5 
 French Sugars brought to Great Britain 
 
 thro' the Britijh Colonies 3 8 
 
 On the running of Rum and Molaffes into 
 Great Britain ■■ 3 9 
 On the Trade between the foreign Sugar 
 Colonies and our Northern Colonies ib± 
 A Propofal to lower the Duty on foreign 
 Molaffes imported into the Britijh North- 
 ern Colonies in America 42 
 
 L 2 CHAR 
 
[ , 4 8] 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 On the Confumption of Rum in Great Britain 
 and Ireland - 43 to 49 
 
 Rum a wholefome and beneficial Com- 
 modity < 43 
 A Propofal to lower the Duty or Excife on 
 
 Rum 1 s. per Gallon 46 
 
 The Advantages that may arife to Great 
 
 Britain therefrom 47 
 
 Propofal for landing and houfing of Rum 
 before the Excife or Duty is paid, and to \ 
 fupply the outward bound Shipping with 
 Rum inflead of French Brandy — 48 
 
 G H A P. V. 
 
 On the Regulation of Money throughout all 
 his Majefty's Colonies in America 50 to 63 
 Queen Amies Proclamation and Act, con- 
 cerning the Rates of foreign Coin — 52 
 A Propofal for a Remedy in regard to the 
 Currency of Money in America — 57 
 The feveral Proportions of the current Mo- 
 ney and Exchange in America 59 
 
 CHAP, 
 
{ H9 ] 
 
 CHAP. Vl 
 
 On Intereft upon Money in Colonies 64 to 67 
 
 CHAR VII. 
 
 Touching the Duty of 4 ± per Cent, paid 
 in Barbadoes and the Leeward Iflands 
 
 68 to 74 
 The Ufes of the 4 4 ^r Cent. Duty 68 
 The Application and Management of it 69 
 How burthenfome to the Sugar Trade, as 
 
 being all paid by the Planter . ib. 
 
 Propofal for tranfmuting this Duty 70 
 
 Another Propofal for taking it off, and fend- 
 ing Money in Specie from Great Britain 
 to pay all the publick Officers . 73 
 
 APPENDIX. N*. 1. 
 
 The Case of the Britijh Sugar Colonies, 
 t with an Appendix (marked A. B.) printed 
 
 in 
 
[ iS»] 
 
 in the Year 1739, when the Bill for grant- 
 ing Liberty to carry Sugar directly to foreign 
 Markets Was depending in Parliament 
 
 75 to 106 
 Objections to the faid Liberty. 
 With Anjhsoers fubjoiri d to each di/iinctly. 
 
 1 . Objection. That our Sugar Iflands now make 
 as much Sugar as they can, and therefore 
 can't fpare from Great Britain any Sugar 
 for foreign Markets. A?ifwered — 84 
 
 2. Objection. That the Liberty defired will 
 raiie the Price of raw Sugars in Great 
 Britain to an unreafonable Height, and 
 be prejudicial to the Sugar Manufactory 
 here, by raifing the Price of refined Su- 
 gar at home, and preventing the Expor- 
 tation of it to foreign Markets. Anjwered 
 
 3. Objection. That this Liberty will be pre- 
 judicial to the Trade and Navigation of 
 Great Britain. Anfwered 88 
 
 4. Objection. That the Ships employed in 
 this Trade will be refitted at foreign Ports a 
 and the Seamens Wages paid there. An- 
 fwered ■ 89 
 
 5. Objection. That this Liberty, if granted^ 
 would be of no Ufe, fince the French 
 
 would 
 
[ %p\ 
 
 would notwithftanding ftilt underfel us in 
 foreign Markets. Anfwered 90 
 
 6, Objection. That the Sugar Colonies make 
 more Sugar now than they did formerly, 
 therefore they fland in need of no new 
 Encouragement. Anfwered 91 
 
 7. Objection. That the Britifh Subjects may, 
 as the Law now ftands, lend their Sugars 
 by the Way of Cowes to foreign Markets, 
 for the Charge of 2 -J- per Ce?it. of the 
 grofs Amount of the > Cargo, and there- 
 fore any Law for a direct Exportation is 
 unneceflary. Anfwered ttt 92 
 
 A P P E N D I X. (A) 
 
 An Account of the Quantity of Sugar ex- 
 ported, and to what Ports, from the Year 
 1715 to 1737 96 
 
 A P P E N D I X (B) 
 
 An Account of the fuppofed Sale of 10 
 Hhds. of Sugar in London at 25 s. 20 s. 16 s. 
 
 J 3'- 
 
1 152 1 
 
 13 s. and 11 s. per C. with an Account of 
 what may be faved on Sugar at thofe 
 feveral Prices, by being carried dire&ly tQ 
 foreign Markets ■ 98 to 104 
 
 A Table (hewing the net Value of Sugar to 
 the Owner or Proprietor when fold at 
 thofe Prices *-— — - 104 
 
 The Amount of the Savings by the diredt 
 Exportation of Sugar at thofe Prices - y to 
 Holland by Mr* Hyam, and to Hamburgh 
 by Mr. Ajhley — W 105 
 
 A Computation of the Charges that may 
 attend the carrying of Sugar to foreign 
 Markets, after landing them at Cowes 
 
 ib. 
 
 An Account mewing the Increafe and De- 
 creafe of the Importation of Sugar into 
 Great Britain^ from the Year 1708 to 
 
 *737 " — ib - 
 
 The Prices of refined Sugar compared with 
 
 the Prices of Mufcovado Sugar — 106 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
[i53l 
 
 APPENDIX. N° 2. 
 
 Notes on the Ad for granting Liberty to 
 carry Sugar dire&ly to foreign Markets 
 
 107 to 114 
 
 The. Form of the Licence given in purfuance 
 
 of the faid Aft 115 
 
 APPENDIX. N° 3 . 
 
 An Account of the Duties on Sugar, Rum, 
 Spirits and MolafTes imported into Great 
 Britain 118 to 123 
 
 APPENDIX. N° 4. 
 
 Extracts of Laws and Rules relating to the 
 Plantation Trade, and concerning the Duties 
 of Merchants, Matters, and Officers upon 
 entring and clearing of Ships, &c. i24to 132 
 
 Concerning the Adt-Ships, and Ships that 
 
 carry 
 
[ 154] 
 carry Fifh to the Mediterranean 127,128 
 The Plantation Goods that are enumerated 
 by fe veral Acts of Trade — 113,132 
 
 APPENDIX. N° s . 
 
 An Account of the Prices of Sugar at 
 feveral Parts of Europe, compared with the 
 Prices at London. 133 to 141 
 
 Leghorn ! < 133 
 
 Genoa — ■ , 134 
 
 Venice - ■ — - ■■ ■ 135 
 
 Naples 1 136 
 
 Hamburg - *£. 
 
 i^/yW 138 
 
 5^/« ■ ■ ■ ■ 1 139 
 
 France ■ 140 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 * 
 
 
■