A brief essay on the advantages and disadvantages which respectively attend France and Great Britain, with regard to trade. With some proposals for removing the principal disadvantages of Great Britain. In a new method. By Josiah Tucker, ... 1757
Tucker, Josiah
— 229 ; BRIEF E SS A Y < | ADVANTAGES od DisaDVANTAGES Which reſpeQively attend FRANCE and GREAT BRITAIN, With Regard to TRADE. WITH SOME PROPOSALS For Removing the Principal DisapvaNnTaces of GREAT BRITAIN. IN A NEW METHOD. By FOSTAH TUCKER, M. A. Rector of St. Stephen's in Br; itol, and Chaplain to the Right Reverend the Lord Biſhop of Br:/?sl. The THIRD EDITION Corrected, With AppITions. | D 74:47; Printed by GEORGE FAULKNER in Fx fret, MpccL vin, To the Right | Honourable. THE Ear, of Harirax, 'F irſt Lord Commitee For Trade a and Plantations. 4 p : wy * 2 9 e LORD,” JERMI Time once more to wait upon Your Lordſhip with a new Edition of the enſuing Treatiſe, now // 1 enlarged, and, I hope. in ſome d A 2 Reſpects, 1 — ths gt pi A A GO fg — Sn gg * —— —äẽ— 4 —— He tour rn wr re et — — — 7 * 9 0 iv DEDICATION. Reſpects, made leſs unworthy of Your Lordſhip's Protection. A Treatiſe relating to the Intereſt and Commerce of Great Britain, naturally ſeeks to ſhelter itſelf under the * of an EARL of FLALIFAX, | Bur there is ſtill a more particular Motive for this Addreſs. His Majeſty, ever ſtudious of the Good of his People, in appointing Your Lordſhip Firſt Com- miſſioner of Trade and Plantations, hath ſhewn the moſt vigilant Regard to the Welfare of both, by commit- ing this important Superintendency to Hands univerſally allowed the moſt able, and the moſt inclined to execute ſo great a Truſt with increaſing Suc- ceſs. Your Lordſhip, in a very ſhort Space of Time, has confirmed our warmeſt Hopes. And Great Britain, with its Ms 1 form to them- \ DE DICGCA TIN 8 the moſt po Prof; bets on this Occaſion. WI RE not Vine Lordſhip's Can- dour great as your Abilities, "this in- conſiderable Performance would never have appeared before ſo ſkilful a Judge, nor the Author have preſumed to pro- feſs Himſelf in ſo publick a manner, what in great Truth He is, with the utmoſt Reſpe& and Eſteem, My LORD, Your Lordſhip's mo? hits And  LEA "EARL ES — — — Dre EES LD PRs THE INTRODUCTION. LL Commerce is founded upon the Wants, na- tural or artificial, real or imaginary, which the People of different Countries, or the different Claſſes of Inhabitants of the ſame Country, are deſirous, in defect of their own ſingle Abilities, to ſupply by mutual Intercourſe. If this Commecre be car- ried on between the Inhabitants of the ſame Country, with the Growth or Manufacture of the ſame _— only, it is called Home ConsvmPTION : which is ſo far ſerviceable, as it preſerves the ſeveral Profeſſions and Stations of Life in their due Order, as it promotes Arts and Sciences, with a Rotation of Induſtry, Wealth, and mutual good Offices between the Members of any Community. For theſe Reaſons, Traffick, merely of this kind, is of great Importance, though it neither in- creaſes nor diminiſhes the Publick Stock of Gold and Silver. Bur Providence having intended that there ſhould be a mutual Dependance and Connection between Man- kind in general, we find it almoſt impoſſible for an? particular People to live, with tolerable Comfort, and in a civilized State, independant of all their Neighbours, _ Beſides, it is natural for Men to extend their Views, and their Wiſhes beyond the Limits of a fingle Com- B . munity, 3 INTRODUCTION. munity,” aad to be deſirous of enjoying the Produce or Manufactures of other Countries, which they muſt | purchaſe by ſome Exchange. Now this Intercourſe with other Nations is called Fo REIGN TRADE. And in the Exchange of Commodities, if one Nation pays the other a Quantity of Gold or Silver over and above its Property of other Kinds, this is called a BALANCE againſt that Nation in favour of the other. And the Science of _ Commerce principally conſiſts in the bring- ing this ſingle Point to bear *®. Now there can be but one general Method for putting it in Practice; and that is, ſince Gold and Silver are become the common Meaſure for computing the Value, and regulating tne Price of the Commodities or Manufactures of both Countries, To export LARGER Quantities of , our own, and import LESS Of theirs ; ſo that what is wanting in the Yalue of their Merchandife, compared with ours, may be paid in Gold and Silver. The Conſequence of which will be, That theſe Metals will be continually increaſing with Us, as far as relates to that particular Trade and Nation, and decreaſing with them. And in what Proportion ſo- ever their Money comes into our Country, in that Pro- portion it may truly be affirmed, that our Sailors, Preighters, Merchants, Tradeſmen, Manufacturers, Te- nants, Landlords, Duties, Taxes,  the ultimate Balance of Trade. For in reference to the intermediate Balance, it doth not always hold true. A Trade may be beneficial to the Nation where the Imports exceed the Exports, and conſe- quently the Balance paid in Specie, if that Trade directly or indirectly, is neceſſary for the carrying on of another more profitable and advantageous. But then it is to be obſerved, This Trade is not beneficial, conſidered in itſelf, but only as it is relative and /ubſerwient to the carrying on of another. This is the Caſe, with reſpe& to the greateſt Part of our Trade to the Baltick, and the Eaft Indies: They are inſtru- mental in procuring a Balance elſewhere, though properly ſpeaking, diſadvantagenus in themſelves, Which brings the Matter to the Point from whence we ſet out; wiz. «4+ That * the Science of gainful Commerce conſiſts, u/timately, in procuring a Balance of Gold er Silyer to Ourſelves from * other Nations.“ "STS EE CE FN TC O'D'UQF:1 DN 11¹ Ox, to put the Matter in another Light; when two Countries are exchanging their Produce or Manufactures with each other, that Nation, which has the greateſt Number employed in this reciprocal Trade, is ſaid to re- ceive a Balance from the other; becauſe the Price of the Overplus Labour muſt be paid in Gold and Sil- ver. For Example; If there are only ten thouſand Per- ſons employed in England in making Goods or raiſing ſome kind of Produce for the Market of France; and forty thouſand in France for the Market of England.— Then we muſt pay theſe additional 30,000 Frenchmen in Gold and Silver; that is, be at the Charge of main- taining them. This is the cleareſt and juſteſt Method of determining the Balance between Nation and Na- tion : For though a Difference in the Value of the re- ſpective Commodities may make ſome Difference in the Sum actually paid to Balance Accounts, yet the general Principle, That Labour (not Money) is the. Riches of a People, will always prove, That the Ad- vantage is on the ſide of that Nation, which has moſt Hands employed in Labour. e TRE PRINCIPLES of Trade therefore being ſo clear and certain in themſelves, and withal ſo obvious to any Man of common Capacity and Application, it is a ve ſurprizing Matter how it comes to paſs, that both Men of good Underſtanding are many times totally ignorant of them, and Merchants themſelves ſo divided in their Sentiments about them, 8 e As to the firſt Caſe, perhaps it may be accounted for, if we conſider what Di/advantageous Notions Men of a liberal and learned Education have imbibed of this noble and — Science; on which the Riches, the Strength, the Glory, and, -I may add, the Morals and Freedom of our Country, ſo eſſentially depend. Yet it has been repreſented as a dry unentertaining Subject, dark and crabbed, perplexed with endleſs Difficulties, not reducible to any fixed and certain Principles ; and therefore fit for none, but the Mercantile Part of the World, to give themſelves any Trouble concerning it. But upon a fair Examination it will perhaps appear, that this Repreſentation is very falſe and injurious. A As to the Second, it muſt be indeed confeſſed, That | dderchants themſelyes are very often divided in their. . | Senuments iv INTRODUCTION:- Sentiments concerning Trade. Sir ® Jeſah Child, Mr. Gee, Mr. Cary of Brits}, and almoſt all Commercial Writers, have long ago taken Notice of this Difference of Opinions, But, however range and wnaccountable ĩt may appear to Perſons not converſant in thoſe Matters, there is a very ſtrong and convincing Reafon, when the Affair is ſearched to the Bottom, for the d:/agreeing Opi- nions of different Merchants purſuing their veſpectiue In- tereſts. The kading Idea, or the Point aimed at by every Merchant muſt be, in the Nature of Things, and in every Country, a Balance in favour of Himſelf. But it doth not always follow, That this Balance is likewiſe in favour of the Nation ; much leſs of other Merchants, whoſe Intereſts may be oppoſite to his own. While therefore each Perſon ſees in a favourable Light his ewn Branch of Commerce and deſires to procure all poſſible Advantages to that Traffick, on which the Pro- ; ſperity of himſelf and his Family, perhaps totally depends, it is but reaſonable to expect their Sentiments ſhould claſh. | | * HE NE therefore ſome have thought, That a Per- ſon of a liberal and learned Education, not concerned in Trade, is better qualified to engage in the Study of it as | a SCIENCE, *The Words of Sir Joſiab Child ftrongly corroborate what is here alledged. Merchants, ſays he, while they « are in the buſy and eager Proſecution of their particular «© Trades, although they be very wiſe and good Men, are « not always the beſt Judges of Trade, as it relates to the « Power and Profit of a Kingdom. The Reaſon may be, be- « cauſe their Eyes are ſo continually fixed upon what makes « for their peculiar Gain or Loſs, that they have no Leiſure « to expatiate or turn their Thoughts to what is moſt ad- « yantageous to the Kingdom in general.” — „The like may be ſaid of all Shop-keepers, Artificers, « Clothiers, and other Manufacturers, until they have left « off their Trades, and, being Rich, become by the Pur- « chaſe of Lands of the ſame common Intereſt with moſt of « their Countrymen.” |. This juſtly celebrated Writer was himſelf an Inſtance of the Truth of this Obſervation. For, if I am not greatly miſtaken, he did not write this very Treatiſe, 74] Fe bad left of Trade, and, being Rich, became by the Purchaſe of 10 Lands of the ſame commen Intereſt with the Reft of bis Ceun- irymen. | | INTRODUECTEON * a Scrkxcx, than a Merchant himſelf: becauſe, ſay they, his Mind is freer from the Prejudice of Self- Inte- ret, and theyzefore more open to Conviction in Things relating to the General Good. They add, That though he may not underſtand the Buying and Selling of particu- lar Commodities, or the fitteſt Time to bring them to a profitable Market, (which is the proper Province of a Merchant) yet he may underſtand, in what reſpecis the Nature of that Trade contributes to the Loſs or Gain of the Publick, with a Degree of Evidence, which perhaps the Merchants never thought of: as being indeed not concerned, merely as a Merchant, in ſuch kinds of Diſ- quiſitions. | | | Bor without pretending to determine who are the beſt gualiſied to engage in the Study of this moſt uſeful and extenſive Science, let Us rather humbly recom- mend it to the Attention of them both. For undoubtedly both have their Advantages ; and perhaps the Applica- tion of both together might be more ſucceſsful than either of them ſeparately. If the one ſhould happen to be 1% ſelf-intereſted, by means of his Situation in Life, and more open to Conviction in Caſes relating to the general Good; the Other, for the very ſame Reaſon, is more ſiilful in the Practice of Trade, and a better Judge whether the Project, perhaps ſo fair in Theory, is feaſible in Fad. | As to the Private Intereſt of Merchants, which is here ſuppoſed to be a Biaſs upon their Minds, this, moſt certainly, coincides, for the moſt Part, with the General ' Intereſt of their Country and /o far it can be no Ar- gument in their Disfavour. But nevertheleſs, Truth obliges Us to acknowledge, That in certain Caſes, * 66 A Merchant may have a diſtin Intereſt from that of £© his Country. He may thrive by a Trade which may. © prove her Ruin,” Nay more, He may be impoveriſhed by a Trade that is beneficial to her. See likewiſe the Inſtances there given to confirm this Obſer- vation. 9 vi INTRODUCTION. over, as it is a Balance in fawour of himſelf, which is the principal Object of his Aims and Endeavours, it cannot be expected, but of two Trades, both advan- tageous to the Community, he will embrace hat which is moſt profitable to himſelf, though it ſhould happen to be leſs gainful to the Publick. It is a Maxim with Traders, and a juſtifiable one, o get all that can be got in a legal and honeſt Way. And if the Laws of their Country do give them the Permiſſion of carrying on any particular gainful Trade, it is their Buſineſs, as Mer- chants, to engage in the Proſecution of it.—As to the great Point of National Advantage, or Diſadvantage, this is properly the Concern of others, who {it at the Helm of Government, and conſequently whoſe Province it is, To frame the Laws and Regulations relating to Trade in ſuch a Manner, as may cauſe the Private Intereſt of the Merchant to fall in with the General Good of his Country. For theſe Reaſons therefore the Appointment of the BoARD of TRADE mult certainly appear a very wiſe and neceſſary Inſtitution. The Intent and Deſign being, as I humbly conceive, to anſwer this very End. And the Honourable Members of it may be looked upon in this Light, as the Gu AR DIANS of the PuBLIck WEL - FARE, In preſiding over the Genera] Commercial In- tereſts of the Kingdom, they are to inſpect the ſeveral Branches of Traffick, that are carried on, and to give Notice to the Legi/lature, whether the Profit of the King- dom or of the Merchant, is moſt promoted; that the pro- per Remedies, or Encouragements may be applied, ac- cording as the Caſe requires, by ſtopping up the former Channels of a di/advantageous Trade, opening new ones, which may enrich the Publick and the Adventurer toge- ther: encouraging him to perſevere, and to enlarge his Dealings in every Branch, which is beneficial to the Community; and, in one Word, by enabling the Mer. chant to find his own private Advantage in labouring for the Good of his Country. Self and focial Happineſs, in this Caſe, muſt be made to vwiTE: otherwiſe it will happen in this, as in moſt other Affairs, that ſocial Happineſs will not be promoted AT ALL. | | AnD as the Affairs of Commerce muſt for theſe Reaſons ultimately come under the Cognizance of the * Legiſiature, it were greatly to be wiſhed, That Men of Eminence INTRODUCTION. vii Eminence and Diſtindtion, whoſe Birth and Fortunes pro- cure them an Admiſſion into the Britiſb Senate, would employ a little more of their Time in the Cultivation of a Science, fo wwrthy of their great Regard and Attention. 'The Intereſt of their Country, and their own, do both concur in requiring ſuch a Conduct from them, I beg Leave to mention not only the Intereſt of their Country, but their otuz.: For it is a moſt cer- tain Fact, though not ſufficiently attended to, That the Landed Gentleman is more deeply concerned in the Nation- al Effects of an Advantageous or Diſadvuntageous Com- merce, than the Merchant himſelf. If this Aſſertion ſhould appear a Paradox to any one, I hope a few Lines will convince him of the Truth of it. i SuPpPosE then ſome General Calamity to befal the Trade of the Kingdom: — Or, to put a more /friting Caſe, Suppoſe the Muth of the Thames to be choked up with Sands and Marſhes (as that fine River in France, the Rhone, really is) fo as to afford no Port worth menti- oning for the Purpoſes of Commerce: In ſuch a me- lancholy Cafe, the Merchants, Manufacturers, Owners of Ships, Sailors, and all the altitudes of Tradeſmen de- pendant upon this Commerce, would indeed be the fr affected; but they would not be the GREATEST Lo- SERS, For after the ft Shock, they would zafily re- move with the beſt of their Effects, and try their For- tunes elſewhere. But the Landed Gentleman, what muſt he, do? he is bound down to the Soil, and camot remove his Eſtate, though the Perſans are gone, who uſed to conſume the Product of it. than the Merchants themſelves : And therefore, That thoſe ſuppoſed Diſtinctions of Landed Intereſt and Trad- ing Intereſt, in the Senſe they are commonly uſed, are the moſt ile and filly, as well as falſe and murious, that ever divided Mankind. tt, Bur above all, we muſt beg leave to obſerve, by way of Inducement to the Landed Gentleman to turn his Thoughts to this Study, 'That his very private Intereſt is rather a Help, than a Detriment to him in the Proſecution of it. It puts no wrong Biaſs upon his Mind, but di- rects him to the true Point of Light, from whence to ſee, and to judge of theſe Affairs: which is a Circum- | ſtance in ſome reſpects peculiar to his Situation. Fox, if we ſuppoſe the Scene ſtill to continue in and about Londen, (though the ſame would hold true of any other Part of the Kingdom) as the private Intereſt of the Landed Gentleman ariſes from the General Com- merce of the Place, he can have no partial Views in re- lation to Trade, nor can reap any Advantage from Mo- * Ercluſtue Companies, or ſuch like deſtructive Artifices. The more Perſons there are employed in every Branch of Buſineſs, the more there will be to conſume the Produce of his Eftate: ſo that he will have no Temp- tations to complain, That the Trade is over flocked, or wiſh the Promotion of this Trade, in order to the Declen- n of that. In ſhort, his own Intergſt is connected with the Good of the Whole ; fo that he cannot but be ex- tremely well qualified to under/tand and to promote it, if he will pleaſe to make Ule of the Advantages he is hap- pily poſſeſſed of Ry A. BRIEF ESSAY on TRADE. $600S0000000000000006 06:15 0525 The principal Abvax TAGES of FRANCE with reſpect to TRADE. » EE Natural Produce and Commodities of 4 58 * 4 | WEL 4 - — > —_ : « * VE WI the Country. Theſe are chiefly Wines, Brandies, Silk, Linen, Hemp, and Oil. I do not mention Corn, for though they raiſe a great deal, yet, as they are great Bread - Eaters, they con- ſume a great deal, and have little to ſpare for Exportation. Their Harveſts alſo are more precarious than ours, and often fail. Cn | : | II. The Subordination of the common People is an un- Sheakable Advantage to them in reſpect to Trade. —By this means, the Manufacturers are always kept induſtrious : They dare not run into ſhocking Lewdneſs and Debauch- ery ; to Drunkenneſs they are not inclined. They * are obliged to enter into the married State ; whereby they raiſe up large Families to Labour, and keep down the hy | | | 0 *The Law of France obliges all unmarried Men to ſerve as common Soldiers in the Militia and the Army, unleſs they have particular Exemptions on Account of their Stations and Profeſſions, 10 An ESssA on TRADE. of it: and conſequently, by working cheaper, enable the Merchant to / the cheaper. 5 III. Tak Rules and Regulations they are obliged to ob- ſerve in Manufacturing their Goods, and Expoſing them to Fale, is a great Advantage to the Credit of their Ma- nufactures, and conſequently to Trade. All Sorts of Goods for Exportation muſt undergo an Inſpection of the proper Officer in the publick Hall; there they are compared with the Patterns or Samples delivered in be- fore. The Bad, and ſuch as do not an/wer to their Sam- ples, are confiſcated, with a Fine levied upon the Offend- er. By theſe means, the fraudulent Deſigns of private Traders, who would get rich at the publick Expence, are prevented, and the National Manufactury conſtantly kept up in high Credit. | „„ IV. Their excellent Roads, their navigable Rivers and Ca- mals, are of ſingular Advantage to their Trade. — Their great Roads are always in good Order, and always car- ried on in a Hraight Line, where the Nature of the Ground will permit; and made at a moſt prodigious Expence ; each Province being obliged to make and re- pair their own Roads. And yet there is no Expence for Turnprikes from one End of the Kingdom to the other. TREIR Rivers are indeed, for the moſt Part, the Work of Nature; the Seine, the Loire, the Garonne, and the Rhone, with all the Rivers which fall into them, help to carry on a Communication with moſt of the great Cities of the Kingdom. 1 e Bur their Canals are their own proper Praiſe; and equally deſerving Admiration on Account of their Gran- deur and Contrivance, as for their Uefulne to Trade, in lowering the Price of Carriage. Among theſe, that of Languedoc, and the two Canals of Orleans and Briare, are worthy to be particularly mentioned. By means of the former, a Communication is opened between Boyr- deaux and Marſeilles, between the Ocean and the Medi- terranean, Without paſling through the Streights of G7b- raltar, and ſurrounding all the Coaſts of Portugal and Spain: and by Virtue of the two latter, an eaſy Inter- courſe is maintained between all the great Towns ſitu- ated on the Seine and the Loire. Many other Ganals there are, and more ſtill intended to be made, greatly ad- a ; V. The An Es SA x on TRADE, II V. The French enjoy a great Advantage in the Goodneſs of their Sugar Colonies.— It is not owing to any ſuperior Skill in them, or wrong Conduct in us, nor yet any great- er Oeconomy in their Planters, or Profuſeneſs in ours, (for upon the ſtricteſt Enquiry both will be found to be very culpable) that they exceed us in the Cheapneſs or Goodneſs of their Commodities; but becauſe our Leeward I/lands are worn out, being originally of no Depth of Soil; and the Ground is more upon a Level, conſequently more ſubject to be burnt up; whereas their Iſlands are ſtill ve- ry good. In Martinico particularly the Ground is rich, the Soil deep, diverſified with high Fills, affording copious Streams of Water, and refreſhing Shades. Another great Advantage which the French have over the Engliſb in their Sugar Colonies is their Agrarian Law, whereby Monopoliſts are prevented from engroſſing too much Land. So that the Number of Whites are greatly en- creaſed, the Lands improved, more Commodities raiſed, the Planters ob/iged to a more frugal Manner of Living, and all Things rendered cheaper. By theſe Means Mar- tinico can muſter 16000 fighting Men; but Jamaica, which is near three Times as large, only 4000. (and I- take it for granted ſo good a Regulation obtains in other Places) there are public Warehouſes, very pro- er and convenient, adjoining to the Cuſtom-houſe. And all Proviſions and Goods neceſſary for the Uſe of their Sugar Colonies are there depoſited by the Merchant, till the Ship fails, Duty free, paying only a moderate Price for Cellerage. When ſhe returns, the Sugars, &c. are landed in the King's Ware-houſes, where they remain, till the Importer has found a Purchaſer for a proper Quantity: Then he pays the Duty for that, and has it taken away, letting the Reſt continue. Or if he intends theſe Goods for Exportatien, there they lie ready and convenient. By this means he is never driven to Streights on Account of the King's Duty; and is enabled to car- ry on a very extenſive Trade with a ſmall Stock, The Conſequence of which is, that many Perſons are here- by capacitated to enter con/iderably into Commerce, who could not otherwiſe have done it. For 10007. Sterling in France will go near as far as Two Thouſand Pounds in England. Not to mention, That as there is no Money immediately advanced on Account of the King's Duty, the whole Gains of the Merchant will ariſe only from the Money afually in Trade: Now as this is leſs by near one half to what it would have been, had the Duty been all paid at once; conſequently he can afford to ſell one ba, leſs than he muſt have demanded in the other Caſe. |. VIII. Their Neigbbourbood to Spain, and preſent Con- nection with it, is of ſo great Advantage, as to be worth all their Trade beſides. For it is certain, they get more from the Spaniards than all the Trading Nations in Europe, Their Poor from Perigord, Linioſin, and other Places, come yearly into Spain to reap their Corn, and gather in their Vintage; and carry back what they have earned to ſpend in France, 'The Fiſhermen from Bayonne, and the neighbouring Places, ſupply them with great Quantities both of freſh and ſalt Fiſh to eat on Fafi-Days, and to keep Lent, The Pedlars and Shopkeepers in Spain are moſtly French, who retire into their own Country, when they have made their Fortunes. The Towns in Languedoc ſupply them with Cloth, Silks, and Stockings, Rowen with Hats, and coarſe Linen Stuffs ; Abbeville, with ſuperfine Cloths 3 Amiens and Arras, with Worſted and Li 2 e Camblet An Ess AY on TRADE. 1 Camblet Stuffs ; and Lions, with all Sorts of rich Silks, Gold and Silver Lace, &c. for their Conſumption both in Europe and America. In ſhort, the greateſt Part of the Produce of the Mines of Fotoſi is brought into France. Hence it is, that their Payments are all in Silver: and Cold is more ſcarce in France, in the Currency of Coin, than Silver is in England. A plain Proof, that they have the great Trade to Spain, as we have to Portugal. IX. Their Addreſs in drawing raw Materials from other Countries ts work up in their own ſerves greatly to enlarge and extend their Trade. France produces ſome Woot and Silit, but not a fourth Part of what they mani facture. Wool they import from Barbary, the Levant, and Spain. They alſo bring Wool from Switzerland. Some little perhaps is run from England; but, I have good Reaſon to believe, not much. The Quantity from Ireland is very conſiderable ; which is owing to our own wrong Po- licy. The beſt of their raw Silk they draw from Pie- mont, the Levant, Itah, and Spain, Their Cotton is brought from the Levant, and from their Sugar Co- lonies. And the Aſbes for making Soap at Marſeilles, are chiefly imported from Egypt. X. They reap unſpeakable Advantage, by the Permiſſion and couragement given to Foreign Merchants and Manufacturers to ſettle among them. By this good Policy the Price of La- bour is always kept ſufficiently low. A Competition and. Emulation are raiſed, who ſhall work, and ſell the cheap- et; which muſt turn out greatly to the National Advan- tage, though it may not be fo favourable to the private ntereſt of Individuals. For theſe Reaſons, the Govern- ment is particularly gentle and indulgent to Foreigners, And the Situation of the Country is greatly aſſiſtant to this Diſpoſition of the Government. France is ſurrounded with populous, that is, prolifice Nations, who have no Trade and Manufactures of their own to employ their Poor. Flanders, all Germany on the Side of the Rhine, Switzerland, Savoy, and ſome Parts of Itah, pour their ſupernumerary Hands every Year into France; where they are careſſed, and received into the Army, or the Manu- facture, according to their Inclinations. The Rhone is ſo eaſy and cheap a Conveyance, for the Swarms of In- | habitants bordering on the Lake of Geneva, that ſo ſmall a Sum as One Shilling, or Eighteen Pence each * | wi 14 An Ess AN on TRADE. will bring them to the chief Manufacturing Town in the Kingdom, viz. Lions. And there are ſaid to be no leſs than Ten Thouſand Swiſs and Cermans employed in that City. The Numbers alſo in all the other Commercial Towns are very great, and daily increaſing. 5 XI. The Engliſh Monopolies, which are 7 adgſtructive to the Intereſts of Great Britain, become, for the very ſame Rea- ſan, of the greateſt Benefit and Advantage to France. Mar- ſeilles is a flagrant, and a melancholy Proof of this Aſ- ſertion. For the Trade of this Place hath flouriſhed and zncreaſed juſt in the ſame Proportion, as that of our Turky Company ſunk and declined. All the fine Streets and new Buildings of the City date their Original from this Period. So that we may truly ſay, They were built, and are now ſupported, by the excluſrve Turky Company of England. Moreover, the Engliſh Hudſan's-Bay Company js the only Cauſe, which can make the French Settle- ments in ſo wretched a Country as the Northern Parts of Canada, to flouriſh ; with ſo difficult and dangerous a Na- vigation, as that up the Bay of St. Lawrence, It is this, and no other, is the Cauſe that enables them to extend their Colonies, and to underſell the Engliſh in all the Articles of Furr ; which they apparently do in Times of Peace. XII. The publick Stock of Wealth is greatly increaſed, by Foreigners of all Countries travelling among them. — The Ad- vantages from hence accruing have not been ſo much attended to, as, I humbly think, they juſtly deſerve. For while theſe Foreigners reſide in the Country, they not only pay for their Food and Board at an high Rate, but they alſo cath themſelves with the Manufatures of it, and buy many Curioſities. But this is not all: For, having contracted a Libing to the Produce. and Manu- factures of the Country they travelled in, they continue to uſe them when they are returned to their own ; and ſo introduce them to the Knowledge, Eſteem, and Approba- tion of others: This begets a Demand; and a Demand for,them draws on a Correſpondence, and a ſettled Com- merce, Theſe are the Advantages which the French en- joy by ſuch Numbers of Foreigners travelling among them; whereas they ſcarce ever travel themſelves ; and by that Means circulate the Money in their own Country. XIII. FRANCE enjoys no ſmall Advantage, as it doth not toſe much by the Article of Smuggling, in compatiſon to what | England Be A ONE 4 e , * PLE * - AS I VIS Are DE IRE IC Ea 195 1 : 2 * * 1 _ * * e 7 we * 4 cn Yy y—_ > K. 4 An Ess A Y on TRADE, 15 England doth. This is owing to the Strictneſs of their Government, the many Spies they have upon every Man's Actions, and being able to puniſh the lighteſt Offence more ſeverely, and in a more ſummary Way than we can, or is conſiſtent with a free Conſtitution to do. | S5005000000000000006 £15025 The Principal DISADVANTAGES of FRANCE | with regard 40 TRADE. 1. ex H E firſt Diſaduantage to a free Trade is the Go- vernment, which is arbitrary and deſpotick ; and | therefore ſuch a Merchant would not chuſe to live un- der, if he knows the Sweets of Liberty in another Country, and has no Attachment of Family, or Inte- reſt to keep him ſtill in France. It muſt be acknow- ledged, his Property, 2 ſpeaking, is ſecure enough, but his Perſon is not ſo. To explain this, we muſt beg Leave to obſerve, That though there are fixed and ſlated Laws in France to decide all Cauſes, as here in England; ſo that a Man may know the Rules he is to be govern- ed by in thoſe Reſpects, and can have an open Trial for his Life and Fortune: yet there are no Laws to aſcer- tain the Nature of Political Offences, or to gircumſcribe the Power of the Judge : So that he muſt be entirely at the Mercy of the Lieutenant de Police, and his Deputies ; who can impriſon him at will, without aſſigning any Rea- ſon, or bringing any Evidence to confront him. And therefore his oy Security conſiſts, in being continually laviſb in the Praiſe of the King and the Miniftry, and in ſaying nothing which may afford the leaſt Pretence to the Spies, who ſwarm all over the Kingdom, to inform againſt him, „ II. The ſecond Diſadvantage to the Freedom of Trade, is the Romiſh Religion ; which has added to its many other Abſurdities a Spirit, of Cruelty and Perſecution, fo re- pugnant to the Scope and Tendency of the Goſpel ——There- fore a Proteſiant Merchant, if at the ſame Time a con- ſcientiaus Man, will find himſelf very often reduced to | | great — — S y-rae 165 A ESS AY en TRADE. great Difficulties, in order to avoid on the one Hand the Sin of Hypocriſy, by Compliances againſt his Conſcience, or on the other, the Danger attending the Exerciſe of his Religion, and the Educating of his Children in the Pro- teſtant Way. This, I ſay, will often happen, even at preſent ; though the Bigotry of the Court of France is not near ſo great, as it was in former times. III. AnNoTHER great Burden, and conſequently a Di/- advantage to the Trade of France, is, The great Number of Religious of both Sexes. The loweſt Computation of theſe amounts to near Three Hundred Thouſand Perſons: a great Part of which Number might, and would be employed in Trade and Manufa#ures ; and the Reſt might be uſeful to Society in other Spheres. But that is not all; They are a very heavy Weight upon the Publick. Ya/? Eſtates are appropriated for the Support of ſome of the Religious Orders, whoſe Fund is continually accumulating, not only by Legacies and Donations, but alſo by whatever Fortune each Perſon is poſſeſſed of, at the Time of taking the Jaw. And others, who are of the Mendicant Orders, and are allowed to have no Pro- perty, become a continual Tax upon the Induſtry and Charity of the People: and theſe moſtly of the middling and lower Sort, Not to mention the increaſing Riches and dead Wealth in all their Churches. IV. A fourth great Diſadvantage to the Trade of France, is the numerous and poor Nobility.— The Nature and Conſtitution of that Government require the Notion of Birth and Family to be kept up very high, as it will always create an indigent Nobility, and conſequently de- pendant upon the Court for ſuch Preferments as may not derogate, or bring a Stain upon their Family. Moreover, the ſame refined Policy induces the Court to make the r the moſt Honourable; as it muſt render the whole Body of the Nobility Soldiers ta fight their Battles; the Richer ſerving for Clory, and the Poorer for an honourable Support. The Conſequence of all this is, That they heartily deſpiſe the Bourgeois *, 7 | that * In France, the Inhabitants are uſually diſtinguiſhed by three Ranks, or Orders; The Mob leſſe, the Bourgeois, and the Paiſans. Each of theſe are totally diſtin& from the _ 25 | The os "II "7 3 [ITY ** N SES, 2 x 7177 he be SEL Aran Src 4 ISS KITS IS e Hl e > Ws 5-2 3 8 3 I 25 E 1 Fs SF; 72 S 3 ; EY $4 9 will have little Force againſt this. An Ess ANY on TRADE. 17 that is, the Merchant and Tradeſman : and he, when he gets rich, is as deſirous of quitting ſo d;/honourable an Employ, wherein his Riches cannot ſecure him from Inſult and Contempt. Being therefore ambitious of rai- ſing his own Family to be of the Nohleſſe, he leaves off Trade' as ſoon as he can, and breeds up _— to the Military Profeſſion, or purchaſes ſome Office in the Law or Civil Government, which may enable them. V. TRE Trade of France ſuffers another Inconve- niency by the Nature of its Taxes.— Some of theſe, in certain Provinces, are very arbitrary; as the Taille, which is levied moſtly upon the poor Peaſants and Ma- nufacturers in the Country Villages. Others are very heavy : as the Duty upon Salt, which is ſhockingly oppreſ- five, Others again, though not quite ſo oppreſſive, are yet equally improperly laid; becauſe they are upon the Necefſaries of Life, which are to feed the Tradeſmen, and to vidual the Shipping. Thus, for Example, all Sorts of Proviſions, Corn, Wine, Butchers Meat, Poul- try, Eggs, Fiſh, Garden- Stuff, and Fruit, pay a Duty at the Entrance of ſome of their great Cities. There are Duties alſo lately laid upon Soap and Candles. And in the Pais des Etats, where the mo/? grievous of theſe Impoſts are not levied, they lay a Provincial Duty upon POO, 1 ä all The Paſterity of the Nebleſſe are all Nobleſſe, though ever ſo poor, and though not honowred with the Titles of Count, Marquis, &c. as Noblemen are here in England. The Poſterity of a Bourgeois, though ever ſo rich, and though the Family have /eft off Trade a Hundred Years ago, are ſtill but Bour- goers, until they are ennobled by Patent or have wiped off the Diſgrace of having been Merchants, by ſome fgnal Military Service, or have purchaſed ſome honourable Employ. There- fore when the Vobleſſe call the Merchants Bourgeois, Burgeſſes, they mean it gs a Term of Infamy and Reproach, anſwering to that of pitiful loo Merchant in Engliſh. Indeed, by ſome Ordinances, the Nobleſſe are permitted to engage in certain Branches of foreign and pre on Trade, without bringing any Stain upon their Family. But theſe Permiſſions will have little Efficacy to induce the Nobility to turn Merchants, as long as the Military Service is ſo highly exalted in Credit and Reputation above Merchandize. 'The very Genius of the Government, makes a it Scax DAL not to be a Hldier Laws „ 18 „RE ar n. all Things going in or out of that Province; which makes the Merchandize ſo paſſing through become the dearer at a foreign Market. VI. THE Maitriſes, which ſo generally prevail in France, is a Clog to the Trade of the Country. Theſe Maitriſes are much the ſame as our Companies in Towns Corporate; only we have this Advantage, That in England their pernicious Effects can be more eaſily eluded by having Shops, &c. within Glaſs Windows. Beſides, our het Manufacturing Towns, ſuch as Ber- mingham, Mancheſter, and even four fifths of London itſelf, viz. Weſtminſter, Southwark, and all the Suburbs, have no Companies at all. Whereas in France all Tradeſ- men are obliged to be free of their proper Maitriſes, before they can ſet up. The Fine for this, in ſome Trades, is very conſiderable. And there is alſo, in Times of War, an annual Demand of a certain Pro- portion of Men out of each Maitriſe : which is under- ſtood to imply a Sum of Money by way of equivalent. Thus, the more theſe Maitriſes become uſeful to ſupply the Exigencies of the Government at a Pinch, the more Privileges they will acquire ; and the greater the Privi- lege is of any particular Company, the leſs will be the general Trade of the Country. VII. Thx French ſuſtain ſome Diſadvantage by their Monopolies and excluſive Characters. — They have an Eaft- India Company at Port POrient : Marſeilles is a free Port for the Levant and Barbary Trade; whereas there is a Duty of 20 per Cent. upon all Merchandize of thoſe Countries, if imported into any other Port of France in the Mediterranean, And even at Marſeilles, there is a particular excluſive Company for importing Corn and Wool from Africa. Lions is free for all Silks entering, or going out ; whereas there is an heavy Duty in the neighbouring Towns; by which means, Lions may be ſaid to have an excluſive Character. And there is good Reaſon to conclude, there is ſomething of the fame Nature for the Turky Cloth at Carcaſſonne, the Silk and Worſted Stockings at Mſmes, the Clothing for the Sol- diery at Lodeve, the Superfine Cloth at Abbeville, the Stuffs at Amiens, the Camblets at Arras, the painted Linens and Cottons at Rowen, &c. 55 hos lo VIII, An ESSAYT on TAA Dx. — VIII. Tux French labour under no ſmall Diſadvan- tage on Account of the Expence they are at in the Article of Shipping. They have more Men to navigate their Ships than the Exgliſb, becauſe they are not ſo expert Sailors. They muſt carry ſome ſupernumerary Land- men, by the King's Orders: They muſt have many Of- ficers to govern theſe Men, becauſe the Merchant is to be reſponſible for them when the Ship returns. Theſe Officers will have a grand Table, a Cook, and new Bread every Day. The Ship lies long in Port, if ſent to the WYoff- Indies to diſpoſe of the Cargo: Becauſe their Creolians are ſaid to be fo dihmneftl, that they do not care to truſt them with Commiſſions. And ſo the Expences of the Officers and of the Crew run very high. Add to this, that the Officer belonging to the Marine in France will find Ways and Means to give great Trouble to the Merchant, both as to the Choice of Sailors, and of Officers, unleſs he is properly conſi- dered: Which is generally done by buying ſome Ship Stores of himſelf, or Friends, at an extraordinary Price. IX. Tax two National Vices of the French, Gaming and Fine Clothes, is a great Hurt to their Trade. Theſe Expences cannot be ſupported but by a large Profit; and that will always leſſen the Demand at a „o- _ reign Market, if their Neighbours can afford to ſell cheaper. Not to mention the /wift Ruin which Gaming ſometimes brings on, and the Loſs of Time occaſioned by it. X. The Situation of the French Ports, is a great Diſadvantage to them, with reſpect to the Hamburg and Northern Trade: And in regard to the Sauthern and Weſt-Indies, they are not better ſituated ; and are not near ſo many, nor ſo good as ours, eſpecially if we take Ireland into the Account. They have only an Advan- tage with reſpect to the Mediterranean. | XI. Tnz Farming of the Revenue is another great Diſadvantage to the Commerce of France, For theſe have moſt immoderate Profits, and live in all the Splen- dor and Expence of the firſt Princes of the Blood. And as they act by the King's Authority, they tyrannize over the Subjects with Impunity.—Yet I cannot ſee how the French Government can be without ſuch a Ser of People, For when Money is wanted, they are ready to lend, while the Subject is afraid: Therefore | C 3 . whey 20 | An ESsSs AY on TRADE. they borrow of the Subject, giving their own Securi- ties, and then lend the Government at an advanced Price, paying themſelves, as the Duties are collected. To theſe Diſadvantages, it has been intimated, I ought to have mentioned their many Holidays, on which they “ muſt not work, and their pompous Pro- «© ceſſions which draw the People a gazing after them.“ The Thought did occur to me before, at the Time of writing the firſt Edition : But I ſuppreſſed it then, and now beg Leave to aſſign the Reaſons ; viz, In the firſt Place, theſe Things are greatly wearing off in France every Day; ſo that the Loſs.of Time is not fo conſiderable, as one may imagine, Secondly, Allow- ing that ſome Time is idled away during theſe Holidays, and in ſeeing Proceſſions, &c. ſtill, if we caſt up the Account of the Time and Money which are ſpent here in England by all forts of Manufacturers in Horſe-Races, _ Cock-fightings, Cricket-Matches, Bull-baitings, but more eſpecially in Mobbing and Electioneering, (all which are not in France) I am perſwaded, we ſhall find the Advantage gained over them, on the Score of their Holidays and Proceſſions, to be none at all; and that upon comparing both Articles together, the Amount of the Diſadvantages will be found to be greater on our Side, than on theirs, | ODE DIIDIDI eee eee eee The principal ADVANTAGES of GREAT BRITAIN 2th reſpect to TRADE. I. HE * natural Produce and Commodities of „the Country ;” Corn, Wool, Lead, Tin, Copper, Coal, Butter, Cheeſe, Tallow, Leather. All which are not to be found in France, in that Plenty and Abundance they are in England. II. The Number, Goodneſs, and Situation of our Ports.“ Thoſe on the Weſtern Side of Great Bri- tain (eſpecially if we reckon Ireland a Part of ourſelves, and include both Iflands under one GENERAL INTE- REST, as in Reaſon and Policy we ought to do) are. almoſt as well ſituated for the Southern Trade, as the | French. 