Considerations upon the eighth and ninth articles of the treaty of commerce and navigation, now publish'd by authority. With some enquiries into the damages that may accrue to the English trade from them

Table of contents

- [titlepage]

- INTRODUCTION.

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE Articles, &c.

As our Considerations extend to no other Part of the Treaty than what relates to Trade, and to the Duties and Impositions upon Merchandise, so we shall confine it according to the Title to the two particular Articles which have made so much Noise in the Town, viz. the Eighth and Ninth Articles.

The Eighth Article runs thus:‘Furthermore it is agreed and concluded as a general Rule, That all and singular the Subjects of the most Serene Queen of Great Britain, and of the most Serene the most Christian King, in all Countries and Places subject to their Power on each Side, as to all Duties, Impositions, or Customs whatsoever, concerning Persons, Goods and Merchandizes, Ships, Freights, Seamen, Navigation and Commerce, shall use and enjoy the same Privileges, and Immunities at least, and have the like favour in all Things, as well in the Courts of Justice, as in all such things as relate either to Commerce, or to any other Right whatever, which any Foreign Nation, the most favoured, has, uses, and enjoys, or may hereafter have, use, and enjoy.’

This Article proposes an Equality in the general Circumstances of Trade for the Subjects of the two Nations, in their respective Dominions, with the Subjects of other Nations, viz. That France shall not demand any Toll, Duty, Custom, Impost, Port-Charges, &c. of the English Merchants, in any Ports or places of her Dominions, more than the Subjects of all other Nations pay in the same Ports, and Vice Versa England shall do the same.

I know it is objected here that this Article directly contravenes the Treaty with Portugal, and some People lay a great Stress upon that Treaty, in which we are oblig'd to admit the Portugal Wines at a certain Rate or Duty lower than the French. Whether the Parliament will think that Treaty relates to a farther Term than the Expiration of the War, I shall not determine; and this is named because some insist upon it, that that Treaty was made for Considerations which wholly related to the War, and which Considerations, or Conditions, on the behalf of Portugal, as has been mention'd in Parliament, were not honourably and punctually perform'd. Vide the Votes of the House of Commons, and Representation and Address last Session. Now, how far the Queen of Great Britain will think Her self bound by that Treaty, which, on the other hand, they say, was never perform'd, is the Question these People offer in this Case: But this I shall not take upon me to determine of here, but leave it to the Casuists in those Cases, whose Judgments are founded on the Laws of Nations, and the Nature of Treaties.

But the Considerations of Trade are of a differing Nature; and tho' there were much more to be said for the Interest of the Kingdom, respecting Peace and War, than we think can be said here, yet those things weight not in Arguments of Commerce: The present Enquiry is, Whether the French or Portugal Trades are of most Advantage to England? Many Arguments offer themselves to our View upon this Head, but I believe no Man will pretend to say, but that as Things stand now, the Portugal Trade is much more to the general Profit than the French, because, besides many other Reasons, we make effectual Exportation of our Woollen Manufactures for all the Wines, Oyles, &c. that we receive from Portugal; whereas the Obstructions in France to our Woollen Goods by the War, and the Improvements made in France, not only in our Woollen Manufactures, but in many other things, makes that Trade run in a different Channel, and the Ballance, at least, before our Stop to their Wine, Brandy, and wrought Silks, by the high Duties and Prohibitions now in force were against England.

The Argument brought against these things by those who think the Equality of Duties reasonable; at least, the Argument which is most Cogent is this. It may be true, that while our Trade to France lies under the Discouragements and Disadvantages of their Tariffs of 1699, and 1701; the Loss is Ours, because we export but few of our Woollen Manufactures thither. But the Question is not yet thought of, How great a Trade we may have to France, a Kingdom of so large Extent, so populous, and so wanting Manufactures of Wooll, when those high Duties are taken off, and the Tariff of 1664 restor'd, as by the Ninth Article is propos'd?

I shall, however, state this as impartially between both as possible. We are sure that now the Trade to Portugal is not only a great, but a gainful Trade, and we know it is an encreased and an encreasing Trade, also it is a Trade, as is mention'd above, especially advantageous to Britain, in that our whole Import from thence is ballanc'd by our Woollen Manufacture, and great Sums brought hither, in Specie of Gold, every Year. This, as it is said, we are sure of, and it can be no Offence to any to say, we hope that when Commissioners shall meet as is provided by the Ninth Article to remove the Difficulties, and to regulate mutually the Duties and Circumstances of Trade, they will be very careful to prevent breaking in too far upon so beneficial a Trade as that to Portugal, before they have a clear View of making, at least an equal Advantage to Britain in the Trade to France; and this may suffice to say at present upon the Affair of general Equallities in Commerce, which is the Sustance of the Eighth Article.

The Ninth Article requires a farther Discussion, and may be particularly divided into three Periods or Heads.

- 1. The proposal of repealing the Laws on either hand, which relate to additional Impost, and Duties on Merchandizes in both Kingdoms, and all the Prohibitions of Importation also, from the Year 1664.

- 2. The settling the Duties upon French Goods imported into England upon the same Foot, and at the same Rates upon which Goods of the like Nature are imported from other Parts.

- 3. The appointing Commissioners not only to adjust the Exceptions and separate Proposals which are not yet settled, but to regulate the Methods of future Commerce between the Nations, in such a manner as may be for mutual Advantage.

The two first of these are contain'd in the first Part of the Ninth Article of the Treaty, in these Words:‘It is further agreed, That within the space of two Months after a Law shall be made in Great Britain, whereby it shall be sufficiently provided that no more Customs or Duties be paid for Goods and Merchandizes brought from France to Great Britain, than what are payable for Goods and Merchandizes of the like Nature, Imported into Great Britain from any other Country in Europe; and that all Laws made in Great Britain since the Year 1664, for Prohibiting the Importation of any Goods and Merchandizes coming from France, which were not prohibited before that time, be repealed, the general Tariff made in France the 18th Day of September, in the Year 1664. shall take place there again, and the Duties payable in France by the Subjects of Great Britain, for Goods Imported and Exported, shall be paid according to the Tenour of the Tariff abovementioned, and shall not exceed the Rule therein settled, in the Provinces whereof mention is there made, and in the other Provinces the Duty shall not be payable, otherwise than according to the Rule at that time prescribed; And all Prohibitions, Tariffs, Edicts, Declarations or Decrees made in France since the said Tariff of the Year 1664, and contrary thereunto, in respect to the Goods and Merchandizes of Great Britain shall be Repealed.’

To consider this with all possible Impartiality. It must be allow'd, that the French binding themselves to Repeal all their Tariffs, Edicts, Declarations or Decrees, made in France, back to the Year 1664, entitled them very justly to insist upon the same Thing with us; and were we sure that Repealing those Tariffs would open the Door to a Free Trade for our Manufacturers into France, that Demand would meet with the less Difficulties here, and the Alternative be the more just. Of which we shall say more when we come to enquire into the Excepted Articles.

But altho' this may seem very Just for the French to demand, yet it will require some Retrospect upon our own Circumstances, to consider whether it consists with our Trading Interest to come into this Mutual Repealing of Duties and Prohibitions; and indeed whether it be consistent with the very Nature and Being of our Trade: As particularly, the taking off the Prohibition of Wrought Silks, which we call Broad Silks, and that severe Prohibition of Alamodes and Lustrings.

It might require here some very mature Thoughts to reflect upon the State of our own Trade; for Example, The Encouragement given to the Making Lustrings and Alamodes in England, and upon which the Subscribers to the Lustring-Company embark'd their Stocks was, without question, the Prohibition of the French Silks of that Kind, and the Confidence they had, that if at any time that Prohibition expired, they should obtain that Encouragement which is generally granted to all New Undertakings of that Nature, and without which they are supposed not to be able to promote or set up such Works, or at least with any Success; this Encouragement is generally the laying large Impositions, or actual Prohibitions, upon Goods of the same Nature made in other Countries: But if on the contrary the Impositions and Prohibitions aforesaid are actually taken off, and the Trade laid open, so that the like Goods may be admitted upon low Terms from Abroad, those Undertakings are Ruin'd of meer Consequence. This I take to be the Case of the Lustring-Company in London, and I believe the Master or Members of that Company will be free to own that they can make but small Pretence to the carrying on their said Trade, if the Prohibition and Duty upon the French Lustrings and Alamodes should be taken off by this Treaty. What Weight the Interest of the Company shall bear in the Consideration of this Great Affair, when either the Parliament in general, or the Commissioners when nominated to enquire into it in particular, shall come to debate it, I will not undertake to determine.

The Case of our Broad Weavers may come next to be mention'd, in Favour of whom, and in Consideration of the Numbers of Families maintain'd by the Manufacture of Silk in this Nation, the General Prohibition of French Wrought Silks first, and afterwards of East-India Wrought Silks was made. What other Considerations moved the House to those Prohibitions, and how importunate the Weavers and Importers of Silk were to obtain those Prohibitions, is too fresh in the Memories of all Men who think of these Things, that I need not repeat any thing of it here: What a Hurt it will be to the Silk Manufacture in England, I rather leave to the People concern'd to talk of, who are apt to be loud enough, than to pretend to meddle with it here.

It is argued here, that the Encrease of the Exportation of our Woollen Manufactures will follow, by taking off the high Duties in France, by which that whole Nation will be open to our Sale, and we shall Export vast Quantities thither Yearly; I say, if this be urged as a thing of such Weight, to which the Loss in the Silk Manufactures, &c. is not to be compared, I readily yield to it, only with this Proviso, (viz.) that we are certain that Exportation shall so increase. I shall allow my self to hope it will do so, at least if the Commissioners, who are to meet, can bring the French to consent that the English Woollen Manufactures be comprised in the Treaty, and the Duties upon them be reduced to the Tariff of 1664. Nor will I allow that to be a Question in the Case, since the known Interest of their Country so much requires it, and the Ruin or Damage to other parts of our Trade will be so just an Equivalent.

But as that Notion of the Increase of our Woollen Manufacture, is an Answer to the Nation in general, so here may be an Answer suggested to the Broad Silk Weavers and Lustring-Company in particular, (viz.) That altho' the Prohibitions be taken off, yet still there seems to be a liberty left to Britain, by this Ninth Article, to continue or lay any higher Duty on such Foreign Wrought Silks, as the Government shall think needful, to encourage our Silk Manufactures, and yet the French be obliged to Repeal their high Duties at the same time. This, I say, seems plain at least to our common view, who can judge of these Things but without doors, from these two Circumstances.

1. From the Demand the French make of keeping four Species of Goods up to the Rule of the Tariff of 1699, which if they insist upon, there seems to be a Parity of Reason that our Commissioners may insist upon the like advance of a Duty on the Wrought Silks made in England; (1.) Because the Reason of the French for holding up their Duties on our Woollen Manufactures to the Tariff of 1699, is the very same which we would give for Laying a Duty on their Silks; (viz.) the giving the Manufactures at Home the Advantage against those which are Imported from Abroad, and encouraging the proper Subjects of each Kingdom. (2.) Because it does not contradict the Letter of the Treaty to Lay any new or high Duties or Customs upon the Goods and Merchandizes of any Kind Imported from France, provided it is no more than is paid upon Goods of the like Nature Imported from other Parts; and I must grant, that if this Construction of the Article will hold, as I hope and believe it will, the Prohibitions may be all Taken off of the Broad Silks, Lustrings, Alamodes, &c. without such Ruin and Destruction to the Broad Silk Weaving and Lustring Trade as has been apprehended. But as the Ministry on both sides must be allowed the Construction of their own Terms, and to explain their own Thoughts to one another, so it may not be proper to anticipate all the Thoughts our Commissioners may have, least it prepare the Enemy to oppose them.

The French are no more to be look'd upon in Trade as they formerly were, (viz) as an Improving and Encroaching People in respect to the General Commerce of Europe, but as a Nation arriv'd to such an Improvement, that they are really our Rivals in the best and greatest Part of our Trade in particular, I mean the Woollen Manufacture. Indeed we have the good Fortune to be on the better side of the Hedge with them, and they have the Difficulty of the Want of Materials to struggle with, (viz.) the WOOLL. But then against that, by their Art, dexterous Management, Money, and other Helps, joined to the Baseness and Treachery of our own People, who for Private Gain will set their Hands to the Ruin of their Country, They have found the way, in spight of severe Laws, strict Guards, and the utmost Vigilance of Officers, to get so great Quantities of our Wooll conveyed over to France, as sufficiently enables them, in Conjunction with Spanish Wooll and Wooll from Barbary, to make a very great Quantity of Woollen Manufactures, and thereby do us an Inestimable Damage in our Trade; and which is yet more, as the People are Poor, Industrious, and work very low; where they are able to make the Goods at all, they are sure to underwork and undersell us.

For this Reason it must be allow'd, that if the French can be brought to open a Door for a free Trade, that is, for an Importation of our Woollen Manufactures into France, with moderate Duties, the Value and Gooodness of our Manufactures would force their own way so far, at least, that the Advance they make upon us in those things would not be so great, or encrease so fast: In order then to come to such a free Trade, many things may be thought on, and it may be counted rational, that England should grant all they can be suppos'd to grant, and take every Step that can conduce to that main End and Design, which they can take and grant without Prejudice to their own Nation, and to the main Trade thereof, (viz.) the Woollen Manufacture in some other Branch; for to do thus, (viz.) to yeild what would be fatal to it in another Part, would be to build with one Hand, and pull down with another.

This brings us then to the second Head, mention'd above.

2. The settling the Duties upon French Goods, upon an Equality with the Duties on Goods of the like Nature imported from foreign Countries.

This, as is noted above, signifies not at all, as I can understand it, an entire Reduction of our Impost and Customs upon French Goods, or as the Article at first View seem'd to suggest, and as many still understand it to take off all our new Impositions since the Year 1664, but rather an Agreement with France, that as Peace is restor'd between the two Nations, and they stand to one another upon an Equality of general Interest, in the same relation of Neighbourhood one to another, so they should of Trade also; and the Equality of Duties upon Goods of like Sort, I laid down as the Foundation of this Equality. Those who are of Opinion that an Equality of all Nations in Trade is requisite, must produce other Arguments to back that Opinion than I'have seen yet, unless by Equalities they will make suitable Allowances for tie different Scituations of Countries, Quality of Goods, and Circumstances of Trade.

Now let others put what Construction they will upon the Ninth Article, and upon the Meaning of those Words, the same Duties, and Goods of like nature, I must be allow'd to think that it is implied that Allowances and Regulations must be made, in order to bring the Nature of Things to be like, and the Duties to be the same; Things may be said to be the same, when by just Allowances and Proportions they are regulated and adjusted, and brought to an Equality; on the contrary, tho' the Sum paid upon any Goods be the same, yet it may give one Side a great Inequality and Advantage over the other; and that which is the same thing in the Letter, is not the same in the Consequence.

These are things cannot be reason'd upon so well before hand, as they will be debated and calculated upon a Personal Treaty with Commissioners, and therefore, I say, no Judgment can be made at present by a common Eye: But that every Body may judge a little what may be the State of our Trade, when this Door of Intercourse and Commerce is open'd, it may not be improper to look back, and see what the Trade was formerly, and to know thereby what we are like to expect, when the high Duties are taken off from the French Goods here.

It is true, that Dr. Davenant, in his Report, from the Books of the Custom-House to the Commissioners, named in the Act for taking, examining, and stating the Publick Accounts, observes, that in the Four Years Interval of Peace, at the latter End of King William, we exported to France only thus, that is to say, in our Woollen Manufactures only.

l.

s.

d.

From Christmas

1698

to Christmas

1699

17269:

1699

1700

47151:

5.

11½

1700

1701

27774:

7.

11½

1701

1702

1580:

6.

9

93775:

—

8

The last Year being the Year when the Trade was stop'd, by breaking out of the War, may pass for nothing, and then we see the Export of our Woollen Manufactures to France appears very small, if the Doctor's Valuation of those Goods are right.

On the other Hand, in a Representation of Trade and Commerce with France, made to the late King, by his Majesty's Especial Command, Dated December 23. 1697, by the Commissioners of Trade, as I have been inform'd there was given in the following terrible Abstract of the French Trade with England, viz.:

- 1. In General, That the French over-ballanc'd us in Trade above a Million per Annum.

- 2. In Particular, That in One Year the Importations from France into England only, (for Scotland was not then United)

Amounted to

1,136,150 Pou. St.

Whereas our Exportations to them for the same Year, amounted but to

171,021 Pou. St.

Over-ballance against us

965,129

In the same Report it is laid down, that the Goods which were Imported from thence Yearly had been Computed thus:

l.

Wrought Silks to the Value of

300,000

Linnens

500,700

Wines and Brandy

217,000

In all

1,017,700

To descend to farther Particulars: They say that in the Year 1685, there was Twenty Thousand Tons of Wine, and Six Thousand Tons of Brandy, Imported into England from France; and more especially, that from . . . . . Anno 1688, to . . . . 1689, there was upwards of the said Quantity of Twenty Thousand Tons of Wine, and Six Thousand Tons of Brandy, Imported.

It would be Unjust, at this time of day, to let such Accounts as these lye open for every one to pass their Judgments of, without giving the Opinion of him that publishes them, because the Reason and Design of the making them publick will very much lye in the giving, or not giving, that Opinion; and therefore I think my self bound to own, that I do not look on the said Account to have any Foundation in the Matter of Fact, or in the Nature of the Thing: And therefore as it does not Comport with the Custom-House Books of those Years, so neither does it to me appear Reasonable. Howbeit being given in to the late King by such Persons so qualified to know, and who were under such Obligations to do it exactly, I shall say no more to it but this, That no Man need go any farther for a Reason why the late King appear'd very backward, after the Peace of Reswick, to enter upon any Treaty of Commerce with France, or to open the same by Taking off the said high Duties, which at that time and 'till now have been as a Prohibition on both sides.

And I cannot wonder, why any Man who may have drawn his Calculate of Things from these Estimates, should be of the same mind now; for certain it is, that no Export which we can hope for of our Woollen Manufactures to France, can ever come up to Balance such an Account as this, nay, tho' the King of France were willing to Take off and Revoke all his Tariffs to 1664, and the Tariff of 1664 too.

On the other hand, the Custom-House Books make it appear, as is also to be seen in the said Report of Dr. Davenant, that the whole Import of Wine and Brandy in the Year from Michaelmass 1668, to Michaelmass 1669, came out thus;

Wine

5726 Tons

Brandy

330 Tons 7/9

Which it seems was plac'd to the Balance of Trade, just as the Inclination of the People pleased to lead them: Some reckoned it at the Rate, or Price, which the Wine Cost in France, which I must acknowledge is the true way to state the Balance between the Trade of the Two Kingdoms; because in Estimating our Exports to France, we always reckon the Value of those Exports, being of our own Goods, at the Worth here, and can do no otherwise: But others willing to make the Sum appear big, Rated or Valued them at the Price Wine and Brandy was Sold for by the Retailer in England. In which Valuations the Difference was as follows: The first Rated the Wine at 8l. per Ton, and the Brandy at 9l. per Ton; the other at 36l. and 45l. By the first the Rate was thus:

l.

Wine

5726 Tons at 8l. is

45808

Brandy

330 7/9 Tons at 9l. is

2977

48785

The other thus:

l.

Wine

5726 Tons at 36l. is

206136

Brandy

331 Tons at 45l. is

14895

221031

This makes a manifest Difference, and shews that we ought, upon very good Examination, to take the Calculations of other People in these Cases, who always speak as their Party Opinions guide them: However, take it which way we will, it is apparent, that after this the Quantity of Wine in general Imported from all France, and from other Countries too, increased prodigiously; for whereas during the Years 1668 and 1669, as abovesaid, when we Imported Six Thousand Tons of Wine and Brandy from France, there was then no Importation at all of Wine from Portugal; or if there was, the Custom-House knew it by no other Name than of Spanish Wines, which might indeed be the Case; and those Spanish Wines amounted the same Year to 6343 Tons: So that the general Import of Wine in England, Anno 1669, was 12069 Tons; the same General Account about the Year 1699 or 1700, was one Year with another near 19000 Tons. In Particular thus Entred:

Tons

Spain

9309

Portugal

6897

Italy

1508

France

1245

Total

18959

How much of this Wine shall in a future Trade be imported from France, is hard to determine; some alledge the whole Draught of Red Wines will come from thence; but this is running too far and too fast, for even before the War, tho' the Duties of French Wines were much lower than the Duties of the Portugueze Wines, yet there were always great Quantities of Alicant, Florence, Bar a Bar, and Oporto Wines brought in, which, by reason of the deepness and brightness, of the Colour or Face of the Wines, were always found useful by the Vintners to draw with their thin meaner French Wines, and sold at a much greater Price; and if, as sometimes it happen'd, the Vintage in France fail'd, or the Wines prov'd small and ill colour'd, the Quantity and Price of the Wines from Lisbon, Oporto, Alicant, &c. always encreas'd in Proportion.

If this was the Case then, when the Duties of those other Wines were about 7l. per Ton greater than the Duties of the French, we may reasonably hope it will be still so, and with more Advantage to the Spanish and Portugal Wines, when the Duties of the French Wines shall be made Equal.

But here comes in an Objection, which was hinted at before, upon the Subject of what you will call Equality, viz. That the Alicant, Florence, and Lisbon Wines, &c. come in here at a greater Expence, both in their first Cost, as also in their Freight, Cask, length of the Voyage, &c. than the French; and thus, therefore, if the French Wines pay but an equal Duty, yet the Trade is not thereby put upon an Equality, but the Advantage given to the French, and that a Proportion ought to be stated here, to bring this Matter to an Equality.

This may have some Weight in it, and as I can do no more than mention it here, so I cannot prevail upon my self to doubt but the Government will take Care to have the Disproportion consider'd in the further Debates they are to have of that Affair.

As to the Treaties with Portugal, and the Conditions to be perform'd in that part of the Case with the King of Portugal, they are not for a Subject to dispute, but must be left to the Consideration of Parliament, to whom it belongs, and who no doubt will do what is requisite in that Case.

It remains now to examine a little into that part of the Ninth Article which speaks of the excepted Species of Goods, and of appointing Commissaries to regulate the Duties and Differences of those Species, according to the Tenor of the other part of the Agreement: This is contained in the following words of the Article it self, (viz.) ‘But whereas it is urged on the Part of France, that certain Merchandizes, that is to say, Manufactures of Wooll, Sugar, Salted Fish, and the Product of Whales be excepted out of the Rule of the above-mentioned Tariff, and likewise other Heads of Matters belonging to this Treaty remain, which having been proposed on the part of Great Britain, have not yet been mutually adjusted, a Specification of all which is contained in a separate Instrument Subscribed by the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries on both sides; It is hereby Provided and Agreed, that within two Months from the Exchange of the Ratifications of this Treaty, Commissaries on both sides shall meet at London, to consider of, and remove the Difficulties concerning the Merchandizes to be excepted out of the Tariff of the Year 1664, and concerning the other Heads, which, as is abovesaid, are not yet wholly adjusted. And at the same time the said Commissaries shall likewise endeavour, (which seems to be very much for the Interest of both Nations) to have the Methods of Commerce on one part, and of the other, more thoroughly examined, and to find out and establish just and beneficial means on both sides for removing the Difficulties in this matter, and for regulating the Duties mutually. But it is always understood and provided, that all and singular the Articles of this Treaty, do in the mean while remain in their full force, and especially that nothing be deemed, under any Pretence whatsoever, to hinder the benefit of the General Tariff of the Year 1664, from being granted to the Subjects of Her Royal Majesty of Great Britain, and the said British Subjects from having and enjoying the same, without any Delay or Tergiversation, within the space of two Months after a Law is made in Great Britain, as abovesaid, in as ample manner and form as the Subjects of any Nation, the most favoured, might have and enjoy the benefit of the aforesaid Tariff, any thing to be done, or discussed by the said Commissaries, to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.’

It seems here that the four Species of Goods mentioned, (viz.) Fish, produce of Whale, that is, Whale Fins and Oyl, Sugar Refin'd, and Woollen Maenufactures, shall be excepted out of this Article; that is to say, out of the Tariff of 1664: But what then, say we, signify all the rest, for our Woollen Manufacture is the main thing which we have to insist upon, if this should not be adjusted then the whole Trade is gone? It is to be hoped, that the Wisdom of our Parliament will provide, That unless such a Method may be found out that our Manufactures may be admitted into France upon such Terms as will make them Vendible there, and that they may not only come to Market, but may have a Market to come to where they will be Sold, they will be very Cautious how they make a Law to Take off our high Duties and Prohibitions upon the French Goods; for this would be to Ruin us effectually, by admitting French Goods of all kinds into England, and having our Woollen Manufactures, in effect, prohibited.

The great Question then is, What is the Tariff of 1699, which the Articles make mention of, and what is the Difference between that and 1664? And to Answer this directly it is to be understood, that there is no such thing in France as a Tariff of 1699, that respects English Goods, other than that mentioned before made with Holland, by which the English Fine Broad Cloth is Taxed at 20 Livres for 25 Ells French, (viz.) for about 30 to 31 Yards more than they were Charged before, (viz.) by the Tariff of 1664, and Serges, Stuffs, &c. in proportion. This Addition is the Thing upon which it seems turns the Question between a Trade and no Trade with France. If this Addition will effect a Prohibition, the King of France cannot insist upon it when he proposes a Treaty of Trade; for that would be to have us open our Trade to him, and shut up his Trade from us: But if the French King is in Earnest to seek a Treaty of Commerce with us, then the Difference between the Tariff of 1664 and 1699 is so little, that he cannot scruple to give it up: Besides, as by the Eighth Article, ‘the Subjects of Britain are to enjoy all those Privileges, Liberties and Immunities, and have the like favour in all things as to all Duties, Impositions or Customs whatsoever, concerning Persons, Goods and Merchandizes, which any Foreign Nation, the most favour'd, enjoys, or may hereafter have, use and enjoy.’ If this, I say, be agreed, then it will remain to enquire, How the Treaties of Commerce with the Dutch and other Nations have settled this Affair, as to Salted Fish and Woollen Manufactures; for as to the Produce of Whales it concerns us little, who have no Whale Fishing; and as to Fish, the Dutch also are the main Parties concern'd: But as to the Woollen Manufacture, if the Dutch have yielded that Point, then we seem to be stop'd by the Eighth Article from asking any more; and how far that may consist with the Sale of our Manufactures in France remains to be Examined, and we may hope will be effectually Debated before it be yielded to France.

The Debate which the respective Commissaries to be appointed are to have, as the Article says for the Interest of both Nations, will no question be very agreeable to all Honest Men, if it may be so adjusted as that our Woollen Manufactures may meet with no Interruption in their Exportation to France. No question, there may be such Regulations of Commerce made as may be for the Interest of both Nations, but all must be with a supposition of admitting our Manufactures into France upon Equal and Reasonable Terms; which if it be not done, our Trade is rather prohibited than extended, rather shut up than opened; so that upon this one Article all the rest depends, (viz.) That the Trade be open'd for our Woollen Goods in France.

How else shall we make our selves amends for the Loss of our Trade in Portugal? I shall say nothing here to the Obligation upon Her Majesty to the King of Portugal; the Government will no doubt concern themselves to preserve the Conditions of every Agreement with the Princes of Europe, from any Clashing Inconsistencies one with another: No more will I undertake to say the Portugueze wait to prohibit our Manufactures as soon as they shall hear this Transaction is settled; I do not believe the Portugueze so weak neither: We are told, this will be most certain, that whatever amends we may make our selves by the French Trade, we shall certainly lessen our Wine Trade from Portugal, and to also from Leghorn, and other parts, to whom we at the same time send very large Quantities of our Manufactures; and therefore if the Treaty with France do not make up the Diminution of those Trades, it will not then be an Equivalent to us for the Exchange. But we hope the Commissioners, who are to meet upon this Subject, will concern themselves to weigh this part also, and so to admit the French Trade, that the Trade to Portugal may not be in a worse Case than it was before the War. Indeed it must be Own'd, it would be hard to suggest that the Trade to Portugal can be in a worse state than it was before the War; when it is known that before the War, the whole Duties upon French Wines were not more than 8l. or thereabout per Ton; and at the same time the Portugal Wines paid above 16l. 8s. Duty: And beyond the Years 1664, we do not find any Wines imported from Portugal at all, but under the Title of Spanish Wines; which may be noted, not that there came no Wines from Portugal at all; but that Portugal was then under the Dominion of the King of Spain, 'till the Revolt of the Duke of Braganza, the Grandfather of the Present King: I say then it can hardly be rational to think the Portugal Trade will be quite sunk, or that the King of Portugal will prohibit Trade with us; but that the French and Portugal Wines paying the same Dutys, the first will gain the preference at Market, no body will question; and therefore it had been to be wished, there had been some little reserv'd advantage to the Trade of Portugal Wine: But since it is otherwise determin'd, the Portugal Trade must take its Fate; and all that remains seems to be the taking a due Care, that the Trade to France for our Manufactures may be so enlarged, as may be a Recompence for what may happen on the other side; and if this may but appear, we shall have reason to be the better satisfy'd with the Treaty of Commerce; and we shall all be glad to find it so, that the Complaints of those, who pretend to fear, nay to know (as they say) the contrary, may appear to have been without ground.

The Silk Manufacture is next to be considered; the Lustring Company is now near expiring, and their Charter, which was granted for _____ Years, is almost run out; whether they will obtain a New Charter or no is not for us to enquire, whatever we may suppose; but whether they shall or not, it may be the same thing; the Prohibition, or Duty equal to a Prohibition, upon Lustrings and Alamodes, if it is to remain, as by the Equality with other Nations mentioned in the Treaty, it may, makes a very great Difference in the Manufacture at home, and the Importation from abroad; whether the Lustring-Company can go on or no, is for them to determine: But it must be own'd, that if the Dutys on Foreign Lustrings are held up at about 35l. per Cent. more than the Manufactures of Lustrings at home are valued at, and the Lustring-Company cannot go on, but the Foreign will outsell them, the making them at home must sink under the Imperfections of the Performance, rather than under the mistake of the Treaty of Commerce.

It is true, a Man, who has any Value for the Trade of his Native Country, cannot but regret the misfortune of the Humour of our People in Britain, who are so far from Encouraging the Manufactures of their own Country, that they will upon all Occasions, and almost in all Cases, choose any thing to wear that comes from abroad, and advance in price for such Goods, without regard to the real Goodness or Worth of the thing they buy, meerly upon its being Foreign. This puts all Manufacturing, at least of Silks, under very great Discouragements, and frequently has defeated the End and Design of many wholesome and good Laws, which have been made for the Encouragement of our own People; and it is feared, this will still be a help to the French Interest in Trade, when our Duties on their Goods shall be reduced to an Equality with the Goods and Merchandises of other Countries; It is true, that this is a Mischief that ought, if it were possible, rather to be punished than Encouraged; but still while this is our Misfortune, and we cannot help it, the Government may provide as well against it in Treaties and Capitulations, as the Nature of such things will admit.

How far it can be expected, that the Ministers of State should in Treaties of Peace and Commerce allow for these National Follies, I will not meddle with here; it is most certain, that if this Humour of our People prevails after the present Treaty, they may defeat the best Designs of the Government in the Treaty, and make that mischievous, which otherwise would not be so: We had an Eminent Example of this Humour of the People, in the Extravagance of their Fancy after the Painted Callicoes and Fine Chints of the Indies, which run on to so ridiculous an Extreme, that on a sudden you saw all the Ladies of Quality, and wealthy Citizens Wives, dress'd up in a Tawdry piece of Callicoe, which but a few Years before, their Chamber-Maids would have thought beneath them to be seen in: Nor was this all, but immediately by the same Rule our Velvet and Damask-beds, fine Window-curtains, nay the very Hangings of Rooms, were all turn'd into Painted Callicoes and Meslepatan Chints, to the entire Destruction, if it had gone on, of the Silk Manufacture, and the exceeding Damage of the Woollen Manufacture also: There was no Remedy for this Distemper, (for no doubt it was a Distemper in our People) but to quash it at once by an immediate Prohibition of all East-India Silks and Painted Callicoes, and forbidding the wearing and making them up, upon the severest Penalties that could be though• of.

I should have observed, that as the Humou• for East-India Goods began at the Chints and Painted Callicoes, so as they began to grow fami¦liar, the Ladies went on to the Wrought Silks o• China and Japan, and to wear fine Atlasses, Rich Gold and Silver Stuffs, and fine Damasks; and this to that degree, that the Company Imported Nine Thousand Pieces of Rich Damasks in one Ship: Nay even in furnishing our Houses, the Indian Pictures, in themselves simple, ordinary and ridiculous, became more valuable than the Finest Paintings of Italy.

These Things are mentioned here for this reason, to note, that since our Fancies are thus debauch'd; if possible then, whatever Treaties of Commerce are made, as much Provision ought also to be made, as the Nature of the Thing will permit, to prevent the ill Consequences of it in our Trade.

It is very well known, that the like Excess in the Humour and Temper of our People has for many Years past appear'd in their Extravagant Passion for every thing that is French, as well in Wearing Apparel, Silks, &c. as in Wines; and if the Extravagance should now return to possess our Fancy, when the French Trade opens by this New Treaty, we may ruin our own Trade in spight of the best Conditions and Articles in the World. As an Exhortation against this Humour in the People would be of greater Use in the main, than all possible Exclamation can be against the Treaty, so it cannot be offensive to any one to say, that this will necessarily move the Government, when they shall treat by the New Commissioners, which the Treaty allows, that such Dutys may be kept up upon Foreign Wrought Silks, or added if need be, as will give our English Manufactures of Silk a sufficient preference, and cause those People, who will still be for French Goods, to see the Madness and Distraction of their Fancy, and how dear they must pay or worse Goods than they may have at home.

It cannot be doubted, but such Measures would in Time give a shock to the Mischief, and perhaps in Time take off our People from the Extravavagance and Folly, which has formerly done them so much Harm in Trade, and is still so dangerous in the Case before us.

The French are an Industrious People; they work cheap, and work well; their Fancy in contriving Fashions, Figures and Fancies in their Work, is very bright and quick, and these Things recommend their Goods to us; the Vanity and Levity of their Nation prompts them to apply to all the Novelties and Niceties of Dress; they gratify the Beaus and the Ladies, and this leads us insensibly into the Error, and makes our People infinitely fond of their Trade. If then the Commissaries, who are to meet and regulate the Trade, do not state the Duties on Wrought Silks, &c. so as to give a very great Difference to the English Wrought Silk, so as that they may not be discouraged in their Work, and the Humour for every thing that is French again prevail, our Home-Trade will be ruin'd of Course, and by its own Friends, even the very People who ought to support and carry it on.

The present Duties upon Wrought Silks to be paid in Britain, as well from France as from other Countries, are thus,

l.

s.

d.

Alamodes and Lustrings.

For every 20 lb. weight

34:

00:

00

All other Sorts of Broad Silks.

For every 20 lb. weight

12:

3:

7

These Dutys the French may still be obliged to pay, because all other Nations pay the same: Nay, if our Articles are rightly managed, and the Parliament thinks fit to lay any other and higher Dutys on the said Species of Wrought Silks, so be it, that other Nations pay the same Dutys upon Goods of the like Nature.

It is humbly recommended then to those, in whose Hands Power is or shall be lodg'd to do these Things, that they would consider the many Thousand Families of our Poor, as well Weavers as others, who depend upon the Silk Manufactures in this Nation; as also the Great and truly Beneficial Trade to Turkey and the Levant, from whence our Silk is chiefly Imported, and to purchase which, our Broad Cloth is sent in such great Quantities, as to make a very considerable Figure also in the Employment of our People in the Country; all which must sink in a very great Degree, if some immediate Care is not taken, and Means used to keep up the Value of our own Broad Silks, and keep down and discourage, as much as may be, the Importation of French Silks, upon this New Opening of the Trade.

This is the rather urged now, because it is evident that there is room very happily made in the Treaty for it, and that at the same time that we apprehend the Danger, we yet can with Satisfaction so far Compliment the Makers of this Treaty, in that they have left room for so advantageous a Step to be taken in favour of the Weavers, and Workers of Silk; and that by the Treaty it may be done, since, as above, the French scruple not our high Duties at all, only desire that they may pay no more than other Nations, which if it be Granted them can do us no Harm, provided that both they and all other Nations may but be obliged to pay so much, that we may be able to go on with our Trade at Home.

This is not said by way of Complaint against any thing agreed on in the Treaty: The Danger does not seem to be in what is done, and Agreed on by the Treaty, but from what may yet be done in Consequence of the Treaty; and therefore it is, that this Case is insisted on.

We have seen very large Accounts Published of the Importations of Foreign Silks from France: Dr. Davenant in his Report to the Commissioners of Accounts says, that the Commissioners of Trade in King William's Time gave his Majesty an Account, that the Importations from France to England only, amounted in Value in this one Article of Wrought Silks to l.300,000 Sterling.

By a Scheme of the Trade to France now Printed and handed about, the same is Calculated for the Year 1674,

At 150,000 lb. weight of Wrought Silk,

Value l.2 per lb. weight is

l. 300,000

It is noted in the same Scheme, that there was recieved at the Port of Dover that Year l.15000 for the Dutys on French Wrought Silks, besides what may be supposed to be run there that Year.

It is not material for us to examine into the Truth of these Accounts: Nay, tho' they should be allowed to be Fictitious and False, as I believe they are.—But it will be allowed that the Quantity was very great; and it is Humbly Offered to the Consideration of those whom it concerns to weigh from hence, How great a Consumption of the Silk Manufacture this Nation makes, and consequently how well worthy their Concern it is, that as much of this as is possible, might be manufactur'd by our own Hands, and the Trade be kept among our selves.

It is true, as the Dutys are now, (viz.) 12l. for every 20l. or 12s. per Pound Duty on the said Wrought Silks, it is a very great Difference; but as this comes to be reckoned upon the Measure, it does not, especially in midling slight Silks, amount to much by the Yard; and suppose it was one Shilling, or Two Shillings per Yard, it is too well known that the Humour of our Ladies, when they are buying Fine Cloths, and are wheedled with the Opinion of the Fineness and Goodness of French Silks, is not to be restrain'd by a Shilling, Two or Three in a Yard.

If then the Duties were enlarged upon the sine Wrought Silks to such a Degree, that the Weaving of Broad Silks and Rich Brocaded Silks in Britain may not be discouraged, such a Treaty of Commerce will be a happy means to prevent the Ruin of our Trade, the starving many Thousands of Poor Familys, and the French Trade may not be so prejudicial to us in that particular Trade, as otherwise there is reason to fear. It might be offered at to set down what Addition of Duty would be sufficient to preserve our Trade in this Case; but I rather choose to omit that, than prescribe to our Legislature: The Weavers are of Age; ask them, they are the best Judges.

The like Argument, and with the same Force, will hold good in the Linnen Manufacture, especially since two great Events, both which have happened since the Commencement of the late War.

- 1. The Union with Scotland.

- 2. The Prohibiting the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture, and the encouraging the making of Linnen in Ireland.

Both these Countrys are now employed, at least very considerably, in Linnen Manufactures, and it is not to be doubted, but that we are and ought to be very justly concern'd for the Encouragement of them both. Now if the aforesaid Printed Accounts of Importations from France are true for the Year 1674, which however I must own I do not Credit, yet thus far they serve to argue in this Case, that the Linnen Manufacture of France is very considerable.

That Account stands thus;

Imported from France into England, Anno 1674,

60000 Pieces of Lockram and Dowlas.

17000 Hundred of Vitry Canvas and Noyals.

5000 Hundred of Ditto Normandy.

2500 Pieces of Quintins.

1500 Pieces, Dyed Linnen.

97604 Yards, Diaper Tabling.

33896 Yards, Ditto Napkining.

1376 Pieces, Buckram.

1200 Bolts of Poldavies.

2820 Pair of Old Sheets.

It is without any Question, that the Canvas, the Dowlas and the Diaper may in a little Time come to be all made in Britain and Ireland; the Diaper is already improved to such a Degree, as nothing can be better: And it is Humbly hoped, that the Dutys which may be still added upon the French Linnen will be such, as shall prevent the Discouragement upon these Manufactures.

This, we think, is the only way to make the Articles of Commerce effectual to the Advantage of Britain, and to enable us to Trade with France for the Future, upon as good Terms as we do with other Nations of Europe.

FINIS.

CONSIDERATIONS UPON THE Eighth and Ninth ARTICLES OF THE TREATY OF Commerce and Navigation, Now publish'd by Authority. With some Enquiries into the DAMAGES that may accrue to the English Trade from them.

LONDON, Printed for J. Baker, at the Black Boy in Pater-Noster-Row, 1713. Price 6d.

INTRODUCTION.

BEFORE any just Observations can be made upon the two Heads which we are now to consider, it is absolutely necessary to let the Reader a little into the general Knowledge of the State of the Commerce between England and France, as it now stands; and this cannot be done so as to give him a clear Understanding in the reading either the Treaty it self, or these Considerations, without letting him know what the Meaning of the Tariff of 1664, and the Tariff of 1699, so often now to be made mention of is, and as far as will consist with the Brevity of this Tract, to give an Abridgement of those Tariffs, as they concern the present Treaty of Commerce. The Necessity of understanding these Things perfectly before we can make any Judgment of the Matter in hand, is such, that it seems the most natural Introduction that could possibly be made to the Work, and without which, however the Book is written in English, it would be an unknown Tongue to most of the Readers, and might as well have been written in Arabick, or any other Language or Character which no body could understand.

A TARIFF in the French, as it may best be expounded to us in a Trading-Dialect, is no more or less than a Book of Rates, establishing the Duties and Customs of Goods exported and imported from and to the Kingdom of France: It is true, if you speak literally, it is the Acts of publick Authority, from whence the Books of Rates are collected, as our Books of Rates are, so many Abstracts of the Acts of Parliament, by which those Rates are establishe'd; and therefore, as our Laws of Customs are called Acts of Parliament, so those in France are called Edits du Roy, Declaration du Roy, Ordonnance du Roy, Arrest du Conseild' Etat du Roy, and the like; and the Collection of them into a Body is call'd in French Recueil des Tarifs, &c. and Table de Tarifs Arrests & Reglemens des Droits de Entree & Sortie, &c. that is in English a Book of Rates, and nothing else.

It is therefore a Vulgar Error to think these Tariffs are Treaties between France and other Nations, and to say the Tariff between France and Holland, or between France and England, &c. is to talk Nousense, or which is much the same thing, to say nothing to the Purpose, with this Exception only, That in several Treaties of Commerce there have been Agreements made, and Articles enter'd into, especially between France and the States-General, by which the Duties of Merchandises have been adjusted respectively; and in these Treaties the Tariffs in France, formerly made, have been made the Foundation, with such particular Additions, respecting the Duties of such or such Goods, about which they have then treated and made any Alteration. Of this we have an Example; after the Treaty of Reswick, when, by a separate Treaty of Trade, tho' in former Cases the Duties in general were adjusted, yet new Agreements were made for sundry things, the rest being refer'd to the Tariffs of other Years, and this was called indeed Tarif Arreste Entre la France & la Hollande: This was the 8th of December 1699.

It is necessary farther, as an Introduction to this Discourse, to observe that the general Tariffs, or Book of Rates, which have been made and are refer'd to in the present Treaties stand thus: That of 1664 was the most general, in which the English Merchandises and Manufactures paid, upon their Importation into France, very moderate Duties; and particularly of our Woollen Manifactures: Thus,

Fine English Cloth, the Piece qt.

25 Ells, 40 Livres.

Half Cloths, or Dozens,

16 Livres.

Stockens Worsted, per Dozen.

3 10 Sols.

Serges, the Piece qt.

20 Ells, 6 Livres.

Cloth Serges,

15 Ells, 10 Livres.

Scotch Serges and Shaloons,

25 Ells, 2 Livres.

And the like of other Merchandises. These Duties were enlarg'd in the Year 1699, and by an Arrest du Conseil de Estat, 6. Sept. 1701, an entire Prohibition of our Woollen Manufactures was publish'd, and new extravagant Duties laid upon those which were allow'd to be enter'd.

These Things being necessary to premise by way of Introduction on the Side of the French, it may suffice on the other Part to observe, that by sundry Acts of Parliament made on several Occasions, and with various Prospects in England, several additional Duties, and some Prohibitions have been laid upon and against the Goods and Merchandises of the Growth of France, besides the general Prohibition, or final Stop, of Intercourse, or Commerce between the two Nations, occasion'd by the Accident of the War.

As to particular Prohibitions, the chief are those first against Alamodes and Lustrings, in favour of the Company, who have erected the Manufactures of that kind here, and who, if those Prohibitions had not been made could not have succeeded.

Also, that for a Prohibition of all wrought Silks, for the Encouragement of the Broad-Weavers in England, and without which they must have been reduc'd, if not quite ruin'd.

The high additional Duties were such as principally respect the Wines and Brandies imported hither from France, which by the several Acts of Parliament establishing those Duties amount at this time as follows:

Wine per Ton

54l.

Brandy per Gallon

6s. 8d.

These Duties being so great as to be equal almost to a Prohibition, stand as an Equivalent to the Impositions which the French have laid upon ours, and is the Foundation of the present Debate.

Thus much seems sufficient by way of Introduction.

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Considerations upon the eighth and ninth articles of the treaty of commerce and navigation, now publish'd by authority. With some enquiries into the damages that may accrue to the English trade from them

Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.

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http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/4324

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1106013239

ID [isbn13]

9781106013231

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CW3305221026

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0684801900

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— Considerations upon the eighth and ninth articles of the treaty of commerce and navigation, now publish'd by authority. With some enquiries into the damages that may accrue to the English trade from them, Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.. 40p. ; 8⁰. London :: printed for J. Baker,. 1713.. [Anonymous. By Daniel Defoe.] [Reproduction of original from the British Library.] [Moore, 256] [Hanson, 1836] [Goldsmiths', 5012] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCT56881.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

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