Читать книгу An Essay on the State of England. In Relation to Its Trade, Its Poor, and Its Taxes, for Carrying on the Present War Against France онлайн

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Sugar-baking.Refining of Sugars hath given Employment to our People, and added to their value in Foreign Parts, where we found great Sales, till the Dutch and French beat us out, and this was much tobe attributed to the Duty of Two Shillings and Four Pence per Cent lately laid on MuscovadoSugars, whereby they were wrought up abroad above Twelve per Cent cheaper than at home,and though that Law is now expired, yet 'tis harder to regain a Trade when lost, than keep itwhen we have it.

Tobacco.Tobacco also hath employed our Poor by Cutting and Rowling it, both for a home Consumption, and also for Exportation, the latter we decay in every Year, but Methods may beoffered in Parliament to render those two Manufactures of Sugar and Tobacco moreadvantageous to the Nation than ever hitherto they have been.

Tanning.Tanning of Leather is an Employment which ought to be encouraged, as it furnishes us with a Commodity fit to be manufactured at home, and also to be transported into Foreign Countrys; Iknow the Exportation of Leather hath been much opposed by the Shooe-makers and others whocut it at home, and represented as attended with ill Consequences, one whereof is the making itdear here, but would it not be of much worse to confine and limit that Employment to an InlandExpence, on the other side would it not naturally follow that when Leather rises to a great Pricethe Exportation must cease because Ireland would under-sell us, and would it not seem anunreasonable Discouragement to Trade if Tobacco, Sugar, and Woollen Manufactures weredebarred from Exportation only because they should be sold cheaper here; for suppose theoccasions of the Nation could not consume all the Leather that is made, to what a low pricemust Hides be reduced, for no other reason but that the Shooemakers may get more by theirShooes? 'Tis true, if they could make out that those Countrys must then have their Shooes fromus who now have their Leather, I should be of their Minds, but it must needs have a quitecontrary effect, especially whilst Ireland is able to supply them: This proceeds from a verynarrow Spirit, and such as ought not to be encouraged in a Trading Nation; Ireland hath alreadymade great Progress in this Mistery, occasioned by our Imprudence, and should we giveEncouragement to other Countrys we might too late repent it. A good Export for Leather wouldcause a great Import of Raw Hides, which would be more Advantage to the Nation than if theywere tann'd in Ireland, and sent abroad thence.