[ 377 3 



Tor carrying on our manufactures. On the con- 

 trary, I am induced to believe, it would occafion 

 a confiderable increafe of people, by inviting num- 

 bers from the continent to come and fettle amongft 

 us. And as the hemp and flax \vc import come 

 from countries where the balance of trade turns 

 In their favour, it would be a great national ad-, 

 vantage. 



It ought alfo to be remembered, that the hemp 

 raifed in this kingdom is not of fo dry and fpongy 

 a nature as that we have from Peterfburgh. The 

 only objection that our rope-makers urge againfi 

 ufing Englifh hemp is, that it takes lefs tar than 

 the foreign to manufacture it into cordage. But 

 as tar is cheaper than hemp, they ufe this argu- 

 ment only becaufe there is lefs profit arifes to them 

 from working it. This is therefore a fubftantial 

 argument in its favour. And this inference may 

 be juftly drawn from the objection, viz. that the 

 cordage made of Englilh hemp, whin compared 

 with that of the fame dimensions worked with fo- 

 reign, mud be Stronger in proportion as there is 

 more hemp and lefs tar in it, provided there be a 

 fufficient quantity to unite the librcs together; 

 hemp being a Mronger and ipore durable fubltance 

 than tar. 



One 



