fliare which they had formerly, in fupplying the calls of the printers ; 

 while the paper manufaflurers of Ireland were flruggling, under this mea- 

 fure, which the legiflature profefTcd to intend for their benefit ; a new, and 

 mofl fevere ftroke was inflifted, by an excife of two pence per pound, on 

 paper made in this country, as if any thing were yet wanting to the ruin of 

 the paper manufadure, and the printing bufmefs. The tax on imported 

 paper, had been feverely felt, and found highly injurious ; yet, now, in or- 

 der to maintain fome confidency of principle, and to continue that preference 

 which was afFefted to be ' given to the manufafture of Ireland, in the home 

 market, it was neceflary to lay an increafed duty on imported paper ; thus, 

 the evils refulting from former duty on paper, were doubled with the tax. 

 As to the tax, in whatever point of view it can be confidered, it will not be 

 produftive. For, by the annihilation of the printing trade, and the ope- 

 ration of other caufes, the demand for paper will be reduced, and the ma- 

 nufafture, will, in a great meafure, be difcontinued. A very few of the 

 manufafturers, who poffefs large capitals, will continue to make paper, be- 

 caufe they will be put in poffeflion of a monopoly, from which they expeft 

 fuch exorbitant profit, as will more than countervail the tax ; but all the 

 minor manufafturers will be undone. Excife duties, with the courfe of vi- 

 fitation incident to them, are highly injurious to the manufaftures, and op- 

 preffive to the manufacturer ; inafmuch as they tend to a difclofure of certain 

 valuable, and important fecrets, on which much of the excellence of the ma- 

 nufacture, and the opulence of the manufacturer may depend. I appre- 

 hend, that in the paper manufafture, this laft remark is applicable, with 

 peculiar force. But, I fear, my anxiety for the extenfion of this moft ufeful 

 and important manufacture, has betrayed me into a prolixity tirefome to the 

 reader. 



I might enter into minute details, through the various branches of the ma- 

 nufactures, which I have mentioned ; but I wilh rather, to purfue princi- 

 ples, than to profecute details. A minute examination of the various, and 

 ever varying productions of a manufafture, a tedious mufter-roU of their 

 names, a fpecification of their flight differences, and a particular defcription 



of. 



