gt ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790.’ 
ally were to be drawn in; and, 
from the exertions made for that 
purpofe, he conceived he might 
juftly reckon upon 150,000l. being 
brought in during the prefent year; 
all which fums added together, 
would give a total of ways and 
means of 5,996,c0ool. which fum 
was more than fuihcient to meet the 
fupply, and afforded fair ground to 
eftimate the growing produce of 
the confolidated fund for the next’ 
year, at 2,300,000]. Mr. Pitt then 
proceeded to ftate the extraordinary 
expences which had been defrayed 
fince the year 1786, with the aflift- 
ance only of a loan of a fingle mil- 
lion, which had been borrowed laft 
year. He recapitulated the unfore- 
feen increafe of the peace eftablith- 
ment from various caufes, {uch as 
the aggravated extraordinaries of 
the navy, arifing from large pur- 
chafes of timber, and other ftores ; 
the extraordinaries of the army, 
owing to the unliquidated demands 
at the end of the war; the expence! 
of the armament in.1787, the charge 
which the generofity of Parliament 
had incurred on account of the loy- 
alifts; the debts of the Prince of 
Wales; all of which, with the re- 
duétion of the national debt, would 
be found to amount to fix millions. 
The increafe of revenue, which had 
enabled the public thus to meet the 
various charges he had mentioned, he 
regarded as permanent, and as ori- 
ginating in two caufes; the fup- 
preflion of {muggling, and the in- 
creafe of the commerce of the 
country. The exports, as valued 
by the cuftom-houfe entries, for lait 
year, amounted ‘to no lefs a fum 
than 18,513,0001.; of-which the 
Britifh manufactured goods ex-- 
ported amounted to ¥3,494,0001: ; 
upon an. average of the exports 
5 
fix years prior to the Americdit: 
war, which average he took on ac- 
count of thofe years being the pe- 
riod in which our commerce flou- 
rifhed moft; it appeared, that the 
Britifh manufactured goods export- 
ed, amounted to no more than 
10,342,000l.- The imports for the 
*Jaft year, amounted to a higher fum 
. 
than was ever before known, being 
valued at 17,828,000], At firit 
fight, this increafe of import might 
appear difadvantageous, as it would 
feem to leflen the balance of trade 
in favour of the country; this the 
committee, however, would per- 
ceive, upon inveftigation, not to be 
the cafe, but that the increafe of 
imports arofe from circumftances 
which demonftrated the increafe of 
the wealth and profperity of the 
country ; it iffued from remittances 
of fortunes of the Eaft and Wek 
Indies; from the increafe of im- 
portations from Ireland, which gen- 
tlemen would recolle&t was a proof. 
of the increafing profperity of that 
valuable part of the empire; from 
the Greenland and South Wales 
fifheries, the imports from: which’ 
were to be confidered as adding to 
the ftock of the country, being 
wealth poured in from the ocean. 
Our navigation had increafed in 
proportion to the increafe of our 
commerce. In the year 1773, there 
belonged to Britifh ports 9,224 vef-+ ¥ 
fels, and 63,000 feamen; and in: 
the year 1788, 11,085 veflels, and 
$3,000 feamen; fhewing 4dn_in-: 
creafe of feamen in 1788, above 
the number in 1773, of no lefs than’ 
orie- third. 
Mr. Pitt concluded with an en- 
comium-upon the Britifh conftitu- 
tion; to which, under Providence, 
the profperous fate of the nation. 
was to be afcribed, and which it 
was 
is 
Ww 
oe, 
7 
fe ee 
