GENERAL HISTORY. 



[125 



dation of their prosperity was laid 

 in extensive foreign commerce ; 

 and in order to rendei' their \m- 

 productive country the leceptacle 

 and mart of commodities from 

 all parts of the world, the great- 

 est facilities were given to impor- 

 tation, while domestic products 

 were no further regarded than 

 as they supplied the immediate 

 wants of a trading and maritime 

 population. The Belgian pro- 

 dances, on the other hand, had 

 long attained to great wealth and 

 distinction by their manufactures, 

 which tiiey exported largely to all 

 the neighbouring coimtriea ; and 

 when tiie mercantile superiority 

 of Holland had reduced to insig- 

 nificance the foreign traffic of the 

 Flemings, they still exercised to 

 advantage their industry and in- 

 genuity in the fabrics of their 

 looms, and other products of art. 

 In process of time they encoun- 

 tered livalry in these branches, 

 which greatly reduced tliem in 

 the scale of general wealth and 

 population ; yet manufactures 

 were still subsisting in their prin- 

 cipal towns, which, if encouraged, 

 might find employment for a pro- 

 portion of their remaining inha- 

 bitants. They were, however, 

 unable to support a competition 

 with British goods of a similar 

 kind ; and when the inundation 

 from the Avarchouses of England 

 began to overflow the continent, 

 the shops and factories of the 

 Low-countries were shut up or 

 deserted. Loud con)plaints of 

 the ruinous consequences echoed 

 througli the Belgic provinces, and 

 produced various petitions for re- 

 dress to the legi.slativc body. The 

 English name and character even 

 suffered under the irritation ex- 



cited by severe losses : its com- 

 mercial spirit was pronounced 

 exclusive and insatiable ; and at 

 Ghent the popular indignation 

 was vented in a public bonfire of 

 British manufactures. 



The government took these ca- 

 lamities and discontents under its 

 serious consideration ; and on 

 September 3d, I\Ir. A\^ickers, di- 

 rector-general of convoys and li- 

 censes, presented to the second 

 chamber of the states, on the 

 part of the King, the plan of a 

 law and tarift', by which the levy- 

 ing of duties on the import, ex- 

 port, and transit of all wares and 

 merchandize in the kingdom, 

 might in future be regulated on 

 an equitable and uniform foot- 

 ing. After an introductory speech 

 by the director, respecting trade 

 in general, and the modes in 

 which it may be favoured by the 

 interference of government, the 

 principles and grounds of the 

 ])roposed law were laid before the 

 assembly ; and as the matter of 

 this exposure appears to us, both 

 on account of its reasonings, 

 and the future commercial pros- 

 pects it aflbrds, well worthy the 

 attention of our readers, we shall 

 insert it at length. 



On these principles it is pro- 

 posal : 



1st. That all the objects of 

 great branches of conmierce be 

 very moderately chartred, on im- 

 port, export, and transit, 



2. That very small duties be 

 laid on the import of all raw ma- 

 terials used in our native manvi- 

 iact'.u'es. 



3. That upon the import of all 

 foreign manufactured goods winch 

 can come into competition with 

 home fabiics, such high duties 



should 



