254 Obfervations en the 



monopoly ; where they cannot prove that any particular 

 lofs would accrue to them by abolifhing it ; where it has 

 operated as a reftraint on the trade, confining it to narrow 

 bounds, and giving a decided fuperiority to their rivals of 

 Other nations, to the almoft total exclufion of the products 

 and manufactures of their country from that to which their 

 privilege exclufively permits them to trade, ought in com- 

 mon fenfe fuch a monopoly to exift? The Levant Company 

 Is truly become the dog in the manger; i\ does not operate 

 fo much to the profit of the company, as to the lofs of the 

 country. 



This monopoly is of a lingular nature : it has none of the 

 advantages of a common flock, in which many individuals 

 rifk fmall fums, but which in the aggregate amount to a 

 larger capital than any one merchant or fet of merchants 

 poflefs, or would choofe to rifk; a common flock to which 

 any one may contribute, and which thereby, ftrictly (peak- 

 ing, ceafes to be a monopoly : it is a privilege granted to 

 certain perfons only to trade to Turkey, each with his own 

 capital, and for his own particular account and rifk, without 

 any affignable reafon why they mould be preferred to others 

 his majeffy's fubje&s : it has all the difadvantages of other 

 monopolies ; it has not one of their advantages. 



In {peaking thus freely of the company, I folemnly declare 

 that I have no private motive, no rancour againft any indi- 

 vidual, and no inducement for writing on this fubjecT: but 

 the advantage of the country. The few members of the. 

 company with whom I am acquainted I perfonally refpect 

 and highly efteem : on this fubject they muft differ with 

 me; they are bound by oath to fupport the interefts of their 

 body. 



The trade of all other nations to Turkey is free, and they 

 have experienced the advantage of being liberated from the 

 fetters of exclufive privileges. Let every obftacle be re- 

 moved in. this country to an equally free commerce, and the 

 (upcrior induftry, (kill, and richer of our manufacturers, out 



traders^ 



