2,6$ Qbfervations on the 



that, hefides the French, the little ftate of Ragufa has no lefs 

 than 400 vcflels in it. 



Were the mafters of (hips, their owners, and the Englifh 

 merchants in Italy and Turkey, under no reftraint in regard 

 to the Levant Company, people would rillc more readily the 

 fending their velTels to the Mediterranean to get employment 

 in this carrying bufinds, and, their (peculation in trade being 

 free, they would find means to employ their veffels in the 

 intervals of their being without freights; the mafters, owners, 

 and correfpondents might combine their own fpeculations in 

 merchand-fe with their earning bufinefs, and thus keep 

 them conftantly employed. It is the want of thefe refources 

 to our (hips, that prevents Englifh owners from fending their 

 fhips into the Mediterranean to feek freights, and prevents 

 the few which do go thither from profiting fo much by it as 

 thofc of other nations, whofe houfes of trade are nearer, and 

 whofe trade is under no reftriftions. 



Had the Turkey trade in England never been a monopoly, 

 the French would never have got pofieffion of almoft all the 

 cloth trade ; and the laying it open will be the only means 

 of our coming in again for any confidcrable fhare in it. 

 There is a greater demand in Turkey for the light Languedoc 

 cloths, than for any other fort. The Turks clothe their fer-* 

 vants twice a year; and the French cloth, made into loofe 

 garments, (which laft much longer than the tight European 

 drefs,) is ftrong enough for their purpofe, and its cheapnefs 

 caufes it to be preferred ; poorer people, who form the great 

 body of confumers, buy it alfo for ceconomical reafons. 

 fcYglifh broad cloth, called mahoot, (of a light quality, made 

 pv.-pofely for the Turkey market,) is only worn by thofe in 

 eafier circumftanccs. Confidcrable quantities of cloth have 

 alfo of late years come to Turkey from Germany. 



It is the opinion of many people well acquainted with 

 thefe matters, that the Englifh manufacturers might make 

 the fame fort of cloth as the Languedoc, and as cheap as the 



French j 



