270 Ohjtrvations on the 



ryiug to the market a fort of cloth, which at laft got almoft 

 out of ufe. Whenever the Englifh fhall have made and 

 brought to Turkey the fame kind of cloth as the French, and 

 cannot afford it fo cheap, then with certainty we may con- 

 clude that the French have an advantage over us ; but till 

 then it ought to be doubted, and certainly it merits the trial; 

 but a fair trial never can be made till the Levant trade is 

 entirely free. 



But even fuppofing that we cannot regain the cloth trade, 

 there are very many other objefts worth attending to, and 

 which may be of great national advantage. 



The Manchefter fluffs would find a great vent in all parts 

 of Turkey. The manufactories of Aleppo and Damafcus are 

 almoft ruined; and if the Manchefter people were to imitate 

 the Turkifh patterns of their fluffs, they could certainly af- 

 ford them cheaper. Imitations of the Surat and Bengal 

 goods of filk and cotton, which are enormoufly dear, would 

 find alfo a ready fale in Turkey; and cotton velvets, velverets, 

 &c. Birmingham and Sheffield wares would be articles of 

 importance. The Turks, both in Europe and Afia, have a 

 great partiality for all thefe kinds of Englifh manufactures, 

 and in general the epithet Englifh is fynonimous with ex- 

 cellent. 



Thefe articles at prefe-nt are not attended to; but the maf- 

 ters of fhips, who bring out their little ventures to Turkey in 

 a contraband manner, in thefe kind of things, make great 

 profits ; they can, however, bring only fmall quantities, left 

 the Levant Company fliould take umbrage at it. A few of 

 thefe goods alfo find their way to Turkey from Italy, but 

 greatly enhanced in their price from the many hands they 

 go through, and therefore this channel does not afford a 

 great vent for them. Linen may likewife be an article of 

 exportation for Turkey. The Turks wear linen of a hard 

 twifted thread, very open and unbleached, which comes 

 moftly from Egypt, and is exceedingly dear, but is the moft 

 pleafant kind to wear in hot weather. No European nation 



has 



