PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xxxk> 



articles, which the people" 5 declare they cannot pay. 

 But the moft extraordinary circumftance in the hif- 

 tory of the Scottifh revenue is this ; that though the 

 Highland counties, viz. Argyle, Invernefs, Rofs> 

 Sutherland, Caithnefs, the Orkney and Shetland, 

 iflands, compofing one half of the kingdom, have 

 been faddled with collectors of revenue fince the 

 union; yet it appears, that infteadof any public ad- 

 vantages therefrom, government have actually been 

 lofers by it. 

 In 1782, the grofs produce of cuf- 1 g ^ 



toms in thefe 6 counties was J 

 Expences 3105 n 7 



Excefs of payments made good from ^ 



other ports, and lofs to govern- I 535 1 8 8 

 ment 



And that the grofs amount of ex-1 



cife in thefe counties in 1782, > 2696 

 was 



And tlie expences __. 1449 



. 1246 1 6 6 



From which deduct the lofs upon > ~ 



the cuftoms, as above flated ) 



7 10 i? 10 



Neat annual revenue of late years ; but if we 

 could ftate the whole grofs revenue from 1707 to the 

 prefent time, and the per contra expence in collect- 

 ing and management, it would probably appear, 

 that government have loft confiderably by thofe 

 counties fince the union of the two kingdoms, the 

 land-tax excepted ; while the poor people have been 

 laid under double contributions during this long 

 period, merely to fupport a fet of men in idlenefs. 



Upon the whole, the revenue of Scotland is little 

 more than a name; nor can it beotherwile for fever 



m 



