A. D. 1713. 31 



wines and brandies, but of numberlefs other articles of filk, lac, linen, 

 needle-work, and paper, bellde fruits, 8cc. which the authors of the Bri- 

 tifh merchant made out thus, viz. 



- Our imports from France, upon agreeing to thofe two articles, would 



annually amount to - _ - _ Li, 712, 559 7 o 



And our exports thither would not exceed - 270,181 14 11 



Annual balance againft, or lofs to, Great Britain L 1,442, 377 12 i 



while, on the other hand, the French had fo efFedually contrived the 

 exclufion of our woollen and iron manufodures, and almofl; every other 

 Britifli produdion, that our (hips would have had very little to do in 

 the French ports but to load home their commodities. 



This is, in brief, the fum of this mercantile controverfy. When it was 

 brought into parliament, it was fo apparent that our trade with France 

 bad ever been a ruinous one, and that if, in confequence of accepting 

 the 8th and 9th articles, the Britilh i^arliament fhould confent to reduce 

 the high duties and take off the prohibitions fo prudently laid on French 

 commodities, it would effednally ruin the very bell branches of our 

 commerce, and would therefor deprive many hundred thoufand manu- 

 fadturers of their fubfiftence ; which was alfo fupported by petitions 

 from many parts of the kingdom : that, although a great majority of 

 that houi'e of commons was in other refpefts clofely attached to the 

 miniftry, the bill for agreeing to the two articles was rejed^ed by a ma- 

 jority of nine voices, after the mofl: eminent merchants had been heard 

 at the bar of that houfe, to the great joy of the whole trading part of 

 the nation, and of all other impartial people. Thus the commerce be- 

 tween us and France has ever Ance remained in a kind of a ftate of pro- 

 hibition on both fides, efpecially with refped; to the principal points. 

 Though it is much to be feared, that by the clandeftine importation of 

 French liquors, cambrics, fruits, embroideries, lace, &.c. we are ftill 

 confiderable lofers on the balance with that nation ; as they will take 

 few or none of our manufadures, and but little of our produd; tobacco, 

 lead, tin, coals, and fome few other inconfiderable articles, excepted. 



Ill as our miniftry managed at this time in refped of commerce, we 

 ought to do them the jullice to acknowlcge their circumfpedion in re- 

 gard to the two articles of the treaty with King Philip of Spain, viz. part 

 of article 8th. ' Neither the catholic king, nor any of his heirs and 

 * fuccelFors, fliall fell, yield, pawn, transfer, or by any means, or under 

 ' any name, alienate from them and the crown of Spain, to the French, 

 ' or to any other nation whatfoevcr, any lands, dominions, or territories, 

 ' belonging to Spain in America : on the contrary, that the Spanifli 

 ' dominions there may be [wefervcd whole and entire, the queen of 



