A. D. 1 732. 181 



company were undone. A leflbn for all fuch trading companies to ufe 

 the greateft caution in their dividends. 



In this lame year Pope Clement XII ereded his city of Ancona, on 

 the Adriatic flaore, into a free port for all nations, beftovving on fucli 

 perfons and families as lliould fettle there, fundry coniiderable exemp- 

 tions from taxes and burdens, and from duties, &c. on fuch foreign 

 fhips as Ihould refort to that port for commerce. This has fmce had 

 fome coniiderable efted, that city and port being now more frequented 

 than formerly 



The profperity of the kingdom of Ireland being very much for the 

 intereft and glory of Great Britain, the wealth, ftrength, and populouf- 

 nefs, thereof undoubtedly contributing to our own ; we fhall here ob- 

 ferve, that an ingenious anonymous piece was publiflied this year, in 

 vindication of that country from the clamours raifed about the clandef- 

 tine trade of running wool and woollen goods from Ireland to foreign 

 parts, with the befl remedy for the fame, (in a Letter to a member of parlia- 

 ment.) 



In general the author undertakes to Hiew, that, though the quantity 

 of wool and woollen yarn lent from Ireland to England be lefs at pre- 

 fent than formerly, and is dayly decreafing, yet it is not occafioned by a 

 greater quantity thereof being run beyond fea, but from other caules ; 

 which he introduces by fhewing the total quantities of wool and yarn 

 imported into England in different periods, from 1687 downward; and 

 that, in proportion to the gradual decreafe of that importation, Ireland 

 generally has increafed in people ; becaufe, meeting with other employ- 

 ment, firlT: by tillage, and fmce by their linen manufactures, they have 

 bred much fewer fheep, having turned much of their fheep-walks into 

 tillage, and the pafture fit for black cattle and horfes. 



He obfervcs, that in the year 1672 the people of Ireland were com- 

 puted to amount to 1,100,000, and in 1684 they were 1,200,000 : that 

 loon after King Williani's rcdudion of Ireland they did not exceed 

 1 ,040,000, (occafioned doubtlefs by fo many of their papifls going be- 

 yond fea to France, Spain, &c.) But that in the year 1725 they were 

 rifcn again to at leafl: 1,670,000 peo])le. That the dcvallation in 1641, 

 and the encouragement given to papills towards the end of King Charles 

 II's reign, difcouraged proteflants from fettling there ; and thofe there 

 already being indolent, by rcafon of the cheapnefs of land and provi- 

 lions, the bulk of their lands (the people being few) was employed in 

 grazing cattle and Ihcep, which occafioned a great increafe of the ex- 

 [)ortation of wool to England : that the great increafe of people there 

 about the year 1725, by the increafe of their linen and other manufac- 

 tures, having brouglit thither much more wealth, more tillage was 

 wanted, and the flieep-walks were much leflened. Thus he thinks it 

 evident, that the decreafe of the importation of wool and yarn to Eng- 



