A. D. 1732. 189 



appears to have decreafcd, the common lands on which the flieep ufed 

 to feed, being now appropriated, and the people almoft wholely clothed 

 with woollen from Great Britain. The manufacture of flax into linen, 

 fome coarler, fome finer, dayly increafed by the great reiort of people 

 from Ireland thither, who are well fkilled in that bufiinefs. And the 

 chief trade of this province continued, as for many years paft, in the 

 exportation of naval llore", lumber, and fifli. 



' By later accounts from Madlichufets-bay in New-England, the af- 

 fembly have voted a bounty of 30/ for every piece of duck or canvas 

 made in the province. Some other manufactures are carried on there, 

 as brown Hollands for women's wear, which leflens the importation 

 of calicoes, and fome other forts of Eaft -India goods. They alfo make 

 fome fmall quantities of cloth, made of linen and cotton, for ordinary 

 fliirting and flaeeting. By a paper-mill fet up three years ago, they 

 make to the value of L200 fterling yearly. There are alfo feveral 

 forges for making bar iron, and fome furnaces for cafl; iron, or hollow 

 ware, and one flitting mill, and a manufadure of nails. 



* The governor writes concerning the woollen manufacfture, that 

 the country people, who ufed formerly to make mofl; of their cloth- 

 ing out of their own wool, do not now make a third part of what they 

 wear, but arc moflly clothed with Britifli manufadtures. The fame 

 governor, (Belcher) by fome of his letters of an older date, in anfwer 

 to our annual queries, writes, that there are fome few copper mines 

 in this province, but fo far diflant from water-carriage, and the ore fo 

 poor, that it is not worth the digging. The furveyor-general of his 

 majefly's woods writes, that they have in New-England fix furnaces 

 and nineteen forges for making iron ; and that in this province 

 many fliips are built for the French and Spaniards, in return for rum, 

 melafles, wines, and filks, which they truck there by connivance. 

 Great cjuantities of hats are made in New-England, of which the com- 

 pany of Jiatters of London have likewife lately complained to us. 

 That great quantities of thofe hats are exported to Spain, Portugal, 

 and our Weft-India ifl:mds. They alfo make all forts of iron work 

 for fliipping. There are feveral (UU-houfcs and fugar-bakcrs eftablifli- 

 ed in New-England. 



' By later advices from New-York, there arc no mtmufadures there 

 that can alYed thofe of Great Britain. There is yearly imported into 

 New-York a very large quantity of the woollen manufachircs of this 

 kingdom, for their clothing, which they would be rendered incap- 

 able to pay for, and would be reduced to the neceflity of making for 

 themlelves, if they were prohibited from receiving from the foreign 

 lugar colonies, the money, rum, fugar, mclalles, cacao, indigo, cotton- 

 wool, &.C. which they at prefent take in return for provifions, horfes, 

 and lumber, the produce of that province, and of New-jerfey^ of 



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