192 A. D. 1733. 



and there is great reafon to believe, if the importation thereof Was en- 

 couraged and made eafy, the faid trade would increafe ; it was therefor 

 cnaded, that diamonds, &c. might hereafter be imported, as before 

 they might have been exported, free of all duty, in any fliip or veflel 

 whatfoever ; with this only provifo, that this exemption fliall not make 

 void the duty granted to his majefty for the ufe of the Eaft-Tndia com- 

 pany, on thofe imported from places within their limits. [6 Geo. II, c. 7.] 

 The warm difpute between the Britifli American fugar colonies, and 

 the Britifh northern colonies, begun in the year 1731 , concerning the 

 trade of the later with the French, Dutch, and Danifli, fugar colonies, 

 of whom they took off in exchange, for their proviiions, horfes, lumber, 

 &c. confiderable quantities of fugar, rum, and melaffes, was now final- 

 ly terminated, by a prudent temperament of an ad of parliament [6 Geo. 

 II, c. 13] for the better fecuring and encouraging the trade of his ma- 

 jefty's fugar colonies in America, the preamble to which fets forth, 

 ' that whereas the welfare and profperity of your majefly's fugar colo- 

 ' nies in America are of the greateft confequence and importance to the 

 ' trade, navigation, and ftrength, of this kingdom ; and whereas the 

 '"planters of the faid fugar colonies have of late years fallen under fuch 

 ' great difcouragements, that they are unable to improve or carry on 

 ' the fugar trade upon an equal footing with the foreign fugar colonies, 



* without fome advantage and relief be given to them from Great Bri- 



* tain : be it therefor enabled, I) that the feveral after-mentioned rates 

 ' and duties be granted, viz. upon all rum of the foreign fugar colonies, 



* which fhall be imported into any of the Britifh plantations in Ameri- 



* ca, ninepence flerling for every gallon. Sixpence for every gallon of 



* melaffes, and five fhillings on every hundred weight of fugars and 



* paneles ; to be paid down in ready money by the importers before 

 ' their landing the fame *.' 



II) That no fugars, paneles, fyrups, or melaffes, nor any rum or fpl- 

 rits of America, except of the growth of his majefty's lugar colonies, 

 fliall be imported into Ireland, but fuch only as fhall be laden and fhip- 

 ped in Great Britain in fhips navigated according to the navigation 



* The northern colonlds confidered thfsaft as a ' lifli colonies. The mercliants, unwilling to quit 



cruel grievance, and little better than a total anni- « a trade, which was in a great mcafure the foiind- 



hilation of their commerce ; their trade with Bri- • ation of their whole circle of commerce, have 



tain being, as they aiTerted, fupported folcly by the ' gone into many illicit methods to cover them in 



money received in the foreign illands. If we may ' llill carrying it on ; while the cuftom-houf^ ofE- 



trull to the tellimony of an Ameiican writer, this ' ccrs have made a very lucrative job of (hutting 



iift ' hath never in any degree incrcafed the royal ' their eyes, or at leaft of opening them no farther 



« revenue, or brought any other real advantage to ' than their own private interell required'. {_Effay 



« the mothei country. Neither halh it been at all on the trade of the twrlhern coloniei, printed at Ph't- 



' more beneficial to the Britifli fugar colonies, at ladelph'ia, reprinted at London, I 764, p. 20.] He 



* whofe inftance it was procured. But although might have added, that fome of the revenue offi- 

 ' no faliitary confequences have anywhere follow- cers in the higher departments were believed to be 

 ' cd tliis aft, yet many and grf.mifchiefs and dif- deeply concerned iii the fmuggling trade, which 

 ' advantages, as well as corrupt and fcandalous this acl produced. M' 



' pradices, have followed from it in all the Eng- 



