A. D. 1737. 215 



quantity of wood we now confiime, to make much more bar-iron at 

 home. 



3dly, That nothing is more hkcly to prevent our American colonies 

 from "falUng into fuch manufaftures as mull; interfere with our own ma- 

 nufadures of iron, &c. than giving them encouragements to raife fuch 

 rough materials as pig, fow, and bar, iron, hemp, &c. as it is well known 

 of what great advantage to this kingdom the bounties on the importa- 

 tion of pitch and tar from thence have been fince the year 1703. 



4ihly, That, for this end, a duty fliould be laid in our colonies on all 

 iron imported there from Europe ; and that, had the like been done in 

 regard to prohibiting the importation of hemp from Europe into our 

 colonies, the bounty now fubfifling on American hemp would have, by 

 this time, proved more effectual for fupplying us from thence with all 

 the hemp we want. 



On the other hand, the great and natural oppofers to the merchants 

 petitions were the proprietors of the Englilh iron works, and thofe of 

 the woodlands of England ; but where particular interefl alone is fo 

 llrongly concerned againft fo vihble a national benefit, that oppofition 

 feemed then not to be much regarded by iinpartial men, at leafl with- 

 out doors. Tn fine, the promoters of this fcheme, for encouraging the 

 importation of iron from our American colonies, propofed, that an ad- 

 ditional duty fliould be laid on all foreign bar-iron imported, except- 

 ing only fuch as fliall be imported from our American colonies ; and 

 10 repeal the prefent foreign duty on all bar-iron which may be here- 

 after imported from our plantations: yet fo many jarring interefls pre- 

 vented the legiflature from doing any thing at this time therein. 



In November 1737 the Jamaica merchants petitioned the king for 

 protcdion' againft the great and violent interruptions and feizures com- 

 mitted by Spanifli fliips in the American feas, under the plaufible pre- 

 tences of guarding llK-ir ov.n coafls, by not only ftopping and fearch- 

 ing, but alfo, for many years part, forcibly and arbitrarily feizing, their 

 fliips on the high feas, inhumanly treating the Britifli commanders and 

 fallors, and condemning our Ihips and cargoes as pri/.es, in manifcft vio- 

 lation of Iblcmn trc-ities biiwten Great Britain and Spain, whereby the 

 trade to his m:vjefty's plantations in America is rendered extremely pre- 

 carious ; humbly praying, therefor, fpeedy and ample fatisfadion for 

 thofe lodes ; and that no Britifli veliel be detained or fearched on the 

 high feas by any nation, imder any pretence whatfotver .; and that the 

 trade to America may be rendered fafe for the future. The king pro- 

 miled theni redrefs, upon their making good their allegations to the 

 j)riyy council, which ihey afterward jilainly did. And here wc mult 

 obferve, that whereas, by the treaty of 1670 with Spain our fliips are 

 not to refort, nor trade to, the coafts of New Spain and its adjoining 

 Spanifli provinces, unlefs driven thither by ftrefs of weather, their fail- 



