^4^ A. D. 1 744. 



trade between Jamaica and the Spanifli main. Yet, foon after, on a 

 general peace, it was again reftored to Spain. 



The French having, as formerly noted, confiderably gained upon 

 England in their trade to the Levant, not only by the fhortnefs of the 

 voyage thither from Marfeilles, but alfo by judicioufly ftudying the ma- 

 nufaduring of fuch kinds of flight, though fine-looking, woollen cloths, 

 as may befl: fuit their climate, which they can afford to fell at a cheaper 

 rate than tliat of our more fubflantial, and really finer, drapery ; befides 

 their fupplying the Turks, alfo cheaper than we can, with great quan- 

 tities of fugar, indigo, &c. it was at this time much canvafTed, in con- 

 verfation, pamphlets, and newfpapers, whether the (hortsft way for 

 England to regain the afcendant in that very important branch of com- 

 merce would not be to lay the Turkey trade entirely open to all 

 Britifh fubjeds. This went fo far with many, that a bill was brought 

 into parliament for enlarging and regulating the trade to the Levant 

 feas ; hoping, that, by the niunber of traders in an open trade, they 

 fhould be able to underfell the French, and recover the ground which 

 they had gradually loft. But our Turkey or Levant company, being 

 heard at the bar of the houfe, gave thereby, and by their printed cafe, 

 fuch convincing reafons againfl; the bill, that it was at length dropped. 

 The company readily admitted that their trade was much decayed ; but 

 they alleged in fubftance the following genuine reafons for that declen- 

 fion, viz. 



That, during the moft flourifhing periods of their trade, it was prin- 

 cipally carried on with a coarfe kind of cloth, made entirely of Englifh 

 wool, in which no other nation could vie with them. But the French, 

 after the treaty of the Pyrenees, enjoying a long courfe of profperity, 

 turned their views very much to foreign commerce, and particularly to 

 that of the Levant, v.-hich the great Colbert pufhed forward at a vaft 

 public expenfe; till at length the cloth manufadure of Languedoc, made 

 of two thirds Spanifh wool and one third of the wool of that province, 

 could be afforded at as low a price in Turkey as the Englifh could af- 

 ford to fell a coarfer cloth, made all of their own wool, not worth above 

 Oi/ per lb. That this fuperiority of the material, and alio that of the 

 finer fpinning, made a more fliowy cloth, which, though flighter, 

 found its vent in a warmer climate. Thar, moreover, the French 

 make cloths of all Spanifh wool for the Turkey markets, which 

 they fell cheaper than ours ; though ours be more fubftantial. And 

 though there are Englifli cloths made of a mixture of Enghfh and 

 Spanifh wool, yet the French cloth of that fort happens to be much 

 cheaper. Thiit the French, by this acquired advantage of Spanifh wool, 

 have got the better of the natural one which we long enjoyed ; and that 

 our clothiers are not able to make fuch a cloth to fuit the Turks, fo 

 cheap as the French can and do aflbrd theirs before-mentioned. That, 



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