264 A. D. 1748. 



There were alio, while the bill for that duty was depending in par- 

 liament, fundry accounts publifhed by the tobacco merchants for pre- 

 venting that commodity being included therein. And it appeared up- 

 on a medium of three years, (1744 — 46) in the cuftom-houfe books, 

 that there was imported into England alone (omitting the odd hundred 

 thoufands) forty millions of pounds weight of tobacco from our Ame- 

 rican plantations. And by the like medium there was exported thirty- 

 three millions : fo that England annually confumed feven millions of 

 pounds weight of tobacco. 



And if England alone were to pay the duty of 4^^ per pound on the 

 faid forty millions of pounds, it would amount in flerling money 

 to - - - - L79i,666 13 4 



But as thirty-three millions of pounds are annually 

 exported, and the whoie duty thereof drawn back, the 

 duty is to be dedudled _ _ _ 653,125 o o 



So the net duty of the feven millions confumed in 

 England is - - - - 138,541 ^3 



Now, valuing the thirty-three millions of pounds of 

 tobacco at 6^' per pound weight, that will be 825,000 o o 



And if Scotland may be allowed to export annually 

 feven millions of pounds, that, at 6fl'per pound, like- 

 wife comes to - - - 175,000 o o 



There will then be annually exported from Great 

 Britain forty millions of pounds, which, at 6d per 

 pound, conies to - - - 1,000,000 o o 



This fum may be deemed to be all clear gain to the nation, over and 

 above this trade giving employment to about 25,000 tons of Britifli 

 Ihipping. Some of the printed accounts publifhed on this particular 

 occafion, for influencing the legiflature in favour of our tobacco colo- 

 nies, (and wJiich therefor are to be read with fome caution, like all 

 others publifhed for fuch particular ends) make our annual importation 

 of tobacco into Great Britain to be, one year with another, about 80,000 

 hogflieads, weighing 900 pound weight each, or 72 millions of pounds. 

 And they generally fuppofed one fourth part thereof, or 18 millions, to 

 be confumed at home; and that the remaining 54 millions were an- 

 nually re-exported for foreign confumption. 



Others ftated our total annual importation of tobacco at but 62,000 

 hogflieads, or 55,800,000 pounds ; and that England alone confumes 

 12,000 hogflieads thereof, which, if all paid the duty of 4|^ per lb. 

 would yield L21 3,750 to the crown. But, as confiderable quantities are 

 fmuggled inwards for ho me -confumption, the whole duty may not be 



