A. D. 1766. 451 



Ruffian tariff coftrogy) to pay (in rix-doUars) two copecs for ex'ery ar- 

 fheen : broad flannels one copec, and narrow flannels three fourths of a 

 copec, the arfheen *. And in general the Britifli fubjedls are to be con- 

 fidered and treated as the mofl: favoured nation. 



This treaty was figned at Peterfl)urg by Sir George Macartney (now 

 Earl Macartney) and by four Ruflian noblemen on the 20th of June 

 1766. 



June — The king of Naples having ordered his revenue ofliicers to make 

 a Arid examination of all fingle-decked veflxils arriving in his ports, the 

 Englifli merchants fettled in that kingdom immediately remonflrated, 

 that fuch a proceeding would be a direcl violation of the i oth article 

 of the treaty of Madrid in the year 1667, which is the bafis of our 

 trade with that country ; wherein it was exprefsly ftipulatecl, that no 

 Britifh veflels, navigating within the ftatcs of the king of Spain or in 

 any of his ports, fliould be liable to be vifited by the judges of the con- 

 traband, or by any other perfon under their, or any other, authority. 



The Britifh conful and factory at Leghorn fent home a memorial, 

 flating the prodigious hardfhip their trade was fubjeded to in expenfcs, 

 damage of goods, delay, difappointment, &c. from their fliips being 

 obliged to perform quarantine on their arrival in Great Britain. They 

 infifted, that Leghorn is the port of all others in the Mediterranean, 

 where the mofl ftrict and judicious precautions are ufed to guard againll: 

 infedion, and confequently, that to put a reflraint upon their trade, 

 from which the trade of other ports, more liable to infection, is ex- 

 empted, cannot be confiflent with equity and commercial policy. 



The young fettlement on the Muiquito fhore was in danger ot being 

 ruined in confequence of the encouragement held out to the negroes 

 by the priefts of the neighbouring Spanilli province to defert from the 

 plantations : and it was pretended, that the civil power could not inter- 

 fere, as they were under the protection of the church. 



In the year 1756 Mellieurs Gordons at Leith began a manufadurc 

 of dye-ftutT from cutbear, a kind of mol's growing upon the rocks in 

 the Highlands f , which anfwered the purpoles of orchil, a foreign pro- 

 duction that ufed to be imported at a very great expcnlc. A manu- 

 fadurc of the fame nature was now fet up in London, the proprietors 

 of which engaged people to collect the material among the mountains 

 of Lochabcr. In procefs of time it became fcarce ; and then it was 

 brought from Norway and Sweden, for Melfieurs Gordons, for the ma- 

 nufacturers in London, and afterwards for a manufactory of it cltablifh- 

 cd at Glafgovv in the year 1777. 



• So early nt the year 1767, this aiticle was ftoncs on the coaft and on tlic liills, which, whcu 



violated hy thi- RufTian government in a turilT im- ground to powder and llecpcd in urine, dyes 4. 



pofin^ highiT duties on wooUcn goods. prcuy ciiinfoii LVili'ur. Il ik ajijiarcntlv ilie fame, 



■(• Martin in liis Dffcription of iht IVfOcrn iflandt whicli is now called ciUlier, nhii-li, I find, ii a'.lc. 



[/I. H5] dv-f;;Il)C» ccrkir as a fcurf upon the pieparcd wilh ui'.ae. 



3 3,. L 2 



