45 « 



A. D. 1767. 



mortification to fee thofe laws difpenfed with in favour of French cloths 

 without any difficulty. 



The court of Portugal, as if defirous of ruining the Britifli trade, 

 cramped it with new duties upon goods and fhips, and many new op- 

 prellive regulations and delays. 



The Britifli merchants found it next to impoffible to recover their 

 debts in the Portuguefe courts of juftice : they were moreover com- 

 pelled to take in payment actions (or iliares) of the very companies, 

 which had been fet up with a view to defl;roy their trade, which fliares 

 the officers of the revenue, and even the companies themfelves, refuted 

 to take in payments. 



The property of the Britifh merchants was frequently feized for the 

 fervice of the king, and even for convents of monks lupported by the 

 king, and the payment delayed for many years, or totally withheld. 

 The violences were committed not only in the prefTure of war, but alfo 

 during the tranquillity of peace. 



Eftimate of the trade between Great Britain and Portugal. 



Britain and the Britifh dominions receive from 

 Portugal 



Wine of Oporto, 22,000 



pipes, - - ^5220,000 

 - Lilbon, 7,000, - 63,000 

 Madeira and the 



other iflands, 12,000, 240,000' 



Oranges and lemons, 



50,000 cherts, - 7j,ooo 



Salt, 40,000 moys, - 24,000 



Oil, morocco leather, ca- 

 cao, brafil wood, drugs, 

 &c. fay - - 8,000 



Balance in favour of Bri- 

 tain, - - 105,000" 



X 735,000 



The following are original notes by the merch- 

 ants. 



a By the cuftom-houfe books at Madeira it ap- 

 pears, that above i l,ooo pipes were (hipped in the 

 year 1765 frtrni that ifland only: fo this article 

 may be prcfumed to be rather under, than above, 

 the truth *. 



b This fum is taken from a tranfcript of the 

 cuflom-houfe books at Lifbon, procured at a great 



• Sir George Staunton ftatei tha produce of the ifland 

 and about joo pipes of malmfey, the half of all which it 

 /• China, f. \,f. 78 of ?V0 «i/.] 



Portugal receives from Britain and the Britilh do- 

 minions 



Woollen, linen, and other 

 manufacluresfrom Bri- 

 tain, rice from Ameri- 

 ca, camblets from Ire- 

 land, carried toLifbon,/^45o,ooo*' 



;^735>ooo 



expenfe. The other articles are eftimated by peo- 

 ple converfant in the trade. 



<^ The fmallnefs of tiie balance will furprife 

 thofe, who, accullomed to confider the trade with 

 Portugal as the moft valuable branch of the Britifh 

 commerce, fuppofe (without grounds) that it 

 amounts to two millions annually : and lome even 

 pretend, that Portugal pays Britain an annual ba- 

 lance of two millions. 



of Madeira only st near 35,000 pipes of Madeira wine, 

 carried to the Britifli dominions and America. \^Bml>offf 



