A. D. 1773. ^y, 



confequences of the ill-advifed inftrudlions, they were immediately 

 countermanded ; but it was too late : it was not to be expeded that 

 any Spanidi adventurer would afterwards run into the gulf, in which he 

 faw fo many of his brethren perifli. And the Britifli colonics were 

 obliged, either to fubmit to the entire privation of the Spanifh trade, or 

 to become the adventurers themfelves, as fome of them adually did, 

 though they nm ftill greater rifks of confifcation and flavery than the 

 Spaniards. 



To the lieutenant-governor's report may be added, that confiderable 

 quantities of St. Domingo cotton, (which, according to the evidence 

 given to the houfe of commons, is the propereft for the manufadure of 

 Manchefter velvets, wherein thirty thoufand people were faid to be em- 

 ployed), and of dying woods, as well as indigo, were brought to the 

 free ports in foreign vefl'els. And it was alfo given in evidence, that the 

 cotton and indigo fo imported came to the Britilh manufadurers thirty 

 per cent cheaper than the fame articles could be imported from France. 

 May lo'" — In order to regulate the corn trade by a permanent law 

 (inftead of the late temporary fufpenfions of exportation) which might 

 give fufficient encouragement to the farmer, and produce a regular 

 fupply of bread at moderate prices, it was enaded, that after the i" 

 of January 1774, whenever the average prices of Britilh grain in a dif- 

 trid are above the following rates per quarter of eight Winchefler 

 bufliels, viz. 



wheat 48/; rye, peas, beans 32/"; barley, beer, or bigg, 24/; oats i6f; 

 they may be imported into that diftrid on paying the following low 

 duties, viz. 



on wheat 6d; rye, peas, beans, 3 J; barley, &c. and oats. 2^, per quarter; 

 and wheat flour 2d per hundred weight : and the whole duty may be 

 drawn back, if the fame foreign corns are exported within fix months. 



And when, and where, Britifh corns are at, or above, the following 

 average prices, viz. 



wheat 44/; rye, peas, beans, 28/; barley, beer, or bigg, 22/; oats 14/) 

 the exportation of fuch corn, or of any bread, flour, flarch, &c. made 

 from them, is prohibited, under forfeiture of the corn, and 20/ for 

 every buftiel, together with the vefl'el in which they are ftiipped. 



But this ad does not affed the carriage of corn by coafling naviga- 

 tion from one part of Britain to another. Limited quantities were alfo 

 allowed to be carried to Gibraltar, Minorca, St. Helena, Guernfey, Jer- 

 fey, Mann, and Africa ; and unlimited quantities to Ireland, at any 

 time when the exportation of corn from that kingdom is prohibited. 



In order to prevent corn from falling much under the prices at which 



exportation is proliibited, to the prejudice ot the tarmcr and landholder, 



the following bounties, to commence on the i" of January 1774, were 



granted on the exportation of corn in Britifli vefl'els, with at Icaft two 



Vol. III. 3 Y 



