A. D. 1775. 577 



thoufand boats, and a vaft number of lives, were loft; and alio by the 

 abfence of many velTels, which were obliged to leave the fifhing grounds 

 to return home in order to carry out provifionfor the others, they hav- 

 ing mofc unaccountably forgotten, that they could not now have any 

 fupplies from America. 



For the encouragement of the manufacture of red, green, and blue, 

 leather, raw goats fkins were allowed to be imported in Britifli vellels 

 free of any duty for five years, to be computed from the ao'"* of June 

 1775- [15 Geo. HI, c. 35.] 



In order to prevent the fmuggling of painted earthen ware, made on 

 the continent of Europe, all fuch ware, except galley tiles, was permit- 

 ted to be imported on paying a duty often and a half per cent ad 

 valorem. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 37.] ^^^ 



Along with the ufual articles of expenditure voted by parliament for 

 this year, we find an allowance of /?2, 145 to Murdoch Mackenzie for 

 engraving his nautical furveys of the weft coaft of Britain, Ireland, and 

 the Weftern iflands ; ^^3,71 1 : 15 : o to J. F. W. de Barres for engrav- 

 ing his furveys of the coaft of Nova Scotia ; ^^46,846 : 9 : 3 to the bank, 

 for the expenfe of receiving the deficient gold coin of the kingdom ; and 

 ^(^22,824 : 19:0 for extraordinary charges incurred in the mint : alio 

 j^5,ooo for cleaning the channel and repairing the harbour at Barba- 

 dos. There was likewife the fum of/^880,000 voted for paying off one 

 million of the ihree-per-cent funds. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 42.] 



The obligation, laid upon the Eaft-India company, to export the an- 

 nual quantity of Britifli goods, appointed by a former ad, to their fettle- 

 ments in India, was prolonged from the 29''' of September 1775 to the 

 29''' of September 1778. [15 Geo. Ill, c. 44.] 



The Irifli were now allowed to clothe and accoutre that part of the 

 army, which is paid by them, though ferving out of Ireland, with the 

 manufadures of Ireland as well as thofe of Great Britain, and to export 

 fuch goods to the places where they fcrve. And for the encouragement 

 of the linen manufadure in Ireland, an additional bounty of 5/ per 

 hogftiead was allowed on flax-feed imported into Ireland during the 

 years 1776 and 1777. t'5 Geo. Ill, <:. 45.] 



The prolperous manufaduring town of Manchefter being now fuffi- 

 ciently populous and opulent to lupport the expenfe or elegant and ra- 

 tional entertainments, a theatre was licenced there on tl»e fame footing 

 as other theatres. [15 Geo. Ill,.c. 47.] This circumftance, as an effed 

 of the fucccfs of perfevering indullry is not unworthy of a place in 

 commercial hiftory. 



The circulation of notes under twenty lliillings, with certain condi- 

 tions and reftridions, being found a great hartlftiip ujion the lower clats 

 of manufacturers, labourers, and others, it was ordered by parliament, 

 that all fuch notes fhould be paid upon demand, notwiihftanding any 

 Vol. III. 4 D 



