A. D. 1777. 603 



Such was the value, according to the cuflom-houfe computation (and 

 it was confiderably more in reality) of what could be fpared from the 

 produdions of this mod important manufacture, befides fupplying the 

 home confumption of all England and Wales, and nearly the whole 

 home confumption, and moft of the exportation, of Scotland, which 

 later was much more confiderable before the American revolution, than 

 it has been fince. This capital branch of manufadlure is faid to give 

 employment to a million and a half of people in various parts of 

 England*. 



April 24'" — Thehoufe of commons having required the lords of trade 

 to confider the ftate of the African trade, and the application of the 

 money allowed by parliament for the fupport and protection of it, they 

 made up a report, of which the following is nearly the fubftancc. 



Their lordfhips find, that the proceedings of the African committee 

 previous to the year 1758 have been examined, and approved of 



It appears, that fince that period the important trade for flaves, ivory, 

 and gold, in exchange for Britifli manufadures and India piece goods, 

 has altered greatly for the worfe. The price of Gold-coafl: flaves (the 

 raofl valuable fpecies of flaves) has increafed from £\^ to £2'] fl:erlingf , 

 which is intolerably burthenfome on the Weft-India planters : ivory 

 has become fcarce, and confequently advanced in price ; and gold, in- 

 ftead of being imported in large quantities, as formerly, in exchange for 

 Britifli manufadures, muft now be carried out by the free merchants, 

 or purchafed on the coaft at an exorbitant rate, as no flaves can now be 

 procured without it J. 



It appears, that the eftablifliments of governors and other officers at 

 tlie feveral pofts on the coafl of Africa, which are fupported at the na- 

 tional expenfe, \vith a \-iew to enable every Britifli fubjed to trade on 

 the coaft in a free and open manner, has been perverted to a monopoly, 

 utterly fubverfive of the intentions of parliament, and ruinous to the 



• The large book, from wliich I Iiave com- fome other years, the vahie of woollens fhlpped 

 prefled and digcHed this account, Ihows, that now, from London was ^{^2, 247, 5 70 : 3 : O, and from the 

 as well as fornurly, a much greater value of woollen oiitports ^1,972,602 : 17 :2. 

 nianufaftures was fliipped from London than from It may be agreeable to fee tlie value of the ex- 

 all the outpotts of England. In the year 1775, ports of the fame fpecies of goods from England a 

 when the txcefs of London was much Icfs than in century earlier. 



101698 from London ^^2,102,634, and from the outports ^^1,017,981 Total ^f^, 120,615 



17CO 2,021,145 968,018 "2,91*9,163 



1701 2,045,951 1,082,414 3,i2X,365 



-J- Some of the witnenis dated the price to have been only ^10 for male (laves In the year 1748, 

 which in the year 1763 had advanced 10^^13. A chronological llatcment of the prices of that article 

 of trade will be found under the year 1788. 



'f It was given in evidence by the flaving captains, that the bhiclc flavc merchants infilled on having 

 two ounces of gold, value jf 8 fin which of the currencies?) in the price of cver)-'nave. And, the gold 

 being all colleilted by the re'iuent governors and other ofllceis in their petty dealings with the negroes, 

 the captains arc obliged to purchafe it fiom them at any price liiey pleale to put upon it. 



4 G 2 



