A. D. 1670. , ^^j 



their cufloms on merchandize. And yet he fubjoins, that tw-o per cent 

 extraordinary on the intereft of money, is worfc than four per cent ex- 

 traordinary in cuftoms ; becaufe cufloms run only upon our goods im- 

 ported or exported, and that but once for all : whereas intereft runs as 

 well upon our fliips as goods, and muft be annually paid on both fo long 

 as they are in being. 



He remarks how much Ireland has been improved by the late com- 

 monwealth's Englifli foldiers fettling on the lands of that kingdom ; 

 whereby that country was able to fupply foreign markets, as well as our 

 own plantations in America, with beef, pork, hides, talloSv, bread, beer, 

 •wood, and corn, at cheaper rates than we can afford to do ; to the beat- 

 ing us out of thofe trades. Whereas formerly (i. e. prefently after the 

 late Irifli war, begun in the year 1640) many men got good edates by 

 tranfporting EngliOi cattle thither. 



Such are the perpetual fluctuations in commerce- Infomuch that the 

 Iridi, about thefe times, poured in their live cattle upon England, till 

 we were obliged, for the pacifying of oiir landed gentlemen, to enacl a 

 total prohibition of them. 



We have alfo feen in our ov.-n times fo great an improvement in 

 thofe refpecls in our northern continental colonies of America in raif- 

 ing flocks of cattle, more efpecially of hogs, as alio in producing corn 

 and pulfe, that they in a great meafure fupply our own fugar colonies 

 therevvith, and with timber, pipe-ffaves, and other lumber (as they term 

 it), and alfo the fugar colonies of other European nations. In times of 

 dearth alio, Pennfylvania and the Jerfeys have helped to fupply even Bri- 

 tain and Ireland with corn. 



With refped to the benefits and advantages accruing to England from 

 its Eaft-India company and trade, Sir Jofiah Child, v4io was an eminent 

 diredor and promoter of it, fuppofes it to be far from difficult to 

 evince it to be the mofl beneficial trade which England at that time 

 carried on : which he lays down in the following pofitions, viz. 



I) It employs from 25 to 30 fail of the moft warlike mercantile fliips 

 of the kingdom, with 60 to 100 mariners in each (hip. 



II) It fupplies the kingdom conftantly and fully with that moft ne- 

 ceffary article, faltpetre. 



III) It fupplies the kingdom, for its confumption, with pepper, indi- 

 go, calicoes, and feveral ufeful drugs, to the value of Li 50,000 to 

 Li 80,000 yearly *. 



IV) ' It alio fupplies us with materials for carrying on our trade to 

 ' Turkey, viz. pepper, cowries, calicoes, and painted fluffs ; as alio for 

 ' our trades to France, Spain, Italy, and Guinea, to the amount of two 

 ' or three hundred thoufand pounds yearly ; moft of which trades we 

 ' could not carry on with any confiderable advantage but for thofe 



* Tlic tea-trade from China was not yet iutroJuced. yl, 



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