A. D. 1701. 717 



' between France and the northern nations, to lie rotting in their ports : 

 ' but rather than not be employed, will let them fetch the northern 

 ' merchandize diredly from thence into the ports of France, as now 



* propofed.' 



Befides the faid objedions of the deputy of Nantes, he of Marfeille 

 urged, ' that the voyage from Dantzick, or even from Copenhagen, to 



* Marfeille, is too long for a fhip to go and come with certainty in one 

 ' feafon, confidering the ice and the long nights : and that therefor 



* there is no avoiding the ufe of entreports,' (i. e. middle-way or half- 

 way ports) ' for the trade of Marfeille *.' 



The deputy from Bayonne objeded, ' that their commerce with their 

 ' neighbours of Spain could not be continued in competition with the 

 ' Dutch, had they not the liberty offupplying themfelves from entre- 



* ports at feafonable times, as they have occafion, with wax, cacao- 



* nuts, &c.' 



The deputy of Nantes, inter alia, farther replied, ' that it was to be 

 ' feared this novelty may confirm the Englifli in their obftinacy of con- 



* tinuing their high exclufive duties on French goods ; and that while 

 ' that commerce fubfifted with England,' (for at this time the near ap- 

 proach of a war interrupted it), ' we conftantly furniflied them with 

 ' the merchandize of France, to the value of many millions more than 



* we confumed of theirs. He alfo farther urged agaiaft this propofed 

 ' regulation the confideration, that the produdions of France are al- 



* mofl all perifhable, and that therefor we cannot be too circumfped in 



* cultivating a good underftanding with foreign nations, which furely is 



* not to be done by prelcribing laws to them.' 



The board juilly inveigh againft the pradice of their grand monarch, 



* of granting monopolies or farms to particular perfons, to be the fole 

 ' venders of certain commodities, as being mofl ruinous to trade. 



' As, I) lead from England, which fupphed their own wants, and 



* with which France alio iupplied Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, 



* the Levant, and the French Weft-Indies, granted folely, as to ihot, 

 ' to one perfon. 



' II) The Ible making, furnifliing, and diftributing, of faltpetre and 



* gunpowder. 



' III) Other monopolifts for provifions, &c. Thefe make themfelves 

 ' mafters of all the good branches of, trade, by means of their privi- 



* leges, to the great prejudice of the public. And we are of opinion, 

 ' that it is for the good of the ftate to fupprefs them all : and to lay 

 ' open thofe branches of trade, whereby our navigation will increafe, 



* and the king will receive much more duties than thofe he gets by the. 



* monopolies.' 



* 'the dread of a long voyage from tlic north to the fouth parts of Europe contributed in a great- 

 tneafure to make Antwerp in former times the general magazine of Europe. ^. 



