A. D. 1792. 243 



under our confideration, the prefent feems, on a double account, a pro- 

 per time for introducing the fubftance of them. 



The committee ftate, that, in order to give the greatefl: encourage- 

 ment to the principal and favourite manufacfture of England, the com- 

 pany have continually exported woolen goods in fuch abundance, that, 

 though the fales that were made were almofl continually at a very con- 

 fiderable lofs, large quantities of them have every year remained un- 

 fold in their warehoufes in India. Notwithftanding thefe difccuirage- 

 ments, they have perfevered in their exports, in confideration of the 

 diftrefs the manufacturers mufl: fufFer, if deprived of their ufual fales 

 to the company. But it can never be poffible to make any confiderable 

 increafe of the exports of manufadures to a country, pofi'effing in the 

 greatefl: abundance raw materials for manufadures better adapted to the 

 climate than thofe of Great Britain (which are moreover forbidden by 

 the rules of fome of the religious feels) and containing millions of in- 

 genious and induftrious workmen, who work for a fifth part of the 

 wages given in England. And if the fales to the natives cannot be in- 

 creafed, thofe to the refident Europeans, who are but a handful of people, 

 can never be an objedt of competition for the company with individuals 

 and foreigners. 



It is evident that no commercial intercourfe is practicable in India, 

 which is not guarded by treaties with the native princes, or by a mili- 

 tary force ; and that the numerous eftablifliments of the company give 

 them, and all thofe who are under their protedion, advantages in buy- 

 ing and felling, which no unconneded individuals, nor even foreign 

 companies, can pofilbly enjoy. In every part of the Eafi: the company's 

 mark on the outfide of a bale is a fufficient pledge to the buyer, that 

 the quantity and quality of its contents are agreeable to the invoice. 

 An individual cannot exped that implicit confidence — and perhaps he 

 he may fometimes fail to deferve it *. From fuch confequences the 

 ruinous effed to the trade may be eafily forefeen. 



_All the foreign companies, except the Dutch, have either totally fail- 

 ed, or are in a very declining ftate. Their trade can no longer come 

 under the defcription of commercial adventure : it depends chiefly up- 

 on conveying to Europe the fortunes of Britifii individuals ; on which 

 occafion the owner of the veflel endeavours to charge nearly the whole 

 treight on his employer's homeward cargo, fo as to have his outward ad- 

 venture almofl: free of freight. Such fliips are generally fitted out in 

 -thofe ports where many Britifli merchants are fettled, and a great pro- 



* The French counterfeited the company's ul^jus examination. In like manner, it is faid, lead 



packages and marks, and fer fume time impofed cafcd over with tin was fent from Europe, and 



their cloths upon the Chiiiefe, v,ho, fince they iirpofcd upon the Chlnefe for tin. But the credit 



have detefted the impofition, will rot take a bale, of the company's mark ftill remains iiniropeached 



nor even a fingle pitccj froig them without a fciup. in ipite of fuch frauds. 



Hh2 



