96 DUBLIN SOCIETY. 



houfes amount to five hundred pounds a year each. Call the 

 ftock twenty-five thoufand pounds at fix per cent, the total ex- 

 pence of this meafure isjuft two thoufand five hundred pounds 

 a year ; or four times over the whole revenue of the lociety 

 for the encouragement of arts, manufactures, and commerce 

 at London. I have examined their fales in the weekly returns 

 publifhed, and find that from June 23, 1777, to February 7, 

 1778, their average weekly receipt was 



Silk 1 50 



Wool 339 



Or per annum Silk 7,800 



Wool 17,628 



%s the fociety give a premium of 3!. per cent, on all the Irijk 

 wrought filk bought in the kingdom by ivholefale for the furpofe of 

 retailing, that is abo've four f killings ayard, it wijl help us to form 

 aji idea of the filk manufacture. From the firft of June 1776, 

 to the firft of June 1777, the amount was 34,023!. 8s. 2d. in- 

 cluding Corke, Limerick, Belfaft, &c. and they paid fix hun- 

 dred and fifty pounds premium on it, from hence we find that 

 their own filk fales muft be a large proportion of the whole- 

 fale in Dublin. This has been the greateft exertion of the 

 Dublin Society of late years. 



The intention of the meafure is evidently to take the wea- 

 vers, both of filk and wool, out of the hands of mercers and 

 drapers, and let their manufactures come to market without 

 any intermediate profit on them. There is one effect certain to 

 refult from this, which is taking a great part of the ready mo- 

 ney cuftom from the draper and mercer, which being the moft 

 beneficial part of their trade, is to all intents and purpofes lay- 

 ing a heavy tax on them : now upon every principle of common 

 fenfe as well as commerce, it will appear a ftrange mode of en- 

 couraging a manufacture to lay taxes upon the mafter manu- 

 facturers. But all taxes laid upon a tradefman in confequence 

 of his trade, muft be drawn back in the fale of his commodi- 

 ties, and this tax muft be fo as well as others j whatever he 

 does fell muft be fo much the dearer, or he can carry on no 

 trade at all j here therefore is a frefli tax, that of enhancing the 

 prices paid by all who do not buy with ready money, a very 

 great majority of the whole : the dearer a commodity is the 

 lefs is confumed of it, fo the confumption on credit is undoubt- 

 edly leflened, in order that thofe who have ready money in 

 their hands may be ferved fomething the cheaper : here is a 

 mnnifeft and felf evident mifchief, in order to attain a very 

 doubtful and queftionable benefit. 



Is there under the fun, an inftance of a manufacture made to 

 flourifli by fuch meafures ? Mafter manufacturers with that vi- 

 gour, attention, (kill and invention, which are the refult of a 

 profitable bufinefs, are in all parts of the world, the very foul 

 of profperous fabrics. It is their profit which animates 

 them to thofe fpiritcd exertions, upon which the advance of 



manufactures 



