COMMERCE. 183 



two thirds fince 1 750. Tipperary doubled in twenty years. 

 Barony of Owna and Ara doubled in ditto. Rich lands of 

 .Limerick rifen a fourth in twenty years, and two thirds fince 

 1748. 



In the preceding enquiries the truth of this is confirmed by 

 every proof which authentic records can (hew ; as the table 

 now before us marks the commercial connection between 

 Great Britain and Ireland, it is necelFary to divide it into pe- 

 riods, in order to fee the average of each. The tabk con- 

 tains twenty-five years fince 1748, during which period 



The averages are, 

 Ditto in the 25 preceding years, 



Latter period fuperior by, 



Imports. 



1. 



965,050 

 438.66s 



526,385 



Exports. 



1,482,513 

 657,973 



824,541 



Here is an account that is worth a dozen arguments ! It is 

 from hence evident, that our exports to Ireland have in the laft 

 twenty-five years confiderably more than doubled, almoflE 

 trebled ; and this great rife has been exactly in the period of 

 the internal profperity of that ifland. If I did not know per- 

 fons of very refpedhible characters in parliament, who think 

 very differently upon this great queftion of the freedom of 

 Irifh trade, I lliould be afliamed of dwelling a moment on the 

 fubjecl:. How would it have been poffible for that country to 

 iupport fuch an increafed importation, unlefs (he had increaf- 

 ed in wealth ? And having proved that fuch advances in na- 

 tional profperity have been attended by this increafed demand 

 for the manufactures and produces of England, are we not 

 perfectly founded in concluding, that future advantages to Ire- 

 land will alfo be attended by fimilar effe&s I The influx of 

 wealth into that country brings a tafte for the elegant luxu- 

 ries with which we abound, and the capability of purchafing 

 them enfures the purchafe. An Englifhman cannot go into a 

 imgle houfe in Dublin, or fee a perfon drefled, of either fex, 

 without having this truth flaring him in the face. But there 

 is a circumftaHce in this account which deferves particular at- 

 tention, and that is our import trade not having increafed fo 

 much as the export one, from which this plain conclufion is to 

 be drawn ; that let Ireland get her wealth from where fhe will, 

 it comes infallibly to England. The fourth column of the 

 table which fhews the balance fhe pays us, and which amounts 

 of late years, from fix hundred thoufand to a million a year, 

 couKl not poffibly be fupported with the abfentee drain, unlefs 

 ihe made by her trade euewhere. 



Average 



