The Bounty System. 57 



there was not sufficient pitch and tar in London for present use, 

 the situation called for immediate action. 



In the spring of 1703, the Secretary of State wrote to Doctor 

 Robinson, Her Majesty's envoy to Sweden, to see what were 

 the prospects of obtaining from thence a supply on short no- 

 tice. The reply of the envoy was of such a character that the 

 Secretary had it copied out and given to several merchants 

 "that they might see how much it was in the power of the king 

 of Sweden to forward the fitting out of the Royal Navy of Eng- 

 gland or to keep it in harbour." In this letter,^ Dr. Robinson 

 informed Secretary Hedges that he had transmitted Her Majes- 

 ty's letter to the King of Sweden. The latter had written on 

 the 20th of March to the College of Commerce, at Stockholm, 

 requesting them to give all due assistance to the English fac- 

 tors employed to buy up tar for Her Majesty's service, so that 

 they might obtain for ready money what was due (apparently 

 on contract) for the two former years, and what was desired for 

 the present year. 



Shortly after this. Dr. Robinson was informed that the direc- 

 tors of the tar trade had represented it to the king as a griev- 

 ance that they should be obliged to deliver any pitch or tar for 

 the English navy at Stockholm, when they could gain so much 

 more advantage by carrying it to England and selling on their 

 own account. Dr. Robinson then urged that the king's letter 

 be complied with, at least for that one occasion; but the Tar 

 Company proved incorrigible, and declared that they would 

 export tar and pitch to England only on their own account, and 

 atthe market price fixed. This, said the envoy, was all that 

 Her Majesty had to expect. It was reported that a good round 

 sum had been ofifered to facilitate the matter, but without 

 efifect. From this it was quite evident that the directors of 

 trade intended to monopolize the transport of all pitch and tar 

 to England, as they had done for many years in the case of Hol- 

 land, and that Her Majesty would consequently be forced to 

 choose between buying at the directors' prices or seizing what 



1 "Letter to a Member of Parliament concerning the Naval Stores 

 Bill." 



