The Bounty System. 61 



mont quoted the current prices of Carolina tar as £4 4s. (proba- 

 bly sterling)/ but Carolina tar was made from knots and rough 

 pieces of pine wood, and not from prepared trees, so that the 

 quality was inferior to European tar. In answer to inquiries 

 as to the charge for freight, Mr. Bridger informed the Board 

 that the rate on tar from New England would be about £4 per 

 ton in peace, and £6 in war.- Haynes calculated freight at 

 from x6 to £7 per last (about 2 tons).'^ The Virginia estimate 

 was higher, being £6 in peace and £12 in war. 



In October, 1703, Secretary Hedges notified the Board of 

 Trade of Her Majesty's command, that they should consider 

 the possibility of procuring stores from New England and the 

 other plantations in America, and submit their opinion of ways 

 and means to the Privy Council at their next meeting.* In 

 order to comply with this request, the Board invited fresh pro- 

 posals for contracts, and suggestions for stimulating the trade 

 in stores. Mr, Bridger sent in an offer to supply 5,000 barrels 

 of tar and pitch in live years, at 20 shillings per cwt. for pitch, 

 and 30 shillings per barrel for tar (30 gallons to the barrel), de- 

 livered at Deptford, providing Her Majesty would advance 

 £6,000 in specie at the signing of the contract, £4,000 toward the 

 second year, and so on in proportion; besides providing convoy 

 to and from the plantations.-^ Richard Haynes and Company 

 proposed to deliver at Portsmouth, Bristol or London, two 

 years from the date of contract, 1,500 barrels of pitch and tar 

 (Stockholm gauge), at 50 shillings per barrel for pitch, and 40 

 shillings for tar, the current London prices; and in peace, "for 

 so much less as they should find 'the freight lower; provided 

 that their annual importation for seven years be customs free, 

 and taken off their hands and paid for two months after deliv- 



iGov. Bellomont to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng. F: 25. 



^Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng, O : 5. 



^'Haynes to the Board of Trade, March, 1700, B. T. Plants. Gen., 

 D: 18. 



■^Secretary Hedges to the Board of Trade. B. T. New Eng., N : i. 



^Bridger's proposals to the Board of Trade, Nov., 1703, B. T. New 

 Eng., N: 2. 



